Moscow : Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand will meet Russian Peter Svidler in the seventh round of 10th Tal Memorial International chess tournament here.
A perfect record with white, a rare slip against Vladimir Kramnik of Russia and some excellent preparation as black just about sums up Anand’s enterprising play in the USD 200000 prize money tournament so far and all he needs now is a good finish to make the podium.
With 3.5 points from the first six rounds, Anand will have two games with white pieces out of the last three and he will have to win two games in all likelihood.
Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia leads the event solely on 4.5 points, enjoying a half point lead over Anish Giri of Holland, who is sole second. Anand comes next in standings along with Kramnik and Levon Aronian of Armenia.
Svidler and Li Chao of China have an identical three points while Shakhriyar Mamedyarov is now eighth on 2.5 points. Russian Evgeny Tomashevsky on two and Israeli Boris Gelfand on 0.5 points complete the 10-player line-up as the super tournament enters the business end.
Anand has had some real easy games and two white games so far have netted him two wins against Mamedyarov and Gelfand. The Indian ace suffered a rare loss against Kramnik after nearly eight years but he is still poised for a good finish. Nepomniachtchi and Aronian are the only two unbeaten players in the tournament so far and Aronian has been particularly solid between the two. The Russian incidentally is the second lowest rated player in the tournament..
