Date:17/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/17/stories/2008031759602100.htm

Sport - Chess

Anand scores brilliant win over Kramnik

NEW DELHI: Viswanathan Anand posted a brilliant victory with black against fellow top seed Vladimir Kramnik to be among the leaders after the first round of the Amber blindfold and rapid chess tournament at Nice, France, on Saturday.

After the two strongest players in the World drew their blindfold encounter in just 23 moves of Petroff Defence, Anand came up with a masterly performance in the rapid game.

Lethal attack

In Queen’s Indian, Anand punished Kramnik for drifting “too long on the queenside” and unleashed a lethal attack.

He put a great finish to the game by offering his queen. Kramnik realised that he could not escape getting checkmated and resigned after 43 moves.

Joint lead

The victory put Anand jointly in lead with Sergey Karjakin, Veselin Topalov, Levon Aronian and Vassily Ivanchuk at 1.5 points.

The results:

First round: Blindfold: Viswanathan Anand drew with Vladimir Kramnik (Rus); Boris Gelfand (Isr) lost to Sergey Karjakin (Ukr), Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze) drew with Alexander Morozevich (Rus); Levon Aronian (Arm) drew with Loek van Wely (Ned); Veselin Topalov (Bul) bt Peter Leko (Hun); Magnus Carlsen (Nor) lost to Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukr).

Rapid: Kramnik lost to Anand; Karjakin drew with Gelfand; Morozevich drew with Mamedyarov; Wely lost to Aronian; Leko drew with Topalov; Ivanchuk drew with Carslen.