Game Eight turned out to be a real head-spinner as Topalov beat Anand in a 56 move match to level the score 4-4. Topalov, now, has an edge over the World Champion who is looking to defend his title against the Bulgarian. All the pressure will now be on Anand as he will try to outmaneuver Topalov in the next four games.
FIDE World Championship in Sofia 2010 has witnessed eight well contested games which have led us up-to this crunching finale of 4 games. With no difference between the two protagonists, this contest will be mouth-watering for all avid chess fans. Game 9 will be played on Thursday 15:00 local time after a rest day on Wednesday. With more preparation, expect a much more nuanced game here onwards.
Game 8 was inspired from the previous Game 3 and Game 5 as we saw the Slav defense in play. Anand made a unusual mistake that prompted Topalov to trade off the Knight. Entering a difficult position, Anand decided to make huge exchanges and lost critical players in the process. Eventually, Topalov had to win inspite of Anand’s efforts as he conceded after move 56.
With the scores level now, Anand will go on the offensive.
Critics have praised Topalov for his effective endgame in the match. Anand, however, looked off-guard as he unexpectedly lost the vital lead of a point he had gained after two victories over Topalov.
The next few games will decide how the tournament shapes up. There will be a significant change in attitude for both the players, as Anand will come on the offensive.
