Viswanathan Anand

Linares (Spain): Viswanathan Anand outclassed Magnus Carlsen of Norway for the second time to emerge as sole leader in the Morelia-Linares Chess Tournament underway here.

Having beaten Carlsen in the first leg of the event held in Morelia, Mexico, this turned out to be another fine outing for the Indian ace especially as it came at a time when Carlsen was in joint lead with him.

The victory took Anand a full-point clear of Carlsen and Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine, who both have 5.5 points apiece. Russian Peter Svidler and Armenian Levon Aronian were in joint fourth spot on five points each while Topalov was sixth on 4.5 points ahead of Hungarian Peter Leko and Russian Alexander Morozevich, at four points.

Anand should need just two more points in the remaining four rounds to regain the title he last won in 1998.

Yet again, the day produced only one decisive game while the remaining three in the eight-player double round robin ended in draws.

Leko was seen pressing hard for a victory against top seed Veselin Topalov but in the end the latter held on to his own.

Aronian’s complicating attempts against Russian Alexander Morozevich came a cropper while, even as it provided some entertainment, the game between Ivanchuk and Russian Svidler also ended in a draw.

Anand showed sheer class to outwit Carlsen. Playing the white side of a Ruy Lopez, Anand dominated the proceedings right from the beginning by employing a plan chosen by Leko a few months earlier and took advantage of Carlsen’s eminent lack of danger-sense in an apparently harmless position.

Anand uncorked a knight sacrifice in the middle game that caught Carlsen unawares and thereafter there was no looking back for the Indian stalwart who cruised home in just 38 moves.

Ivanchuk tried to make some headway against Svidler but the latter came up with a prophylactic pawn in the middle game to keep the complications alive.

After regulation exchange, the players arrived at a queen and pawns endgame where the draw was a just result.

Aronian came up with an early pawn sac variation against Morozevich but the latter quickly returned the favour to keep the balance. The peace was signed in 29 moves. (PTI)