The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Title race still wide open

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 26, 2005

Sport

Sport - Chess

Title race still wide open

WIJK AAN ZEE, JAN. 25. Viswanathan Anand's dramatic return to form in the last four rounds has lit up the proceedings in the Corus chess tournament.

After a slow start, the defending champion did justice to his reputation of being the strongest tournament player in the world by scoring a hat-trick of wins, including two with black pieces.

After the second rest day, Anand takes on leader Veselin Topalov in what promises to be a gripping ninth-round contest on Tuesday. Anand will be keen to improve his record with black pieces against the in-form Bulgarian.

So far, Peter Leko and Michael Adams have remained undefeated with some very consistent performances. They share the second spot with Anand at five points. With Vladimir Kramnik showing signs of bouncing back into title-contention, the title race is still wide open in the 13-round contest.

The standings (after eight rounds):

GM `A': 1.Veselin Topalov (Bul) 5.5 points; 2-4. Peter Leko (Hun), Michael Adams (Eng), Viswanathan Anand 5; 5-6. Alexander Grischuk (Rus), Vladimir Kramnik (Rus) 4.5; 7-9. Lazaro Bruzon (Cub), Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukr), Nigel Short (Eng) 4; 10-11. Judit Polgar (Hun), Loek van Wely (Ned) 3.5; 12. Peter Svidler (Rus) 3, 13. Ivan Sokolov (Ned) (2.5); 14. Alexander Morozevich (Rus) 2.

GM `C': 1. Evgeny Alekseev (Rus) 6.5 points; 2-4. Erwin L. Ami (Ned), Vladimir Georgiev (Mkd), Natalia Zhukova (Ukr) 6; Alexey Korotylev (Rus) 5.5; 6-7. Manuel Bosboom (Ned), Tea Lanchava (Ned) 4; 8-9. Bianca Muhren (Ned), Harmen Jonkman (Ned) 3.5; 10-11. Wouter Spoelman (Ned), Parimarjan Negi 3; 12. Leon Pliester (Ned) 2; 13-14. Zeinab Mamedyarova (Aze) and Joost Wempe (Ned) 1.5.

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