Gashimov Memorial chess: Anand records first win

Viswanathan Anand defeated Shakriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan in the Armageddon after the two-game mini-match ended in a draw for his first victory in the Rapid event of the 7th Vugar Gashimov Memorial chess tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Anand had lost 0.5-1.5 to Sergey Karjakin in the fifth round.

In the match against Mamedyarov, the Indian GM had drawn both the games before winning the Armegeddon in 31 moves.

Players play the Armageddon style (single game where result is certainty) in case the two-game mini-match ends in a draw.

In the Armageddon, White gets 5 minutes and Black gets 4 minutes, with 3-second increments starting after move 60. Black will have draw odds.

The Indian No.1 lies in seventh place after five rounds with 4.5 points while Fabian Caruana (USA) is in sole lead with 9 points followed by Richard Rapport (8) of Hungary.

Caruna and Karjakin drew the two games of the mini-match and the Armageddon.    

Anand had endured losses at the hands of Rauf Mamedov (Azerbaijan) in the opening round before suffering defeats to Rapport and David Navara (Czech Republic) in the second and third round respectively.

Anand faces Caruana and Vugar Asadli (Azerbaijan) in the remaining two rounds.

The Gashimov Memorial tournament this year is being played as a rapid and blitz chess tournament.

After the conclusion of the Rapid event on Tuesday, the blitz games will be played over two days on December 22 and 23.