Anand leads with two others

BELGRADE, November 21: The three joint leaders, Viswanathan Anand, Vassily Ivanchuk and Alexi Shirov, drew their respective games to stay together at the end of the penultimate round of the Investbanka International Grandmasters Chess Tournament.

Anand was held to a 25 move draw in Pirc defence played by Alexander Beliavsky, while Ivanchuk and Joel Lautier drew quickly in 18 moves in a Sicilian defence by the French player. Anand plays Gelfand in the final round late tonight.

RESULTS: Shirov (5.5) drew with Ljubojevic (2.5); Ivanchuk (5.5) drew with Lautier (4.5); Anand (5.5) drew with Beliavsky (3.5); Georgiev (3) drew with Kramnik (4.5); Kovacevic (1) lost to Gelfand (4.5)