Chess

Anand wins; takes joint lead

World champion Viswanathan Anand ended the opening day of the Mainz Chess Classic on a positive note defeating Russian Alexander Morozevich to emerge as the joint leader in the Grenkeleasing rapid world championship.

The 10-time winner Anand could do little with his white pieces against Norwegian sensation Magnus Carlsen and world’s strongest ever woman player Judit Polgar of Hungary and settled for draws in the first two rounds while his victory as black against Morozevich raised visions of the 11th title victory here for the Indian ace.

The four-player double-robin event will see best two fighting it out for the title. The games are being played on a rapid chess format with 20 minutes to each player and a 5 second increment after every move is made.

Tags: Alexander Morozevich, Grenkeleasing, magnus carlsen, Mainz Chess Classic, rapid world championship, vishwanathan anand