The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Anand shares lead

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Monday, Dec 13, 2010
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Anand shares lead

NEW DELHI: Nigel Short's attempt to be brilliant proved to be a blunder and gave birthday ‘boy' Viswanathan Anand a rare opportunity to checkmate his long-time friendly foe from England in 41 moves during an action-filled fourth round of the second London Chess Classic in London on Friday.

Besides Anand, now in joint lead, Magnus Carlsen and Vladimir Kramnik also won their games while overnight leader Luke McShane drew with fellow Englishman Michael Adams.

With three rounds to go, Anand and McShane lead with eight points, followed by Kramnik (7) and Carlsen (6).

Anand, who turned 41 on Friday, enjoyed a comfortable start from the black side of Closed Sicilian until Short managed to place a rook on the seventh rank. After an exchange of minor pieces on the kingside, Short gave up a pawn and followed it up with a bishop-sacrifice, assuming that would lead to a checkmating attack. But Anand saw the danger and placed his queen strategically to take care of all the threats. In the next five moves, a desperate Short found himself checkmated.

Anand now plays white against McShane in the battle of leaders.

The results (fourth round): Nigel Short (Eng, 1) lost to Viswanathan Anand (8); Vladimir Kramnik (Rus, 7) bt David Howell (Eng, 2); Magnus Carslen (Nor, 6) bt Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 5); Luke McShane (Eng, 8) drew with Michael Adams (Eng, 5). (Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss).

Fifth round pairings: Anand-McShane; Howell-Carlsen; Adams-Kramnik; Nakamura-Short .

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