Chess title match remains knotted as Carlsen, Anand draw in Game 5

Navigating a few tricky middle-game shoals, world chess champion Magnus Carlsen held challenger Viswanathan Anand to a 39-move draw Friday in Game 5 of their scheduled 12-round title match in Sochi, Russia.

The result leaves the match score tied at 2 1/2-2 1/2, with the Norwegian champion having the advantage of the White pieces for Saturday’s Game 6.

Carlsen, who lost badly the last time in Game 3 when he last had the Black pieces, varied with a relatively rare Queen’s Indian Defense line against the Indian challenger’s 1. d4. Carlsen appeared much better prepared in this opening than in Game 3’s Queen’s Gambit, rattling off his first 17 moves almost instantaneously.

But White managed to pose problems for Black once the center opened up after 17. Bxf6 exf6 18. dxe6 Qxe6 19. Re1 Qf6 20. Nd5!, when Costa Rican GM Alehandro Ramirez, analyzing the game on Chessbase.com, noted that Black can get into difficulties after 20…Qxb2?! 21. Re2! Qa3 22. Re3 Qb2 23. Rb1 Qxa2 24. Ra1! Qc4 25. Rxa5 bxa5 26. Ne7+, winning the bishop and leaving White with the better position.

Black makes a good practical decision to accept a broken-up kingside in order to exchange queens, and Carlsen keeps the material balance after the game’s tricky 25. Re7 Kg7 26. Rxa7 Nc6! 27. Qb7 Nb4 28. Bb3 Rxd1+ 29. Bxd1 Nxa2 30. Rxb6 Nc3.

Black’s doubled f-pawns don’t prove a major weakness in the endgame, and after the knight and bishop are exchange, the rook ending after 38. Re4 Rxf2+ 39. Kg3 Rxf5 is completely equal. 

Here are the moves to Friday’s Game 5:

White: Anand

Black: Carlsen

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Nc3 Bb7 7. Bg2 c6 8. e4 d5 9. exd5 cxd5 10. Ne5 O-O 11. O-O Nc6 12. cxd5 Nxe5 13. d6 Nc6 14. dxe7 Qxe7 15. Bg5 h6 16. d5 Na5 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. dxe6 Qxe6 19. Re1 Qf6 20. Nd5 Bxd5 21. Bxd5 Rad8 22. Qf3 Qxb2 23. Rad1 Qf6 24. Qxf6 gxf6 25. Re7 Kg7 26. Rxa7 Nc6 27. Rb7 Nb4 28. Bb3 Rxd1+ 29. Bxd1 Nxa2 30. Rxb6 Nc3 31. Bf3 f5 32. Kg2 Rd8 33. Rc6 Ne4 34. Bxe4 fxe4 35. Rc4 f5 36. g4 Rd2 37. gxf5 e3 38. Re4 Rxf2+ 39. Kg3 Rxf5 Draw agreed