Defending champion Viswanathan Anand is still searching for his first victory after four rounds, as Peter Svidler escaped with a draw against the Indian star in the fourth round of the Corus Grandmasters Chess tournament at the De Moriaan Hall in Wijk Aan Zee.
With this third draw in four games, Anand has 1.5 points and is lying way down in the standings.
The NIIT Brand Ambassador held an advantage in the game, which followed from a Ruy Lopez opening in which Anand had white pieces. Still to find his form in this tournament, which he has won for the last two years, Anand seemed to be finding his way to a win, when Svidler was in trouble after the Spanish opening.
Anand used good amounts of time, trying to find a good continuation, and seemed to have various options. He chose to liquidate to a favorable endgame, but Svidler did well to get some counter-play.
Even though Svidler admitted to feeling that he was always inferior he escaped to find a positional draw. The point was split after 55 moves.
Anand will next play Alexander Morozevich, but after a rest day on Wednesday.
Anand's main rival Vladimir Kramnik found his first win, beating Ivan Sokolov.
Kramnik, white, had a stunning defeat at the hands of Topalov in the second round, but against Sokolov, he was more assured and won in 36 moves of another Spanish opening.
In the Ponomariov - Leko game with an English opening, Leko equalised comfortably. At one stage he had a small advantage, but after a couple of exchanges Ponomariov had enough counter-play to hold for the draw. Leko shares lead at three points from four rounds.
Michael Adams, runner-up to Anand last year, toppled Veselin Topalov and joined Peter Leko in joint lead. The game was an unusual Sicilian Najdorf, and Topalov made an early error and Adams grabbed the initiative as early as the eighth move. There may have been long-term chances for a draw for Topalov, black, but he also had problems with time, needing to make 10 moves in 20 seconds. He sacrificed an exchange and then realised he had no compensation.
Nigel Short inflicted a defeat on Alexander Morozevich in 43 moves from a Philidor's defence. That put Moro at the bottom of the table with a mere half point from four games.
Pairings for Round 5:
Bruzon v Short; Leko v Kramnik; Morozevich v Anand; Polgar v Adams; Sokolov v Van Wely, Svidler v Ponomariov; Topalov v Grischuk.
Results of Round 4:
Adams beat Topalov; Ponomariov drew with Leko; Short beat Morozevich; Grischuk drew with Bruzon; Kramnik beat Sokolov; Van Wely drew with Polgar; Anand drew with Svidler.
Corus A standings after Round 4: 1. Adams and Leko 3.0 each; 3. Topalov, Ponomariov, Short and Grischuk 2.5 each; 7. Bruzon, Van Wely, Kramnik and Polgar 2.0 each; 11. Anand 1.5; 12. Sokolov and Svidler 1.0; 14. Morozevich 0.5.
Anand's game in Round 5
Anand,V (2786) - Svidler,P (2735)
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (Rd 4), 18.01.2005
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.a3 exd4 15.Nb3 d3 16.Bxd3 Ne5 17.Bf4 Nxd3 18.Qxd3 Re8 19.Rac1 Qb6 20.Be3 Qb7 21.Bd2 Bd8 22.Qxd6 Bb6 23.Ba5 Bxf2+ 24.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 25.Rxe4 Qxe4 26.Qd2 Qg6 27.Nc5 Bf5 28.Qg5 Qxg5 29.Nxg5 Re5 30.Nf3 Rd5 31.Rc3 h5 32.Kg3 f6 33.Kh2 Kf7 34.Nh4 Bh7 35.Nb3 Re8 36.Bb4 g5 37.Nf3 Be4 38.Rc7+ Kg6 39.Nfd4 Rde5 40.Nc5 Bd5 41.Bc3 h4 42.Nxa6 Re2 43.Nxe2 Rxe2 44.Kg1 Bxg2 45.Nc5 Bxh3 46.Rc6 Rg2+ 47.Kh1 Rf2 48.Rd6 g4 49.Ne4 Rf4 50.Rxf6+ Rxf6 51.Nxf6 g3 52.Nd5 Bd7 53.Kg1 h3 54.Be5 h2+ 55.Kg2 Bc6 1/2-1/2
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