The proceedings at the outset of the World Championship match between Anand and Topalov, played in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, were reminiscent of the duel between Fischer and Spassky in Reykjavik in 1972. Despite the enormous distance that separates the venues of the two matches, their common denominator is Iceland. In 1972, the entire world awaited the stormy Cold War confrontation of East and West awakened by the match. In 2010, the eruption was the awakening of the volcano Eujafjallajökull. The tumultuous atmosphere caused by Anand's delayed arrival, the resulting one-day postponement of the match, Topalov's excellent victory in the first (and most beautiful) game of the match, and Anand's quick recovery in the second game, were all evocative of the events in 1972.
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