Anand finishes third in Korchnoi Zurich Chess Challenge

Former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand of India finished third overall, with a score of 13.5 points from a possible 21 in the Korchnoi Zurich Chess Challenge, which concluded on Monday.

Anand scored 4.5 points in the blitz event after having managed nine in the classical rounds.

Former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand of India finished third overall, with a score of 13.5 points from a possible 21 in the Korchnoi Zurich Chess Challenge, which concluded on Monday.

American Hikaru Nakamura, with 15 points, emerged the overall winner, claiming 4.5 points in the blitz section. He won the Blitz tournament, and was half a point ahead of Anand.

Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi took the second place (overall) with a tally of 14 points.

Anand scored 4.5 points in the blitz event after having managed nine in the classical rounds. The Indian, with an ELO rating of 2786, beat Vladimir Kramnik of Russia and Yannick Pelletier (Switzerland) but lost to Boris Gelfand and Nepomniachtchi. He held the ultimate champion Nakamura to a draw.

In the classical part, Anand managed to beat Pelletier, Gelfand, Svidler and Grigoriy Oparin (Russia) but lost to Kramnik, Nepomniachtchi and drew with Nakamura.

The eight players played seven rounds with a time control of 45 minutes and 30 seconds per move and a blitz event with a time control of 10 minutes and five seconds per move.

The tournament was held in memory of chess legend Viktor Kortchnoi, who passed away on June 6, 2015.