San Luis 2005 9789197600521, 9197600520

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San Luis 2005

Alik Gershon & Igor Nor Quality Chess www.

qualitychess books. com

San Luis 2005 First edition 2007 by Quality Chess Europe AB Second edition 2007 by Quality Chess UK LLP Copyright© Alik Gershon & Igor Nor 2007 The rights of Alik Gershon & Igor Nor to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying,

recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. All sales or enquiries should be directed to Quality Chess UK LLP, 20 Balvie Road, Milngavie, Glasgow, G62 7TA, United Kingdom e-mail: [email protected] website: www.qualitychessbooks.com Distributed in US and Canada by SCB Distributors, Gardena California

www .scbdistributors.com

Edited by Jacob Aagaard & John Shaw Typeset: Ari Ziegler & Jacob Aagaard (2nd edition) Proofreading: Jacob Aagaard & Colin McNab Cover Design: Carole Dunlop Printed in Estonia by Tallinna Raamatutrukikoja LLC The photos in this book are all taken from the official tournament website. ISBN: 91-976005-2-0 ISBN 13: 978-91-976005-2-1

Contents Foreword by Veselin Topalov

5

Foreword by Nigel Short

7

Preface by Mihail Marin

13

Introduction

17

Round 1

41

Round 2

67

Round 3

113

Round 4

141

Round 5

167

Round 6

197

Round 7

227

Half way report

251

Round 8

253

Round 9

279

Round 10

309

Round 11

337

Round 12

365

Round 13

391

Round 14

413

Tournament table of second half

432

Afterword

432

Full tournament table

433

Chess in the New Millennium or Binary Conspiracies

435

Postscript

441

Players Index

442

Openings Index

443

Igor Nor

Alik Gershon

5

Foreword by Veselin Topalov 1he world championship in San Luis was one of the most difficult, tense, hard-fought and important tournaments I have ever played and because of this it was undoubtedly the most rewarding victory in my chess career. By the end of the tournament I was exhausted both physically and emotionally, but today I can look back and say that all the effort my team and I have made in the last years proved itself in this tournament. The world championship is the right place for any player to show his best in the very tensest situation. From that point of view I am very satisfied with my level in the tournament. I did not play the most beautiful games of my career, but I think my level of play was high. At this point it is the right place to express my gratitude to all the people who supported me before the tournament and during the course of it and helped me to achieve this level, especially my trainer and manager Silvio Danailov and my second in the past year I van Cheparinov. Two critical games of the event I will remember the most are the win in the first round, when Leko and I were both very nervous and made mistakes, and the win against Svidler, which put me one and a half points ahead of my pursuers. After this I had a clear tournament ad vantage, even though it brought a lot of pressure and forced me to play stronger and stronger in order not to waste it. Browsing through the pages of this book I relive the tension that could be felt in the playing hall. I can feel the pressure on each player's shoulders, the concerns, the doubts- move after move, decision af ter decision, and I am very happy that the authors stood up to the challenge, were not misled by the players' names and Elo's, and managed to compose such detailed and objective analysis, which is worthy of the games played in San Luis. Based on this tournament, the double round robin format seems to be a great idea for finding the world champion. Almost all the games in this tournament saw uncompromising battles, from start to end. All the players made their best efforts , without taking time-outs with short draws, and

at

the end

of the day we managed to produce many memorable games, novelties, moves and blunders. It is the kind of chess that has a future and can bring more and more fans to our game. It is the chess I love, and this is what makes me especially happy and proud to be the winner of such an event.

YeselinTopalov, Spain, August 2006

7

Foreword by Nigel Short The flight from Buenos Aires began with the jollity of a school outing. A sudden strike had necessitated the chartering of a smallish plane. Chess being a microcosm, each and every member of our party, player or official, was well known to each other. The passengers engaged in pleasant banter and rejoiced in clear views of the sparsely populated landscape below, until shortly bef ore our de scent into San Luis. Suddenly an abrupt and unpleasant buffeting of the plane raised a few eyebrows, but being experienced fliers we did not panic unduly. Alas, the turbulence continued with vigour. Glancing around at my colleagues, who were ranged between postures of considerable di scom fiture and abject prostration, I attempted a note of macabre levity. " Shut the fuck up" came the response from a distinctly sick-looking Peter Svidler, as my normally mild-mannered and polite friend prepared to meet his maker in silence. Touching down, our aircraft veered terrifyingly all over the runway, but eventually was brought to a safe standstill, to our great relief. Mter effusive local greetings and 1V interviews, we eventually decamped to the Hotel Potrero de los Funes complex-a good few kilometres outside of the modest city of San Luis itself- which served as both venue and domicile for all the players and some of the officials for the duration of the event. 1he hotel was comfortable, isolated and attractively situated by a lake surrounded by gently undulating hills. The sunrise at breakfast was spectacular indeed. A " Chess Box"- essentially an auditorium with accompanying rooms for media etc.-had been specially constructed for the tournament and adjoined the lodgings.

Playing conditions inspected Next day, Israel Gelfer, the FI D E official charged with ensuring that playing conditions were satisfactory, asked for my assistance on his tour of inspection. As an experienced grandmaster I was more than happy to aid him in assessing the quality of light, comfort of chairs, proximity of toilets etc. Nevertheless, it struck me that the checking of such important matters should not have been left until last minute. Besides, my obligations in San Luis were to the Argentineans (producing written daily reports on proceedings) and not to FI D E: had I been extremely busy or disinclined to help, there was no obvious expert replacement. Gelfer could certainly have done the job adequately himself, but doubtless then some small details would have been overlooked - and details must be attended to in World Championships. Even as it was, final preparations would proceed over the next couple of days quite literally up until the final seconds, with nameplates being affixed by arbiters, while players, with an air of martyrdom, stood by patiently waiting to assume their seats. Which brings me on to the activities of the San Luis Appeals Committee: whilst we had one of the most vital and potentially controversial tournaments in the history of chess, where were these august FI D E gentlemen to be found? Usually not in the playing hall, to be sure. If they did deign to visit the playing complex -and more often they did not, preferring the sanctuary of their town centre hotel, where doubtless they conducted very important business, by the swimming pool and elsewhere-they were usually to be found in the bar area outside the hall. Had there been an official protest-and of this there was a fair chance when one considers that at least three of the other seven San Luis participants strongly suspected skulduggery was afoot- these fine custodians of the game's integrity, those arbiters

8

of higher appeal, would have been hopelessly unfit to pass any judgment. [As was made clear in the Topalov-Kramnik, Elista

2006 match, where two repeat members from San Luis had to resign af ter a

show of obvious incompetence. Ed.] For this job they received their airfare, food and accommodation plus a fee of several thousand dollars- all courtesy of the San Luis taxpayer. The Chairmanship of the Appeals Committee has long been the most sought after sinecure in FIDE, but there were an extraordinarily large number of other spongers and hangers-on present as well. The Honorary President of FIDE, Florencio Campomanes, was, as usual, to be found for the entire duration, again courtesy of the beleaguered Argentineans. Zurab Azmaiparashvili robustly defended the presence of this convicted felon, who has only escaped a prison sentence for embezzlement in the Philippines by being over the age of

70, by insisting to me, in what I would describe as a physically

intimidatory manner, that organizers specifically request Campomanes' presence to add lustre to their events. 1he more cynical and perhaps accurate explanation for such munificent hospitality would be that organizers of these official tournaments do not feel they have any choice whatsoever.

Women's World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova also graced us with her presence for the month, and for which she did actually give a simultaneous exhibition - work, as is well-known, expanding to fill the time available for its completion. Since generously laying her talents at FIDE's disposal at Tripoli, Libya,

2004 she has been a more-or-less permanent feature on the FIDE merry-go-round,

abandoning herself willingly to what many would regard as an unpleasant duty. While some, such as Treasurer David Jarrett, undoubtedly had a degree of indispensable work

to

do, the overwhelming impression of the substantial FIDE bureaucracy present in San Luis - mostly Aown in at great expense from different continents -was one of sloth and indolence, if not downright decadence. When people question why FIDE has been incapable of attracting major corporate sponsorship over the last decade or so, they need look no further than the regulations of the World Championship, with its massive institutionalised gravy train, for their answers. No serious company is going to tolerate such waste.

9 The dynamic Governor, Alberto Rodriguez Saa, however doubtless considered this a price worth paying for bringing a prestige event to what is, after all, a relative backwater (albeit a most charming and attractive one). The Governor's enthusiasm and indeed that of all his organizational, administrative and support staff was impressive. 1here were a few teething problems at first, which I have alluded to, but one by one these were overcome with cheerfulness, competence and determination. I would like to thank everyone involved with hosting and organizing San Luis for making it such a great pleasure to witness one of the most important tournaments in recent chess history.

Gradually all the participants arrived Gradually all the participants arrived. Peter Leko, accompanied by his wife Sophie, and father-in-law/ coach Arshak Perrosian had been the only one to take the "very comfortable" overnight coach (who

was he kidding?). However in view of the near-death experience that many of us had endured, our mirth was somewhat muted: the Magyar had been smarter than us all. 1he money was mostly on Y iswanathan Anand, Yeselin Topalov and Peter Leko, with the Indian being the favourite. 1he mercurial Alexander Morozevich also had his backers, as did Peter Svidler and Michael Adams. The punters were convinced that Rustam Kasimdzhanov's brief reign as World Champion was sure to end. This was perhaps to undervalue the subtle qualities of the uxorious Uzbek, but it should be admitted that even his devoutest supporters gave him no more than an outside chance. He did not help his odds by declining the services of an analyst- in my view, a grotesque but psy­ chologically understandable error, which was shared by England's Michael Adams. 1hese two, lest we forget, had been finalists of Tripoli

2004 - surely the weakest World Championship in history.

10 The temptation for each of them was to suppose

FIDE officials (who are divided by a chasm of un­

that having produced his career best result without

derstanding) I did nor, however, wish to disturb

an analyst in Libya, he could do so again in Argen­

any participant- well knowing, from experience,

tina. In this they failed to grasp the simple fact

the solemnity and sacredness of top-level chess.

that nor only was San Luis a significantly stronger

My awkwardness was erased when I was invited to

event, bur it was held according to a totally differ­

join the Bulgarian table, rhus setting a precedent

ent format. While preparing for each and every

that would last until the end of the tournament.

opponent

with

After Topalov's vic­

both colours in a

tory over Leko in

large

round one, I be­

knock-our like

came his talisman,

Tripoli was next to

tournament

and was practically

impossible, it most

forbidden

certainly was possi­

dining

from

anywhere

ble and even man­

else. 1his was all

datory in San Luis.

done in good hu­

Completing star-studded

the line­

mour, with Silvio Danailov

up was Judir Pol­

tiously

gar - the perennial

my

crowd

I

pleaser

sat

ostenta­ polishing

chair

before

down,

bur

back to competitive

there was a serious

chess af ter a lengthy

element to it roo:

maternity

leave.

chess players, like

Her high ranking

many other sports­

was

men, are a little su­

testament

to

her ability to sur­

perstitious.

vive at the strata-

1har initial win

sphere. Bur would

set the tone. Play­

she win? While ex­

ing

perts considered a

provocatively

with Black, Topal­

top four finish to be well within her grasp, nor

ov had overstepped rhe limits of what his position

many could seriously imagine a woman as World

could objectively endure. Leko, in a complicated

Champion. Could this be construed as evidence

situation, failed to find a couple of powerf ul forc­

of sexism? Well, perhaps . . . or maybe just an accu­

ing lines . With those opportunities squandered, he

rate evaluation of probability.

was left only with the defects of an inferior pawn

Venturing into the dining room at lunchtime,

structure and misplaced knight, and was duly

on the day of the first round I faced a dilemma . I

gunned down. Topalov was unrepentant about his

was nor parr of any group and yet being gregarious

"incorrect" play. He had posed his esteemed op­

by nature, I did nor wish to ear alone. Instinctively

ponent difficult problems that he had been unable

preferring the company of fellow grandmasters to

to solve. He was nor the least bit concerned that

II

he had been theoretically lost, as chess is a competitive sport and not an exact science. Nevertheless, he did not play quite so recklessly in subsequent games... Early on Peter Svidler astutely remarked that two elements - theoretical preparation and physical fitness - were becoming increasingly important in modern chess. Rather too modestly he considered his own opening knowledge de ficient, but he also pointed to his own somewhat flabby bulk as a likely inhibiting factor in his own success. He considered that his energy levels would be O K for around eight rounds, but thereaf ter he would suffer.

Kasparov's tip for victory It was a thought-provoking observation and one that was partly prescient. Kasparov's tip for victory - the absurdly talented, but distinctly unathletic Indian, Yishy Anand, did not fully hit his stride. Instead San Luis was to prove Topalov's resounding triumph. 1he lean and fit-looking Bulgarian exuded such dynamism and energy, in the first half in particular, as to be a veritable tornado. Others were left trailing in his destructive wake. 1he in-form Svidler - remarkably unfancied for someone who had been Russian Champion on no less than four occasions-could perhaps have given effective chase, had he not succumbed with W hite to Topalov in round five. Hit by an early tactical blow, he recovered to an endgame of dynamic equality, but then blundered under sustained pressure. Anand, who suffered an early loss to Kasimdzhanov, did not really reach top gear until the second half. By then he had so much ground to make up that only by defeating Toppy could the Tamil legend hope to catch him. W hen this gigantomachy petered out into a disappointing but unavoidable early repetition of moves, the race was almost over. Kasimdzhanov, rightly turning down a cheeky pre-arranged draw apparently offered by Topalov's manager Danailov, spiritedly tried to defeat the Bulgar in what, if he failed to win (possible disqualifications excepted) was sure to be his last game as World Champion. The pressure on Topalov steadily mounted, but just as he appeared in trouble he suddenly extricated himself with an ingenious exchange sacrifice, dramatically turning the tables. Kasimdzhanov was now the one left looking for an e scape, but he duly found it. The Governor of the San Luis Province, Alberto Rodriguez Saa, was the first of the throng around the board to congratulate the new champion. So impressive was Topalov's play throughout that other participants, at a loss to otherwise explain such brilliance, have accused him of metaphorically mastering the dark arts, or, more precisely, receiving outside information. So grave are these charges, so ruinous to a man's reputation that I hesitate to reproduce them here for fear of sullying an innocent victim. Moreover it must also be stressed that no official complaint, or at least not one that required the compulsory $500 deposit, was made in Argentina. Despite this strong caveat, I believe the issues broached by the complainants in private are highly relevant, and are becoming more so, in this computer age. In essence, in an open auditorium, like the one in San Luis, it is exceptionally easy for a member of the audience to surreptitiously communicate with the players. The protagonists were cursorily searched by metal detector prior to each game, but one needs nothing more sophisticated than a man with a laptop outside, text-messaging to a man with a mobile within, followed by a nod and a wink to the player, for the outcome of the World Championship to be decided. And here we are not even talking about tiny wireless earpieces, often

12 made o f plastic, which are becoming ever more difficult to detect. W ith prize money i n the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and with hundreds of thousands more, if not millions, to go in future earnings to the eventual winner, not to mention the vast kudos, the temptation is surely great. 1he issue here is not one of a rank amateur defeating grandmasters in some random event: in that case the amateur would require constant computer input, lest he blunder himself. 1his would result in the machine leaving behind recognisable patterns, which could easily be di scerned later. A top player, on the contrary, would only require occasional cyber assistance to make him (or her) virtually invincible. I estimate that one or two computer-assisted moves per game, communicated at critical junctures,

would be more than sufficient for even the weakest of the elite San Luis participants to win the tournament- the rest they could manage very adequately by themselves. And vitally, there would be no way of detecting such cheating, should it occur, from the game scores alone. By presenting such facile opportunities for gross fraud, F I D E - the governing body of chess is doing no one any favours. 1hose engaged in entirely innocent behaviour - a manager or coach anxiously watching his charge from his assigned (and thereby nearby) seat, for example - can fall under unwarranted suspicion. And those that would wish to offend could, most likely, get away scot­ free. 1he powers that be seem blissfully unaware that they have a colossal time bomb ticking away beneath them. Nigel Short Athens, August 2006

13 Preface by Mihail Marin I believe rhar while raking our first steps in chess every one of us was animated by rhe secret hope of becoming World Champion one day or, as a relatively acceptable Plan-B, reaching rhe latter stages of rhe fight for rhe supreme ririe. Happy are those who managed to achieve this golden aim! 1heir names are entered forever in the history of chess.

. Also happy are those who did nor lose their passion for our favourite game while growing up,

becoming aware of and accepting their own limitations! 1hey will spend the rest of their lives enjoying the others' outstanding artistic achievements. Having failed to qualify for the former category I consider myself fortunate enough to have landed from my youthful daydreams into the latter, much wider, group. And yet, when I was given the opportunity to accompany one of the participants in the World Championship in San Luis as a second, I immediately felt as if all my old dreams came true, though in an indirect way: I was going to breathe the same air as rhe strongest players in the world, to measure my strength against them in the background analytical contest. Bur what thrilled me most was the possibility of watching close-up and from a very favourable angle rhe birth of a new World Champion; to understand those derails rhar make a decisive difference between titans of similar strength. The main body of this book offers comprehensive analytical material on the games of the San Luis Championship. 1he authors have highlighted the winner's strong moves and also some of his minor failures. I will not interfere in any way with them, bur instead try to reveal rhe reality from a more subjective perspective.

14

For a neutral spectator, Topalov's manner of imposing his superiority can hardly leave room for any doubts. By halfway he had managed to distance himself by two whole points from the runner-up, Peter Svidler, a margin that he managed to maintain almost intact up to the end, in spite of making seven consecutive draws in the second half. The fantastic score of 6Y2 out of 7 strongly resembles Fischer's ascension to the throne, but was hard to predict in the era of computerized chess, when the technique of play is (just supposedly) so much higher. It is interesting to follow how several of the participants, including Topalov himself. related to this slightly unusual course of events. One player, apparently the most disappointed of the pre-tournament favourites, seems to have been searching for external, non-chess explanations forTopalov's success. During dinner on the sixth playing day he complained to arbiter Herman van Riemsdijk about the fact that Topalov was playing all his games at the same table. He never raised an official protest, but the conversation was loud enough to be heard by the surrounding players and seconds. The key to the absurdity of the situation was actually offered by the player himself (most probably, not intentionally) when he repeatedly underlined that he finds himself in the middle of the field and is not challengingTopalov's superiority in any way, but is mainly concerned about the principle itself. I wonder: would the gap between the two players have been smaller ifTopalov had been moved from one table to another? The arbiter calmly explained that in round-robin tournaments the player drawing the last number is supposed to play all his games on Board I, which was precisely the case now. 1he player did not give up the fight so easily and mentioned the fact that as a regular participant in super-tournaments he was used to the custom that the central game of each round was played on a certain board, the most visible for the audience in principle. The arbiter replied that this was an official tournament that was supposed to be played in strict accordance with the rules. To my understanding, he could have used the opportunity to fight back with the player's own argument: after all, the game that drew most interest day by day was that ofTopalov, which was an additional argument for keeping him on Board

1, the closest to the V IP area. Anyway, feeling that the player was not totally satisfied with his explanations, Van Riemsdijk made an unofficial inquiry among the other players. Not finding support among his colleagues, the player had to back off. Much later, soon af ter the final move of the championship was made and the last scoresheet was signed, another participant publicly accused Topalov of cheating by using computer assistance. 1he issue of the first board acquired new dimensions in his arguments: since all the seconds had free access to the V IP area, placing Topalov in that zone was supposed to facilitate the transmission of moves from Silvio Danailov. The absurdity of the situation consists of the fact that, to my understanding, one ofTopalov's strong points is his ability to play "anti-computer" chess.Take his only draw from the first half of the tournament, that from the second round against Anand. W hich computer could be of any use when W hite is simply an exchange down af ter the opening? What about the Berlin Defence? Computers claim a clear advantage for W hite from the very beginning. But this was probably just a manifestation of the almost unbearable tension. I believe that the attitude of most of the other participants towards Topalov's play is revealed by the following episode. Mter winning his seventh round game Peter Svidler found himself as sole runner-up (though by a

15

margin of two points). Looking for sensational news, or maybe j ust trying to make the whole issue less one-sided to the readers, journalists asked him during the short press conference whether he considered himself Topalov's main challenger in the remaining half of the tournament. Svidler was amused by the question and made it clear that the leader would most probably have no challenger at all until the end of the championship. He described his attitude with the words: "Just watch and learn!" I am pretty convinced that Svidler never completely gave up hope of catching Topalov, but these are things that are better kept to oneself rather than making them public. This is chess, not boxing, and we are nor s upposed to intimidate the opponents by aggressive or over-optimistic statements. I could notice a symmetrical attitude from Topalov himself. As he advanced towards the highest peak

of his career, he was assaulted with questions such as: "Now that you are leading by

n

points, do you

believe that you can count on becoming World Champion?" Topalov used to make a small grimace, possibly an expression of a complex mixture of amusement, modesty and realism, and explain that there is a lor of fight lef t, that any accident he would eventually suffer could change the course of the tournament. Actually, it looked as if the Bulgarian grandmaster tried hard to convince the audience that he was indeed going to "lose" the ririe. Another interesting issue is that of Topalov's completely different score in the two halves of the tournament: j ust half a point below 100% in the first

7 rounds and a mere 50% in the second part.

To some observers, this might have looked like a thoroughly prepared plan of action, based on optimisation of effort or something of that kind.

I do not believe that Topalov or his manager had any special plan regarding the distribution of points between the two parts of the championship. He won so many games in the beginning because he found himself in better form and was much more relaxed than his opponents. I cannot know how he managed to accomplish the former, but I witnessed the external manifestation of the latter. Watching Topalov's general behaviour, one could notice that he did not look like a professional who arrived determined to win a World Championship, but more like a player who wanted to spend a couple of enjoyable weeks playing chess. More than once he could be seen having a leisurely breakfast, followed by amiable chats, while other players hurried to prepare for the game. At lunch Topalov

16

and his seconds used to sit at the same table as Nigel Short and listen to the Englishman's enjoyable anecdotes. Many players prefer to preserve their energy and focus for the game by having short, silent lunches, but this can sometimes have a reversed effect. Good form and relaxed mood are hardly enough to win one game after another in such strong company. By his general approach towards chess, Topalov was optimally suited for such a tough, uncompromising fight. It is no coincidence that the so-called Sofia-rule, prohibiting draw offers unless the position has exhausted all its resources, was introduced by Silvio Danailov, trainer and manager ofTopalov for so many years. In an epoque when relatively short draws occur with annoying frequency, it certainly takes a lot of energy to play for a win independently of the mood of that day or of the position on the board. 1he uninterrupted series of 7 draws from the second half was by no means the result of "premeditation".Topalov missed a couple of chances because he committed more inaccuracies than in the first half, possibly as a consequence of tiredness. Or, the other players might have simply improved their form af ter more than one week of playing and relaxed a bit now the fate of the tournament was already more or less decided. During the past years there has been a lot of talk about the part played by the reigning World Champion in the evolution of chess life in general. From this point of view, I am firmly convinced that the result from San Luis will mark a good turning point. We now have an active World Champion, who loves his job and does not retreat into his ivory tower trying to squeeze more and more favours from his position on a scale of values that could possibly become outdated. As I am writing these lines, Topalov has already signed the contracts for two matches for the supreme title. Could we, as chess fans, dream of more? Chess history contains many outstanding tournaments in its archives, but we tend to remember best those which are covered by well-written tournament books. W hile travelling from Europe to South America, I could not help thinking about the Candidates' Tournament from Ziirich 1953 and Bronstein's book about it. I hope the book you hold in your hands becomes a reliable and long-lasting testimony about one of the most remarkable Chess World Championships! Mihail Marin Second of Judit Polgar in San Luis Bucharest, May 2006

17

Introduction Monday, January 11th 1886, New York, USA 1he first move of the first official World Chess Championship match between W ilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort is played, beginning a wonderf ul tradition of determining 1he Best of Best. Curiously enough, the second part of that match will be held in St. Louis, Missouri ...

119 years later: San Luis, Argentina It is a very different world, with chess radically changed, and subsequently a different San Luis. 1here is, however, one great similarity in that it might be a turning point for our beloved game. 1he match in 1886 put a start to 107 years (take out the two years following Alekhine's death) during which everybody knew for a fact who the World Chess Champion was. The Great Thirteen who managed to win the title in the course of those 107 years were all outstanding characters, each possessing great, although very different, chess qualities. 1hey might not always have been the strongest active players on the scene, but no one could question their legitimacy, as they beat the champion in a long, face-to-face match. 1here were two minor exceptions: one mentioned above, and the other after Fischer's retirement, which handed the title to the challenger- Karpov. Every champion brought something special into the game, took it one step forward-which is inevitable if you are able to defeat the previous King of the Hill. Ever since 1993, however, when the world champion and undoubtedly the world's strongest player then- Garry Kasparov-decided to leave F ID E, "taking" the title along, the world of chess hasn't been the same. For the past 12 years a very simple question- ' W ho is the world champion?' would have even the most informed professionals mumbling some obscure answer. 1he reason lay in the existence of two parallel cycles. Each had its own advantages and drawbacks. Kasparov had his own cycle (which would later be unofficially regarded as the " W orld Championship in Classical Chess"), but af ter the 1995 cycle the rules for determining his opponents seemed to be dictated by sponsorship money. Essentially, this took us back to the times of Steinitz, Lasker and Capablanca, when a worthy opponent would have to provide sufficient funds to take a shot at the highest title, or make way for another. The official cycle, the one run by F ID E, was also problematic, especially after they introduced their Knockout World Championship in 1997. Although it had a fairly clear system of who might try their luck, there were obvious drawbacks as well.To begin with, it lacked one small detail: it didn't have the World Number One participating, severely damaging the legitimacy of the championship. Another debatable moment was the format of the world championship itself, with a significantly shortened time control. Although the tournaments were interesting and combative, with plenty of upsets throughout, they seemed to be simply unsuitable for determining a World Chess Champion

18

in its original meaning. One mistake i n a short two-game match or, even worse, a blunder i n rapid tiebreaks, could eliminate even the strongest favourite, as was frequently the case. If it wasn't complicated enough, the situation became even messier with Kasparov's loss to Kramnik in 2000. After he failed to receive a rematch from his opponent, a curious situation occurred: there were still two cycles for the title (each questioning the legitimacy of the other), but in fact the highest rated player was part of neither of them. A promising solution to this awkward situation was imaginatively suggested by GM Yasser Seirawan and picked up by a businessman -Bessel Kok. 1he plan, which is

"

"

known as the Prague Agreement , had only one ultimate goal: to unify the chess world. 1he plan was simple and logical (as much as the situation allowed logic): the current F I DE champion, Ruslan Ponomariov, was to play the World No. 1, Garry Kasparov. Meanwhile the World Classical Chess Champion, V ladimir Kramnik, was to meet the winner of his candidates' tournament, which was scheduled to be held soon after the agreement. This turned out to be Peter Leko. 1he winners of both matches were to meet in a unification match. On the road to fulfilling the agreement there appeared unexpected (or rather expected) obstacles from both sides. The Kasparov-Ponomariov match imploded a mere week before its projected start, and the old F IDE champion was replaced by a new, no less surprising one, Rustam Kasimdzhanov, who managed to knock out virtually all the favourites on his way to the title, including Ivanchuk, Grischuk, Topalov, and finally Adams in the final. Nevertheless, the match between the F IDE World Champion and World No. 1 seemed to lack sporting interest, at least in the eyes of potential sponsors. This led to the match being delayed and later even cancelled. 1his drove Kasparov to announce his retirement from chess. Kramnik, for his part, defended his tide in a nerve-racking match. W inning the first game (out of

14) with the black pieces, Kramnik seemed to be comfortably in the driver's seat. Kramnik had the initiative at the start of the match until in the 5'h round when he, very atypically, lost a slightly worse endgame. The score was now tied and the psychological lead was with the challenger. In the eighth round it was Kramnik's adventurous opening try that allowed Leko to score a beautif ul win and gain the lead in the match, which he managed to cling to entering the final day of the Championships. Just as in the first round, nerves and lack of Championship match experience took their toll. Leko performed below his usual strength (which does not take anything away from Kramnik's powerf ul play in that game). Kramnik scored his second win in the match, right at the vital moment. By drawing the match maintained his " BrainGames" classical tide. However, his overall results in the last couple of years, have been disappointing, to put it mildly. Again the whole point of the unification process, which was to give the world a legitimate Champion, was jeopardized. Kramnik was ready, but had no opponent. Surprisingly, this time F IDE's reaction was reasonable, offering a round-robin tournament featuring the world's top eight players. 1he invitees included the already retired Kasparov, as well as Kramnik. Both naturally refused (each for his own reasons), but nevertheless the line-up featured most of the world's best players. And wasn't that the point of the whole process -to find the best chess player in the world, who would be an acknowledged Champion? Apart from Kramnik, Kasimdzhanov, Leko (as Kramnik's opponent in the Brissago match) and Adams ( Kasimdzhanov's runner-up in F IDE world championships in Tripoli), the selection of the four other

19

participants was based on a n average Elo rating for the July 2004 and January 2005 lists. They were: Kasparov, Anand, Topalov and Morozevich. W ith the withdrawal of Kasparov and Kramnik they were replaced, according to rating, by Svidler and Polgar. Again, there were other people who could (or should) have been included, but in any case it was an important step towards unity, as it featured players who have generally been the strongest and most consistent over the last few years, with perhaps an exception for Judit Polgar, who was absent from the scene for all of 2004, but did show good chess on her return. As the date approached and it became apparent that the Championship would in fact take place, chess fans around the world became excited. With the best players in the world competing, we finally had a chance for a World Champion who was acceptable to the vast majority of the chess-playing population, something that had yet to happen in the new millennium. All the players involved have an immense record of successes. The two most dominant active players in the world -Anand and Topalov-were on the list. Leko, Svidler and Polgar were ranked 3, 5 and 7 respectively (Ivanchuk, who had a fantastic year in 2005 was fourth, but his great play came after the line-up was finalized. Kramnik was the Sixth rated player). Adams and Morozevich have been among the top 5-7 since 2000, but had a rough year in 2005, which brought their ratings down a bit. And last, but not least, Kasimdzhanov. He was the lowest rated, which is natural, as he has had the fewest elite tournament invitations among the group, whereas trying to keep your Elo over 2700 by winning opens is not an easy task. However, he was the reigning FI D E champion, once again proving that Elo and high­ level experience can be compensated by great talent and work. Therefore, the winner of such a double-round tournament, which has the status required of the World Championship, would be a legitimate World Champion. So, it is time to introduce the main actors, with their achievements. Please welcome the Big Eight:

20 Viswanathan Anand- India 2788 age: 36 One of the most shining talents in the history of the game, Anand's play is so versatile that when playing him one can never guess where the storm will come from: will it be an opening bomb, or a sharp attack out of nowhere. Or will he grab a pawn and weather a deadly attack with his usual coolness a nd convert the material later on? 1here is only one thing you do know- it will be fast. Since he often takes up no more than half an hour for his regular games, it is little wonder that Anand is the undisputed king of rapid chess. In fact, af ter Kasparov's retirement he was also the most natural contender to occupy the vacant throne. He has already won the FIDE Knockout championship in Teheran real thing.

2000, but this time he aims for the

Second in San Luis: Danish GM Peter Heine

Nielsen.

Veselin Topalov- Bulgaria 2782 age: 30 W ithout any doubt the honest player in the line-up. Ever since the last FIDE KO in Tripoli (where he scored an amazing

9Vz/10 bef ore being

eliminated by Kasimdzhanov in the semi-finals, in rapid tiebreaks) Topalov has been the most dangerous player in the world. In

2005 he managed

to win both Linares a nd Sofia, which helped boost

51 points to a shared first spot on the 2005 rating list. Such a burst by Topalov

his Elo by July

is not new: he had a similar accomplishment in

1996, impressively gaining 50 points in his 2750 rating. 1he new Topalov has the

leap to a

same intensity but he simply stopped having breakdowns in the middle of the game, a nd this ma kes him a pre-tournament favourite.

Seconds in San Luis: Fellow Bulgarians, the young GM Ivan Cheparinov and manager Silvio Danailov.

21 Peter Leko- Hungary 2751 age: 26 Leko is definitely a veteran o f the elite, hanging around for almost a decade now. Regularly facing the greatest players from such a young age has definitely had a strong impact on the Hungarian's solid, technical, defensive and almost invincible style. Until the beginning of the new millennium the drawback of such a style was the scarcity of wins, and subsequently results around mid-table. However, this has all changed in the past five years, in which he established himself as one of the strongest players in the world. In 2002 he bear Topalov in the Candidates' Final in Dortmund, to go on and press Kramnik in a classical World Championship march. Only a win in the last round in Brissago allowed Kramnik to draw the march, and retain his tide. This sad finish, however, didn't seem to upset Leko, as soon afterwards he went on to complete his career "Grand Slam" of the major tournaments by winning Wij k aan Zee 2005. Second in San Luis: His father-in-law, Armenian GM Arshak Perrosian. Peter Svidler- Russia 2740 age: 29 Svidler's huge talent became evident when he won the Russian Championship for the first time at the age of 18. However, in the late 90's his raring stalled around 2690, and the invitations to super­ tournaments stopped. 1he needed boost came in 2004 with the birth of his twin daughters, after which Svidler became simply unstoppable, unleashing all his might on his opponents. Once the smoke cleared Svidler was fourth in the world, behind Kasparov, Kramnik and Anand. Two years passed, and Svidler is a lor more confident in himself, and perhaps is ready to rake his play one level higher. One thing is sure - he is capable of a brilliant performance and a very high finish would be no surprise. Second in San Luis: Russian GM Alexander Morylev.

22 Judit Polgar- Hungary 2735 age: 29 By far the strongest female player in the history of chess, judit Polgar provided us with another example of the good effect parenthood has on chess players. Although she was absent from the scene for a whole year, Polgar has been showing very good form since her return, peaking in Sofia 2005 where her play was so powerful that the question: "Can she fight for the tide?" ceased to be a hypothetical one - it was clear that when in good shape she can beat anyone.

Second in San Luis: Marin.

Michael Adams - England 271 8 age: 34 England's number one and a regular in the world's top 6-8 players, he has perhaps the most mysterious style of all. On the one hand his victims have no chances once they are caught in a net weaved of subtle positional nuances, on the other - trying to get by the net, one might get hit by an unexpected firework of tactics. Adams' biggest problem approaching this tournament is the fact that he has had a rough year during which his poor (by his standards!) form was caused by accumulated fatigue yet he kept playing. San Luis, with its expected high level of nervous tension, is not going to be easy for Adams.

No second in San Luis.

Romanian GM Mihail

23 Alexander Morozevich- Russia 2707 age: 2 8 1 h e Russian grandmaster is perhaps the most intriguing player in the world, with the most peculiar opening repertoire amongst his elite colleagues. Morozevich advertises what could be called "Total Chess". Every move in his games could change the evaluation by 1 80 degrees, and this kind of dynamic play brings his many fans all over the world. If he gets going, this tournament might well become a one-man show, but the opposite is also quite possible.

Seconds in San Luis:

GM Alexander Beliavsky and IM Vladimir Barsky.

Rustam

Kasimdzhanov

Uzbekistan

2670 age: 25 Technically speaking, Kasimdzhanov is the world champion, and during this tournament he could defend his title, although being the lowest rated player his chances to win the event are close to nonexistent. Bur Kasimdzhanov has already showed time and time again that he is not going to give his opponents more respect than they deserve, and he has every intention of surprising the world with the quality of his play.

No second in San Luis.

24

Apart from the player introductions , there is an interesting analysis that could be done before the tournament. One should note that past achievements do not always affect the results of the tournament. What is of real importance when assessing the chances of the players in the Championships is how they usually play against each other, because this wUI be the bottom line of the whole event. 1herefore, at this point we find it valuable to analyse the history of each of the match-ups in this event. We will also try to predict the results! Are we cheating? One might think it is no big deal to predict the winner once the results are well known. But, as the reader will see, we will try to be completely objective and base our analysis on previous results only. The following wrap-up is arranged according to the order the players were drawn to meet each other, so some readers may prefer to j ump ahead to the games and then glance back at the relevant preview.

Rounds 1 and 8 Leko- Topalov

General Figures:

+

14 -9 =24,

+

not everybody thinks Leko should be proud of this result). Noteworthy is Topalov's profound a nd professional preparation for San Luis, demons trating perfect knowledge of history. 1heir last game (Dortmund 2005) was of great significance in this point:

1his situation was the result of White's (Topalov's) insufficiently aggressive play agains t the Sveshnikov. Evidently, White could not undertake anything interesting a nd a peace agreement would be naturally expected any minute, especially cons idering the fact that neither player could make it to first place anymore. Surprisingly the game continued, and after several mistakes from Black the following situation arose:

3 out of 29

classical games. One of the most intriguing tourna ment match-ups - massive ambitions will clash and, consequently, bloodshed is inevitable. 1he thing is that quite recently Leko himself was about to joined the elite team represented by Kasparov, Kramnik a nd Anand. Since then Kasparov has left, Kramnik lost his form, and Topalov, instead ofLeko, joined lonely Anand. Presumably the Hungarian is not happy about the situation a nd, after all, his past results cannot be forgotten - the problem is that Topalov has achieved too much success lately. But everybody knows Leko desires to turn the tables. Topalov also has a hidden axe for Leko. It was Leko who beat the Bulgarian in the so­ called Candidates' tournament fi nal (Dortmund 2002), on the way to one of Leko's biggest achievements, the honourable tie with Kramnik in a World Championship match (although

In comparison with the previous diagram, White's progress is noticeable, though the drawish tendencies still exist. Nevertheless, after 53...�xa7 54.Wxa7t cj;l f8? 55.Wxh7Topalov had chances and dragged this endgame out before winning on the l 06th move. Because of the lack of sporting significance the game went virtually unnoticed. However, it should have been. Very rarely has such an experienced defender as Leko lost a position like this.

25 We can clearly see a historical parallel - the well-known struggle between Botvinnik and Keres in their last game before the World Chess Championship (also a round robin match­ tournament!) in 1 948. Botvinnik prepared very seriously for that "insignificant" game (in terms of tournament placing), and made every effort to win an intricate endgame after an 80-move struggle. Later Botvinnik candidly said that the win was vital, as afi:er this victory Keres could no longer play against him with full confidence. 1hus, the essential psychological advantage before the World Chess Championship had been gained, and later paid Botvinnik dividends. 1he same could be said about this seemingly insignificant game. Will the end of this story be repeated? If so, Leko is in danger of feeling nervous playing against Topalov in the future as well. Morozevich- Kasimdzhanov

General Figures: + 1 1 =0, even afi:er 2 classical -

games.

Morozevich won their only game with a nor mal time control in a complex endgame after an unclear struggle, which is hardly enough to make a prediction. As for a style comparison, Kasimdzhanov should be the better-prepared player in the opening. Mter all, he was preparing for a match against Kasparov, and that does not just pass by. On the other hand, Kasimdzhanov sometimes "neglects the details" (for example as in the second round of the Linares 2005 tournament against Kasparov) and that is why he might encounter difficulties. The thing is that Morozevich, being a big fan ofconcrete play, has a very respectful attitude toward exceptions to "the rules". Take a "normal" position when it is "clear" that some move is bad, and thus is not considered by anyone... except Morozevich, who will critically check everything and will demand proof of "the obvious" by variations. 1his often appears to be a complicated task, especially for those who are not prepared for such an approach.

Svidler - Adams General Figures: t6 -7 =23, + 1 out of 24 classic

games. 1he results between these chess friends are rather equal. 1his is a matter of fact rather than a consequence of their friendship beyond the chess world. Probably it is because they are both classical chess players (although they come to this from different directions). Both seldom bluff, both are objective and even rather sceptical toward their own positions. Obviously if both play solidly (and well!) and do not introduce huge novelties in the opening, it is rather difficult to win at this level. It will be especially difficult to beat Svidler, who is known for his tough and frequently profound defence. And Adams may have another problem: he has recently shown signs of extreme tiredness - the list of tournaments he has played from the beginning of the year is huge: Wijk aan Zee, Linares, French Team Championship, Sofia Masters, crazy rapid match againstLeko,cruel Man­ Machine match against Hydra, and Dortmund - a total of 65 high-level and very complicated games. In fact, Svidler has played even more, but somehow in recent tournaments Adams' play has looked really tired. 1hus, the Englishman has more reasons to be concerned about the coming fight. Anand- Polgar

General Figures: + 23 -7 = 14, + 3 out of 1 7 classic games. Considering only classical games, the score is not so horrible for the Chess Queen, although such a large number of losses is not so pleasant regardless of the time control. On the other hand, in the new millennium these opponents have not beaten each other in serious games at all (however Polgar missed the whole of 2004 while Anand was defeating everyone who stood in his way). It might bring optimism to Polgar that Anand has not been as unpleasant an opponent for her as Kramnik and Kasparov have been - and they are not here. Besides, she is one of the few who are not afraid to play against Anand in his favourite

26 Sicilian variations, and in her victorious games she has even checkmated Anand, which is not an easy task. Even if she encounters a bad position, she fights furiously. It seems Polgar, unlike many others, is not afraid of Anand (or at least does not show it). Here is an interesting recent example (Sofia MTel Masters 2005):

Round2 and9 Pol�r - Adams

General Figures: t6 -5 I I , level after 1 5 classic =

games. Polgar's marginal statistical lead is easily explained: quite recently Polgar won when playing with White, thus breaking an almost ten year old tradition where White could at best make a draw in the encounters of this duo! Here is how the tradition was broken (Sofia MTel Masters 2005):

Anand (Black) unleashes another novelty:

14 .. .!:�g8 and after 15.'!:Yxh7 gxg7 16.Y:Yxg7 .i£8 17.Y:Yg8 Y:Yg5! gets more than sufficient

compensation for the sacrificed exchange. Polgar dives into the complications: 18.g3 lL!xe5 19.f4

clL!f3t 20.�12 Y:Yh5 21 .hg6 fxg6 22.gxe6t .ixe6 23.Y:Yxe6t and so on. At some point her position was very dangerous, but she eventually made the draw! 1he biggest danger that hangs over Polgar is her immense optimism - although it's been a while since her last loss to Anand, he is still quite a dangerous guy, and had better not be underestimated. Besides, one of the main reasons for Polgar's success since her return (and everybody was amazed by her great level of play after such a long break) was her atypically cautious play. Anand is well aware of how dangerous a player Polgar is. However, if Polgar loses her objective j udgment, and the rumours about her excessive self-confidence have reached the chess world (she was cited as saying she has good chances to win this Championship!) then she might well feel the wrath of the Indian Terminator.

Surprisingly, the position was not from Adams' old favourite the Marshall, but from a calm Petroff that recently became his main opening. Apparently, White (Polgar) has problems, and Adams launched a new wave of assault: 26... £5! Yet, after 27.h4 he missed a nice tactical idea: 27 .. .'Mig6! with the cute variation 28J:he3 fxe4! 29.ixe4 (or 29.i.e2 l::l f3!) 29 ...i.c6! 30.l::l bel l::l xe4 3 1 .l::l xe4 W4! and White falls to pieces. Subsequently Adams lost, which was the consequence of his bad form and fatigue. 1hen again, the struggle with Polgar is rather unpleasant for Adams even if he is in good shape. Although the score is virtually even, the positions achieved by the English grandmaster are frequently better, and occasionally even decisive. And then a colossal mistake often follows, in the worst-case scenario, or sometimes it is only drawing a winning position. 1heir battles in the Sicilian Paulsen are illustrative of this issue. Adams continually gets an almost decisive advantage and then ... does not always makes a draw. So, neither of them will have an easy life in their clashes.

