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In the game between two former world chess champions, Viswanathan Anand was required to demonstrate his endgame skills in ample measure to hold leader Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine to a draw in the eighth round of the MTel Masters Chess Tournament being played at Grand Hotel Sofia in Bulgaria on Friday.
The standings remained status quo as all fought draws returned to this round after making a few appearances in this event. Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria drew Judit Polgar of Hungary to a draw after a marathon 68-move encounter to join Ponomariov in the lead with 4.5 points. Anand and Judit Polgar are in joint third place with four points.
In the first game to conclude, Anand faced the English opening with the black pieces from Ponomariov. On the 26th move he could have traded bishops and headed towards a level ending. His choice also gave him a draw but after some extra sweat and excitement.
This is the third time in the tournament that Anand and his opponent came down to king versus king before the game was declared a draw. Anand still has title chances if he wins both his remaining games. Anand takes on Judit Polgar with white and then Adams with the black pieces in the last two rounds.
In the another game, Kramnik and Adams drew in 53 moves by repetition of the position. Both continue to be at the bottom of the table. The most exciting game was the Topalov versus Polgar game where the former was a rook down in the end but found a draw by checks.
The results (round eight): Veselin Topalov (Bul) 4.5 drew Judit Polgar (Hun) 4, Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukr) 4.5 drew Viswanathan Anand (Ind) 4, Vladimir Kramnik (Rus) 3.5 drew Michael Adams (Eng) 3.5.
| White: Ruslan Ponomariov - Black: Viswanathan
Anand, round eight, English opening, A05: |
1.Nf3 Nf6
2.c4 b6
3.g3 c5
4.Bg2 Bb7
5.0-0 e6
6.Nc3 Be7
7.Re1 Ne4
8.Nxe4 Bxe4
9.d3 Bb7
10.e4 Nc6
11.d4 cxd4
12.Nxd4 Nxd4
13.Qxd4 0-0
14.b3 Bc5
15.Qc3 Qe7
16.Re2 a5
17.a4 f5
18.e5 Bxg2
19.Kxg2 Rad8
20.Qf3 d6
21.exd6 Qxd6
22.Bg5 Rd7
23.Rae1 Qd3
24.Qxd3 Rxd3
25.Rxe6 Rxb3
26.Be7 Re8
27.Bxc5 Rxe6 |
28.Rxe6 bxc5
29.Re8+ Kf7
30.Re5 Rb4
31.Rxf5+ Kg6
32.Rxc5 Rxa4
33.Kf3 Ra2
34.h4 a4
35.Ra5 a3
36.Ke4 Re2+
37.Kd4 a2
38.f4 Kf6
39.g4 g6
40.c5 Rd2+
41.Ke4 Re2+
42.Kd3 Rh2
43.Ra6+ Ke7
44.Ke4 Rxh4
45.Rxa2 Rxg4
46.Ke5 Kd7
47.Ra7+ Kc6
48.Rxh7 Kxc5
49.Rc7+ Kb4
50.Rc1 Kb5
51.Ke4 g5
52.Rf1 Rxf4+
53.Rxf4 gxf4
54.Kxf4 Draw. |
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