Anand gets off to winning start

By Arvind Aaron

REYKJAVIK, APRIL 1. Viswanathan Anand and the two foreign players in his group got off to a winning start in the opening round of the Top of the World chess challenge rapid chess tournament here at the Concert Hall of Kopavagur.

In the other group with `senior' members, Garry Kasparov, the youngest in his group at 36, drew with 69-year-old veteran Viktor Korchnoi of Switzerland.

The Icelandic players suffered all three defeats in Group B with Anand leading the rout over Johann Hjartarsson in 58 moves with black pieces in a rook ending. Ivan Sokolov followed it soon thereafter beating Stefansson in a knight ending while Wojtkiewicz prevailed over Jon Arnason. All three visitors won with black pieces. Australian GM Ian Rogers calls `Group B' the `stronger group' in addition to being clearly the younger one.

In Group A, Kasparov and Korchnoi drew while former FIDE President Olafsson held Jan Timman to a draw. Only the all- Icelandic match produced a local victory and that too came with black pieces.

There will be four more rounds here on Saturday afternoon and the top two from each group will advance to the knockout stage of the tournament scheduled on Sunday.

It was a sunny day but the scale had the weather as four below zero. Anand arrived in a warm sweater, all other players were in their coats. Many of the spectators include top players and even a few grandmasters.

Earlier the event was formally inaugurated on Kasparov's board by the Education Minister of Iceland.

Drawing of lots

The drawing of lots was a little unprofessionally done. First the players were sifted into two groups and then the numbers were drawn. Kasparov drew number three and Anand six in their respective groups. Those in the top half of the draw get an extra white and those in the bottom an extra black. Anand will get an extra black but the main opposition in his group in the form of Wojtkiewicz and I. Sokolov are also in the bottom half.

``Is there anybody in Group B who is younger than anybody in Group A,'' asked Garry Kasparov after the 12 players were split into two groups. He was right with the age of the six visitors and wrong with the age of the local grandmasters.

All by himself without his second for the first time in many tournaments, Kasparov had dinner with Korchnoi. He is here with his manager Mr. Owen Williams. Anand who received his baggage in time to wear his tie and coat on Friday evening is accompanied by his wife.

The results (1st round): Group A: G. Kasparov (Rus) drew with V. Korchnoi (Swz), J. Timman (Ned) drew with F. Olafsson (Isd), H. Olafsson (Isd) lost to M. Petursson (Isd).

Group B: J. Hjartarson (Isd) lost to V. Anand (Ind), H. Stefansson (Isd) lost to I. Sokolov (Bih), J.L. Arnason (Isd) lost to A. Wojtkiewicz (Pol).

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