Sport - Chess

Anand draws with Topalov, moves ahead

NEW DELHI: World champion Viswanathan Anand drew 1-1 with Veselin Topalov before the sequence of other results left him in the sole lead after three rounds of the Amber blindfold and rapid chess tournament at Nice, France, on Monday.

Anand leads the overall standings with four points and the rapid table with 2.5 points.

In blindfold, Vassily Ivanchuk, Alexander Morozevich and Norway’s Magnus Carlsen share the lead at two points.

Anand and Topalov drew their games in Catalan after playing once with each colour. In the blindfold game, Topalov held a slight advantage before Anand came up with the correct defence. The draw was agreed in 59 moves.

In the rapid clash, Topalov drew by repeating the moves. At one point, the Bulgarian was considering playing on but with just 40 seconds on his clock, he did not risk playing ‘blitz’ chess with Anand.

Meanwhile, some unexpected results in rapid worked in Anand’s favour.

The surprise defeats of contenders like in-form Carlsen, Vladimir Kramnik, Morozevich, Levon Aronian and Ivanchuk helped Anand emerge as the only leader.

The results (third round):

Blindfold: Veselin Topalov (Bul, 1.5) drew with Viswanathan Anand (1.5); Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 1.5) drew with Vladimir Kramnik (Rus, 1.5); Peter Leko (Hun, 1) drew with Alexander Morozevich (Rus, 2); Levon Aronian (Arm,1.5) drew with Boris Gelfand (Isr, 1); Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 2) bt Sergey Karjakin (Ukr, 1.5); Loek van Wely (Ned, 1) drew with Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukr, 2).

Rapid: Anand (2.5)drew with Topalov (2); Kramnik (1) lost to Mamedyarov (1.5); Morozevich (0.5) lost to Leko (1.5); Gelfand (1.5) bt Aronian (2); Karjakin (1.5) bt Carlsen (1.5); Ivanchuk (1.5) lost to Wely (1).

Standings (after three rounds): 1. Anand (4), 2-5 Topalov, Ivanchuk, Aronian, Carlsen (3.5 each), 6-7 Karjakin, Mamedyarov (3 each), 8-11 Gelfand, Morozevich, Kramnik, Leko (2.5 each), 12. Wely (2).

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