Amber 07: Anand loses to tail-ender Bareev

by ChessBase
3/28/2005 – He went into round seven in high spirits, but tournament leader Vishy Anand suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Evgeny Bareev, number 12 on the cross table. In spite of that Anand remains 2½ point ahead of the field. The other five matches in round seven were drawn, two with decided games. We bring you a full illustrated report from Monaco.

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The Fourteenth Amber Blindfold and Rapid Chess Tournament will take place at the Monte Carlo Grand Hôtel in Monaco, from 19th to 31st March 2005. The Dutch billionaire J.J. van Oosterom is the exclusive sponsor of this event.

Please note that the selection of games discussed below can all be replayed on our JavaScript board. Clicking on the link behind each game opens a separate window which you can position next to the text (and keep open for the next game). To follow the moves and analysis you can use the navigation buttons below the board or simply click on the notation.

Round seven

Blindfold
Van Wely-Ivanchuk 1-0
Svidler-Shirov 1/2
Gelfand-Vallejo 1/2
Morozevich-Topalov 0-1
Bareev-Anand 1/2
Leko-Kramnik 1/2
Rapid
Ivanchuk-Van Wely 1-0
Shirov-Svidler 1/2
Vallejo-Gelfand 1/2
Topalov-Morozevich 0-1
Anand-Bareev 0-1
Kramnik-Leko 1/2

Standings after seven rounds

Five of the six matches today were drawn, three with two drawn games, two with two won games. The encounter Morozevich-Topalov producing two black wins, with the winner calling his game "stupid" (Topalov) or "one of the worst games I have played" (Morozevich). Most interesting was that Moro won his rapid game with the Albin Counter Gambit, which goes 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5?!, an opening that is regarded with great suspicion by strong players and seldom seen at this level of play.

The match of the day was Anand vs Bareev, number one against number 12 on the cross table. Anand was in good spirits, though the fact that he had to defend to a draw in the blindfold game should have been a warning. The rapid encounter brought the sensation. Bareev beat The Invincible with the black pieces.


Clouds gather over Monaco as Anand loses to Bareev


This is what a casino can look like these days: even the croupier is virtual


Gifts fit for a king in the windows of the city state


And exquisite, expensive cars wherever you look


Vishy Anand relaxed in his blindfold game against Bareev


Boris Gelfand, who takes the "blindfold" part very seriously


Peter Leko analyses, Peter Svidler and Vishy Anand enjoy


Peter Svidler from St Petersburg, Boris Gelfand in the background


Anand, incautious in his rapid game against Bareev


Evgeny Bareev taking advantage of Anand's carelessness


Francisco Vallejo Pons, the bottom seed with fight in his blood


Loek van Wely with his loving wife


Peter Svidler with his wife Olga


Arbiter Geurt Gijssen with a wooden friend

Round eight

In the meantime round eight has been played. Here for the moment are the results and the games. A full report can be found on the official site.

Blindfold
Anand-Leko 1/2
Kramnik-Morozevich 0-1
Topalov-Bareev 1/2
Shirov-Gelfand 1/2
Vallejo-Van Wely 1-0
Ivanchuk-Svidler 1/2
Rapid
Leko-Anand 0-1
Morozevich-Kramnik 0-1
Bareev-Topalov 0-1
Gelfand-Shirov 0-1
Van Wely-Vallejo 1-0
Svidler-Ivanchuk 0-1

Standings after eight rounds

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