Fifth draw for Anand

Playing black in a Catalan system game, Anand faltered in the opening and was forced to defend and save the game. The Indian GM was a pawn down by move 13, but with a knight sacrifice he got some play back, and after 31 moves it was Beliavski who offered the draw.

Russian Kramnik posted the lone win on a day of four draws to emerge in joint lead with Leko with 3.5 points each.

Defending champion Kramnik inflicted the third defeat in the tournament for Alexy Shirov after a see-saw battle. Kramnik was prepared to take risks despite adoptingthe Nimzo Indian defence with black.

It was only in the later stages that Kramnik gained some advantage. Shirov, using his central pieces, wrested back the initiative as Kramnik looked in danger of losing his unbeaten record in Dortmund. But Shirov erred slightly and Kramnik pounced on him.

Leko, sole leader after the fourth round, drew with Vassily Ivanchuck. The latter with white pieces just did not seem inclined to play and agreed for a 21-move draw in a Grunfeld defence game. Spectators and organisers were both upset at the outcome.

Anand, in excellent form this year, takes on Leko, Adams, Almasi and Shirov in his remaining matches which still leaves him with a good chance to emerge on top.

Points after five rounds: Kramnik and Leko 3.5 points each; Adams and Ivanchuk 3 points each; Anand and Svidler 2.5 points each; Beliavski, Yusupov and Almasi 2 points each; Shirov 1 point.

Neelotpal shines

Neelotpal Das provided the best result on the 6th round by defeatingInternational Master Vehi Bach of Spain in an otherwise uneventful day for the Indian contigent in the International Open Chess tournament being held here.

Neelotpal employed the Sicilian defence against which Bach came up with the Ra Solimo variation. After a complicated middlegame battle, the game reached a rooks and minor pieces ending where Neelotpal showed precise technical play to win and reach 4.5 points.

For the first time in the tournament, two Indians were paired against each other when Rahul Shetty faced IM Sasikiran. Following up their game from the National B8217; championship last year, Sasi employed the classical variation of the Caro-Kann defence.

Rahul mishandled the position and allowed a small advantage for black. But he put up a sturdy defence and the game reached a rook and pawn ending which was agreed drawn after 60 moves. They both reached 4 points. IM Punnuswamy Konguvel, V Saravanan and Roktin Bandopadhyay too reached 4 points by defeating their lesser rated opponents.

Otherresults: GM Lev Psaktns 4.5 drew with IM Iga Nataf 4.5, IM Hauchard 4.5 drew with GM Oleg Komeev 4.5, GM V Jansa 4.5 drew with GM M Marin 4.5, Sandipan Chanda 3.5 lost to GM S Conquest 4, Denis Garido 3 lost to IM P Konguvel 4, V Saravanan 4 bt Marcus Packalen 3, Roktim Bondyopadhyaya 4 bt Pampalona 3.