Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 Blitz pairings: Anand gifts Carlsen a checkmate in three

Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 Pairings Blitz: The strongest chess tournament in history has two other attractions – First, the new World Chess Champion is playing his first chess tournament after picking up the world title. Second, he is meeting his ‘victim’, former World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand, for the first time after the November, 2013 debacle.

A blitz chess tournament was played on Wednesday, January 29, to determine the colour distribution for the main Zurich Chess Challenge 2014, which includes five rounds of classical chess to be played from Thursday to Monday (30 January to 3 February), followed by a rapid tournament with reversed colours on the last day (4 February).

Everyone was focused on just one game really after Magnus Carlsen ‘lost’ the first round blitz game to Fabiano Caruana.

World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen and his predecessor met in Round 4 and the Indian Grandmaster handed the Norwegian a cool checkmate in three that is bound to keep Carlsen fans exulting and Anand fans gnashing their teeth for a long time to come.

Take a try at the chess position yourself: Carlsen-Anand 1-0. Anand has just played 20. …Nc6. Anand resigned on Magnus Carlsen’s next move which actually forces a checkmate in three!

What did Magnus Carlsen play and Anand resign?(Expect the position to go down in chess puzzle books across the planet)

Here is also the live stream video of the game between Carlsen – Anand from the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 pairings blitz. All games were commented by GM Yannick Pelletier and IM Werner Hug and broadcast live via the internet. Don’t miss their excellent commentary and chat.

Here are the pairings for the ‘actual’ Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 tournament with classical and rapid games:

Classical Games

Round 1

Magnus Carlsen – Boris GelfandLevon Aronian – Viswanathan AnandHikaru Nakamura – Fabiano Caruana

Round 2

Boris Gelfand – Fabiano CaruanaViswanathan Anand – Hikaru NakamuraMagnus Carlsen – Levon Aronian

Round 3

Levon Aronian – Boris GelfandHikaru Nakamura – Magnus CarlsenFabiano Caruana – Viswanathan Anand

Round 4

Boris Gelfand – Viswanathan AnandMagnus Carlsen – Fabiano CaruanaLevon Aronian – Hikaru Nakamura

Round 5

Hikaru Nakamura – Boris GelfandFabiano Caruana – Levon AronianViswanathan Anand – Magnus Carlsen

Rapid Games

Round 1

Boris Gelfand – Magnus CarlsenViswanathan Anand – Levon AronianFabiano Caruana – Hikaru Nakamura

Round 2

Fabiano Caruana – Boris GelfandHikaru Nakamura – Viswanathan AnandLevon Aronian – Magnus Carlsen

Round 3

Boris Gelfand – Levon AronianMagnus Carlsen – Hikaru NakamuraViswanathan Anand – Fabiano Caruana

Round 4

Viswanathan Anand – Boris GelfandFabiano Caruana – Magnus CarlsenHikaru Nakamura – Levon Aronian

Round 5

Boris Gelfand – Hikaru NakamuraLevon Aronian – Fabiano CaruanaMagnus Carlsen – Viswanathan Anand

Replay the full game Magnus Carlsen – Viswanathan Anand 1-0:

PGN: [Event "Zurich CC Blitz 2014"], [Site "Zurich SUI"], [Date "2014.01.29"], [Round "4.2"], [White "Carlsen, Magnus"], [Black "Anand, Viswanathan"], [Result "1-0"], [WhiteTitle "GM"], [BlackTitle "GM"], [WhiteElo "2872"], [BlackElo "2773"], [ECO "A06"][Opening "Reti"], [Variation "Nimzovich-Larsen attack"], [WhiteFideId "1503014"], [BlackFideId "5000017"], [EventDate "2014.01.29"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 c5 3. e4 dxe4 4. Ng5 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Ncxe4 Nxe4 10. Nxe4 e5 11. f4 exf4 12. Qh5 Nd4 13. Rxf4 g6 14. Qe5 b6 15. Raf1 Bf5 16. g4 Be6 17. Bxe6 fxe6 18. Rxf8+ Bxf8 19. Nf6+ Kh8 20. c3 Nc6 21. Ne8+ 1-0

For complete tournament reports on the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014, continue to follow our main website www.blackandwhiteindia.com. You can also access the official website of the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 here.