World chess champion Viswanathan Anand inched closer to retaining his title with a draw Friday against Russian challenger Vladimir Kramnik in the eighth game of their championship match. The draw gave Anand, of India, a 5.5-2.5 advantage in the 12-game match and left him needing only one point - one win, or two draws - from the last four games to keep the title. Anand, with Black, switched from the Meran Defense that had already brought him two victories in the match, opting instead for the Ragozin Variation of the Queens Gambit Declined. Anand's preparation once again proved superior as he uncorked a novelty on move 10. Asked afterward if he had again been caught by Anand's preparation, Kramnik said: “That's a fair assessment. “This time it was not so dramatic because my position was solid, but it's always more pleasant when you surprise your opponent,” he said. Although Kramnik had the superior pawn structure, Anand's novelty gave him an approximately equal position when he made a slight inaccuracy on move 14 and White had a small but persistent edge. “For the first time in the match I had a slightly better position,” Kramnik said. “It was quite pleasing. I got certain pressure and Black's position became really dangerous.” Anand concurred, saying that “White's better, there's no doubt about it. Black's position is worse but still defensible.” His king was in the center and his rook awkwardly placed, and Kramnik had more space and attacking chances. Kramnik's success, however, has always been based on slow positional pressure and naked aggression is not his style. He thus passed on several promising lines, apparently hoping for an endgame where he could exploit his superior pawn structure. He practically admitted as much in criticizing his 22nd move as “a bit slow.” Anand had time to untangle his king and rook while Kramnik continued to press. His opportunities had passed, however. Anand said that his 32nd move was the “last accurate move required and it's basically a draw.” Kramnik soon conceded the inevitable. Anand will have the white pieces in game nine Sunday. The moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 Bb4 6. Bg5 c5 7. Bxc4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qa5 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Bxf6 Bxb5 11. Ndxb5 gxf6 12. O-O Nc6 13. a3 Bxc3 14. Nxc3 Rg8 15. f4 Rd8 16. Qe1 Qb6+ 17. Rf2 Rd3 18. Qe2 Qd4 19. Re1 a6 20. Kh1 Kf8 21. Ref1 Rg6 22. g3 Kg7 23. Rd1 Rxd1+ 24. Nxd1 Kh8 25. Nc3 Rg8 26. Kg2 Rd8 27. Qh5 Kg7 28. Qg4+ Kh8 29. Qh5 Kg7 30. Qg4+ Kh8 31. Qh4 Kg7 32. e5 f5 33. Qf6+ Kg8 34. Qg5+ Kh8 35. Qf6+ Kg8 36. Re2 Qc4 37. Qg5+ Kh8 38. Qf6+ Kg8 39. Qg5+ Kh8 draw agreed.
