That could be an explanation. Even world champions are human after all. There were other situations in this match where one could have expected a decisive result, but this one looked just like another draw until g5.

Anand said in the press conference that he felt he was drifting in the opening when the blocked bishop required precise play, but he wasn't drifting at all. In fact, he had played perfectly precisely until then. I think it was just the pressure of not getting the initiative for six long games that began to tell on him. That's why I said the other day that a blockaded position favored Gelfand.

Now, we have a match. Anand will have to press, and Gelfand will have to work too. Awesome.

Yes!!

Boris Gelfand is now up by one point in this match!

"GO GELFAND GO!!!!!"


Chess Fan

We had a match before, didn't we? Are things really changed that much?

Great game by Gelfand, keeping up the pressure against an increasingly 'unstable' Anand. I found it hard tobelieve, Anand had sort of got his emotions under control i thought, but it looks like he is in a very bad form, and which is bad news for his fans and the chess world in general.

I did not like the way he played so far, except in game 3 where experts say he let s win slip away, or atleast did not try hard enough.

I think the point to note is Gelfand's extremely solid play is having an effect on Anand, who has to find the best that he has to 'save this match'. next 2-3 games are very crucial for the World Champion.

Anand, don't be discouraged. You can pull it off!

Deviate from theory as early as possible (move 8??) .

And if possible, try to use a strong computer unconnected to internet and do an overnight preparation in lines you have never analyzed or stored before and do it without any second's help.

I don't think this is good advice. This has been his undoing, in fact. There is way too much preparation, with the result that even an innocuous unseen position is getting him too pessimistic. He has to stick to the basics, and focus on thematic play. Yesterday's position was passive, but quite equal. White had nothing that he could force. Anand simply felt unnecessarily bad about it, and committed harakiri.

This whole preparation business is like a student trying to have ready solutions for all maths problems before the exam. That's not the way to go. This way, the first sign of a problem which you've not seen earlier makes you nervous. One has to focus on the general principles, and then apply them. What is most important is to enjoy the process, the challenge. Without that one gets bogged down.

Having said that, there is no reason to think that Gelfand is going to have it easy. It's tough for Anand. It's tough for Gelfand too.

Anand will have to play for a full-board game with slow accumulation, and build pressure on Gelfand. He mustn't overpress, but press in sustained manner. Forced lines are a strict no-no.

You know what, when I saw the Kasparov interview, I was really afraid of anti FIDE dirty tricks. I mean specifically about "perfect leak" possibilities. The frustrated anti FIDEs who would want to see Anand lose, their desire was this. Complain about the draws and how it would not help Anand and that Anand should play for win. Somehow to pull him into playing some dubious or risky lines. I wanted to warn Anand againt this and just to play and draw all the 12 games. In this particular seventh game I don't know why but I wished again and again Anand did not lose when I logged into the internet to see the results after the game was over. It was unfortunate.

I stayed in a big hotel chain over this weekend, just 2 days ago, and today I just realized my email account was hacked! Man, becoming so easy to steal???