MOSCOW, Dec 13: India’s chess world title-holder Viswanathan Anand crashed out of the 2001-02 championship Thursday, leaving two Ukrainians to dispute next month’s eight-game final in Moscow.

Anand, the tournament favourite who was playing white, went down to Vassily Ivanchuk in 42 moves after the Ukrainian gained two widely separated passed pawns in a bishop-against-knight ending.

Ranked the world’s third-strongest player, Anand had been expected to win through to the FIDE (World Chess Federation) championship final after drawing with the black pieces Tuesday, and in two earlier semi-final games.

Ivanchuk’s compatriot Ruslan Ponomariov qualified as expected by drawing in 18 moves with Russia’s Peter Svidler, having won with the black pieces on Tuesday. Their first two games were drawn.

Ivanchuk is ranked sixth in the Elo international ratings, and Ponomariov 21st.

The championship final will begin on January 16.

The world’s two strongest players by Elo rating, Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik, have boycotted the FIDE tournament.

In the FIDE women’s world championship, already at the final stage, Russia’s Alexandra Kostenyuk won the fourth game in a six-game series to equalise against China’s Zhu Chen at 2.0-2.0.—AFP