Magnus Carlsen vs Viswanathan Anand, Amber Rapid 2008

English Opening (A20) · 1-0 (Magnus Carlsen won) · 48 moves · Round 7 · 22 March 2008

♔
White
Magnus Carlsen
1 – 0
Black
Viswanathan Anand
♚
Analyse This Game Practice
Moves
0 / 95

About This Game

Game summary

  • WhiteMagnus Carlsen
  • BlackViswanathan Anand
  • Result1-0 · Magnus Carlsen won
  • EventAmber Rapid 2008
  • Round7
  • Date22 March 2008
  • OpeningEnglish Opening (A20)
  • Length48 moves
  • Type of eventRapid

This is game 19 of 143 between Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand in the Rama Chess database (2005–2024). In all their games Carlsen leads 40–21 with 82 draws.

Previous game: Anand vs Carlsen, ½-½ (XXV SuperGM, 2008).

Next game: Anand vs Carlsen, 1-0 (Amber Blindfold, 2008).

Carlsen vs Anand: all 143 gamesAll Carlsen games at Amber RapidCarlsen in the English OpeningCarlsen games of 2008Viswanathan Anand profile

The moves of Magnus Carlsen vs Viswanathan Anand, Amber Rapid 2008

1.c4 e5 2.g3 c6 3.d4 e4 4.d5 Nf6 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qe7 7.Nc3 O-O 8.a3 Bc5 9.e3 d6 10.Nge2 cxd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.cxd5 Nd7 13.O-O Nf6 14.Bc3 Bg4 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.b4 Bb6 17.Bxe4 a5 18.bxa5 Rxa5 19.Bxh7+ Kxh7 20.Qb1+ g6 21.Qxb6 Rfa8 22.Qd4 Qf3 23.Nc3 Re8 24.h3 Bf5 25.Qf6 Kg8 26.Rab1 Rxe3 27.Rxb7 Bc8 28.Qd8+ Kg7 29.Qxc8 Rxc3 30.Rxf7+ Kxf7 31.Qd7+ Kf6 32.Qd8+ Kf5 33.Qxa5 Rxa3 34.Qb4 Ke5 35.Qd2 Rd3 36.Qg5+ Qf5 37.Re1+ Kxd5 38.Qxf5+ gxf5 39.Kg2 Ra3 40.h4 Kd4 41.h5 d5 42.h6 Ra7 43.Kf3 Rh7 44.Re6 Kc3 45.Rc6+ Kd3 46.Kf4 Rf7 47.Kg5 Ke2 48.Rd6 1-0

Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand met over the board in this full-length game at Amber Rapid in 2008. It was played in round 7. The game dates from the modern computer-influenced era.

From English Opening (A20) the players entered a flexible, manoeuvring struggle. Openings in this group reward patient build-up and a feel for pawn structure.

Running to 48 moves, the game moved through a full middlegame into an endgame, showing how an advantage is carried between phases.

Magnus Carlsen is one of the grandmasters featured in the RamaChess archive, where you can browse their complete game collection, favourite openings and notable wins.

Working through a full game like this trains pattern recognition — the more you study, the faster you spot familiar ideas in your own play.

When the dust settled, Magnus Carlsen won with the white pieces. Step through the moves on the interactive board above and try the position trainer to sharpen your own play.

Frequently asked questions

What is the head-to-head record of Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand?

In the 143 games between them in our database (2005 to 2024) Carlsen leads 40–21 with 82 draws. This game is number 19 of 143.

Where and when was Magnus Carlsen vs Viswanathan Anand played?

At the Amber Rapid, round 7, on 22 March 2008.

Who played this game?

This game was played between Magnus Carlsen (White) and Viswanathan Anand (Black), at Amber Rapid in 2008.

What opening was played?

The game used English Opening (ECO code A20). A flexible, manoeuvring struggle.

What was the result?

Magnus Carlsen won with the white pieces.

How long was the game?

The game lasted 48 moves (95 plies).

Can I replay this game move by move?

Yes. Use the interactive board on this page to step through every move, or open the analyser and Practice mode.

Where can I find more games like this?

Browse the full English Opening collection, Magnus Carlsen's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.

More chess on YouTube: Stockfish100 Best Chess Channel