What started with a whimper has now become a big bang. After a rather sedate start -- a draw with former champion grandmaster Alexander Khalifman of Russia -- world champion Viswanathan Anand, is on a killing spree in the Super Grandmasters' Chess Tournament in Merida. After the rest day on Saturday, the players will play against the same opponents in the fourth round with colours reversed later on Sunday.
Anand, a clear pre-tournament favourite, has justified his top billing with a couple of brilliant games that has given him a full point lead over Khalifman and English GM Nigel Short. Simple calculations prove that Anand, with 2.5 points, is only one victory and a couple of draws away in the remaining three games to add another tournament victory to an already-long list.
And if his form is any indication, the Indian stalwart looks set to scale the 2800 ELO. He is curently six points adrift of the landmark. A draw in the first round in mere 16 moves might have given out wrong signals but Anand followed it up with a fascinating victory over local hopeful GM Gilberto Hernandez. Right from the opening, Anand made his intentions clear in that game and the complexities that ensued left many bewildered. It was an amazing display of speed matched with precision. Hernandez had a few chances but the time pressure spelt doom for him.
Bureau Report