bahneh's world

Reigning world chess champion Viswanathan Anand has done it all. He's won with black (twice!) and now he's claimed an all-important white win.

He's done it in a merry mix of styles as well, braving through a dangerous forest of complex variations in Game 3 and Game 5, while grinding down challenger Vladimir Kramnik in a largely positional struggle in Game 6 of their World Chess Championship match in Bonn, Germany.

So at exactly the halfway mark, the score now stands 4.5-1.5 for Anand with three decided games (all for the Indian champion) and three draws.

The first game of the final half starts in less than 24 hours from now and surely the stage is set for what could be a monumental comeback and an exciting finale, or one of the biggest triumphs (or frustrations - depends on which side of the fence you're standing) in the history of the world chess championships.

And of course, what a way it is to start the final stretch as the world anticipates how Kramnik, playing white in Game 7, will react (among a ton of other things) to his back-to-back losses against Anand's energetic play with the black pieces.

Another tactical slugest? I sure am looking forward to it.