Anand finishes second after Classical round

Anand held Nakamura to a draw in the last game in the Classical section. He had won four games and lost two but his second half showing with three wins and a draw helped the Indian to go into the Blitz games with a realistic chance. 

The most important game of the seventh round was definitely Nakamura vs Anand, the clash of last year’s winner and runner-up. With a win, Anand could have overtaken the American on the table, but it soon became clear that Nakamura wasn’t going to take any risks and after an ending with opposite-coloured bishops was reached, Anand scored his first draw in this tournament. 

The Peter Svidler vs Vladimir Kramnik game was equal. Kramnik employed a solid Russian defense that proved impossible to crack despite Svidler’s efforts. Soon the rooks came off, then some minor pieces and after the Queen swap, the players shook hands for Kramnik’s fifth draw.