The Hindu : Another feather in Anand's cap

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 06, 2002

Sport

Sport - Chess

Another feather in Anand's cap

By Our Chess Correspondent

CHENNAI May 5. Indian chess genius Viswanathan Anand added a big title to his ever growing list of achievements by winning the Eurotel World Chess Trophy tournament at Prague on Sunday after taking a draw in the second game for a overall 1.5-0.5 victory over Anatoly Karpov.

Requiring a draw with the black pieces for an aggregate win, Anand achieved it in less than three and a half hours to win the 9-day 500,000 Euros (Rs. 2.15 crores) tournament with his fifth match win.

In game two, Anand varied from the queen's gambit accepted choice which he had been playing in this event as black to the semi-Slav opening. Opening surprise is an important element in short matches and helps getting out of well prepared lines.

First, the surprise has helped him with Karpov taking more time on his clock that included in making a new 14th move. At move 19, all four knights and four pawns were exchanged off from the board. Black had obtained dynamic equality.

Needing a draw to wrap up the finals, Anand was making sure that he maintained equality. Karpov, in trying to force a win, used his extra elbow room on the king-side using his queen. None of his bishop's would team up and his rook could not get there in time for an onslaught against the black king.

The last move which Karpov made on the 34th turn was a mild blunder as it was costing a pawn and surrendering all winning possibilities.

``Maybe, Anand will strive to win,'' said Dreev but a few minutes later the Indian had agreed to a draw that Karpov proposed along with his 34th move.

This tournament had a funny schedule with the 32 players battling rapid chess and then playing the two final games in classical chess.

Anand has put his mark on a new event, which has come to an end at the chess table.

The moves: GM A. Karpov-GM V. Anand, finals, game two, Semi-Slav defence, D46: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 a6 10.a4 c5 11.Rd1 cxd4 12.exd4 Qc7 13.Qe2 Re8 14.Re1 b6 15.Bb3 Bb7 16.Ne5 Nd5 17.Bd2 Nxc3 18.Bxc3 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Bc5 20.Rac1 Qe7 21.Qg4 Rad8 22.Bc4 g6 23.Bf1 Qd7 24.h4 h5 25.Qf4 Qd5 26.b4 Be7 27.Re3 Rf8 28.Rce1 Qb3 29.b5 axb5 30.Bxb5 Rd1 31.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 32.Kh2 Rd8 33.Be2 Qc2 34.Bf3 Draw.

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