[Americanroyalty]

The world championship started on the 9th, but due to time constraints I wasn't able to post this thread until now. Thus I will post the first four games with youtube commentary by GM Daniel king. His commentary is short and concise yet easy for the layman (me) to understand. So over the next few weeks we will see if the prodigal Norwegian Magnus Carlsen can unseat the current champion, the chess guru, Viswanathan Anand.

Game 1
[youtube]jwVcHN_ZS2c[/youtube]
Not a lot of activity in this game but as it's the first match it is hardly surprising that both players played it safe. Just to give you some context here's what messir King wrote:

With regard to the 'boring' first game - this is rather typical for world championship matches, and we have to manage our expectations. These matches often produce many draws. The only important thing for the players is to have their nose in front of the other when they get to the finishing tape. In London 2000 Kramnik convincingly defeated Kasparov by winning just 2 games out of 15 (the rest were drawn). In tournament chess there are lots of other players and to win the event one must keep winning games. Not so here. Today was just a prelude. Both players gained a little information on the other and now they go back home and work with that. We have to see the match as a whole, not just focusing on individual games. I seem to remember posting something very similar at the previous world championship match...

Game 2
[youtube]pisCM_7V_q0[/youtube]
Some potential for sharp variations but both players were very conservative so it was a quick draw. Anand is looking very competitive.

Game 3
[youtube]Skl59jivbiw[/youtube]
Starts out like game 1 though it ends up much more interesting then game 1, but again it ends in a draw. I view these early games as the opening skirmishes in the long war that is world championship match. Anand is looking very strong and has consistently stymied Carlson's initiative.

Game 4
[youtube]Wh1RN3tqaK8[/youtube]
This game has been the best so far lot's of activity and Anand has really shown his power. The coordination Anand achieves at the 6:23 mark is masterful. Really this game proves that Anand is still a contender which I was unsure of leading up to the world championship. Obviously I stand corrected after this match. However Carlsen showed his chops by fighting back in the Endgame, still in the end another draw.

I'll be busy this weekend (no games til friday as thursday is a rest day) but by monday I should post Mr. King's analysis of the weekend's games.

[Americanroyalty]

la catastrophe

Game 5
[youtube]BbrpQKJXXZs[/youtube]
Game 6
[youtube]x9h1UqIcrUw[/youtube]

Bad blunders have sunk Anand in these two games. Honestly after these two games the world championship is probably over as Carlsen just needs draws and he will win.

Someone online suggested that going for ten wins instead of just seeing who had the highest score after match play would insure livelier games and I don't disagree at all.

[Americanroyalty]

The Lull

Game 7
[youtube]2dSLRXeX-Tc[/youtube]

Game 8
[youtube]Z0Klm-nUuEc[/youtube]

Well Anand has been playing it very safe in these two games and Carlsen, being in the lead, has let him. Idk if Anand is even going to play for a win anymore but there is a break coming up and Anand said he would be preparing a new strategy so perhaps Game 9 will have more activity.

[Travesty]

posting in thread about chess.

[Americanroyalty]

posting in thread about chess.

Good for you.
I honestly didn't expect much discussion as I'm not a competent enough player to provide any more analysis then "oh, those guys rock". Hence I'm posting these excellent videos for anyone who wants to watch them.

Fire with Fire

Game 9
[youtube]Ww_qifR3ajI[/youtube]
I rescind my complaints about draws after this game. Both players pored fire into this match which is awesome as Carlsen really only needs to go for draws (any game with a player rampaging with two queens is explosive). And at the end Carlsen won in convincing fashion after this performance he has truly earned the title World Champion.

[Oxymoron]

are you freakin for real?

[Americanroyalty]

are you freakin for real?

Totally, I'm a sports junkie I can watch and enjoy any competition. I'm fairly certain of my reality but if I was fake/unreal how would I be able to tell?

Edit: I get that it's unorthodox tho, but this match is particularly important as Carlsen is the dominant force in chess now (essentially the new Kasparov) and he will finally be world champion after this.

If you wanna see how little understanding of chess there is check out this yahoo article were the premise is you'll never guess what this model's talent is (Carlsen has done modeling work in Norway).
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/spt--magnus-carlsen-brings-new-style-to-the-world-of-competitive-chess-004535024.html

[Americanroyalty]

The End

Game 10
[youtube]XiMQdXXk_X0[/youtube]

Although Anand was playing good chess early on in the End Carlsen has shown a convincing victory.

[LEBANON]

thank you greatly...they're all downloaded here ..
i like chess...i was taught the game at age 9-10 i believe...still playing it so far...
but for some reason my youngest daughter keeps destroying me horribly at it ..

[Philior Gordov]

Thank you so much for posting these clips, I will make sure to peruse them! I am very far from an expert, but have always had a soft spot for this intellectual sport and enjoy following chess tournaments. Carlsen is a really special talent! I certainly expected a more even contest, it seems as if Anand never managed to hit top gear. It's also interesting that Eastern Europeans (including Jews from Eastern Europe) usually dominate chess and the Norwegian is one of the few "Westerners" who has managed to secure the most prestigious chess title for himself.

[Godstud]

Chess isn't a sport. It's a board game. Chess is as much a sport as Monopoly is.

It should be posted in Arcade. it'd be more accurate.

[Russkie]

Chess isn't a sport. It's a board game. Chess is as much a sport as Monopoly is.

It should be posted in Arcade. it'd be more accurate.

Its a professional sport, its even played in the olympics.

[Godstud]

There is a Chess olympiad, but it's not the Olympics.
Chess is NOT a sport anymore than Risk is. Are you going to suggest that Poker is a sport?

[RhetoricThug]

Godstud, I read both of your posts, I'm deeply saddened by your misunderstanding of Chess. Like Go, Chess is a game of strategy, skill, not chance. Thus the intellectual pursuit of Chess does not belong amongst the hoard of chance based games, which is the arcade.

Let's take a look at the definition of sport

an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

Chess earns the right to be considered a sport due to the practice and competence needed to perform sufficiently against an opponent.

If Golf can be considered a sport, Chess, surely can be as well.

I love ya Godstud, but don't troll Chess

[Godstud]

Poker is considered a game of skill, far more than a game of luck.

I'm merely stating that Chess is not a sport. It's a board game. Suggesting it's a sport, is like saying that Scrabble is a sport.

[RhetoricThug]

I'm merely stating that Chess is not a sport. It's a board game. Suggesting it's a sport, is like saying that Scrabble is a sport.

No, just no!

You are twisting the definition of sport for your liking, to justify stupefied comparisons that make Chess seem simple, confined to a board, when really, sport boils down to a skill not chance. Poker, once card counting is discarded- is based on chance.

[Brother of Karl]

Poker doesn't have card counting. You're thinking of blackjack. Poker has tournaments and a world series which is broadcasted live on sports networks, and very much has a certain level of strategy, as there are several famous rich poker stars who consistently beat out lesser opponents for money. If chess is a sport, Poker must be as well.

[Fasces]

Your definition also requires that the activity have physical exertion to be considered a sport.

Chess is not physically demanding - no more so than competitive gaming or eating.