Anand swings into contention with two wins

Anand now has six points from the maximum of ten. The sole leader after five rounds is Bulgarian Veselin Topalov, with eight points, while Alexi Shirov, the Latvian-born Spaniard is in second place with 7.5 points. Former world champion Anatoly Karpov of Russia is in the third place with 6.5 points, half a point ahead of Anand.

Anand and Topalov were the two players to register 2-0 wins and interestingly they will now clash in the next round. A win there could see the Indian in the race for the tournament hours.

This first 2-0 win since 1998 Amber tournament should put Anand back into the race after disappointing losses against Shirov and Loek Van Wely. The rest day after four rounds, during which Anand twice lost in rapid games, seemed to have done the Indian champion a world of good. He was looking fresh and energetic as he took on Lautier.

In the fifth round, he found his form and scored his first victory in rapid section. The Madras GM brought in a novelty in the Sicilian Najdorf opted for by Lautier. The French player, who is having a lean tournament found himself in all sorts of trouble and resigned after 34 moves.

Anand, who shares the lead in the blindfold section with Topalov, played with black against Joel Lautier’s play was rather weak and suggested lack of planning. Anand gained an early advantage as white, Lautier, gave up a pawn. Anand took it and equalised and though some felt it might have been sacrifice, Lautier was never comfortable. He hung on for long 72 moves before giving in. It was the second 0-2 loss for Lautier.

The day produced a whole lot of results in rapid games, as five of the six clashes gave decisions. The only game to end in a draw was the one between Vassily Ivanchuk and Jeroen Piket and it was quick 16-move draw.

It was a day for the Sicilian. Apart from Anand, who won against Lautier, Shirov and Topalov were also engaged in it and won their games in Sicilians.

Topalov, who did not play the Wijk aan Zee and Linares events this year, seems to have benefited a great deal from the rest and is showing good preparations.

The Topalov-Gelfand rapid game resembled the one-played between Anand and Van Wely in the previous round. Gelfand deviated first on the 20th move but six moves later found himself hopeless and resigned. Topalov ended the game with 27 minutes and 10 seconds, which was two minutes and 10 seconds more than his starting time. In the blindfold game Topalov, black, again outplayed Gelfand.

Results of fifth round:

Rapid games: Ljubojevic lost to Karpov; Anand beat Lautier; Shirov beat Van Wely; Ivanchuk drew with Piket; Topalov beat Gelfand; Nikolic lost to Kramnik.

Blindfold:Karpov drew with Ljubojevic; Lautier lost to Anand; Van Wely drew with Shirov; Piket drew with Ivanchuk; Gelfand lost to Topalov; Kramnik drew with Nikolic.

Rapidplay stndings 1. Shirov 4.5, 2. Topalov 4.0, 3-4. Ivanchuk and Karpov 3.0 5. Gelfand, Van Wely and Kramnik 2.5 8. Anand 2.0 9-12. Piket, Lautier, Ljubojevic and Nikolic 1.5.

Blindfold Standings:1-2 Topalov and Anand 4.0 3. Karpov 3.5; 4-6. Kramnik, Shirov and Piket 3.0; 7-8 Gelfand and Van Wely 2.0; 9. Ljubojevic, Nikolic and Ivanchuk 1.5; 12 Lautier 1.0.

Overall standings:1. Topalov 8.0 2 Shirov 7.5 3. Karpov 6.5, 4. Anand 6.0, 5. Kramnik 5.5, 6-9 Piket, ivanchuk, Van Wely and Gelfand 4.5, 10-11. Ljubojevic and Nikolic 3.0, 12. Lautier 2.5.