Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand played out an easy draw with black pieces against Magnus Carlsen in the fourth game of the ongoing World Chess Championship in Sochi.
After a crushing win over Carlsen in the third game which level scores, Anand gave nothing away and was a completely different player from the first two games in which he had looked quite vulnerable. The scores are now level at 2-2 after four rounds.
There was pressure from Carlsen yet again but Anand was hardly intimidated as tackled the Norwegian move for move.
Anand changed gears in the opening in the fourth game, shifting to the Sicilian defence, from the Berlin wherein he lost badly in the second game while playing with black pieces.
Carlsen, in his typical style, went for the closed set-up, livening things up at his own will when he wanted and put Anand under some pressure in the middle game.
Anand, this time however did not buckle under pressure, found out a resourceful defence and then the pieces got exchanged in a heap.
The Norwegian was playing against a slightly vulnerablepawn structure but things did not go in his favour thanks to some perfect counter-attack that Anand produced after trading all the pieces except queen.
Carlsen used up some of his time in the second time control after move 40 but decided that there was nothing to play for.
The game ended vide perpetual checks after 47 moves, giving Anand a small psychological advantage ahead of the rest day before the fifth game in the 12-games match that has 1 million Euros as prize money.
Carlsen did not appear quite happy with the result as he said, "I thought I played terribly, it was a draw so that's ok."
"It was a difficult game. There was a lot going on based on this weak pawn in the centre. Towards the end, I found this important queen move after which it’s fine," Anand said in the post-game conference.
The tide seems to be turning in Anand's favour if the last two games are any indication. The fifth game will be quite important for the Indian ace to continue in similar vein.
More pressure from Anand could result in a much needed victory as Carlsen does not look the same invincible player he was in Chennai last year.