27 It is now perhaps a proper moment for full disclosure - most chess fans (including the authors) find it impossible not to sympathize with Adams. After all, often his "ordinary" games could be immediately added to the best books of classic chess, not to mention the fact he consistently achieves great positions (without being considered the best theoretician!) and sometimes simply has bad luck. Thus, it seems his result in the Championship in general and this match in particular is not a function only of chess, but also ofCaissa's mood.

opponent. Morozevich's position was as good as White could hope for in this opening. However, Leko, building new barriers on every move, met the final phase with a typically tenacious defence. 1he end of the game is worthy of a diagram:

Leko- Mor ozevi ch General Figures: t6 3 14, +2 out of 1 0 classic -

=

games. Most of the decisive games between these opponents were not in classical chess. Morozevich, in any case, has yet to beat Leko in any of the "classicals". Analysis of their games proves this is not a coincidence - Morozevich seems to be helpless against Leko's solid and correct style. In the opening (the Hungarian's strongest area) every tricky line by Morozevich inevitably leads him into trouble. It is well known that Leko plays exceptionally well when he has a positional advantage, calculating variations perfectly, so his advantage usually increases. Even if he runs into trouble Leko usually escapes thanks to his stubborn defence. As happened, for example, in their last classical game (Wijk aan Zee 2005):

White (Morozevich) surprised everyone by choosing a "boring" exchange line in the Slav, and then played much more subtly than his

It seems obvious that Black's counterplay based on his king's penetration to the queenside it too slow. But it's not: 55.Wf3 Wd4 56.Wf4 Wd3 57.We5 Wc2 58.Wd6 and here 58 Wxb2! 59.Wxd7 b4! led to a perpetual after 60.axb4 a3 •••

6I.e5 a2 62.e6 alW 63.e7 Wdlt. Despite this example the opening is still Morozevich's biggest problem, as one cannot always spring a surprise, and Leko is clearly better prepared in the main lines. Svidler- Kasimdzhanov General Figures: + 1 I 1 , + l out of 2 classic -

=

games. In three currently published games Svidler splendidly won one "real" game, and lost in blitz, although he should have won it too. 1his is of little assistance when making evaluations about future clashes between these two chess players (Svidler has not even played with Black.) What does help is a fascinating collision of styles. In spite of his natural tactical vision and love of attack, currently Peter Svidler is first of all a great strategist. Kasimdzhanov, on the contrary, despite the tranquil style of his games, is primarily a brilliant tactician. Both have strikingly proved this evaluation on many occasions. Consequently, their confrontation might have a classical flavour, especially if the strategist

28 has a good plan while the tactician has various opportunities to sting his opponent's heel. The rest is rather equal. Both sometimes get very nervous and make inexplicable mistakes. Kasimdzhanov has recently improved his opening preparation, but his opponent is more proficient and experienced in this area. Apparently, there will be interesting fights between this pair! Anand- Topalov

General Figures: + 1 8 - 1 1 =30, level after 3 1 classic games.

As often happens, the bare facts reveal a somewhat twisted picture. The two Elo-favourites' history has known u ps and downs. One's victories have been followed by the other's triumphs, and only one thing - a furious fight - has never varied. Amazingly, many decisive results had nothing to do with the right of the fi rst move, and although Anand owes his general statistical advantage to the white pieces, it often was not a logical consequence of the positions. Their struggle in recent years was far more interesting especially after Topalov's sudden improvement in 2004. And here a very rare picture is revealed: Topalov's preparation for Anand is usually great, often winning the opening battle, but he rarely has reasons to be satisfied with the overall outcome of their games. Here is one of the toughest examples (Amber 2005):

to chase the victory and missed White's only threat. Mter 45 ....if8?? (instead of 45 .. .';t?a2 with a handshake) 46.�d3! Black had to surrender facing an inevitable checkmate. Tough. Unfortunately for the Bulgarian such examples, although not always so extreme, are quite typical in his encounters with Anand. It seems that Topalov has psychological discomfort playing Anand - there is something in Anand's style the Bulgarian does not like. Nevertheless, in a purely chess sense, Topalov undoubtedly has reasons for optimism. Topalov won their last "fistfight" (the most appropriate term for their games) very convincingly (Sofia MTel Masters 2005):

In this position, Topalov (White) demonstrates his opening preparation: 14.�xf7! and after

14 ... Wxf7 1 5.0-0-0 .id6 16.�h4 .ic8 17.�el �a6 18.�e6 �b4 19.ixb4 cxb4 20..ic4 b5 2 I ..ixb5 ie7 22.�g6 he built up an extraordinarily strong attack and then won brilliantly, although not everything was clear. Such a game might well influence their future rivalry.

Round 3 and 10 Topalov- Morozevich

General Figures: +8 -7 =4, +2 out of 9 classic games. Topalov has used the Berlin perfectly, outplaying Anand with Black and yet he could not exploit his advantage. Now when he should have accepted the draw, Topalov continued

Even though the overall score is about equal, Topalov has a big advantage in classical chess. Peculiarly both opponents have better results with Black. Considering they have only had four

29 draws (out of 1 9 games), this means it is much better not to play White, as the chance of losing is high. Unfortunately for both, the tournament rules force each of them to play White once. What, therefore, should one do to avoid losing with White? Play without taking unnecessary risks as Topalov demonstrated in their last game (Wijk aan Zee 2005):

Black (Morozevich) looks slightly better, but Topalov levels the chances: 27J!el �f8 28JflYg4 g6 29.g5e3 White is very careful: 29 h5 30.'1Wf3 �g7 31.gxe7 gxe7 32.gxe7 '1Wxe7 33.c4 and the position is completely balanced. Topalov's main advantage is his opening repenoire, which is both wide and intensively prepared. Morozevich wUl have to consider his choice of opening very carefully prior to this duel. •••

Anand- Adams

Anand has endless opening surprises that land on the heads of his opponents, especially those with predictable opening repertoires. Therefore, we can see they "fit together" quite unfortunately for the Englishman. The following recent game drew attention from chess media around the world (Wijk aan Zee 2005):

In this theoretical posmon, the Indian Fakir (as Anand's respectful colleagues like to call him) suddenly sacrificed an exchange: 1 5.c5! and after

1 5 b4 16.ixb4 ixfl 17 .ixfl e5 18.ic3 a5 19.a3 �e4 20.�xe4 dxe4 21.b4 two passers •••

reinforced by a bishop pair left Black no chances to survive, despite Adams' very resourceful defence. 1heir previous results supply an obvious forecast, but it is clear that a "difficult" opponent doesn't always stay that way forever. Could Adams manage to narrow the gap?

General Figures: +23 -6 =38, + 1 1 out of 43 classic games. 1he devastating figures leave little room for doubt - Anand is an extraordinarily difficult opponent for the English grandmaster. 1hese statistics are rather surprising as we are talking about two of the strongest players in the world. Anand has had a higher rating for many years, but the difference between the two players is not as great as the results suggest. Curiously, their results are not so difficult to explain: Adams is very loyal to his openings. Although he knows them very deeply, he can hardly be considered as one of the main theoreticians. (Is it a crime he enjoys playing chess more than looking for novelties at home?)

Sv idler

-

Leko

General Figures: +8 -2 = 17, +2 out of 1 7 classic

games. We have reached the most unpleasant moment for the Hungarian grandmaster. For Leko, playing Svidler must be described as suffering, and it has been this way for many years. The games seem to follow a similar scenario - a heavy struggle, often with an initiative for the Hungarian, and then it is as if he remembers he is playing Svidler, and Leko collapses in j ust a few moves. If there were a reasonable explanation for this weird situation, Leko would have fixed it long ago. A typical example is their last game (Dortmund 2005):

30

White (Svidler) chose a strange variation, and landed in a bad position, yet it seemed Svidler did not care much and just kept the tension. Eight moves later, the position was as follows:

Interesting games are inevitable between this duo: considering their games, defending is hardly the strongest part of either player. And we don't mean defending worse positions, but protecting their own king. Of course, if the opponent only has a hint of a realistic attack, players of their level manage it easily. However, if the attack is serious, then regrettably both of them seem not to be on the great defenders list (like Anand and Morozevich for example). Besides, both players are rather moody: if it goes well they will perform amazingly, but if not ... That is why a crucial factor here will be the opening - here they both continually prove their knowledge, but what is more important, the opening will determine who has the suitable attitude today! 1he most significant point in their encounters will therefore be how they have prepared for the event - the outcome will be directly related to this.

Round 4 and 1 1 Anand- Kas imdzhanov General Figures: +7 1 3 +4 out of 6 classic -

=

,

games. Black is already worse, and this without committin g an obvious blunder: 30.e5 fxe5

31.'l1Yxg6 ®b8 32.g5 �7 33.'l1Yf6 'l1Ye8 34.E:d7 ®c8 35J:te7 'l1Yd8 36.'l1Yf5t ebbs 37.'l1Yxe5

Another 8 moves have been made, and the position speaks for itself: Black soon resigned. Well, difficult opponents do not always stay that way forever, yet it is hard to predict how the games will go in this case. Kas imdzhanov- Polgar

General Figures: +3 -2 =0, never played a classic game. All their previous games have been played at rapid time controls, but the fact that there were no draws is anything but accidental. Kasimdzhanov convincingly won two games with White, and one of his three Blacks, although he should have won them all! So, Kasimdzhanov has had the upper hand in rapids, but what about classical games?

Anand used to be completely dominant in this match-up: the early results leave no doubt here. It is especially hard for Kasimdzhanov when he faces yet another of Anand's new opening ideas, as experience is crucial in such circumstances. No matter how well prepared you are, it takes time to find the ability to react calmly and accurately to your opponent's inventions. And Anand has more than enough inventions for anyone ... Recently Kasimdzhanov has improved dramatically and as such has increased his chances against all future opponents. For example, a couple of months before the championship, Kasimdzhanov showed great ability to resist his formidable opponent in the Leon rapid final (after he beat Alexei Shirov), where Anand had a hard time and needed a lot of luck to win this match (+2 -1 1 ) . But even before this match the FIDE champion showed in Linares 2005 that he can successfully fight against the Indian in classical chess, at least in one game out of =

31

two (the second he lost hopelessly). Here is his positive experience:

hope is to emerge from the opening safely. 1his is obviously not enough by itself to be successful against Anand, but it would be a good start. Sv idler- Morozev ich

General Figures: +4 -6 =4, + l out of l l classic games.

Black (Kasimdzhanov) played the opening badly, but then started a gripping defence, though his weaknesses still seem to be up for grabs by the Indian. Here Black found a perfect solution: 23.Mft:ld7! sacrificing a pawn. But where is the compensation? A few moves later Anand started wasting time and became nervous. After

This Russian clash will hardly be calmer than the Hungarian one. To accurately forecast what we might see in their games it is sufficient to take a look at their draws. If that is how they settle peaceful matters, we may only guess what happens when they declare war. Let us illustrate (not explain - illustrate!) an example of a peaceful game (Wijk aan Zee 2005):

24,tyxd6 tyxd6 25.ft:lxd6 ftJc5 26..ie3 ft:ld4 27J!adl l!ab8 28.-Abl ft:lxa4 29..ixd4 exd4 30.l!xd4 l!b2 3l .e5 ft:lc5 32..if5 a5 33..ixe6

The Indian could not find anything better than offering a draw, which was accepted by Kasimdzhanov, but he shouldn't have. Analysis showed that it is White who has to suffer before making a draw. In any case, such an escape against Anand, especially in one's first super­ tournament, is a major achievement. So could it be that the new Kasimdzhanov is a tough challenge for Anand? One could answer positively if it were not for one important limitation: despite all the improvements the Uzbek player has made, he has not shown that he can react properly against opening novelties. Against Anand this can be crucial, so the only

With IO.e6, White (Svidler) decided to punish Black for his opening boldness, and with it all the commentators. Although this position is known to theory, for some reason these two were the ones to play it.

Forced lines have fl.own through this position. Not bad, is it?

32 Adams

-

Topalov

General Figures:+ 1 1 -7 16, + 2 out of 26 classic games. =

After the queen exchange, as you can see, it did not cool down.

1hese grandmasters' relations have undergone a serious change recently. Adams was for a long time Topalov's most difficult opponent, but lately it seems that Topalov, to use the terminology of Botvinnik, "has solved the puzzle of" Adams. Adams reached his statistical advantage before 200 1 , and since then Topalov has a positive score. It seems that Adams can no longer keep up with Topalov's huge energy over the board. If previously Adams would prevail with his favourite "surgical procedures", afterwards it became difficult to restrain Topalov's ability to fight &om start to finish, not giving up an inch, and this despite Adams often obtaining good positions! 1he following game is typical (Linares 2005):

1hereafter they reached the above diagram, which is painful to look at.

With strong, logical moves Adams (Black) humbled Topalov's opening and a standard attack was launched: 20 g5! 21JU1 g4 22.fxg4 .•

And eventually they shook hands in this position - it is totally unclear how to evaluate it. Apparently the opponents were tired from the mind-bending complications, and that at least is easy to understand. Such is the story in each and every one of their encounters, which is a true pleasure for chess fans. Thus, at least two games of this kind can be expected - with any possible outcome.

Perfect: the long diagonal and the f-file

33 are opened, and the squares around the king are looking weak: 22 �h6 23.�gl �h3 24.�d3 llle4 1he end seems to be near, and for the white king it won't be a happy one... ••.

25JU4lllxg3

when these two players (and Almasi) were in competition to be called the best Hungarian player. Lat""e ly Leko closed this dispute by proving in practice that he is the best. However, as they say in soccer, derby games have their own rules, and one cannot predict their coming fight. Even when having a great tournament, one can always lose to a compatriot. One thing is clear - there will be plenty of nerves in their duels.

Round 5 and 12 Anand- Leko

General Figures: + 1 3 -4 =35, + 1 out of 26 classic games.

Game over? 26J�c3! Not quite! It seems Black should be winning automatically, but as soon as the concrete fight begins the simple path to victory is not there! When playing so well and having reached such a promising position, it's hard to accept that the struggle is only j ust beginning. Moreover, even a route to a clear plus is not so obvious. 1his is why Adams was uncertain, and went for the unfortunate 26 J::ie6? 26.. J:! xd3! was the only move for the reasons given below. After 27.e4! Black's attack suddenly ended with the worst-case scenario: the knight on g3 is trapped, and amazingly Black has no real threats and no way to save the knight. A very discouraging loss for Adams. All in all, it seems the new improved Topalov has the advantage in the upcoming battle. But what if Adams throws the scalpel aside and takes up the sledgehammer, j ust like his opponent? ••

In classical chess the difference is much more narrow than in the general statistics (4-3 in the new millennium), which makes the draw quota even more significant. This is very natural for players who have shared many first prizes in recent years: one cannot win many prizes when losing many games. A significant role in the peaceful relations lies with Leko. He has always been very careful with those he considers to be strong. 1hat is why he has repeatedly tried to make peace with Anand, which is far easier with such a powerful opening repertoire as that of the Hungarian grandmaster. Anand, for his part, would not want to take many risks against Leko - experience shows that it is not wise to play with fire against Leko. Anand could observe it in Leko's match with Kramnik, or feel it at his own expense (Wijk aan Z ee 2005):

Leko- Polgar

General Figures: + 4 - 1 =9, + 1 out of 1 1 classic

games. For two leading players from the same country the number of games they have played against each other is very small. It seems that the rise of Leko coincided with the period Polgar started playing less in elite tournaments, so they are not too familiar with each other. It is interesting to note that there were times

Anand (White) boldly grabbed a pawn, as if to

34 demonstrate that Black's attack does not frighten him, while his pawn is a strong candidate for royalty. Counterattack is mandatory: 21 ... f4 (A new move. 2 l .. .Wh8!? was previously considered the main line.) 22.�c2 icS 23.ga8 Wl'd6 24)i:Jb4 ib7 Black's threats are quite evident. Despite undoubtedly being aware of them, Anand decides to throw all the burden of proof on the surprised Hungarian's shoulders: 25.ga7 d4 26.ia6? White seems to be teasing his opponent:

tactical strength, which allowed amazing resistance on the enemy's territory. In other words, he survived most of the positional tortures the Englishman had for him. 1he story repeated itself in Linares 2005, where Kasimdzhanov saved a difficult position with Black. It is not clear whether Kasimdzhanov will be able to win, but practice shows that Adams winning is not probable, especially taking Kasimdzhanov's greatly improved opening preparation into consideration. Morozev ich- Polgar

General Figures: +4 -1 =0, +3 out of 3 classic games.

What to do? Either find something fast or accept massive exchanges and resign. Being against the wall Leko found 26...ixg2! and thereafter he remorselessly tore White's position apart (Going on to record an impressive win in the Wijk aan Z ee 2005 super-tournament - the only trophy his mantelpiece was stU! lacking). After this painful experience Anand will most likely be careful. Leko has always been careful, so the logical result here would be a draw. Kasimdzhanov- Adams

General Figures: +3 -2 =5, level after 1 0 classic

games. While not having played a lot against one another, the opponents have studied each other quite well after playing at the FIDE Championship finals in Tripoli (+2 -2 =2 in classic and 1 Y2:Y2 in rapid). Naturally, when playing a match you study your opponent better than in ten tournaments. And it seems that such an acquaintance was more useful for the Uzbek. 1hat match was very important for Adams, the favourite, but he could not win because of Kasimdzhanov's powerful

1he Muscovite has had an obvious advantage in all their games. The only time he lost was after blundering his queen in a winning position in a rapid game. Therefore, the natural conclusion is that Morozevich has good chances to play successfully against the Queen. Polgar's chances are not so obvious. It is a typical case of a rolling ball hitting a wall. Morozevich is a near-perfect defender (and he enjoys it!) and thus he defuses the strongest side of the Hungarian. But the result is not predetermined, of course. If Polgar can catch out Morozevich during his traditional opening adventure, everything might turn out differently. Moreover, if Polgar achieves "her" kind of position, even the Iron Curtain might not save the Russian. Morozevich, on the other hand, might opt for solid variations, keeping in mind the possibility of his opponent's hot temper and tendency to take risks. Tempting Polgar to overstretch might significantly increase his chances. Topalov - Sv idler

General Figures: +7 -6 =9, +2 out of 1 3 classic games. 1he roughly equal score and rather balanced fights promise equal chances in this mini-match. In fact, it was against Topalov that Svidler managed to

35 perform a few miraculous escapes, which enhanced Svidler's reputation as being almost impossible to beat. Here is a recent example (Dortmund 2005):

Round 6 and 1 4 Topalov- Polgar General Figures: + I I -7 =7, +2 out of 2 1 classic

games.

In this strategically difficult posmon Svidler (Black) muddies the waters, making it very tricky for White to find the right way: 27 ... c4 28.bxc4

lhd3 29.lhd3 lhc4 30.Y*fd2 gb4 31.f4 .if8 32.�hl Wfb6 33.gcl t0d4 34.Y*ff2 Y*fa7 35 ..ie8 .ic5 36.gdc3 l0b3

A few mistakes, and it is now Topalov trying to bail out - a task he completes with great style: 37.gxc5 �xcl 38..ixf7t �xf7 39J�xd5 Y*fxf2 40.gd7t with a perpetual check. The opening might be considered as Svidler's major problem against Topalov. Svidler has suffered fro m a " free" type of playing for a long time and he himself has been complaining about it. Svidler's busy playing schedule leaves him very little time to patch the holes, but playing like that against Topalov, with his powerful opening repertoire, might be punished.

Topalov's advantage is somehow deceptive. Polgar and Topalov have rarely played each other in the new millennium and the overall outcome here was in the Hungarian's favour. In fact, any result is possible with this couple! The recent results and ratings are in Topalov's favour, but most likely his beloved aggressive and complicated style will be appropriately met by Polgar, who is no less fond of such complexities. For example, consider what happened the last time they met (Sofia Masters 2005):

1his position is the result of a great opening fight, which was undoubtedly won by Black (Polgar) who had even more chances in the subsequent complications. After an interesting struggle, they reach the following position:

Now it is quite obvious which player managed to puzzle out the complications. At one point the

36 brave Judit Polgar, who was playing with Black on the opponent's territory (Sofia!) and after a long break from chess, rejected a draw offer and decided to play for a win, despite being in the cruellest time trouble. Unfortunately for her, she did not have enough power to maintain the same level and bring the game to its logical conclusion, but she definitely proved that she is not going to be a mere decoration in the Championship. To sum up, the decisive claim in this dispute might lie in the opening repertoires and psychological preparation for the game. On this front Topalov, who has played and won frequently while Polgar was away from the game, has some advantage. Morozev ich - Adams General Figures: +5 -3 9 + I out of 14 classic =

did not want to talk about positional issues and unexpectedly responded with 29)l:Jxg5t, which left Black a pawn down with a hopeless position. Adams used his advantage smoothly. Anand- Sv idler

General Figures: + 5 -2 1 9 +3 out of 1 3 classic =

,

games. Although the statistics favour Anand, analysis reveals that often his wins were a consequence of a superior opening. It seems that Svidler is an equal opponent in all other aspects, while his stubborn defence often allows his escape his opening problems unscathed. Let us take a look at the last classic game between these two (Wijk aan Zee 2005):

,

games. These opponents don't seem to understand each other yet. Their games flow very inconsistently, without a distinguishable pattern. As a matter of fact, this situation is typical for clashes of different styles. Let us demonstrate a funny episode from the last game between these bullfighters (Wijk aan Zee 2005): Black (Svidler) has a poor position. Understanding this, he breaks the material balance, which is one of the most effective defensive strategies: 23 ...i.xf2t! 24.�xf2 �xe4t

25Jhe4 Wxe4 This posed the opponent continuing difficulties that he struggled to control.

1he position i s pretty balanced - a t any rate, Black (Morozevich) feels comfortable enough, and a quick draw agreement was expected by the spectators. Morozevich, however, decided to improve his hold on the kingside, and after considering its possible positional benefits he played the logical: 28...g5? Generally speaking Black's strategy seems to be correct, but White

37 After reaching this position, Svidler adds an exchange to his sacrifice list with: 42 ...�e2! and Black soon gained dangerous pawns that balanced the piece deficit. Not many could confuse Anand in this way. In general, we should note that recently Svidler has reached a new qualitative level, and most of his past games are irrelevant for his current assessment. It appears that in the past two years that he has begun to really understand himself, and is improving from tournament to tournament, and game to game.

tournaments (no one knew then that it was j ust the beginning of his rise). Having scared everyone with his 9.5 out of 1 0, he met the far less famous Rustam Kasimdzhanov in the semi-final, who miraculously survived in the classical games (+0 -0 =4). Kasimdzhanov, despite being exhausted from his previous long matches, deservedly won both tiebreakers, sending Topalov home. Since then Topalov has been preparing his gunpowder for the Uzbek, meanwhile winning many tournaments in which, alas, the FIDE champion did not participate. And then inevitably the payday came (Linares 2005):

Leko- Kas imdzhanov

General Figures: +2 -0 =4, +2 out of 6 classic games. One of Leko's two wins was in the World Junior Championship ( 1994), which hardly has any meaning now. As for the other games, Kasimdzhanov was apparently aiming to hold, in which he mainly succeeded. Still, their future battles will be fascinating from a stylistic point of view - they both seem to be the natural successors of the Great Tigran Petrosian. At least their styles recall this famously cautious personality: both opponents like to dot their i's and cross their t's. Leko, being more experienced, will have a considerable advantage. Experience is vital (as many elite players claim) not just in knowing the opponent, but in understanding yourself, your strong sides, and how to better use your style against a particular opponent. Kasimdzhanov has just started gaining top-level experience, and the process is rarely painless.

Kasimdzhanov (Black) chose a somewhat problematic line, although he did introduce a novelty: 20.. f6 Topalov over the board proved that no new ideas will help Black here: 21J�b5 .

c!Lle5 22JU4 c!Ll7g6 23J�d4 .id7 24,gbd5

Round 7 and 1 3 Topalov- Kas imdzhanov

General Figures: + 1 -3 =6, + 1 out of 5 classic games. No doubt Topalov has bad memories of his most important clash with Kasimdzhanov. The FIDE Knockout in Libya was one of Topalov's best

How else could White's position be described other than a show of rage towards last year's offender? After 24 ....ie6 25 ..ie2 a direct hunt on the black queen commenced, resulting in a quick victory.

38 It appears that the true balance of power before San Luis is represented in this game, rather than their encounters in Tripoli. But is it possible that Kasimdzhanov could again be Topalov's nemesis? Leko- A dams

General Figures: + 1 3 - 1 2 =36, + 1 out of 30

classic games. As usual with Leko, many of his games against elite

players end in draws, reflecting his carefulness. This became even more evident in the new millennium, when Leko has yet to lose to Adams in classical chess, but has occasionally managed to pull off a win. Perhaps he has forgotten how to lose a serious game against Adams. In their recent rapid match, however, they produced a real slaughter. Leko's break before the match was translated into three consecutive losses in the beginning, and then Adams' exhaustion played the same trick on him, with the same sad result (the match finished with two draws which satisfied both players). 1he following game reveals the effect of their characters (Linares 2005):

Black has to decide whether to risk playing for a win or agree a draw. It's hard to calculate everything, so he chose the latter: 24 ..,gh6 25.e6 '%Yf4t with a perpetual check. Here we see why it is hard to beat Leko. His tough defence has frustrated many, while his strong openings frequently lead to a great advantage. Not often do his opponents manage to find the right answer at the board. Polgar- Sv idler

General Figures: +7

-1

=6, +2 out of 5 classic

games. Polgar has an advantage statistically especially when playing White. Scrutinizing the games it appears that both opponents have difficulties playing Black, particularly because their main opening is the Sicilian, and both are extremely dangerous when playing it on the white side! Svidler has perhaps come to the conclusion that it is wiser to play something different against Polgar. 1his does not always help, as was demonstrated in their last game (Wijk aan Zee 2005):

This position is the result of an opening novelty by Leko (White), who has pushed the black pieces to the sides and intends to break through in the centre. Adams understands that energetic measures are needed: 18 ...ixe5 19.dxe5 �xfl! Realizing that Adams has humbled his adventure, Leko switches to a tough defence: 20.®xf2

'%Yh4t 21 .c;:t.fl '%Yxh2 22.J.a3 ge6 23.'%Ya2 gd8 24..ic5

Black (Svidler) played into this Marshall

39 posmon without much hesitation. However, after the exchanges 18 .c!t:�xe4 19Jhe4 �he4 20.dxe4 'Wfxe4 it turned out that with simple attacks White is able to pose serious problems for her opponent. lhere followed: 21..ic2 'Wfe7 .•

sometimes manage to pull off seemingly impossible saves. Anand showed his defensive skills in Wijk aan Zee 2005:

22..ig5 f6 23..ie3 .ie6 24.'Wff3 'Wfd7 25J3d1 gds 26..ie4

Anand played 1 1. 0-0-0 with a grin, as if inviting his opponent to attack. Morozevich did not resist the temptation: 1 2.a4 h5 13.a5 .:!Llxa5 .•

14.b4 .:!Llc6 1 5 ..:!Llc4 b5 16.0-0 Black is quite obviously already in trouble. Various pins and weaknesses make Black's life difficult, and do no allow him to simplify. Svidler decided to tease his opponent with 26....ixa2, but after 27 ..ib6 .ib3 28.gd4 c5 29.ixc5 'Wfe6 30.c4 all Black could do was resign, facing inevitable material losses. lhat is why the choice of openings in this mini-march is particularly interesting. Will anyone be brave enough to play the Sicilian? This may primarily determine the outcome, as both opponents have demonstrated the ability to bring "their" positions to a logical conclusion. Anand- Morozev ich

General Figures: + 7 -5 =6.

+

l

out of 6 classic

games. lhe games between these players are always remarkable. lhe first celebrated incident was when Morozevich, aged 1 7, won many fans by daring to play the King's Gambit against the terrifying Anand, and subsequently forced Anand to surrender on the 28'h move. A lot has changed since. Anand has become even more terrifying, and Morozevich has proved his ability to inflict defeats on the strongest players not only with the King's Gambit. Both players are perfect defenders and

Morozevich generously offers a piece, which seems quite dangerous. Anand, however, accepts the offer unfalteringly: 1 6 ...bxc4 17.b5 .:!Llb8 18.gxa7 d5 19..:!Lle5 gd7 As we mentioned, perfect defence is not a problem for Anand.

20.'Wfa4 'Wfd8 21..:!Llxc4 dxc4! 22.'Wfxc4t 'Wfc7 23..ixb7t g;,d8 24.'Wfe2 id6 25.gfa1

40 At this point it is clear that the attack is no longer dangerous. Anand with his usual coolness continued collecting everything available. 25.. \�Yxc3 and after the confused 26.d5 everything was finished with 26 ..Jhb7. As we can see, no bluff will work on this pair. As for the rest, Anand has a serious advantage, for he has been at the very top long before Morozevich even began aiming there. .

Conclusion In retrospect, the outcomes of many matches were a very logical follow-up to the players' recent encounters, but on the other hand we wimessed results and individual moments that are simply impossible to qualify into anything understandable. Certainly surprises are natural, and they tend to become more frequent (and surprising), the greater the pressure. And in San Luis the tension appeared unbearable for some. Apart from all the calm, almost mathematical, assessments regarding each of the match-ups we

must point out one peculiar opening paradox concerning our players: how could it be that Adams often outplays Topalov, who often outplays both Anand and Kasimdzhanov, both of whom, in turn, outplay Adams, who outplays Polgar who often makes Anand and Topalov suffer, and so on? The answer is simple - sometimes a player has problems with a certain opponent's style, and reaches an understanding of it only after a few losses. Then he starts trying to look for a way to get his opponent out of "their positions", which is not easy and also costs some losses. And finally he accepts this weird situation - that is how one becomes a "difficult opponent", and usually openings have nothing to do with it. Of course, there is no better place to overcome a difficult opponent than here, at the world championship. Moreover, we should bear in mind that world championships have dynamics of their own, as no player will save a novelty for better times, or preserve energy for the next event. This tournament is 1 4 rounds of pure action; and you are hereby invited backstage to the best show in town.

ROUND 1 Results:

Munthl de

A,edrez

Leko

0

1

Topalov

Morozevich

Y2

Y2

Kasimdzhanov

Svidler

Y2

Y2

Adams

Polgar

0

1

Anand

Mundtal de

Atedraz

-

Standings: 1-2 Anand

1

1-2 Topalov 3-6 Adams

Y2

3-6 Kasimdzhanov

Y2

3-6 Morozevich

Y2

3-6 Svidler

Y2

7-8 Leko

0

7-8 Polgar

0

At last the first round has started! The interminable talk, p redictions and analysis ends, and it is time to move some pieces . . . Ask any fan and you will hear t h e following response: a t t h e start o f t h e first round everyone was genuinely excited, because the chess world missed World Championships very badly. And if that was just the fans, one can only guess how the players felt! Indeed, the first round was distinguished by the extreme nervousness of the participants.

Confusing opening The opening of Polgar vs.

Anand was certainly confusing. To

be on the safe side, Anand decided to

choose a calm and quiet Caro-Kann against the Hungarian. Bur if such precautions had an evident explanation then Polgar's choice of an obviously unpromising variation could only be explained by nerves, since Anand's opening was nor too unpredictable. Already by the l O'h move White had to forger about any advantage. In situations like this a calmer chess player would make a few quiet moves, exchange a couple of pieces, and then go prepare for the next game - after all, White would have to try

42

ROUND 1

hard to lose this position. 1he Hungarian Diva overcame this obstacle fairly easily: unwilling to accept a calm position, she did her best to set the board on fire, which, unfortunately for her, spread all over the white camp. Anand kept playing in rock-solid style not allowing his tricky opponent any counterplay (at times even passing by very promising continuations), but he eventually won the game without having to show even a fraction of his abilities, An interesting struggle was produced by friends/opponents Svidler and Adams. 1he Briton chose "his" variation of the Petroff and Svidler's response was far from the most principled one. 1he game soon became very confusing: it was not easy to prove the correctness of the moves, but it was even harder to evaluate the consequences of the resulting complications. 1he players resolved this problem by agreeing to a draw at the moment of truth. 1he game Morozevich vs. Kasimdzhanov resembled a very nervous twelve-round boxing match. Luckily, in a chess fight there is no need to nominate a winner on points, for it would be extremely difficult. 1he advantage switched several times, whereupon each time, as if by a spiral, one of the players raced further ahead. 1he last turn was in Kasimdzhanov's hands, who was an inch away from a simple technical endgame, but he missed his chance. He tried his luck in a rook endgame that forced Morozevich to find a few accurate moves before the draw.

Severe Slaughter 1he most severe slaughter occurred between two of the pre-tournament favourites: Leko and Topalov. Topalov went, very bravely, for his pet line in the Najdorf, which was undoubtedly carefully studied by his rivals. After the game there were a great number of voices criticizing the Hungarian grandmaster for extreme carefulness, blaming everything on Leko's style being unsuitable for such positions. 1his is rather unfair or just pard y true. 1he point is thatTopalov had one overwhelming advantage - hew as the only one who was really calm. First, he played a variation he had studied in detail; second, he had serious psychological advantages after his last encounter with Leko, as was described in the introductory article. In addition to that, in all his successes this year the Bulgarian has started badly, but then improved and surpassed everyone. A willingness to risk losing and a recent history of success are effective weapons in the hands of a strong chess player. It is easy to be confident about this explanation after the event, but during the game Topalov had to defend in a very unpleasant situation. Leko did his homework very professionally, and completely decoded Topalov's plan. Already by his 17'h move he could start a direct attack, which, as was proved later, should have doomed the black king. However, Leko hesitated and the Bulgarian hovered on the brink of the abyss. 1he audience was amazed, only a short while ago White's victory was only a matter of two steps (or two checks), and an instant later Black had a significant edge in the endgame and never looked back. Summing up, the round did not show a real correlation of power. Objectively, only Adams played really well. He made 24 effective moves which completely neutralized his opponent's attempts to gain an advantage. And concerning the favourites, Topalov took big risks against one of the main contenders for the title, but Caissa was on his side. 1his could not have gone unnoticed by his future opponents.

LEKO - TOPALOY

43

GAME l Peter Leko Veselin Topalov .,. Sicilian, English Attack B80 @

'it,l 't!

l.e4 c5 2.�8 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.�xd4 �f6 s.�c3 a6 6.8 e6 7.�e3 b5 8.'tYd2

A great example of the changing nature of chess fashion. White's mainstream idea is to carry out the typical so-called English attack: 0-0-0, g4, h4 etc. To accomplish that White can choose between two move orders: 8.g4 or 8.Vff d 2. First, let us examine 8.g4. The idea behind this move is to prevent Black from transferring his b8-knight to b6 (because 8 .. .ll'lbd7 will now be met with 9.g5). 1he drawback of this move order is White's weakening of the f3-square, which was shown in the so-called Topalov variation: 8 ... h6 9.Vff d2 b4 (this move, played as soon as possible, establishes Topalov's idea) 1 0.ll'la4 ll'lbd7 1 1 . 0-0-0 ll'le5

The first game in which Topalov employed the ... b4 idea immediately made its way into history at Wijk aan Zee 2005, when the Bulgarian hurricane left Kramnik homeless after a mere 20 moves: 1 2.Vffxb4 �d7 1 3.ll'lb3 gbs 1 4.V9a3 ll'lxf3 1 5.h3 ll'lxe4 1 6 .�e2 ll'le5 1 7.ghe1 V9c7 1 8.�d4 ll'lc6 1 9 .�c3 d5 20.ll'lbc5 V9a7 and White resigned. Half a year later, however, Anand came up with an improvement: 1 2.b3 1 3.ll'lb2 d5 (perhaps in view of that game 1 3 . . .'?9 a5 is worth considering for Black) 14.�f4 and now, after 14 . . . ll'lxf3 1 5. ll'lxf3 ll'lxe4 1 6.Vffd4 f6 1 7.�d3!

Anand introduced an interesting queen sacrifice which seems to have placed new problems in the path of this line's Black devotees. 1hat game continued: 1 7. . .�c5 1 8.�xe4 �xd4 1 9 .�g6t c;!;JfB 20.gxd4 with an irrational position, in which White's chances seem to be higher, Anand - Topalov, Sofia 2005. A s we mentioned, 8.Vff d 2 chosen by Leko, allows Black to refrain from playing the weakening 8 ... h6, and therefore used to be considered as less precise than the immediate 8.g4. 1his assessment

44

ROUND 1

was re-evaluated after the game Leko - Kasparov, Linares 2005, in which the Hungarian managed to improve White's play on the 1 2'h move after: 8 ... .!Llbd7 9.g4 .!Llb6. However, White found 1 O.a4! .!Llc4 1 I .ixc4 bxc4 1 2.a5!.

Prior to this game White's attempts to deal with Black's plan were rather modest. A good example is Kramnik - Topalov, from the last round of Sofia 2005: 9 . .!Llce2 e5 1 O . .!Llb3 .!Llc6 1 l .c4 ie7 1 2 . .!Llg3 g6 1 3 .id3 .!Lld7 1 4.�d1 0-0 1 5.�£2 a5 and Black achieved a good game.

9 ... �bd7

An important move, that seems to be closing the whole line. Black's position looks grim, as White has managed to seize too much space on the queenside, and take control over b6. Black is virtually left with no counterplay. 1he game continued: 1 2 ...ib7 1 3 . .!Lla4 �c8 1 4.�c3 .!Lld7 1 5.0-0-0 ie7 1 6.h4 ixh4, but here, instead of going for the kill in a straightforward way, Leko continued improving his position, and let the moment slip away: 1 7. .!Lle2?! (better was 1 7.�b4! �b8 1 8.�xh4! �xh4 1 9.�xd6 and Black's position is falling apart) After 1 7 ...if6 1 8.id4 e5 1 9.ie3 ie7 Black managed to stabilize his position in Leko - Kasparov, Linares 2005. (One might guess that this game was in front of Topalov's eyes while preparing for Leko). After that game the line with 8 ... .!Llbd7 lost most of its attractiveness. Topalov revived the variation with the daring 8 ... b4 idea, but the current game seems to slam yet another blow against Black's set­ up, and this time against its new leading exponent - Topalov.

8...b4 Topalov copied & pasted this idea from positions with the insertion of g2-g4 h7-h6, and until the current game it looked like Black's last try to revive the line.

9.�a4 Leko is following Anand's footsteps (see previous note), with a small, and yet mighty difference: White has not weakened f3 yet.

Played in analogy to the lines with the insertion ofg4 and h6. An attempt to break free with 9 ... d5, as was played in the few games that did reach this position, does not look good: 1 O.e5 .!Ofd7 1 1 .f4 With the moves g4 and h6 this position is very bad for Black, since he has severely weakened the g6-square. However, even without it, this French-like structure is good for White: all his moves were useful for this structure, while Black kept moving his pawns on the queenside, creating weaknesses for himself.

10.�

10 ..d5?! .

Black's was not too successful in developing his pieces until now, which means opening the position should not be in his favour. 1 O .. .'�a5 was the more solid, and probably stronger continuation. Then, after 1 l .b3 1 1 .. . .!Lle5?, threatening .. .i.d7, is refuted by 1 2 . .!Llxe6! fxe6 1 3.ib6 .!Llxf3 1 4.gxf3 �h5 1 5.�g1 with a big advantage for White. Therefore Black would have to play 1 I ...ib7 1 2.�b1 ie7 1 3.c4 bxc3 1 4.�xc3 �xc3 1 5 . .!Llxc3 0-0 1 6.ie2. White is marginally better due to

LEKO -TOPALOV his pawn majority on the queenside, but it is much better for Black than the game. By the way, an attempt to reproduce the idea he played against Kramnik: IO ... �e5 l l .�xb4 id7 l 2. �b3 gbs l 3.�d4 fails, as the f3-pawn is now protected.

45

White is just an exchange up) 1 8.�xb6 �xb6 l 9.�xd5 exd5 20.�xd5

ll.exd5 ltlxd5 12.i.c4 Black is facing a clear problem: how to protect the knight?

Here Black's best practical chances to save the game would be after 20 ... gac8, whereas Kasparov's suggestion to regain the pawn with 20 ...�h6t is too risky for Black because of 2 l .�d2 �xh2 22.gh l �g3 (22 ...�b8 23.gh4) 23.�xb4 (23.gh3 �g6 24.gd h l a5 25.�d6!) 23 ... �xg2?! 24.�h4 �g6 25.gdgl �h6t 26.�xh6 gxh6 27.gxh6 with a totally winning endgame for White.

13.i.g5 Uc7 12... �7£6?! 1he source of Black's misfortunes in the future, as he probably overlooked Leko's strong reply. Stronger was l 2 ... ib7 although after l 3.ghe l it is not easy to advise Black on a good move: a) l 3 ... gc8 l 4.ig5! (weaker is l4.ixd5 ixd5 l 5.if4 g6 and White still has to prove his advantage) l 4 ...�7f6 (after l 4 ...�c7 Black's position collapses after the thematic: 1 5 . �xe6 fxe6 l 6.gxe6t �f7 l 7.ge4!) l 5.ixf6 gxf6 ( l 5...�xf6 l6.�xe6 fxe6 l7.ixd5 ixd5 l8.�xd5 is completely one-sided) l6.�xe6 fxe6 l7.gxe6t �f7 l 8.gb6!, White has extra material, and a winning position. b) Kasparov, in his analysis for N/C, suggests l 3 ...�c7 as Black's most stubborn defence, providing the following line: l 4.�xe6! �xc4 1 5. �c7t �xc7 1 6.if4t �dB l 7.ixc7t �xc7 1 8 .c4 bxc3 1 9.�xc3 with advantage for White. c) l 3 ...ie7 1 4.�f5 0-0 ( l 4 ... �xe3 loses to 1 5.�xg7t �fB l6. �xe6t! fxe6 1 7.�xe3 with a decisive attack) l 5.ixd5 ixd5 1 6.ib6! �xb6 1 7.�xe7t �h8 (after 1 7 . . .�xe7 l 8.�xb6

14..ixd5! A very strong and simple reaction. White is not willing to lose precious time retreating the bishop.

14 ... �xd5 15.ghel White already has the concrete threat of l6.�xe6 followed by l7.�xd5, which has to be attended to, forcing Black to postpone the solution of his main problem - poor development.

ROUND 1

46

1 5 �b7 ...

Nor a move one wants to make, especially as White does nor even rry to hide his intentions about e6, bur d5 is also very vulnerable, and Black simply had no other options. 1 5 . . .�e7 is refuted prosaically with: 1 6.�xe7 when Black cannot play 1 6 . . .�xe7? due to 1 7.ll::l f5 followed by �xd5 on rhe very next move. So, after 1 6 ... ll::lx e7 1 7.�xb4 rhe pawn on b4, which was rhe only justification for Black going through all rhe misery so far, disappears. Without it one would have a hard rime finding an explanation why Black should go into this position.

16.Wfe2 1 7.ll::lx e6 is already a clear and immediate threat. Black's position is critical, bur Topalov is defending very resourcefully.

