Chance for Anand to move up in Amber Chess
March 25th, 2008 - 3:33 pm ICT by adminNice (France), March 25 (IANS) India’s Viswanathan Anand will be looking to move up the leader board Tuesday and atone for his eighth round loss in the Amber Blindfold and Rapid Chess tournament. The loss in the blindfold game Sunday at the hands of leader Lev Aronian of Armenia saw Anand drop from the second spot to be tied fourth with three players. The rapid game between Anand and Aronian was a relatively short affair and both the competitors settled for an easy draw.Aronian tops the leader board with 10 points and is followed by Magnus Carlsen, who moved to second place thanks to a 2-0 rout of Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Peter Leko follows in third place, half a point ahead of Anand, Vladimir Kramnik, Alexander Morozevich and Veselin Topalov.
Monday being a rest day might have given some time to Anand to plan his game in the remaining three rounds of the tournament that end Thursday.
In the ninth round to be played Tuesday, Anand will take on Ukranian Vassily Ivanchuk. The Ukranian is eighth and is half a point adrift of Anand.
If Anand manages a win, he will have a good chance to move up the leader board and break free from the pack.
Aronian on the other hand is also geared up to extend his lead and will face Morozevich in the ninth round. With just three round remaining, the ninth round will prove crucial in determining the leader as Aronian is still one point clear of Carlsen. And a good performance in the ninth round will help the Armenian get a grasp on the title.
Standings (combined): 1. Aronian 10.5; 2. Carlsen 9.5; 3. Leko 9;4. Anand, Kramnik, Morozevich, Topalov 8.5; 8. Ivanchuk 8; 9. Karjakin 7; 10. Gelfand, Mamedyarov, Van Wely 6
Standings (blindfold): 1. Morozevich 5.5; 2. Carlsen 5; 3. Aronian, Kramnik, Leko, Topalov 4.5; 7. Anand, Ivanchuk 4; 9. Karjakin 3.5; 10. Van Wely 3; 11. Gelfand, Mamedyarov 2.5
Standings (rapid): 1. Aronian 6; 2. Anand, Carlsen, Leko 4.5; 5. Ivanchuk, Kramnik, Topalov 4; 8. Gelfand, Karjakin, Mamedyarov 3.5; 11. Morozevich, Van Wely 3
Pairings for round IX: Blind: Leko-Karjakin; Morozevich-Aronian; Kramnik-Carlsen; Anand-Ivanchuk; Mamedyarov-Van Wely; Topalov-Gelfand
Rapid: Karjakin-Leko; Aronian-Morozevich; Carlsen-Kramnik; Ivanchuk-Anand; Van Wely-Mamedyarov; Gelfand-Topalov
- Anand beats Leko, joins Kramnik in lead at Tal Memorial chess - Nov 11, 2009
- Anand draws with Carlsen in sixth round; drops to second - Nov 12, 2009
- Anand finishes sixth, Aronian wins Melody Amber title - Mar 28, 2008
- Anand held by Morozevic, placed joint second in Moscow meet - Nov 13, 2009
- Anand loses last round, falls to fourth - Nov 15, 2009
- Anand loses to Aronian, falls to fourth place - Mar 24, 2008
- Anand wins one, loses one, lies second at Amber chess - Mar 21, 2008
- Anand faces Moro in fifth round at Amber chess - Mar 20, 2008
- Anand wins one, loses one to Gelfand in Amber chess - Mar 27, 2008
- Anand's 1-1 result against keeps him in second place - Mar 23, 2008
- Anand loses to Ivanchuk, slips to seventh spot - Mar 26, 2008
- Anand wins rapid game again, stays in joint lead - Mar 17, 2008
- Anand loses rapid game, drops out of lead - Mar 19, 2008
- Anand cashes in on luck and class, lies sole second - Mar 22, 2008
- Anand moves into sole lead at Melody Amber - Mar 18, 2008
Tags: alexander morozevich, amber blindfold, france march, good chance, grasp, kramnik leko, leader board, magnus carlsen, nice france, peter leko, place thanks, rapid chess tournament, rapid game, rest day, rout, van wely, vassily ivanchuk, veselin topalov, viswanathan anand, vladimir kramnik