The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Anand suffers setback

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Anand suffers setback

NEW DELHI: World champion Viswanathan Anand’s title-aspirations suffered a serious blow when Dutchman Loek van Wely held him to a draw in the 12th and penultimate round of the Corus chess tournament at Wijk aan Zee, in Holland, on Saturday.

The 45-move deadlock in Queen’s Indian left Anand in the company of Teimour Radjabov with seven points, half a point behind leaders Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlsen.

After Anand, playing black, agreed to a draw in an equal position, Carlsen went on to inflict a rare defeat on former World champion and joint top seed Vladimir Kramnik.

The 57-move victory for Carlsen, with black pieces, placed him along side Aronian, who drew with Vassily Ivanchuk.

The day also saw the defeat of the 2005 World champion Veselin Topalov.

The defending champion from Bulgaria lost to tailender Pavel Eljanov in 46 moves.

There was better news for India from Group ‘C’ where fifth seed Parimarjan Negi destroyed sixth seed from Greece Efstratios Grivas in just 29 moves.

The seventh victory for Parimarjan earned him the sole second spot with eight points. In the final round, Parimarjan plays leader and top-seeded Italian Fabiano Caruana (9 points).

The results (12th round): Group ‘A’: Loek van Wely (Ned, 4.5) drew with Viswanathan Anand (7); Vladimir Kramnik (Rus, 6) lost to Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 7.5); Levon Aronian (Arm, 7.5) drew with Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukr, 6.5).

Pavel Eljanov (Ukr, 5) bt Veselin Topalov (Bul, 5.5); Michael Adams (Eng, 6) lost to Judit Polgar (Hun, 5.5); Teimour Radjabov (Aze, 7) drew with Peter Leko (Hun, 6); Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 6) drew with Boris Gelfand (Isr, 4). Group ‘B’: P. Hari Krishna (7) drew with Michal Krasenkow (Pol, 4.5); Wouter Spoelman (Ned, 4) bt K. Humpy (5); Sergei Movsesian (Svk, 9) bt Erwin L’Ami (Ned, 5.5); Nigel Short (Eng, 8) drew with Etienne Bacrot (Fra, 8); Jan Smeets (Ned, 5.5) bt Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus, 6.5); Daniel Stellwagen (Ned, 6) drew with Gabriel Sargissian (Arm, 4); Hou Yifan (Chn, 5.5) drew with Ivan Cheparinov (Bul, 5.5). Group ‘C’: Parimarjan Negi (8) bt Efstratios Grivas (Gre, 5); Friso Nijboer (Ned, 7) lost to Fabiano Caruana (Ita, 9); Peng Zhaoqin (Ned, 4.5) drew with Dmitri Reinderman (Ned, 7.5); Anna Ushenina (Ukr, 4.5) lost to Pontus Carlsson (Swe, 6.5); Irina Krush (USA, 6) bt John van der Wiel (Ned, 6); Mark van der Werf (Ned, 6) drew with Dennis Ruijgrok (Ned, 2); Li Shilong (Chn, 6) drew with Arik Braun (Ger, 6).

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