Anand meets Nielsen in round eight of amber chess

Monaco, Mar 28 (UNI) Rejuvenated by a day's rest, defending champion Viswanathan Anand will be eyeing a clean sweep of both the games when he takes on Danish Grandmaster Peter Heine Nielsen in the eighth round of the 15th Amber Chess Tournament here today.

This is the last rest day of the 216,000 euro tournament, named after the eldest daughter of Dutch billionaire J J van Oosterom, the sponsor.

With four more rounds to go in the 13-day tournament, the Indian would be going all out hoping to topple current combine leader Alexander Morozevich from the top.

After seven rounds, Anand is at the second place, just half-a-point adrift of Morozevich in the combined table.

The Indian is fourth in the blindfold table with four points but a full 1.5 points ahead of Morozevich at the top in rapid.

Standing after round VIII: Blindfold: 1.Alexander Morozevich (6.5); 2.Peter Leko, Francisco Vallejo (5); 4.Viswanathan Anand, Alexander Grischuk (4.5); 6.Boris Gelfand, Peter Svidler, Veselin Topalov, Loek Van Wely (3.5); 10.

Levon Aronian, Peter Heine Nielsen (3); 12.Vassily Ivanchuk (2.5).

Rapid: 1. Viswanathan Anand (6); 2. Alexander Morozevich (4.5); 4. Levon Aronian, Boris Gelfand, Veselin Topalov, Loek Van Wely (4); 8.

Alexander Grischuk, Vassily Ivanchuk, Peter Heine Nielsen, Peter Svidler (3.5); 12. Peter Leko (3).

Combine: 1. Alexander Morozevich (11); 2. Viswanathan Anand(10.5); 3.

Francisco Vallejo (9.5); 8. Alexander Grischuk, Peter Leko (8); 6.

Boris Gelfand, Veselin Topalov, Loek Van Wely (7.5); 9. Levon Aronian, Peter Svidler (7); Peter Heine Nielsen (6.5); 12. Vassily Ivanchuk (6).

UNI XC AY PM SP1158