Photo by Rodrigo Fernandez via Wikimedia Commons
This week’s Perpetual Chess is the 2nd in a series, a special edition, oral history of the 2012 World Championship, brought to you courtesy of GM Peter Heine Nielsen. Peter, of course, is an accomplished Grandmaster and a renowned opening theoretician who has worked as a trainer for 8 World Championship match winners, first with GM Viswanathan Anand, and in recent years with GM Magnus Carlsen. For this podcast, Peter takes us behind team Anand’s mindset and preparation, as they helped Vishy prepare to defend his title against GM Boris Gelfand in May of 2012. This continues a series, as Peter discussed Anand’s 2010 match with GM Veselin Topalov in Episode 177. For a chess history enthusiast like myself it is such a treat to get a blow by blow account of a World Championship match from someone who had a prominent role in the match and a ringside seat. Please read on for timestamps, and links to topics referenced.
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You can review any of the games from the match discussed here:
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1025310
03:30- Since we are discussing events of 10 years ago, I thought we should ask: Does Peter think that he has a good memory?
11:00- We begin by discussing the 2012 pre match training camp, in Bad Soden, Germany in January of 2012. Peter convened with Anand and fellow team members, GMs Radoslaw Wotjasek, Surya Ganguly, and GM Rustam Kasimzdhanov.
21:00- How did the team feel about Gelfand as an opponent for Vishy?
32:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. You can find IM Andras Toth’s new course, IM Irina Bulmaga’s, as well as so many others, here:
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33:30- Does Peter get more nervous as a competitor or a trainer?
36:30- Peter describes the background and mindset once the team arrived in Moscow for the match, in May of 2012.
41:00- What was the team’s method for testing Vishy’s memory on opening lines? What about for Magnus in more recent years?
46:30- The match begins, and Gelfand springs a surprise by playing the Grunfeld defense! (The game ends in a draw) How did the team feel?
50:00- The match takes shape, with 5 more draws before a victory. What was the mood after 6 games?
56:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess’ algorithm reviews your games and gives you actionable advice on how to improve your game. Check it out for free, and if you choose to subscribe you can use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.
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57:00- Gelfand strikes first! What was the mood after Game 7?
1:02:00- Patreon mailbag question: Did the team change match approaches after Game 7?
1:06:00- Anand strikes back! How did the team mood alter when Vishy won Game 8?
1:10:00- Anand tried the Nimzo-Indian for the first time in Game 9. How did it go?
1:15:00- Has Peter discussed the World Championship match with Gelfand in recent years?
1:20:00- Peter discusses Game 10
1:22:00- Despite two more draws, Peter shares why he felt the mood started to shift during games 11 and 12.
1:28:00- How did the team feel heading into the rapid playoffs?
1:34:00- Do opening surprises have added value in a faster time control?
1:35:00- What went right for Vishy to prevail in the Rapid playoffs?
1:39:00- After winnig the match did they feel euphoria more or relief?
1:41:00- Since Gelfand was sort of on home turf, were they worried about any Russian subterfuge?
1:44:00- Are non-team members who provide opening advice generally compensated for their assistance?
1:46:00- Did it bother the team that Kasparov was rumored to have offered to help Gelfand.?
1:48:00- How does Peter look back on the match 10 years later?
Thanks to Peter for joining the podcast. Links you need below:
The Chicken Chess Club on Apple Podcasts
https://twitter.com/PHChess