The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Anand moves to joint third spot

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Sport - Chess

Anand moves to joint third spot

NEW DELHI: World champion Viswanathan Anand took a short draw from Boris Gelfand and moved into the joint third place following a favourable sequence of results, including Veselin Topalov’s ruthless victory over Vladimir Kramnik, after nine rounds of the Corus chess tournament at Wijk aan Zee, near Amsterdam, on Monday.

It turned out to be an all-draw day for the Indians when K. Humpy drew with P. Hari Krishna in Group ‘B’ and Parimarjan Negi figured in a drawn encounter for the first time in nine rounds after facing Dutchman Mark van der Werf in Group ‘C’.

These results meant Hari shared the fourth spot, Humpy was joint 10th and Negi was tied for the third place.

Anand, at five points, is just half a point behind leaders Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlsen.

Grudge match

After Anand, playing black, and Gelfand signed peace in just 25 moves of Catalan, the focus was firmly on the ‘grudge’ match between Topalov and Kramnik.

The two did not shake hands as is customary before the start of a game and got down to a violent battle that lasted 45 moves.

Topalov, the 2005 World champion dethroned by Kramnik, attacked relentlessly and gave up his queen for a rook, knight and a pawn to seize the initiative. A hapless Kramnik resigned when faced with an inevitable checkmate.

With four rounds to go, the defeat of Kramnik and Peter Leko’s 40-move victory against overnight sole leader Carlsen helped Anand to come within striking distance of those in the title-race.

The results: Ninth round: Group ‘A’: Boris Gelfand (Isr, 3) drew with Viswanathan Anand (5).

Levon Aronian (Arm, 5.5) drew with Pavel Eljanov (Ukr, 3); Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukr, 4.5) drew with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 4.5).

Peter Leko (Hun, 4.5) bt Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 5.5); Veselin Topalov (Bul, 4.5) bt Vladimir Kramnik (Rus, 5).

Judit Polgar (Hun, 4) drew with Teimour Radjabov (Aze, 5); Michael Adams (Eng, 5) bt Loek van Wely (Ned, 4).

Group ‘B’: K. Humpy (4) drew with P. Hari Krishna (5); Sergei Movsesian (Svk, 6.5) drew with Nigel Short (Eng, 5.5).

L’Ami Erwin (Ned, 5) bt Hou Yifan (Chn, 3.5).

Ian Nepomniachtichi (Rus, 5) bt Daniel Stellwagen (Ned, 4.5).

Jan Smeets (Ned, 4.5) lost to Wouter Spoelman (Ned, 2).

Ivan Cheparinov (Bul, 4.5) bt Michal Krasenkow (Pol, 4); Gabriel Sargissian (Arm, 3) drew with Etienne Bacrot (Fra, 6).

Group ‘C’: Mark van der Werf (Ned, 4.5) drew with Parimarjan Negi (5.5).

Fabiano Caruana (Ita, 7) bt John van der Wiel (Ned, 5); Dmitri Reinderman (Ned, 6.5) bt Anna Ushenina (Ukr, 3.5).

Efstratios Grivas (Gre, 4.5) lost to Li Shilong (Chn, 4); Pontus Carlsson (Swe, 4.5) bt Arik Braun (Ger, 5).