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Anand-Ponomariov duel in balance

By Our Chess Correspondent

Chennai Aug. 18. The "duel of world champions'' is in balance with both players dominating a day each. Former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand bounced back from a 1-2 deficit in day one to level the scores by winning game four against Ponomariov and going home with a 3-3 result at the end of the second day in the chess classic in Mainz on Saturday.

The battle for supremacy in the "duel of the graces'' is also closely matched with favourite Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia holding on to a tiny 3.5-2.5 lead with two games still to go.

Game four started with Anand preferring the same king pawn opening. His sixth move choice against the Najdorf was 6.f3 and he was clear about the English attack without the hindrance of black's knight disturbing the development of white's queen bishop. Anand castled queen side and black king side. White had his king side pawns launched in an offensive.

Just when the players started manoeuvring for better placement for their pieces, Ponomariov advanced his centre pawn without any provocation. Anand exploited this break by sacrificing a rook for knight and had two pawns in compensation for this. White's advantage was close to winning.

Ponomariov returned this material but Anand's pawn sacrifice on move 38 threatened mate or winning a full rook. Ponomariov resigned leaving the score of the match tied at 2-2 at that stage.

With the confidence behind him, Anand played the Sicilian Najdorf as black in the fifth game and Ponomariov did not show any strong preparation. Trying to reach an equal ending, Ponomariov was surprised when Anand turned the heat on the game with a rook for knight sacrifice on move 24.

Although black had no pawns as compensation, the locked pawn structure ensured that black's knight was more or less equal to a rook as white had no entry. Anand called most of the shots but white blocked black's play on the queen side and after 40 moves, they agreed to a draw.

In the last game of the day, Ponomariov defended the black side with the Ruy Lopez, jumping from the Sicilian Najdorf with which he lost in game four.

They agreed to a draw without testing if any side had an advantage after 36 moves.

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