World champion Viswanathan Anand suffered a stunning 25-move loss with white pieces against Armenia’s Levon Aronian even as Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik proceeded to win the prestigious Tal memorial chess tournament in Moscow on Saturday.
Anand, desperate to win and catch up with Kramnik at the top in the strongest field of the year, faltered on the 12th move with a pawn-move on the queenside in the Slav Defence game. Thereafter, Aronian did not allow him any chance of recovery.
The victory helped Aronian join Anand in the tied fourth spot at five points. Top seed Magnus Carlsen defeated Peter Leko for a second win in succession and shared the second spot with Ivanchuk.
On the top board, Kramnik drew with Vassily Ivanchuk but not before the Ukrainian tried his best to win in order to claim the title.
Kramnik defended well for a much-needed draw in 29 moves to reach six points and sealed the title.
The action now shifts to the three-day World blitz championship that opens late on Monday.
The results:
Ninth round: Viswanathan Anand lost to Levon Aronian (Arm); Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukr) drew with Vladimir Kramnik (Rus); Peter Leko (Hun) lost to Magnus Carlsen (Nor); Peter Svidler (Rus) drew with Boris Gelfand
(Isr); Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukr) bt Alexander Morozevich (Rus).
Final standings: 1. Kramnik (6 points), 2-3. Ivanchuk, Carlsen (5.5 each), 4-5. Aronian, Anand (5 each), 6. Gelfand (4.5), 7. Ponomariov (4), 8. Svidler (3.5), 9-10. Leko and Morozevich (3 each).
