Topalov levels match; Smerdon gets flu

Possibly not equally important pieces of news for everyone, but those are the headlines in my life today.  Probably still in that order.

Of course, the flu is at least partially my fault. The grueling spectator schedule of working days and chess-watching nights was bound to catch up with me eventually. Still, I can’t help but feel like the Canberra Winter is to blame. Each year, around Anzac Day, our nation’s capital decides to turn off the heat for a good eight months or so, despite taunting us with (purely aesthetic) bright, sunshine days and beautiful, clear skies. So, despite a picturesque view from my window worthy of a tourism brochure, I can actually see my own breath inside my own house.

(Not, of course, my own house – damn housing bubble. Bastard.)

(And not, of course, worthy of our last tourism brochure with Lara Bingle on it. Bastard.)

Anyway, my annual Canberra flu is proving to be completely debilitating, so much so that I haven’t been able to watch the world championship games live for the last couple of days (despite being bedridden). Lame.

Unfortunately for Anand fans, it appears I’m not the only one shattered and bruised – the Indian grandmaster is really struggling over in Bulgaria at the moment. It’s almost inconceivable that he didn’t score at least one and a half from his positions in his last two games, let alone manage a lone draw. The only explanation is fatigue, which seems to be the grandmaster commentators’ consensus. Two long games, and some hideously uncharacteristic blunders, must have really knocked Anand’s confidence for a six. Perhaps he needs a lemon and honey drink himself.

With the match racing towards its climax, Anand is now firmly the underdog in my opinion. He’ll have to defend two blacks in the final three games against a relatively fresh Topalov. If there’s one thing my time on the European circuit taught me, it’s that tiredness during a tournament is greatly amplified while you’re a visitor in a foreign land. So I can only imagine how hard it is for Anand in Sofia, full of patriotic Bulgarian chess fans praying for his defeat. The home ground advantage counts for a lot, even on the chess board.

Still, Anand is a true champion, and there’s every chance he can pull himself together and summon his resources for one last crack at the crown. He should, and he must. And I’m hoping that’s exactly what happens.

(Of course, that’s easy for me to say, unshowered and lying in a bed of used tissues. I’m sure I’ll summon the strength to make it to the kitchen eventually.)

At least the last three games promise to be exciting. Who knows how this will end? Maybe, just maybe, we’ll even get to see a game start with 1.e4. Hmm, maybe.

Just don’t sneeze.