The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Adams wins; Topalov held

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Saturday, Jul 03, 2004

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Sport - Chess

Adams wins; Topalov held

TRIPOLI, JULY 2. British Grandmaster Michael Adams defeated Teimour Radjabov, while top seed Veselin Topalov was held to a draw by Uzbek Grandmaster Rustam Kasimdzhanov in their first game in the semifinal of the 17th World chess championship.

The first semifinal game between top seed Bulgarian Topalov and Kasimdzhanov took everybody by surprise as both the players settled for a quick 15-move draw on Thursday night.

Playing with white, Kasimdzhanov had opened with his pet Nf3 move to which Topalov replied with d5. The game witnessed only 15 moves, and by that time the queen, a knight and three pawns were exchanged when they agreed for the draw.

Topalov will now play with white pieces in the second semifinal game on Friday night.

Top seed Topalov has won all his main games, while Kasimdzhanov has been brilliant in the tie-breakers.

The Uzbek's tactics seems to stretch the game to the tie-break where he is more at home and that was one of the reasons behind settling for a quick draw.

Meanwhile, the second match between young Ajerbaijanian Teimour Radjabov and Michael Adams was a see-saw affair and it was anybody's game even though the Englishman had the last laugh.

The results: First semifinal games: Michael Adams bt Teimour Radjabov; Veselin Topalov drew with Rustam Kasimdzhanov — UNI

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