Can Viswanathan Anand deliver the knockout punch?

With the match becoming extremely close and without anyone taking a clear lead after 10 rounds of the World Chess Championship, the remaining two rounds have become crucial. The biggest question is who will deliver the knock-out punch.

Reigning Champion Viswanathan Anand and Veselin Topalov are tied at 5-5 and one victory and a draw is what either of them need for the title. In case of a tie after 12 games, it will be resolved by four rapid games on May 13.

The rest day on Saturday would have been the most tense one as the players would have decided on their final strategy, spruced up their opening and most importantly tried to shrug off the fatigue factor in this intensely fought tussle. Anand and Topalov were non-committal when asked about the outcome of the match. "It is difficult to reflect but it is a very intense match," said Anand. "The rest day will be spent in a combination of rest and preparation," he added.

The draw in the 10th game appeared to have cheered him up for he secured the result after a careless move had landed him in some difficulty. This would definitely have helped Anand psychologically, as the two previous games, number eight and nine would have been playing on his nerves. In the eighth game, after some good defence, he dropped his guard momentarily and ended up on the losing side in what should have been a draw.

In Game Nine, Anand missed many winning chances and had to settle for a draw. Asked whether the game haunted him psychologically, the Indian shrugged and said "I did think about the ninth game a little, had dinner in my room but went to sleep immediately."

Anand has the advantage of the White pieces in the 11th game today and this should boost him as all four decisive games in this match so far have favoured White.