World Chess Championship Game 5: Carlsen defeats Anand to take 3-2 lead

Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand

The World Chess Championship 2013 finally got its first definitive result, with Magnus Carlsen defeating Viswanathan Anand in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in the series.

Playing with white, Carlsen had a typically slow opening, allowing Anand to grab the initiative. But the Norwegian turned up the heat around midway through the game, exerting immense pressure on Anand with his quick, unpredictable moves. The Indian didn’t help his own cause by making a couple of tactical blunders, most notably the ones on move 13 and 45.

After more than four hours of intense play, the game exploded into a rook endgame, but Carlsen always had the upper hand as he had a two-pawn advantage over Anand. Ultimately, with the end in sight, Anand had no option but to offer resignation, allowing Carlsen to draw first blood in the championship.

The two will come back tomorrow to contest the sixth game.

Here is the list of moves:

1. c4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 c5 7. a3 Ba5 8. Nf3 Nf6 9. Be3 Nc6 10. Qd3 cxd4 11. Nxd4 Ng4 12. O-O-O Nxe3 13. fxe3 Bc7 14. Nxc6 bxc6 15. Qxd8+ Bxd8 16. Be2 Ke7 17. Bf3 Bd7 18. Ne4 Bb6 19. c5 f5 20. cxb6 fxe4 21. b7 Rab8 22. Bxe4 Rxb7 23. Rhf1 Rb5 24. Rf4 g5 25. Rf3 h5 26. Rdf1 Be8 27. Bc2 Rc5 28. Rf6 h4 29. e4 a5 30. Kd2 Rb5 31. b3 Bh5 32. Kc3 Rc5+ 33. Kb2 Rd8 34. R1f2 Rd4 35. Rh6 Bd1 36. Bb1 Rb5 37. Kc3 c5 38. Rb2 e5 39. Rg6 a4 40. Rxg5 Rxb3+ 41. Rxb3 Bxb3 42. Rxe5+ Kd6 43. Rh5 Rd1 44. e5+ Kd5 45. Bh7 Rc1+ 46. Kb2 Rg1 47. Bg8+ Kc6 48. Rh6+ Kd7 49. Bxb3 axb3 50. Kxb3 Rxg2 51. Rxh4 Ke6 52. a4 Kxe5 53. a5 Kd6 54. Rh7 Kd5 55. a6 c4+ 56. Kc3 Ra2 57. a7 Kc5 58. h4 Kd5 1-0