NEWSPost India, India
Saturday 15th of September 2007

Anand Beats Aronian In World Chess

Saturday 15th of September 2007 World No.1 Viswanathan
Anand of India turned in a brilliant novelty and
showed immaculate preparation to score a stunning win
over Lev Aronian of Armenia in the second round of the
World Chess Championships here Saturday.

Also scoring a finely crafted win was his archrival,
Russian Vladimir Kramnik, who beat his compatriot
Alexander Morozevich, also in the second round.

The other two games ended in draws. Peter Svidler of
Russia split the point with Peter Leko of Hungary, and
Boris Gelfand of Israel drew with Alexander Grischuk
of Russia.

With a win apiece for Anand and Kramnik, the stage was
set for a riveting third-round clash between the two
leaders.

Anand, who has beaten Kramnik 18 times and lost 14
times to him, will have the advantage of white pieces.
The two have also drawn 86 times.

In the second round, a novelty on the 17th move sealed
Aronian’s fate against Anand, who played with black.

Aronian with white began in his favourite style with
d4 and then followed with c4 and NF3. He gave Anand
the chance to go into any one of the three variations
that follow and the Indian ace chose the Queen’s
Gambit Anti-Meran.

The players went into a sharp line and after castling
on the 12th move, Aronian managed to provoke black
pawns to vulnerable positions threatening to open
f-file with f3, with strong attack on kingside. Anand
needed to be very fast and active in order to defend
successfully.

Once again Anand, the NIIT brand ambassador, showed
that he had come prepared and unleashed a novelty on
the 17th move with his c5. That surprised Aronian.

Once that surprise hit him, Aronian found himself in a
classical opening trap preparation. Also, Anand was
moving very fast as is his style. The Indian did give
Aronian a chance to wriggle out, and the Armenian went
into complications.

Anand came out blazing once again with a strong 25th
move and from thereon his advantage began growing and
Aronian was having hard time. Aronian did try to
defend stoutly, but slowly, the Indian star had him in
a bind.

Aronian finally resigned after the 41st move as Anand
capitalised on a wonderful theoretical novelty. That
helped him score a fine win over one of his major
rivals for the title and he also showed that he has
come with solid home preparation and winning with
black was indeed a fine effort.

Kramnik beat Morozevich in a mere 27 moves following a
Catalan opening.

Gelfand and Grischuk drew in 23 moves of a Queens
Indian and Svidler and Leko drew in 43 moves from a
Ruy Lopez Marshall.

In the first round Anand started the championship with
a draw against Gelfand, while Kramnik drew his first
round with Svidler.

Results of Round 2: Kramnik beat Morozevich; Gelfand
drew with Grischuk; Svidler drew with Leko; Aronian
lost to Anand

Pairings for Round 3: Anand v Kramnik; Grischuk v
Aronian; Leko v Gelfand; Morozevich v Svidler

Standings after Round 2: 1. Anand and Kramnik 1.5
points; 3. Gelfand, Svidler, Grischuk and Leko 1.0; 7.
Aronian and Morozevich 0.5

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress