Bilbao (Spain): In a now-or-never situation, World Champion Viswanathan Anand will take on Fabiano Caruana of Italy in the eighth round of fifth Final Masters here.
The event that started a little over a fortnight back in Sao Paulo, Brazil, reaches its business end and with three rounds remaining, it`s high time that Anand finds his winning ways.
Anand has drawn all the seven games so far and has two white games left in the rest of the three rounds.
For Anand, it`s a typical situation and if doesn`t use his white pieces against Caruana to good effect, his chances of catching up will evaporate completely.
Two wins out of three would be ideal and if the Indian ace manage to do it, it will be a remarkable comeback after a sedate start.
Italy`s Fabiano Caruana and world number one Magnus Carlsen of Norway are firmly ahead on 12 points apiece and even though the comet-like run of the Italian is halted in the second half, he still remains in with a chance to win the biggest event of his career.
More often than not, Carlsen has benefitted from the soccer-like scoring system that is used here and with two back-to-back wins he has emerged as the firm favourite for the crown.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, October 11, 2012, 15:51