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Anand crashes to Kasparov

Indian Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand crashed to his second straight defeat and slumped to the bottom of the table, while Garry Kasparov, his conqueror who was in devastating form, rose to sole leader after four rounds in the Linares 2000 Chess Super GM tournament.

The defeat many have well put paid to any chances Anand may have entertained of winning this Super tournament, while Kasparov, who had been in sparkling form in classical chess for the last season and a half, continued to show why he is the best in the world.

Anand, with two defeats in a row with white pieces, is surely at his lowest. He will need to pull himself with a supreme effort and that must begin immediately with his fifth round game against Alexander Khalifman, who at 2626 is the lowest rated player and more than 100 ELO points below Anand, who is rated at 2769.

In another match, Peter Leko, in danger of losing his fourth round game to Vladimir Kramnik, pulled through for a fine draw to stay in the hunt.

In the third match, Alexi Shirov and Alexander Khalifman drew in a short 21- move game.

At the end of the fourth round of the 10-round, six-player tournament, Kasparov leads the world's strongest field with three points, while Kramnik is half a point behind. Peter Leko and Alexi Shirov have two points each, while Khalifman, with three draws in four rounds, is fifth and Anand, with just two draws in four games, brings up the rear with one point.

In a very strong display, Kasparov demolished Anand in only 32 moves on the black side of a Sicilian defence. It was a Najdorf variation, something which has figured quite often in clashes between the two. Anand, with white, had some space advantage early, but Kasparov with his 16th move, 16-qb6, seemed to have neutralised and achieved equality. At the same time he had a plan to attack white which was subdued.

At move 18, Kasparov, with his rac 8, seemed to be gaining some edge and then when Anand played the 19 ncl, it seemed that Kasparov was clearly better. The champion realised it and his body language, always aggressive in such situations, showed that. When Anand captured gxf3 on the 23rd move, the result was becoming clearer.

From move 25, when Anand played 25 Qd2, there was no turning back. The game was nearly lost then. But even after 28, Anand had an escape route using his knight on c6. But he did not and the game headed Kasparov's way. The pawn sacrifice was a trap of sorts which Kasparov wanted.

On move 32 Kasparov won a pawn and was clearly up in material. Anand saw no point in continuing and resigned.

UNI