Indian Super Grandmaster Visw-anathan Anand took a big step towards becoming the next world chess Champion when he played out a solid draw with arch-rival Vladimir Kramnik in the tenth round of the World Chess Championships here. Anand could have gone for a win, but already placed a full point ahead with only four more rounds to go in the Championships, he eschewed all risk and agreed to a draw. Anand is now on 6.5 points with three wins, the most by any player in this meet, and seven draws. He is a full point ahead of Boris Gelfand, who at 5.5 is also looking tired in the tense championship.Former champion Kramnik is joint third now with fast-improving Peter Leko and Lev Aronian at five points.While Kramnik and Anand played a draw, Gelfand and Leko drew in 24 moves of a Catalan. Lev Aronian has begun salvaging the tournament with a good win over the out-of-form Alexander Grischuk in 42 moves from Queen’s Gambit and Peter Svidler and Alexander Morozevich drew in 44 moves from a Caro-Kann.The tenth round was possibly the most crucial game, as Kramnik needed to beat Anand to stay in the hunt for the title. For NIIT Brand Ambassador Anand, a draw or a win here would make his path to the World title somewhat simpler.Playing in Anti-Meran gambit, Anand with black stayed solid. After coming out fairly equal in the opening, Kramnik tried to apply pressure with a new move on 17th move. But Anand stayed his course and solid. He had two pawns and a good position in return for an exchange. While Kramnik kept pushing for pressure, Anand had sufficient counter play. By the 33rd move, it was a position of dynamic balance, which neither side could improve seriously.PAIRINGS (Round 11): Anand v Morozevich; Gelfand v Svidler; Grischuk v Kramnik; Leko v Aronian RESULTS (Round 10): Gelfand drew Leko; Kramnik drew Anand; Aronian bt Grischuk; Svidler drew MorozevichSTANDINGS (After Rnd 10): 1. Anand 6.5; 2. Gelfand 5.5; 3. Kramnik, Leko and Aronian 5.0; 6. Grischuk and Morozevich 4.5; 8. Svidler 4.0
