The Hindu : Kramnik emerges sole leader

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 26, 2003

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Sport - Chess

Kramnik emerges sole leader

By Our Chess Correspondent

CHENNAI FEB. 25. Sweeping draws dominated the third round of the 20th City of Linares Super Grandmaster chess tournament at Linares on Monday.

World Cup champion Viswanathan Anand had a bye and this allowed Einstein Group world classical chess champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia emerge sole leader with two points from three games.

In joint second place are Anand and Peter Leko of Hungary with 1.5 points, but from two games.

This is a seven-player double round robin tournament with each player facing the other twice, once with the white pieces and then with black. Eleven rounds remain to be played in this category 20 Elo average event.

Sunday's hero, teenaged Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan did not try to push himself much in Monday's white game and perhaps wanted to cool his excitement of having scalped Garry Kasparov in the previous round. After just 11 moves, Radjabov proposed a draw in a Queen's Gambit opening that Ponomariov accepted.

Having lost his first two rounds to Anand and Kramnik, Ponomariov got what the doctor ordered, a quick draw with the black pieces.

Kramnik obtained too small an advantage from the Semi-Slav defence opening as white and decided to accept the draw proposed by Vallejo in 30 moves. When the draw was agreed upon, Kramnik had a bishop and six pawns to Vallejo's knight and six pawns. Importantly, Kramnik did not have a breakthrough possibility.

Kasparov was more impressive in the third round but the lone extra pawn he managed only gave him a psychological advantage as Leko forced a draw after a marathon struggle of 87 moves from a queen ending.

Kasparov, as black played the Najdorf. Leko took up the challenge and castled queen side and played a positive game to earn a well deserved draw in the end.

The results (third round): Vladimir Kramnik (Rus) drew with Francisco Vallejo (Esp); Teimour Radjabov (Aze) drew with Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukr); Peter Leko (Hun) drew with Garry Kasparov (Rus); Viswanathan Anand (Ind) - bye.

The standings after three rounds: 1. Vladimir Kramnik 2/3, 2-3. Viswanathan Anand, Peter Leko 1.5/2 each, 4. Teimour Radjabov 1.5/3, 5. Francisco Vallejo 1/2, 6. Garry Kasparov 1/3, 7. Ruslan Ponomariov 0.5/3.

Pairings for round four: Anand v Kramnik, Vallejo v Radjabov, Ponomariov v Leko, Kasparov - bye.

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