Is that pawn tactically protected? Something like bxd5 exd5 qxd5 qc8+ bf8 bh6?

Yes, it is amazing that black has to avoid a tactical minefield in such a "simple" position.

Anand's f5 is the most radical solution, but he did not have many alternatives. Virtually the only move, but a good one. Black is statically better and I think Anand is already thinking about an advantage here. Topalov must find a sequence of very dynamic moves right now or this one may slip away from him.

Now what could be the most dynamic move for white in this position? Answering an attack with a counterattack is usually the best option, so Bf4...

Wow, I am shocked! I mean I am not shocked that he defended a pawn that was attacked, but making a passive move in a position that was "obiously" calling for active play is surprising at least. With f3 Topalov claims that white is better in this position and that is a very ambitious thought.

I think that Topalov just went crazy and that Anand will win this with black.

This is one of the cases where it seems almost unfair that Anand cannot take the pawn as white would get too much compensation. Such details keep Topalov in the game and he must be given credit for seeing this when he played f3. Anand did not want to take the risk and just activated his worst piece.

Yeah the position is slightly better for Black, but I don't think Anand will win it.

The move Nc6 changes a lot of features of the position. It blocks access to the c7-square, but in return the c4-square becomes available for white and there is a tactic involving Ba6 as taking would leave the Nc6 unprotected.

There we go, Ba6 played. Alarm bells going off for some reason. I would hate to face such a move with black.

If this was all logical and Nc6 was the best move for black, then Topalov was indeed right as f3 did give white the advantage. Such a deep assessment would be very impressive. I think that the quality of 24..Nc6 has to be questioned though.

Time to find the most dynamic move for black!

maybe Nc6 was not the optimal move. The more I look at the position after Ba6 Ba6 Qc6 the more dangerous it looks for Black. Let's say Qa1 Kf2! Qxa2 Kg3 and for example Be5+ just loses after Kh4

but still there must be a draw in some line

Yes, the black king is much weaker than his counterpart. That is the dominant factor in the position.

Nd4 is such a move that answers the attack with a counterattack, so at least it is dynamic.
White just managed to liquidate. That is a very tough ending for Anand.

The "obvious" Nf5 Bf4 Bf8 to set up a blockade on the dark squares already drops a pawn to Bb8. I think Anand is losing here.

I am shocked how fast the tables got turned in this game. It looked so good for Anand, but his Nc6 move must be regarded as critical mistake. All of this makes Topalov look very impressive.

Anand plays the Nf5 idea with the moveorder reversed. At least he can keep it alive for now.

If you paint all the squares that Nd6 and Bg7 control in red, then it would show a line that the white king cannot cross. As long as this force field is in tact, black cannot lose.

Yeah seems like an impenetrable fortress. Another way is to put the B on d6 and attack the pawn with the Knight. I'm sure Topalov will play another 40 moves, but it looks like a draw.

Seems like this will end up a draw

Doesn't it favor Topa to drag this out as long as possible before drawing? Age-related fatigue and all ...

I doubt it. Two bishops + better king and central space + passed pawn and weak h7 that can easily be attacked. I'd be really impressed if Anand can pull out a draw.

This is starting to remind me of the Q vs. B+N mating study. Breaking down the defense can be very difficult. I still have the feeling that Anand is lost here.

Drawn--as I expected.

Next game will be interesting!

obviously it's easy to say now, but I would have been shocked if Anand had lost, and will still be shocked if it turns out the endgame (after say g2-g4, which was the last move I saw before going out) was winning or offered White great practical winning chances.

Does Anand retain the title with a few more draws?

no, it goes to rapid/blitz tiebreaks.

which I think is necessary, btw, in a match of this length. Anyone saying FIDE are devaluing the title by allowing it to be won in blitz games is missing the point -- the title is devalued by being contested over only 12 games, and the players are as much to blame for that as FIDE.

It´s an improvement over the 8 games of Anand-Kramnik, or the 2 game knockout matches....I don´t think 12 is too bad...candidate matches in the old days would be ten games, the candidates final twelve. Capablanca said 16 would be best (after losing to Alekhine in 34 games lol)....Sixteen might indeed be ideal, with one postponement for each player.

24 was traditional for WC finals since Botvinnik (earlier matches, and of course at least one later one, went much longer). I don't see why the players can't play 24 matches today. The famous Zurich 1953 tournament was 28 games long, with longer playing sessions. Top players today would laugh if you invited them to a tournament with that format -- have they simply got lazier?

edit: And of course, Anand-Kramnik was 12 games. Obviously the "World Cup" knockout format was a bit of an abortion.

Notably, Korchnoi - Karpov 1978 (their first or second match for the title, depending whether you count the candidates' final when Fischer abdicated or not) went 32 games (6-5 Karpov and 21 draws.) I'm sure you were thinking of the first Kasparov - Karpov match as the one that went well beyond 24, but this one surpassed it as well.

So now it looks like the schedule has changed and there is a rest day after every game?

Saturday-Rest
Sunday-G11
Monday-Rest
Tuesday-G12
Wed-Rest
Th-Tiebreaks (4@25/10, if no winner 2@5/3, if still no winner 1@(5/3 for white, 4/3+draw odds for black)?

interesting that Topalov has now decided he can agree a draw after all.

Yes, interesting from a psychologic standpoint.

Of course, there was no life left in the final position. Anand was going to capture Topa's last pawn in a position with one minor piece each.

Even I could draw this position with either color against anyone, including Topa or Anand.

I don't think Topalov agreeing to a draw in a completely dead minor +1 against minor +2 is any kind of psychological victory for Anand. I mean, if they agreed in RvR, who cares?