World Championships
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WCC 2010-11: Gladiator Battle, but no Winner
While this match has had its share of mistakes, no chess fan on the planet will say that the match was not hard-fought. This match has had many exciting battles where the game hung in the balance such that the result was unclear. Game #11 was different because it featured…
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WCC 2010-10: Topalov charges but Anand holds
Topalov and Anand battle in Game 10’s Grunfeld Defense. Photo by Chessvibes. This world championship will go down go down as one of the best in the past 25 years. The play has not been stellar, but the fighting between the two players has been admirable and the games (and…
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WCC 2010-9: Missed Chances in Seesaw Battle
This illustration was done by Mike Magnan of Toronto. Magnan is one of several talented chess cartoonists which include José Diaz for Chessvibes and Rene Duret for Alexandra Kosteniuk’s site. These types of images will certainly make chess appear to be more friendly. Viswanathan Anand may have missed a crucial…
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WCC 2010-8: Topalov levels match at 4-4!
The body language tells all… Topalov will be pressing and Anand will be defending. Game #8 had its twists and turns but certainly not reminiscent of Game #7. Photo © ChessVibes. If it is not clear that the momentum shifted after Game #7, then it should be absolutely clear that…
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WCC 2010-7: ‘Fire on Board’ fizzles to draw
Anand and Topalov have an epic battle in Game #7. Photo © Chessvibes. World Champion Viswanathan Anand and Challenger Veselin Topalov played what was arguably the most exciting game in the match. A game replete with theoretical complications and a perpetual ebb and flow, Topalov rolled out his famous preparation…
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WCC 2010-6: Topalov presses but no point
Veselin Topalov knows that he will have to build some momentum since he is a point down in a short match. In Game #6, Topalov gained that momentum by outplaying Viswanathan Anand in the latter stages of the game, but unfortunately was unable to score a full point. Nevertheless, this…
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WCC 2010-5: Anand continues to hold lead
Topalov and Anand square in a pivotal 5th game. Photo by ChessBase. Game #5 was a key affair for Challenger Veselin Topalov. Many pundits were wondering how he would react to the severe thrashing he took in the previous game. Would he come out with guns blazing trying to get…
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WCC 2010-4: Anand crushes Topalov for +1
Anand is on a roll… wins again with ‘Killer Catalan’! Photo by Europe-Echecs.com. World Champion Viswanathan Anand destroyed Challenger Veselin Topalov today in another “Killer Catalan”. This time it would be Anand to deliever a crushing knight sacrifice to shatter black’s king. The game evolved into a very interesting battle…
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WCC 2010-3: Match stays level after draw
Would Veselin Topalov come out blazing after taking one on the chin in Game #2? It just so happened that he attempted to take the initiative, but Viswanathan Anand was more than willing to take up the fight. Anand took a page out of Vladimir Kramnik’s book by introducing the…
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WCC 2010-2: Anand storms back… evens match
India’s Viswanathan AnandPhoto © Chessvibes. After Viswanthan Anand’s crushing loss in game #1, many were wondering if the “Ashgate” ordeal he faced was affecting him. In fact that question was raised in the press conference. Anand did not offer his harrowing 40-hour trip as an excuse, but he certainly was…
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