Chess: Hair-raising Anand

VISWANATHAN ANAND has continued his recent impressive form in the current Las Palmas tournament. He is undefeated, with two wins and six draws, and with one round to play shares the lead with Yusupov and Morovic. England's Michael Adams is a point behind having recovered well after losing his first three games.

Despite the large number of draws, Anand has been playing some hair-raising games. In the first round, against Larry Christiansen, he defended a line of the Queen's Gambit Accepted known to give White prospects of a quick attack. With Bd6 and Bxh2+, he grabbed a pawn, inviting White's subsequent sacrifices. 17 . . . Qe7] was both brave and necessary: 17 . . . axb5 18. Qxb5+ loses back the knight on c5. Christiansen then sacrificed rook, knight and bishop in the space of four moves.

His attack was enough to win the black queen, but Anand had sufficient material for White to have to be satisfied with a draw by perpetual check. At the end, 33 . . . Kd6 is met by Qb6+, and the checks continue.

White: Christiansen

Black: Anand

1 d4 d5

2 c4 dxc4

3 Nf3 a6

4 e3 Nf6

5 Bxc4 e6

6 0-0 c5

7 Qe2 b5

8 Bb3 Bb7

9 Rd1 Nbd7

10 Nc3 Qc7

11 e4 cxd4

12 Nxd4 Nc5

13 Bg5 Bd6

14 Rac1 Bxh2+

15 Kh1 Be5

16 Bxf6 gxf6

17 Ncxb5 Qe7

18 Rxc5 Qxc5

19 Nxe6 fxe6

20 Qh5+ Ke7

21 Bxe6 Kxe6

22 Qg4+ Kf7

23 Rd7+ Qe7

24 Qh5+ Kf8

25 Qh6+ Kf7

26 Rxe7+ Kxe7

27 Qg7+ Ke6

28 Qg4+ Ke7

29 Qg7+ Ke6

30 Qxb7 axb5

31 Qd5+ Ke7

32 Qb7+ Ke6

33 Qd5+ draw