The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Anand moves closer to title

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Thursday, Sep 27, 2007
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Sport - Chess

Anand moves closer to title

NEW DELHI: With the World title well in sight, Viswanathan Anand stepped on the accelerator and scored over Alexander Morozevich to emerge as the lone 11th-round winner at the World chess championship in Mexico City on Tuesday.

Anand’s 56-move victory raised his aggregate to 7.5 points and enlarged his lead to 1.5 points over nearest rival Boris Gelfand. With three rounds to go, even draws are enough for Anand to regain the title won in 2000.

Gelfand agreed to a 22-move draw with Peter Svidler soon after defending champion Vladimir Kramnik settled for a 13-move truce with fellow Russian Alexander Grischuk.

Fascinating contest

In a fascinating contest in Sicilian Najdorf, Anand castled on the queenside and went for black’s pawns on the same flank. Undeterred, Morozevich targeted Anand’s defenceless kingside pawns before the queens were exchanged.

Thereafter, down two pawns, a desperate Morozevich chose to give up a rook to help his queen return to the board. Anand, whose central pawn had marched merrily to the sixth rank, rendered the rival queen ineffective with a timely rook-move. At this stage, Morozevich gave up.

After a day of rest, Anand plays Peter Svidler and Alexander Grischuk, the Russians he defeated with white pieces earlier, and signs off the campaign against Peter Leko.

The results:

11th round: Viswanathan Anand (7.5) bt Alexander Morozevich (Rus, 4.5); Boris Gelfand (Isr, 6) drew with Peter Svidler (Rus, 4.5); Alexander Grischuk (Rus, 5) drew with Vladimir Kramnik (Rus, 5.5); Peter Leko (Hun, 5.5) drew Levon Aronian (Arm, 5.5).

12th round pairings: Svidler-Anand; Aronian-Gelfand; Kramnik-Leko; Morozevich-Grischuk.

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