16...Wfd6! A gutsy move, which was quire undeservedly criticized by Kasparov in his analysis for N!C. 1he queen steps up to protect irs king, nor minding rhe white pieces flying around. The main point behind rhis move is rhar after it White does nor have any concrete wins, in rhe shape of "sac-sac­ resign". a) 16 . . .�c8 1 7.�e5 White maintains a very strong initiative while Black has no good way to develop. b) 1 6 .. .l:!c8 1 7.ll::lx e6 fxe6 1 8.�xe6t ll::le7 1 9.'it>bl �c6 ( 1 9 . . . �xc2t 20.'it> a l ) 20.l:!d6 �xa4 2 l .b3 and White wins.

c) Kasparov, in his analysis for NIC, suggests 1 6 . . . ll::l f4 as Black's only possible continuation and provides rhe following line: 1 7.�e3 ll::l x g2

1 8.ll::lx e6 �xc2t 1 9.'it>xc2 ll::lx e3t 20.l:!xe3 fxe6 2 l .ll::l b6 l:!b8 22.�f4 �c5 (after 22 . . .�e4t 23.l:!xe4 l:!xb6 24.l:!c4 'it>f7 25 .l:!c8 Black suffers) 23.l:!ed3 �xb6 24.�xb8 �d5 (24 . . . 0-0 25 .�d6 l:!xf3 26.l:!xf3 �xf3 27.l:!fl �e4t 28.'it>b3 g5 29.'it>xb4 g4) 25.�d6 a5 26.a3 White is better, bur Black might escape thanks to his bishop pair. However, if we go back to rhe position after 1 6 ... ll::l f4

LEKO - TOPALOY White has a much easier way to refute his opponent's defensive idea: 17.ixf4! 'Wxf4t

18J:!d2! Although it is not easy to make such a move over the board. The point behind this move is that once White takes on e6, the rook will be ready to join the attack along the e-file. 1he immediate threat is, of course, 1 9 . �xe6. 1he more natural 1 8.�b1 would also do the job, although less convincingly: 1 8 ...ie7 1 9.�xe6 fxe6 20.'Wxe6 'We? 2 l .�c5 (Now White does not have time to double his rooks with 2 U�d2 grs 22.�b6 gds, when Black would still be in the game.) 2 1 ...gds 22.gxd8t �xd8 23.�xb7t 'Wxb7 24.gd l t �e8 25.gd6 'Mia? 26.a4 �f8 27.gxa6 The material is equal, while Black is completely paralysed. White should win without much trouble. 1 8 ...'Wh6! The original attempt to solve the problems around the king with 1 8 ...0-0-0

47

22.gxd8t �c7 23.'Wh4!, and on either capture of the knight White wins the fa-bishop in a different way: 23 ... �xb6 is met with 24.gxfg gx£8 25.'Wxb4t, whereas on 23 ...'Wxb6 the fork comes from a different side: 24.gxf8 gx£8 25.'We7t. 1 9.f4! ie7 20.'We5 White's play here is rather straightforward. Now he is threatening 'We?. 20 ...gcs After 20 ...gd8 White wins a piece with 2 1 .�£5 'Wf6 22.gxd8t ixd8 23.�d6t �e7 24.�xb7. 2 l .�b6 Black suffers heavy material losses. 1hese fairly forced lines prove that Topalov's intuition did not fail him, and 16 ...'Wd6, not allowing any forced wins, was the best choice from a practical standpoint. Back to the game:

17.®bl?

does not work due to spectacular geometry: 19.'Wc4t 'We? 20.�b6t �b8 2 l .�c6t! 'Wxc6

A complete waste of time. White should have played 1 7.f4 when he has Black at his mercy. For example: a) 17 ... �xf4? 1 8.'Wg4 �dS 1 9 .�xe6 is an 'ouch'. b) 1 7 ... h6?! weakens the g6-square, and therefore loses immediately to 1 8.�xe6! 'Wxe6 19.'Wd3, which needs no explanation, while 1 8 ... fxe6 is bad due to 1 9 .'Wh5t �d7 20.'Wf7t �c8 2 1 .gxe6 'Mid? 22.ie7! (the less spectacular 22.�b6t �xb6 23.gxd7 �xd7 24.ih4 idS 25.£5 wins as well) 22 .. .ixe7 23.gxd5! ixdS

ROUND 1

48

24.�b6t �c7 2S.�xd7 ixe6 26.'Mixe6 id6 27.�e5 White has a queen and two pawns for two black rooks, but what matters here is the open position of the black king. c) 1 7 ... g6 1 8.5 A good illustration of the dangers awattmg Black on every move can be seen after: 1 8 ... :Bc8 On 1 8 ...ig7 White decides the game with a straightforward assault 1 9.�c5 'MixeS 20.�xe6 fxe6 2 1 .'Mfxe6t �f8 22.fxg6 with an inevitable mate. 1 9.fxe6 f6 20.�5! 'Mic7 2 1 .e7 fxgS 22.�b6!! A nice tactical blow, which ends Black's misery on the spot. The black pieces already had enough defensive tasks to worry about, and another one proves to be fatal. 22 ...'Mixb6 22 ... �xb6 23.�d6t 23.:Bxd5! ixdS 24.exf8'Mit �x£8 2S.'Mie7t �g8 26.'Mig7 mate.

1 8 ... h6 1 9 .�c5 'Mib6 20.�cxe6 fxe6 2 1 .'Mid3 �d7 22.:Bxe6 id6 23.ie3 bxa3 24.�b3 'Mic7 25.:Bxg6 White has the advantage. 1 9.axb4 0-0 20.�c5 :Bab8 2 1 .c4 �xb4 22.�dxe6 'Mic6 23.ie7 fxe6 24.ixf8 ix£8 2S.'Mixe6t 'Mixe6 26.�xe6 With a substantial advantage for White in the endgame. However, Black can improve his play with 20 ... 'Mtb6!. The queen is moved away from X-rays along the d-file, and creates threats along the b­ file. On 2 1 .�xb7 Black has a strong intermediate move at his disposal: 2 1 .. .'Mixb4!, with the threat of ... �c3, and Black has the upper hand in the complications. 2 1 .c3 is simply met with 2 1 ... :Bfc8 (threatening :BxcS), with a very dangerous initiative for the pawn, and 2 1 . �d7 is again bad due to 2 1 ...'Mixb4. c) Even having wasted a tempo (on 1 7. � b l ) White's strongest move i s still 1 8.f4!:

17 h6? ...

Returning the favour. 1he correct and natural reaction was 1 7 . . .g6

White has quite a few possibilities, although only one is really promising: a) 1 8.�c5 does not work because of 1 8 ...'Mixc5 1 9.�xe6 fxe6 20.'Mixe6t ie7 2 1 .ixe7 'Mixe7 22.'Mid6 �e3! 23.'Mif4 gS! 24.'Mid4 0-0 25.:Bxe3 'Mff6 26.'Mixb4 :Bad8 and only Black can win this. b) Kasparov suggested the spectacular 1 8.a3 awarding the move two exclamation marks, providing the following line: 1 8 ...ig7 1 8 ... bxa3 is now met with 1 9.c4, whereas after

1 8 ... ig7 On 1 8 ...h6 White can sacrifice the whole set with 1 9.�c5! hxgS ( 1 9 ...ic8 20.�e4) 20.�xb7 'Mie7 2 1 .'Mie4. Black's position is as lost as a position can be. One of the unpleasant threats occupying Black's mind is �xe6 followed by 'Mixg6t with a party. 1 9 .f5 Ld4 1 9 ...0-0 20.fxe6 :Bac8 (20 ...ixd4 2 1 .e7) 2 1 .exf7t :Bxf7 22.'Mie6! and now either 22 . . .'Mic7 23.:Bfl or 22 ...'Mixe6 23.�xe6 is very difficult for Black. 20.:Bxd4 gxfS Worse is 20 ... 0-0 2 1.f6 :Bfc8 (2 l . ..:Bfd8 22.'Mid2 'Mic6 23.ih4 eS 24.:Bxe5 :SacS 2S.�b6! either winning material or mating) 22.'Mid2 'Mic6

LEKO - TOPALOY 23.ih4!. The weakness of the dark squares around the king establishes White's advantage beyond any doubt. 2 1 .�h5 gcs

49

from a single move?! Having said that, we must state that Black's position is still lost, provided White plays correctly.

19.�£2 And now it is the critical point of the game.

19 ...Wc7

22.g4! Gaining control over the important e4-square. 22 ... f4 After 22 . . . fxg4 23.gde4 Black has no hope. 23.�h6 �c6 23 ... f3 loses to 24.gd2, and Black is unable to hold his kingside 24.gc4! �d6 25.ixf4 li:lxf4 26.gxf4 White continues his attack against the king while maintaining the material balance, whereas: 26 ...�d2? lethally abandons the king: 27.gxe6t fxe6 28.�xe6t 'it>d8 29.�f6t 'it>d7 30.gd4t and White wins.

18.ih4 �f4! The only move that protects the vital e6-square, and does so with a tempo. What more can one ask

20.�5? A bad mistake by Leko, who was under heavy time pressure by now, but he usually spots such things in blitz. 20.li:lb6! was the correct path: the beauty of which can be observed after 20 . . .�xb6 2 l .li:lxe6! �xf2 22.li:lc7 mate, or 2 l . . .�xe6 22.�a7!, both winning in some style. So, Black would have to answer with 20 . . .gb8 and only now 2 I .li:lf5 . The addition of a knight

in the game (b6) has a huge impact on the situation. 2 l . . .g5 already does not work due to 22.tlJd7! (threatening tiJfG mate!) 22 . . . tiJd5 23.a:xd5 and White wins. The attempt to get rid of the annoying knight with 2 1 . . .icG fails to 22.'1Wd4! a:g8 23.tlJc4 g5 24 .ig3 followed by an inevitable tlJdGt.

20...g5 An accurate assessment of the situation in the game (not just the position) can only be given relatively to what used to be a few moves ago. Black's position is still suspicious, but it cannot be compared to the abyss he was facing throughout the past five moves.

an unclear game) 26.id4 a:g8 27.if6 a:gG and Black wards off White's initiative However, the best move was 22.a:d2 when it is hard to see a better move for Black than 22 .. . a:d8, which we looked at in the previous annotation.

22... a:gs Now it suddenly turns out that none of the white pieces coordinates with each other. Of course, 22 . . .'1Wxc2t loses, as after the king's retreat Black will be unable to defend both h8 and d7.

2 Lig3 a:cs The attempt to reduce White's attacking potential with exchanges by means of 2 l . . .a:d8 leads to quite a serious advantage for White after 22.a:xd8t '1Wxd8 2 3.tlJc5 idS 24.tlJe4! (threatening ixf4 and '1Wd4) 24 ... ixe4 25 .fxe4. Black cannot take to knight as it would prove deadly to his own king, whereas tolerating the knight is virtually impossible as well.

22.'1Wd4�! Leko is still under the influence of the huge advantage he had a few moves ago, but it was time to think in positional terms now. The queen sacrifice 22.tiJb6 ic5 2 3.tlJxc8 ixf2 24.tlJcd6t 'i!ff8 25 .ixf2 does not lead to the goal after 25 . . . id5 (but not 25 . . . exf5 2G.a:e8t 'i!ig7 27.id4t fG 28.ixf6t 'iiixfG 29.a:xh8 with

23.c3� It is a known fact that mistakes never travel alone. This move can be awarded more than one question mark, since not only does it change the

LEKO - TOPALOV course of the game by 1 80 degrees, but the flow of the whole tournament (and arguably chess history). It was vital to bring the queen back home with 23.'Bf2, and Black's position would still be far from pleasant. 1he seemingly tempting 23 ...'Ba5 loses to 24.lL!b6 'Bxf5 25.lLlxc8 �xc8 26.'Bb6, while after 23 ... 'Bc6 24.b3 lt:Jd5 25.l::id 4, White is still better.

23 J:�d8! .•

1his is probably the move that escaped Leko's attention. Topalov forces a queen exchange. Without the ladies Black's monarch will be very comfortable in the centre, whereas both white knights are much worse than the black bishops. 1he rest of the game does not really need explanations. Just sit back and enjoy Topalov's technique.

24.'i;Yxd8t

unpleasant pressure on White's kingside (along with the light-squared bishop). White's pieces, on the other hand, are no longer operating as a unit, but as unconnected (and hunted) soldiers.

26.�e3 Or 26.gd I t t! •

57

GAME 3 Peter Svidler Michael Adams PetroffDefence C42

The morro of this game is 'aggressive defence'. Quire a few rimes during the game Black faced a problem, and each rime the only way our was the most active continuation. Eventually, Black conducted a good game, played rhe best moves, even some "only" moves.

l .e4 eS 2.tt.'lf3 tt.'lf6

Black's last chance to win the game is to drive his king to the queenside.

48.g3 g4 49.hxg4 hxg4 SO.'it>g2 ges S I .'it>fl 'it>f7 52.ga7t 'it>f6 52 . . . 'i!fe6 was Black's last try to play for a win. White still has a draw, bur has to swear a bit for it: 53.ga6t 'i!fd7 54.gxg6 ge4 55 .gg5 gxa4 56.'i!fe3 With a draw.

53.ga6t Wf5 54.gc6 ge4 Vz-1/z

A Petroff, of course, though Adams also played the Ruy Lopez in San Luis, bur in the first round against Svidler, who plays it himself, he chose the more solid option.

3.tt.'lxe5 d6 4.tt.'lf3 tt.'lxe4 S.d4 dS 6.i.d3 tt.'lc6 Despite that the position is symmetrical, the move order here is quire significant, since Black has to be ready for White's thematic c2-c4.

7.0-0 fi.e7 In the past 7 . . .fl.g4 used to be popular (even Anaroly Karpov used to play this way), bur it now appears to be problematic thanks to one of rhe most spectacular moves ever played in any opening. 8 .c4 tt:lf6 9.tt:lc3 fi.xf3 1 0.1Mfxf3 tt:lxd4 1 1 .1Mih3 tt:le6 (of course, better is 1 1 . . . dxc4 although here, roo, Black does nor always manage to equalize) 1 2.cxd5 tt:lxd5. Here White uncorked the amazing 1 3.fl.g6! deciding the game, and entered quire a few combination books, Nadanian - Sharbatov, Correspondence 1 992.

8.c4 tt.'lb4 1his position used to be considered as unfavourable for Black, as White eventually manages to seize control over the centre. As rime went by, the perception has changed: if Black manages to create a few weaknesses in White's camp, his counterplay will be sufficient.

9.fl.e2 0-0 IO.a3 Another key move is 1 0.tt:lc3, which can lead to positions similar to the game (after 1 5 ...fi.f5). bur allows Black to deviate after 1 O . . .!i.e6 and here White's best try is surprisingly to encourage Black to play f7-f6 with 1 1 .tt:le5 f6 1 2.tt:lf3. A knight can go back, a pawn cannot. 1 2 . . . 'i!th8

ROUND !

58

P. SVI D L E R 1 3.a3 ltJxc3 1 4.bxc3 ltJc6 f6 turns out to be quite damaging for Black. For instance, after 1 5 .ftJd2 ltJa5 ! 6.cxd5 i.xd5 1 7.c4!, White managed to achieve a serious advantage, Kasimdzhanov - Adams, Tripoli (7.2) 2004.

IO .. tt:k6 l l.cxdS 'IWxdS 1 2.cl (bur nor 30.'it>al ? ? gbz and Black wins) 30 . . .�c7 3 J .ci!;> d J and the king escapes.

28.Y;lid2 White has nothing productive to offer: 2 1 .gg4 f5 22.gg2 �xf3 23.ghgl g6 and it is a good time to remember Mr. Smith's famous line from "The Matrix" - "It is a dead end, Mr. Anderson". White's attack has ended, whereas Black's will nor be as peaceful.

2l. ..gfe8 22.Y;lie4 'tt>h 8 Making sure there are no surprises along the g-file.

23.h4 After 23.�g4 �f7 24.�h4 f5 the white queen is our of the game. 23 ... f5 24.Y;lie2 Y;l{£7 25.gg2 White could have tried to make the black pawns on the kingside move with 25.h5, but after 25 . . . e5 the position does nor look tasty at all.

25 ....if4 1his looks a bit superficial, although Anand's approach - to simply improve the position until the opponent cracks under the pressure - can be easily understood. However, he passes by an opportunity to virtually decide the game by force with: 25 ... e5! 26.dxe5 Or 26.�dl exd4 27.cxd4 �b4 28.b3 gec8

28 ....id6 Again, Anand bypasses a prom1smg, bur committing line. Black's position is so good that he need nor rake risks to achieve the goal. He's got a plan, and is not going to abandon it. Objectively speaking, the fastest way to victory was: 28 ... b4 29.c4 (29.ixf4 bxc3 and White can resign. Or 29.cxb4 id6 30.b5 f4 and the troubles come from an unexpected direction.) 29 ... �a4! 30.ic2 (30.cxd5 loses to 30 ... b3

POLGAR - ANAND 3l .�cl �al t 32.ibl ggcBt 33.�dl gc2! 0-1 ) 30 ... b3 3 1 .ixb3 gxb3 32.cxd5 ggb8 33.ixf4 �3!! A beautiful way to end the game, although even if Anand was looking at such stuff, there is little justification to go for it while life is good without it.

29..ic2 Wfb7 29 ... b4 was j ust as good: 30.c4 b3 3 l .cxd5 bxc2t 32.�xc2 exd5 with a huge advantage for Black, but Anand wants an improved version of it, and also makes Polgar suffer before their next encounter in the second round. 29 .. .f4 is, of course, bad because of 30.�d3!.

65

32....ib4 Another way to win was 32 ...�a6 33.cxd5 �a2t 34.�cl �alt 35.ibl ggcBt 36.�dl gc2 and, j ust like in previous lines, White does not make it.

33.Wfe2 Wfa6 34..ih6

1his does not even look frightening. 34.cxd5 �a2t 35.�cl ggcBt 36.�d l �al t mating.

30..ig5 b4

34...cltk3t!

Removing the very last defender.

35.bxc3 !xc3 36.'i!;>ci Wfa3t We are entering the fi nal (and rather cruel) part of the game - the realization of the advantages. Black undermines the last bastion around the white king. Polgar cannot allow an opening of the b-file, but then Black will have a pawn on b3 - too close to the enemy's king.

1he most human way, although Fritz is furious . . . Apparently it found mate in 9 after 36 ... b2t 37.�c2 �a2 38.�xc3 gb3t 39.�d2 b 1 =�t 40.�e3 �xe2t etc. ..

37.'i!;>di Wfal t 38..icl b2 39.Wfe3 .ixd4 40.Wfd2 bxcl=�t 40 .. ,gb3 was possible as well, but it is a matter of personal preference.

3l.c4 b3

4I.Wfxcl Wfa2

3 1 ... �c3t unnecessary complicates matters after 32.�cl!.

Tim e trouble is over, and after Polgar had enough time to examine her position (or what's left of it), she decided that enough is enough.

32..id3 32.cxd5 bxc2t 33.�xc2 �xd5 Black's position is winning both dynamically and strategically.

0-1

ROUND 2 Resu lts:

Mund1al de Ajedrez

Kasi mdzhanov

Yz

Yz

Svi dl er

Adams

Yz

Yz

Polg ar

Topalov

Yz

Yz

Anand

Lek o

Yz

V2

Mor ozevi ch

Mundial de Ajedrez

Standings: 1-2 Anand

1 Yz

1-2 Topalov

1 Yz

3-6 Adams

1

3-6 Kasi mdzhanov

1

3-6 Mor ozevi ch 3-6 Svi dler 7-8 Lek o

Yz

7-8 P olgar

Yz

lhe seemingly peaceful atmosphere of the second round was misleading. Although all four games did finish in split points, all featured fierce battles, and at least fou r participants could be unhappy with the result. Nervous struggles rook place on every board, even the extraordinarily calm Anand could not stand the stress.

Topalovvs. Anand featured a uniquely dramatic battle. 1he Bulgarian faced one of his main contenders for the tide for the second time in as many rounds. He chose a relatively quiet line of the Queen's Indian. 1his choice was especially surprising as not long ago Topalov, against the same opponent, opted for a much riskier approach, emerging victorious after a brilliant game. Th e initial stage of the game was well­ known to Anand, who is not only the world's leading expert on the Black side of this line, but has also employed this variation with White on numerous occasions. He, therefore, chose the safest (to his mind) continuation. 1he point of which is that White is practically forced into sacrificing an exchange for the initiative, but Black has good chances to withstand it. Topalov stepped up to the challenge with great enthusiasm, uncorking a novelty in his favourite style - for a fight. From here on it was one big illusion, as many spectators mistakenly counted the game as all Topalov's achievement, allotting Anand the role of a supporting actor. In reality, Anand

68

ROUND 2

reacted well and could have forced a draw. It was due to his doubts (on two occasions, as the situation was repeated later in the game) whether it was worth playing for a win and how to do it, that he erred and found himself in difficult positions, and even a lost one near the end. Topalov has to be credited for exploiting his chances, and for a correct psychological line: Anand was tearing himself apart choosing between a draw (from a superior position) with Black or taking risks while playing for a win. In the end Topalov needed just a little more effort to win but then something unpredictable occurred: Topalov lost his way! It could be seen by the time he spent on every move, and his inaccuracies. The game ended in a split point, although on the way Anand twice failed to force a draw, and the Bulgarian did not use his chances. It was a tough struggle for both, but a great delight for the spectators. Adams vs. Polgar was a much calmer affair. 1he Hungarian messed up in the opening, obtaining an essentially lost position. Furthermore, Adams started slowly accumulating advantages in his favourite style: it sometimes seemed that these preparatory moves would last forever. Unfortunately for the Briton, the winning method was not obvious and he, having missed several opportunities to decide the game by a direct attack, allowed Polgar to create counterplay. However, Adams managed to suppress the threats in timely fashion. Eventually, after yet another unexploited opportunity, the game terminated in a rook endgame, which Adams decided not to continue. But there was a point in playing on - for Black to achieve a draw was anything but trivial, and it was worth testing the tired opponent. Kasimdzhanov - Svidler was a short game, but not an easy one. The Russian grandmaster took his opponent into unknown territory by opting for a complex line of a rarely played Pirc. White reacted superbly. After both players had followed the theory (of which they were unaware during the game) for some time he unleashed a very poisonous, although slightly overestimated, novelty. This new idea would have been admirable even if it had been the fruit of home preparation. It is even more impressive that is was apparently a creative effort over the board. After Svidler's inaccurate reply White had the opportunity to obtain a significant edge with a strong exchange sacrifice. The finale was like a bolt from the blue: in an overwhelming position Kasimdzhanov played a rather strange move and, being in time trouble, decided that one inaccuracy could be followed by others, and that the best option was to offer a draw. Analysis showed that it is not clear who is better in the final position and therefore it is also not entirely clear which player should be pleased with the peace treaty. In the last game of the round Morozevich managed to be creative right from the start, even though it was an English Attack - an opening where there seemed to be little room left for fantasy, as it is based on pure calculation. In any case, the Muscovite's original idea logically led to a significant advantage for Leko! But just like in the previous round the Hungarian was not energetic enough, and his reaction to Morozevich's pawn sacrifice put him on the defensive. Later on the Russian had serious winning chances. At one moment he had the opportunity to exchange queens, which would have removed all doubts about the outcome. He missed that chance, and never got another one from his tough opponent. To sum up, we now have two groups of players - those under-scoring, and the rest are the lucky ones. Kasimdzhanov and Adams threw away their chances, Topalov missed a real opportunity to have a one point lead after only two rounds, and Leko not only failed to convert another great position, but found himself on the verge of losing.

KASIM DZHANOY - SYIDLER @

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GAME 5 Rustam Kasimdzhanov Peter Svidler Pirc Defence, Austrian Attack B09

1his game can be treated as one big calculation exercise (or many small ones).

l.e4 g6 A rare choice, but Svidler has already opted for this opening on a few occasions in the past.

2.d4 i.g7 3.lilc3 d6 4.f4 lilf6 5.lilf3 0-0 6.i.e3 Combining development with prophylaxis, aiming against the opponent's main plan: c7-c5. Black, for his part, has to choose between preparing c7-c5 , trying to play it immediately anyway, or giving it up the idea altogether. An ever popular alternative is 6.i.d3 where the most interesting seems to be the modern 6 .. .lt:Ja6!?. For example 7.0-0 c5 8.d5 E!b8 9.i.c4 tLlc7 1 O.a4 a6 1 l .a5 tLlb5 1 2.e5 tt:lxc3 1 3.bxc3 tLld7 with a sharp double-edged game, Sutovsky - Svidler, Internet Rapid 1 999.

6...b6

7.�d2

A very irritating line for White. After the immediate 6 ... c5 White gets an edge, as Black will have to recapture with his d-pawn: 6 ... c5 7.dxc5 �a5 8.i.d3 dxc5 and White is better thanks to his strong and dynamic centre. 1 he text-move prepares the break in the centre, bur it has an advantage compared to 6... tt:lbd7, as it keeps the option of developing the knight to a better place.

Intending to castle quickly and start attacking Black's kingside as in the Dragon. A curious game developed once (upon a time) following the energetic 7.e5. After 7 . . . tt:l g4 8.i.g1 c5 9.h3 tLlh6 1 0.d5 i.b7 1 l .�d2 tLlf5 1 2.i.h2 dxe5 1 3.fxe5 e6 1 4. 0-0-0 exd5 1 5 .tt:lxd5 tt:lc6 1 6.c3 tt:lcd4! it was Black who seized the initiative in Beliavsky - Anand, Munich 1 99 1 . A worthy alternative is 7.i.c4, developing the bishop to an active position, but it has its drawbacks (White delays the start of his kingside assault, and the bishop is in range of attacks from Black's pieces) . For example: 7 . . . c5 8.�e2 and here Black tried a pawn sacrifice 8 ...tt:lxe4, which looks very strong and even brought him an advantage in Bologan - Ponomariov, Enghien les Bains 1 999.

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ROUND 2

7...�b7 An interesting move, preventing White from closing rhe centre roo early. On rhe immediate 7 ... c5

White would, most probably, answer with 8.d5, as was played by one of Kasimdzhanov's seconds ( rhar is, one of his seconds before rhe tournament, as during rhe championships rhe FIDE Champion was only accompanied by his wife). 8 ....ib7 9.00-0 tt:la6 1 O.e5 tt:lg4 1 1 .h3 tt:"lxe3 1 2.'the3 c4 1 3.h4 and White managed to obtain an advantage in Sadvakasov - Dzhumaev, Hyderabad 2005.

8.e5 The most principled.

8 ...t!:Jg4 White's centre looks impressive, bur it won't stay this way for long, due to the heavy fire aimed at it, rhus White has to use it as a diversion while developing a kingside arrack. 1he big question is who succeeds first.

9.0-0-0 Now Black's play in rhe centre will be combined with an arrack on rhe king, bur it could nor be left in rhe centre either. Also interesting is rhe thematic sacrifice 9.e6 where a possible continuation is 9 ....ixf3 1 O.gxf3 tt:"lxe3 1 1 .'the3 f5 with a complicated game in Korronias - Smirin, AeroAor Open 2004.

9... c5 After rhe advance of rhe e-pawn to e5 this seems to be the most natural way to undermine White's centre. From now on White will have to forger about kingside attacks (as he was trying in some of rhe previous annotations), and place his bets on piece play in the centre.

1 O.dxc5 bxc5

Less attractive looks 1 O . . .tycs 1 l .cxd6 exd6, although after rhe nor-so-forced 1 2.exd6 Black gained a strong initiative with 1 2 . . ..ixc3 1 3. bxc3 tye6 in Sadler - Speelman, British League (4ncl) 1 996.

l l.�xc5 A strong theoretical move, which White found during the game. Now rhe bishop is transferred to a more relevant spot. On 1 1 .h3 Black rook the initiative with 1 1 . . .tt:"lxe3 1 2.tyxe3 tt:"lc6 1 3 . .ic4 ttla5 1 4 . .ib3 tyb6 1 5.l:!he1 gab8 1 6.tt"ld5 .ixd5 1 7.gxd5 ea6 1 8.'tt> b 1 c4 and never looked back, Plaskett - McNab, Birmingham (4ncl) 2005.

l l .Wa5 12.�a3 dxe5 13.�d5! ..

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1hreatening both c7 and e7, so Black must part with his important bishop.

14....ixd5

Normal means of defence fail now: 1 4 ... �c6 1 5.ib5! �h8 (what else?) 1 6.lt:lxe7 lLlxe7 1 7.ixe7 �fc8 1 8.fxe5 lLlxe5 1 9.lLlxe5 ixe5 20.�e2 and White is simply a pawn up.

1 5Jixd5

A successful novelty that received too many exclamation marks around the globe. As always, the commentators were under the influence of the big advantage White gained in the game. 1he arising complications, however, are so huge that even if (after enormous efforts) White proves to be better, it is of very limited value in a practical game. Our conclusion is slightly surprising: the main strength of the novelty is that... White is not worse afterwards (which could well be the case in other lines). All in all, Kasimdzhanov deserves the compliments for finding such an interesting idea over the board (following a long think), which in fact managed to confuse Svidler and various commentators, but it is in no way a threat to the whole line from Black's point of view. Hitherto White only opted for 1 3.h3. Apparently the knight on g4 is so annoying that one needs really strong nerves to ignore it. Anyway, White can hardly claim anything here: 13 ...ih6 1 4.lLlg5 exf4 1 5.lLlxf7 �xf7 1 6.hxg4 ig5 A few continuations have been tested here, in all ofwhich Black had good chances. For example, a very beautiful line arises after 1 7.�b 1 f3 1 8.�f2 fxg2 1 9..ixg2 l:hf2 20.ixb7, but objectively speaking, White is by no means better here, Charbonneau - Lahno, Montreal 2004. But also the more logical 17 .lt:le4 �xd2t 1 8.�xd2 f3 1 9.gxf3 ixf3 20.ic4 ixh1 2 l .�xh1 �c6 gave Black compensation for the soon-to­ be-lost pawn on h7 that is at least sufficient.

13...�xd2t 14,gxd2

1 5...clt�e3! An undeservedly criticized move (including by Svidler himself), which in fact works well! 1he name of the game here is active play, which is Svidler's only trump against White's control in the centre and his passers on the queenside. 1hus, 'attack and distract' is his best policy here, hoping to complete his development in the process. Interesting was 1 5 ... e4 and after 1 6.lLle5 ( 16.lLlg5 is worse: 16 ... lt:lf2 1 7.�g1 h6 and the problems can only be on thewhite sideofthe river) 16 ... lt:lxe5 1 7.fxe5 lLlc6 White's pawn majority on the queenside is compensated by an initiative of Dragon style. A possible continuation could be 18 .ib5 lLlxe5 1 9..ixe7 �fc8 20.c3 and the bishop pair promises White a small edge, although a small advantage in this type of position does not really mean anything. An alternative that looked more promising is 1 5 ...ih6, but here too, Black is suffering: 1 6.�b 1 ixf4 a) 1 7.ixe7 was suggested as a way to achieve an advantage, but the result is exactly the opposite: 1 7 ... �e8 1 8.ig5 �e3 1 9.�c5 Black develops with

72

ROUND 2

1 9 ... c!Lld7! and here 20J�k3 (20 ..!�k7 c!Llb6 2 1 .ixf4 exf4 and Black is even better) 20 ... c!Lld5 2 1 J�d3 c!Ll7b6 and again, White has nothing. b) 1he correct move is: 1 7.g3! c!Lle3 Even worse is 1 7 ...e4 1 S.gxf4 exf3 1 9.ixe7 :BeS 20.ih4 c!Lle3 2 1 .ib5 c!LlxdS 22.ixeS. We believe the reader will agree that this is no way to play against the bishop pair in such a situation. 1 S.:Bc5 e4 1 9.gxf4 exf3 20.:Bc3 c!Llxfl 20 ... :BdS 2 1 .ib5! and again, all the black pieces are caught offside. 2 1 .:Bxfl :BeS 22.:Bfxf3 Black is worse in all possible areas: White's pawns are more promising, the rooks are more active, and the bishop is better than a knight in dynamic endgames.

16.:Bd2?! 1his allows Black equal chances. lhe computer suggests the awkward 1 6.:Bd3! (what about the bishop on fl ?).

Although it may not seem dangerous for Black, concrete lines are more important than first impressions. Now Black is forced to be precise and find many only moves (in forced and beautifi1l lines) and it seems neither of the following gives clear equality: Both 16 ... c!Llxfl 1 7.c!Llxe5! and 1 6 ... c!Llc4 1 7.ixe7 :BeS 1 S.:BdS :BxdS 1 9 .ixdS promises White a clear advantage. lhe first interesting idea seems to be 16 . . .exf4 17.ixe7 :BcS 1 S.c3 c!Llc6 1 9.id6 ih6 20.:Bgl . However, White will soon untie his kingside, and then his queenside pawns will give him better chances.

lhe most curious seems to be 1 6 . . . c!Llxc2:

Now 17. �xc2 e4 and 1 7. c!LlxeS c!Llxa3 1 S .:Bxa3 :BeSt 1 9.�b 1 c!Llc6! are hardly advisable. 1he most principled move is 1 7.ixe7 :BcS 1 S.:Bc3! c!Llc6 ( 1 S ...:Bxc3 1 9.bxc3 c!Lle3 20.c!Llxe5 ixeS 2 1.fx e5 c!Llxfl 22.:Bxfl c!Lld7 with an unpleasant endgame for Black). Now: Nothing is gained by 1 9.:Bxc2 c!Llxe7 20.fxe5 ih6t 2 1 .�b1 :Bxc2 22.�xc2 :BeSt 23.�d3 (too dangerous is 23. �b3 :BbSt and the king had better go back as after 24.�a3 c!Llc6 White can only lose) 23 ...:Bcl 24.g3 c!Llc6 2S.ig2 :BcS 26.:Bel ig7 winning the eS-pawn with a draw. But very strong is 1 9.ia6! and here: a) 1 9 ... c!Ll2d4 20.ic5 :BeS 2 1 .c!Llxe5 (weaker is 2 1 .fxe5 c!Llxf3 22.:Bxf3 c!LlxeS 23.:Ba3 ifB and the position is equal) 2 1 ...ixe5 (2 1 ...c!Llxe5? 22.ixd4 with a healthy extra pawn) 22.fxe5 !!xeS In this complicated position White enjoys an advantage due to his bishop pair. b) Another option is 1 9 ...c!Llxe7 with a forced line: 20.ixcS c!Llb4 2 l .ib7 :BbS 22.:Bc7 c!LledS 23.ixd5 (23.:Bd7 c!Llb6 does not give anything. Also weaker is 23.:BcSt :BxcSt 24.ixcS e4 2S .c!Llg5 e3 and Black has good counter-chances.) 23 ... c!Llxd5 24.:Bd7 c!Llxf4 25.:Bhd1 c!Lle6 and White is better, although the position is still full of life.

16... �c6? lhis is the mistake that allowed White to get a big, perhaps even decisive, advantage. To be honest, finding the right path is definitely not an easy task here. Judge for yourself: 1 6 ...e4 is bad due to 17.c!Llg5 fS 1 S.ib5!, emphasising Black's main dangers - the knights are in trouble. 1 6 ...exf4 1 7.ixe7 :BeS 1 S.id6 White is going

KASIM DZHANOY - SYIDLER

to grab a pawn, on top of already having a better position. 1he capture 1 6 ... tOxfl could lead to an even worse version of the game, after 1 7.l:!xfl t0c6 1 8.t0xe5 t0xe5 1 9.fxe5 .ih6 20 ..ixe7 .ixd2t 2 l .'i!lxd2 l:!fc8 22 ..id6 and White is close to winning since Black is a long way from organising some activity as compensation for the pawns on the queenside. Surprisingly enough, however, Black does have a way to solve all his problems with 1 6 ....ih6!.

73

1hanks to threats along the overloaded c l -h6 diagonal Black gets a good game. Here are a few possible continuations: a) 1 7.t0g5 is nor good: 1 7 ... exf4 1 8 ..ixe7 l:!e8 and White loses material. b) Also 1 7 ..ixe7 is nor a fortunate choice: 1 7 ... t0xfl 1 8.l:!xfl .ixf4 1 9 ..ixf8 'i!lxf8 20.'i!l d 1 (the idea 20.t0xe5 .ixe5 2 1 .l:!d8t 'i!le7 22.l:!g8 a5 sees Black breaking to freedom, and leaves White empty-handed) 20 . . ..ixd2 2 l .'i!lxd2 t0c6 and Black is by no means worse. c) 17 . .ib5 a6 and the bishop has to look for a better place, as clinging to it with 1 8 ..ia4? fails to 1 8 . . . t0c4 1 9 ..ixe7 .ixf4 20.ixf8 'i!lxfB 2 l .g3 ih6 2 2.l:!e1 t0d7! and the knight is immune: 23..ixd7 is bad as after 23 ... l:!d8 Black is getting all his investments back, with a good rare of interest. In this position again Black develops and is better. d) The most promising seems to be 1 7.id3, which gives White some winning chances, bur. . . mostly losing ones. 1 7 ... t0c6 1 8.ie4 l:!ac8

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ROUND 2

Entering a forced line, leading to a clear-cut advantage. lhe only problem is Svidler's ability to confuse anybody he wants. Or almost anybody. . .

17..JUc8 Even worse is 1 7 . . . lbd4 1 8 .lbxd4 exd4 1 9.�xe7 1!fc8 20.�a6 l!c7 2 l .�d6 1!d7 22.�c5 l!c7 23.b4 with a better position to compensate for ... the extra pawn.

18.�xc6 l!xc6 19.tDxeS �xeS 20.fxe5 tDc4 20 ... 1!ac8 would have forced White to play a good move: 2 l .c3 lbc4 22.�xe7 With a better version of the game.

1 9.�xc6 l!xc6 20.lbxe5 l!c7 2 l .g3 1!fc8 and, shockingly, White cannot hold on to his pawn anymore: apart from attacking c2, Black also plans to play .. .f6 followed by . . . lbc4 or ... e5. The lines are pretty much clear: 22.b3 lbxc2 22. 'tt> bl f6 (22 . . . lbxc2? 23.�xe7±) 23.lb8 lbc4 24.1!e2 lbxa3t 25.bxa3 e5! 26.fXe5 fXe5 and White's in trouble. 22.c3 f6 23.1!d3 &e5 24.1!xe3 exf4 25.1!xe7 l!xe7 26.�xe7 fXg3t 27.'tt> c 2 gxh2 and Black is not worse here.

1 7.�b5!

21 .�xe7! lhe only move, giving White a close to decisive advantage.

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2 U3d3 is less convincing for various reasons, but mainly because of 2 l ... lLlxe5 (Kasimdzhanov was also worried about 2 l .. .'i!ff8 22J!el :!!a6 with substantial technical difficulties in the endgame) with the forced line: 22.:!!e3 f6 23.ixe7 :!!a c8 24.c3 :!!8 c7 and Black escapes. e.g. 25.ixf6 lLlg4 26.id4 lLlxe3 27.ixe3 is similar to the game, but not quite. Without the e- and f-pawns the black rooks have much more freedom to play. Even worse idea is, as always, the rook endgame after 2 l .:!!e 2 lLlxa3 22.bxa3 :!!d8, which would mean great technical difficulties.

21...�xd2 22.Wxd2 :!!b 8

entering the game: 23 . . . :!! b 5 (23 . . . :!!e6 24.if6 and the rooks are stuck) 24.:!! e l (24.id6? :!! d 5t 25.Wcl f6 and it is no longer clear who's better) 24 . . . :!!a5 25.a4 :!! d 5t 26.'it>cl :!!d7 27.id6 a5 Black did all he could to resist, but his achievements did not solve the problem. After, for instance, 28.'it>b2, we are going to witness a new-born queen soon. Note that in this line the king went to c 1 . Perhaps this variation is the reason for the text move: Kasimdzhanov wanted to deprive Black of any counterplay, taking into account that the king might go there anyway? Unfortunately, trying to remove every possible chance from the opponent is often a good recipe for the opposite.

23...:!! c4! 1his position is crucial for the understanding of all White's achievements: he has two pawns for the exchange, and both are very good runners, which should eventually decide the game. Black, on his part, has to activate his rooks to both prevent the pawns from advancing (a virtually impossible mission) and snatch a few pawns on the kingside, hoping to have a passed pawn of his own one day. Simple arithmetic tells us that White should be much faster, but he has to act now - Black is not going to wait. 1herefore, the move Kasimdzhanov played

23.Wcl?! Looks dubious. For the reasons stated above, it is clear White should start pushing and, indeed, with this move he gave up a big part of his achievements. More logical is 23.b3. Not only do the pawns run fast, they also prevent the black rooks from

A great idea. 1he rook joins the game through the fourth rank and is going to disturb the white pawns. In fact, facing such a surprise, after having an overwhelming position just one move earlier, is not a pleasant feeling. Here White understood that it was no longer a game with only two possible results.

24.id6?! move, unfortunate this Following Kasimdzhanov offered a draw, which was accepted. Now, in order to win, he will have to risk losing, and for that he was not yet ready. 1he tournament is still young... By the way, after 24.:!! e l White has good prospects to succeed with similar plans to above, despite the tempo lost. But more interesting is to realize what could have happened after 24.id6? Various commentators were wondering about the reasons

76

ROUND 2 Black must look for activity at any price, he just need to find the correct way. Amazingly, the logical 25 . . . &4 (or 25 ... gf4, which leads to same position) does not promise anything: 26.gdl ge2 27.gd2 gxd2 28.�xd2 fG and now White does have a chance to queen a pawn, after all: 29. �d3 �f7 30.c4 �e6 3 l .c5 fxe5 32. �e4 although Black's chances for a successful defence are quite high as well. lhe best idea seems to be 25 .. . gd4!, which would have kept things unclear, forcing Kasimdzhanov to be precise in time trouble. From an objective point of view, however, after 26.�c2 f5 27.ge 1 �f7 it would be an exaggeration to state that Black has any significant chances, but practically - it is all open. For instance: 28.e6t (Too dangerous is 28.b3 �e6 29.ge2 gh4 30.g3 gh3! followed by a pawn advance on the kingside (finally!). White might find himself in trouble.) 28 . . . �e8 29.i.a3 gcc4 with the idea: 30.e7 ge4

for Kasimdzhanov's draw offer, but White's advantage has already vanished, and it was Svidler who could have played on, trying to "steal" the point. Especially as the FIDE champion was in time trouble. After 24 . . . gbc8 25.c3 3 l .gdl ge2t 32.gd2 (32.�cl gcs and White hardly has anything better than 33.gd2 gxd2 34.�xd2 g5 with something similar to the main line) 32 . . . gxd2t 33.�xd2 g5 with a double-edged position, where it is White who should be careful, since Black's better pawns on the kingside are signifi.cant and at least compensate for his poor king position. Considering that Peter Svidler noticed 25 . . .gd4 only after the game, however, his reasons are quite clear. •/2-lh

ADAMS - P O LGAR @

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GAME 6 Michael Adams Judit Polgar Sicilian Paulsen B48

l .e4 c5 2.ti:lf3 e6

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1 l .e5 ti:ld5 1 2.tt:le4 c5 1 3.exd6 �xd6 and after 1 4 .f5 White had a strong attack, Adams - Polgar, Frankfurt M asters 1 999. This time she does not want to cope with Adams' very strong pressure for a whole game, although that time she even won eventually.

s.ti:lc3 Wfc7 6.ie3

usual i n her games with Adams, Polgar goes for the Paulsen (as it turned out Polgar decided to make the Paulsen her main weapon for this tournament). An interesting peculiarity: almost every time the English Grandmaster gets a good advantage h ere, but mostly fails to convert it against Polgar, and occasionally even loses (in 5 games he lost 3 (in rapid chess) and 2 was drawn, while in all 5 cases he had great, mostly won, positions.).

