Anand wins Game 3

The jubiliant Indian camp in the Iranian capital may as well begin their celebrations as Vishwanathan Anand smashed Alexei Shirov for the second day running and put the FIDE World chess championships almost out of his grasp.

The Indian Grandmaster won with black pieces for the first time in these championships and went into a two-point lead.

After three games in the six-game final, he leads 2.5-0.5 and needs only two draws or one win from the remaining three games to be crowned the new World champion.

Anand will be the 15th in the line of official FIDE World champions, but it will be the first for India, where the game originated.

The Iranian sports minister and Deputy prime minister visited the hall and they were presented with a great exhibition of chess by the Indian Grandmaster.

Carrying on from where he had left Shirov reeling in the second game, the NIIT-sponsored Anand was in tremendous form once again. So far in these championships he has played solidly for draws with black pieces and attacked with gusto with white. But Friday was totally different. He chose the Sicilian defence with black pieces instead of any dull defences like Petroff. It showed that Anand was willing to see if Shirov was up to a fight.

Shirov badly needed to get back into the match after his loss in the second game. So he did show initiatives. He sacrificed an exchange for two pawns and some kingside attack. For some time he looked better. It was not winning but he defintely had an edge.

However the Spaniard had not bargained for some counterplay from Anand.

Friday's win came in just 41 moves and three hours after the Indian used the Paulsen variation of the Sicilian defence. By the time the game ended, Shirov's position was in tatters and Anand was an exchange and a full pawn up for no compensation.

Shirov, who had earlier got himself into time-trouble needing to make 18 moves in just around 20 moves before the first time control, decided not to prolong his own agony and resigned after 41 moves.

On Thursday also, Shirov had erred in time trouble, but on Friday it was a combination of many things. Poor time management, wrong line and inability to see Anand's plans, all contributed to his downfall.

In these championships a fresh-looking Anand, something that Shirov has conceded from day one, has been in tremendous form. He has shown terrific preparations in openings and had always packed in surprises to throw opposition off the beaten path.

His strategy to try and force a win with black was also a surprise of sorts. In these championships so far, he has always played solid draws with black and gone for a win with white. His seven regulation classicial games have fetched him five wins. And only once in a rapid game against Alexander Khalifman has Anand been in any danger of losing a game. But he came out of it will and has been the dominant player in all his matches.

Shirov did come out a little better from the openeing. But it was not any major advantage. Anand equalised and in fact surprised Shirov with a strong line which the Spaniard had not bargained for.

Then came Shirov’s time problems. After 22 moves Anand still had an hour and a half on the clock, while Shirov has just 20 minutes. And the tiredness of having played for 19 days in the last 24 has begun telling on Shirov.

He did try and attack, sacrificing an exchange for two pawns and got a king side attack. But Anand came up with a strong move on 20th move and then followed that up with some more strong moves.

With queens being exchanged on the 33rd move and Anand clearly up on material and position it was only a matter of time. It was a rook and pawn ending in which Anand was an exchange and a pawn plus. And Shirov resigned after 41 moves.

Now it will be very difficult for Shirov to comeback. It is likely that there'll be a new champion in less than six games.

The six-game final is being played between December 20-26 and the tie-breaker, if required, will be played on December 27.

Friday's result:

Men's final - Game 3
Anand, Viswanathan (IND) vs Shirov, Alexei (ESP) - 1-0