Date:14/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/14/stories/2008011451812100.htm

Sport

Anand loses his opening game

Radjabov puts it across the World champion

NEW DELHI: World champion Viswanathan Anand, defending champion Veselin Topolov and fourth seed Shakhriyar Mamedyarov formed the casualty list on a sensational opening day of the Corus chess championship at Wijk aan Zee, near Amsterdam, on Saturday.

From India’s point of view, it turned out to be a disappointing start to the mega-event when K. Humpy went down in Group ‘B’ and Parimarjan Negi lost his way Group ‘C.’

P. Hari Krishna’s draw with Nigel Short in Group ‘B’ was the only saving grace.

Anand, playing his first major competition after winning the World title in September last year, lost with black pieces in the day’s longest game (86 moves). In this well-fought battle in Semi Slav, Teimour Radjabov seized the initiative in the middle game and then forced a favourable ending where he had two rooks and two pawns for Anand’s one rook, a bishop and two pawns.

Last year, Radjabov finished tied for the title with eventual winner Topalov and Levon Aronian. On Saturday, Aronian downed Topalov in 62 moves.

In the day’s first upset, Norway’s wonder-kid Magnus Carlsen overpowered Mamedyarov with black in 40 moves.

Drawn games

Earlier, joint top seed Vladimir Kramnik took a 25-move draw with local favourite Leok van Wely, the lowest rated player in the elite field.

Hari chose a dramatic continuation by deciding to give up his queen for two knights and a bishop against Short.

After a keen battle during which Hari had to give up a minor piece, peace was signed in 51 moves.

However, Humpy failed to make the most of having successfully traded a rook for two minor pieces against Dutch Jan Smeets and lost in 54 moves.

Negi too got the script horribly wrong in his desperate bid to checkmate Swede Pontus Carlsson. Negi, the youngest player in the fray, failed to handle a queenside counterattack and went down in 36 moves.

The results (Indians unless specified): First round: Group ‘A’: Teimour Radjabov (Aze) bt Viswanathan Anand; Vladmir Kramnik (Rus) drew with Loek van Wely (Ned); Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze) lost to Magnus Carlsen (Nor); Pavel Eljanov (Ukr) drew with Peter Leko (Hun); Michael Adams (Eng) drew with Boris Gelfand (Isr); Levon Aronian (Arm) bt Veselin Topalov (Bul); Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukr) drew with Judit Polgar (Hun).

Group ‘B’: P. Hari Krishna drew with Nigel Short (Eng); Jan Smeets (Ned) bt K. Humpy; Hou Yifan (Chn) lost to Etienne Bacrot (Fra); Daniel Stellwagen (Ned) bt Michal Krasenkow (Pol); Wouter Spoulman (Ned) lost to Ivan Cheparinov (Bul); Sergey Movsesian (Svk) drew with Gabriel Sargissian (Arm); Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus) drew with Erwin L’Ami (Ned).

Group ‘C’: Parimarjan Negi lost to Pontus Carlsson (Swe); Shilong Li (Chn) bt Irina Krush (USA); Anna Ushenina (Ukr) lost to John van der Wiel (Ned); Friso Nijboer (Ned) lost to Arik Braun (Ger); Peng Zhaoqin (Ned) lost to Fabiano Caruana (Ita); Mark van der Werf (Ned) bt Efstratios Grivas (Gre); Dennis Ruijgrok (Ned) lost to Dimitri Reinderman (Ned).