Game 8 Anand completes a hat-trick, wins 5-3

Peaking at the right time, Vishy Anand won the eighth and final game against Judit Polgar, taking the Chess Classic Mainz 2003 title with a 5-3 score. It was a very closely contest event, though the final tally on board looks a little unflattering for the ever fighting Judit.

Surely, it was Vishy's day as began with a win on the seventh game, and improved as the day wore, taking the next game and the title in his bag. This gives the 'Tiger from Madras' his third straight title, starting with Kramnik in 2001, following with Ponomariov in 2002 and concluding with Judit.

Switching to the Ruy Lopez, Vishy held on to an even position right though and exerted pressure on Judit. Finding herself in a complex position, Judit tried out a knight sacrifice on the kingside, but Anand cooly refuted and went on to capture a few pawns on the queenside.

Ensuring his title, midway through, Vishy collected the full point as Judit wasnt prepared for anything less. 'I was nervous and played badly,' confessed Judit in the post match press briefing.

'We thought playing Sicilian in the last game against Judit, should be asking for trouble, and hence went for the Ruy Lopez,' said Grandmaster Rustam Dautov, Anand's second.

'The final game was very plesant and at some point it looked like a dream position. This will go down as the most tense rapid match I have played,' said the Champion.

Game 7: Anand takes crucial 4-3 lead

Reserving his giant push for the last day, Vishy Anand overcame a stiff resistence from Judit Polgar, but got the crucial point he wanted at Rhinegoldhalle, moving into a 4-3 lead.

Reacting to the sixth Sicilian among the seven games played so far, Anand was all caution in the opening phase. He took a rather defensive route and held on to minor advantages as Judit started pushing for the initiative.

Judit held on to the 'a' and 'c' files, but was thwarted by Vishy for any
further adventures. Early exchange of queens signified a quiet rook and minor pieces ending, but Vishy had other ideas.

His knight on 'd3' was placed very well and held the black pieces at bay. Speeding up the attack on the kingside, Anand rode his king deep into black territory and forced the resignation with the twin threats of checkmate and pawn promotion.

Game 6 Anand back in contention, its 3-3

It looks like someone has informed Anand and Judit that draw is banned in Mainz. For, the sixth game and third day in succession, the duo produced results and had spectators catching their breath, with their dynamic play.

As is the custom, in this event, Judit took the lead, and Anand promptly equalised. But the sixth game was a see-saw affair, with some chances for both, but Anand held on, by a thin edge gaining the full point in the end.

The battle for the initiative was in full flow, as Judit was going for the attack on the queenside. Pushing her pawn to 'a3' nullified the attack and Vishy pounced on it like a hungry tiger, going for the hunt of Judit's king.

Faced with mate, Judit was forced to exchange her defenders, queen and rook, leaving an easy bishop and pawn ending conversion for Vishy. The Indian did it in double quick time taking the scores 3-3.

Years back, an all Sicilian tournament was held in Buenos Aires in memory of the Russian Grandmaster Polugaevsky and this it turning out to be a repeat of that event, for except a lone Petroff, it has remained all Sicilian at Mainz.

Final day, with two games to go, is all that a paying spectator may wish, and on to the jugular Sunday when all roads lead to Mainz.

Game 5: Polgar goes into lead for the third time

The third day's play, again what else but the Sicilian took the spectators to the edge of their seat's before the Hungarian got the better of the Indian. Surely, five results in five games, at this level, should go down as the most interesting and hard fought rapid series.

Holding the knight in a typical Sicilian position is a taboo. And, Polgar promptly took the gauntlet, as she sacrificed her knight, when Vishy's attacked her bishop.

For yet another occasion, Judit showed that much more resilience, as she managed her forces flawlessly. Conducting the attack with confidence, Polgar punished Anand queen's foray into the kingside, which lost valuable tempo for black.

Forcing the issue quickly, Polgar had Vishy's queen in trouble, and gained his queen for a rook and bishop. She followed it up with a queen check on the 27th turn, which swipes Vishy's queenside clean.

This will go down as one of Judit's most elegant victories and should spruce up her confidence with three games to go.

