Gelfand Gets Advantage, Anand Creates A Fortress. Match Is Even...

Game 9 of World Championship Match between Anand and Gelfand continued this afternoon by game 9. And as Anatoly Karpov has already mentioned, the second half of the match is more interesting then first half. 
Gelfand, playing with White pieces, was faithful to his 1.d4. Anand came up this time with Nimzo-Indian Defence, on of the most solid openings for Black which was tested in world championship matches many times. For all we can just mention the match between Fischer and Spassky (40 years anniversary we are going to celebrate this year soon)  when Fischer had employed this defence twice.
Both players reached a typical position with "Isolani" - an isolated queen's pawn, and the pawn structure was quickly transformed into "hanging" pawns. Interestingly enough, the tactical battle dominated to this struggle this time over strategical one and finally Gelfand achieved some material advantage when he created material imbalance getting Queen in return for Rook, Knight and Pawn.
Obviously in situation like this it was only White who could play for one of two possible results. Anand, however, created fortress which was impossible for Gelfand to penetrate and the game eventually ended up draw.
Another interesting game in fighting spirit.




Current score of match is 4½ - 4½.
Match will continue tomorrow by game 10.