Anand misses key chances as Kasparov extends lead in Clutch Chess Legends

NEW DELHI: Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand squandered critical opportunities against old rival Garry Kasparov, allowing the Russian great to stretch his lead to five points with two wins and two draws on the penultimate day of the Clutch Chess Legends showdown.

The USD 144,000 event, held in the chess-960 format, has seen Anand struggle to find his rhythm despite flashes of brilliance.

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Kasparov’s luck was evident early in the day when he won the first game after Anand, in a near-winning position, ran out of time, admitting later that he had forgotten to monitor his clock.

“The first game I saw at one point I had one minute, 26 seconds and then I don’t know, I should have looked at the clock again. I just completely forgot,” Anand reflected.


The second game ended in a hard-fought draw, but Anand lost again in the day’s shortest encounter — a mere 18 moves — after blundering a piece. In the third game, Anand admitted Kasparov’s short castling move left him at a significant disadvantage. Despite the setbacks, Anand still has a mathematical chance: on the final day, each win will be worth three points while draws carry 1.5, leaving room for a dramatic turnaround with four games remaining.

Kasparov, meanwhile, appeared uncharacteristically modest. “I just saw that it’s not fair to push. After game one I feel guilty—I don’t know why I deserve this kind of luck!” he said, while deflecting well-wishes from WGM Anastasya Karlovich. Anand’s struggles underline that in chess, even legends can falter, but the final day promises a thrilling climax to this high-stakes contest.


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