Another best8217; for Anand

Kasparov leads with 6.5 points while Anand is at 5.5 points and Vladimir Kramnik who drew with Rustam Kasimdhzanov is third at 4.5 points. There are six more rounds left in the 14-man tournament which has 20,000 guilders as prize. In the daily prize for the best game selected by the spectators, Anand once again emerged ahead of Kasparov. It was the third award for Anand, while Kasparov despite his six wins has got only one.

So high has the standard of the play of Kasparov and Anand been, that the tournament performance rating of Kasparov at this is stage is an unprecedented 3068 while Anand8217;s has been2865. Fide ratings show Kasparov at 2812 and Anand at 2784.

Anand had white pieces but surprisingly failed to derive a clear advantage from that. But as the game progressed in Ruy Lopez Berlin variation, Anand slowly but surely made his position stronger. Timman lapsed into a couple of crucial errors in the middle game and Anand walked away with a win. Despite the sedate opening, his middle game and finish impressed the spectators who awarded him 500-guilder best game prize.

RESULTS seventh round

Shirov Esp 3 lost to Kasparov Rus 6.5, Anand Ind 5.5 bt Timman Net 3, Topalov Bul 3.5 drew with Ivanchuk Ukr 4, Piket Net 3 drew with Van Wely Net 3.5, Sokolov Bos 2.5 drew with Svidler Rus 4, Kasimdzhanov Uzb 2 drew with Kramnik Rus 4.5, Reinderman Net 1.5 drew with Yermolinsky US 2.5.

Kunte kayoes Kai

UBEDA SPAIN: Grandmaster norm holder Abhijit Kunte scored a quick win over Denmark8217;s Bjerring Kai as the Indians enjoyed a good fifth round at the Ciudad deUbeda International Chess Tournament here.

Former national champion, Kunte outclassed his opponent in just 32 moves of Trampowsky attack to take his tally to 3.5 as all of the Indians except IWM Vijayalakshmi Subburaman and IM V Saravanan grabbed full points yesterday.

Russian GM Konstantin Landa 4.5 maintained his lead by holding second-seeded compatriot Alexey Dreev in a Slav defence game. Half-a-point behind were a bunch of players including Dreev, GM Bagutrov and IM Gaprindasvilli.

Top Indian junior, IM K Sasikiran 3.5 was awarded the match as his opponent S Kovasavich 2.5 of Yugoslavia failed to turn up in the stipulated one hour.

Former National A8217; champion P Konguvel, IM R B Ramesh and IM norm holder C S Gokhale all with three points registered easy wins against William Pascal, A Zair and IM Formanek USA respectively, while IWM Mrunalini Kunte and Pallavi Shah won their second consecutive game to their tally to two points.

D V Prasad 3 capitalised on a blunder by Vijayalakshmi2 to score full point. Prasad played his pet queens gambit accepted variation against Vijayalakshmi and was in a disadvantageous position when the latter committed a mistake under time pressure and was forced to resign.

Saravanan 2 lost to GM Minasian Ava in a double edged position where he was an exchange up. Saravanan could not stop his opponent8217;s pawn from queening and resigned.

Important Results

Konstantin Landa Rus 4.5 drew with a Dreev Rus 4, Baguturov Geo 4 drew with Garcia S Cub 4, S Tiriakov Rus 4 bt A Barsov Uzb 3, A Grischuk Ukr 4 drew with Gaprindashvilli Geo 4, K Asrian Arm 4 bt A Summerscale Eng 3, A Kunte Ind 3.5 bt Bjerring Kai Den.