After 6.g3 Black seems to have quite a few problems. I n any case, Polgar suffered a bit against the same opponent in Sofia 2005 (despite her novelty on move 1 4) , but m anaged to save half a point: 6 ... a6 7.ig2 tt:l f6 8 . 0-0 ti:lxd4 9.�xd4 ic5 1 0.�d3 tt:lg4 1 l .�e2 tt:le5 1 2. 'it> h 1 d6 1 3. f4 tt:lc6 1 4.�e3 b6 1 5 .f5 tt:le5 1 6.1!ad 1 �b7 1 7.ig5 0-0 1 8.f6 g6 1 9. tt:la4 with an i nitiative for White, Adams - Polgar, Sofia 2005.

3.d4 cxd4 4.ti:lxd4 tt:lc6

6...a6 7.id3

On a previous occasion Polgar chose a different move order: 4 . . . a6 5 .id3 tt:lc6 6.tt:lxc6 bxc6 7.0-0 d6 8.tt:lc3 tt:lf6 9 . f4 ie7 1 0. 'it> h 1 �b7

One of a 1 000 possible continuations, each leading to another 1 00 1 lines.

As

7 b 5 8.ti:lxc6 ...

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ROUND 2

This continuation is very fashionable, especially in Adams' games. The capture is common, but the timing is particularly interesting. Postponing the game plan by one move with: 8.0-0 is somewhat problematic, as after 8 . . .�b7 9.lthc6 '!Wxc6 1 O.e5?? is energetically refuted by the rude 10 . . .'1Wxg2 mate.

With the queen moving away from c7 the e5-square is weakened, and White exploits it. �d3-e4 is, of course, a threat now (for instance

8 .'1Wxc6

play on the dark squares. Critical seems to be the immediate 9 . . . f5 : Black's potential can b e seen after 1 O.exf6 �xf6 1 1 . 8?! W!c7 1 2 .W!d2 �b7 1 3.0-0-0 �b4 14.Wb 1 0-0 1 5 .a3 �aS 1 6.VI!e 1 b4 and he had a dangerous attack in Mohr - Bistric, Batumi 1 999. Another typical game for the structure continued 1 0 .�e2 �b7 1 1 .�8 W!c7 1 2 .�xb7 '!Wxb7 1 3.0-0 !'k8 1 4.a3 �e7 1 5.W!h5t �g6

..

Of course, 8 . . . dxc6?! is not good: 9.0-0 �b7 1 0.a4! with a healthy positional advantage for White. So, the queen was politely asked out (to a not­ so-great place), and had no choice but to accept. Black is also falling behind in development, but how could one make use of it?

9.e5!?

after 9 . . . '1Wxg2?) . The knight on g8 does not look happy either. The statistics confirm that White is in control here. Black's main problem at this point is to find counterplay, while White is going to

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16. c!Lle2 ic5 17 .ixc5 !hc5, followed by a justified draw agreement in Korneev - Lazarev, Assisi 2003. It seems that the order of piece development here is more logical than the one in our current battle.

1 1 .bxc3 ib7 1 2.ytfg4 �e7 1 3 .id4 �g6 1 4 .:Sae 1 ytfc7 1 5.!'!e3 h5 1 6.ytfg3 tt:le7 1 7.ytfg5 yt[ds 1 8J�g3 g6 1 9.ytff6 and White's on top, Adams - Lutz, Leon 2001 .

9 ...ib4?!

As we've already seen, taking on f6 fails to do the job. 1he exchange of light-squared bishops is called for, thus preventing accidental mates on g2, or something even worse...

.

After this White seems to be getting a substantial advantage, one way or another. And indeed, why shouldn't he, after Black deliberately parts with her only piece that is able to fight for the dark squares? Moreover, one of White's usual plans is to play ytfg4, which, without the black bishop on fB, gains considerably in force (not to mention that on b4 the bishop itself will be attacked by the queen).

10.0-0

1 Q.ytfg4 would be too early: 1 O... ixc3t 1 1 .bxc3 yt[xc3t 1 2.�e2 yt[xe5 and White's initiative hardly compensates for the material.

IO ...f5 The continuation 1 O ... ib7 would allow White to underline all the drawbacks of the early development of the dark-squared bishop: 1 1 .ie4 ytfc7 1 2.ixb7 yt[xb7 1 3.ytfg4! and Black has trouble fi nding a move. Also 1 O ... ixc3, as usually happens in this opening, did not do any good because of the eternal weakness of the dark squares. Destroying White's pawn structure is, of course, a good thing, but not enough - it should better stay a threat. In the following game, Adams handling the white pieces, was able to prove it:

l l ..ie2

l l . .ib7 .

Black does not even have time to tousle White's hair on the queenside, as on 1 1 . . .ixc3 White wins an exchange with 1 2.if3 yt[c7 1 3.ixa8. It is not that capturing on c3 is so desirable, but it is still better than the game version, which ended up with the same material set-up, except the white pawns were not disfi gured.

12.ih5t!

A logical novelty. Compared to its predecessor (an almost 50-year-old game) the bishop arrives on f3 afi:er drawing ... g6. Not a huge achievement, but a 'nice to have' item, as on many occasions White has to work hard to provoke Black to play it. Here he gets it free of charge. After 1 2.if3 ytf cB 1 3 .ixb7 yt[xb7 1 4.�e2, had Black continued 1 4 ....!'k8, a position from Korneev - Lazarev (see the note to 9 ... f5) would have arisen, with a tempo less for Black. 1his, of course, promises White more, but, in fact, nothing concrete.

ROUND 2

80

Anyway, in the previous game Black did quite well, but White might not have played in the most precise way: 1 4 . . . t0e7 1 5.c3 .i.a5 16.t0f4 .i.e? 17 ..i.d4 0-0 1 8 . .i.c5 .i.xe5 1 9.ixe7 .i.xf4 20 . .i.xf8 l!xfB with some compensation for Black, Baxter - D.A. Smith, British Championship Whitby, 1 962.

12 g6 13.if3 Y!Yc8 14 .id2 •..

•

Translating into words: White is ready to exchange all the light pieces, as long as the opponent is left with weak dark squares. A typical alternative is 1 4 . .i.xb7 'flxb7 1 5.t0e2, although it seems that after 15 ... l!c8 1 6.t0f4 .i.c5 1 7.l!e1 White's advantage is difficult to cash in - Black learned to hold such positions many years ago. In the game White goes for the attack.

14.. .ixc3?! A natural move that would have been praised in the past - then it was fashionable to perform plans of bishop limitation. Today the story is a bit different, much more concrete. Along with the normal plans, Black is given a chance to end her misery right away after 1 4 ... t0e7? 1 5. t0xb5!. Much more flexible, however, would be 14 . . ..i.c5 and it is still up to White to find a good plan.

15.ixc3 t0e7 16.ib4 ixf3 17.Y!Yxf3 t0d5

This position is sure to give a classical player some severe cognitive dissonance. It is so hard to admit, after all, that such a Paulsen-like position, with good pieces, gladly located on a light

squares, such a monstrous knight in the centre (which cannot be driven awaywithout weakening White's position) against a bishop that, at least according to Capablanca's definition, would not be thought of as the "good" one - is in fact a bad position. But this is the situation, and for the following reasons: 1 . Black has no long-term plan. 2. Black's dark squares are weak. 3. Black's king is unsafe. And it is not about castling, but rather the lack of an appropriate safe spot on the board where it will not be hunted. These three points prove to outweigh the abstract measures of good, bad and ugly bishops.

18.c3 Black was already threatening to take on c2, along with t0xb4, so Adams' move is forced. But can Black exchange the light pieces now?

18 Y!Yc4 .•.

No, as Polgar does not want to fight for a hard draw without any counter-chances. It is hard to suggest a continuation like 1 8 . . . t0xb4 1 9.cxb4. Black is under unpleasant pressure. Where is Black's suffering greater, here or in the game? Hard to say, but the choice is quite unpleasant. For example: a) 1 9 . . .0-0 20.l!acl 'fibS 2 1 .'ftf4! (As we've seen previously, moving the d-pawn might solve many of Black's problems: 2 1 .l!c5 d6! 22.exd6 'flxd6 23.l!d1 'fie? 24.'flb3 !!feB 25.l!e1 !!adS 26.l!ce5 'ftd6 27.h3 q;o and Black holds.) 2 1 . . . l!c8 22.l!c5 l!a7 23.l!fc 1 l!ac7 24.'ftd4 with a big advantage for White. Undoubtedly, such lines kill one's desire to exchange the knight on d5. b) Even worse is 19 ...'flc6 20.'ftxc6 dxc6 2 1 .l!acl l!c8 22.l!fd 1 q;e7 23.q;fl and Black's best chance would be playing a rook endgame, a pawn down: 23 . . . l!hd8 24.l!xd8 q;xd8 25.q;e2 q;c7 26.l!d 1 ! Penetrating on d6, as Black cannot exchange the rooks: 26 . . .!!dB 27.l!xd8 q;xd8 28,q;e3 q;c7 29.q;d4 with a winning pawn endgame - he will always be able to win a tempo by moving one of his a- or b-pawns, and penetrate with the king to d6 or b6. 19 l! fdl .

ADAMS - POLGAR

81

20.%Vd3 A polite 'No'. The exchange on g4 looks as promising as on e4, but it is not. Mter 20.'Mixg4 fxg4 2 1 .id6 h5 it seems that Black weathers the storm: 22.a4 ®f7 23.f3 gxf3 24.gfl �e3! 25.gxf3t � f5

20...� f7 21.h3 %V f4 22.%Ve2 %Vc4 23.%VB a5

19.. .%Vg4 Black is naturally interested in swapping queens when White will fi nd it much harder to break through or create threats. White, of course, knows it, and will only trade the queens on his way to the cashier. The alternative way to offer a queen exchange, 19 00 .'Mie4, is worse: 20. 'Mixe4 fxe4 2 1 .id6! 1he bishop stays alive, preventing Black's rooks from entering the game, while White can calmly take care of the e4-pawn. 2 1 .. . ®f7 22J�d4 e3 (a pawn down, Black will not hold, of course) 23-Em exf2t (23oo.®g7 24J�d3 transposing to the main line) 24J�xf2t ®g7 (Total control can be observed in the following line: 2400. ®e8 25.E�d3 �e7 Otherwise the white rook will get to f7, and Black will not be able to move. 26J�df3 �f5 27.g4 �xd6 28.exd6 and Black is helpless against the white rooks' invasion.) 25J�d3 ghd8 26,gdf3

Here, once again, Black's position is hopeless.

For quite a few moves Black could not take on b4 because of the weakness of d7. Now she forces the bishop to d6, using it to cover the d7-pawn. 1he problem is that now the b5-pawn will require protection in many variations. In the next few moves Polgar does not manage to find a plan, and fi nds herself thrown backwards after Adams regroups his pieces.

24.id6 a4

Grischuk suggested 24oo .'Mie4, but here Black experiences even bigger problems than we've see before: 25.'Mixe4 fxe4 26.gd4 e3 27.gfl ®g7 (If 27 oo• ®e8, in addition to ideas we've already seen, there is another one: 28.a4! It turns out that Black has no way to protect b5. After 28oo.bxa4 29.gxa4 Black can no longer resist - the same idea of penetrating through the f-file, together with the a-pawn's weakness, makes it impossible.) 28.gd3 exf2t 29.gxf2 and the rooks invade, again, along the f-file.

25,gd4

From now on Black is left with nothing that would even resemble counterplay, but White still has to break through.

25...%Vc6 26.gadl h6

ROUND 2

82

27J�ld3?!

The time for the typical sacrifice has not yet come: 27.gxd5 exd5 28.'Wxd5t �g7 29..ib4 ga7! and Black survives. e.g. 30.'Wd4 gb7 3 l .e6t �h 7 32.e7 (32.exd7? gd8 and Black's already in the lead) 32 ...ge8 and Black holds, although by no means easily. Grischuk offered 27.g4! and Black's survival chances become even more problematic. a) 27 ...f4 is not good as now the sacrifice is timely: 28.gxd5! exd5 29.'Wxf4t �g8 30.'Wf6 gh7 3 l .'Wxg6t gg7 32.'Wxh6 Three pawns for the exchange, with a weak king, leave little doubt about the outcome of this game. b) Most tenacious is 27 ... gag8, although here too, after 28.�h2 lL!b6 (28 .. .f4 is not an option: 29.gxd5 exd5 30.'Wxf4t �e8 3 l .gd3 and Black simply cannot move) 29.'We2 �g7 30.ggl �h7 3 1.gxf5 gxf5 32.gddl Black will soon have to continue without his king.

Black can lose beautifully in different ways: a) As usual, 29 .. .f4 loses to 30.gxd5 exd5 3 I .'Wxf4 and there is no adequate defence: 3 I ...ghg8 32.g5 h5 33.gf3 �h7 34.e6! dxe6 35 ..ie5! and Black is helpless against White's invasion on the seventh rank. b) Also hopeless is 29 ... fxg4 30J:�xg4 :Shg8 3 l .'Wg3 �h7 (3I ...g5 32.gxg5t! hxg5 33.'Wxg5t �h7 34.'Wh5t �g7 35.gg3 mate) 32.gf3 gg7 33.gxg6! and it's over. c) After more cautious continuations, like 29 ...ghg8, comes 30.gxf5 gxf5 3 1.gxd5 exd5 32.'Wxf5 with a lethal attack.

29 i>h7 30.'Wh4 •••

27 i>g7 28.i>h2 gac8 •••

The general feeling is that the time to move forward has come: White has brought his forces to their best positions and it is time to storm Black's citadel.

29.'Wg3?

1he exchange sac falls short again 29.gxd5 exd5 30.'Wxd5 after 30 ...ghe8 there is nothing concrete to be found for White. But again 29.g4! leads to a decisive attack. Now this is even stronger - the king is already on h2, and White has some serious threats.

Every move by Adams bites off another piece of Polgar's will to live. The 'Spiderman' lives up to his nickname. However, there were already quite a few occasions when White could have achieved something more concrete than a net around the chess Queen's neck. True, everyone has his own style, but there is one indisputable measure - the result.

30 ghg8 •••

Reassured by White's slow play, Black goes for counterplay, thus forcing White to take some precautions.

3l.gg3 g5 Of course! Polgar feels that all the power lines cross on g2 (the rooks on the g-file, the queen, and the knight [soon to be on f4]). Although there is no real reason for optimism (the stronger white pieces can easily push the enemy

ADAMS - POLGAR

83

backwards) it is still a positive development for Black - Adams is no longer unthreatened, and cannot do whatever he pleases.

32.�h5 gg7 33.�dl Preventing the queen from being caught offside: after the immediate 33.h4 g4 it is left out, and only White should be worried about the future.

33... tt:lf4

34.h4! Despite his cautious nature, whenever there is a deadly threat, Adams responds with great precision. Staying still would have allowed Black to create counterplay: 34.�d2 gcg8 Now 35.h4? already loses after 35 ... gxh4 with an accident on g2. 1hus White would have to cope with Black's initiative. For instance: 35.a3 tt:lh5! (less convincing is 35 ... h5 36.�d 1 ! h4 37.gf3 gg6 38.�fl and Black's initiative comes to an end) 36.gf3 (dangerous is 36.ge3 f4 37.ge 1 g4 and the initiative develops freely) 36 ... tt:lf4 and White's best is to accept a repetition after 37.gg3, since after 37.�d 1? tt:lxg2! 38. i>xg2 g4 39.hxg4 &g4t Black wins. 34... gh8 Black is one(!) tempo short of developing her initiative, and is forced to invent awkward manoeuvres in order to create some threats. Instead 34 ... gcg8 would have lost nicely to 35.hxg5 hxg5 36.gxf4.

3S.'ibgi Adams' play is a study in prophylaxis. Whenever

he needs to jump into hot water (and he did), and probably decide the game - he does not do so, but whenever the opponent creates some threats, the Briton enters his favourite state: depriving the opponent of any chance with great skill. It is hard to win this way, but even harder to lose.

3S .. .'ibg8 36.b3 Preparing to open another front (afi:er c4), thus catching the opponent (dreaming of attack on a kingside) totally unready. A good alternative was the immediate 36.c4. After 36 ...bxc4 37.�c2 Black is pretty much forced to return the pawn with 37 ... c3! (not 37 ... i>h7 38.gxc4 �b7 39.h5! with a decisive invasion into the unprepared opponent's camp) in order to try and seal possible entry points. Nevertheless, after 38.bxc3 @f7 39.�d 1 (39.gxa4? tt:le2t with an unclear game) 39 . . . ghg8 40.h5 gas 4 l .a3 ggg8 42.c4 ga7, despite White's obvious advantage, Black can defend.

36...axb3 37.axb3 ghh7

ROUND 2

84

Now 38.c4 would be met with 38 . . . gxh4! 39.cxb5 �b7 and all Black's dreams are fulfi lled: 40Jhg7t !hg7 4 l .f3 c!Llxg2 42.'it>f2 (42.'it>hl gg3!) 42 ... h3 and wins. So, Black is ready to open the g-file for an attack...

38.h5! But again, Adams ends it before it starts!

38...gh8 Now Black's rooks look ridiculous, and Polgar is seeking a fast way to improve them.

44.'%Yxa4!? Another positive decision by Adams - without the queens Black will have no good pieces left. He could have kept the queens on with 44.�fl and after 44 .. . gb8 (now the c4-pawn is poisoned: 44 . . . c!Llxc4? 45.gd4) 45.gc3.c!Llc8 (not 45 . . .�a5 because of 46.gb3, but also possible is 45 . . . ggg8 46.ie3 c!Llc8 47.gd4) 46.gdl gbl 47.�d3 perhaps White still has some advantage, but it is already much harder to convert. 44

•••

c!Llxa4 45.ga3 c!Llc5 46.ga7 gc8

39 .ia3! •

Fritz, and with it many commentators, suggested 39.ie7, but here the way to victory is far from clear. Incidentally, if White wanted to exchange his bishop using this manoeuvre, he could have done it earlier. Now 39 ... c!Lld5 plays into White's hands: 40,gxd5 �xd5 4 l .�xd5 exd5 42.if6 'it>f7 43.ixg7 'it>xg7 44.gd3 gcs 45.gxd5 gxc3 46.gxd7t 'it>f8 47.gh7 Black has severe problems holding this endgame - an extra pawn plus Black's bad king are decisive factors here. But after 39 . . .gxe7 40.gxf4 'it>g7 4 l .gd4 gcs 42.ggd3 gc7 there is no clear way to win. 1he text move is much stronger.

39 'it>h7 40.icl ..•

Now White advances with threats.

40 c!Lld5 4I.c4 bxc4 42.bxc4 c!Llb6 43.gd6 •.•

1he d7-pawn has been living in overdraft for way too long, and its account is about to be cancelled.

43 .'%Ya4 .•

1he previous moves were the strongest and we've reached a position that looks close to winning for White. But what allows Black to keep her head up? First and foremost she has only one weakness on d7. Secondly, the battle is concentrated on one front. And, the fact is that rook endgames,

ADAMS - POLGAR which are ' unwinnable', as was noted by the great minds of the game long ago, are a key factor in this position. 47 .ie3?! .

A cruel mistake, allowing Polgar to enter a relatively good rook ending, by a single tempo. Stronger was 47.�a3! keeping the option of capturing on c5 at any given moment. Black has some chances to hold on, but she's really walking a thin line here. 1he idea is that on 47 . . . 'it>g8, White simply plays 48.8, slowly improves the

position and then captures on c5 at the most appropriate moment. Critical is the forced line starting with 47 . . . tt:le4. 1his leads after 48.gdxd7 gxd7 49.gxd7t 'it>g8 to a very bad position, but still hanging on. Here we have a few options: a) 50.ge7 1his gives nothing because of a crazy counterattack. 50 ... gd8! 5 l .g3 No remedy is 5 l .gxe6 gd l t 52.'it>h2 tt:lxf2 and White cannot escape the draw, for instance: 53.�d6 tt:lg4t 54.'it>h3 g h l t 55.'it>g3 gel = 5 l ...gd l t 52.'it>g2 gd2 Again, Black's counter-threats force White to be modest. 53.gxe6 gxf2t 54.'it>gl gf3 55 .gg6t 'it>h7 56.�f8 gxg3t 57.'it>fl f4! 58.e6 f3 White is the one begging for a draw after: 59.gg7t 'it>h8 60.gf7 gh3 6 l .'it>gl gg3t=

85

b) Much stronger is 50.f3!. b 1) A bit scary, but interesting, is 50 .. Jh8: Now not 5 l .fxe4, although it is very interesting: 5 l .. .l!xa3 52.exf5 exf5 53.gd6 ge3 54.gxh6 gxe5 55 .gg6t No proof is needed after 55 . . . 'it>f7? 56.gxg5 gc5 57.g4 gxc4 58.gxf5t 'it>g7, although there are many drawing positions here, but who needs the headache. For example, not 59.gg5t?! 'it>h7 60.gg6 gc2 leading to a draw appearing in one of Kasparian's studies (which are, unfortunately, beyond the scope of

this book), but after 55 . . . 'it>h7 56.gxg5 gc5 it is a clear draw. Much better is 5 l .c5, when after 5 l . . .gxa3 52.c6 gc3 53.c7 ttlg3 54.gd8t 'it>g7 5 5 .c8=� gxc8 56.gxc8 tt:lxh5 White has good chances to bring the victory home, since he prevents Black from organising her forces. b2) 1he strongest seems to be 50 . . . ttlg3 5 l .c5 f4!.

ROUND 2

S6

Suddenly Black has extremely strong threats: S2J!d6 gbs S3.gb6 gds S4.gbl gas SS.ib4 (SS.ib2 gaS and Black is even better. Mter the safe SS.c6 gcs S6.gb6 �e2t S7.�f2 �d4 the position is even.) SS ...ga2 where Black's active pieces promise her at least equaliry. S2.�f2 gas S3.c6! gxa3 S4.c7 gc3 SS.gdst �f7 S6.cS='W gxcS S7.gxcS �xhS Black has pretty good chances for a draw. Opposed to the similar position we've seen, the king now has the vital square fS - and that's worth half a point. For instance: SS.gc?t �g6 S9.ge7 �fS 60.gh7 �xeS 6l .gxh6 �f6 and the position is very close to a draw.

47 f4! •••

Right on time. Adams probably miscalculated, missing that he is, pretty much, forced to give up the bishop.

48.ixc5 Nothing comes of 4S.id4 �4 49.gdxd7 gxd7 so.gxd?t �gS, and with the fall of the c4pawn the game will be equalized. Here a draw was agreed, leaving many spectators wondering about the reasons. Well, Black does seem to hold here, but it depends on her fi nding a few precise moves. Perhaps it would not be such a bad idea to test the tired opponent. In any case, after 4S ...gxcS 49.gdxd7 gxd7 SO.gxd?t �gS S l .ge7 gxeS, White has the strong S2.f3!

preventing ...g4. It is not easy to find the right plan, since the right plan is to stand still. 1he position is apparently a fortress; the only requirement is to find one great idea. Wrong, for example, is S2 ...�fB? S3.gh7 gcS S4.gxh6 �f7 SS.gg6 and the draw is as far away as can be. Possible, but not best, is: S2 ... ge I t S3.�f2 ges Not S3 ...ge3 S4.cS gc3 SS.gxe6 gxcS S6.gxh6 �g7 S7.gg6t �h7 ss.�gi &s S9.�h2 gbs 60.�h3 gas 6 l .�g4 ga2 62.�xgS gxg2t 63.�xf4. 1heoretically, positions with f- and h-pawns are drawn, but this is true mostly in theory, not in practice. S4.gc7 gas SS.cS ga2t S6.�gl gal t S7.�h2 gel SS.ge7 gxcS S9.gxe6 �g7 60.ge7t �fB 6l .gh7 gc6 62.�h3 gf6 White cannot improve his position. The toughest is S2 ... �hS S3.�fl �gS S4.�f2 �hS SS.gc7 �gS S6.cS gdS! S7.c6 gd6!.

White's king cannot enter the game, and without the monarch such endgames cannot be won. SS.g3 eS S9.�g2 gf6 60.�h3 gd6 6 l .gxf4 exf4 62.�g4 gf6! 1hat's it. White has no more ideas. 63.gcst �g7 64.c7 gc6 6S.�f5 gel with a simple draw. 1h- lh

TOPALOY - ANAND @

'itt t! •

GAME 7 Veselin Topalov Viswanathan Anand Queen's Indian Defence El5

I .d4 �f6 2.c4 e6 3.�8 b6 4.g3 �a6 A move that's become an automatic procedure. By attacking the pawn Black forces his opponent to alter his development.

5.b3 1he most common reply. One of the other possibilities is 5 .�a4, but this is not considered to be promising for White. By removing a defender from d4 he allows Black to quickly organize counterplay with c7-c5. For instance: 5 ...ib7 6.�g2 c5 7.dxc5 �xc5 8.0-0 0-0 9.lLlc3 �e7 I O.�f4 and after I O .. . lLla6 (not the only move) Black gets a very solid position. It is sufficient to mention the fact that no player rated over 2600 has ever lost a game from this

87

position, while the overall statistics since 1 990 are in Black's favour.

5...�b4t A standard manoeuvre that's been with us since Alekhine's day, dragging the white bishop to a place no other white piece wants to see it.

6.�d2 �e7 7.�g2 A surprising choice! Lately Topalov has had great success with the complicated 7.lLlc3, including against Anand himself. It seems that the Bulgarian did not want a Wild-West game - like their last one - right at the beginning of such an important event. Nevertheless, this previous game cannot be erased from memory, and it can even be found in the preview (page 28). But Anand's is not the only scalp in Topalov's bag here: his old training partner Ponomariov tried 7 . . . 0-0, and after 8Jk I c6 9.e4 d5 I O.e5 lLle4 I I .id3 lLlxc3 1 2.l:!xc3 c5 1 3.dxc5 bxc5? ( 1 3 ... d4! was much better) 1 4.h4 h6 1 5.�b I Black was soon mated in Topalov - Ponomariov, Sofia 2005.

7...c6 Preparing d 7-d5.

8.�c3 'd2' is the knight's square.

8 ... d5 9.�e5 �fd7 IO.�xd7 �xd7 l l.�d2 0-0 1 2.0-0

1 2...Ek8 A decent alternative to the text is 1 2 . . . lLlf6, but only if after 1 3.e4 b5 1 4 . exd5 Black plays 14 ... exd5 and, although White still has a plus, the position is verv m m n l i r::n eci. 1 ' U �e 1 l"!! h R 1 () . :� � l"!! e R 1 7.c'i

88

ROUND 2

16.c6

ic8 1 8.b4 �c7 1 9.a4 a6 20.axb5 axb5 2 l .�b3 if5 22.id2 :Sa8 23.if4 �d7 24.:Se2 h6 25.:Sea2 :Sxa2 26.:Sxa2 g5 with a double-edged game, Bologan - Sadvakasov, Poikovsky 2005. 1he positional idea 1 4 ... cxd5 was pretty much refuted by the brutal 1 5.c5! b4 1 6.ixb4 ixfl 17.ixfl and White's compensation is far more substantial than the material sacrificed for it, Anand - Adams, Wijk aan Zee 2005. (See also page 29)

Speaking of paths, one that rarely sees a footstep is 1 6.�xc4, although the positions White gets here are not necessarily worse than the one in our game. One of the few games with this move was played by Yladimirov, Kasparov's ex-coach. Perhaps this means something? In any case, after 1 6 ... �xc5 ( 1 6 . . .ixc4 is worth checking) 1 7.�g4 if6 1 8.:Sad1 �e7 1 9.:Sfe 1 White had a clear plus, Yladimirov - Levin, Leningrad 1 989.

13.e4 c5

16...cxb3 17 ,gel

Anand's ultimate choice in this line. 1 3 ... b5 is more popular, although the Queen's Indian is such a common guest in today's praxis that the text is not exactly rare either. In any case, the key position arises after 1 4 .:S e 1 : 1 4 . . . bxc4 is currently out offavour, for example: 1 5.bxc4 dxc4 16.�a4 ib5 1 7.�c2 :Se8 1 8.a4 ia6 1 9 .a5 and White had the better position, Bologan - Kramnik, Dortmund 2004. 1hus, more popular is 14 ...dxe4 1 5.ixe4 bxc4 16.bxc4 c5 17.d5 exd5 1 8.ixd5

which is slightly better for White. Black has to be precise before he can eventually claim equality, which is not always achievable: 1 8 ... �b6 1 9 .ia5 if6 20.:S b1 :Sb8 2 1 .�f3 and White tortured his opponent for 53 moves in order to win in the end, Bacrot - Adams, Dortmund 2005. Leko, as always, played very accurately: 1 8 ...if6 1 9.�e4 ixc3 20.�xc3 �b6 2 l .:Se4 :Se8 22.�f3 �xd5 23.�xd5 :Se6! and equalized, Bacrot - Leko, Morelia/Linares 2006.

14.exd5 exd5 15.dxc5 dxc4 With all the apparent complexity of the upcoming lines, White is walking a narrow path that promises him some advantage.

A very interesting posmon, although it has been so exhaustively played and analysed that it is hard to believe there is still anything unknown here. White is a pawn down, but that is probably temporary. A more important factor is the unfortunate placement of the black pieces, and it is up to Black to decide whether he hangs on to the pawn, or tries to improve his pieces (or even exchange them).

17 ...b2

Today this line is considered to be Black's best try, and this game probably won't change that. Less attractive is the once-popular 1 7 ...ib5 18.axb3 ixc6 19 .ixc6 :Sxc6 20.:Sxa7 if6 (20 ... :Sxc3?! 2 1 .� b 1 ! and Black is in trouble) 2 1 . �c4 (worth checking is 2 1 . �e4 ixc3 22.:Sxd7) 2 1 .. .�c5 22.�xd8 :Sxd8 23.ixf6 and either capture will leave Black having to work hard to survive in the endgame. It is understandable, therefore, that Black is not too excited about this option.

TOPALOY - ANAND

18 .ixb2 .

Now the attempt to deviate with 1 8 ... tt:\f6 does nor work because of 1 9.ttlb3 ib4 20.V:Vxd8 11Uxd8 2 1 . li!ed 1 and, thanks ro rhe c6-pawn, White is much better. Bur after rhe main move

1 8 �c5 ...

we enter a crossroads. White has many possible continuations, bur rhe World Championship is undoubtedly a suitable stage for rhe strongest one. a) The immediate 1 9 .V:Vg4 is nor good: 1 9 ...if6 2 0.ixf6 V:Vxf6 and White even managed to lose in a few moves: 2 1 . tt:\ e4 V:Vxc6 2 2.ttlxc5 1!Jixc5 23.W/a4 ib5 24.W/xa7 li!c7 2 5 .ib7 li!xb7 26.V:Vxb7 ic6, Van der Srerren - Karpov, Wijk aan Zee 1 998. b) After 19 .ia3 Black has a clear way to achieve equality: 1 9 ...if6 20.ixc5 bxc5 2 1 .1i! c l ib5 22.1l!xc5 In one of Anand's games a draw was agreed. So what was rhe reason? It was shown in a later game rhar continued: 22 ... W/b6 23.ttle4 ie7 24.1i!c l ixc6 2 5 . ttld6 ixd6 26.1!Jfxd6 ixg2 27.V:Vxb6, Shulman - Onischuk, Stillwater 2005. c) Another move Anand had r o deal with is 1 9.ttlb3 and here roo, after 1 9 ... ttld3 20.1i!e2 ib4 2 I .id4 ic5, a draw agreement between Anand and Gelfand demanded clarification by other

89

players: 2 2 .ixc5 bxc5 23.1i!d2 c4 24.tt:\c5 ib5 25.1i!cl V:Vd6 26.tt:\xd3 cxd3 27.a4 ixc6 2 8 .1i!xd3 V:Ve6 29.ixc6 li!xc6 30.1l!xc6 V:Vxc6= Solozhenkin - Komarov, Yugoslavia 2000. Topalov chooses ro go down rhe most popular route.

1 9.�c4

This "piece blunder" is White's only way ro fight for an advantage. Needless ro say, playing this position without profound preparation is nor recommended.

endgame is reached: 22 . . . tt:lxel 23.�hel �f6! and after 24.�xf6 �xf6 25.c7 �d6 26.E!cl b5 27.�c2 g6 28.�b7 the picture becomes clear: White wins back the exchange, Black gets rid of the annoying pawn, Bacrot - Lutz, Gothenburg 2005.

22...lt:lxe1 23J3xel �e8 24.�xe8t Another one of Topalov's novelties. Instead of trying to keep the rook alive (which is normally advisable for the side that is an exchange down) White uses the tempo to build up domination all over the board. 1he nature o f Topalov's novelties is quite noteworthy. 1hey are rarely aimed for an immediate kill, but are rather fight-oriented. He does not always have an advantage, but he is ready to fight.

24...Wfxe8 25 ..id5

1 9.. .i.xc4 20.Wfg4 Regaining the piece, while keeping the bishop pair and a strong pawn on c6. White's only problem is that his pieces do not coordinate well.

20....ig5 The only way to keep the game on the three­ results scale. 1he possibility of going for a long fight for survival with 20 . . .M6 2 l .�xf6 �xf6 22 .�xc4 is somehow not too appealing.

21.Wfxc4 White has been able to retain the strong pawn, but Black...

21 ...li:ld3 ... wins an exchange (22J;e2? tt:lxb2 23J!xb2 �f6). Of course, none of this is new. What is yet to be discovered, however, is who will have the last laugh.

22..ia3 More active seems 22.�e5, but shortly an equal

It is perhaps a good time to stop and look at the position. White's bishops are controlling the whole board, while Black's pieces are tied to defence - the queen is guarding f7, the rook is stopping the c6-pawn. 1hus, despite being an exchange up, it is Black fighting for a draw. What he should do to achieve it is exchange the dark­ squared bishops. As simple as that. But White's agreement would be required for that. Another plan might be to return the exchange, winning the c6-pawn in the process. Here too, White has a say. All in all, patience is the name of the game for Black - defending against White's threats. 1his is where Topalov's strategic plan can be fully understood: he does not threaten anything concrete, and lets the opponent boil.

TOPALOY - ANAND

2S h5! ...

Anand's very fi rst decision after the novelty raised many eyebrows. Black's king needs some air, but why the h-pawn, and why so far? 1here is, of course, nothing wrong with criticising the players, but Anand, who is not particularly known for spending 40 minutes of thought on one move, has been heavily criticized for playing the best move in the position. 1he point is that a superfidal glance, accompanied by the computer's 'help', will not reveal the key element ofWhite's initiative, which happens to be the g4square! It is an ideal square for the white queen where it works on both flanks. 1he game did not show it all, but only because Black did not allow it. The commentators were mostly influenced by him losing this pawn later on, but that is totally irrelevant to the move itself - Anand's famous intuition helped him to fi nd the right solution. But what about other ideas? a) One curious move that comes to mind is 25 . . .�e3. Now taking the pesky bishop with 26.fxe3 hands the advantage to Black: 26 ...�xe3t 27.s!?g2 �xa3 28.�xf7t s!?h8 29.�e6 l!c7 30.�f4 �e7 and it is White who should be worried. Standing on the spot leads to nothing: 26.s!?g2 �cS! 27.�xc5 (27.�b2? l!xc6 and Black is winning) 27 . . . bxc5 (the try 27 . . . 1'!xc6? loses immediately after 28.�a4!) 28.�xc5 l!c7 White is not in any danger of being better. It turns out that the only reply is 26.�b2!.

Now 26 . . .�c5 looks natural. Here one might feel the power of 25 . . . h5: without it White would play 27.�g4! and Black would have to retreat the bishop, with a very passive position.

91

(After 27. . .�el t? 28.s!?g2 �xf2t 29.s!?h3 he can resign.) Another try is 26 . . . b5, but now White gets the advantage after 27.�c3! (not 27.�xb5 �xf2t 28 .s!?xf2 l!b8 29.�c4 l!xb2t 30.s!?f3 �eS 3 l .�xf7t s!?fB 32.�e6 �f6t 33.s!?e4 �f2 with an inevitable perpetual) 27 . . .�h6 28.�c5! with the idea of exploiting Black's offside bishop. 1his turns out to be quite gloomy for Black. e.g. after 28 . . .a6 29.c7! he loses material. b) 1hecommon suggestion for an 'improvement' was 25 . . . h6, intending to pursue the exchange of bishops with: 26.s!?g2 �e7 27.�b2 MG

92

ROUND 2

With the idea that if 28.icl then 28 ...ig5 forces a repetition or bishop exchange. Too bad such a nice idea loses to 28.ixf6 gxf6 29.ixf7t 'Wxf7 30.'Wg4t, taking the rook on c8.

26.�g2

Since there are no immediate tactics in the position (anymore), Topalov starts to collect small threats, perhaps one will be missed by his opponent. A line similar to the game can arise after 26.h4. Black is doing fine here as well: 26 ...ie7 (26 ...ie3 is not good, for the same reasons as in the previous comment) 27 .ib2 if6 28.icl and now 28 ...ie7!.

1he idea of this important manoeuvre is to transfer the bishop to c5, where it would both attack the f2-pawn and, more significantly, hide the key pawn on c6 from its defenders, which would allow Black to sacrifice back on c6. As we saw in the previous variations, this idea did not work without the black pawn on h5 or with the white bishop on b2 for tactical reasons, but here it is absolutely correct. It turns out there is not much �'hite can do: neither repeating moves with 29.ib2 if6, nor entering a dead drawn position after 29.ie3 ic5! 30.ixc5 gxc6 3 l .ixc6 'Wxc6 32.'Wa6 'MixeS 33.'Wxa7 are in his plans. But even the more thoughtful 29.if4 only extends the game, while it is a big question who is in more danger. 29 . . .ic5 30.c7 a) Too dangerous is: 30 ... 'We 1 t 3 1 .�g2 'Wxf2t 32.�h3 b5 White does not have to give a perpetual, but can keep playing with: 33.'Wxb5 After 33.ixf7t �fB 34.'Wxb5 �xf7 White has

to settle for a perpetual after 35.'Wd7t ®f6 36.'Wc6t ®f5 37.'Wd5t �f6 38.'Wc6t ®f7 39.'Wd7t. 33 ...ib6 With a threat to take on c7. 34.a4! gxc7 35.a5! ge7 35 ...gc2? 36.'We8t �h7 37.ie4t mating. 36.axb6 axb6 White has only technical difficulties to overcome before securing the full point. b) But Black has no reason to enter this line. 30 ...'We7 Intending to return the exchange on c7: Black is fine. 3 l .'We4 gxc7 Not 3 l ...'Wxe4? 32.ixe4 and the c-pawn is worth a whole rook. 32.ixc7 'Wxc7 33.'We8t White is definitely not going to win. Actually, it is Black who chooses whether to go for a draw after: 33 ...�h7 34.\tlfl In order to prevent the capture on g3. 34 ...'We7 35.'Wxe7 ixe7 36.ixf7 With a drawish endgame. Black might even try to win with 33 ...if8, although with pieces like the bishop on fB, it does not look too serious.

26...ie7 27.ib2

27 .if6! ..

Of course! With a pawn on h5 this becomes possible ...

28.icl

TOPALOY - ANAND

93

Now Black could have made the draw as we show in the next annotation. But does White have something better? After 28.ixf6? gxf6 there is no hope for White - he does not even have a pawn for the exchange, and will have to work hard to survive. Black, on the other hand, has a clear plan of action: .. . gc7, . . .�e5, . .. ge7, which finishes all White's chances, not to mention the customary idea of returning the exchange with ...gxc6 at an appropriate moment.

at all and feel too safe? We will try to answer these questions after the next move. Meanwhile, after 29.�e4 fi.d6 White can either trade queens with no future, or keep attacking with 30.�g6 and after 30 . . . gxc6! accept the draw after all. 3 I .fi.h6 (after 3 I .fi.b2 ie5 White has nothing) 3 1 .. .fi.e5! 32.ixc6 fxg6 33.fi.xe8 gxh6 34.ixg6 h4! with a dead draw. Black's barrier along the dark squares will be impossible to break through.

28 ...t'fe7

1his move was not fully understood either, raising many questions from various annotators. 1he idea is that Anand created a small threat: 29 . . . �c5!

One cannot call this move a mistake, as Black should not lose after it, but it is hard to forget what happens next, and perhaps it was wise to head for a clear draw. Comparing 28 . . . ie7! to the annotations two moves ago, the white king on g2 and pawn on h2 (instead of h4) , are only in Black's favour, when even without this he did not experience any trouble. In fact, it is quite interesting to speculate whether Anand saw the whole idea of . . .fi.e7, but decided to continue, hoping that his aggressive opponent would overestimate his chances, or did he just realize he had no problems

29.fi.e3

94

ROU N D 2 c) This leaves only 29 ... g5!, which is not as risky as it might appear at first glance, and even helps to create counterplay. After 30.ie3 &7 it is unclear how to dismantle Black's bunker. For example, attacking the h-pawn yields nothing: 3 1 .\!f/e2 \!f/d6 32.\!9£3 g4 33.\!9e4 �e5 and Black has no reasons to worry. Another idea is 3 1 .\!f/d3 'it>g7 32.\!f/fS . It looks as if White has managed to maximize his pressure, bur in fact Black is the only one who can play for a win, as becomes clear after 32 . . .\!f/eS 33.\!f/xeS ixe5 34.ixg5 �k8.

29. J!c7 .

Now, after Black has arranged his pieces, neither side has any real threats. As a matter of fact, it is impossible to fi nd a manoeuvre for White that could force Black to solve serious problems. So he has no choice but to sting, wait, and sting again, hoping Black will miss something.

30.h4

After the following forced line: 30.ixf7t 'it> f8 3 1 .\!f/xcSt bxc5 32.id5, a position where only Black can play for a win is reached. Perhaps Anand deliberately gave up a drawing line, hoping to steal a victory using this trick? Apart from the text move, Topalov had another attractive possibility: 29.if4 a) 29 . . . \!f/cS does not work anymore: 30.�xf7t 'it> f8 3 l .c7 and after 3 1 .. .\!9xc4 32.ixc4 'it>e7 33.ia6 'it>d7 34.ixc8t 'it>xc8 �'hire should be able to win the endgame. So, what can we suggest for Black as an improvement? b) Maybe 29 . . . h4? No, White's reaction is as strong as it is surprising: 30.gxh4! and the disappearance of the black h-pawn from the board allows White new attacking motifs, mainly connected to advancing the h-pawn. (In contrast, 30.c7 gives White nothing due to 30 . . . h3t! 3 I .'it>xh3 g5 32.�b7 [otherwise c7 falls] 32 ... gxf4 33.�xc8 �e5 with an approximately equal position.) To stop White's plans the h-pawn must be destroyed with 30 . . . �xh4, bur after 3 l .c7 \!f/d7 32.h3! Black's threats end, and he is helpless against White's.

Stopping the h-pawn, and preventing g7-g5 in the future. Bur there are still only empty boxes in the threat department. 30.if4 does not give anything anymore after 30 . . . ie5 and there is no point in 3 1 .\!9e4, the queen on e7 is protected, so Black can simply reply 3 I .. .ixf4 .

