New Delhi, Nov 05: Viswanathan Anand added a fourth world-level title to his collection this year as he rebounded strongly from a first-game loss to beat veteran Anatoly Karpov of Russia in the final of the sixth edition of the Corsica Open chess tournament played in Bastia, France. Over the last three months Anand has won the Eurotel title in Prague in may, followed by the chess classic of Mainz title in July, the world cup in Hyderabad in October and now the Corsica Open.
In the final against karpov, another former fide world champion like Anand, the Indian lost the first game but bounced back to win the next and send the match into a play-off, according to information received here today.
They drew the next two before Anand won the last two games played in the blitz format. This was the first match in the knockout stage where Anand had been stretched beyond the normal two-game match.
The 32-year-old Anand, who, ironically had lost the fide world championships final to Karpov in the rapid games tie-breaker back in 1998, has now beaten the 52-year-old Russian in their last two finals at Eurotel championships in Prague and Corsica.
Bureau Report