Anand, Topalov in lengthy draw

Indian Grandmaster leads 3.5-2.5 after the sixth game at Sofia

After two victories with as many Whites in the event so far, there was anticipation whether the Indian would  it across for the third time to enhance his one point lead to two. Anand commenting on the game said ‘I had a better position for most part but it was not clear whether I could get anything more”. Anand now leads the 12 game Match series with a 3.5-2.5 score, exactly at the halfway stage and will once again play with white in the seventh game on Monday, after the rest day on Sunday. The player to first reach 6.5 will be the winner and the Match would be then over.

For the third time once again it was the Catalan for Anand, for the third time he sacrificed a pawn in the opening. Once again it was Anand who ensured that the game stayed in  prepared territory by deviating on the 10th turn from the fourth game, probably surprising Topalov with such an early deviation. After the exchange of queens on the 19th move, it was a battle between Anand’s two rooks and two knights versus Topalov’s rooks and bishops.

Topalov tried and tested Anand’s patience and defensive skills for a long time in a position which should have been long abandoned as a draw. Anand on the other hand found impressive means to maintain equality on board, not exerting at all for a win and forcing the exchange of pieces whenever possible.

The Moves (game six): Viswanathan Anand vs Veselin Topalov:
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.Ne5 c5 7.Na3 cxd4 8.Naxc4 Bc5 9.0–0 0–0 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nd3 Ba7 13.Qa4 Nc6 14.Rac1 e5 15.Bxc6 b5 16.Qc2 Qxc6 17.Ncxe5 Qe4 18.Qc6 Bb7 19.Qxe4 Bxe4 20.Rc2 Rfe8 21.Rfc1 f6 22.Nd7 Bf5 23.N7c5 Bb6 24.Nb7 Bd7 25.Nf4 Rab8 26.Nd6 Re5 27.Nc8 Ba5 28.Nd3 Re8 29.Na7 Bb6 30.Nc6 Rb7 31.Ncb4 a5 32.Nd5 a4 33.Nxb6 Rxb6 34.Nc5 Bf5 35.Rd2 Rc6 36.b4 axb3 37.axb3 b4 38.Rxd4 Rxe2 39.Rxb4 Bh3 40.Rbc4 Rd6 41.Re4 Rb2 42.Ree1 Rdd2 43.Ne4 Rd4 44.Nc5 Rdd2 45.Ne4 Rd3 46.Rb1 Rdxb3 47.Nd2 Rb4 48.f3 g5 49.Rxb2 Rxb2 50.Rd1 Kf7 51.Kf2 h5 52.Ke3 Rc2 53.Ra1 Kg6 54.Ra6 Bf5 55.Rd6 Rc3+ 56.Kf2 Rc2 57.Ke3 Rc3+ 58.Kf2 Rc2 1/2-1/2