Third Win Gives Anand Lead
By Arvind Aaron

World No.1 Viswanathan Anand reestablished his sole lead with a 50-move win over over Alexander Grischuk of Russia in the FIDE World Chess Championship which reached its half-way mark at Mexico City on September 20.

Four draws, three wins has placed the 1969-born Chennai player in the lead in the World Championship with five points from seven rounds. Seven more rounds remain to be played. The players start to take on each other with the reversed colours from Friday.

Anand's 5/7 score in this category 21 field has put his rating performance at a massive 2905! What is 2905 and what is rating performance? For a player with a 2905 rating needs to score 5/7 in this field of opponents to maintain his rating. That is the meaning of that. Even when he won the Linares Tournament in 1998 and this year, he has not achieved this. However, the second cycle is left and he has four black games and three white games. He should be looking for the title and not at rating numbers though it is clear that Vassily Ivanchuk is narrowing the rating lead he enjoys.

Anand's understanding of the ending and positive frame of mind helped him win the rooks and minor piece ending. In a closed Spanish, Anand found a soft target on d6 and allowed black to enjoy a protected pass pawn. His knight blocked the passed pawn of black and he stormed his king side pawns to open up and target the d6 pawn and win using it in style.

The results (round seven): Viswanathan Anand (Ind) bt Alexander Grischuk (Rus), Vladimir Kramnik (Rus) drew Boris Gelfand (Isr), Peter Svidler (Rus) drew Levon Aronian (Arm), Alexander Morozevich (Rus) drew Peter Leko (Hun).

Standings at the half-way mark: 1 V.Anand 5/7, 2 B.Gelfand 4.5, 3 V.Kramnik 4, 4 A.Grischuk 3.5, 5-6 P.Leko, L.Aronian 3 each, 7-8 A.Morozevich, P.Svidler 2.5 each.

Pairing for Friday's round eight: Aronian v Morozevich, Gelfand v Anand, Leko v Grischuk, Svidler v Kramnik.