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WIJK AAN ZEE, JANUARY 17: VISWANATHAN Anand took a definite
step towards a record fifth title at the Corus Grandmasters
chess tounament with a convincing win over Vassily Ivanchuk
in the third round at the de Moriaan Hall in this Dutch seaside
resort. The Indian ace now has 2.5 points from three games
and is the sole leader in the 14-man field.
Meanwhile India’s Koneru Humpy who scored a good win
over Ivan Cheparianov in the second round lost to Arkadij
Naditsch in the third round of the Corus B tournament. Naditsch
leads Group B with a dry 3/3 score.
On the third day of the year’s first Super GM tournament,
four of the seven games in Group A were decisive. NIIT Brand
Ambassador Anand’s fine win with black pieces over Ivanchuk
was the key game of the day.
Ivanchuk with white decided to go for Anand after the Indian
seemed to be in some trouble in the opening from an English
Symetrical. Ivanchuk, an aggressive player was very much better
in the opening. But then he missed the best route and in the
process began trying too hard. His 15h move Bxa6 spelt disaster
for him. From there Anand tightened the noose and grabbed
the full point as Ivanchuk’s resistance crumbled very
quickly.
Ivanchuk has two points and he was joined in second place
by Topalov, who beat Bacrot's Petroff. It came into a queen
and pawn ending in which Topalov held all the cards. Boris
Gelfand and Sergey Karjakin also won their games.
Sergey Karjakin scored his first win defeating Gata Kamsky
in a Sicilian Kan Variation. Kamsky’s position deteriorated
slowly and he eventually lost on time.
Boris Gelfand beat Michael
Adams in a closed Catalan. Adams' position seemed uncomfortable
out of the opening and Gelfand then grabbed a pawn. Adams,
who beat Toplaov earlier found some counterplay but then collapsed
in the moves running up to first time control.
Anand will have black pieces again against Ivan Sokolov in
fourth round.
Pairings for fourth round: Sokolov v Anand; Leko v Ivanchuk;
Kamsky v Aronian; Adams v Karjakin; Bacrot v Gelfand; van
Wely v Topalov; Mamedyarov v Tiviakov
Results Round 3: Topalov beat
Bacrot; Ivanchuk lost to Anand; Gelfand beat Adams;
Mamedyarov drew with Sokolov; Karjakin beat Kamsky; Aronian
drew with Leko; Tiviakov drew with Van Wely.
Standings after Round 3: 1.
Anand 2.5; 2. Topalov and Ivanchuk 2.0 each; 4. Adams, Gelfand,
Mamedyarov, Leko, Bacrot, Van Wely and Karjakin 1.5 each;
11. Aronian, Sokolov, Tiviakov and Kamsky 1.0 each
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