Viswanathan Anand went down fighting against world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria in the seventh round of Mtel Masters international chess tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.
After a brilliant start in the category-20 event, this was Anand's second loss in the tournament, the earlier one coming against tournament leader Gata Kamsky of United States in the third round.
Former world champion Ruslan Ponomariov, who was struggling in the tournament thus far, announced his comeback with a finely crafted victory over Russian Peter Svidler. The other game of the six-player double round robin event was a draw between Kamsky and Etienne Bacrot of France.
Kamksy increased his lead over Anand to a full point after the latest results. As things stand with three rounds remaining, Kamksy is on 5 points while world number two Anand has 4.
Aided by his victory over the Indian, Topalov moved to joint third spot along with Svidler on 3.5 points. Ponomariov and Bacrot are sharing the fifth spot on 2.5 each.
Earlier in the second round of the event, Anand had beaten Topalov with black pieces but with white, Anand's form was yet again found wanting as he succumbed to the Bulgarian quite easily.
For the record, this was Anand's second loss with white pieces, something very unusual for him.
It was a bad opening for Anand that cast the tie in Topalov's favour eventually. Starting off with his pet English attack, Anand, for once, did not get the attack he is used to and after he castled on the king side, Topalov was already looking for ways to dent white's position.
The game progressed slowly after Topalov seized the initiative as Anand was putting out some of his best defensive manoeuvres. But in the final stages of the middle game, Topalov parted with his rook for two minor pieces and after that there was no looking back for the local hero.
With awesome ease, Topalov transposed a difficult endgame in to a winning one with thematic pawn advances and Anand called it a day after 61 moves.
Ponomariov finally won at the expense of Svidler who was not his usual assuring self soon after the opening that featured routine manoeuvres of a Sicilian Paulsen.
Playing white, Ponomariov exerted pressure on both wings to dig holes in Svidler's position and his tenacity was rewarded in the heavy pieces endgame when Svidler could no longer maintain the balance.
Arriving at a lost rook and pawns endgame soon after, the Russian called it a day after 53 moves.
Kamsky's game lasted one move less than that of Svidler's but the Russian-turned-American put up a brave performance yet again under pressure.
Treading on lesser known paths in the Slav defence as black, Kamsky was taken to task in the middle game by Bacrot but routine exchanges by the former led to a opposite colour Bishops endgame that was theoretically drawn.
Results - Round 7: Viswanathan Anand (Ind , 4) lost to Veselin Topalov (Bul, 3.5); Etienne Bacrot (Fra, 2.5) drew with Gata Kamsky (Rus, 5); Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukr, 2.5) beat Peter Svidler (Rus, 3.5).
Standings after Round 7: 1. Kamsky 5; 2. Anand 4; 3-4. Topalov, Svidler 3.5 each; 5-6. Bacrot, Ponomariov 2.5 each.
Pairing - Round 8: Kamsky v/s Anand; Svidler v/s Bacrot; Topalov v/s Ponomariov.
The moves: (V Anand v/s Veselin Topalov)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e6 7. Be3 b5 8. Qd2 b4 9. Na4 Nbd7 10. c4 bxc3 11. Nxc3 Bb7 12. Be2 d5 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Bxd5 15. O-O Qb8 16. Nf5 Qe5 17. Ng3 Bb4 18. Qxb4 Qxe3+ 19. Kh1 Rb8 20. Qd6 Rb6 21. Qc7 Rc6 22. Qb7 Rc2 23. Qxa6 O-O 24. b3 Ne5 25. Rae1 Qd2 26. Rd1 Qf4 27. Bb5 h5 28. Ne2 Qe3 29. a4 Rb2 30. Qd6 Rc8 31. Rde1 Nxf3 32. gxf3 Bxf3+ 33. Rxf3 Qxf3+ 34. Kg1 Qe3+ 35. Kf1 Qf3+ 36. Kg1 Qxb3 37. Qe5 Rd8 38. Qc3 Qxc3 39. Nxc3 h4 40. Re4 Rb3 41. Ne2 g5 42. Re5 Rd5 43. Rxd5 exd5 44. Bc6 Ra3 45. Nd4 Kg7 46. Bxd5 Rd3 47. Nf5+ Kf6 48. Be4 Rd1+ 49. Kg2 Rd2+ 50. Kf3 Rxh2 51. Ne3 Ra2 52. Bc6 Ra3 53. Kf2 Ra1 54. Bd7 Ke5 55. Kf3 Ra3 56. Kf2 Ke4 57. Bc6+ Kf4 58. Ng2+ Ke5 59. Ne3 Ra2+ 60. Kf3 f5 61. Bd7 h3 white resigned.
