ANAND DRAWS WITH TOPALOV, MAINTAINS LEAD

PTI
Feb 23 2008

MORELIA (Mexico) February 23: World Champion Viswanathan Anand
maintained his slender half point lead after playing an eventful draw
with former world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria in the sixth
round of the Morelia-Linares chess tournament.

Anand took his tally to four points out of a possible six after the
end of the penultimate round of the event and is likely to play the
second half at Linares as a leader when it begins in the Spanish
hamlet on February 29th.

In the final round at Morelia, Anand meets Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine.

It was a game with wild complexities between Topalov and Anand. Playing
white the Bulgarian went for a fashionable variation against Anand’s
Nimzo Indian defense and the middle game that ensued ensured a
keen tussle.

Topalov was able to open up black’s kind side after a couple of pawns
and a set of minor pieces changed hands but soon after Anand was in
his element in working out the country play.

Topalov tried to attack on the slightly weakened king side but that
was neutralised by Anand’s counter play around the center.

After subsequent exchanges the players reached a queen and pawns
endgame where the peace was signed after 42 moves. This was Topalov’s
first draw after two consecutive losses.

>From the perspective of decisive results, this was perhaps the dullest
day in the category 21 super event as only Azerbaijani Teimour Radjabov
was able to score a victory over young gun Magnus Carlsen of Norway
while the remaining games ended without any result.

It was an early finish between Ivanchuk and Alexei Shirov of Spain
while the last game to end in the day between Levon Aronian of Armenia
and Peter Leko of Hungary also saw the points being split.

With eight rounds still to come, Aronian remained in sole second spot
on 3.5 points while Radjabov eclipsed Carlsen from the joint third
spot to share it now with Shirov and Topalov on 3 points each.

Sharing the joint sixth spot now are Carlsen, Leko and Ivanchuk who
all have 2.5 points in their kitty.

Double Bishops in chess are considered an excellent weapon when they
spit fire in an open position. Magnuc Carlsen learned it the hard
way against Radjabov.

>From an innocuous looking Ruy Lopez, Radjabov sacrificed a pawn to
reach an ending where he had a bishop pair and his rook firmly placed
to do the demolition act.

Once Carlsen lost the extra pawn he had ample worries in shape of pawn
weaknesses on the queen side and Radjabov showed just the requisite
technique to score his first victory in the tournament.

Ivanchuk and Shirov battled out for just 28 moves before sharing
the point in a queen pawn opening while Leko mustered enough counter
attack on the queen side at the expense of a pawn to keep Aronian at
bay in an English opening game.

The game was drawn after 50 moves.

Results round 6:

Veselin Topalov (Bul, 3) drew with Viswanathan Anand (Ind, 4).

Levon Aronian (Arm, 3.5) drew with Peter Leko (Hun, 2.5).

Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukr, 2.5) drew with Alexei Shirov (Esp, 3)

Teimour Radjabov (Aze, 3) beat Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 2.5).