Kasparov was once again in irresistible form as he outclassed fellow Russian Peter Svidler to reach six points and is threatening to make the tournament a no-contest.

Indian GM Anand was forced to split the point with white pieces against Vassily Ivanchuk while Kramnik was also held to a draw, by Michael Adams.

Anand, who has a good plus score against Ivanchuk, was up against a Caro-Kann defence. Ivanchuk, who has not had a good tournament having twice lost on time, seemed content with safety play. Anand too was not inclined to push beyond a point and accepted the draw.

Kasparov showed he was moving to new levels with black pieces as the world's highest rated player maintained a cent percent record by winning all four gameswith black pieces.

This must be a rarity at this level where starting with white is supposed to give a slight but sometimes decisive advantage.

Employing his favourite Sicilian defence in which he has now prepared so thoroughly to pose danger to white every time, he came up with a powerful opening, his hallmark and outplayed Svidler-- who had held him in the first round.

Bulgarian Topalov seemed to hold slender victory chances with white against Kramnik's Petroff defence game. But Topalov gamble of a sacrifice did not pay off and the two split the point. Peter Leko of Hungary drew with Adams.

In the ninth round, Leko will clash with Anand, Kasparov with white takes on Ivanchuk, Adams faces Topalov and Kramnik with white meets Svidler.

Results (eighth round)

Svidler (3) lost Kasparov (6); Anand (4.5) drew with Ivanchuk (3); Topalov (3.5) drew with Kramnik (4.5); Leko (3.5) drew with Adams (4).

Short clinches title

DHAKA: British Grandmaster Nigel Short scored a fantastic lastround victory over Peter Szekely of Hungary before edging past the joint-leader Yuri Shulman on more number of wins to annex the fourth United Insurance Chess Tournament here tonight.

Short, who in 1993 broke away from the world ruling body Fide along with Gary Kasparov to form PCA, collected 8.5 points from 12 rounds and was tied for the top spot with Belarussian GM Shulman.

The Englishman was declared winner by virtue of his most number of wins (six) as compared to Shulman, who settled for a draw against India's Neelotpal Das in just nine moves today. Shulman had five wins in his 8.5 points, but the prize-money of $1550 was divided equally between the two.

Earlier in the day, both the Indians-- IM Abhijit Kunte and Neelotpal Das-- played safe draws.

Kunte, who missed a chance of GM norm, was placed seventh with 5.5 points while Das (4.5) was placed 11th in the 13-player tournament featuring seven GMs and five IMs.

In the final round, Kunte drew with Bangladesh's Abdullahal Rakib (5), who finishedon ninth position the table.

Short, who was upset by Neelotpal Das in a previous round, beat Szekely in 54 moves in a Hungarian Sicilian defence with closed variation.