Anand misses hat-trick as Leko takes the title

Viswanathan Anand’s quest for a hat-trick of titles ended in disappointment after he finished second behind Hungarian Peter Leko follow...

Viswanathan Anand’s quest for a hat-trick of titles ended in disappointment after he finished second behind Hungarian Peter Leko following a draw in the final round of the Corus chess tournament.

The Indian Grandmaster, who won the last two editions on the trot, was forced to split the point with Dutchman Ivan Sokolov and finished on eight points, half a point adrift of Leko.

It was the maiden title for Leko who drew his final round game with compatriot Judit Polgar.

Story continues below this ad

Four-time winner Anand was the favourite for winning an unprecedented five Corus titles but his early defeat against Leko put the brakes on his progress.

A hat-trick of wins in the middle, against Russian Alexander Morozevich, Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine and Lazaro Bruzon of Cuba, brought him back into title contention, but a draw against local challenge Loek van Wely in a winning position spoiled Anand’s party so much that even a fine effort against big fish Michael Adams of England in the penultimate round did not prove enough for him to catch up with Leko.

Eventually, it was a dogged fight by Sokolov, who seldom loses with White, that saw the Indian miss the crown by just a whisker.

H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear?

Explained2 hr ago

The White House's decision to impose a $100,000 entry fee on H-1B visa holders has sparked worry among Indian tech workers and students. While uncertainties remain about its implementation and exemptions, major tech companies have cautioned employees against traveling. The policy could lead to a shift towards other visa categories and potentially change the STEM immigration pipeline.

View all shorts

Live Blog