30...�e5�! A questionable manoeuvre, for the fi rst time in the game. This piece formation is less stable than the one analysed in previous comment, but to realise this in a tournament game is anything bur easy. What must have attracted Anand is the

TOPALOV - ANAND apparent solidity of the triangle .id6-'1We7-)�l:c7, but it also leads to a very passive position, with the apex on d6 being quite vulnerable. After the calm 30 . . . g6 White seems to have nothing at all. Judge for yourself: Black wants to put his bishop on e5, and seal all the gaps. 3 l ..id2 .ie5 32.'1We4 Wg7 does not prevent this, as can be seen after: 33 ..ib4 .id6 34 ..ic3t fO 35 ..ie6 '1We8 and White has to retreat his bishop, exchanging the queens, ending up in a lost position. And not 3 l ..if4 .ie5 (still). For example: 32. .ig5 .if6 and again, White has no threats in the near future. White can, of course, manoeuvre as much as he wants. For example with 3 1 . §' d3, but after 3 1 . . .Wg7 Black's pieces are ideally placed to protect everything. Therefore, the only active try is 3 l .g4 hxg4 32.'1Wxg4 Wg7. It seems that White is almost there with 33.h5, but after 33 . . . \We5! he is the one who should be worried about losing.

95

Anyhow! 33 ..ixf7! '1Wxf7 34.\WxeSt Wh7 3 5 .\Wd6 Now the following forced line is possible: 35 . . .\We7 36.\Wxe?t �he7 37 ..if4 Wg7 For this second edition we have noticed that 37 . . J�e2! 38.c7 �k2 will allow Black to win the endgame due to the extra pawn on the queenside. But White can play 35 . .id4! and it is not clear how Black shall be able to make progress, having such an exposed king. We have kept the old variation as we did not want to remove anything from the book: 38.c7 ge8 39..ig5! (The only move to keep any chances.) 39 . . . gc8 40 . .id8

3 l.�d3! A strong move! Not only does he want to place the queen on f5 , but Black can no longer go back to the position analysed previously (there is no . . . g6 now!).

With a curious position that, surprisingly,

3 1 . ..'1Wd6? is impossible because of 32.f4 ! and Black has to part with material. But the most principled seems to be 3 1 . . .Wh8 renewing the idea of . . .g6, followed by . . . Wg7 building a very stable bunker. White can only prevent Black's plan tactically now: 32.'1We4 g6

should still end peacefully: a) An unsuccessful attempt to try and steal the win is: 4 l . ..b5 42.'it1f4 aS? 43.We5 b4 44.Wd6! White is just in time! 44 . . . We8 (44 ... a4 does not help either 4 5 . Wd7 b3 [or 4 5 . . . ga8 46..ie7! b3 47.axb3 axb3 48 ..ia3 winning] 46.axb3 axb3 47.Wxc8 b2

96

ROUND 2

48.�d7 b l =f:r 49.c8=f:r and White wins.) 45.ig5! a4 46.id2 b3 47.axb3 axb3 48.icl !!aS 49.�c6 l!c8 50.ia3! Black is zugzwanged. b) Better is: 40 ... �f7! 4 1 .�8 �e6 42.�f4 b5 43.�g5 Here Black has to choose: settle for a half, or enter a crazy line. In fact, after: b l ) 43 ... b4 It looks as though Black is winning, but a surprise awaits! 44.�xg6! The greatest surprise is that Black cannot even find a draw now! 44 . . . a5 45.f4 a4 46.f5t �d7 47.f6 b3 48.axb3 axb3 49.f7 b2 50.fB=f:r b l =f:rt 5 l .�xh5 And Black loses. b2) 1hus the smartest would be to allow a draw by repetition: 43 ... �f7 44.�f4 �e6 45.�g5 with a handshake. So, Anand could have retracted his steps, but he stays with his plan, after which he will have to play carefully, as any mistake could be disastrous.

33... b5 1he only chance to confuse the opponent. A chance that will eventually hand Anand his miraculous escape. Apart from the objective quality of the move, Black did not really have a choice, as he cannot protect h5 with 33 ...g6 because of 34.f:rf6.

34..ie3

Before taking on h5 White improves his bishop.

34...�e5 35.�dl

3I. ...id6 32..ig5!

Asking the queen to leave, while freeing the way for his own queen to f3. It is j ust like in boxing: the black bishop exposed the h4-d8 diagonal, so White immediately strikes there. Only now does White begin to build up a real initiative.

A useful technique while conducting an attack is to wear the opponent down psychologically. Here, for example, Topalov sets up a 'childish' trap: if4, ixd6 followed by ixf7t. But it is much more than that. His opponent is trying to work out a defensive plan, and suddenly has to deal with small, almost irrelevant, threats, and start searching for more surprises. Here the effect is even stronger, as Anand was quite relaxed for the past few moves, feeling too safe. In the same breath, however, it could be said that Topalov makes his own life a bit more difficult, allowing Black to improve his position.

32 ...�e8

35...�e8?

Aiming to bail out with an exchange sacrifi.ce on c6. For example, after 33.f:rg6? comes 33 . . .f:rxc6! and the position is lost for White.

A bad mistake, putting Anand on the verge of defeat. For tactical reasons exchanging the c- and h-pawns amazingly gives White a big advantage. Much better would have been 35 ...f:rf5!. After this Black's pieces are still vulnerable, but even so it is much better than the game. White should try to drive Black's queen away from the centre, and

33.�f3

But Anand's idea is, of course, brutally suppressed by Topalov. And now the h-pawn starts causing migraines.

TOPALOY - ANAND

97

then develop the attack. The bishop on d6 does not help Black and is actually subject to many tactical shots. Every line cannot be given here, but White has a few possible ways to continue: 36.M3 �e6 37.�d3 (taking care of f5) 37 . . . a6: The attempt to win back the exchange does not work out well: 38.�b6 ge7 39.�d8 39 ... ge8 40.c7 �d7 4 l .�xh5 gxd8 42.cxd8=�t �xd8 43.�d5 �f6 with a drawish endgame. But 38.�d4 seems very strong. If, for instance, 38 ... �e8, then White can show what he really, really wants: 39.�f5! with strong pressure. Not a forced line, but good for illustrative purposes.

36.�xh5!! The fi rst exclamation mark is for the move itself, the second for not repeating the position, although with the fall of c6 the game will become much more double-edged. Topalov could not have seen everything, and was just following one simple principle: " FIGHT". 36 J!xc6 Of course, there is no other way. ..

37..ixa7? Too bad. After deep thought Topalov rejected a continuation that would almost have won. These variations, in fact, are beyond human abilities, even for such a great player. It rook the authors, armed with strong computer programs, a long while to find a way through the jungle of variations, but objectively the text lets a big part of the advantage go. The endgame arising after 37.�xc6 gives White nothing: 37 . . .�xc6t 38.�f3 �xf3t 39.c;!;>xf3 a5 40.c;!;>e4 b4 4 l .Wd5 �e7 42.�c5 �d8 and despite his active pieces, White cannot win. But after 37.�g6!!

White could have gained a serious, perhaps even decisive, advantage. The point here is that suddenly White has more pieces near Black's king and he wants to use this in a simple way: the bishop goes to d4 and it is not at all clear how Black should defend against the wild threat h4-h5-h6. At the same time, White smells the delicatessens along the sixth rank, and so knows that during the attack more threats can be added. Now 37 . . . c;!;>f8 loses on the spot to 38.�h7, and 37 ... ga6 only changes the move order after 38.�d4. Therefore, the critical line is 37 ... �f8 38 .�d4. Black has many moves, but none gives a certain defence: Painful are both 38 . . . gc8 39.�f5! and Black is helpless against threats like �f7t and, mainly, �e4; and 38 ... ga6 39.h5! and there is no defence against the h-pawn march. More complex is 38 . . . gc7. Here too, afi-er 39�xg7 �xg7 40.�xd6, White has a clear advantage, mainly thanks to the position of the black king, waiting for the white kingside pawns to arrive, as "active" play with: 40 . . .�c3 40 ... gc2 is even worse due to 4 l .�d8t �f8 42.�g5t �g7? 43.�xf7t! c;!;>xf7 44.�f5t �f6 4 5.�xc2 winning. 4 1 .h5 �c5 Other moves will allow white pawns to run all the way to the endzone. e.g. 4 l .. .a5 42.g4 b4 43.g5 a4 44.g6 winning. After 4l . . .�c5 a beautiful forced line begins: 42.�d8t c;!;>g7 43.�g5t c;!;>hs 44.�e5t c;!;>gs

9S

ROUN D 2

45.h6 %Yc3 46.%YeSt @h? 47.ie4t @xh6 4S.%Yf8t @h5 49.%YgS! Black can resign. Therefore Black must give up material. The first way to do this is 3S ...ie5, but after 39.%!fxc6 ixd4 40.%Yxb5 the endgame is very difficult for Black. Therefore the most stubborn is 3S .. J!c5!

After this it is not at all easy to prove that White's advantage is decisive. Perhaps this is the move that made Topalov give up on the line. However, White does have a clear and dangerous plan: 39 .ixc5 ixc5 40.h5 does not work because of 40 ...ixf2! 4 1 .h6 id4 42 .ixf7t @hS 43.h7 and here cannot move to the right of the h-file, making the position drawn! In fact, this kind of variation makes one feel the position's evaluation is not very clear. But White has a great idea: 40.%!15! It seems that Black cannot parry the plan of g3-g4-g5-g6! 40 ...ib6 4 1 .g4 The only way for Black to escape is by freeing the king. 4 1 ...%!fe7 42.g5 Not 42.h5 %Yf6!. 42 ...b4 Or any other move - Black has tosit and wait for a moment White tries to convert his advantage. White, on the other hand, has to wait for the appropriate moment. 43.g6 @f8 43 ... %Yf6 44.gxf7t @f8 45.%YcSt leads to the main line, with White having an extra tempo. 44.gxf7!

This kind of position is, amazingly, the key to the whole line. White is going to combine threats of penetrating with the queen from both sides of the f7-pawn: the h-file from the right, and eS from the left. At the same time it is important to make sure Black does not have a perpetual and, of course, to watch for queen exchanges. Black is doomed to a passive back and forth. Here are a few variations: 44 ...%Yxh4 45.@fl ! The best spot for the king. 45 ...%Yf6 46.%YcSt idS 46 ...%YdS 47.%!fe6 %Ye7 4S.%Yh3! winning. 47.%!fd7 %!fe7 4S.%Yc6! What does White want? To put Black in zugzwang. For example: 4S ...ib6 49.ib3 idS 50.ic4 a5 50 ...%!fe5 5 I .ie6 winning. 5 I .ib3 Black is forced to break his bunker. 5 1 ...ic7 52.%Yh l ! Now White is winning i n variations like: 52 ...%YdS 53.%!fh7 @e? 53 ... a4 loses beautifully: 54.%YgSt @e? 55.f8=%Yt %YxfS 56.%Ye6t @ds 57.ixa4 mating. 54.%Ye4t @f8 55.id5 id6 56.%!fh7 %YbS 57.%!fgSt @e? 5S.%Yxg7 %Yf8 59.%!fg5t @d? 60.%Ye3 %!fe7 6 1 .%!fa7t @ds 62.%Yast @d? 63.%Yc6t @ds 64.ie6 And it is all over. Of course, Black can defend in other ways, but the essence stays unchanged: an attack with opposite coloured bishops, aided by a strong pawn, is usually winning, even in such a difficult position.

TOPALOY - ANAND

37 J!a6 .•

99

38....if8 Intending at some point to play . . . g6 and ... .ig7, which will put an end to all White's threats.

39�e5 There is not much White can do here, and he definitely does not want to make crucial decisions before the 40'h move.

39... b4 40.'1Wf5 g6

Of course, Black is not allowing h5.

41.'IWf4 'IWe7

Anand is back in the game... with an advantage! It seems this conclusion will shock some commentators who continued discussing White's advantage here, but, in fact, now Black unties himself and, without the annoying pawn on c6, White has nothing to offer. All Black needs is a little time.

38.�d4 White's only chance not to lose(!) is by threatening something all the time, so Black will not have time to think about activity.

Protecting b4 and preparing . . . .ig7. Black has winning chances, although technically it is very difficult, if not more. Worse is the immediate 4 1 . . ..ig7 because of 42 ..ixg7 'i!!xg7 43.�xb4 and again it is White with chances, with two pawns for the exchange and pressure against the king.

42.�d4 As we mentioned before, if Black manages to exchange the bishop he will have good winning chances. As long as White keeps both bishops on, Black will be unable to overcome the technical difficulties. 42 . .ib3?! .ig7 43 ..ic7 (43 ..ixg7 'i!!xg7 and White is in trouble) 43 .. . �f6 44.�c4 �e6 and White is struggling hard for a draw. 42 ... �a5 43.'1Wf3 .ig7 44.�b6 �b5

100

ROUND 2

A strong move. Now there is only one square for the bishop, and after

45. .ie3

exchange the bishops. If that is achieved, Black will combine threats of giving back the exchange (with his king loitering around the queenside) and pressure on White's lonely kingside. None of this would be possible without the queenside pawns. To Black's huge disappointment, White does not have to exchange the bishops. By the way, both opponents had already played positions with a similar (but not identical) material balance: Anand beat Kamsky in 1 99S and Topalov lost to Kramnik in 2000 ...

46..ig5! Looks familiar? In the beginning Topalov used Anand's moment of doubt (whether to play for a draw or a win) to uncork 32.igS. The same scenario returns, and again Black finds himself in trouble.

46 .'tya7 .•

Black could force a very positive turn of events.

45 ....ic3? Black could have forced a desirable endgame, but instead he, not only loses his winning chances, but becomes hunted again. If Black misses the winning try then he could at least invite White to 4S .. .!!!a S 46.ib6 (bad is 46.igS �d7 47.ib3 :BfS 48.�e4 id4 and Black is attacking) 46 ... :BbS 47.ie3 :BaS with a repetition. But the point is that he, undoubtedly, saw 4S ...�f6! seeking a queen exchange to enter an endgame only Black can win, but apparently left it as his last choice, trying to find more. 46.�e4 �eS

47.�xeS ixeS 4B.ib3 In this position Black can torture White for many moves, trying to

Many spectators had a feeling of deja vu: once again, after missing igS, Black makes another mistake, and this one could have cost him the game. Did it all happen again? No! The biggest mistake Anand keeps for a later stage, and now he could still have escaped. Weaker is 46 ...�f8 after which, as pointed out by Timman in New In Chess, there comes 47.�d3 :Bb6 4B.ie3 :Bf6 49.a4! and Black will also have to deal with a passed a-pawn, while the white pieces control the whole board. He has some survival chances, but not higher than those he had in the game. 49 ...�d6 SO.hS �a6 S l .�e4 gxhS S2.igS :Be6 and Black is not supposed to lose.

47.'Wd3

TOPALOV - ANAND Topalov takes his chance. I s Black i n trouble again?

47.. J�b6? Only this is a mistake that places Anand in a lost position. Also 47 ...WI'b6 48 . .id8! gxd5 49.WI'xd5 with a technical win, and 47 ... WI'a6 48 ..id8! cannot help. But after 47 ...WI'd7! 48 ..ixf7t Wl'xf7 49.WI'xb5 Wl'xa2 winning this position would be a bit difficult, to say the least. 1he b-pawn is dangerous, whereas White's play on the kingside will expose his king to perpetuals. For example: 50.WI'e8t g;,g7 5 i .WI'e7t Wl'f7 52 ..ih6t g;,g8 53.WI'd8t g;,h7 and that's it! Draw. So maybe 48.WI'xg6t .ig7 49 ..ib3 Wl'f5 50.WI'xf5 M5 5 1 . .ie3, and White is clearly the only one who can play for a win, but objectively Black should not lose.

101

1herefore, Anand's last move should be praised rather than criticized, as some commentators did during the tournament. He certainly made the best practical call, being fully aware of the consequences.

49..ixf7t

Forcing and strong.

49 ®xf7 50.'1Wd7t 52.'1Wc7t ..•

®£8

5 1.\Wdst

®f7

White also grabs the g-pawn by force, with a big check.

52 ®g8 53.'1Wxb6 '1Wxa2 54.'1Wxg6t ®h8 •••

48..ie3

Now it is all over - White is winning the material back under the best possible conditions. 48

'1Wa6!

..•

It would be interesting to know what Anand's motives were when playing this move. On one hand, it leads to a lost position, but the conversion is very tricky, with Topalov having many chances to go wrong (which is indeed what happened in the game). Another recommended "better" try was 48 ...WI'c7, which after 49 . .ixb6 Wl'xb6 50.a4!

We have already seen this position in one of the previous lines, with a slight difference - Black had his g-pawn then. Now White should win, of course.

55.'1Wc6?!

leads to a lost position, and what is more important, a simple one for White. It is obvious that Black has nothing to offer against White's combined plan of pushing his a-pawn and attacking the black king- it is well-known that two distant weaknesses are usually enough for a win.

Well played, both stopping the b-pawn from moving, and making way for his own runners. But considering the following part of the game, 55.WI'e4! could be even stronger and primarily a simpler choice. Now after 55 ...WI'f7 White simply wins after 56 . .id4t since Black is losing his proud b-pawn by force: 56 ... g;,g8 57.WI'a8t Wl'fB (or 57 ... g;,h7 58.WI'h8t g;,g6 59.ixc3 bxc3 60.WI'xc3) 58.WI'd5t Wl'f7 59.WI'd8t Wl'f8 60.WI'g5t g;,f7 6 1 .WI'f6t g;,e8 62.ixc3 bxc3 63.WI'xc3 Better looks 55 ...WI'a5, but nothing can defend the poor king anymore, so simply advancing pawns on the kingside finishes the game.

55 ... \Wf7 56.g4 .ig7

1 02

ROUN D 2

Black is now ready ro push his trump. White is faster, but only marginally, which p uts him under pressure, especially when trying to reach the 60'h move.

Again a rough move, 6 l .�f4!, has to be fou nd, intending to meet 6 I . . .'?Nf5 with

57.h5! According ro the time he consumed over his last moves, Topalov was becoming increasingly nervous. Over the board, however, he played the simplest and the most straightforward winning move. Much more complex is the win after 5 7. g5 b3 5 8 .g6. 58 .. .'�f5 5 9 .'?Ne8t '?Nf8 60.'?Nb5! '?Nc8 6 I .'?Nh5t W g8 A nd now after the computer idea 62.�c5!! '?Nb7t 63.f3 �f6 64.'?Nf5 W g7 6 5 . h 5 i t is all over. A better try is 5 8 ... '?Ng8 59.h5 b2, when W hite has to find the correct 60.'?Nb7!, but even then there is still a certain amount of care needed, as after 60 ... '?Ne6 Black is threatening a perpetual.

62.�e5!! '?Ng4t 63.�g3 '?NeG and, finally, 64.h6! '?Nxg6 65. hxg7t '?Nxg7 66.'?Nxg7t Wxg7 67.�e5t winning. 1 h is forced l ine suggested by G M Sh ipov is beautiful, but it would require a superman (together with a supercomputer) to fi.nd it during such a tense game. Topalov chooses a more human solution.

57 ... b3 58.'l;Ye4 b2 59.h6 .if6

White now has a simple win: 64 ...\!?g6 65.\!?£3 J.c t 66.\!?e4 J.d2 67.f4 J.ct 68.f5t wf7 68 ... Wh7 69.We5 and the f-pawn queens. 69.\!?£3 J.d2 70.\!?g4 J.c t 7t .Wh5 J.a3 n.J.c3 That's it. Perhaps Topalov did not have enough time to evaluate this line in time trouble.

60 ®g8 6l..ixf6 't11xf6 •.•

And suddenly, there is no win! In most cases, every pawn except White's f-pawn is eliminated, leading to a theoretical draw.

62.®g3

60..id4? A painful mistake by Topalov, but one that can understood. He did not know there was a forced win, so he did not look for it. As for exchanging the bishops, he wants to eliminate the risk of losing. especially as he was in time trouble! Without the bishops, even if Black promotes first, White will always have a perpetual in hand, so by exchanging bishops he reduces his chances of losing to zero. Unfortunately for him, the same goes for his winning chances! Of course, if he had known there was a win, Topalov would have spotted 60.g5! on the fly. 60 .. WI'e7 Or 60 ... J.xg5 6i .J.xg5 b l =� 62.�xb l �d5t 63.Wh2 �xg5 64.�b2t Wh7 65.�g7t �xg7 66.hxg7 Wxg7 67.Wg3 with the decisive opposition. 6 l .�xe7 J.xe7 62.J.d4t Wh7 63.J.xb2 J.xg5 64.J.g7 be easily

The continuation 62.£3 only "looks" winning. After 62...�b6? 63.g5 Wf7 (or 63 ... \!?fB 64.�f5t and if 64 ...Wg8? then 65.g6 mating) 64.�h7t \!?es 65.�gst \!?d7 66.�g7t \!?c6 67.�f6t Wb7 68.�xb6t Wxb6 69.h7 b l =� 70.h8=� White should win. But after the simple 62 ... Wh8! White cannot improve his position! For example: 63.�b7 �c3! And now after 64.g5 �d2t 65.Wh3 �xg5 66.�xb2t Wh7 67.�d4 �xh6t the position is a theoretical draw. And if White feels like waiting with 63.ti'c2, Black can do the same with 63 ... Wg8. We have found no winning plan here.

62 't11b6! •••

.

Simple and strong. White cannot stop the pawn without making concessions. His main problem is the dangerous b-pawn, but there is more. lhe point is that it is enough for Black to capture the g-pawn, even in exchange for his only trump (the b-pawn), as in this situation White's h-pawn will

1 04

ROUND 2

die too, and the queen endgame with an extra f­ pawn is known to be a theoretical draw.

63.tvc4t ®h7 64.g5 tvg6! The only move, if Black is to take pawns in exchange for his b2-hero. Topalov now decides to give a few checks, to test Anand's alertness.

65.tvc7t ®gs 66.tvbst ®f7

Not 66 ... g;,h7 67.WI'b7t g;, g8 68.h7t!.

67.tvb7t ®ffi 6s.tvbst ®f7 69.tvb3t ®ffi 70.tvf3t

The checks are helping to accumulate time, but do not improve the position.

70 ... ®e7 71.tve3t ®d7 n.tvd4t lhis leads to an immediate draw, but there is nothing else to suggest.

n...®e6 Anand misses a forced draw, but does not miss the draw as a whole. lhe counter-check: 72 ... WI'd6t! 73.WI'xd6t g;,xd6 74.h7 b l =WI' 75.h8=WI' Wl'gl t 76.g;,f3 Wl'd l t would have given a perpetual.

After 75 ...WI'g6t! Anand captures the h-pawn with check (or White will have to allow a repetition) and even gives a perpetual, although the queen ending with an f-pawn is a theoretical draw anyway.

76.®e3 tvg5 t?!

As GM Shipov pointed out, afi:er 76 ... WI'h3t Black could have still drawn, but it is a purely computer generated line... 77.g;,d4 Wl'g4t 78.g;,c5 Wl'h5t 79.g;,c4 (79.g;,b6 Wl'xh6=) 79 ... WI'd5t 80.g;,c3 Wl'f3t 8 l .g;,b4 Wl'b7t with a draw.

77.f4 Black is lost again - the king manages to escape the checks. The good news for Anand is that he has already made all his mistakes; now it is Topalov's turn.

77...tvg3t 78.®e4 tveit 79.®f3 tvflt 80.®g3 tvgit 8 1.tvg2 tvbl 82.tvc6t ®f7 83.tvd7t ®f6 84.tvg7t ®e6 85.tve5t?!

In severe time trouble, Topalov misses a beautiful win now, and an elegant one five moves later. lhe cute idea is 85.f5t!.

73.tvxb2 lhere is also no win after 73.WI'c4t g;,d7! 74.WI'b5t g;,c7 75.h7 b l =WI' 76.WI'xbl Wl'xbl 77.h8=WI' Wl'gl t.

73...tvxg5t 74.®f3 tvh5t 75.®e4

85 ...g;,d5 (85 ... g;,xf5 86.WI'h7t or 85 ...WI'xf5 86.h7 Wl'd3t 87.g;,h4) 86.WI'd7t g;,c5 87.h7 and White wins by escaping the checks in the f7-area.

85 ... ®f7 86.tvh5t ®f6 87.tvg5t ®f7 88.tvh5t ®f6 89.tvh4t g;,f7

Searching for a spot from which the queen will both protect the king from checks and support the h-pawn. He succeeds in the latter, not so much in the former.

75 ...tvf5t? A cruel mistake afi:er such a heroic defence. lhis is essentially Anand's last error in the game, as the chance he misses next move is not one that could be found by a human.

90.h7? And indeed, the last mistake of the game belongs to White! A different check 90.WI'h5t is a draw due to threefold repetition, but 90.WI'g4! wins: 90 ... g;,f6 9 l.g;,h2!

TOPALOV - A NAND

1 05

1he h-file turns out to be the best place for the king: 9 1 . . .�c2t 92.i>h3 �d3t 93.i>h4 Wid2 94.W/g5t i>f7 9 5 .�f5 t i>g8 96.Wig6t i>f8 97.�f6t i>e8 9 8 . h7 �h2t 99.i>g5 �g2t I OO.i>h6 �h i t I O I .i>g6 �g2t 1 02.�g5 �c6t 1 03.i>g7 �d7t l 04.i>h6 a nd Black's next check w il l force a queen exchange.

90...'!Wel t Now the checks will continue for eternity!

9 t.c,t.g4 '!Wdtt 92.i>gs �dst 93.i>hs �dst 94.�g5 �hit 95.�h4 �d5t 96.i>g4 �dlt 97.i>g3 �elt 1his is the elegant win mentioned o n move 85.

lfl-1/2

ROUND 2

1 06 @

� * 1ft

GAME S Peter Leko Alexander Morozevich Sicilian, English Attack BSO

Game 25 and Morozevich - Polgar Game 46) 7 ... c!L\f6 continues with 8.f3 as if nothing happened. 1his is especially useful if you tend to get into time trouble.

6... e6 l.e4 c5 2.ltlf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c!Llxd4 c!L\f6 5.ltlc3 a6 Luckily for us, there are not many avowed fans of the Petroff in the tournament, while there are Sicilianistas (or should that be Sicilianers) of every kind. Morozevich's choice of a sharp lin e could b e explained b y Leko's somewhat hesitant play in the previous round (Game 1 ) .

6.8 White can check his opponent's intentions with 6..ie3 and after 6 ... c!L\g4 7 . .icl (7..ig5 will be examined in great depth later in this book, namely in: Kasimdzhanov - Anand Game 1 5, Svidler - Topalov Game 1 9, Svidler - Polgar

Morozevich is known for his affection for side lines, but here he's going straight into one of the most topical main lines. 1here are a few reasons for this: 1 . In the previous round Leko failed in a very promising position against Topalov, and could not be too fond of this opening, where the price of every mistake is very high. 2. 1he Muscovite has an interesting idea in the main line. 3. A couple of rounds from know Morozevich's strategy for the tournament will be fully revealed: no more avoiding theoretical battles, but rather solid and down-to-earth play.

7.�e3 �e7 8.WI'd2 Nowadays the English Attack is by far the most popular (and promising) way to target the Najdorf, leading (again, to our great delight) to sharp and interesting positions.

8 ...0-0 9.g4 This has all been played hundreds of times: W hite is first to start his attack, bur Black is quite solid on the kingside, while h is own attack on the opposite flank, although it startS a bit later, might prove devastating. As a rule, games in these positions are decided by a single tempo.

9 ... c!L\c6 10.0-0-0 ltld7 A standard manoeuvre: the knight will be driven away from f6 anyhow, so Black retracts the knight in advance, so he can react flexibly to White's continuations later on.

l l.h4 c!Llde5 Another approach is to try and push b7-b5 right away: 1 1 ...c!Llxd4 1 2 ..ixd4 b5 1 3.g5 c!L\d7 1 4.h4 b4 1 5 .ltJe2 a5 with a typical opposite-sides castling race. Who is better? Usually the better prepared player.

12.WI'fl Another possibility is: 1 2.�g2 From here the queen protects g4, making f4 possible. Morozevich was forced to face this

LEKO - MOROZEVICH

1 07

move two weeks after the current tournament, in another world championship (a team one this time) and reached a great position after: 1 2 ... �xd4 1 3.!xd4 �6 1 4.ie3 b5 l 5.i>b l Wla5 1 6. g5 b4 1 7.�e2 Here Black should not play 17 ... e5 as was common before, but instead: l 7. . . d5! It seems that this was prepared to fire against

because they are on the same route. Judging from the present game, this plan is not going to refute the English Attack. 1he regular continuation is l 3 . . . b5 1 4 .g5 Wfc7 with yet another English Attack position, which one should not play without extensive preparation. Perhaps Morozevich did not want to check Leko's, and started analysing a few moves earlier.

Leko, but once again the Hungarian's instincts did not fail him. 1 8.exd5 b3! The point! 1 9 . cxb3 �b4 20.�cl exd5 Black achieved very promising play, which he managed to convert into a full point, Quezada - Morozevich, Beer Sheva 2005.

l4.g5 1Llec4

l2 ...i.d7 l3.'ibbl

It might seem illogical to move the well-placed centralized knight, while keeping the other on its lousy square. 1he problem is that on e5 the knight is subjected to various white attacks, thus undermining the support of c4.

1 5-icl Leko is, of course, not going to capture on c4, but instead allows the knights to duplicate each other's work.

l 5."b5 l6.f4 b4 l7.1Llce2 �b6!

l3 ...1Lla5 A completely fresh idea. Black is delaying . . . b5 for now, and is trying to place a knight on c4 instead. Morozevich's plan has obvious advantages and drawbacks. 1he main idea is to keep a knight on c4, not allowing White to get rid of it (as opposed to positions with b5, where White can force the black pawn to c4 by simply capturing the knight - here a knight will be replaced by its colleague) . 1he problematic side of the plan is that the aS-knight will be missing from the centre, and so out of play. It is well­ known that knights which defend each other, such as a5-c4, are doing virtually the same job,

A very useful move, improving the queen's position while threatening . . . e5.

l8J!�h2 And what next? White is already set to play g6 and h5 (or vice versa) followed by !h3, while Black's plan is far from obvious . 1he immobility of the black knights is especially felt now, as the "intellectual" on a5 is blocking the a-pawn, and with it the play.

l8 ...d5 Creating counterplay in the centre, and ignoring material (which is of minor importance,

1 08

ROUND 2

as long as one does not exceed the boundaries of good taste). Perhaps Morozevich prepared this idea in advance specifically for this position, or perhaps over the board he was influenced by his improvement in the other line (see the comments to move 1 2) - in any case - there is not much joy for Black here. After 1 8 . . .e5 1 9 .�f5 J.xf5 20.exf5 White is in the driver's seat. His kingside pawns are very

27.�b3 The position is materially balanced, but only White's pieces are taking part in the game. b) 22... e5 23.�e6 .ixe6 23 . . . �a3t misses the goal after 24.bxa3 bxa3t 25.®a1 gbg 26. .ixa3 and White wins. 24 . .ixe6t ®h8 The attempt to change the course of the game with 24 WI'xe6 fails to 25.dxe6 �hd 1 26.�g3 • .

intimidating, while his light-squared bishop has exciting prospects after the disappearance of its opponent.

l9.exd5 .ic5 Of course, Black is not going to waste a whole tempo for a mere pawn: 1 9 ...exd5 20.h5 J.c5 2 l .WI'g2 and White has a dangerous initiative.

20.�f3 gadS 2l..!bb3? Last round's game has had an impact - Leko has lost his confi dence, and is now more hesitant. Much more in the spirit of the position was 2 l .g6!.

26 . . .gfd8 (on 26 . . . lbxb2 the simplest is 27J;h1 gxh 1 28.WI'xh 1 �a4 29.�e4 and the e-pawn will decide) 27.�e4 J.e3 28.gh1 gxh1 29.WI'xh l . White has managed to ward off

Making use of the fact that d5-pawn is still alive by attacking the e6-pawn's defender. Here the knight on d4 plays a key role in the forthcoming activities. Now both 2 1 ...hxg6 22.h5, and 2 1 . ..h6 22.gxf7t gxf7 23.J.h3 exd5 24.gg2 allow a decisive attack. lhe main line starts with 2 l .. .fxg6 22.J.h3, then Black has two main alternatives in 22 .. J;f6 and 22 . . . e5: a) 22 ... gf6 23.h5 g5 24.h6 g6 2 H��'h 1 ! A multitasking move. lhe queen evacuates from the f-fi le and protects gd1 thus creating two threats: dxe6 and fxg5. 25 . . . exd5 26.WI'xd5t ®h8

Black's initiative, and it is up to the e-pawn to finish the job now. 25.h5 g5 The easiest way to prove White's advantage is the s imple: 26.b3! Whereas 26.h6 g6 27.f5 gets very messy after 27 . . . �a3t! 28.®a1 (28.bxa3 bxa3t 29.® a 1 gbg 30 ..ixa3 �c4 and Black wins!) 28 . . . �xc2t 29.®b1 gxf5 (29 . . . �a3t 30.bxa3 bxa3t 3 l .®a1 gbg 32.WI'e4. lhe difference compared to 28.bxa3 is that now the queen can protect b l . 32 ... �c4 33.gh3! and White wins.) 30.®xc2 e4, where a computer-like cold-bloodedness and precision would be required from White to prove that his position is better. 26 . . . gxf4 26 ... �a3t 27..ixa3 bxa3 28.h6 followed by Wl'c3, and Black is falling apart. 27.bxc4 �xc4 28.WI'e4 �a3t 29.®a 1 h6 30. .ib2 Here the white piece is far more valuable than the two black pawns.

LEKO - MOROZEVICH

2l. .. l!Jxb3 22.axb3 �e3 23�xe3 �xe3

1 09

26 . . .�f5 or 26 ... �d7, transferring the bishop to c6, keeps the more promising position: 27.f5 �c6 28.'tlih5 �d4 with the in itiative.

27.�h3!

Thus, within just two moves, Black got rid of both his knights and his plan completely justifi.ed itself. He has the bishop pair, and in this open position that cliche is significant. White, as moral compensation, is a pawn up, which influences nothing. All in all, Black's chances are better, but he still has to be careful, and not allow White to develop an attack on the kings ide.

Black finds the only (and quite original) way to stop it happening.

24J:�d3 �c5 25.dxe6 �xe6 26.l!Jcl

28.gxf6 �f7

Typical Leko - solid as a rock! 26.f5 is bad due to 26 .. .l:hd3 27.'tlixd3 gd8 28.'tlif3 �d5 and Black is in full control.

29.f5?!

26... g6? We do not like this move. 1he first rule of opposite-sides castling positions is that you should not weaken the pawns in front of your king, unless absolutely forced to. After this move the initiative is back with White.

Leko naturally wants to exchange one pair of bishops.

27...f5

'Til pick up that pawn later." It was better to keep the f-pawn, and advance 29.h5, as that is much more important for counter play. a) 1he main difference can be seen after 29 . . .�d4 30.hxg6 hxg6 3 l .�g4 'tlixf6 32.'tlih3, and here either 32. . .'tlig7 33.f5!, opening all the lines around Black's king, or 32.. .gfe8

1 10

ROUND 2

33.WI'h7t �f8 34J�� h d2 1xb2 35.WI'h6t �g8 36J��xd8 1xcl 37.!he8t 1xe8 38.1e6t Wl'xe6 39.�xcl lead ro a big advantage for Whire. b) Another possibility is 29 ... WI'xf6 30.hxg6 1xg6. Black is no longer interested in opening rhe h-file as he did in rhe game. (Afrer 30... hxg6 3 1 .gxd8 gxd8 32 . .!i:ld3 White is a pawn up and has a berrer king, which means a good plus for him.) 3 1 .f5 and White's chances are preferable. 3 1 . . .1£7 32.WI'g4t �h8 33.1g2 Problems on rhe h-file prevent Black from seizing the initiative. In fact, in addition ro his exrra pawn, it is Whire who is dictating the game.

33 ...®g7 34.\1;Yg3 ghs After this h4 j usr becomes a weakness, and Black's pieces are beginning to occupy controlling positions.

35..if5 gh5?! 35 ... Wl'b8 was stronger than the text move as afi:er 36.WI'g1 gxd3 37..!Llxd3 gxh4 Black wins rhe pawn, and immediately threatens ro exchange rooks, which is clearly in his favour.

36,gxd8 \1;Yxd8 37..ie6 Again, Whire wants ro exchange the bishops . . .

37....ixh4 38.\1;Yg2 .ie8

29 ....id4 30.fxg6 hxg6 3l.\1;Yg4 ixf6 32.ge2?!

Leko is transferring the rook ro rhe fourth rank, where it can play on borh fl anks. The problem is that the rook won't have enough squares there, and will be an easy target for Black. Ir is hard, however, to suggest an improvement, as White has no direct attacking plan, whereas the position is wide open, clearly favouring the bishops. 32.h5 no longer achieves the goal of opening the h-file: after 32 ... g5 rhe h5-pawn will probably fall sooner or larer, but it was White's only chance to create counterplay: 33.gg2 mes 34.WI'd 1 gxd3 35 . .!Llxd3 Wl'd4, and although we prefer Black, ir is a much better version for White than the game.

32...a5 33,ge4 Ar first glance the rook is reminiscent of the famous Karpovian rook (against Hort, Moscow 1 97 1 ) , bur here its job is rather modest: defence, and not a very successful one at that.

Black's winning plan in this position is rather simple: 1 . Exchange rhe heavy pieces, thus solving the problem of his exposed king. 2. Push the g-pawn all the way. How to exchange rhe heavy pieces? lhere is an algorithm there roo: activate them as much as possible, and so make the opponent seek exchanges.

39.gg4 ge5 40..ic4 gel The first step (activating the heavy pieces) is partially complete - the pin along the first rank is very annoying, and White will not be able to tolerate it for long.

4l ..id3 \1;Yf6 42.\1;Yd2 Leko had a near way to prevent the queen from getting ro f2 with 42.1f5!?, but Black does not have ro swap the bishops, of course: 42 ... 1£7 43.WI'd2 Wl'e7 with a position very similar to the game.

42 .'1Wf2 43.ie2 ..

White does not trade queens, as he is hoping to make use of the exposed position of the black king. 43. .1f6 44Jk4 WIg3 Here 'Fritzie' comes up with a really amusing line: 44 .. .1'hc l t 45.'it>xcl '&gl t 46.-&dl (46 ..1dl .ig5) 46 ...'&e3t 47.'it>bl '& e5 48.c3 ib5 49.Wfd3 .ixc4 50.'&xc4 bxc3 5 l .bxc3 'l&xc3 52.'&xc3 .ixc3 and seems to be quite happy with its position. It is a dead draw, of course. Hey, there are still things computers do not fully understand! White's next move is virtually forced, as 45 ... '&e5 46.c3 !hci t! is already a serious threat. ..

45J'!c7t Wfxc7 Forced, as if 4 5 . . ..if7?? then 46. '&d7 and White wins.

46.Wfxel gS

Without the rooks Black already feels much safer. All he n eeds now is to exchange the queens, and then the bishops and the g-pawn will bring the victory home.

ROUN D 2

1 12

47.ltld3 .ig6 48.V;Ygt V;Ye7 49 .ig4 V;Ye4 50.V;Yg3 •

Checks are of no help here: 50.�a7t ®h6

50.. ..tf7 5 t.V;Yh3 .id5

Leko is nor particularly known for giving second chances.

54 ....if7 55.V;Yg2 V;Yd5 56 .ie4 •

"Sorry, rhe lasr train for today has already left, sir". White's bishop is occupying a key square, and Black can no longer improve his position.

56...V;Ye6 57.ltlc5 Leko will j ust sting his opponent over and over again, until he gives up.

57...V;Yd6 58.ltld3 .ie6 59. V;Yht V;Yd4 6o.V;Yh7t cJ7 f:8 6 I ..if5

52 .if5? •

1his should have significantly easied Black's rask. Leko had to make sure the queens stayed on rhe board: 52.�g3 �g2 53.�c7t ®g6 54.�d7 �h l t 5 5 .®a2 �e4 Black's srill has good chances here, as his pieces are more active and rhe whire bishop is struggling ro find a good square. However, in rhe game White should have lost immediately.

52 ...V;Yh4? Given rhar from now on Black will be chasing afrer rhe white queen until the very end of the game, it is hard to understand why he did not play 52 . . . �h 1 t exchanging the queens and entering a technically winning endgame, (even though ir is nor easy to convert). 53.�xh 1 .ixh 1 54.lt!f2 1f3 5 5 .ltlg4 1d4 56.®cl ®f7 In order co prevent the g-pawn from promoting White would have ro give up the b2-pawn, and rush his king co the kingside. Then, however, Black will use the g-pawn ro tie up White's forces to the kingside, and penetrate wirh his king through d4-c3.

53.V;Ye3 V;Yd4 54.V;Yg3

6I ....tf7 6 1 . ..1xf5 62.�xf5 g4 63.�xa5 g3 64.�a8t ®g7 65 .�g2 We won't bore you with the many lines rhar end in a perpetual check. Instead we will jusr say rhar due ro the open nature of rhe position White has enough resources to keep rhe balance. While on 65 . . .�e3 White even has the cheeky 66.lt!xb4 �f2 67.�b7t ®h6 68.�h1 t ®g5 69.ltld3 �h2 70.�d5t and ir is White playing for a win ...

62.V;Yh6t ®e7 63.V;Yh2 V;Yd6 64.V;Yh7 V;Ybs 65 .ig4 •

Not falling into 65 .1g6 �g8 and Black's back on the winning track.

65." ®1:8 66.V;Yh6t ®e7 67.V;Yh7 ®1:8 68.V;Yh6t ®e7 •!2-1/z

ROUND 3 Resu l ts:

Mundoal de Ajodrez

Svi dler

1

0

L ek o

M or ozevi ch

0

1

Topa l ov

Ana nd

1

0

Ada m s

P ol gar

1

0

Ka si m dzha nov

Munclel de Ajedrez

Standings: 1 -2 Ana nd

2 Y2

1 -2 Topa l ov

2 Yz

3 Svi dl e

2

4 P ol gar

1h

5-7 Ada m s

1

5-7 K a si m dzh a nov 5 -7 M orozevi ch 8 L ek o

h

Round three has been the most combative round so far, and that at a rare that will be hard to beat. However, even more than the results themselves, this round will be remembered for the fantastic play in general and the opening play in particular. It all began with an encounter between two old rivals: Anand and Adams. Traditionally, the Englishman has a hard time facing Anand with the Black pieces, as he is admirably faithful to his openings, allowing the Indian to demonstrate the full spectrum of his opening arsenal. Adams courageously chose the Zairsev system in the Ruy Lopez - a truly dangerous decision against a man who used to battle against irs biggest experts: Karpov and Kamsky. Nor only did Adams choose a position well known to his opponent, he even followed Anand's recommendations! So it is hardly surprising that a vicious (or Vishious?) novelty awaited him at the end of the road. In fact he stepped on a mine prepared not for him but for Kamsky (by Anand and Yusupov during their preparation for the Candidates' march in 1 995 )

.

Later Anand would express his amazement that he actually remembered most of t h e ten-year old ideas. After the game the salvation for Black would be found, to the great relief of this line's supporters, bur Adams never really stood a chance over the board.

1 14 Meanwhile, Judit

Kasimdzhanov

Polgar was

not going to let Anand win the best novelty prize without a fight.

was prepared to face Polgar's piece sacrifice in a sharp Sicilian Najdorf (a line she

managed to tear Anand apart in), but she deviated with an even bolder sacrifice, and soon the hunter became the prey. Unprepared for such a turn of events, the FIDE Champion went astray early on, and found himselfwatching Polgar ripping his position to pieces. In fact, he was so impressed that when the Hungarian Queen graciously (or rather, accidentally) allowed him a way to escape. . . no, to get a winning position, he missed it as well, and the finale was logical after all.

