Anand, Kramnik in crucial game

By Arvind Aaron

WIJK AAN ZEE, JAN. 20. The chess world has been dominated by two names, Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov in the last 25 years. This phase has moved on since the start of this year.

Clearly the two names of today are Viswanathan Anand, the world champion and Vladimir Kramnik, the young Russian rival who unseated Kasparov, to be the Brain Games World Champion. Any match between them, be it blitz, rapid, advanced chess, blindfold chess or even a TV studio game gains importance. Their clash on Saturday should be the game the chess fraternity is waiting for. It will be the clash of the 63rd Corus chess tournament.

This clash will be important and Kramnik with white should have the advantage. Then, there is more prestige in this than any other chess game between any other player.

Anand, 31, is warming up in the tournament and along with Kramnik, 25, was expected to run a challenge to Garry Kasparov.

Both players can be very defensive. The only game where Anand ran into trouble in the last six months was against Alexander Khalifman at New Delhi on December 11. ``Anand will escape, he is a slippery fish,'' said one chess lover in an online paid site and it did happen. They both have incredible resources to defend. Then, what they get from the opening will be important.

These two players could set online record in terms of `hits' with a lively game. There is wide interest and above that it is happening on a Saturday could only boost interest.

lThe standings after round five: 1 A. Shirov (ESP) 4/5, 2-4 G. Kasparov (Rus), V. Kramnik (Rus), A. Morozevich (Rus) 3.5 each, 5-6 V. Anand (Ind), M. Adams (Eng), 3 each, 7-8 V. Ivanchuk (Ukr), J. Timman (Ned) 2.5 each, 9-11 P. Leko (Hun), V. Topalov (Bul), L. Van Wely (Ned) 2 each, 12-13 A. Fedorov (Blr), J. Piket (Ned) 1.5 each, 14 S. Tiviakov (Ned) 0.5.

Harikrishna enters tough phase

Joint leader International Master P. Harikrishna has entered the tough side of the pairing and the next two rounds will have a big say on what he is going to achieve from this Grand Master Group B of the 63rd Corus chess tournament.

Harikrishna is jointly leading the Group B with 2.5 points along with veteran Boris Gulko of the United States and Mikhail Gurevich of Belgium.

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