The struggles of former world champion Viswanathan Anand continued in the $ 150,000 Legends of Chess online tournament as he suffered his sixth consecutive loss with a 2-3 loss to Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia.
Anand started the sixth round match with a draw as he devised good defensive moves to keep the Russian at bay in a 53-move tie. However, Nepomniachtchi pushed ahead with a 34-move victory in the second game. The third saw the players sign the peace after 48 moves.
The five-time world champion fought back well to claim the fourth game in 42 moves to push the competition to Armageddon (a tiebreaker).
Nepomniachtchi won the decisive playoff in 41 moves to break the hopes of the 50-year-old Indian superstar and left him winless after six rounds.
World champion Magnus Carlen continued his winning career and leads the standings with 17 match points. Nepomniachtchi is second with 16 followed by compatriot Vladimir Kramnik (12).
Anand, who is making his debut on the Magnus Carlsen Tour, is ninth with three points.
Legends of Chess is a one-time event in which Carlsen, Ding Liren, Nepomniachtchi, and Anish Giri, semi-finalists at the Chessable Masters (part of the Magnus Carlsen Tour), received an automatic invitation and face six legends between the ages of 40 and 52. age. at the top of world chess at various points in his career.
The winner of this event will qualify for the $ 300,000 Grand Final, scheduled for August 9-20.
Results – Round 6: Ian Nepomniachtchi beat Viswanathan Anand 3-2; Magnus Carlsen beat Ding Liren 2.5-1.5: Anish Giri beat Peter Leko 2.5-1.5; Vladimir Kramnik beat Boris Gelfand 3-2; Peter Svidler defeated Vasyl Ivanchuk 3-2.
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