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Anand does the star turn

Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand (4) of India outplayed British Grandmaster Michael Adams (3) and took a commanding lead at the end of fifth round of Sparkassen Chess Meeting Super Tournament being played here.

Hungarian Grandmaster Peter Leko (3.5) is Anand's closest rival now as computer program JUNIOR 6 (2.5) was comprehensively beaten by top seeded Vladimir Kramnik (3) of Russia.

Anand was ready to take on Adams in the latter's pet Marshal Gambit in Spanish Opening. The Indian accepted the gambit pawn, as he had done previously in the tournament at Dos Hermanas last year against the same opponent. This time Anand was ready with a new move that upset Adams' plan of attack.

Anand's twentieth move, of temproraily sacrificing his knight, was admired by all the Grandmasters watching the game in the packed auditorium.

Anand, who is making a determined comeback after losing his world number 2 spot to Kramnik, played the counterattack with a vengeance. But when the position demanded, like a true professional, he exchanged the queens and simplified the game without taking any undue risks.

Michael Adams, who is considered an undisputed authority on the ultrasharp Marshal Attack, was reduced to playing passively and he resigned after 46 moves, when Anand threatened to win a third pawn.

Top seeded Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik (3) staged a determined comeback by outclassing the dreaded computer software Junior 6 with a rarely played Stonewall Attack. Grandmaster Harzvi of Israel called this opening ''anti-computer system''.

Kramnik launched a whirlwind offensive on the Black King. Junior 6, which had withstood all the efforts to undermine it by the other Grandmasters till date, crumbled against the onslaught. Kramnik broke open the Black castle with some determined strokes.

When it appeared that the software had guarded against all the immediate threats, Kramnik came up with a dazzling Queen sacrifice on 30th move which swerved the game in his favour. It was Junior 6's first loss in this Super Tournament.

Peter Leko (3.5) maintained his second spot with a convincing win over Russian Grandmaster Evegeny Bareev (2). In the Caro Kann Defence, Leko forfeited his right to castle but maintained his initiative. Bareev could not take advantage of the poorly placed king and was soon outplayed in the ending.

The sixth round will witness Kramnik-Anand and Adams-Leko clashes, the former being the highlight as Anand takes on the man who earlier this year took the number two slot from the Indian ace.

White: V.Anand (India) Black: M Adams (Eng)

1.e4 e5 2. nf3 nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. o-o Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 o-o 8.c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Bxe5 c6 12. Re1 Bd6 13. d3 Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Re4 Qf5 16. Nd2 Qg6 17.Re1 f5 18.a4 Rb8 19. axb5 axb5 20. Ne4 fxe4 21. dxe4 Bg4 22.Qd4 Bf3 23. exd5 c5 24. qh4 Rbe8 25.Be3 Qf5 26. Racl Be4 27.Bdl Bxd5 28. Bc2 Qf3 29. Qxh7 +Kf7 30. Qf5 +Kg8 31.Qxf3 Bxf3 32. Bd3 c4 34. Bg2 Bh5 35.Bd4 Rxe1 +36.Rxe1 Bf7 37. Ral b4 38. cxb4 bxb4 39. Ra8 Rxa8 40.Bxa8 g5 41. Kg2 Kh7 42.Be4+kh6 43.Be3 kh5 44.h3 Be6 45. g4 +Adams resigned the game.