15 June 2004 07:09
Rest of the world triumphs, Anand draws Kasparov
>From our Chess Correspondent Moscow, Jun 15 (PTI) Former World Champion Viswanathan Anand drew his final round game
with World No. 1 Garry Kasparov ensuring victory for the Rest of the world team against Armenia at the Hyatt Ararat in
Moscow on Tuesday. Despite a defeat in the sixth and final round, Rest of World held on to their lead, winning the match
with a narrow 18.5-17.5 score. Rest of the world began the last round with a cushion of two point lead at 16-14, while
Armenia looked for two extra wins, without defeats. Playing the World No. 1 Garry Kasparov with white pieces, Anand
snatched the precious half a point with a comfortable draw. The Sicilian Pelican game between Anand and Kasparov, saw
neither player willing to take the risk. A little out of the theoretical waters, Anand captured the center "d"
pawn and offered a draw which Kasparov accepted. Just into the middle game, Anand held more than an even position on the
quenside, but Kasparov's double bishop ensured splitting of the point. Anand completed the event with two wins, a
lone defeat to Leko and three draws. The only decisive game of the day came from the Vaganian-Adams game, wherein the
veteran Armenian brought in all his experience in the Queens Indian game to down the English Grandmaster.
Giving it all, Vaganian went all out for the kingside attack, marshalling his pieces in quick time. Adams decision to
hold on to the bishop against knight backfired as the white knight occupied vital squares, making inroads into
black's territory. Holding a vice like grip in the position, Vaganian found an nice intermezzo forcing Adam's
resignation by 38 moves. Short draws occured in Valleo Pons-Leko and Akopian-Svidler, where peace was signed in 18 and
16 moves respectively. Dutchman Loek van Wely opened with white pieces against Armenian Grandmaste Lputian and the game
moved in the Queens Gambit Tartakover variation. The players focussed on the queenside and van Wely was just pleased to
sign a draw, as Lputian forced the repetion of moves, by repeatedly attacking the white queen. With the lead narrowing
down, it all boiled down to the Gelfand-Bacrot game. A student of former world champion Tigran Petrosian, in whose
memory this event is held, Gelfand held a minor advantage in the Slav game after the opening phase. A big space
advantage and the awkward position of the black king pointed to a defeat for the world team. But the Frenchman, Bacrot,
rose to the occasion, and hung on grimly. Ensuring a winning rook and bishop endgame, Gelfand had Bacrot in all knots.
Extricating himself from difficulties, Bacrot sacrificed his bishop, wiping out the dangerous pawns. A stalemate on the
70th move, gave the Rest of the World team a crucial half point, ensuring them a match victory over the Armenian team by
a single point, 18.5-17.5. (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)
[Press Trust of India] |
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