Bad Fortune Bad fortune keeps following Leko in San Luis. After introducing an interesting novelty on the Black side of the Ami-Marshall against

Svidler,

the Hungarian's nemesis, he seemed to have solved all his

opening problems, only to find himself in a totally lost position a mere ten moves later. All his pieces lacked coordination. An especially sad sight was his knight on a5. Leko found the only way to restore the coordination of his stalemated pieces: by setting them up in their initial positions.

Morozevich has been barely a shadow of himself so far. He played extremely passively today, beginning with quiet opening play, quickly followed by a draw offer. The real reasons for this were explained by Morozevich himself afrer the tournament: he usually startS off slowly, and in this particular case his recent illness did not improve his physical and mental state. Therefore, he decided to minimize the damage by trying to draw with White. He was visibly unhappy with this kind of play, and once Topalov rejected his offer the Muscovite quickly lost track of the game, executed a rather suspicious plan, and allowed his opponent to take over the initiative. Soon White's position was very difficult, and towards the first time control White was simply a pawn down. 1hough the game lasted over sixty moves, Topalov's win can be regarded as clean and straightforward - a rarity at such a high level. So far both pre-tournament favourites are keeping up a very high pace, making sure their rival does not get a lead. 1he third favourite, Leko, is notably absent from the top part of the table, and it is still not clear how quickly he will recover from his latest painful loss.

SVIDLER - LEKO

@

'it> t!f •

GAME 9 Peter Svidler Peter Leko Ruy Lopez, Anti-MarshaU C88

Svidler went to this game with a pleasant psychological advantage: since 1 99 8 the score between the two Peters is 8-2 in the Russian's favour, with 1 7 draws. Not many people i n the world can brag about such a result against Leko. And if that does not suffice - so far Leko has not quite been himself in San Luis.

l.e4 e5 v�a �c6 3..ib5 a6 4..ia4 �f6 5. 0-0 .ie7 6.E:el b5 7..ib3 0-0 This time Svidler is kindly invited to face the Marshall, but today he does not feel like stepping up to the challenge.

8. h3

1his is the first game in the tournament in which one of the Anti-Marshall systems occurred, and it seems appropriate to say a few words about the directions in which both sides will be heading. Methods of avoiding the Marshall have developed quite a bit in recent years as a reaction to Black's successes in the gambit lines. 1he leader of this trend was, as usual, Garry Kasparov, who consistently avoided the Marshall and boosted the Anti­ Marshall's popularity with his play in his World Championship match against Nigel Short in 1993.

1 1S

I n the various forms of Anti-Marshall White develops with d3, h3 (not always, but obviously here that choice has already been made!) followed by a3 or a4. The usual Ruy Lopez idea of the d4-advance is not forgotten, but simply postponed for better times. In the past, White used to opt for a2-a4 as the "only" way of fi ghting for the initiative. 1he idea of playing 8.h3 immediately seems like (and at times is) j ust an innocent transposition, but that is not always true. With 8.h3 White manages to avoid many lines, some of which will be discussed below. On some occasions, however, h2-h3 might be unnecessary, so there is no straightforward answer as to which move order is better.

8....ib7

A natural reply for someone who does not fancy entering the classical Ruy Lopez lines (otherwise 8 . . . d6 could have been played, which leads to the classical positions after 9 . c3 ). Here Black keeps the option of a dS-break, should White allow it. At the same time, the fact that Marshall players are virtually forced to make this move might give White some hope, since if he intends to go for the a2-a4 plan, Black will fi nd it more difficult to retort with . . . b4, since the bishop on b 7 blocks the b-fi le. Another idea is attempting to force a Marshall­ like position after 8 . . . dS?!, but this is dubious because of9.exdS �xdS 1 o.�xeS �xeS 1 1 .gxeS, and in comparison with the usual lines, White has played h3 instead of c3, which might be important since he can proceed with 1 2.d3. 1he d3-line is very sharp i n the Marshall (as we will have the chance to verify in Game 49), but here White has not played c3, thus the pawn on d3 will not be weak. Consequently Black loses one of his important motifs and so has insufficient compensation for the pawn.

9.d3 White correctly continues to avoid the Marshall. After 9.c3 dS 10.exdS �xdS 1 l .�xeS �xeS 1 2.gxeS the exact opposite of the previous note is true: in comparison with regular Marshall positions, Black has played the much more useful ... .ib7 as opposed to White's h3.

9...E:e8!?

1 16

ROUND 3 Leko was holding back . . .d6 (hoping for ... d5) and so Svidler takes this option away. As Kramnik's second in Brissago, one could guess he knows a thing or two about these positions, as well as Leko's preferences. An interesting way of developing the knight in such schemes is l ! .c!L!bd2 (it is possible to start with l l .c3 as well). White is hoping to gain an advantage using the usual Ruy Lopez patterns, as Kasparov has proved many times before. On the one hand, such a development of the knight makes Black's dark-squared bishop's hopes unrealistic, on the other, Black has still saved time on d6, and it is interesting to see whether it can be exploited.

Not too popular, but very interesting, if nor more than that. Temporarily, Black intends to manage without the automatic and more common 9. . . d6. 1his way, once Black's b-pawn advances to b4 (after White plays a4), it will be protected by the dark-squared bishop, which can also get out to a much better post (c5 or sometimes b4), instead of resting on e7. At the same time, Black can advance ... d5 in a single lunge, but only if White misses it, of course.

10.a4 It is time for White to choose a plan connected with either a3 or a4, and he picks the one that looks more active. However, one can hardly speak of any advantage for White - Black is ready for everything, and there are many reasons for this.

l l. ..b4 Whenever Black plays ... b4 he must take into account White's possible advance to a4-a5. IfWhite manages that, he might seize the advantage. The double-edged pawn sacrifice 1 1 ...1b4 was wonh considering, with the idea of meeting 1 2.axb5 with 12 . . . t0d4! and the compensation for the pawn looks serious. For instance: 1 3.bxa6 c!L!xb3 14.cxb3 gxa6 1 5 .gxa6 1xa6 Black's bishops are great and White's extra pawn on b3 plays no role. For example: 16.d4 exd4 17.c!L!xd4 ( 17.�xd4 c5) 17 . . . 1xc3 1 8.bxc3 c!L!xe4 and Black is fi ne.

12.f2 gf4 t 69.tt.:lf3 �c2t (but not 69 . . .�xd l ?? 70.�f7t) 70.'t!;>f1 �xd l t winning.

67.'tYf3 �d5 68.tLlfl �e5t 69.tLle3 f4 70.�d3 Wlglt Again , not 70. . . fxe3 7 l .�f7t.

71 .Wd2 fxe3t 72.�xe3 Wfxe3t 73.'tYxe3 �xe3 74.Wxe3 tLld7 Finally Morozevich decided to call it a day. An extremely strong move, forcing White into

0-1

ANAND - ADAMS

@

GAME l l Viswanathan Anand * Michael Adams • Ruy Lopez, Zaitsev Variation C92 'iii>

l.e4 e5 2.ttla ttlc6 The Petroff is on holiday today.

3..ib5 a6 4..ia4 ttlf6 5.0-0 .ie7 6J�el b5 7..ib3 d6 Adams does not go for his pet-line: the Marshall (or Anti-Marshall). It is interesting to speculate about his motives for this choice - whether it was the will to try and win (in the Anti-Marshall, for example, the chances of beating an equal opponent are not very high) , or was he just trying to surprise his opponent. In either case, Black refrains from his favourite lines, only to fi nd himself falling into a trap which was prepared for someone else.

8.c3 0-0 9.h3 .ib7 lO.d4 ges

1 27

followed by . . .1b7, . . . ge8, . . .1f8 with pressure on the centre. As time passed, 'h6' proved to be useful only when �g5 becomes a real threat (for now Black can simply retreat the rook to f8) . Over the years the Zaitsev Variation has developed a great deal (partly thanks to Karpov, whose second was Zaitsev for a long period). The modern ideas in the variation are to open the e-file as soon as possible and attack the centre.

l l.ttlbd2 .if8 l 2.a4 h6 l3..ic2 1he line's first key position, where Black must choose whether to open the centre leading to double-edged positions, or keep it closed. In the latter case, Black is extremely passive, and this is one of the reasons the Ruy Lopez is also referred to as "Spanish torture". Nowadays Black usually opts for the more lively option.

l3 ...exd4 l4.cxd4 ttlb4 l 5..ibl c5

Instead, if Black fails to target the centre, White will have easy play and nothing to worry about. One of the possible ways to postpone . . .c5 is 1 5 . . .�d7. But in the following game Anand shows how should White play in this case: 1 6.b3 g6 17 .1b2 1g7 1 8 . � cl gac8 1 9.1c3 c5 20.d5 �e7 2 l .�fl �h7 22.1xg7 '.!?xg7 23.�e3 with heavy pressure, Anand - Kamsky, Las Palmas (9) 1 99 5 . Black's other option, 1 5 . . . bxa4, has virtually vanished from practice, due to 1 6. gxa4 aS 1 7.ga3 ga6 1 8. �h2 g6 1 9.f3!, as this simple reinforcement of the centre promises White a solid advantage, Kasparov - Karpov, New York (2) 1 990.

l6.d5 ttld7 It looks like Black wants to go for a real fight. Why else would he choose the Zaitsev Variation - one of the most complicated in the Ruy Lopez? If so, Adams decision is amazing - he tries to join the leaders by beating his traditionally most difficult opponent. 1he Zaitsev was born as an improvement over the Smyslov line, which begins with . . . h6,

Black's idea is to either transfer the knight to e5 or advance .. .f5 . 1he latter used to be Black's main thematic weapon here. Apart from freeing the way for .. .f5, 1 6 . . . �d7 is generally useful for most of Black's various plans for counterplay. If, however, Black is nor fast enough, White will have enough time to prepare an assault on the kingside. For example: 16 . . .g6 17 .�fl 1g7 1 8 .ga3 �d7 1 9.a5 �e5 20.�xe5 1xe5

128

ROUND 3

2 l .�h2 f!e7 22.�g4 .ig7 23.�xh6t �h7 24.�f5 with a decisive attack, Kotronias - Dumas, Patras 200 1 .

17J:la3

rook to the kingside: 1 8.�h2 �f6 (the most popular). Now White has two main lines: a) lhe most popular is 1 9.l1U3 �e5 (interesting, especially for White, was the continuation 1 9 ... fxe4 20.�xe4 �bxd5 2 l .�g4 and White had a strong attack, Karjakin - Bacrot, Wijk aan Zee 2006) 20.�xf5 �xf5 2 1 .exf5 .ixd5 22.�g4, and now after 22 . . . bxa4 23.�e4 .ie7 24.�exf6t .ixf6 25 . .id2 .ib3 26.f!f3 �b8 27 . .i.xh6, White had a decisive attack, Harikrishna - Vescovi, Khanty Mansyisk (2) 2005. b) 1 9 .�g3 is also interesting: 1 9 ...f!e7 20.�hf3 After letting the rook past the knight returns to its natural post. White feels ready to attack, as in fact was the case in the following example: 20 . . . fxe4 2 l .�xe4 .ixd5 22.�xf6t ffxf6 23 ..id2 with a very strong attack, Topalov - Vescovi,

A typical manoeuvre. The rook joins the attack on Black's king along the third rank, and when (if) that happens the king's life will be in danger.

17 c4 ...

An unforgettable position for chess fans. It was here that one of the greatest (if not the greatest) matches in the history of the game was decided - lhe 1 986 Kasparov - Karpov match. Two victories in this line gave Kasparov a huge lead in the match. They were thoroughly analysed and published (perhaps keeping some secrets, one might guess) in his famous book Two Matches. Surprisingly, not much has changed since, and

Moscow ( 1 ) 200 1 . I t i s worth to mention that in these successful games for White he used a classic manoeuvre in such positions: .ic 1-d2-c3. It seems this idea is one of the main weapons against Black's idea of blowing up the centre. Back to our game. White is about to switch his knight to d4, and the only question is whether he should first capture on b5. lhe pros: b5 will be attacked by the knight; the cons: opening the a-file enhances Black's counterplay. Before Kasparov's analysis it was believed that White was better off postponing the capture. He, however, provided enough evidence to remove any desire to delay.

18.axb5

before, this move, targeting White's centre, is Black's basic idea. It has had many ups and downs, so that even today there is no clear verdict on its real value. In fact, the logic of this variation insists that this line will become the most popular in the Zaitsev. In any case, for some reason Black seems to be suffering in this variation wherever he

Today's most topical continuation. 1 8.�d4 has lost its popularity, since after 1 8 . . .f!f6 1 9.�2£3 apart from 1 9 . . . �c5, which was played in the historic game between the two K's, Black has a worthy alternative 1 9 . . . �d3 which was analysed in Kasparov's book, and after 20..i.xd3 b4!? 2 l ..ixc4 this passed a high-level test in the important Anand - Kamsky Candidates' Final match 2 l . ..bxa3 22.b3 �c5 23.f!c2 f!g6 24.�h4 f!f6 25.�hf3 f!g6 26. �h4 f!f6 and a draw was agreed, Anand - Kamsky, Las Palmas

turns. Afi:er 17 ... f5 White must use the new kingside weaknesses as soon as possible and transfer the

(5) 1 99 5 . But i t may b e too early to bury this line for White. In the game Enders - Lukacs, Budapest

most of the conclusions are intact even today, as axioms. An alternative here is 1 7 .. .f5. As mentioned

ANAND - ADAMS 1 99 5 , White demonstrated an amazing idea: 2 1 .gb3!! and after 2 1 . . .cxb3 22.�xb3 �e5 23J.e2 �xf.3t 24.J.xf.3 !c8 25. �a5 he had great compensation for the exchange. Black will probably have no choice but to return to Karpov's 1 9 . . . �c5.

l8 ...axb5 l9.�d4

1 29

lhus, White's attempts to gain an advantage here were connected with the move 22.ge3. e.g. 22 . . . �c5 (another try is 22 . . . �e5) 23.J.b2 !c8 24.�c6 Wl'h4 25.id4 f5 26.�8 Wi'h5 27.e5 f4 28.ge1 dxe5 29.�cxe5 and White maintained the advantage, Anand - Beliavsky, Madrid 1 998. A serious alternative for Black is 19 . . . �e5, a move that Anand has already fought against in his match against Kamsky, and judged it to be a very positive idea. This move is intended to reduce White's initiative, although this costs Black a pawn. After 20.gxa8 Wl'xa8 2 1 .�xb5 Wi'a5 (less fortunate was 2 l . . .WI'a 1, Topalov - Almasi, Amber-rapid 2003) 22.�a3 ia6 23.ge3 Wi'c5 24. gc3 �ed3 25 .ixd3 �xd3 26.Wi'f.3 with a complicated game, Anand - Kamsky, Las Palmas (7) 1 99 5 .

20.�£5 �e5!? Anand's recommendation as well. It seems he likes Black's knight to be on e5 in this line, but after this game that might be seen as a mis judgement. It is now up to Adams to decide whether to play Karpov's move (from 20 years ago!) which was awarded an exclamation mark. Such decisions are best made at home prior to the game. Adams chooses a way that is considered to be relatively safe for such a dangerous line.

l9 ...'V;Yb6 Playing this variation against Anand is not the easiest task: some of the moves he has played himself, on others he has published analysis. lhis move, for instance, is one of Anand's recommendations, and Adams follows it. Another possibility is Karpov's interesting

2 l .gg3 g6 lhe preparatory stage is over, and each side has to play his card. Actually, White's task is difficult, but pleasant - how to mate Black.

22.�f3 White's forces gather around Black's king and we will soon see if they can crash through the defence.

22 ... �ed3

pawn sacrifice, 1 9 . . .gxa3, which he played in the 1 4'h game of the World Championship Match in London/Leningrad 1 986. lhis move even convinced Kasparov not to play 1 8 .axb5 in their next Ruy Lopez encounter of the match. Nevertheless, White has managed to find good ways to continue in the past 20 years: 20.bxa3 .!tld3 2 1 .ixd3 cxd3. Here Kasparov chose 22.J. b2, but admitted that he was not sure whether White has any advantage. In his books Kasparov writes that White's manoeuvres around the pawn on d3 are inappropriate. Some had different views.

23.V;Y d2!!?

130

ROUND 3

We have come to the much praised novelty, which was awarded a huge number of exclamation marks by all the commentators. Judging by the result, and the fact that no computer in the world is capable of suggesting such a move - all the marks are j ustified and White's prize is an almost effortless win. But, as always, there is another side of the coin: first of all, the novelty does not put an end to the whole line, as was thought in the beginning. It transpires that this is one of Anand's novelties that is good for one game, as in the post mortem (by thousands of fans and many computers) a defence was found. By that time, of course, it was no help to Adams. As opposed to many GMs who make short draws in order to rest, Anand plays one of his many novelties on his "rest days".

23 .ixd5? ...

It feels unfair to award this move a question mark, although it loses. During the game it was absolutely impossible to find the right path,

especially given that the strength of White's attack is not i mmediately apparent and, more importantly, he did not know whether it was a winning-by-force novelty. Moreover, as we mentioned, quite a few commentators, armed with strong computer programs, regarded Anand's novelty as one that kills the line. No one would like to be in Adams' shoes in this game. 1he only move that saves Black is 23 . . . lt:lxe 1 ! . Any third grader will tell you that Black should take as much as he can, so that White has fewer pieces to attack with. 1his move takes a whole rook, whereas the text only grabs a pawn, so there is no question which is better! And moves that do not grab anything are not even worth considering. . . And, a little more seriously, the disappearance of the e 1 -rook allows Black to create counter threats along the fi rst rank, which might convince White that he does not have all the time he needs.

ANAND - ADAMS

131

26./0gxh6t .i.xh6 27./0xh6t 1he impressive looking 27.ti'xh6 loses its appeal after 27 ...ti'f6 28 ..i.g5 t'lh8 forcing the exchange of queens, after which Black will be able to demonstrate his technique in a three­ rook endgame.

Our effons t o successfully resist White's auack produced many interesdng variadons. In this position five candidates have been studied: 24.l03h4, 24./0xh6, 24./0h2, 24.e5 and 24./0xe l . a) 24./03h4 does not work: 2 4. . ./Obd3 2 5 ..i.xd3 l0xd3 26./0xh6t (26./0xg6 does not help either 26 ... fxg6 27.!!xg6t � f7 28./0xh6t �e7 29.ti'g5t �d7 and the black king successfully leaves the troubles behind.) Now Black can choose between forcing White to take a perpetual after 26 ....i.xh6 27.ti'xh6 t'fxf2t 28.�h2 t'lxg3t 2 9.�xg3 lOxcl and White has nothing beuer than to check forever with 30./0xg6 fxg6 3 1 . t'lxg6t, or trying the cheeky 26... �h7 and play for a win. b) 1he "check-check-mate" continuadon with 24./0xh6t falls just shon, due to the upseuing lack of mate. 24 ....i.xh6 25.ti'xh6 l0xf3t 26.gxf3 t'ld4! And now it is White who must find the accurate 27.e5! to avoid defeat: 27 ... /0d3 28Jhg6t fxg6 29.ti'xg6t with a perpetual. c) Quite interesting is 24./0h2, and at first we even thought it might be winning, however it is not so. 1he idea is to try to keep the knight around the black king's neck. However, after 24 ... /0bd3 (the machine's 24 ... h5 with the idea of preventing the knight's move to g4 is too much for a human to accept) 25./0g4 t'ld8! it turns out that an inevitable check is hardly enough for victory. For example, even if White wins a queen after 26.ti'c3 /Oxcl 27./0f6t t'fxf6 28.ti'xf6 l0e2t 29.�h2 l0xg3 30./0xg3 l0d3 Black still has a huge material advantage. Another try is:

27 ... �f8 After 27... �h7 28 ..*-xd3 t0xd3 29./0x£7 White looks so close, but 29 ...ti'h4! and a draw is all he can get here: 30J�g4 t'lh5 (too risky would be 30 ... ti'xf2t 3 1 .ti'xf2 l0xf2 32.�xf2 &6 33./0g5t �g8 34./0e6 and only White can win here) 3 l .gg5 t'lh4 32.gg4 with repetition. 28 ..i.xd3 l0xd3 29./0x£7 t'lh4! Not 29 ... �xf7 30.ti'h6 gg8 3 I ..i.g5 and Black has to give up the queen, while not geuing enough in return. 30./0xd6 gal And Black wins. d) An auempt to add the bishop on b I to Black's list of worries with 24.e5 fails to 25 .../0xf3t 25.gxf3 gxe5 26./0xh6t .i.xh6 27.ti'xh6 ge I t 28. �g2 ge2 and White must forget all his hopes. e) 1he remaining possibility is 24./0xe 1 . 1he initial feeling is that by recapturing on el White loses precious time and Black should be OK. However, after long hours of analysis, and a lot of power consumed by over-pushed CPU's, other continuations seem to put White at risk more than anything else, as we have shown in the previous variations. So: 24./0xel gal 25./0xh6t! .i.xh6 26.ti'xh6

26... /0xd5! We believe this was what Black missed during

1 32

ROUND 3

the game. With its multitude of ideas, this move, is the key to Black's defence. 1he most peculiar fact is that the advantages that immediately strike the eye are not the main reasons why this move is so great. For example, it attacks the e3- and f6squares, which could otherwise attract White's bishop and others white sharks. However, it is a little deeper than that: fi rst of all, the knight is untouchable, as taking it would allow the black rooks to run riot. And after 26.'1Wxh6 what was White's threat? He wanted to play 27.l:hg6t fxg6 28.'1Wxg6t '.t>f8 29 ..ih6t 'tt> e 7. Now both 1) 30.\W e6t '.t>d8 3 l ..ig5t 'tt>c 7 30.'1Wf7t and 2) 30 ..ig5t 'tt> d 7 3 1 .'1Wf7t take the rook with check and a decisive attack. e 1 ) But after 26 . . . lt:lxd5, 27.l:'hg6t gives nothing, since there is no 30.\W e6t (the ciS­ pawn is already gone) as i n the first variation, and 30 . .ig5t 'tt> d 7 3 1 .'1Wf7t does not win the rook as the e7-square is defended, which allows either 3 1 . . . lt:l e7 or 3 1 . . ,l';e7. So after 27 . . . fxg6 28.'1Wxg6t '.t>f8 29.\WfSt (White would only find trouble after 29 . .ih6t 'tt> e 7 30.exd5 .ixd5 3 1 . .ig5t 'tt> d 7 32 ..if5t l'!e6 with advantage to Black) 29 . . . 'tt>g 7 30.'1Wg4t '.t>f8 3 1 .'1Wf5t there is only draw by perpetual. e2) Another idea is 27 . .ie3, so that if the black

queen moves away, White brings the bishop to the central diagonal with 28 . .id4, and Black's position looks dangerous. 1his is not forced, of course. For example: 27 ... l'!xbl 28 ..ixb6 l'!xel t 29.'tt> h 2 lt:lxb6 White has nothing better than the same perpetual: 30.l'!xg6t fxg6 3 1 .'1Wxg6t '.t>f8 32.'1Wf6t (32.'1Wxd6t is wrong: 32 . . . '.!7£7 33. '!Wxb6 .ixe4 34.\WxbS and t h e most White can hope for is a perpetual) 32 . . . 'tt> g 8 33.'1Wg6t e3) The last try is the ultra tricky 27.'tt> h 2, but it also does not give White the desired result. 27 . . . l'!xbl 28.exd5 White can also try: 28 .l'!xg6t fxg6 29. '!Wxg6t '.t>f8 30.exd5 (the only move not to lose!) 2 8 ... l'!xel 3 1 ..ih6t 'tt> e 7 3 2 ..ig5t 'tt> d 7 33.'1Wf7t '.t>c8 34.\WfS t 'tt> d 7 35.\Wf?t w i t h a draw. 28.lt:lf3 l'!xc l ! and White does not even have a perpetual: 29. l'!xg6t ( 29.lt:lg5 fails to save the day as well: 29 . . . lt:lf6 30. lt:lxf7 '.t>x£7 3 l .l'!xg6 '!Wxf2 and White can resign.) 29 . . .fxg6 30.'1Wxg6t '.t>f8 3 1 .'1Wf5t 'tt>e 7 1he king escapes, and is left with a much bigger army than the enemy. 2 8 . . . l'! x e l 2 9.l'!xg6t fxg6 3 0.1M'xg6t 'tt> f8 3 l . .i h 6 t With a n already-so-familiar perpetual.

ANAND - ADAMS To sum up these long and complicated variations: we can conclude that this direction of rhe Zairsev Variation is still alive, bur from the sporting point of view Adams did not have much chance. 1his is nor only because these variations are extremely difficult for any player to fi nd, bur because they could only be found by those who have great experience of playing and analysing the Zairsev. The English grandmaster tried ro surprise his opponent, but did so with a very unpleasant boomerang.

24.�xh6t!

1 33

Black has many other options, which will not all be discussed here, in order nor to bore you: it is always White who delivers the mare, and it is always the same way. For example, 27 . . . �f3t 28.�xf3 gxe4 29.1xe4 1xe4 30. .ie3! ty e2 3 1 . .id4 is mating. It seems that 27 ... ga7 was the last chance to force the opponent ro sweat a bit. The point of Black idea becomes clear after 28.�xg6? %Yxg3t! 29.c;!txg3 fxg6 30.%Yxg6t gg7 and White loses his shirt. Bur White has 28.�f5!.

Anand does nor deviate a single step from his analysis and he is right. For example, 24.exd5 is much worse: 24 . . . �xel 25.�xe1 ga l ! and Black is in the driver's sear.

24...hh6 25.\1;Yxh6 I!;Yxtlt 25 . . . �xel 26.�h4 with mare on the way.

26.�h2 �xel Black's last chance is to try and divert White's attention to his own king. During rhe live transmission, before we became so smarr, it looked as if White should now go for 27J3xg6t and after 27 . . . fxg6 28.%Yxg6t force a draw. But this was only an impression. Anand did nor think about making a draw. Actually, he did nor need to think at all, as the work was done at home 1 0 years previously.

27..!0h4!

28 ... %Yxg3t The only move. 29.c;!txg3 gxf5 30.tyg5t c;!tf8 3 I .tyf6! ge6 After 3 l . ..gea8 32.1h6t c;!te8 33.exd5! Black should be thankful for only losing material, and nor the king. 32.%Yh8t c;!te? 33.1g5t c;!td? 33 .. .f6 34.exd5! 34.exd5 White has a decisive advantage. For instance: 34 . . .f4t 34 ... �xd5 3 5.%Yb8 35 ..ixf4 �xd5 36.%Yb8! And Black is helpless.

28.�xg6 \1;Yxg3t 29.®xg3 fxg6 30.\1;Yxg6t ®f8

The other retreat does nor save the day either: 30. . . c;!th8 3 1 .1g5! ge6 32.1f6t gxf6 33.%Yxf6t �h7 34.exd5

31.\1;Yf6t ®g8 32.i.h6 Black resigned in view of 32 . . .ga7 33.%Yg6t c;!th8 34.%Yxe8t.

27...�ed3

l-0

1 34

@ � U •

GAME 12 Judit Polgar Rustam Kasimdzhanov Sicilian, Perenyi Attack 88l

l.e4 c5 2.tLlf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.tL!xd4 tL!f6 5.tLlc3 a6 6..ie3

Kasimdzhanov most likely had something up his sleeve in her pet lines. Another option here is 7 . . . h6, although White is not forced to enter the double-edged English Attack (after f3 and long castling), and can continue 8 . h4 or 8 .ig2 attempting to transpose into the evergreen Keres Attack. In contrast, 8.f4 lost some of its attraction after the following game: 8 . . . e5 9.tLlf5 h5!? 1 0.gxh5 and the game concludes with the following forced line: 1 0. . . exf4 I l .ixf4 tLlxh5 1 2. tL!xd6t ixd6 1 3.ixd6 �h4t 1 4.'.!?d2 �g5t l 5 .'.!?e! �h4t l 6.'.!?d2 �g5t 17.'.!?e! �h4t with a draw, Shirov - Kasparov, Linares 1 998.

8.tL!f5 g6 Black must act quickly, as he runs the risk of getting positional squeezed after 9.g5.

9.g5

This move can lead to various lines, from the relatively calm 6 . . . tLlg4 line, through the English Attack to the dangerous Perenyi Attack.

6 ...e6 It is a dangerous gamble to play this position against Polgar. She knows it extremely well, and loves playing it. This game is further proof of that.

7.g4!? The sharpest continuation, which had disappeared for a while after Black managed to find ways to deal with White's initiative. In the late 1 990's personal experience and deep analysis had driven Anand, one of the biggest experts in this line, to state that the 7.g4 line was dead. However, in such sharp lines one can never tell if and when there will be a revival.

7... e5 Black chooses the most principled reaction. A move that seems like an innocent attempt to win a pawn turns out to be one that forces White to sacrifice material, and she hardly needs to be asked twice. Considering the fact that Polgar has in the past employed this line with both colours (and made 2/2 with White and 3\tl/5 with Black) ,

Nevertheless! This active method is, in fact, the only way to promise real chances for White. Another variation of the piece sacrifice is 9.ig2, although Gelfand proved it to be insufficient in the following wild game: 9 ... d5 I O .ig5 gxf5 l l .ixf6 �xf6 l 2.tLlxd5 �d6 1 3 . exf5 tLlc6 1 4 .�e2 h5 1 5. 0-0-0 hxg4 1 6.�b6 �d4 1 7.gxd4 �xd4 1 8.�xa8 ic5! and Black's initiative is extremely dangerous, Ponomariov - Gelfand, Bid 2000.

9...gd5 lO.exf5 Utterly wrong would be 10.gxf6 f4 l l .id2 ie6 with no compensation for the pawn.

lO...d5 'Going back' is notably absent from this

POLGAR - KASIM D ZHANOV line's vocabulary! After 1 0 . . . ttlfd7 1 I .'ltfh5 rhe f7-square together wirh much better development gives White a very strong arrack.

I I.\1;Yf3

135

lhis position is quire pleasant to rhe spectators' eyes, as well as ro Polgar's. She already has taken Anand's scalp here, so Kasimdzhanov is in good company.

12 . ttlbd7 ..

This move promises White rhe most, in fact, ir might be rhe only move to promise anything ar all. White opts for fast development, with long castling, and is ready to pay for all rhar with more sacrifices. lhe alternative 1 1 .gxf6 has been in a bit of a slump lately. The following line is quire long and frightening, bur in reality Black ar least holds here: 1 l . ..d4 1 2.J.c4 'ltfc7 1 3 .'lffd 3 dxe3 and Black has good prospects of emerging alive and wirh extra marerial. For example: 1 4.0-0-0 exf2 1 5 . J.xf7t 'it>xf7 1 6.'ltfd5t 'it>xf6 17. ttle4t 'it>e7 1 8.f6t (pretty much forced) 1 8 . . . 'it>e8 1 9 . f7t 'it>e7 20.'ltfd2 'ltfb6 2 l .'ltfg5t 'it>xf7 22.ghfl J.h6 23.gxf2t 'it>e8 24.gdst Yffxd8 25.Yffxh6 'ltfe7 26.ttlf6t 'it>d8 27.ttld5 'ltfe6 28.'ltfg5t 'it>d7 29.'lffg7t 'it>c6 30.gf6 'it>xd5 3 1 .gxe6 'it>xe6 32.Yffxh8 Amazingly, the assessment of 1 1 .gxf6 depends on such a complicated line, and ir seems rhar Black should nor lose, as actually happened, for example, in rhe game Almasi - Svidler, Polanica Zdroj 2000.

l l ...d4 lhe most principled. Nor grabbing rhe material would leave White wirh a strong arrack almost free of charge. For instance, 1 1 . . . ttle4 1 2. ttlxe4 dxe4 1 3.'ltfxe4 ttlc6 1 4.J.c4 'ltfd7 1 5.g6! allows White a very strong anack.

12. 0-0-0

A key position. Since ir depends on pure calculation, there is no point in general evaluations. One cannot play such a line wirhour deep preparation. White has tried many things here, some wirh success.

13..axd4!? A relatively rare and rather surpnsmg line. Kasimdzhanov obviously prepared mainly for other continuations and was caught off guard. lhis sacrifice is nor necessarily winning, bur the game proved, ar rhe very least, rhar ir is extremely interesting. Surprisingly, there is an even crazier sacrifice, which in fact looks roo generous: 1 3.gxd4?! exd4 1 4.J.xd4 J.c5 1 5.J.xc5 ttlxc5 1 6.J.c4 ttlfe4! 17.ttlxe4 ttlxe4 1 8.'ltfxe4t 'ltfe7 when Black, a rook up, is likely to be able to castle next move, and so has a bright future. The main line is 13 .J.d2!?, which is as complicated as rhe rexr move. lhe following classic is a relevant game: 13 . . .dxc3 (here and on rhe next move 1 3 . . .'lffc7 is very interesting) 14.J.xc3 J.g7!? 1 5 .gg1 0-0 16.gxf6 'lffxf6 17.'lffe3 'it>h8 1 8.f4 'ltfb6?! 1 9 .'lffg3 'ltfh6 20.gd6 f6 2 l .J.d2 e4 22.J.c4 b5 23.J.e6 ga7 24.gc6 aS 25 .J.e3 gb7 26.J.d5 gbs 27.gc7 With more than sufficient compensation, Polgar - Anand, Dos Hermanas 1 999.

1 36

ROUND 3

l3...exd4 l4,gxd4

1 6 . . .�xf6 loses on the spot after 1 7.ggl t �h8 1 8. �e4 � e7 1 9. f6 �xf6 20.�xc5 1g4 2 l .�e3 as happened in Firt - Sobek, Czech Republic 1 99 5 , bur White's attack is extremely strong anyhow. For example, 1 6 . . . �h8 1 7. �e4 1b6 1 8. �h5 with no visible defence for Black. However, Black can play 1 5 . . . �c7! and the assessment of rhe whole line seems to hang on this position. I n the only known game, after 1 6. gxf6 �xf6 1 7.1c4 ie7 1 8.1b3 0-0 1 9.gel �h8 20.�e3 idS 2 l .�d4 .ixf5 22.ge5 ig6, White's assault came ro a dead end in Pulkkinen 011, Helsinki 1 990.

-

l 5,ggl!

1he critical position. Black is two(!) pieces up, but is falling behind in development and has serious worries regarding his king's healrh. 1he typical approach here is to bail out by giving back some of the goods, and keep some for later. Kasimdzhanov sank into deep thought, and he had every reason to do that. Ir is hard to play this position unprepared, especially facing the furious Polgar, who is by no means happy with her current tournament situation. l4....i g7? A new move, most likely unintentionally. It looks interesting, especially as in the 1 3 ..id2 line this bishop development has been tried on many occasions. Amazingly, however, despite extensive analysis no salvation could be found for Black after this move! Black simply cannot untie himself, whereas White can slowly improve her position, bringing in more forces to deliver rhe decisive blow. 1he conclusions are as follows: 1 . White's threats are more serious than was believed prior to this game. 2. Ir is better to refrain from 14 . . ..ig7. 3. '1he veteran' 14 . . ..ic5 is much more useful, although Polgar probably had an improvement there as well. As we mentioned, Black's main reaction is 14 . . ..ic5!, and then 1 5.l:�d2. Future theoretical battles are most likely to take place here. Not convincing is 1 5 . . . 0-0 1 6. gxf6, as

One reaction would be to praise Kasimdzhanov for raking Polgar out of her home preparation (even if inadvertently) . If, however, she was ready to meet Black's strongest reaction, she should not experience too much trouble facing an inferior one, if it really is inferior. Here Polgar proves beyond any doubt that Black's reaction is indeed less fortunate. 1he point of White's plan is that her pawns have total domination over Black's pieces: the knight cannot escape from f6, but White is in no hurry to capture it, delaying it u ntil the right moment. 1 5 ... �£8 A natural continuation of the . . .ig7 plan. 1 5 . . . 0-0?, on the other hand, loses at once afi:er 1 6. gxf6 �xf6 1 7. gdg4. Another shot is 1 5 . . .�c7 1 6 . gxf6 1xf6

POLGAR - KASIMDZHANOV

1 7.li:ld5 �d6 1 8. li:l xf6t �xf6 1 9 .�c3! and the black monarch enjoys his last moments. Perhaps rhe best practical decision was 1 5 . . .�b6!?. White is now forced to fi nd some strong moves in order to bring rhe victory home: 1 6.�e3t i>f8 1 7.li:la4! is our binary friend's suggestion and is extremely strong. The black queen is pushed away, leaving White's forces to deal with rhe king. For example: a) 1 7 . . .�a7 1 8 .gxf6 .ixf6 1 9.�h6t i>e7 20.l3d2 and Black simply cannot disentangle. e.g. 20 . . ..ie5 2 I ..ih3 with crushing arrack. b) 1 7 . . .Wfa5 1 8 .gxf6 lL'lxf6 1 9 .Wfa3t i>g8 20.�c3! and it is over. c) Probably rhe most stubborn is 1 7. . .�c7, bur after 1 8.gxf6 lL'lxf6 ( 1 8 . . .i.xf6 1 9.l3e4 li:le5 20.�h6t i>e7 2 l . f4 and wins) 1 9 .�a3t �e7 ( 1 9 . . . i>g8 20.�g3!! Wl'xg3 2 1 .l3d8t M8 22.l3xg3t li:lg4 23.l3xg4 mare) 20.�xe7t i>xe7 2 1 . l3xg7 .ixf5 22.l3g5 .ie6 23.i.g2 White has a technically winning position: she has rhe better game to "compensate" for her extra pawn. 1his, however, might be the best Black can get after the "novelty" 1 4 ... i.g7.

16.WI'e3 A very strong move, fi nally creating a real winning threat. If Black does nor rake preventive measures he will lose by force afi:er 1 7.gxf6 Wfxf6 1 8.l3e4! with numerous devastating threats. For example: 1 8 . . . li:le5 1 9.li:ld5 �d6 20.f6! and that's it.

16...WI'e7 Black is, of course, happy to swap queens, while defending against White's threat. 1 6 . . . b5 is of no help to Black: 1 7. gxf6 Wfxf6 1 8.li:ld5! and he can resign.

1 37

17.WI'd2! Naturally, White does nor want to trade queens and keeps building up rhe pressure. 1 7.�xe7t would have been fainthearted: 1 7 . . . i>xe7 1 8. gxf6t .ixf6 1 8 . . . li:lxf6? 1 9.l3xg7, 1 8 . . . i>xf6? 1 9.f4! and Black must give up material, as attempting to save rhe bishop with 1 9 . . .i.h6 allows an elegant mare in the middle of the board: 20.li:ld5t i>xf5 2 1 .i.h3 mare. 1 9.li:ld5t i>e8! 19 . . . i>f8? does nor work on account of 20. lL'lxf6 lL'lxf6 2 l .l3d8t li:le8 22.f6!. 20.lL'lc7t i>d8 2 1 .l3xd7t i.xd7 22.lL'lxa8 i.xf5 Ir is nor clear who's better here.

17 ... h6?! Ir is easy to understand Black's choice - he seeks some clarity, and since the queens cannot be exchanged (Polgar wants to keep rhe queens on, of course) , he's willing to reduce rhe pressure

138

ROUND 3

in some other way. Having said all that, White's path to victory is easier now, practically speaking. Again, 1 7 .. .gg8 was worth considering. Keeping the tension is good for the losing side (if he realizes this is the position's true evaluation), although it is hardly enough to save the day. The problem is that after 1 8.gg3! Black can no longer tolerate the tension: a) 18 . . . tt:le4 1 9 .gxe4 �xc3 20.'tV e3 't!f c5 2 l .ge8t g? 22.f6t bl which gives Black time to attack e4 with 1 5 ... .ib7. Now it would be strongly met with 1 6.f5!) 1 5 ... gb8 the position is a very good (for White) version of the English Attack.

15.axb4 !ixb4 16.'1Wd4 1he most natural way to unpin. a) 1 5 .�d4 �aS 1 6.g5 (On 1 6.f4 Black has a strong reaction: 16 ... d5, threatening .. . tbxe4 with mate, 1 7 . 'it> b 1 tbc6 and Black has the initiative.) 16 ... hxg5 1 7 Jhg5 �a l t

16...�a5 Forced, as after 1 6 ... gb8 1 7. e5 Black is not happy.

17 .'it>bl 1 7. e5? is answered with 17 ... tbd5.

LEKO - POLGAR

1 45

2 l .�d5

17..J�b8? Contrary to various commentators' opinions, only this natural move is a mistake, but it also proves to be fatal. 1his is the high price of playing sharp Sicilians - one move can ruin hours of hard work in an insranr. 1he righr way to continue was 1 7 . . . d6!, enforcing Black's presence in the centre. After that White's mosr natural way to continue would have been: 1 8 .g5 hxg5 Worse is 1 8 ...J.c5 1 9.WI'c4! hxg5 20Jhg5 (but nor 20.ixc5 Wl'xc5 2 1 .WI'xc5 dxc5 22Jhg5 J.b7 and a draw is the most probable result here) 20 ...WI'b4 2 l .WI'xb4 J.xb4 22.f5 �e5 23Jhg7 gxh2 24.J.g5 and Black is experiencing great difficulties. 1 9.gxg5 e5! 1he point of 17 ... d6, blocking the fifth rank. 20.WI'd3 J.d7!

White has to acr rapidly, as the threat of 2 1 . . .J.b5 is quire unpleasant. For example, after 2 1 .f5 Black manages to obtain sufficient counrerplay: 2 1 . ..J.b5 22.lthb5 axb5 23.c3 Wl'a2t 24.�c2 Wl'a4t with a perpetual, since attempting to play for a win with 2 5 . � d2? leads to the opposite result after 25 ... �h4! 26.cxb4 �f.3t 27. � c l 0-0 and White is not going to make ir, 28.�c3 runs into 28 ...WI'b3 29.� b l ga3! wirh the lethal threat: ... gfa8, while every other white move also has a tactical refutation. 2 l ... � xd5 22.exd5 Bur not 22.WI'xd 5 ? Wl'xd5 23.gxd5 J.c6 with a big advantage for Black. 22 . . . � f8 ! This is a curious position. Black has managed to stop White's fi rst wave of attack, maintaining good prospects for counterplay along rhe b-file, while her kingside rook could join along rhe h­ fi le. White, on rhe ocher hand, will be crying to open up rhe game in the centre and on rhe kingside. All in all, wirh borh sides having many weaknesses and rrumps, it is a typical Sicilian game. 18.g5 � h5?! This loses immediately, bur Black's position is already critical. 1he lesser evil was 1 8 . . .J.a3, although here too, Black has lirde to be happy about: 1 9.b3 hxg5 20J��xg5 Wl'c7 The point of Black's 1 8'h move is rhat now White does nor have � b 5 , exchanging rhe dark-squared bishop as in rhe game. However, after 2 l .e5! rhe reality is srill quire sad for Black: 2 l . ..�h7 ( 2 l ...�h5 22.� e4 is j ust hopeless) 22.gh5 J.b7 23.f5 exf5 24.e6 0-0 2 5 .WI'xd7 White is clearly better here, bur rhe game continues.

19.gx:h6! Perhaps Polgar underestimated the srrengrh of rhis move. Now White's g-rook joins the action via rhe fifrh rank and decides rhe game q uickly. 19 ... g xh6 Of course nor 1 9 . . . gxh6 20.gxg6 or 1 9 . . . J.a3 20.b3 gxh6 2 l .f5 and resigns.

