Anand faces tough road ahead

This year's World chess championship has been a tough one for the big stars. In comparison to last year's FIDE knock-out World championship, when most of the leading players went quite far before they started falling by the wayside and left Vishwanathan Anand and Alexei Shirov to fight it out for the title, this year in Moscow many leading players have already been eliminated. And many others, including Anand, have had a tough time.

While Anand, the NIIT brand ambassdor, had just one tie-breaker last time, this time he has already been through two in first three rounds. Last year he did not lose a single game; this year he lost the very first one to unknown Olivier Touzane of France, an Internet qualifier.

On Tuesday, the players got their first free day after a week of non-stop chess. In seven days, Anand has played seven regulation games of 90 minutes (plus 30 seconds for each move) each and four tie-break games of 20 minutes each. It is a big number by any standards and especially so when a World title and so much money is at stake.

After finding his way past two Frenchmen -- Touzane and Vladislav Tkachiev -- both of whom took him to the tie-breaker -- and one Dane, Peter Heine Nielsen, Anand is currently playing Alexey Dreev. They drew the first game in 12 moves to give Anand some much-needed rest. Add to that the rest day and Anand should be fresh on Wednesday for the second game.

Anand gave his fans a big scare when he lost the first game of these championships, but fortunately for Indian fans, made a brilliant recovery in the first round and outplayed Touzane in the tie-breaker.

The format of the two-game mini matches is almost like a lottery. One mistake means a loss and the rival needs only to draw the next and qualify for the next round.

Anand has played well, but has faced tough opposition, as both Touzane and Nielsen were good Internet players, who are quick with the game. And Vladislav Tkachiev, his third round opponent, is a tenacious player. Now Dreev, in fourth round, is also a tough player.

India's other players lost early. Only K Sasikiran, among the men, and Nisha Mohota, among the women, made the second round, but they also were beaten thereafter.

If Anand gets past Dreev, he will meet the winner of the match between Veselin Topalov and Alexey Shirov. Shirov is the one he beat to win the title last year and this year he could be his quarter final opponent.

Anand was due to meet Anatoly Karpov in fourth round, but the 1998-99 champion was beaten in the first round.

If Anand reaches the sixth round, he could run into Vassily Ivanchuk, a temperamental but brilliant player.

And if all goes well, the NIIT-sponsored champion should be back in Moscow in the first week of January for the title match.

Earlier reports
Quick draw for Anand in round 4<
Anand through to last 16
Anand settles for draw, Van Wely loses
Anand enters third round
Anand scores quick win
Anand moves into second round
Anand wins second game
Anand shocked in opening round