The second game saw Anand get his first crack at the white pieces. He opened with 1.e4 (his old favourite, though since 2008 he has also ben playing 1.d4 a lot) and Carlsen sprung a minor surprise by playing the Caro-Kann (he has only played this on a handful of occassions). The game looked like it might be very interesting and sharp after opposite side castling but Anand seemed content to bail out and indeed admitted in the press conference that he wasn't expecting this opening.
Anand, V - Carlsen, M (10/11/13)
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 e6
The main line goes 7... Nd7 which prevents White's next move.
8. Ne5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nd7 11. f4 Bb4+ 12. c3 12... Be7 13. Bd2 Ngf6 14. O-O-O O-O 15. Ne4 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 Nxe5 17. fxe5 Qd5 18. Qxd5
"The critical moment, if any." (Carlsen) The players agreed that 18. Qg4 wasn't much because of the move 18... Kh7 ( According to Carlsen 18... f5 is less accurate because of 19. Qg6 but even this is not so clear after 19... Qxa220. Bxh6 Rf7 ) 19. Kb1 f5 20. exf6 Rxf6 and Black is fine according to Carlsen, but Houdini does not agree: 21. Bg5 Rg6 and now a move that was perhaps missed by the players: (21... Rf7 22. Bxe7 Rxe7 23. Rhe1 ) 22. c4! Qxc4 23. Qe4 and Black has nothing better than 23... Bxg5 24. h5 with of course a clear advantage for White.
18... cxd5
At first sight this ending looks more comfortable for Black(due to the possibility of a minority attack on the quuenside), but Anand finds a concrete way to hold it.
19. h5 b5 20. Rh3 a5 21. Rf1 Rac8 22. Rg3 Kh723. Rgf3 Kg8 24. Rg3 Kh7 25. Rgf3 Kg8 1/2-1/2
The commentary team certainly seemed surprised by Anands decision to trade queens, but I think at this point he was happy to call it a day rather than risk playing a sharp position against an opponent who had probably spent a great deal of time in preparation for the match studying such positions.
Match score
Anand 1
Carlsen 1
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