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 Indian
chess maestro Vishy Anand, who won the Corus Grandmasters Chess title
for the second year in succession, should ascend to the second place
in the next rating list. The Indian Mind Champion’s outright win
with 8.5 points out of 13 should see him gain about eight or nine Elo
points, which when put with his current rating of 2766 should see him
go up to at least 2774, while Vladimir Kramnik, who had a poor
tournament is likely to drop about eight points and come down from
2777 to 2769, which will make Anand a clear second in world ratings
once again.
The Indian NIIT Brand Ambassador had been world No. 2 behind Garry Kasparov for a long time, before Kramnik overtook him. Now the Indian is back in second place.
“My next goal is 2800,” said Anand soon after the win in Wijk Aan Zee. If he has another year like 2003, the chances are that he will soon make that landmark figure. “I am glad to have begun the new year with a good win in Wijk, which is one of my favourite events and venue.”
This was also Anand’s 16th title win since the 2000 World Championships in New Delhi and Teheran. At the highest level in chess, it is almost unprecedented for a such a high ranking player to be so active and win as many times as Anand has done. Meanwhile, there is talk once again of Anand likely to be chosen for the Chess Oscar for 2003. The results which will be declared after the counting of votes by world’s leading chess writers, is expected to be announced in a few weeks time.
Anand’s second straight win, and fourth overall, puts him in the elite company of Lajos Portisch, Max Euwe and Viktor Kortchnoi, who have won the
Wijk aan Zee title four times. If Anand manages to retain his title in 2005, too, he will emulate the feat of Kasparov, whose three wins came in consecutive years.
Anand's first two wins in Wjik Aan Zee came in 1989 and 1998, when he shared the title. But in 2003 and 2004 he has won the title outright. The classical chess results put together with his domination of the Rapid circuit last year, make him the best player overall, a fact that will count when the Chess Oscars are given out.
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(Agencies)
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