Anand draws Game 7, leads Topalov 4-3

Defending champion Viswanathan Anand and challenger Veselin Topalov played out a draw on the 58th move in the seventh game of the World Chess Championship in Sofia on Monday.

Anand, playing with white, chose the Catalan opening like in all games when he started with these pieces. He won the second and the fourth game, and drew the sixth.

Topalov was more aggressive of the two, making the first 20 moves in three minutes, while Anand was more cautious and needed an hour for the first 20 moves.

In the end none could gain any significant advantage and agreed to a draw after four hours and 40 minutes of play.

Anand leads the 12-game match 4-3, the Bulgarian having won only the first game.

However, in the remaining five games Topalov will be playing triple with whites while the Indian Grandmaster will have it twice.

The eighth game is scheduled for Tuesday.

Game 7 moves

Vishy Anand vs Veselin Topalov

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Bf4 dxc4 9.Ne5 b5 10.Nxc6 Nxc6 11.Bxc6 Bd7 12.Bxa8 Qxa8 13.f3 Nd5 14.Bd2 e5 15.e4 Bh3 16.exd5 Bxf1 17.Qxf1 exd4 18.a4 Qxd5 19.axb5 Qxb5 20.Rxa7 Re8 21.Kh1 Bf8 22.Rc7 d3 23.Bc3 Bd6 24.Ra7 h6 25.Nd2 Bb4 26.Ra1 Bxc3 27.bxc3 Re2 28.Rd1 Qa4 29.Ne4 Qc2 30.Rc1 Rxh2+ 31.Kg1 Rg2+ 32.Qxg2 Qxc1+ 33.Qf1 Qe3+ 34.Qf2 Qc1+ 35.Qf1 Qe3+ 36.Kg2 f5 37.Nf2 Kh7 38.Qb1 Qe6 39.Qb5 g5 40.g4 fxg4 41.fxg4 Kg6 42.Qb7 d2 43.Qb1+ Kg7 44.Kf1 Qe7 45.Kg2 Qe6 46.Qd1 Qe3 47.Qf3 Qe6 48.Qb7+ Kg6 49.Qb1+ Kg7 50.Qd1 Qe3 51.Qc2 Qe2 52.Qa4 Kg8 53.Qd7 Kf8 54.Qd5 Kg7 55.Kg3 Qe3+ 56.Qf3 Qe5+ 57.Kg2 Qe6 58.Qd1 1/2-1/2.