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Rediff , India
NDTV.com, India
Oct 2 2011
Anand held by Aronian in Bilbao Final Masters
October 02, 2011 15:13 IST
World Champion Viswanathan Anand [ Images ] has slipped to joint third
spot after he was held to a draw by Levon Aronian of Armenia at the
half way stage of the fourth Bilbao Final Masters.
Anand's third white in the tournament went in vain for the third time
on the trot, as the Indian ace could not use it to his advantage.
The Indian's sole victory in the event had come in the previous round
when he beat Francisco Vallejo Pons of Spain.
World number one Magnus Carlsen [ Images ] of Norwaay rose back in
contention for top honours with a finely crafted victory over
tournament leader Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine.
In the other game of the day, American Hikaru Nakamura scored his
first win at the expense of Vallejo Pons.
With the Brazilian ending after the fifth round, the focus will now
shift to Bilbao in Spain where the event will continue after a
four-day break.
Despite his first loss, Vassily Ivanchuk still leads on 10 points in
the soccer-like scoring system in place.
Nakamura, who won his first game after four draws, occupies the second
spot on seven points, while Anand, Aronian and Carlsen stand joint
third now with six points each.
Pons is at the bottom on three points and one only wonders what his
score might have looked like in this category-22 super tournament had
Carlsen not blundered against him in a won position.
Anand tried and got some advantage with his white pieces in the Closed
Ruy Lopez against Aronian. The middle game surfaced with Anand pushing
for more on the queen side and Aronian had no option but to go for the
central breakthrough.
After regulation exchanges the players arrived at a rook and pawns
endgame where Aronian had an extra pawn, which was not much of use.
The game was agreed drawn after 41 moves.
Carlsen played imaginatively to score over Ivanchuk who was sitting pretty.
From: A. Papazian
NDTV.com, India
Oct 2 2011
Anand held by Aronian in Bilbao Final Masters
October 02, 2011 15:13 IST
World Champion Viswanathan Anand [ Images ] has slipped to joint third
spot after he was held to a draw by Levon Aronian of Armenia at the
half way stage of the fourth Bilbao Final Masters.
Anand's third white in the tournament went in vain for the third time
on the trot, as the Indian ace could not use it to his advantage.
The Indian's sole victory in the event had come in the previous round
when he beat Francisco Vallejo Pons of Spain.
World number one Magnus Carlsen [ Images ] of Norwaay rose back in
contention for top honours with a finely crafted victory over
tournament leader Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine.
In the other game of the day, American Hikaru Nakamura scored his
first win at the expense of Vallejo Pons.
With the Brazilian ending after the fifth round, the focus will now
shift to Bilbao in Spain where the event will continue after a
four-day break.
Despite his first loss, Vassily Ivanchuk still leads on 10 points in
the soccer-like scoring system in place.
Nakamura, who won his first game after four draws, occupies the second
spot on seven points, while Anand, Aronian and Carlsen stand joint
third now with six points each.
Pons is at the bottom on three points and one only wonders what his
score might have looked like in this category-22 super tournament had
Carlsen not blundered against him in a won position.
Anand tried and got some advantage with his white pieces in the Closed
Ruy Lopez against Aronian. The middle game surfaced with Anand pushing
for more on the queen side and Aronian had no option but to go for the
central breakthrough.
After regulation exchanges the players arrived at a rook and pawns
endgame where Aronian had an extra pawn, which was not much of use.
The game was agreed drawn after 41 moves.
Carlsen played imaginatively to score over Ivanchuk who was sitting pretty.
From: A. Papazian