146

ROUND 4

20J:gg5 A move that wins virtually by force, and quite easily, cannot be called an inaccuracy, but White had an even more convincing way to seal the deal: 20.f5 tLlgf4 2 l .�xg7! Now Black can only choose his method of execution. For example: 2 1 .. .tLlxg7 22.ixf4! and Black has no fewer than three pieces hanging.

20...'1'Nc7 2I .ltlb5 Without the dark-squared bishop, Black's position is falling apart. Technically speaking, however, 2 l . f5 was even stronger, as after 2 1 . . .tLle7 22.fxe6 dxe6 23.tLlb5 �xb5 24.�xb5 axb5 25.�xb4 in addition to all other Black's troubles, the rook on h6 is hanging. However, even without this move (as in the game) Black's position is hopeless.

2 l ...�xb5 22.�xb5 axb5 23.'1'Nxb4 ltlhxf4 24.ltlc3 �xh2 25.�gl

lhe only way to prevent lLlxb5-d6, hitting almost every black piece, is to play . . . �h5 and sacrifi ce the exchange, so Black resigned.

1-0

MOROZEVICH - SVIDLER

@ 'it> W •

147

GAME 14 Alexander Morozevich Peter Svidler King's Indian, Saemisch Variation E8l

l.d4 ltlf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 Svidler is one of the world's leading experts in the Griinfeld, so Morozevich decides to postpone their theoretical dispute to another time.

3 ..tg7 .•

It is unpleasant enough to play a line which has poor results in recent years, but it is much more frightening to enter that line, which has limited possibilities, against a clearly prepared opponent . . . O f course, w e are talking about 3 . . . d5. For a long time this Griinfeld variation was considered to be good for Black, until White came up with fast attacks on the kingside. 4.cxd5 �xd5 5.e4 �b6 6.�c3 ig7 7.ie3 0-0 8 .fl'!d2

1he Saemisch variation of the King's Indian Defence. When asked his opinion of this line, Eduard Gufeld, a keen fan of the g7-bishop and KID, once answered: "Ask the knight on g ! ." This phrase had such an impact on the chess community that Vassily lvanchuk, when opting for the Saemisch, made sure to first develop the knight to e2, so the latter had no complaints . . .

6 ...a6 A relatively rare move, and one that had never occurred before in Svidler's praxis. However, he can still transpose into his favourite Yugoslav variation. . .

7.ltlge2 c6

With the straightforward plan of h4-h5 and so on, exploiting that the black pieces have abandoned their king. For example: 8 ... e5 9.d5 c6 10.h4 h5 and here l l .g4!? cxd5 1 2.exd5 �8d7 1 3.gxh5 �f6 1 4 .hxg6 fxg6 1 5 .�h3!? with a strong initiative, lvanchuk - Akesson, Antalya 2004. Or 8 . . . �c6 9.0-0-0 f5 1 0.h4 fxe4 l l .h5 gxh5 1 2.d5!? �e5 1 3.ih6 go 1 4.ixg7 gxg7 1 5 .gxh5 with a powerful attack, Sakaev - Timofeev, Istanbul 2003. 4.e4 0-0 5.ltlc3 d6 6.ie3

With this move Svidler avoids Morozevich's home preparation, which most likely focussed on 7 ... �c6, which transposes into the Yugoslav variation: 8.fl'!d2 gbg 9.gb l e6 1 0.b4 �d7 1 l .g3 �b6 1 2.fl'fd3 f5 1 3.ig2 fxe4 1 4.fxe4 d5 1 5 .c5 dxe4 16.�xe4 �d5 17.id2 e5, Bu - Svidler, Internet 2004. Another of Svidler's games continued 9.�cl e5 I O.d5 �d4 1 l .�b3 �xb3 1 2.axb3 �h5 1 3.b4 f5 1 4.b5 axb5 1 5 .cxb5 fxe4 1 6.�xe4 if5 1 7.id3 �f4 1 8 . 0-0 fl'!d7 1 9.ic4 g;,hB with a draw, Obodchuk - Svidler, Poikovsky 2003.

8.�d2 1here is no need for this move. About 50% of the games in this line now feature this formation for White, regardless of what Black is doing.

148

ROUND 4

1he most prom1smg way to target Black's rather unpretentious play is, however, 8.c5 b5 9.cxd6 exd6 1 0.�f4 �bd7 1 l .!e2 V!! e7 1 2.V!!d2 ib7 1 3.0--0 gfe8 1 4.gad 1 �b6 1 5 .M2 �fd7 16.gfe 1 , and White was better in Dreev - Jobava, Moscow 2002.

8... b5

1 1 .0-� 1his logical move is a novelty. As well as evacuating the king, White is also increasing his pressure along the d-file. A worse version of this plan happened in an encounter between two less famous players: 1 1 .1xg7 c;!txg7 1 2.dxe5 dxe5 1 3 .V!!xd8 gxd8 14.�cl 1e6 1 5.�b3 �fd7 1 6.0-0-0 gcs 1 7.�a5 c;!tfB 1 8 .1e2 c;!te7 1 9.c;!tb1 Here too, White had an advantage, but Black's play could have been improved, Cooke - Bogdan, Harkany 2000.

l l ...�bd7 12.®b1 �e7 13._axg7 �xg7 14.�cl

White has tested quite a few moves here, the most common being cxb5, which does not look logical - it is in Black's interests to open lines on the queenside, so why help him? Morozevich's reaction - starting his play against the king - is much more to the point.

9.h4 1he eternal question in such positions is which pawn to move fi rst? 9.g4 does not allow Black to

A strong manoeuvre. The knight is heading towards a5, where it will be extremely annoying

delay White's game with ... h5, but on the other hand it might prove to be a waste of time. In the modern world time is of higher value than ever before, which might explain the fashion for starting with h2-h4.

for Black, who cannot, however, prevent it as the a-pawn cannot move.

9...h5 10..ih6 Typical, although of a different opening! But the general principles stay intact: if White is to achieve anything with his attack (or future opening of the position), he must get rid of the g7-bishop.

lO...e5 And this is a privilege Dragon players do not have. Without the dark-squared bishop, Black no longer needs the diagonal open and therefore starts fighting for central squares.

14.. ..ib7

Trying to fight White's plan with 14 ... b4 would decrease the pressure on White's centre, untying his hands. 1 5.�a4 aS 1 6.dxe5 dxe5 1 7.�b3 and combining positional threats (V!!d6 followed by �c5) with ideas of kingside attacks gives White a substantial advantage.

15.�b3 gac8 16.a3 Another great prophylactic move. On many occasions, after White plays g4 ... hxg4 fxg4 the e4-pawn might be compromised by b5-b4. Not anymore. 1he immediate 1 6.dxe5 dxe5 1 7 .g4 is not as dangerous as it might look. After 1 7 ... �c5

MOROZEVICH - SVIDLER

1 49

1 8.g4! Now the knight on d7 is hanging, and no less importantly, the placement of the queen on d8 is very poor.

1 8...bxc4 After 1 8 . . . hxg4 White gets a very strong attack with l9.hS! gxf3 20. hxg6 fxg6 2 l .tLlcS! lLlxcS 22.�h6t ltlf7 23.l'!xd8 l'!cxd8 24.�gS l'!de8 2S .l'!h3! and Black's position is falling apart.

19�xc4 tLlb6! 19 . . .hxg4 is worse. 20.hS! with a touchdown.

20.'119g 5 '119c7

1 8. tLlxcS �xeS l 9.gxhS lLlxhS 20.�gS l"k7 followed by . . . �e7, and Black is OK.

16...'119d8? Svidler prevents the knight from reaching aS, but at a heavy price: a lost position by force! The problem with this move is that it allows the Muscovite to launch a devastating attack on the black king. 1 6 . . . l'!fd8 was a much better option, protecting the knight on d7 and keeping the position more or less balanced.

17.dxe5 dxeS

2l.�e2?! Due to the positional threat of lLlcS this move allows White to win a pawn and keep his advantage, but here Morozevich missed a great opportunity to decide the game by force, as was indicated by Jacob Aagaard in Chess and Alexander Baburin in Chess Today: 21 gxhS! after which Black has two main options: a) 2 l .. .tLlxhS? which loses to a nice sacrificial attack given by Baburin: 22.tLlcS lLlxc4 (22 . . . l'!h8 loses to 23 ..ixf7! �xf7 24.l'!d6!) 23.l'!d7 �aS 24.l'!g 1 ! and Black's position collapses on g6. b) 2 l ...tLlh7! 22.�c l !! "A very original attacking move indeed. The point is that not only does the queen stay in touch with the dark squares on the kingside (where damage has already been inAicted) , but it also assists the knights to make it to the weakened dark squares on the queenside with gain of time because of the direct threat to regain the piece. As so often before, time is

1 50

ROUND 4

a major factor in a successful attack." (Aagaard) 22 ... tt:'lxc4 23 hxg6

b3) 23 ... "fffb6 also loses virtually by force to 24.gxh7 "fffxb3 25."fffg 5t 'i!.>h8 26."ffff6t 'i!.>xh7 27."ffff5 t 'i!.>h8 28."fff h 5t 'i!.>g7 29.ghgl t 'i!.>f6 30. "fff g5t 'i!.>e6 3 l .gg2. Here Black has no satisfactory defence against 32.f4, whereas his only counterplay is one check on a3.

2l. ..c5 Now White gets a tasty square on d5 ... 2l . . . tt:'lbd7 had a fine tactical refutation 22.gxh5 tt:'lxh5 23.f4! as 23 . . . tt:lxf4 loses to (23 .. .f6 24."fffg4) 24Jhd7! "fffx d7 25."fffx e5t - curtains.

22.tlJa5 Black now has three moves to choose from, but there is no salvation: b l ) 23 . . . fxg6 24.C2:lc5 "ftfb6 25.CLJ3a4 "fffb5 26.h5! g5 27J!d7t EW 28Jhf7t 'i!.>xf7 29.CLlxb7 and White wins back the piece as 30 ..."fffx a4 is met by 3 1 . "fffx c4t. b2) 23 . . . tt:'lf6 24.tt:'la4 tt:'lb6 2 5 .tt'lac5 White's attack develops very powerfully and smoothly, whereas Black's extra piece (ib7) can hardly be considered as any consolation.

... and he's after that d5-square.

22 ..J 3b8 23.gxh5 tlJxh5 24.tlJxb7

24 ..f6 .

Instead 24 . . . gxb7 25 .ixa6 would j ust have lost a pawn for no compensation, since 25 .. J:!bb8 26.tt'lb5 "fff c6 27.gd6 "ftfe8 28.tt:'lc7 "fff a 4 29.ggl is hardly appealing for Black. He did have a very creative alternative, again indicated by Aagaard: 24 ..."fffx b7!? 25."fffx e5t f6 26."fffxc5 tt:'lc4 27."fff b4 tt:'lxb2 28 .'i!.>xb2 "fffa 7, and although after 29.ib5 White has the upper hand, it was worth considering. 25.tlJxc5! '11Nxc5 26.'I1Ngl Since he is a pawn up, Morozevich is ready to forget that he is an attacking player, and is willing to bring home the victory in an endgame.

26...'11Nc6 27J!c l! As Black has managed t o cover the entry points on the d-fi le, Morozevich fi nds a great way to

MOROZEVICH - SVIDLER arrange his pieces for bOlh defence and attack. 1he c-file is his primary target now. 1he greedy 27 . .ixa6? would have made things much more complicated for White (especially before the time control) 27 .. . c!!k 8 28 ..ixc8 :Sfxc8 (but not 28 . . .�xc3?? 29.�a7t winning) and the extra open file only helps Black. 1he pawns will be decisive once the heavy pieces are exchanged, but that would then be much more difficult to achieve.

151

30... �e6 Svidler is trying to bring his knight to d4, thus reinforcing his coumerplay on the queenside. 1he downside of this plan is that it seriously weakens his king. Black's main problem, however, is that he has no good alternatives: White wants to play �g4, cutting the f4-knight off from the queenside,

Bringing the rook into the game, while protecting b2 in the process.

and with it ending Black's coumerplay. Trying to fight for the c-file with 30 ... :Sfc8 fails to 3 1 .h5! c!Oxh5 32. .ih3 :Sc7 (32 ... c!Oc4 loses to 33.:Sh2 c!Oxa3t 34.c;!ta1 , while 32. . .:Sd8 is neatly refuted by 33.c!Oa4!) 33 ..if5! c!O f4 34.c!Oe2! :Sxc2 35.:Sxc2 and the king is falling.

28...®h7

31.�d5?

Removing the king from tactics along the g­ file, which became possible after White's last move.

Morozevich finds a way to get to c7, but the enemy king magically escapes, and with it the win. 3 1 .�g4! would have brought White a relatively simple victory - wherever the knight goes, it will be missed on another part of the board: 3 l . ..c!Od4 (or 3 l . ..c!Of4 32.c!Ob5! with an invasion) 32.:Sg2 �£7 33.f4 and Black is not going to survive much longer.

27...�b7 28.:Sh2

29..ifl �f4

31 ... �xd5 32.exd5 �xd5 33..ic4

30.:Shc2 Both players seem to have underestimated the importance of White inserting 30.h5!. 1he key idea is that 30 ... c!Oxh5 loses to 3 l .f4! exf4 32 ..ie2 when Black's position collapses in no time: 32 ...�£7 33 ..ixh5 gxh5 34.�c5! f5 3 5 .:Sch1 is crushing. Also 30 ... gxh5 3 l .c!Oe2! �g7 32.�h1 c!Oe6 33.:Sxh5t c;!tgs 34. .ih3 c!Og5 3 5 .:Sxg5! fxg5 36.ie6t :S£7 37.�h5, and Black can resign. 1he lesser evil would be 30 ... g5, but now White keeps playing the same position, only with a pawn on h5, and so Black has severely weakened his light squares.

34...�d7? Time trouble, as we all know, is governed by its own laws. 1his move allows Morozevich a chance to get back on the right path. Correct was 33 ... �d6! as then White would have nothing better than 34.�a7t c;!th6 (but not 34 ... �c7 35.�xa6 c!Oc5 36 . .ig8t! c;!txg8 37.:Sxc5 �d7 38.�c4t and White should win) 35 ..ixe6 �xe6 transposing to the game.

ROUND 4

1 52

34.ix.e6?

35...®h6

After this White's advantage is gone. He could win with: 34.WI'g4! f5 34 . . . •�k5 35 .WI'xd7t �xd7 36.J.xa6 is technically winning. 35 .J.xe6 Wl'xe6

Worse is 35 ... ®h8 36.gc7 Wl'f5t 37.®a2 Wl'h5 38.gf7 Wl'h6 39.gcc7 gxf7 40.gxf7 gfg 4 1 .gxf8t Wl'xf8 42.WI'xa6, when White has a technically won position.

36J:lc7 gh8 Keeping the check for a more appropriate time.

37.\1;Ye3t ®h5 White would have paid a lot to get rid of the h-pawn now. . .

38,glc6 \1;Yf5t 39.®al With the benefi t of hindsight 39.®a2 was stronger. But such moves, even without time trouble, can only be guessed, not calculated. 1he difference will be seen only much later.

39 ..,gbc8 40,gxc8 gxc8 4l.gxa6 gdg 42.\1;Ye2

36.WI'g5 Mter 36.gc7t? gf7 37.WI'g5? White even loses to the simple tactical shot 37 ,gxb2t! _

38.®xb2 Wl'b6t. 36 ... gbc8 37.h5 gxc2 38.gxc2 White threatens 39.hxg6 Wl'xg6 40.gh2 ®g7

Had he played 39.®a2, White would not have to waste a tempo on defence, and could have now played 43.ga7, although after 43 . . . gd7 44.gxd7 Wl'xd7 the position is draw ish all the same.

42...\1;Yf4 Black is not worse here, but Morozevich keeps playing for a win . . .

43.ga7 cJ;lh6

4 i .WI'e7 winning the a-pawn and keeping the attack. Therefore, Black must look for counterplay with: 38 ...e4 After 38 . . ,gf7? 39.gh2 ®g7 40.hxg6 Wl'xg6 4 l .WI'h4 White wins. 39.fxe4 fxe4 40.hxg6t Wl'xg6 4 l .gh2t ®g7 42.WI'e5t W6 Or 42 ...WI'f6 43.gg2t ®£7 44.WI'd5t ®e7 45 .WI'xe4t Wl'e6 46.gg7t gf7 47.WI'xe6t ®xe6 48 .gxf7 terminating in a winning pawn ending 43.gh5! e3t 44.®a2 Wl'f7t 45.b3 e2 46.gh2 e i =WI' 47.WI'xel The exposed position of the black king allows White to choose between a pointless attempt to mate, or a much more efficient transfer into a pawn ending.

34 ...\1;Yxe6 35.\1;Ya7t 1hat was the idea behind 3 l .�d5. Svidler's king is forced to go out for a walk, but autumn in Argentina is obviously less dangerous than in Russia, and he stays healthy.

44,gc7 1he easiest thing here would be to cnnctze the players (especially White) for their far from perfect play in the following stage of the game, but it is more relevant to try to understand the causes. 1he first reason is the nature of the position: it is virtually impossible to give a clear-cut evaluation

M O ROZEVICH - SVIDLER in this position (especially with no rime for deep analysis and no computer to consult) . We all might feel rhar it should be drawish (and ir is) bur in reality, with pawns running on both sides and both kings in potential danger, rhe real question to be asked is 'how'. To Black's advantage is the fact rhar his king is closer to the pawns, and his pawns are further advanced than White's. 1his means rhar exchanging at least one heavy piece would, in general, improve Black's chances (of course a tactical derail could ride roughshod over the general principle), and this makes the position more favourable for him, bur only slightly, as White has enough counter resources. The second factor is psychological, and this is of much higher importance. 1hroughour rhe game White was dictating the events: he even had forced wins on a couple of occasions, bur Black survived. Now it is all about precision, bur as Black's morale is growing, White's is headed in rhe opposite direction. White's last move was slightly off, and makes his task of drawing more difficult. He should have freed rhe queen from defending rhe first rank with 44.'it?a2. Ir turns our to be important rhar wirh rhe white king on a2 Black does nor queen with check in some possible rook endgames, and rhar makes all the difference! For example: 44 .. .gd2 45 .�e4 �xe4 46.fxe4 and now the game ends in a draw. A sample line: 46 ... g5 47.hxg5t fxg5 48.ga6t �h5 49.ge6 g4 50.gxe5t �h4 5 l .ge8 g3 52.e5 g2 53.gg8 �h3 54.e6 ge2 5 5.ghst �g3 56.gg8t �f2 57.gf8t �el 58.gg8 with a draw. Of course, had Morozevich played 44.�a2 and lost due to a check along the a2-g8 diagonal, we would have been writing about the necessity of keeping the king away from a2 in such positions ...

44..J�d2 Now every white pawn on the kingside falls.

45.1l;Yel?! Apparently forced, as the rook endings are now lost. It is a fact rhar in major piece endings the side rhar benefi ts from a queen exchange is usually better, as he can always improve his position by threatening to trade queens.

1 53

Now the rook ending after 45 .�e4 �xe4 46.fxe4 f5 47.b4 is winning for Black, as he queens wirh check: 47 .. .f4 48.gc3 �h5 49.b5 �g4 50.b6 f 3 5 l .b7 ( 5 l .gc6 f2 52.gf6 gdl t 53. �b2 fl � 54.gxfl gxfl 5 5 .a4 gfs 56.a5 gbs and Black wins) 5 l ...gd8 52.gc8 f2 53.gxd8 fl �t 54. �a2 �f7t winning. With White's king on a2 it would all have been different. However, White had a pretty way to draw: 4 5 .�fl ! e4 (or 45 . . . �xh4 46.�cl �f4 47.gc8 and Black cannot prevent �h l -g2 with a perpetual check) 46.�c4 �e5 (46 . . . �xf3?? even loses to 47.�g8) 47. gh?t! �xh7 48.�f7t with a d raw. =

=

45 ...gd3 Now Black's position is objectively winning (although by no means simply): with rhe inevitable fall of White's f-pawn, Black's e-passer will be the farthest advanced on the board and will also be much faster than White's pawns, since pushing ir does nor expose his king. White's chances here rely on his ability to create counrerplay against the enemy king.

46.�a2 �xf3 47.1l;Ycit �h5 The king's wondrous trip continues.

48.a4 A linle more stubborn would have been 48.�c4 gd4 49.gh7t �g4 50.�e6t �f5 5 I .�b3, keeping the tension around the black king. However, after 5 l . . . e4 5 2.ge7 gd3 53 .�c4 � f3 Black has clearly outmanoeuvred his opponent in the endgame - since we entered it, he has managed to win White's f3-pawn, and advance his own to e4, whereas White has made no progress whatsoever.

48 ...1l;Yd5t! Now the black queen controls the whole board, and rhe win is rather trivial.

49,gc4 After 49.�c4 rhe pawn race is short: 49 ... �xc4t 50.gxc4 f5 5 I .a5 f4 52.a6 f3 53.a7 gds and White resigns.

49...e4 The rest is clear.

50.b3 gd2t 5 1.�a3 I!;Yd6t 52.gc5t f5 53.'l;Ygl �xh4 54.a5 gc2 55.b4 I!;Yd3t 0-1

1 54

ROUND 4

@ GAME 1 5 Rustam Kasimdzhanov Viswanathan Anand • Sicilian, English Attack 890 'iii> if

A game that will (or in fact already has) become Kasimdzhanov's visiting card among the Elite.

I .e4 c5 2.tLlf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.tLlxd4 tL!f6 5.tLlc3 a6 6.ie3 After a painful loss in the previous round (Game 1 2) Kasimdzhanov repeats the same line, but since he is playing the other side, his intentions are different as well.

6... tLlg4

Who if not Anand would play this! The line is called "the Kasparov Dragon", but we should not forget that the main lines were developed in games between Kasparov and Anand. Although Kasparov was the one defending the Black side, Anand deserves a good share of the creative credit. Before this tournament, Black was not having any problems in this line. Jumping ahead - this will change by the end of the event. It could also be interesting to see Kasimdzhanov's

A well-known position which has passed its peak of popularity, perhaps thanks to the English Attack's takeover? In order to avoid this variation White frequently starts with 6.8. Black has committed himself with quite a few weaknesses, but as compensation he has more active pieces. Besides, using these weaknesses to start an attack is part of his master plan! White, on the other hand, is interested in a more quiet game, trying to neutralize Black's activity, and then he will have very good chances, playing against those weaknesses. In general, both parties' trumps seem to balance out, as we learnt from the Anand - Kasparov games.

lO.h3

Once upon a time the main line used to be 1 O.ie2, but it allowed Black to seize the initiative on the kingside by attacking the bishop on g3: l O ... h5, and although not everything is crystal clear there, the line lost its popularity. We will say more about this in Morozevich - Polgar (Game 45).

IO...tLle5 I I.tLl£5 Kasimdzhanov chooses to exchange the bishop

After 7.icl many games end in a draw by repetition: 7. . . t0f6 B.ie3 t0g4 and indeed, how can Black prevent it, if he is only familiar with 6 ... t0g4 after 6.ie3?

on c8, which further compromises the light squares in his opponent's camp. It is a well-known logical plan. The calm 1 l .ie2, intending t0d4-b3 and t0c3-d5, has also been tested. Nowadays, however, the main alternative to the text is l l . f.3 as featured in Svidler - Polgar (Game 25).

7...h6 8.ih4 g5 9.ig3 ig7

I I ...J.xf5 l2.exf5 tLlbc6 l3.tLld5

reaction to 6... e6. Would it be 7.g4 as well?

7..t g5

Here too, the plan is about placing the knight on d5, although it can easily be driven away with ... e6. 1he debates will begin later.

l3...e6 1he knight can be forced back, or instead exchanged: 1 3 ... t0d7 1 4.c3 t0f6 1 5 .t0xf6t ixf6 1 6.id3 tOeS 1 7 .ie4 Black does not seem to have counterplay, but he also does not have many weaknesses, Yeo Min Yang - Wynn Zaw Htun, Bangkok 2004.

l4.fxe6 fxe6 1 5.tLle3 � 1 5 ... �a5t will be played in the very next round (Game 1 9) , so we will postpone our discussion about it till then.

l6.ie2

KAS I MDZHANOV - ANAND Kasimdzhanov wams w manage wi[hom c3, which will come only la[er. Moreover, c3 migh[ run inw d6-d5-d4 (a[ some poim), opening lines, which sui[s Black, who is looking for acdve play a[ vinually any cos[. For ins[ance: 1 6.c3 d 5 1 7 . .ie2 l0g6 1 8 .0-0 lLlf4 19 ..ig4 'i!le7 20J�e1 �e5 21 ..ie2 gadS 22.�g4 l0c6 23.-ifl 'i!ff7 and Whi[e is nm going w be beuer, Cheparinov - Sakaev, lmerne[ bli[z 2003.

16 Y9e7 •••

Preparing w prmec[ [he d-pawn, [hus freeing [he e5-knigh[ w find a beuer fmure. However, when Black is finished preparing, he's in for a surprise ... Following [he currem game, one migh[ safely expec[ 1 6 ... d5 w come back imo fashion. lhe poim is [ha[ [he namral 1 7.c4?! does nm work here, because of 17 ... 'i!/a5t and Whi[e will be unable w casde. Also 1 7 . .ih5 wi[h game-like ideas IS problemadc: 1 7 ... 'i!l a5t 1 8 .c3? (h is beuer w give up casding) 1 8 ... d4! and Whi[e is falling w pieces. For [his reason, wp players choose 1 7.0-0 which, however, allows Black w carry om [he long awai[ed 17 . . . l0g6 and [he knigh[ ge[s w f4 afler all. Whereas an auemp[ w exploi[ d5 led af[er 1 8.c4 l0d4 1 9.cxd5 exd5 20 ..ig4 lLlf4 w an accep[able posidon for Black in Shirov - Gelfand, Mome Carlo 2000. Therefore, we shall expec[ imeresdng developmems here.

17.0-0 gadS lhe knigh[ is free w join [he pany...

155

18..ih5! Bm [here is no pany. This simple and effecdve idea [akes a big pan of [he sdng om of Black's posidon. As [he amhor of [he idea himself admiued la[er, he had a decem amoum of suffering wi[h [he whi[e pieces here, [rying vinually every[hing, bm was unable w swp Black's inhiadve. And [hen he discovered [ha[ [he key w all his [roubles is a black knigh[ coming w f4 (via g6). If you cannm cure i[, you find a vaccine. lhis idea seriously [hrea[ens [he whole line! Weaker was 1 8.c4 for [he same reasons: afi:er 1 8 ... l0g6 [he knigh[ ge[s exacdy where i[ wan[s w be. 1 9.'i!ld2 �f4 20.gab 1 'i!/t7 and only Whi[e is in danger, Dolmawv - Sakaev, Moscow 2003.

18 ...i>h8?! A nemral move [ha[ does nm help Black w organize coumerplay, which was jusdy cridcized - some imponam opdons have been denied w Black, and so he should find al[ernadves as fas[ as he can. One of [he grea[eS[ expens in [his line, Sakaev, who was [he fim m mendon 1 8 ..ih5, sugges[ed 1 8 . . . d5 immedia[ely. The poim is [ha[ af[er 1 9.ge 1 Black has dme for 1 9 ... b5 imending w play on [he queenside (placing [he knigh[ on c4). Now 20.c3 is running imo [he [ypical 20 . . . d4 and Black is by no means worse. h seems, however, [ha[ af[er 20.a4!? Whi[e nevenheless has [he advamage. For example: a) 20 ... b4 2 I .'i!fe2 a5 22.gad 1 wi[h solid play agains[ Black's weaknesses. For ins[ance: 22 . . . Wh8 23.lLlg4 �xg4 24..ixg4 l0d4 25.'i!/d3 wi[h a [angible advamage. b) 20 ...d4 is also nm good: 2 I .l0g4 l0c4 22.'i!ld3 and Black's numerous weak poims fall one by one, while 22 ... �xb2? does nm work here because of 23.'i!lg6! and [he king will fall even before [he pawns. c) lhe bes[ is 20 . . . l0c4 bm after 2 l .axb5 axb5 Whi[e is cenainly beuer. Take [his line, for example: 22 . .ig4!? .ie5 23.lLlxc4 .ixg3 24.fxg3 dxc4 25.'i!/e2 Even more [han weaknesses, [he difference in king posidons influences [he evaluadon in Whi[e's favour.

1 56

ROUND 4

19.:i:!el d5 Black is trying to carry out the only plan he has left - to put a knight on c4 and pressurize White's queenside.

But after

20.a4! he is deprived of that too - without ... b5 there is no .. .loc4. Amazingly, one of the greatest players in the world is left without any play.

2o... tLk4? And what is even more striking is that Anand lost his usual coolness. White's Karpov-like moves

apparently unbalanced Anand. Black assists his opponent to find greater harmony, and creates another weakness for himself. And exchanges the key piece that once had a dream of going to f4 ... Shipov suggested 2 0...ftJd7 as the only way to continue fi ghting. Sakaev continued with 2 l .c4 tLlf6 2 2.cxd5 tLle4 and at fi rst the position does indeed look unclear. However, White has a very strong initiative: 22.tLlf5 ! �c5 After 22 ...�d7 23.tLlxg7 �xg7 24.i.f3 Black is helpless against such strong bishops. Now White wins by force (even though it is complicated) : 23.tLlxg7 'i!lxg7 24.:1!xe6 dxc4 25.�c2! gd3

KASIM DZHANOV - ANAND

! 57

26.!d6!! gxd6 26 . . .�f5 27.hf8t g;,xf8 28.�xc4 tilxh5 29.g4 and wins. 27.�g6t g;,h8 28.gxd6 �xd6 29.�xh6t g;,g8

25.gxal !xal 26.c3 winning) 25 .�e4! gd4 26.�g6 gxa4 27.gadl with full control, nor 23 . . . tild4 24.�e4 �xb2 25.!e5! save Black.

30.�xg5t g;,h7 3 l .�g6t g;,h8 32.�h6t g;,g8 33.ga3! A triumphant and decisive entrance. A better suggestion was given by Kasimdzhanov himself: 20 . . .�f6. insisting on transferring the knight to f4 after all. Black does not lose, but his position is still difficult, without any counterplay. For example, after 2 l .ga3!? tilc4 22.gb3 he has to face plenty of problems, since bad is 22 ... tilxb2 23.�al tila5 24.gb6 tilbc4 25 .�xf6 gxf6 26.tilxc4 tilxc4 27.gxb7 picking up the weaknesses.

Anand's main problem is not just his bad position (it is not his fi rst time in a worse position), but the fact that White's game is very easy. All he has to do is bring his pieces in, and find the final blow.

21.fL!xc4 dxc4 22.1l;Yg4

But also 24 . . . gxdl 25.gxd l �xa4 is not the answer after the picturesque 26.!g6! with a very enjoyable position. For White that is.

24,gadl

24... lL!d4 Bad is 24 . . . gxc2 25.if3! and a glance at the position is enough to understand it. As the saying goes: "A picture is worth a thousand words." 1his is the second time in three rounds that Anand has suffered against two strong bishops.

25.1l;Ye4! 1he

whole

game

is

about

Kasimdzhanov is performing Anatoly Karpov's legacy.

centralization. according

to

25... fLlf5 26 .ie5 •

Kasimdzhanov spent precious minutes finding this precise move. 1he clock now turned this otherwise one-sided game into a drama. Will Anand manage to get off the hook in his opponent's time trouble?

26 .. ,gx£2

White has much more than j ust an advantage. Black has nothing to offer against White's play on weaknesses and king.

22...1l;Yb4 Admitting the mistake. Perhaps Anand was counting on 22 . . . tild4 and only now saw that 23.c3! is disastrous for him, as 23 . . . tilc2 loses to 24.gxe6 �xe6 (otherwise he's just a pawn down) 25 .�xe6 tilxal 26.!e5! clearing the kingside. If so, it is a very rare mistake in calculation by Anand!

23.I!;Yxe6 gd2 No better or worse than the alternatives. Perhaps Anand hoped to use his fearsome reputation to put pressure on his opponent. Neither 23 . . . �xb2 24.�xc4 �c3 (24 . . .�xa l ?

A brilliant practical player uses every trick to test his opponent - it is not nice to play in time trouble with a gun sticking in your king's face.

158

RO UND 4 What should White do now? Suddenly the "losing" opponent has threats, sacrificing rooks that cannot be taken (27.Wxf2? �eS t!). And the irritating clock does not stop . . .

27.�8! Kasimdzhanov finds the best answer, which he had obviously seen in advance. But it is not over yet, as he still has to play accurately. Anand understands this, and answers immediately

27 :Sd2 ..•

leaving the opponent to boil in time pressure, as opposed to 27 . . .�b6 28.a5! fla7 (28 . . .�c5 29.:Sd5) 29.@h l . lhere was a lot of criticism of Anand for his decisions in this game, namely: Why, when i n a very bad position, did h e play s o many moves so quickly? We feel obliged to support this great player. It is important to remember that Anand is who he is, and this rapid-fire style helped bring him to his exalted position. We find it strange that on the many occasions when his style brings him success, there are no opinions about him playing too fast, but if sometimes it fails him, everybody talks about his fast play. A common opinion is that Anand's natural predecessor was the great Jose Raul Capablanca. In this case it is worth noticing that when in bad positions and when his opponents were in time trouble, the third World Champion had a habit of waiting until there were only a couple of minutes left on his clock and then start blitzing (which was known to be one of his greatest specialities). As a result, he would often at least draw these positions. Anand plays according to his great predecessor. We think that in this game's desperate situation it might be the best way.

28.�xg7t @xg7 29.%Ve5t So far so good. lhere is nothing more pleasant than a check in such situations, but there are still 1 1 moves to be pia yed.

29 .. J3f6 Absolutely the only move. lhe others lose immediately: 29 . . . Wg6 30.g4! or 29 . . . Wg8 30.:Sxd2 �xd2 3 l .i.d5t Wh7 32.:Sfl .

KASIM DZHANOV - ANAND

30.a5

Here the reactions were mixed: Kasimdzhanov stated that he was proud of this move, sensing

I 59

(33 . . . ttlg6 34.�e6) 34.:Sxd2 (another Fritz-like win is 34.g3 - no comment!) 34 ... �xd2 35 .J.d5 �f2t 36. ® h l and it is over.

that his position was worth more than just a winning endgame. But it is hard to agree with this - if he has not seen the win here, how would he find it next move? 1he truth is that Anand helped him, but what if he had not? He would not even have an extra pawn then. Right now taking the ending was relatively best: 30Jhd2 �xd2 3 l .J.xb7 with an extra pawn, and a technically winning position. In any case, Anand replied immediately:

30... lilh4? Forcing White to search for a win now! 1here are two different approaches in such situations: one is to challenge the opponent to find a relatively complicated line that wins on the spot, and the other is to hold the position, but allow simpler continuations. 1here are 1 0 moves to be made until the time control, and in retrospect, it was better to let White look for a nonexistent forced win after 30. . . b5!. As we said before 30.a5, there is no clear win for White here (which is not trivial to understand during the game - what if you simply do not see it?). Before he could take a pawn, now he cannot. His position is still seriously better, but the win is not guaranteed. 3 l .c3 �d6 (3 l . ..�xb2 32.J.d5! :Sxd l 33.:Sxdl �a3 34.J.e6 and the king is helpless) 32Jhd2 �xd2 33.:Sd l �e3t 34.�xe3 ttlxe3 35 .:Sd7t ®f8 36.:Sb7 Following the rook's arrival on b6 Black will either have to exchange the rooks, or give up a pawn, which leads to the same result. However, note that we are only on move 36, meaning that Kasimdzhanovwould still be hearing ticking, with a position that is not entirely clear.

3I .f;Yc7t And now the drama reaches its peak. With little time left on the clock, even the spectators on the internet could sense White talking himself into finding the win. In the meantime he gives two checks to bring the time control closer. 31. ..:Sf7 32.Ve5t :S f6 Forced. 32. . . ®h7 i s losing too: 33.J.e4t ®g8

Black has no choice. Now it looked llke there would be a repetition: there were seconds left on White's clock, but he found ...

33.i.h5! For the second time in the game, 33.J.h5 gives White a serious boost. 1his time it is a win.

33... lilg6 1here is no escape. 33 ... :SXg2t is agony after 34.®h l :Sd2 35.:Sxd2 �xd2 36.�c7t followed by :Se8 mate.

34.i.xg6 Simple and strong. To deliver mate one does not need more than a rook and a queen.

34...:Sxdl 34 . . . ®xg6 loses nicely: 35.�e8t :Sf7 36.�g8t ®f6 37.:Sfl t and that's it.

35.:Sxdl ®xg6 36.Ve4t "More precise" was 36.�e8t with mate in I I (guess who told us). 1he rest could have been spared, if not for White's time trouble.

36...®g7 36 . . .:Sf5 37.�e6t :Sf6 38.�e8t :Sf7 39.�g8t ®f6 40.:Sfl t

37.:Sd7t ®gs 38.Vh7t Mating on the next move.

1-0

1 60

ROUN D 4

@ GAME 16 Veselin Topalov Michael Adams • Symmetrical English A30 'it tl

l.�f3 � f6 2.c4 e6 3.� c3 3.d4 would have transposed w a normal Queen's Indian.

3...c5 4.g3 b6 lhis move usually spells agreemem w play [he so-called Hedgehog mucmre. lhis may be [he English species of [he Hedgehog.

5..ig2 .ib7 6.0-0 .ie7 7 J�el �e4 Hedgehog devmees [end w prefer 7 . . .d6 8.e4 � bd7 9 . d4 cxd4 1 0.�xd4 gbs 1 l .b3 a6 12 ..ib2 0-0 1 3.h3 Yflc7 1 4 .Yfld2 �c5 1 5.gad 1 , ahhough we believe [ha[ [his i s a good version for Whi[e, as he has managed w keep his knigh[ on d4 wi[hom exchanging [he imponan[ g2bishop. Bm one can also say h is a mauer of [as[e.

8.d4 Whi[e could nevenheless force a Hedgehog wi[h 8.�xe4 .ixe4 9.d3 .ib7 1 O.e4. lhe difference is [ha[ Black has already managed w exchange one pair of knigh[s, which favours him: 1 0 . . .0-0 1 l .d4 cxd4 1 2.�xd4 d6 1 3.b3 a6 1 4 ..i.e3 �d7 1 5.f4 ges 1 6 ..i.f2 Yflc7 l ?.gc l .if6, and Black did nm experience any panicular problems in Vallejo - Adams, Linares 2002.

8...�xc3 9.bxc3 .ie4

I O..ifl A [ypical manoeuvre: [he bishop reuea[ allows �8-d2 followed by e2-e4. lhis usually draws an amomadc 10 ...-ixB ...

I O...d6 A novehy by Adams, and a very logical one! He simply ignores While's plan, claiming [ha[ keeping [he bishop is more imponan[ [han preveming Whhe from gaining con[rol of [he cen[re. 1 0 . . .-ixB occurred on every previous occasion. One example: 1 l .ex8 �c6 1 2.d5 �a5 1 3.f4 0-0 1 4.h4 M6 1 5 . .id2 ges 1 6.g4 g6 1 7.Yfl8 .ig7 1 8.h5 Typically for [hese posi[ions, Whi[e's muc[Ural drawbacks (c3, c4) are well compensa[ed by his kingside ini[ia[ive, Bu Anas[asian, Tripoli ( 1 .2) 2004.

l l.h4 lhis is a mul[i-purpose move. For one, Whi[e wan[s w place his bishop on h3, and makes [he bishop's fmure place of residence more comfonable. Anmher idea of [he move is w suppon �g5. However, [his proves Adams' novel[y is a good one - if one wams w move a bishop from g2 w h3, why do so via fl ? h seems [ha[ 1 0 ..i.fl will have [O be spared in [he fmure, since if Whhe con[inues his line whh 1 l .�d2 [hen af[er 1 l . . ..ib7 1 2.e4 0-0 his spadal advaD[age is balanced by Black's good prospec[s for coun[erplay along [he c-file, combined whh pressure on d4.

l l. .. �d7 12.d5

TOPALOV - ADAMS More rhan anything else, White's last two moves look like an anempr to liven up the position, and rake rhe opponent our of his home

161

1 7.�xe5 1xe5 1 8.c4 �f6 1 9 ..ig2 �g6 wirh a slight advantage for Black. More interesting seems 16 . . . c4,

preparation. The problem is rhar Black has a lead in development in general, and a greater presence in the centre in particular. Afrer 1 1 .h4 White did nor have much of a choice as 1 2.�d2 .ib7 1 3.e4 0-0 is already less efficient - Black will be able ro exploit rhe weakened kingside ro create dangerous counterplay.

12 0-0 ...

1 2 . . ..if6 is roo early wirh the king still in the centre, as after 1 3. dxe6 fxe6 White can exploit rhe advantages of his 1 1 'h move: 1 4.�g5 1xc3 1 5 .�xe4 1xa1 1 6.�xd6t �fB. This is nor an advisable position to play against Topalov, especially since the memories of him rorruring Anand (Game 7) in a fresh. Ar the same rime, 1 3.cxd5 1f6 would fi nd a good place for

similar position were still the immediate 12 . . . exd5 allow White to fi nally his knight: 1 4.�g5! 1g6

( 1 4 . . .1xc3 1 5 .� xe4 1xa 1 1 6.�xd6t �f8 1 7.e4 is still roo dangerous for Black) 1 5.1d2 h6 1 6.�h3, transferring the knight to f4, with a slight advantage for White.

13.a4

Black is better after 1 3.dxe6 fxe6 1 4 .1h3 1f5.

13.. .h6 14..ih3 exd5 1 5.cxd5 .if6 Topalov's play in rhe fi rst parr of the game has been far from impressive, and Black has the initiative. He does, however, have to play carefully, and nor allow White ro consolidate.

16,ga3 b5 An original idea by Adams, which was greatly appreciated by many commentators, bur the objective value of the move is questionable. True, after this he gets a very good square for his knight (b6-c4) and rakes a temporary initiative on the queenside, bur the drawbacks are j ust as evident: rhe rook on a3 gets a chance ro rejoin the game, a7 becomes weak and Black is giving up on his queenside pawn majority. All in all, rhe drawbacks outweigh the plusses.

Adams himself (in Chess Informant 94) preferred 1 6 . . . �e5 providing rhe following line:

which is usually nor even considered, as it weakens rhe d4-square. However, it prevents rhe white rook from entering rhe game, isolates d 5 , and will be useful once rhe queenside pawns starr running. 17.�d4 The anempr ro arrack the pawn immediately with 1 7 .�d2 gives Black a symbolic advantage after 17 . . .1xd5 1 8.e4 1c6 1 9.�xc4 �e5 20.�xe5 dxe5, thanks ro White's more compromised pawn structure. 1 7 . . ..ixd5 Worse is 17 . . . �c5 1 8.�c6 �c7 1 9.8 .ig6 20.1e3 as 20 . . . �b3 is brutally mer by 2 1 .gxb3! cxb3 22.�xb3 and Black runs a serious risk of suffocating to death. 1 8.�b5 1e6 1 9.1xe6 After 1 9.1g2 d5 20. .ixd5 .ixd5 2 1 .�xd5 �e5 22.�xd8 gfxd8 Black has the bener pieces, he controls rhe d-fi le, and is ready ro starr pushing his queenside pawns - therefore, he is bener. 1 9 . . . fxe6 20.�xd6 �c5. The white pieces are poorly coordinated, whereas each of Black's is very well placed. The problem is the white queen on d6 - White manages to fi nish his development while Black rakes care of it. 2 I ..ie3 1e7 22.�xd8 gfxd8 23.gaa1 �e4 We will nor bore you with long and irrelevant lines, bur although Black is slightly bener, the game is closest to a draw. These lines clearly show rhar Black had the better of it from the opening, bur rhe urge ro

carry out such an aesthetic idea as . . . b5 and . . . ttJb6 effectively transferred the initiative to the opponent.

light-squared bishop. 1 8 . . . tbxc4 was the closest to equality Black could get. 1 9.!h4 .ixf3!

