Anand held by Leko

Viswanathan Anand drew with Corus champion Peter Leko of Hungary in the 10th round of the 22nd Linares Super Grandmasters Chess tournament on Sunday.

The world's top-rated Garry Kasparov continued with his demolition act and almost sealed the top place in this year's event after scoring a positional victory over local lad Francisco Pons Vallejo.

In the other game of the day FIDE world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan put an end to string of losses and shared the point with Michael Adams of England.

With just four rounds remaining in this category-20 double round-robin tournament between seven players, Kasparov stretched his lead to a huge two points over Anand and Bulgarian Veselin Topalov, who had a bye on Sunday.

The Russian certainly is attesting to the common belief that there is still a lot more to come from him even if his best might already have passed.

After giving a lesson on chess technique to Vallejo, Kasparov took his tally to 6.5 points from his nine games in the event and even though Anand and Topalov (both 4.5 points) have played one game less than the leader, the lead margin of two points looks near decisive at this stage.

Corus champion Peter Leko is also on 4.5 points but he is yet to get his second bye, which puts him a shade behind Anand and Toaplov while Adams with 4/9 is next in standings.

Kasimdzhanov, with 3.5/9, and Vallejo, with 2.5/8, hold the last two spots in the Euros 297000 prize-money event.

Once again Anand could not prove a point against the Sicilian Sveshnikov with his white pieces. In the last five games including the one against Kasparov here earlier in the tournament, Anand has been able to score just two points with his white pieces against this opening that has become a regular feature in elite chess these days.

Leko, who, in fact, defeated Anand playing the same opening at Corus tournament earlier this year was comfortably placed right through the game even as Anand deviated from main variations and tried something unusual.

By the 14th move itself the queens were off the board and 10 more moves later the players decided to split the point.

This was the first game to end in the day.

Kasparov faced the Slav defence by Vallejo, who tried to give the former World champ a taste of his own medicine.

However, methodical play in the opening and fine planning in the middle game ensured a slight but lasting advantage for Kasparov who did not let the cup slip thereafter.

It was a virtual treat for the spectators as Kasparov improved his position inch by inch to reach a better queen and minor piece endgame wherein Vallejo collapsed decisively to lose a pawn.

Giving little respite in the result queen endgame, Kasparov wrapped the issue in 54 moves. Adams, playing white pressurised Kasimdzhanov for a long time but in the end the Uzbek showed resilience to wriggle out with a draw.

Results round 10:

Viswanathan Anand (Ind, 4.5/8) drew with Peter Leko (Hun, 4.5/9); Garry Kasparov (Rus, 6.5/9) beat Francisco Pons Vallejo (Esp, 2.5/8); Michael Adams (Eng, 4/9) drew with Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzb, 3.5/9); Veselin Topalov (Bul, 4.5/8) had a bye.

The moves:

Veselin Topalov vs V Anand

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Be6 9.0-0-0 a6 10.Ng5 Bxg5 11.Bxg5 Qd7 12.b3 f6 13.Be3 0-0-0 14.h3 Qf7 15.Be2 h5 16.Rhe1 Rhe8 17.f3 Qg6 18.Bf1 Bf5 19.Kb2 Re5 20.Bf4 Rxe1 21.Rxe1 Re8 22.Rd1 Bd7 23.c4 Qf5 24.Bd3 Qc5 25.Bg6 Rh8 26.Be4 Re8 27.c3 g5 28.Be3 Qe 5 29.Bf2 f5 30.Bd3 Qg7 31.c5 dxc5 32.Bxc5 Kb8 33.Bc4 Bc8 34.Bd5 Qe5 35.Bxc6 bxc6 36.Bf2 Qe2 37.Ka3 Qxd2 38.Rxd2 Kb7 39.h4 g4 40.f4 Re7 41.c4 Rd7 42.Re2 Rd3 43.Kb4 g3 44.Bc5 Rd7 45.Be7 Rd4 46.Bg5 Re4 47.Rd2 Kb6 48.Rd3 c5+ 49.Ka3 Re2 50.Rxg3 Bb7 51.Bf6 Rxg2 52.Rg5 Rxg5 53.fxg5 f4 54.Be5 f3 55.Bg3 Be4 56.Kb2 Kc6 57.Ka3 Bb1 58.Bf2 Kd6 59.Kb2 Be4 60.Kc1 Bg6 61.Kd2 Bb1 62.a3 Bg6 63.Bg3+ Kd7 64.Ke3 Bc2 65.Kxf3 Ke6 66.Ke3 c6 67.b4 cxb4 68.axb4 Kf5 69.Kd4 Bd1 draw agreed.