ANAND LEADS DESPITE DRAW AGAINST GELFAND
Zee News
September 22, 2007
India
Mexico City, Sept 22: World`s numero uno chess player Viswanathan
Anand took a pause as he played a very short draw against Israeli
grand master Boris Gelfand and kept his half a point lead intact in
the World Chess Championships in Mexico City.
In the eighth round yesterday, Gelfand, with white may have entertained
some thoughts of upsetting the Indian grand master, but there was
chance in the Catalan opening, which was soon.
Neutralised by Anand, who has undoubtedly become the sentimental
favourite of Mexican chess fans.
In this short 20 moves game, Anand decided to get out of the cramped
position (13th move) and to play freely, but he quickly realised that
it was not right time as Gelfand kept on developing the pieces and
got a small advantage.
But despite of the advantage, there was nothing much for the Israeli
grand master as well as for Anand, and it eventually prompted both
the players to settle for a draw.
Anand said, "I was able to use a new idea that I had worked with
in may with Sandeepan and it was a sort of surprise, it was not a
complete novelty but it is a rare move. I am happy that I was able
to equalise and finish it in 20 moves."
After a days rest, the NIIT-baked Indian will have white pieces
against Armenian grand master Levon Aronian in the ninth round of
the tournament.
Meanwhile, two other games of the eighth round — between Peter Svidler
and Vladimir Kramnik and Alexander Morozevich and Levon Aronian —
also ended in a tame draw.
However, the last game of the round saw peter Leko clinching his first
victory of the tournament against Alexander Grischuk in a long battle
that lasted over 60 moves.