Originally posted on 11/13/2013:

4th game a draw on 63 moves. Anand chose again e4, and Carlsen countered with e5, entering in the Ruy Lopez Berlin variation, the line expected as his main black defense on this match. The Berlin was a sideline variation of the Ruy Lopez for many years, until Kramnik masterfully used it to neutralize Kasparov on the 2000 match. It looks ugly, black losses the right to castle, his pieces are uncoordinated and the doubled pawn would carry into a lost pawn endgame if all pieces are exchanged. OTOH, black gets a a queens exchange (so there are few attacking chances for white) and black bishop pair is a long term compensation if black can coordinate their pieces.

In today game, Anand got nothing out of the opening; he tried to shuffle his pieces, but when doing so he left unprotected the a2 pawn. We all know Bxa2 in such positions is bad, white plays b3 and the bishop is trapped. Even Fischer lost the first game of his 1972 match vs Spassky with such a rookie mistake. But wait, in this position Bxa2 is not so bad, black can free his bishop with c4 and create an escape route via b1. And Carlsen played Bxa2. So Anand was a pawn down with not enough compensation. But he did not lost composure, and tried to get something out of his pieces activity. When looked like black would coordinate his game, Anand found two precise moves (35. Ne4 and 38. Nd4!) which gave him enough compensation for the pawn. From there, Carlsen attempted to complicate matters, but Anand careful play secured the draw.

This was the first time Anand was against the ropes, and he hold off well. In this match black has had the upper hand on 3 out of 4 games (and the other was a dead draw out of the opening). Tomorrow is a rest day, lets see who draws first blood in the match.