Press Trust of India
London, Dec 7: Former World Champion Viswanathan Anand finally put up a brave front in a difficult situation to draw with reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway in the third round of the London Chess Classic now underway here Monday.
The game of fluctuating fortunes witnessed Anand exerting early pressure and Carlsen was on the edge while towards the the Norwegian let go of his opportunities in what was a keenly contested game of the third round.
After one decisive game in round one and none in round two, the third day also witnessed just one decisive game wherein Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France defeated now-struggling Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria. The other three games of the ten-player round-robin tournament ended in draws but not without action.
For Anand it was another tense game with Carlsen in which the Indian pressed with his white pieces. The Berlin defense has been the flavour of the season and Carlsen stuck to the same inviting Anand to find a way to break what is known as the ‘Berlin Wall’ in chess circles.
Anand succeeded but not quite. After a series of exchanges in the queen-less middle game, Anand had the better placed pieces and good control of the position but the Indian ace could not spot the most precise way to progress. As it happened in the game, Carlsen fought back and was even pushing for a victory in the later stages when Anand slipped out.
Anand was naturally critical of his play after the game, “You try to find the most exact way and of course I succeeded in… I had no difficulty at all in finding some really stupid continuation. And suddenly I’m just lost. This sort of stuff is just embarrassing,” the five times World Champion said.