Monaco, March 19 (IANS) Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand bounced back in style by defeating Azerbaijan's Teimour Radjabov 2-0 in the second round of the Melody Amber Blindfold and Rapid Chess Tournament here Monday.
Anand, five-time winner of this unique tournament, outclassed his young opponent Radjabov, first in blindfold with white pieces and then in rapid with black pieces.
The win lifted NIIT-sponsored Anand to second in rapid standings and fourth overall with 2.5 points from four games.
In blindfold, the Anand-Radjabov game was in the Sicilian Sveshnikov and the Indian won in 46 moves. In the rapid, Anand with black pieces took 53 moves in a Nimzo Indian game.
Each round has two games with one each in blindfold and rapid. A total of 12 players figure in the tournament being held in Monaco.
Apart from Anand, the only other players to score a 2-0 verdict in the second round was Russian Vladimir Kramnik, who beat Dutchman Loek Van Wely in both games. Kramnik now shares the overall lead with Armenian Lev Aronian.
Aronian won the rapid event and drew his blindfold game against Hungarian Peter Leko and took his tally to 3.5 points after a 2-0 shut out in first round.
Results:
Round II (Blindfold): Anand beat Radjabov; Ivanchuk drew with Morozevich; Kramnik beat Van Wely; Vallejo Pons beat Carlsen; Svidler drew with Gelfand; Aronian drew with Leko
Rapid: Radjabov lost to Anand; Morozevich drew with Ivanchuk; Van Wely lost to Kramnik; Carlsen drew with Vallejo Pons; Gelfand drew with Svidler; Leko lost to Aronian
Standings:
Round II (Blindfold): 1. Kramnik 2.0; 2. Morozevich, Aronian, Svidler and Ivanchuk 1.5; 6. Gelfand, Vallejo Pons and Anand 1.0; 9. Leko and Carlsen 0.5; 11. Radjabov and Van Wely 0
Rapid: 1. Aronian 2.0; 2. Anand, Ivanchuk and Kramnik 1.5; 5. Morozevich, Carlsen, Gelfand and Leko 1.0; 9. Radjabov, Svidler and Vallejo Pons 0.5; 12. Van Wely 0
Combined: 1. Aronian and Kramnik 3.5; 3. Ivanchuk 3.0; 4. Morozevich and Anand 2.5; 6. Gelfand and Svidler 2.0; 8. Leko, Carlsen and Vallejo Pons 1.5; 11. Radjabov 0.5; 12. Van Wely 0