Anand extends lead after draw against Aronian in ninth round

Mexico City, Sep 24 (UNI) Viswanathan Anand could not break into Aronian's defence and agreed to split point, while Kramnik and Gelfand lost their respective games in the ninth round of the World Chess Championship being played here.

With this draw and respective loses of his closest rivals, the Indian Grandmaster extended his lead to a full point with five more games to go in the Championships.

Numero uno Anand began his hunt for the championship title with his second round opening win with Black pieces against Armenian Grand Master Levon Aronian.

After yesterday's day off, championship leader Anand came back in the match fully prepared against his Armenian counterpart's Marshal Ruy Lopez, but failed to make his White pieces count for a win.

In the ninth round game, Anand opened with his pet e4, while Aronian replied with e5. After the normal theoritical moves the opponents decided on the fashionable Marshal variation in the Ruy Lopez.

The World No 1 tried hard to secure full points from the tie, but even his novelty could not get him any advantage. Realising that the game will not produce any result both the players agreed to split the points.

Speaking to UNI after the match Anand said, '' He placed the Marshal which he always does and we thought we find some obscure line which perhaps he would not expect and try and refine.

''We did some work on this but infact over the board he applied Kf2 and then went for Qd7, which was paradoxical because it tend to make moves which are not yet placed. But the move is very deep and we missed it completely.

''I tried for a while but it turned out that if I don't eliminate his Bishop on d5 with my bishop I can have problems even. So I am forced to take it and after that there was no play left,'' he added.

Anand may have manage to hold on to his lead in the tournament, but the same do not hold for the former World champion Vladimir Kramnik.

In the biggest upset of the championship, Alexander Morozevich thrashed World Champion Vladimir Kramnik in 48 moves.

Meanwhile, Alexander Grischuk, despite having committed a blunder in the opening, beat Boris Gelfand.

Anand, who is now one point ahead of his nearest rival Boris Gelfand of Israel, will have black pieces against his most important rival in the championship, Russian Vladimir Kramnik in the 10th round.

Kramnik despite his loss against Alexander Morozevich is determined to play his best and win with white pieces against the Indian in order to to be back in contention for the title.

''The loss against Morozevich has no consequences. I will have white pieces against Vishy (Anand) and I will play my best to win this game and to come back in the championship,'' the Russian Grandmaster said after his ninth round loss.

Interestingly, the result of Anand and Kramnik game may decide the fate of both the champions in the world event.

Round nine result: Viswanatha Anand (6) drew with Levon Aronian (4) Alexander Morozevich (3) beat Vladimir Kramnik (4.5) Peter Leko (4) drew with Peter Svidler (3) Alexander Grischuk (4.5) beat Boris Gelfand (5) Round 10 Pairing: Peter Svidler vs Alexander Morozevich Vladimir Kramnik vs Viswanathan Anand Levon Aronian vs Alexander Grischuk Boris Gelfand vs Peter Leko UNI XC TB ND1114