Anand starts on high note

The game started after a mini drama on the stage. Shirov inspected the chair and sat on it to test its strength. When the chair started rolling backwards, Shirov stood up and asked for a replacement. So the first game started with the players having dissimilar chairs.

Shirov was also not happy about his rest room as he had to come down the stage and pass through the hall to the opposite side. But then he was pacified by Fide officials that he would get black tomorrow and then Anand would be in the same boat.

World Prestige Match: In a hurried press conference in the evening, Fide president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov told reporters that Fide was ready to organise a World Prestige match between the winner of World champion and Vladimir Kramnik, who beat Garry Kasparov.

He hinted that this match would be held sometime in May/July and Fide would even look for a sponsor to hold it. ‘‘The chess lovers are eagerly looking forward to such a match,’’ said the Fide president.

To a question about the status of a court case Anatoly Karpov was fighting against Fide. ‘‘The title should be won not in the court room but in the playing hall,’’ said Kirsan.

The Moves
Game One: Shirov-Anand: 1.e4 e6, 2.d4 d5, 3.e5 c5, 4.c3 Nc6, 5.Nf3 Qb6, 6.a3 a5, 7.Bd3 Bd7, 8.0-0 cd4, 9.cd4 Nd4, 10.Nd4 Qd4, 11.Nc3 Qb6, 12.Qg4 g6, 13.Be3 Bc5, 14.Na4 Ba4, 15.Qa4+ Kf8, 16.Bc5+ Qc5, 17.Rc1 Qb6, 18. Qd7 Rd8, 19.Qc7 Qc7, 20.Rc7 Rb8, 21.Rc1 Ne7, 22.f4 Nc6, 23.Rc5 Kg7, 24.Rb5 g5, 25.g3 h5, 26.Rb7 Rb7, 27.Rb7 h4, 28.Kg2 hg3, 29.hg3 gf4, 30.gf4 Rh4, 31.Kg3 Rh1, 32.Kg2 Rh4, 33.Kg3 Rh1, 34.Kg2 0.5-0.5.