Anand, Zhu Chen continue to win at World Cup Chess Championship

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, October 14, 2002

Anand, Zhu Chen continue to win at World Cup Chess Championship

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Defending champion Viswanathan Anand won his board to catch up with K. Sasikiran, who suffered a shock defeat, to share the lead after the fourth round of the World Cup chess tournament at the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, in south India, on Sunday.

Sasikiran, who inflicted a defeat on Anand in the second round,lost to second best player in Asia, Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan, in 35 moves. He has now 2.5 points, same as Anand, asthe leaders in Group C.

While Anand and Sasikiran are likely to qualify for the knock-out from Group C, Alexander Beliavsky of Slovenia led Group D with3 points.

For the second spot in Group D, there would be a tussle between two Indian players, Nigel Short and Surya Sekhar Ganguly.

The other two groups are still very open and a leader is difficult to predict. Anand asserted his superiority in 36 moves against Al Modiahki of Qatar to remain on course for a title triumph encore.

In a game which started in Sicilian Najdroff and converted into Sicilian dragon variation, Anand proved his class by displaying the power of his pieces. He placed his pieces with dexterity to register a comprehensive victory.

Sasikiran looked off-color as he was outwitted by his opponent in a game where he employed the Kings Indian defense against the Queen pawn opening.

Ganguly drew with P Harikrishna who looked relieved as he garnered the first point of the tournament from the four games he has played so far.

Grandmaster Koneru Humpy continued to dominate in the women's section registering her fourth successive win to lead Group C with four points. Humpy played the classical Dutch defense to outwit Bhagyashree Thipsey, who is yet to win a game, in 36 moves.

World champion Zhu Chen of China has 2.5 points in Group D, along with defending champion and compatriot Xu Yuhua with one more game to go.

In other matches, Grandmaster Alexander Morozevich of Russia (ELO points 2707) virtually bowed out of the tournament when he lost to Jann Ehlvest of Estonia in a Group D match. Alexander Beliavsky and Jann Ehlvest of Estonia are likely to qualify from this group.

Stefenov Antoneta of Bulgaria defeated Nino Khurtsidze of Georgia to top Group B table with 3.5 points and is assured of a berth in the next phase of the tournament.

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