Anand slips again but recovers just in time

Overall Anand is lying in the fifth to seventh place tie, as Alexi Shirov who shocked Anatoly Kaprov leads the field with Veselin Topalov, a shock winner over Vladimir Kramnik. Both have six points each to Anand’s four.

In the opening of the game against Anand, Loek Van Wely really had nothing major to show as an advantage but as the game wore on into a major marathon, the tide began to turn. Towards the end game, Van Wely not extricated himself from time — by making quick and safe moves and gaining ten seconds for each move — he also looked better. He won a pawn and finally won the full point after 113 moves, by far the longest game.

So long was the game that is upset the entire schedule of the day’s play. In the blindfold game both players followed a tried and tested game between Tiviakov and Danailov played in the Group B of the Corus Chess Tournament 2000. But then the Indian Grandmaster veered away and came up with an interesting move on the 26th with Bc1 and after the exchange of queens, it was clear that Anand was winning. This time Anand did not fritter it away and won the game.

Alexei Shirov who had beaten Anand in the third round provided another stunner with a win over Anatoly Karpov and in another shock result Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria beat Valdimir Kramnik. Shirov and Topalov now lead the field with six points each after four days and from a maximum of eight possible. Karpov lies third with five points.

Ironically it was Karpov who was squeezing Shirov for a long time in the rapid game. Then in an effort to wrap it up, he lapsed in concentration and blundered. That allowed Shirov to win the white queen quite simply. The game was over there.

In the blindfold game both players used a lot of time in an extreme sharp line of the Caro-Kann. Shirov tried to break the position open, but Karpov was not in a mood. They agreed to draw after 26 moves and it seemed a fair result.

Kramnik for the third time in a row has lost a game. It is not often that Kramnik loses so often even in a rapid or blindfold game. He lost with the white pieces to Topalov int he rapid game. It was an exciting game, with both players playing for mate. Topalov had the first oppurtunity but he missed it. Then Kramnik missed his chance after which Topalov used his next chance and won.

In the blindfold game both players forgot about the position at a certain stage. The players only have a blank board in front of them and are expected to remember the positions. But this time they did not and ultimately agreed for a draw.

In blindfold each player is in front of a screen with an empty chess board. He makes his moves by mouse click or keyboard. The opponent’s moves are announced on the screen.

Checking legality fo moves and time registration are automatic. Although the players always see an empty board, the arbiters and audience can follow the game on video screens not visible to the players.

Monday will be the first free day of the tournament. The next free day is March 25.

Results of Round IV:

Rapid: Piket beat Nikolic, Kramnik lost to Topalov, Gelfand drew with Ivanchuk, Karpov lost to Shirov, Van Wely beat Anand, Lautier drew with Ljobojevic.

Blindfold: Nikolic lost to Piket, Topalov drew with Kramnik, Ivanchuk drew with Gelfand, Shirov drew with Karpov and beat Van Wely, Ljubojevic lost to Lautier 0-1.

Standings after Round IV

1-2. Shirov (ESP) and Topalov (BUL) 6.0
3. Karpov (RUS) 5.0
4. Gelfand (ISR) 4.5
5-7. Anand (IND), Kramnik (RUS) and Van Wely (NETH) 4.0
8-9. Piket (NETH) and Ivanchuk (UKR) 3.5
10.12 Ljubojevic (YUG), Nikolic Bih and Lautier (FRA) 2.5.