Anand shares the top spot

BELGRADE, NOV 22: Viswanathan Anand and Vassily Ivanchuk tied for the top spot as both drew their respective games in the ninth and final round of the Investbanka International Grandmasters chess tournament last night. Anand and Ivanchuk both logged six points out of the nine, but the Ukrainian had a better progressive score.

Anand drew quickly in just 20 moves with black pieces against Boris Gelfand and Ivanchuk (black) split the point with Vladimir Kramnik in 32 moves of English opening.

RESULTS (9th round): Lautier (5) drew with Kovacevic (1.5); Gelfand (5) drew with Anand (6); Kramnik (5) drew with Ivanchuk (6); Beliavsky (4.5) beat Shirov (5.5); Ljubojevic (3) drew with Georgiev (3.5)

FINAL STANDINGS: 1-2: Ivanchuk and Anand (6 points each); 3. Shirov (5.5); 4-6: Lautier, Gelfand and Kramnik (5 points each); 7: Beliavsky (4.5); 8: Georgiev (3.5); 9: Ljubojevic (3); 10. Kovacevic (1.5)