Game 4: Anand evens at 2-2.

Two black wins make the day. Anyone asking for fighting chess, let them make a beeline for Mainz. For all the four games played so far, has produced results and for the statisticians it's even score, at 2-2. With black ruling the roost on the Friday, not a Black Friday, Anand once again came from behind to equalise.

The fourth game, saw another Sicilian and what appeared to be a drawish opposite colored bishop, rook and queen ending. But Polgar pressed a little too hard and paid the penalty. 'I stretched the draw and paid heavily' said Judit after the game. Hats off, the Hungarian's fighting chess, as she wanted to finished the day with her lead intact.

Anand, who has kept Mainz as his fort for two years now, is surely being given a run for the money as Judit is pushing in each game, under any position. For once, Anand played upto the position, and netted a cool point when Judit over extended.

Combining his rook, queen and bishop nicely, Vishy had Judit's king in trouble. Down with time, Judit had difficulty in holding the position, as Vishy closed in with a tactical combination. Faced with mate, or the loss of the queen, Judit forfeited on time to lose the fourth game of the eight game match.

Game 3: Polgar swindles Vishy, leads 2-1

Holding a winning position for the major part of the game, Vishy Anand crumbled at the crucial moment, going down to Polgar for the second time in two days. The lucky Sicilian Najdorf win takes Polgar to a 2-1 lead.

As is usual with Judit, she flung her pieces on Vishy's king, wherein Anand blocked with 21.b3, putting a firm stop to her adventures. Following that, Anand moved swiftly on the kingside with his knight, and dislodged Judit's king. In what appeared to be a cool winning position, Anand unsually relaxed and paid heavily for the wily Hungarian's counter-attack.

Running down to the Hungarian to her last two minutes, Vishy slipped losing the exchange and thereby his grip on an advantageous position. But, Judit held her poise and clinched the rook and pawn ending game in 57 moves. Hats off to her resilience, and pulling it off in an unpleasant position. By losing his second game, Vishy will be having his hands full in this eight game match.

Game 2: Anand levels score, match poised at 1-1

The 'Tiger from Madras' Vishy Anand bounced right back with a clinical victory over Polgar's Petroff at Rhinegoldhalle, here today. Facing the deficit of a full point, Anand opened with his usual 1.e4 and Polgar holding a one point lead, went for the normally safe Petroff.

Judit holding on to a fluid position, missed a typical Anand intermezzo 25. Ng6 and after this move, white had a clear advantage. Anand won the rook for knight and exchanged the pieces swiftly, moving to a winning ending.

Forcing the exchange of queens with the threat of mate, Anand threatened to take Judit's isolated pawn on 'a7', forcing her resignation.

The victory keeps the defending Champion on even score. Anand said after the game, 'Petroff is safe, but sometimes it goes down too,' and for her turn Judit said, 'I was much ahead in the first game and winning, but made some mistakes making it difficult for myself, but won it in the end. In the second game, Petroff didn't work and Vishy inished it quickly.'

Game 1 - Judit Polgar draws first blood, downs Vishy Anand in a Sicilian

In an exciting Sicilian game Hungarian Judit Polgar drew the first blood downing Indian Grandmaster and defending Champion Vishy Anand in an exciting Sicilian game. Attacking from the word go, Judith had the Indian in the knots, as Anand tried to extricate himself in the kingside. But timing her moves perfectly, Judith exploited the overloaded queen, capturing the bishop on ‘h4’ with her rook. Caught in a predicament Anand saw his game going into a lost ending.

Bailing himself out with a piece sacrifice, Anand tried to work up some counter play. The experienced player that Judith is, she saw Vishy’s tricks and gave back her piece to promote her center pawn. Going into the rook and pawn ending, Vishy appeared to be holding fort, when Judith marched her King to the ‘b’ file, finishing the game with finesse. Down on time most of the game, Judith found the right moves, just in time, scoring a splendid victory and taking a 1-0 in the eight game match. Chanpion for the last two years, Vishy is expected to strike back with white pieces in the second game.

Viswanathan Anand
World-Champion 2000-2002
GM, India, ELO 2764

Games: pgn
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