Both players have 2.5 points each and are half a point ahead of the second-placed group of four players.

Anand had a promising position from a Sicilian Defence against Shirov but he failed to get the best continuation and allowed his opponent to sacrifice an exchange and reach a better position. The draw came in 40 moves.

Against the world champion's Grunfeld Defence, Yermolinsky was getting along fine till the middle game when Kasparov moved in for his kill. Then followed a queen exchange and Kasparov used his highly active knight to perfection and got the full point in 47 moves.

In an all-Dutch affair Jeroen Piket defeated his colleague Jan Timman, who had littleto show for his unorthodox opening play in Queen pawn when he inaccurately handled the razor-sharp position his experiment had brought onto the board. Piket won without much fuss in 31 moves.

In the fourth round Anand has white pieces against Rustam Kasimdzhanov while Kasparov play with white against Topalov and Kramnik has white against Dmitri Reinderman.

RESULTS

Shirov (2) drew with Anand (2.5), Topalov (2) drew with Kramnik (2), Kasimdzhanov (1.5) drew with Sokolov (1), Piket (1.5) beat Timman (1), Van Wely (1) drew with Ivanchuk (1.5), Reinderman (0.5) drew with Svidler (1.5), Yermolinsky (0.5) lost to Kasparov (2.5).