Kasparov, Kramnik joint winners

Kasparov, Kramnik joint winners
UNITED NEWS OF INDIA

LINARES, MARCH 11: For the first time in the history of the Linares Super GM chess tournament, two players, Russians Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik, shared the top place and were declared joint winners at the end of the 17th edition of the tournament.

All three games in the final round, including the one between Anand and Kasparov, ended in draws. There was a tie on points for the first time in 15 years as both Kramnik and Kasparov had six points each while the remaining four players, including Anand, had an identical 4.5 points each.

So there were just two positions -- either joint first or joint second.

For Anand, who scored a win over Khalifmann in the ninth round and had a draw with Kasparov in the 10th, the second-half of the tournament seemed much better than the first, where he lost third and fourth rounds in succession.

The Anand-Kasparov game, in which Anand played the Petroff Defence again and drew in 30 games, was the longest of the tournament. Neither was under any tension and it showed as both were relaxed.

Kramnik and Leko drew in 26 moves from a Queen's Pawn Opening while Khalifmann and Shirov were the first to finish their engagement in 17 moves of a Slav Defence Opening.

Final standings

1-2: G Kasparov and V kramnik (both Russia) 6 points

1.e4 e5; 2.Nf3 Nf6; 3.Nxe5 d6; 4.Nf3 Nxe4; 5.d4 d5; 6.Bd3 Nc6; 7.0-0 Be7; 8.c4 Nb4; 9.Be2 0-0; 10.Nc3 B6; 11.a3 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Nc6; 13.cxd5 Qxd5; 14.Re1 Bb7; 15.Bd3 Rae8; 16.c4 Qd8 17.d5 Nb8; 18.Qc2 g6; 19.Ne5 Bf6; 20.Bb2 Nd7; 21.f4 Bg7; 22.Qf2 Nc5; 23.Bc2 Qd6; 24.Re3 f6; 25.Ng4 Rxe3; 26.Qxe3 Bc8; 27.f5 bxf5; 28.bxf5 gxf5; 29.Nf2 Ne4; 30.Nxe4 Draw agreed.