Brain Games world champion Vladimir Kramnik makes a move against Peter Leko in their rapid game.
Topalov, Kramnik Tie For Title
Anand Finishes Third
By Arvind Aaron
Brain Games world champion Vladimir
Kramnik makes a move against Peter Leko in their rapid game.
The title race was keen in the eleventh and final round. Kramnik obtained a good position with black against Leko but could not win the game. The draw meant that he and Topalov went into the last blindfold game on the same 14.5 points. Topalov played it safe against Ljubojevic who is known for last round upsets.
Finally, after a day's drama, draws decided and a tie left two players for a shared title like it happened two years back when Kramnik and Shirov figured in a tie. Topalov deserved first place and Kramnik played powerful chess all through.
In the blindfold games, Topalov blundered an exchange but managed a draw against Ljubojevic while Kramnik fought till the last possible chance and agreed to a draw after exhausting all chances against Leko.
Veselin Topalov makes a move
against Ljubomir Ljubojevic in the final round.
Coming into the last round only with theoretical chances of the title,
Anand made a draw with white against Shirov to make sure of the third place
after he got nothing with the white pieces against the French defence.
Ivanchuk was brilliant in the rapid and was beaten in the blindfold by
Almasi for a 1-1 result.
The results (11th round)
Rapid
Blindfold
Karpov-Piket
Draw Piket-Karpov
Draw
Ivanchuk-Almasi
1-0 Almasi-Ivanchuk
1-0
Gelfand-Van Wely
1-0 Van Wely-Gelfand
0-1
Ljubojevic-Topalov Draw
Topalov-Ljubojevic Draw
Leko-Kramnik
Draw Kramnik-Leko
Draw
Anand-Shirov
Draw Shirov-Anand
Draw
Final Standings: 1-2 Kramnik, Topalov 15/22, 3 Anand 13.5, 4 Shirov 11.5, 5-6 Gelfand, Leko 11, 7 Piket 10.5, 8-9 Almasi, Ljubojevic 9.5 each, 10-11 Ivanchuk, Karpov 9 each, 12 Van Wely 7.5.
Rapid: 1-2 Gelfand, Kramnik 7.5, 3 Topalov 7, 4 Anand 6.5, 5-6 Karpov, Leko 5.5, 7-8 Ivanchuk, Piket 5, 9-10 Van Wely, Shirov 4.5, 11 Almasi 4, 12 Ljubojevic 3.5.
Blindfold: 1 Topalov 8/11, 2 Kramnik 7.5, 3-4 Anand, Shirov 7, 5 Ljubojevic 6, 6-8 Almasi, Leko, Piket, 5.5, 9 Ivanchuk 4, 10-11 Gelfand, Karpov 3.5, 12 Van Wely 3.