Anand is in second spot

Sofia: Viswanathan Anand kept himself in the race for the title by keeping the gap between him and leader Veselin Topalov to just half a point with one more round to go in the Category 20 M-Tel Masters chess tournament at Hotel Grand Sofia.

He ensured that the in-form local hero Topalov did not run away with honours with a round to spare. In the last game to finish in the ninth round, Anand squeezed out a fine win in the endgame against a tired looking Michael Adams, who at various stages had even seemed slightly better with white, but it was Anand who seized the chances he got.

Anand’s win carried him to five points from nine rounds and a clear second position.

Topalov is half a point ahead at 5.5 points. In the final round, Anand will have white pieces against Judit Polgar, who drew her ninth round game against an off-colour Vladimir Kramnik.

If Topalov and Anand end up with same points, they will have to have a play-off in rapid, where Anand will have a definite advantage. But for that situation to happen Anand must win against Polgar and hope Topalov does no better than a draw.

Topalov, who decimated co-leader Ruslan Ponomariov in another game, will face Kramnik in the last round and Bulgarian will have to play with black pieces. Topalov outplayed Pono with a preparation in the usually solid Queen’s Indian defence for black (Pono).

Meanwhile, Anand, when asked what he thought of the fact that he has a chance to catch up with Topalov and maybe end up with first, said, “I have not really thought about it. Till a few minutes ago, it seemed it might be a draw and suddenly things became better for black (Anand) and I won. Maybe it will sink in when I get back to the room.”

It was Anand’s second win of the tournament, following his first over Kramnik in the seventh round. It also avenged his loss to Adams in the Linares event earlier this year, when the Englishman had won with black pieces. Overall Anand leads Adams 21-5 in all formats with many of his wins having come in the classical form.

Adams admitted that it was confusing in the opening. Then he said that Anand’s Bb3 on the 25th turn was very strong. That may have tilted the scales in the Indian ace’s favour in the end. But even then both sides seemed slightly better at various stages without much chances of a clear win.

Then into the endgame, where Anand said a three-pawn ending can be tricky. Both had rooks, too. Anyhow, Adams erred and Anand seized his chance and wrapped up a good win right at the end.

Topalov, who has made a lot of effort in putting this tournament together in his hometown, Sofia, is on a roll in the second half.

The third win, this one against co-leader Ruslan Ponomariov, gave Topalov the sole leadership with 5.5 points with one more round to go in the highest category tournament ever held in Bulgaria.

“It is very important, if I win this tournament in front of my countrymen,” says Topalov, who understands that his success could well make this tournament a regular feature on the international chess calendar. (AGENCIES)