Tata Steel Chess | Viswanathan Anand holds onto lead after draw against Richard Rapport

Viswanathan Anand was involved in another easy draw as he played with black against Hungary’s Richard Rapport. In doing so, Anand managed to stay in joint lead on six points after the end of the ninth round of Tata Steel Masters chess tournament at Wijk Ann Zee in Holland. 

Tackling his first of the two back-to-back black games in a row with ease, Anand had a level position on board for the major part and is now involved a three-way tie with four rounds still to play in the first super tournament of the year. The Indian grandmaster’s Queen’s gambit decline has been working well and the ninth round was no different. Rapport tried his hand at a variation that leads to early endgame but the queens got traded as early as on the eighth move.

Arguably, Anand’s biggest test will come in next round when he takes on long-time rival Carlsen who will have white pieces. The chances of Anand winning will directly depend on the outcome of the match against Carlsen. 

Pairings Masters round 9: Richard Rapport (Hun, 3.5) drew with V Anand (Ind, 6); Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Aze, 3.5) drew with Duda Jan Krzysztof (Pol, 4.5); Samuel Shankland (Usa, 4) drew with Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 6); Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus, 6) beat Vidit Gujrathi (Ind, 4); Anish Giri (Ned, 5.5) drew with Jorden Van Foreest (Ned, 4); Vladimir Kramnik (Rus, 2.5) drew with Ding Liren (Chn, 5.5); Teimour Radjabov (Aze, 4.5) lost to Vladimir Fedoseev (Rus, 4.5).

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