Anand draws game 2 of semi-final

Defending champion Vishwanathan Anand drew his second successive game in the World chess championship semi-finals with Grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow on Monday.

Playing white, Anand did not get any advantage out of the opening and had to settle for the draw after just 18 moves.

The result is now tied 1-1 in the four-game match. In case of a 2-2 deadlock after the fourth game, tie-break games of shorter duration will be played to determine the winner.

The second semi-final of the championships also continued to be tied, as Ruslan Ponmariov and Peter Svidler also played a draw, but they arrived at the split after 46 moves. Ponmariov had white pieces.

The women’s title match is also keenly poised as Zhu Chen hit back with a splendid display and leveled the score 1-1 against Alexandra Kosteniuk, who, if she wins, could become the youngest world champion ever.

Opening with his favourite king pawn, Anand faced the Sicilian defence of Ivanchuk. By choosing the Sicilian Rossolimo, Anand surprised Ivanchuk initially but the Ukrainian was quite up to the task in one of the side variations that promises counter play for the black player.

On the seventh move, Anand produced a theoretical novelty but the ensuing position hardly favoured him as Ivanchuk equalised with a tactical stroke on the 11th move that forced exchange of a couple of minor pieces.

Anand was left with a middlegame wherein the players had Bishops of opposite colour. Ivanchuk was yet to develop his forces on both the flanks when Anand sacrificed one central pawn to open lines. However, a timely plan enabled Ivanchuk to gain a decisive tempo that maintained the balance.

Forced to enter the endgame after the trade of queens, Anand proposed the draw that was immediately accepted.

"Somehow the opening just fizzled out in to an equality," said Anand after the game.

Asked whether he expected this result and this opening set-up against Ivanchuk, Anand said, "Well you just play chess without keeping results in mind. As for the opening, I think he did play a bit unusually... but I can't say really. The Queens are getting exchanged by force and I don't have anything".

Vassily Ivanchuk - Vishwanathan Anand
Game 2 - semi-final

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Qc7 5. 0-0 Nd4 6. d3 a6 7. Bc4 e6 8. Nxd4 cxd4 9. Ne2 Nxc4 10. dxe4 Qxc4 11. Nxd4 e5 12. Nf5 Qxe4 13. Nd6 Bxd6 14. Qxd6 f6 15. f4 b5 16. Bd2 Bb7 17. Rf2 Qc6 18. Qxc6 Draw agreed.

Ponomariov, R v Svidler, Peter

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e6 7. Be3 b5 8. g4 Nfd7 9. Qd2 Nb6 10. O-O-O N8d7 11. Bg5 Qc7 12. Ndxb5 axb5 13. Nxb5 Qc6 14. Nxd6+ Bxd6 15. Qxd6 Qxd6 16. Rxd6 Ba6 17. Bxa6 Rxa6 18. a3 h5 19. gxh5 Ra5 20. h4 Nc4 21. Rc6 Rc5 22. Rxc5 Nxc5 23. b3 Nxa3 24. h6 gxh6 25. Be3 Nb7 26. Kb2 Nb5 27. e5 Rg8 28. Bxh6 Nd4 29. h5 Rg2 30. Kc3 Nxf3 31. Bf4 Kf8 32. Rf1 Ng5 33. Kb4 Ne4 34. c4 Nbc5 35. Rf3 Ra2 36. h6 Kg8 37. Bc1 Ra7 38. Kb5 Nxb3 39. Kb6 Ra8 40. Be3 Rb8+ 41. Kc7 Rb4 42. Kd8 Rxc4 43. Rf4 Na5 44. Rg4+ Kh8 45. Ke7 Nc6+ 46. Kf8 Nd4 1/2-1/2

Earlier reports:
Ivanchuk, Anand draw game 1 in semis
Ivanchuk to meet Anand in semis
Anand reaches semi-finals
Anand beats Shirov in first game
Anand beats Dreev to enter quarters
Anand faces tough road ahead
Quick draw for Anand in round 4
Anand through to last 16
Anand settles for draw, Van Wely loses
Anand enters third round
Anand scores quick win
Anand moves into second round
Anand wins second game
Anand shocked in opening round