Chess: A victory despite odds

AFTER four rounds of the Interzonal tournament in Biel, Switzerland, the lead is shared by Bareyev, Khalifman and Gurevich, on 3 1/2 points, with Anand, Salov, Gelfand, Kamsky, Korchnoi, Speelman, Pigusov, van der Sterren and Barua on 3. Some of the favourites, such as Vasily Ivanchuk and Michael Adams, on 2 points, and Judit Polgar, 1 1/2 , will have to work hard to be among the 10 qualifiers for the World Championship Candidates matches.

The most exciting game has been Anand's third round win. He sacrificed a pawn at move 17, but had to tread delicately after Ftacnik gave up a knight to expose his king. With king and queen both under attack, it looked impossible for Anand to survive, but he kept dodging the blows, finally returning material to reach a winning endgame.

----------------------------------------------------------------- White: Anand ----------------------------------------------------------------- Black: Ftacnik ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1 e4 c5 20 Kb1 Nxb2 2 Nf3 d6 21 fxe6 0-0-0 3 d4 cxd4 22 Kxb2 Na4+ 4 Nxd4 Nf6 23 Kc1 b3 5 Nc3 a6 24 Nxb3 Ba3+ 6 Be3 e6 25 Kb1 Nc3+ 7 f3 b5 26 Ka1 Qa4 8 g4 h6 27 Qd3 Bb4 9 Qd2 Bb7 28 Nc1 Kb8 10 h4 b4 29 Bd4 Rc8 11 Nce2 d5 30 Be5+ Ka7 12 e5 Nfd7 31 Qe3+ Rc5 13 f4 Nc5 32 Rd3 Qxc2 14 Bg2 Nbd7 33 Bxc3 Bxc3+ 15 0-0-0 Be7 34 Rxc3 Qxc3+ 16 g5 h5 35 Qxc3 Rxc3 17 f5 Nxe5 36 exf7 Rf8 18 Nf4 Nc4 37 g6 1-0 19 Qe2 Qa5 -----------------------------------------------------------------