Anand, The 'VISWA NATHAN'

Chess Grand Master Viswanathan Anand regained the world title after seven years with an unbeaten run in the tournament held in Mexico City.The 37-year-old world number one finished with nine points in the 14-round event to edge Russian defending champion Vladimir Kramnik by one point, the tournament Web site www.chessmexico.com said.
Anand secured victory following a quick draw against Hungary's Peter Leko in the final round late on Saturday, they said.Kramnik was second on a tie-break after he and Israel's Boris Gelfand both finished with eight points each. Leko was fourth, a further point adrift.

In 1992, Viswanathan Anand won the Reggio Emilia super tournament (Italy); since then, he became one of the best players of the world. In 1995, he competed in the PCA chess championship against Kasparov (he lost after a close encounter). In 1998, he was defeated by Karpov in the FIDE world chess championship. Several times he has occupied the second place of the international classification, mainly after his victories in high level events, like Linares 1998 and in Wijk ann Zee (five times). Thanks to his victory in the Morelia-Linares tournament, he currently (April, 2007) occupies, with 2786 points of rating, the first place in the world classification. In 2000, he got his greatest achievement when he won the official FIDE World Title in New Delhi.
He has a universal game style based in a great tactical ability and in a deep theoretical training. He is characterized by his unusual game speed, due to his formidable natural talent has leaded him to the victory of countless rapid paces of game chess tournaments. Because of his charisma and relation skills, he is one of the most popular elite players between fans.

Place of Birth: Madras, India

Date of birth: December 11th, 1969

Current FIDE rating: 2792

Current position in FIDE list: 1st (April 2007)

Highest FIDE rating: 2803 (April, 2006. 2nd place behind Topalov)

Highest position in the list: 1st (April and June 2007)

Most important achievements:
- In 1987, he became Junior World Chess Champion, and the Grand Master title.
- FIDE world champion, Teheran, Iran, 2000.
- Five times winner of the Wijk ann Zee tournament.

Great return from Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar made another headlines in international cricket by taking a first over clean bowled wicket of South African captain Graeme Smith and with an impressive 4-43performance. With his brilliance Pakistan restrict South Africa to 233-9 in the fifth and final one-day match played at Gaddafi Stadiu, Lahore . Akhtar was playing his first one-day international in 13 months.
Akhtar missed the preceding two Tests and first four one-dayers as part of a 13-match ban for disciplinary lapses, including hitting teammate Mohammad Asif with a bat ahead of the Twenty20 world championship last month.
He bowled Graeme Smith with the third legitimate delivery of the innings for nought. He got Jak Kallis, Mark boucher and Albi Morkel later.
Pakistan rested the pace pair of Umar Gul and Mohammad Asif. They also dropped opener Yasir Hameed to bring in Akhtar, Sohail Tanveer and Imran Nazir.
The match was relocated from the southern city of Karachi after South Africa raised security concerns .