Viswanathan Anand's bid for the FIDE world chess title received a big setback, when he was stunned by Russian Grandmaster Alexander Morozevich in the seventh round of the World Chess Championships in San Luis, Argentina.
It was Anand's second loss in the tournament as a result of which he slipped to the third position in the standings.
Meanwhile, Veselin Topalov's onslaught continued with his sixth victory in seven games. His latest victim was defending champion Rustam Kasimdhzanov, who beat him in Triploli last year.
Topalov won a 73-move game in the Ruy Lopez Closed and now has 6.5 points in seven games and is two points clear of Peter Svidler, the second placed player, who beat Judit Polgar. Anand is at 3.5 points sharing third place with Peter Leko who beat Michael Adams.
All four games ended in victories for white in the seventh round. In the eighth round, Anand plays Judit Polgar. In their first clash in the first round, Anand had scored a win over Polgar.
Morozevich gave up a rook for black bishop on g2 and later exploited his chances when Anand opened things up. Morozevich won after 51 moves. This was Morozevich's first win of the tournament.
The Morozevich-Anand game was in the Short Attack of the Caro-Kann. Morozevich sacrificed the exchange for a pawn. And despite that he was well placed in an interesting game from the Russian.
Anand realized he was becoming weaker and tried some tactical play to turn the momentum. But Morozevich was alive to it and did not allow it. Morozevich's bishop and pawns were far superior to Anand's rook. Also, the Black king was awkwardly placed on f8. Anand then tried to escape to a rook and bishop versus rook ending a piece down. But Morozevich managed to convert his advantage into his first win.
The way Topalov is going, he is going to be difficult to stop. However, Topalov has taken ample time to register his wins. He grinded out Kasimdzhanov in a rook endgame in seven hours. Unless there is a dramatic collapse in second half, it is difficult to see anyone stopping Topalov in this form.
Svidler handed Polgar her second consecutive loss and third in four rounds. The four-time Russian champion was engaged in a Sicilian-Najdorf and he absorbed the typical black exchange sacrifice on c3 and ground out the endgame. Svidler is in clear second place, but still two points behind Topalov.
Leko got back to an even score after his terrible start by beating Adams in a Petroff by converting the endgame. Adams is now minus three.
Topalov has now won four out of four with black and has 2.5 out of three with white.
Results of Round 7: Leko beat Adams; Morozevich beat Anand; Svidler beat Polgar; Topalov beat Kasimdzhanov
Round 8 pairing: Topalov vs Leko; Kasimdzhanov vs Morozevich; Adams vs Svidler; Anand vs Polgar.
Morozevich v Anand (Round 7): 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Ne7 6. Nbd2 h6 7. O-O Nd7 8. c3 a6 9. Nb3 Rc8 10. Nh4 Bh7 11. f4 c5 12. Bh5 Nf5 13. Nxf5 Bxf5 14. Be3 g6 15. Be2 h5 16. dxc5 Nxc5 17. Nd4 Be4 18. a4 h4 19. a5 h3 20. g3 Bg2 21. Rf2 Ne4 22. Rxg2 hxg2 23. Kxg2 Bc5 24. Bd3 Qd7 25. Qf3 Bxd4 26. Bxd4 f5 27. exf6 e5 28. Bxe4 Qh3+ 29. Kf2 Qxh2+ 30. Qg2 exd4 31. Bxg6+ Kf8 32. Re1 d3 33. Bxd3 Rc6 34. Re5 Rd6 35. Kf3 Qxg2+ 36. Kxg2 Rh6 37. g4 Rhxf6 38. f5 Rf7 39. Kg3 b5 40. axb6 Rxb6 41. g5 Rd7 42. f6 d4 43. Bg6 Rb8 44. cxd4 Rxd4 45. Re7 Rdb4 46. Rf7+ Kg8 47. Rg7+ Kh8 48. Bf7 Rd4 49. Rg6 Rd3+ 50. Kg4.
Standings after Round 7:
1. Topalov (6.5)
2. Svidler (4.5)
3. Anand and Leko (3.5)
4. Morozevich and Kasimdzhanov (3)
5. Polgar and Adams (2)