Shamkir: Having done the hard work, Viswanathan Anand fumbled and lost to Sergey Karjakin of Russia in the sixth round of Shamkir chess tournament here on Saturday.
Playing the black side of a queen’s gambit declined, Anand came up with some spectacular preparation that should have been good enough for a draw but Karjakin pressed hard where it mattered and went on to secure a rare victory.
Karjakin joined Magnus Carlsen of Norway in lead on four points out of a possible six following an unexpected victory. In other games of the day in the super tournament, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria beat Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, Dutchman Anish Giri played out a customary draw with David Navara of Czech Republic, reigning World champion Magnus Carlsen got no leeway and had to split the point with Ding Liren of China and Russian Alexander Grischuk got nothing against the ever solid Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan.
Carlsen and Karjakin share the lead on four points each from six games and they are now followed by a long list of players having three points apiece in this ten player nine-rounds event.
Anand shares the third spot with Ding Liren, Topalov, Radjabov, Grischuk and Topalov all having three points each while Mamedyarov and Giri are struggling on two points from six matches.