Kasparov, Anand split points after 56 moves

Kasparov, Anand split points after 56 moves
Express News Service

Mumbai, Jan 23: Russians Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik retained a half-point lead over Viswanathan Anand of India and Peter Leko of Hungary, as the Corus Super Grandmasters chess tournament wound its way past the halfway stage at Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands, on Sunday.

In the crucial seventh round showdown between the World's top two players, Anand, playing black, held Kasparov to a 56-move draw, according to information available here. Kasparov had an extra pawn when the game approached a rook and queen endgame, but Anand found an escape route. None of the five completed games produced a result.

Results (seventh round): G Kasparov (Russia, 5) drew V Anand (India, 4.5); V Kramnik (Russia, 5) drew P Nikolic (Bosnia, 3); P Leko (Hungary, 4.5) drew J Piket (Holland, 4); J Polgar (Hungary, 2) drew J Timman (Holland, 3.5); L oek Van Wely (1.5, Holland) drew N Short (3.5, UK). Games in progress: V Korchnoi 2.5 vs S Lputian 1.5; M Adams 3 vs A Morozevich 3.5.

Kaspoarov, Anand
Opening:Nimzo Indian

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Nf3 c5 5 g3 cxd4 6 Nxd4 O-O 7 Bg2 d5 8 cxd5 Nxd5 9 Qb3 Nc6 10 Nxc6 bxc6 11 O-O Qa5 12 Bd2 Bxc3 13 bxc3 Ba6 14 Rfd1 Qc5 15 e4 Bc4 16 Qa4 Nb6 17 Qb4 Qh5 18 Be3 Be2 19 Rd2 Rab8 20 Bxb6 axb6 21 Qd6 Bf3 22 Qxc6 Bxg2 23 Kxg2 Qe5 24 Qc4 Rfc8 25 Qd4 Qa5 26 Rb1 h6 27 Rb4 Qc5 28 Rd3 Qc7 29 a4 Rd8 30 Qe3 Rxd3 31 Qxd3 Rc8 32 Qb1 Qxc3 33 Rxb6 Rc4 34 Rb8 Kh7 35 Rb7 f6 36 Re7 Rb4 37 Qa2 Qc4 38 Qxc4 Rxc4 39 a5 Ra4 40 Rxe6 Rxa5 41 Rd6 Ra4 42 Kf3 Ra3 43 Ke2 h5 44 Rd3 Ra2 45 Ke3 Kg6 46 h3 Ra4 47 f4 Rb4 48 Ra3 Rc4 49 g4 hxg4 50 hxg4 Rb4 51 Ra6 Kf7 52 Ra7 Kg6 53 f5 Kh6 54 g5 fxg5 55 e5 g4 56 e6 Kg5 0.5-0.5.