Kasparov outplays Anand

Meanwhile, Anand, with two defeats in a row with white pieces, is surely at his lowest. He will need to pull himself with a super effort and that must begin immediately with his fifth round game against Alexander Khalifman, who at 2626, is the lowest rated player and more than 100 Elo points below Anand who is rated at 2769.

In another match, Peter Leko, in danger of losing his fourth round game to Vladimir Kramnik, pulled through for a fine draw to stay in the hunt. In the third game, Alexi Shirov and Alexander Khalifman drew in a short 21-move game.

At the end of the fourth round of the 10-round, six-player tournament, Kasparov leads the world’s strongest field with three points while Kramnik is half a point behind. Leko and Shirov have two points each while Khalifman, with three draws in four rounds, is fifth and Anand with just two draws in four games, brings up the rear with one point.

In a strong display, Kasparov demolished Anand in 32 moves on the black side of a Sicilian defence. It was a Najdorf Variation, something which has figured quite often in clashes between the two. Anand, with white had some space advantage early but Kasparov, with his 16th move, 16.Qb6, seemed to have neutralised and achieved equality.

At move 18, Kasparov with his Rac8 seemed to be gaining some edge and then when Anand played the 19.Ncl. It seemed that Kasparov was clearly better. The champion realised it and his body language, always aggressive in such situations, showed that. When Anand captured gxf3 on the 23rd move, the result was becoming clearer. From move 25, when Anand played 25. Qd2, there was no turning back. The game was nearly lost then. But even after 28, Anand had an escape route using his knight on c6. But he did not and the game headed Kasparov’s way.

On move 32 Kasparov won a pawn and was clearly up in material, Anand saw no point in continuing and resigned.

Khalifman actually had some gains in his 21-move draw with Shirov. Khalifman was black and in the French defence he was better off after Shirov played weakly. But the latter held on for a draw, which seemed to satisfy Khalifman.

Leko, who seems to have a hold over Kramnik, was at one time in danger of losing it. He has not ever lost to Kramnik, but in Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian, Leko was not looking good. But the 20-year-old Hungarian, always dangerous, pulled through for a respectable half point in 41 moves.

In the next round, Kasparov meets Leko while Khalifman has white against Anand and Kramnik with white meets Shirov.
Results (fourth round): Anand lost to Kasparov; Leko drew Kramnik, Shirov drew Khalifman.
Standings (after four rounds):

1 Kasparov (Rus) 3; 2 Kramnik (Rus) 2.5; 3-4 Leko (Hun) and Shirov (Esp) 2; 5 Khalifman (Rus) 1.5; 6 Anand (Ind) 1.