It was the 12th consecutive draw for the Indian Grandmaster and he is in the sixth position in the nine-player Category 20 championship.
Viswanathan Anand wriggled out of an inferior position against David Howell in the third round of the London Chess Classic at the Olympia Media Centre in London on Monday night.
It was the 12th consecutive draw for the Indian Grandmaster and he is in the sixth position in the nine-player Category 20 championship.
Magnus Carlsen, the highest-ranked player, beat Hikaru Nakamura in a scintillating game to emerge leader with seven points.
In an all-English affair, Michael Adams played disastrously to lose to Luke McShane while Levon Aronian beat Nigel Short. Vladimir Kramnik had a bye.
McShane is in second place with five points and Aronian, Kramnik and Nakamura are next with four points each. Anand, Adams and Howell have two points each while Short s yet to open his account.
Anand has a vast opening repertoire and one always wonders whether the world champion would open with the King Pawn or the Queen Pawn. Anand stuck to the Queen Pawn opening against Howell.
Howell opted for the Slav Defence and the game went more or less along equal lines till Anand made it interesting with a sacrifice on the 15th turn. Howell nullified the attack but Anand erred on the 29th turn, opening up promising continuations for his opponent.
Howell missed way and during the first time control of 40 moves, the game appeared heading for a draw.
Peace was signed on the 65th move by repetition of moves when the players were left with a queen and two pawns each.
Results:
3rd round: Levon Aronian (5) beat Nigel Short (0), Magnus Carlsen (7) beat Hikaru Nakamura (4), Michael Adams (2) lost to Luke McShane (5), Vishy Anand (2) drew with David Howell (2), Vladimir Kramnik (4, bye)
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