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Rebel holds Anand to draw

Rebel, the chess playing computer programmed by Dutchman Ed Schroeder way back in the early 1980s, and now into its 10th version, held world number two Vishwanathan Anand to a draw in the first of two classical chess games that will round off the eight match exhibition duel now on in Ichsia.

Or, given the tenor of the game, played over normal time controls and in keeping with tournament norms, a better way of putting it would be to say that Vishy Anand held Rebel 10 to a draw.

The fun and games began right at the outset, with the computer surprising its human opponent with an unusual opening continuation.

Anand, very strong in the classical format, began with his much favoured queen pawn, and was promptly surprised by the computer which, as early as move two, opted for the rarely used Chigorin Defence, first played over 100 years ago.

The variation was first played in the Steinetz-Chigorin game of the second World Championship match in 1889.

Obviously caught unprepared and short on the textbook theory, Anand opted for the queenside castle, in the face of a terrific buildup on that side by the computer, which halfway through the opening also had the advantage of a strong centre.

Anand finally halted the advance on move 21, with a combination sacrifice that fetched him a knight and pawn for rook.

Strangely, however, Anand's game on the day was a bit of a stop-start affair. Playing rapidly and without much obvious thought -- in fact, at the end of the game, Anand had only used up half the time on his clock, as compared to his opponent -- he played a series of wasted moves in the middle game, and found his own position becoming rather critical as black too full toll, to resume a build up.

In an apparent attempt to simply the position in its favour and, at the same time, undercut the advantage of Anand's massed pawns, Rebel forced a series of exchanges in the middle game, leaving it with a queen against Anand's rook and bishop.

Anand, however, used the flurry of exchanges to manoeuvre his pawns into better positions, and the computer, which by its nature recognises pieces as more important than pawns, blundered on 36, and was forced to scramble to stop Anand from queening.

At this point, Ed Schroeder offered the draw, which Anand, who has appeared somewhat off colour, accepted.

The game, as played:

White: Vishy Anand, Black: Rebel 10, Queen's Gambit, Chigorin Defence.

1.d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. e3 e5 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Nc3 exd4 6. Nxd5 Nf6 7. Qb3 Bxf3 8. gxf3 Rb8 9. Bd2 Bd6 10. O-O-O O-O 11. Kb1 Nxd5 12. Cxd5 Ne5 13. Be2 Re8 14. h4 c5 15. f4 Nd7 16. Bf3 b5 17. Qd3 Qf6 18. Bcl dxe3 19. fxe3 c4 20. Qc2 Nc5 21. h5 Nd3 22. Rxd3 cxd3 23. Qxd3 Rec8 24. Bd2 b4 25. Be4 Qh6 26. Bg2 Rc7 27. Rf1 b3 28. e4 bxa2+ 29. Ka1 Rcb7 30. Bc1 Bc5 31. e5 Rb3 32. Qc2 Bd4 33. d6 Bxb2+ 34. Bxb2 Rxb2 35. Qxb2 Rxb2 36. Kxb2 g5 37. Bf3 gxf4 38. Rd1 Qe6 39. d7 Qxe5+ 40. Kxa2 Qa5+ draw agreed.