It's 4-4 after eight games

The deadlock continued as World Champion Viswanathan Anand's Houdini-act helped him salvage draws in the 7th and 8th game match against Braingames Match winner GM Vladimir Kramnik of Russia in the Mainz Chess Classics rapid festival in Germany.

With the score at 4-4 and only two more games remaining in the 10-game match the stage is set for the grand finale tomorrow when the last two games will be played.

It was an escape from the jaws of defeat for Anand in the 7th game as he survived from a completely lost position.

Kramnik made a swift and sweet shift to his existing Berlin and other Ruy Lopez repertoire and entered wild complications of the Sicilian defence with black pieces for the first time in the match.

Anand with his reputation of a 'Sicilian killer' rolled his pawns on the king side early in the opening to ensure a bloody batlle but was soon on the defensive as Kramnik made decisive headway on the queenside with his queen knight pawn advance.

Anand changed gears soon and castled on the king side but following a brilliant Knight sortie in the centre, lost a pawn without much compensation. It was time to bring about his famous defensive act together and Anand sacrificed another pawn to exchange queens and temporarily shun Kramnik's pieces to make a foray in his camp. The battle continued in a topsy-turvy manner from there on.

But Anand's luck held fast. He managed to salvage two draws mainly due to the fact the Kramnik was in time trouble.

With only two games remaining in the match-up of champions, Sunday promises to be an exciting day.