Chess24 Legends of Chess: Carlsen tames Anand, Giri trumps Kramnik

Viswanathan Anand defended accurately to split the point in the first game against Magnus Carlsen in the second round of chess24 Legends of Chess.

Viswanathan Anand lost to Peter Svidler 1.5-2.5 in the first round.

Viswanathan Anand kept pace with World champion Magnus Carlsen at 1.5-1.5 after three drawn encounters in the second round of the chess24 Legends of Chess on Wednesday.

In the fourth game, Anand plays with white pieces and needs a win to score an important triumph over Carlsen. On Tuesday, in the first round, a one-move blunder in the fourth game cost Anand the match against Peter Svidler 1.5-2.5.

Ian Nepomniachtchi stunned World No. 3 Ding Liren 2.5-0.5. The Russian drew the first game and then won the next two for a comprehensive 2.5-0.5 victory over Liren. A second win for the Russian ended in a second straight defeat for the Chinese.

 

 

Vladimir Kramnik trailed Anish Giri 1-2 even after saving half a point in the third game. Peter Svidler hit back in the third game against Peter Leko to make it 1.5-1.5 ahead of the fourth game. The other two veterans Vassily Ivanchuk and Boris Gelfand drew all three games.

Second round final results:

Magnus Carlsen (Norway) 2.5-1.5 Viswanathan Anand (India); Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia) 2.5-0.5 Ding Liren (China); Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine) 1.5-2.5 Boris Gelfand (Israel); Peter Svidler (Russia) 2.5-1.5 Peter Leko (Hungary); Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) 1.5-2.5 Anish Giri (Netherlands)

Second round results (with details):

Game One: Magnus Carlsen (Nor) drew with Viswanathan Anand; Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukr) drew with Boris Gelfand (Isr); Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus) bt Ding Liren (Chn); Peter Svidler (Rus) drew with Peter Leko (Hun); Vladimir Kramnik (Rus) drew with Anish Giri (Ned).

Game Two: Anand drew with Carlsen; Leko bt Svidler; Giri bt Kramnik; Gelfand drew with Ivanchuk; Liren lost to Nepomniachtchi.

Game Three: Carlsen drew with Anand; Nepomniachtchi drew with Liren; Svidler bt Leko; Ivanchuk drew with Gelfand; Kramnik drew with Giri.

Game Four: Carlsen bt Anand; Gelfand bt Ivanchuk; Svidler bt Leko; Kramnik drew with Giri