17.axb5 lbb6 18.c4!

All the white pieces are back in the game, he gets rid of the weakness on c3 and it is already Black who should be careful; after all, White has a spatial advantage.

18... �xf3?! After this White is better, as Black has inadequate compensation for the absence of his

Now we can consider two captures: a) 20.exf3 ttJb2 2 l ..ixb2 .ixb2 22.�c2 Cheparinov, in his analysis for New In Chess, evaluates this position as too passive for Black. However, after: 22 . . . .id4 intending 23 .. J'!e8 with full equality, it is not so simple. To prevent it, White must enter a long forced line: 23.�e4 �e8! 24.�xe8t �xe8 2 5 .�xe8t �xe8 26.�xa7 c4 27.�a4 27.�c7 �e 1 t 28 .-ifl c3 29.b6 .ixb6

TOPALOV - ADAMS 30.:axc3 .ic5 is a dead draw. 27 ... :ae l t 28.�h2 28.-ifl c3 29.�g2 :adl and the draw is inevitable, whereas 28.�g2 is met with 28 ... :ae2. Here, the simplest way to make a draw is: 28 ... :a c l 29 ..if5 g6 30 ..id3! :ac3! 3 l ..ie2 3 l . .ixc4 :axf3 3 l . . ..ixf2 Since the bishop endings are drawn (Black will simply place his bishop on b6) White cannot make progress. For example: 32.�g2 .ic5 33 ..ixc4 :ac2t 34.�h3 �g7 And if anything, White can only claim a psychological advantage. b) 20.:axc4 strikes us as White's best shot to fight for an advantage, although after 20 ... -i hS there are mutual chances, whereas an attempt to shut the h5-bishop in a cage can only put White in danger: 2 l .g4?! .ig6 22.h5 .ih7 23.e4 :abs 24.'1Wa4 '!Wd7 (24 . . .-ieS is also worth consideration) 25.�g2 '!Wxb5 26.\WxbS :axb5 27 ..if4 :ab4 28.:axb4 cxb4 The black passers are much more dangerous.

1 63

19 .:axf3 tLlxc4 From this point on Topalov starts playing just amazingly - every move is a great example of his perfect technique.

20.'1Wa4 Preventing the black queen from entering the game via aS.

20 tLle5 2 1 .:aa3 •••

1 64

ROUND 4

Although Adams has beautiful looking pieces in the centre, they are not doing much. The c5pawn is also potentially very strong, but without having access to c8 Black cannot benefit from it.

would still be better as Black's position, although very solid, is just as passive. The most interesting question is how could the British Grandmaster allow this situation to arise, as all of it was obviously evident to him. The reasons are strictly psychological, as is usually the case at the highest levels. After the mistake on move 1 6, Black's position has been deteriorating and White suddenly began building up threats against a7. As a reaction, Adams is eager to offer the pawn extra protection (by means of ge8-e7), free up his rook from a8, and then start attacking b5. For this reason his last move is also valuable, as after ge8-e7 the queen could be placed on e8, eyeing both b5 and e2. It seems to us that he simply underestimated the speed with which White's threats on the light squares would become serious (also noteworthy is the fact that the issue of the light squares became relevant only three moves ago).

White, on the other hand, is planning to use his spatial advantage and keep the fight open on both fl anks. White is better.

22.h5!

2l ..J3e8?! Allowing Topalov to block the kingside pawns and with it gain total control over the light squares around the black king. With hindsight, 2 1 ... h5 was necessary, preventing White from developing an attack against the king. However, after 22 ..if4 White

There will be no more chances to play ... h5 today. Now Black will have a constant headache along the b 1 -h7 diagonal.

22 .. ,ge7 23..if4 gb8 24..if5 Finally the bishop reaches its natural diagonal and things start looking better for White. This is another case of Topalov's favourite theme - total centralization.

24.. .'\1;lfe8!

TOPALOV - ADAMS

165

26 .. ,gxe5 27.e4 ge7 Superficially, Black's position might look passive, but he has a clear plan, which is now impossible to stop: simply increase the pressure on b5, which will lead to exchange of the a- and b-pawns, exchanging heavy pieces in the process, and so reaching a sure draw.

25 �d7? ...

A crucial moment. Apart from the text move, Black had two options to capture the pawn, but was not satisfied with the consequences: a) 25 ... W/xb5 This does not bring any good news. 26.W/e4 26 ... g6

Black has fulfilled his plan, but in the meantime White has created real threats on the kingside. The attempt to exchange the dark-squared bishops with 24 ...J.g5 is beautifully refuted by: 25.-ib I ! Adams, i n Chess Informant, only considers 25 ..ixe5 which allows Black to recapture with a rook. He provided the following line: 25 .. ,gxe5 26.id3 id2 27J�eal ib4 28,g3a2 gb7 29.e3 ®f8 30.\W d I Wid? 3 1 .W/f.3 J.c3 32.gcl J.b4 with a slight advantage for White. 25 ...W/d7 Now 25 . . .ixf4 fails to 26.Wfc2! ®f8 27.gxf4 �g4 28.Wfh7 and heavy material losses are imminent. 26.J.xe5 dxe5 27.W/e4 f5 28.Wfxf5 \Wxf5 29.hf5 gxb5 30.d6 geb? 3 l .gdi Black's numerous weaknesses give White very good winning chances.

25.Ac2 Another option was 25.gb I . Then: Natural looks 25 .. ,geb7; the rook will be missed on e7 and the plan with J.c2-Wfe4 will be much more powerful. For example, after 26.ic2 c4 (or 26 .. ,gxb5? 27.gxb5 gxb5 28 .W/e4 g6 29.hxg6 fxg6 30.gxa7 with a crushing attack) 27.J.xe5 Wfxe5 28.Wfxc4 Wfxh5 29.ga6 J.e5 30.®g2! Black's position is anything but pleasant. However, Topalov was probably worried about 25 ... .ig5! as on its own the light-squared bishop will be much less effective: 26.ixe5 (after 26.J.xg5 hxg5 27.J.c2 �7! the knight is heading to f6, sealing the kingside and pressuring d5 and h5)

26 . . . ®f8 27.gb i Wfe8 28.gxb8 Wfxb8 29.Wfh7 is good for White. e.g. 29 . . .ge8 30 ..ia4 gds 3 l .gb3 WI c8 32 . .ixe5! ixe5 33.ic6 1he rook enters b7, and "1he Adventures of the King" are about to end. 27.hxg6 �xg6 28 .Wff5 Black's kingside is falling apart. b) 25 .. ,gxb5! This would have led to a very interesting position. 26.W/e4 g6 White's best shot here is going into an opposite­ coloured bishops position with: 27.ixe5 27.ixh6 is bad due to 27 . . . gb4!, putting an end to all White's plans on the kingside. 27 . . . J.xe5 Or 27 ... gb4 (After 27 .. , gxe5 28.W/f.3 White regains the pawn, and an attack on the enemy king with opposite-coloured bishops gives him very good prospects of a win.) 28.\Wh i ! J.xe5 29.hxg6 fxg6 30.Wfxh6 gg4 3 l .Wfd2, threatening to double rooks along the b-file: 3 l . ..gb 7 32. ®g2! Black has too many lines to cover, and not enough rooks to do it. 28.hxg6 Transposing into the 27.hxg6 line. 28 . . . fxg6 Adams gives another try here to play for a win: 29.Wfh4 �g7! 30.J.a4 a6 Here he stops, evaluating the position as unclear. Analysis shows that Black has sufficient compensation for the exchange. Sufficient for a draw that is. All this is, of course, difficult to figure out during

1 66

ROUND 4

the game. Adams probably decided not to give his opponent extra tactical possibilities connected with a pin along the a4-e8 diagonal and wanted his queen to observe the opponent's kingside.

26.\We4 lL:lg6 27.'1Wd3

1he attempt to prevent Wfd3 with 30. . . Wfxb5 loses to 3 l .gb l Wfe8 (3l . ..Wfxblt 32.J.xb l gxb l t 33.g;,g2 ge7 34.ga6 ie5 35 .Wff5, and Black's "fortress" is broken down easily due to the weakness of his d6-pawn) 32.Wfd3 gxbl t 33.ixb l g6 (33 . . . g;,fB 34.Wfh7 Wid? 35 .Wfh8t g;,e7 36.Wfa8 Wfd8 37.gxa7t g;,fg 38.Wfc6 also cannot be recommended) 34.hxg6 fxg6 35 .e3! and White wins.

31.gxa7 gxh5 32.e3 It is now White who has an extra pawn, while Black's counterplay is limited to a few meaningless checks. It is all over.

32 ... \Wh2t 33.g;,fl '1Wh3t 33 ... Wfhl t 34.Wfxhl gxhl t 35 .g;,e2 gxel t 36. g;,xe l Black has no counterplay and too many headaches, the main one being White's passed b-pawn ... Hopeless.

34.g;,e2 27...c4 Perhaps this is a mistake (at least both Adams and Topalov tend to think so), but Black can hardly be criticized for trying to fi nd some life, because 27 ... �f8 28.Wff5! (Adams) 28 .. Jhb5 29.Wfxd7 gxd7 30.M5 gd8 3 1 .gxa7 J.g5 32.J.xg5 hxg5 33.geal is equally depressing for Black, as he cannot untangle. 1he following line illustrates the problems: 33 . . . c4 (worse is 33 . . . g6 34.hxg6 �xg6 35.gc7 g;,g7 36.gaa7 with a technically winning position) 34.e4 gc5 35.g7a6! g6 36.hxg6 �xg6 37.ixg6 fxg6 38.gc l ! g;,f7 39.gc6 Black has to part with either the d6- or c4-pawns, after which the position is technically won for White as soon as his king comes closer to the centre.

28.'1Wxc4 lL:lxf4 29.'1Wxf4 ge5

After this, the black pieces on the kingside look somewhat irrelevant.

Black returns the pawn, but his king is the real problem here.

34 .. ,ge5 35.gc7!

30.\W£3

35 ..,gc8

Defending h5, and bringing the queen back to d3.

A blunder in a lost position. More stubborn was 35 . . .Wfh5 but the loss is still inevitable after 36.Wfxh5 gxh5 37.gbl gxd5 38.b6 gc5 39.gxc5 dxc5 40.g;,d3 g;,fg 4 l .g;,c4 g;,e7 42.ie4 g;,d6

30...'1Wh3 1his is probably what Adams was counting on when playing his 25'h move, but it fails to save Black, as there are no real threats against White's king.

Precision until the end. This cuts off the queen.

43.ig2 (43.gdl t g;,e5) 43 ...ie7 44.g;,b5.

36..if5 gxf5 37.gxc8t g;,h7 38,ghl 1-0

ROUN D S ..,. 'l Results: Anand Polg ar M undlal do Ajadrez

S vi dl er Adams

... ' .\. �. .

. � .,.

·L,._'

/

'

.�

.,

1

-,

'

���. -'

V2

V2

Leko

V2

V2

M or ozevi ch

0

1

Topalov

Vz

Vz

K asi mdzhanov

"

Mund1al de .A,edrez

Standings: 1 Topalov

4V2

2-3 Anand

3

2-3 S vi dler

3

4 K asi mdzhanov

2Vz

5-6 Leko

2

5-6 P olgar

2

7-8 Adams

1' /2

7-8 M or ozevi ch

l V2

This round can safely be labelled as the most significam one in the emire evem. In addition to the sporting consequences, which will be discussed later, four extremely hard-fought battles took place. Undoubtedly, the most notable encounter of the round was between the two leaders. Svidler perhaps had the better chances going into the round - he was White, and many shared the opinion that Topalov surely couldn't keep winning forever. He could, as it turned out, and in his favourite style - a hard fight. As early as in the opening both players began sening traps, and both had to step carefully through the minefi eld. lhe Russian's clever and tricky move order was, beyond any doubt, a trigger for his mine. The Bulgarian was doing exactly the same, having prepared a variation analysed by his team in great detail for this very game. lhe question was whose mine would go off first, and as soon as the explosion occurred it was clear that the mine was Bulgarian. Actually, it was made in Spain and was tested (on his own skin, with the white pieces) a few times by Topalov's young second - Ivan Cheparinov - in Spanish open tournaments. As will be seen later, Topalov's novelty was not of the highest quality. No, i t has no forced refutation, but with correct play White could have obtained a clear superiority. lhe most regrenable thing for Svidler is that he actually found almost all the right moves, but consumed huge amounts of time and became fatigued in the process. As a consequence he made no use of his advantage, but his position was still not worse, and he offered a "silent draw". And here an amazing thing occurred. Instead of logically accepting the offered repetition, Topalov chose a clearly unfortunate cominuation. He would

1 68 Iacer explain rhar Svidler was gerring visibly nervous, and along wirh rhe Russian's approaching rime trouble, he decided rhe risk was worrh raking. And one musr admit - rhe risk fully paid off. Immediately afterwards Whire committed three crucial mistakes: first he overlooked a possibility ro punish Black's daring arrempr, rhen he ser himself on rhe brink of rhe abyss and eventually. . . he dived srraighr into ir. 1he conversion was nor roo difficult. Ir has ro be nored rhar even wirhour raking into account rhe sporting aspect, which is apparent, rhis game will be long admired for rhe rich abundance of ideas. This game is a perfect example of rhe rense and sophisticated struggle rhar is modern chess. Another pearl was grown by

Anand

and

Leko.

Black bravely employed a principled Sveshnikov

variation, which thereby made irs fi rst appearance in rhe rournament. Anand introduced a novelry, which is hardly surprising. 1he surprising parr is rhar Leko's reaction ro rhis rather natural plan in a line he has analysed exhaustively was very unfortunate. I in a few moves Black's position deteriorated from "rheory" ro difficult. Wirh his back against rhe wall rhe Hungarian showed his srrengrh - his tenacious and resourceful defence had a great impact on all rhe specrarors, and on Anand, who missed a difficult winning continuation ar rhe critical moment. Luckily for Leko rhar winning opportunity was rhe only one and Anand could nor squeeze anything else from his stubborn opponent. Meanwhile another fierce tussle was raking place in rhe game between rwo dangerous arrackers:

Morozevich

vs.

Polgar. Afrer a

slow srarr Polgar was playing carefully yer powerfully, as a reaction

ro another unusual opening choice by Black. Dismissing all Morozevich's provocations, Polgar slowly improved her posicion until she was srraregically winning. When White's vicrory seemed ro be close, however, ir looked as if Polgar suddenly lost her way, first missing a virtually forced way ro clinch a well deserved vicrory, she rhen ler all her advantage go and finally did nor exploit several chances kindly offered by her opponent in mutual rime trouble. As in many such cases rhe game ended in a draw righr afrer rhe rime control, except rhar here ir was hardly "ro everybody's satisfaction". Polgar Iacer pointed our rhar rhis game (following a painful defeat against Leko in rhe previous round) was in facr a breaking point for her in rhe rournament, after which she was never rhe same. In comparison wirh chose nervous duels, rhe meeting of Adams wirh

Kasimdzhanov was

a much

calmer affair. Bur rhere were many subtleties here as well. 1he Uzbek continued ro demonstrate his versatile preparation by opting for another, less principled, line of an opening rhar occurred in his fi rst round game. Adams reacted coolly, which led ro a small bur lasting advantage. Adams was enjoying his control in rhe centre, whereas rhe FIDE champion was combining defence wirh accurate preparation of sabotage on rhe enemy king. Eventually ir appeared rhar rhe English grandmaster was roo comfortable wirh his position, underestimating his opponent's potential rhrears. After identifying rhe danger Adams immediately scarred harassing Black's temporarily hanging pieces and rhe game culminated in a draw. Many commentarors believed, as did rhe players, rhar a draw was rhe logical result of rhe struggle. However, jusr one move prior ro rhe draw agreement, Black could have unleashed a powerful arrack, afrer which White's chances ro weather rhar srorm would have been rather questionable. In any case, rhar moment remained in rhe shadows. 1hus, we have a clear leader, who has beaten everybody bur Anand, opening a gap of no less rhan 1 V2 points on his pursuers. When will Topalov's main rivals wake up and reach rheir usual pace? For rhe rime being ir is a well hidden secret.

ANAND - LEKO

@ � tf •

GAME 17 Viswanathan Anand Peter Leko Sicilian Sveshnikov 833

l.e4 c5 2.l0f3 l0c6 3.d4 cxd4 4.l0xd4 l0f6 5.l0c3 e5 Finally w e get r o s e e rhe Sveshnikov. An opening rhar nor so long ago used ro depress every player who starts l .e4.

6.l0db5 d6 7 ..ig5 a6 8.l0a3 b5 Black has also tried 8 ...J.e6 bur rhis allows White ro solve his biggest problem: rhe knight on a3. 9.t0c4 l1ic8 l O.t0d5 J.xd5 l l .J.xf6 followed by 1 2.�xd5 with a pleasant advantage.

9.l0d5 1he main line, as of rhe beginning of rhis year. Some years ago lines with 9.J.xf6 gxf6 were more popular, bur Black seems ro be doing fi ne there.

1 69

However, rhen Black found an idea to improve rhe bishop's prospects - the classic Sveshnikov b6-square. For instance: 1 3 ...J.e7 14.t0ce3 J.e6, and rhen Black carries our rhe plan of . . .�d8-d7 and ... J.e7-d8-b6. Nevertheless, we believe it is roo early ro resurrect 1 2 . . . l1ib8: usually rhe game enters an opposite-coloured bishops position. We believe White can get a version where his bishop's activity will outweigh rhe drawish tendencies. As a good example consider Kudrin - Eljanov, Khanty Mansyisk 2005: 1 5 .'1Wf3 ( l 5 .b4 is also worthy of attention) 1 5 ... '1Wd7 1 6.l'�d1 �dB 17.�e2 tt:le7 1 8.h5 h6 1 9.0-0 �b6 20.tt:lf5, and after a long fight White won.

13.a4 Striking on rhe queenside. As a matter of fact, rhis is rhe only play White has in rhis position.

13 ...bxa4 14J;xa4 a5 15..ic4 gb8 16,ga2

9 ....ie7 10..ixf6 ix£6 l l .c3 0--0 1 2.l0c2

1he starring point of the line.

12....ig5 1he modern favourite, and also rhar of the boss, Sveshnikov. Although the line has suffered quire a few blows lately, ir was obvious rhar rhe Hungarian was nor going ro give up on one of rhe key positions in his repertoire. 1 2 . . . l1ib8 was our of fashion for a long rime thanks ro Kasparov's 1 3 .h4! and rhe dark­ squared bishop seems ro have no future, as g5 is no longer a possible square for ir.

1he most popular lately. White does nor want ro waste rime on b3 (as was virtually automatic in rhe past) , rhus keeping rhe options of �a4 and b2-b4 in one move open. And there is another idea, more on which later.

16...g6 Here Black faces two decisions: I . How ro carry our .. .f5, wirh or wirhour ... g6? 2. What is rhe precise move order - should he begin wirh . . . hB or . . . g6? Positions after . . . f5 without . . . g6 are interesting, and have quire a few supporters (for example, Radjabov used ro play rhis way).

1 70

ROUND 5

Black's problem, however, is that he mostly fi ghts for a draw. 1he text line is more popular among members of the Elite, but is also more dangerous. And about the move order, which should come fi rst: . . . g6 or . . . c;!thB? Or, perhaps, both lead to the same position? Well, not necessarily. After 1 6 ... c;!th8 White continues 1 7. �ce3 and on 1 7 . . . g6 has a promising new plan, developed by Topalov and Ponomariov, with 1 8.h4. Kramnik, after having a narrow escape with Black against Ponomariov, later made good use of it with White: 18 . . ..ixh4 1 9.g3 1g5 20.f4 exf4 2 1 .gxf4 .ih4t 22.c;!tfl f5 23.b4 fxe4 24.gah2 g5 25.b5 �e5 26.Wfd4 with a very strong attack, Kramnik - Van Wdy, Monaco 2005. It is not clear if Black can improve the defence in this popular line, but Leko usually chooses a different move order.

17.0-0

Leko is implying that he is ready to join the Anand - Kasparov dispute.

l8.b4 But Anand deviates fi rst and chooses no less poisonous a line. An important line here is 1 8.�ce3 f5 1 9 .Wfa4. Kasparov, in his game against Anand, failed to achieve equality after l 9 . . ..id7 20. .ib5 gxb5 2 l .Wfxb5 �b4 22.Wfxa5 �xa2 23.Wfxa2 fxe4 24.b4 .ie6 25.c4 WfcB 26.Wfb3 with a substantial advantage for White, Anand - Kasparov, Linares 2005. Did Leko intend to improve on Kasparov's game? Of course he did; it would be unrealistic not to think so!

l8 axb4? ...

A serious mistake, which was soon corrected in his game against Kasimdzhanov in the next round (Game 2 1 ) . Curiously, this move has been played before, although the drawbacks of the move are quite evident: opening the a-fi le, and allowing

Anand is not a fan of h4-plans. As a rule, his approach when targeting the Sveshnikov is to be strictly solid. This has been quite successful. Attempting to use the fashionable attack with

the knight to join the attack on the queenside are hardly compensated by Black getting the aS­ square (after White's b5).

1 7.�ce3 might now be met with 17 . . . c;!tg7, instead of 17 . . . c;!thB. Now the above attack is less convincing, or to be exact, it was less convincing in the only game featuring it to date: 1 8 .h4 1xh4 l 9.g3 .ig5 20.f4 exf4 2 l .gxf4 1h4t 22.c;!tfl ghs 23.b3 h5 24.gg2 c;!trs 2s.gd2 c;!tg7 26.gg2

Typical for the fakir. In j ust two moves a weak pawn has become a bulldozer pushing Black backwards. Now 20 . . . �e7 is too passive, and allows White to place his pieces optimally. 2 l .�cb4! .ixd5 22.�xd5 f5 23.ga7 with a clear edge, Korte - Siegmund, Arco 1 998. For example: 23 . . .fxe4 24.�xe7 .ixe7 25 .Wfd5 when the attack with opposite-coloured bishops, together with the b-pawn, gives White an easy win.

c;!tfB 27.gd2 c;!tg7 with a draw agreed, Berescu - Khairullin, Warsaw 2005.

l7...�h8

l9.cxb4 1e6 20.b5

20...ixd5 Not an easy move, played after prolonged thought. With this capture Leko makes sure the other knight does not get to d5 (thus stopping White's main plan), but it does not solve all the problems, as Anand's very next move ends all Black's hopes for counterplay. 1here will be no .. .f5 or anything else for that matter. Now the "normal" 2 l ..ixd5 promises nothing: 2 l . ..�e7 22.Wfe2 Wfb6! 23.1c4 f5 and Black gets good counterplay. For instance: 24.ga6 Wfc5 25.exf5 gbc8! 26. .ib3 �xf5 with a good position.

ANAND - LEKO But Anand's serious:

intentions

are

much

more

171

to White's pressure) leading to a posmon that could have been reached in the game.

21.exd5!

23.�b4 �b7

That's the idea. Like many ofAnand plans, this one spells: " I do not believe in your initiative." (According to Anand, on many occasions while preparing he attacks the computer until its processors explode. When he learns that there

Not for nothing is Leko known to be one of the toughest defenders in the world. 1he knight is transferred to a better position. Black is clinging to the position with his teeth. 1he attempt to block the a-file fails after 23 . . .WI'b6 24.WI'd3 E!a7

are sufficient defensive resources, he uses them in a game, gaining many points, but sometimes suffering losses against the very best.) 1he idea is very strong: d5 will control c6 for a knight, freeing the b-pawn to run for presidency. Plain

25.E!fa l E!fa8 26.ga3 and Black will be obliged to let White occupy it, sooner or later.

and simple. Black's play, on the other hand, is anything but plain or simple. The f-file will not be opened today, and pushing the f- and e-pawns is clearly not going to keep up with White's play. 1herefore, Leko's game is limited to preventing, defending, annoying and interfering with White's game, and waiting for his chance, of course.

2 1... �a5 From now on Leko defends with his typical tenacity. 2 l .. .ft)e7 would not interfere with White's intentions, and give him an important tempo to carry out his plan.

22..ie2 gas Trying to keep things as unclear as possible. 22 . . .WI'b6 23.�b4 l:!a8 (even worse are both 23 . . . e4? 24.WI'a1 t and 23 . . .J.d8 24.�c6 l:!a8 25 .WI'd3 !c7 26.E!fa l and Black cannot stand up

24.!:�a6! Very impressive. The knight will not be sufficiently strong on c6 anymore, and is being replaced by a rook, while its (the knight's) new target is a6. However, the real strength of this move is that it avoids the following trap. Why did Anand not play 24.�c6 anyway? Neither 24 . . . WI'b6 25.ga6! E!xa6 26.bxa6 with a dose-to-decisive advantage, nor 24 . . .WI'd7 25.WI'a l ! E!xa2 26.WI'xa2 save Black. Apparently, Black was planning 24 . . . gxa2! 25.�xd8 Axd8. All of a sudden all White's plusses became minuses. 1he pawn goes nowhere, the bishop is stupid, and an active plan - nonexistent. For instance, after "normal play": 26.Ac4 E!a8 27.b6 �c5 28.b7 E!b8 White has no reason to be happy. Unless he want to find himself in trouble, White's best bet would be 26.f4. For example: 26 . . .J.b6t 27.'.!?hl e4 28.f5! with a double­ edged game, where Black's chances should not be underestimated.

172

ROUND 5

24 ... l!k5 25J1�c6 ga4! A great move, sneaking in just when the doors (on a6) are about to close.

26.\1;Ybl

Very strong is Jacob Aagaard's recommendation 29.gc7!. lhis move looks frightening because of the fork 29 . . . �d2. White should retort with the obvious 30.gd l . Perhaps Anand considered it to be too complicated, but the game is also messy, while here Black has fewer chances. Now the most stubborn is 30 ... ga2, and after 3 1 �b4 �xb1 3 2 �xd5 Black should play 3 2 . iib2!. Seemingly, White's win is doubtful, since after 33.b7 �g7 34. .ia6 �d2 3 5 .gc8 �e4, and after

An original way to push the pawn forward Trying to win material with 26Jhc5 is not good here: 26 . . J�xb4 27J�k6 �b8 Once the bishop gets to dB, the b-pawn will cease to be a factor in this game. 26.�a6 would let a substantial pan of the advantage go after 26 . . . gd4!, for example: 27.�c2 gxd5 28.�xc5 gd2 29.�c3 dxc5 30 ..if3 �d4 3 1 .�xc5 ges 32.�xd4 exd4 33.ga6 (33.gb1 ? gb2!) 33 . . . gb2 34.b6 gbs 35 .b7 ®g7 36.gas gsxb7 37 . .ixb7 gxb7 and Black should be able to hold.

. . . �c5 White will have to forget about winning the game. But very strong is 34 . .id3! �2 and here White has the manoeuvre 35.�c3! intending 36.�e4. Black seems to be helpless here - he will have to give up a piece for the b-pawn.

26...\1;Ya5!

29 ...\1;Yd4?!

Black's forces enter the game through the backdoor. It is amazing how Leko manages to fi nd chances.

27Jl:�a6 ll)e4

Not simplifying the position, which would make White's life easier, Black is diving into immense complications, trying to confuse the opponent. It does not save the position against White's best play, but it is the right way to defend such positions - no easy moves. lhe alternative was 27 .. _gd4 28.�xc5 dxc5. Weak now is 29.b6 gb4 30.b7 �a7 3 1 .gc8 ®g7! and White has let the win slip away. Much better is 29.gxc5 and Black can win back the d-pawn, but he is helpless against the b-pawn.

28.b6 White has to go forward, and he does. It would not be a great surprise if this position had been analysed by Anand at home - it surely would not be the first time. And if so, he defi nitely knew the game was close to being over.

lhis natural move was the prime suspect for losing part of White's advantage. But what was

Not an easy move to evaluate. On one hand, it is the peak of a heroic defence by Leko, who manages to use every chance in a difficult position. On the other hand, there was a better continuation, but only theoretically, not practically. Most of the commentators intuitively awarded this move with exclamation marks. We will leave the reader to decide whether he likes it or not. But what about the alternatives? Surprisingly enough the scary 29 . . . �xb5 would leave Black

the better solution? Definitely not 29.1b5? �d2! 30.�b2 gg4, and White will have to give up material in order to save the king.

with survival chances: 30. .ixb5 ga5! And now: a) 3 I ..ic4 �c5 32.�xc5 gxc5 33.gxc5 dxc5 34.b7 gbs with a close to drawn position - as soon as possible Black's king will run to the

28...\1;Yxd5 What else? At least grab a pawn, and get closer to the enemy's king.

29.\1;Yb5?!

ANAND - LEKO queenside, and an operative plan to exploit this time is nor clear. b) 3 l .ie2 ltlc5! 32.ltlxc5 �hc5 33Jhd6 gbs 34.gbl e4 35 .b7 gc7 and Black has good chances to hold. c) 3 l .!d3 ltlc5 32.ltlxc5 gxc5 (32 ... dxc5? 33.b7) 33.gxd6 gbs 34.gb l f5 35 .b7 e4 36.1a6 gc7 1he winning plan is not clear, as Black has possible plans of sacrificing an exchange on b7, thus keeping White's b l -rook tied to irs defence. Now we come back to the text - we are about to witness the tragic moment of the round, and perhaps rhe whole tournament, from Anand's point of view. In his opponent's time trouble he misses a win (that is by no means trivial), by choosing a very natural continuation that in fact leads nowhere. 30.gc4? 1he loss ro Kasimdzhanov in rhe previous round probably caused Anand ro take his later opponents' attacks more seriously. Here, in any case, caution is justified as this "looks" like the only way to try and win. We must admit that the game is a demonstration of Leko's great defensive ability, rather than Anand's failure ro convert his advantage. We believe that fi nding rhe win in such a position depends less on rhe quality of a player than on luck and intuition. And ar this point of the tournament both betrayed rhe Indian player. All applause goes to the Hungarian grandmaster: he was the main reason that Anand did not manage to eat such a nearby cherry. Bur there is no doubt that in other cases Anand would (immediately!) play the obvious 30.b7, which actually greatly complicates rhe position. Black, as it turns out, has a few very vicious and no less beautiful threats. It would, however, force Leko to find all the defensive ideas over the board, which is extremely hard (even if they exist), even without time trouble. After 30.b7, Black should try his only chance 30... ltlxf2! and now: a) 3 l .gxf2? !e3 32.®h l !x£2 33.gc8 ga l t 34.1fl 1« d 1 and Black mares. b) 3 l .g3? c!tlg4t 32.®g2 1lt'e4t 33.®h3 c!tle3

173

and from now on White will have to continue without his king. c) 3 1 .1lt'b6! 1«xb6 32.gxb6 !e3! Searching for threats on the king ar any cost. 33.b8=1«

An amazing position, but who is going to

win?

As rhe safest way ro draw Anand suggested 33 ... c!tle4t 34.®hl gxb8 3 5 .gxb8t ®g7 and here 36.gb4 (also 36.g4 ltlc3 37.gb3 !d4 38.gxc3 1xc3 39.ltlc7 ®fB seems ro be a draw, but nor an easy one) 36 . . .gxb4 37.ltlxb4 ltl£2t 38.gxf2 ix£2 39.ltld5 f5 with a very drawish position. The main question, however, is whether Black has a draw in rhe line: 33 ... gxb8!? 34.gxb8t ®g7 Now both 35 .gbbl ? ltld3t 36.® h l ltlf2t 37.gxf2 ix£2 and 35.gxf2? ga l t 36.1fl ga2 bring about positions where it is hard to say who is better. Better looks: 35.g3 White is trying to slip away with the king, which Black obviously will not allow without a struggle. 35 ... ga2! 36.®g2 ltle4! 37.®8 1a7 38.®xe4 f5t 39.®d3 Weaker is 39.®d5 ixb8 40.c!tlxb8 (or 40.ic4 gdzt 4 l .®e6 ia7 42.ltlc7 gxh2 43.ltle8t ®h6 44.c!tlxd6 i£2 45.ltlf7t ®g7 46.gb l ixg3 47.gb7 e4 and again Black is on top) 40 ... gxe2 and White is nor threatening ro win. 39 ... e4t 40.®c3 ixb8 4 l .!c4! gxh2 42.ltlxb8 gg2 43.®d4! Here is the explanation why this inferior line is included in rhe book. This picturesque line simply deserves to be in here! Here is what seems to us to be rhe best play for both sides:

174

ROUND 5

43 ...l!!xg3 44.®d5 h5 45.®xd6 h4 45 ... ®f6 46 ..!i:ld7t ®g5 47.®e5 h4 48 ..!i:lfB h3 49J�ihl ®h4 50.®f6 l!!f3 5 I .ifl ®g3 52.l!!xh3t ®£2 53.l!! h l l!!a 3 54..ic4 l!!c3 55.id5 l!!c5 56.®e5 e3 57..!i:le6 l!!x d5t 58.®xd5 e2 59.l!!h 2t ®fl 60..!i:lf4 and White wins. 46.l!!h l e3 47.l!!x h4 g5 48.l!!h 2 l!!g4 49..ie2 and White wins. Of course, calculating all (or even some) of this in a practical game is impossible. But the annoying thing for Anand is that there was a much shorter win, which was found by G M Shipov: 30.WI'd3! Wl'b2! and here neither 3 l .WI'c2?! Wl'xc2 32.l!!xc2 .!i:lc5 33 . .!i:lxc5 dxc5 with equality, nor 3 l .l!!b l ? l!!a l 32.l!! x al Wl'xa l t 33.-ifl 5! 34.b7 Wl'b2! give White what he wants. But White can play 3 l .g3!!.

lhis is what Anand missed during the game. It is anything but obvious, of course. It takes considerable time and faith to be assured that instead of hurrying up White can throw away a tempo, and Black cannot use the tempo to develop his attack. White frees an escape route for his king, which is crucial. So what can Black do? a) 3 l ... .!i:lc5 32.WI'xd6 .!i:le6 33.b7!! lhis somewhat resembles a checkers combination: 33 ... WI'xb7 34..!i:lc5 winning. b) 3 l ...l!!a 2 32.WI'xe4 Wl'xe2 33.WI'xe2 l!!xe2 34.l!!b l winning. c) 3 l ...J.d8 32.l!! b l l!!a l 33.l!!x a l Wl'xal t 34.®g2 Wl'b2 35.WI'xe4 winning. d) 3 l ...d5 32.WI'b5! l!!a 2 (32 ...WI'xb5 33. .ixb5+-) 33.b7 .!i:lc3 34.WI'xb2 l!! x b2 35.l!!xc3 l!!xb7 winning. e) 3 I ....!i:ld2! lhe most stubborn. 32.WI'b5 Wl'xb5 (32 ... l!!a 2 33.b7 .!i:lxfl 34.l!!c 8!+-) 33..ixb5 l!!a5

34.J.e2 .!i:lxfl 35.-ixfl l!!a l 36.b7 l!! b l 37.l!!c8 l!!xb7 38.l!!xf8t ®g7 39.l!!b8 l!!xb8 40..!i:lxb8 and White should win here.

30 .. J�xc4 31.�xc4 �c3! 32..id3

lhe players must also have considered 32.b7 d5 (32 ... .!i:lxe2t 33.WI'xe2 Wl'b6 34.b8=WI' l!!xb8 35 . .!i:lxb8 Wl'xb8 36.WI'e4 Black's pieces do not cooperate well, which gives White some winning chances.) 33.WI'd3 Wl'xd3 34.J.xd3 e4 35.ixe4 (35 .J.c2 J.f4 with advantage to Black) 35 ... dxe4 36.b8=WI' l!!xb8 37..!i:lxb8 e3 with a draw that is similar to the game.

32...�xc4 33.i.xc4 d5

34..ixd5?!

Here Anand misses his last chance. Brief analysis shows that he had a promising alternative, which he undoubtedly would have used if he had not been under the impression that his chances were lost on move 30. lhe simple 34.J.b3! puts Black in an unpleasant position. Mter 34 ...e4 35.b7 .if4 36.l!!a l Black suddenly has serious problems stopping the pawn. For example: a) Black's counterplay with the passed pawns succeeds after 36 ...d4 37 ..!i:lc5? l!!b8 38 ..ixf7 d3! 39.l!!a 8 d2 40.J.b3 ®g7 4 I .®fl (or 4 l .h3 e3 42.fxe3 J.xe3t 43.®fl M4 44.l!!xb8 J.xb8 45 ..!i:la4 .!i:lxa4) 4 l ...J.xh2! 42.g3 J.xg3 43.fxg3 e3 44.l!!xb8 e2t 45.®g2 el =WI' 46.l!!g8t ®h6 47.b8=WI' Wl'e2t with a perpetual. But after 37. .!i:lb4! White wins the pawns, thus stopping the counterplay: 37 ... ®g7 38.l!!a 8 d3

ANAND - LEKO

1 75

(38 . . J:!b8 39J:hb8 i.xb8 40. tt:lc6i.d6 4 1 .tt:lxd4+-) 39Jk8! d2 40J!xc3 gb8 4 I .i.dl gxb7 42.gb3 should be enough for a win. b) Much stronger was: 36 . . .'.!tg7 37.tt:lb4! gb8 38.i.xd5 gd8! 39.g3 (Weaker is 39.ga8 gd7 40.g3 tt:lxd5 4 l .gxf4 tt:lxf4! 42.tt:ld5! [42.h4 gxb7] 42 ... gxd5 43.h4 gb5 44.b8=� gxb8 45 .gxb8 with even chances) 39 ... tt:lxd5 40.gdl tt:lxb4 4 l .gxd8 i.e? 42.gd4 tt:la6 43.gxe4 with some chances for White to win, as the pieces are tied up to preventing promotion. Bur there is still a very long way to go.

48.h3 tt':l£5 49.gd7 i>£8 50.tt':la5 tt':ld4t Sl.i>g2 tt':l£5 52.tt':lc4 i>g7 53.g4

34.. .lthd5 35.b7 e4!

Agreed drawn because of 6 ! .gg7 '.!tf8 62.gxf6 tt:lxf6 63.gxg6 '.!ff7.

Planning to exchange pawns, on the way to a theoretical draw.

36.b8='1W gxb8 37.tt':lxb8 e3 38.fxe3 be3t 39.i>hl i>g7 40.tt':lc6 h5

The position is not equal; it is drawn. If the knights are exchanged, it will be a draw even without the f-pawn. Also i+tt:l vs. g+ftj is a theoretical draw, which means White has to keep his knight in the game, but then Black will have sufficient defensive resources. White obviously does not want to exchange pawns, but without advancing pawns White has no chance to succeed. As we said - it's a draw. Anand tests his opponent for a few moves, to make sure he is not too tired.

4l.gdl tt':lf6 42.gbl tt':lg4 43.g3 �g5 44.i>g2 �f6 45.gel tt':lh6 46.i>f.3 ttl£5 47.gdl tt':lh6 Black simply waits, and he can do it with both his pieces.

One pawn is gone. One more to go.

53 ...hxg4 54.hxg4 tt':le7 55.tt':ld6 �e5 56.tt':le4 tt':lg8 With the "threat" . . . tt:lf6.

57.g5 Now Black exchanges the last pawn.

57...i>f8 58.gb7 f6 And it is over - Black exchanges the last white pawn.

59.tt':lc5 i>e8 60.tt':ld3 �d6 ¥2-1!2

176

ROUND 5

@ GAME 18 judit Polgar Alexander Morozevich • Phllidor Defence, Hanham C4l � w

l.e4 d6 Morozevich chooses to avoiding main line openings.

2.d4 filf6 3.filc3 e5 Philidor's Defence, or at least it will be in a couple of moves - not a very common guest in top GM practice. Black gives up a lot of space, and the centre, but counts on getting good play by attacking White's centre (e4) after the likely ... exd4.

1his move has to be played with great care: it gains space and increases White's presence in the centre, but it does weaken e4 and this might be exploited by Black. Here, however, it is justified: White manages to gain the initiative, since Black is not ready for immediate counterplay against the centre.

l2 ...l!We7 l3.\:Wf3 i.d7

1he attempt to win the pawn immediately with 1 3 ... l:!:e8 14.l:!:fel filxe4? loses to 1 5.if2 and after Black's only way to protect the knight, 1 5 ...1g4, there is a nice line: 1 6.Wfxg4 filx£2 1 7.l:!:xe7 ( l 7. �xf2 1xd4t) 1 7 ... filxg4 1 8.1xf7t winning an exchange and with it the game.

14.l:!:fel

4.filf3 filbd7 5.ic4 i.e7 6.0-0 0-0 7.l!We2 Kasparov, in a game against Huzman, opted for ?.l:�e 1 c6 8.a4 a5 9.b3 exd4 1 o.fihd4 tilb6 1 1 .1d3 filfd7 1 2.1fl fileS 1 3.1a3 l:!:e8 14.Wfd2 i.fB 1 5Jhdl 1d7 1 6.1b2 Wfc7, Kasparov Huzman, lzmir 2004. White did not manage to convert his better position.

7...exd4 8.filxd4 filb6 9.i.b3 filfd7

White has a central and spatial advantage, but Black has no weaknesses. In order to create one, White is going to put a knight on d5 - which will strangle Black's position - and when the latter plays ... c6, White will simply retreat and then play against the d6-pawn.

14 ..J�ae8 15.ifl g6 A typical manoeuvre in such positions, giving the bishop some air. As in the Kasparov - Huzman game: Black needs to destroy White's bishop on b3, before it starts making trouble.

lO.i.e3 A novelty, but not one which changes the position drastically; just a solid developing move.

lO ... filc5 l l J�adl i.f6 l2.f4

l6.\:Wg3 filxb3

An understandable decision, as the knight might be hanging in various lines when White plays e5. On the other hand, this opens the a-file for White, which will be the cause of Black's difficulties later on. 1he real reason for his immediate capture could be that after 16 ...1g7 Morozevich was

POLGAR - MOROZEVICH worried about 1 7.t0f5, and now 1 7 ...gxf5 is bad because of 1 8.1d4 lile6 1 9.exf5 (even 1 9.l0d5 lilxd5 20.exd5 lilxd4 2 l .gxe7 gxe7 22.gxd4 would not be easy for Black to hold) 1 9 ... t0xd4 20.gxe7 lilxf5 2 1 .gxe8 lilxg3 22.gxfBt ®xfB 23.hxg3 and White should win. But afrer 17 ... 1xf5 1 8.exf5 �f6 1 9 . fxg6 hxg6 matters are not so clear. At first sight this position might look unpleasant for Black, but a deeper investigation shows that he has enough counterplay in the centre and on rhe queenside to compensate for his weakened kingside. For example, after the ambitious 20.lild5?! gxe1 t 2 1 .gxe 1 lilxd5 22.1xd5 c6! Black even has the upper hand, as White's queenside is falling apart.

17.axb3 .ig7 18.t0f3

1 77

20.tLld5 Usually moves like 1xa7 are nor even considered. This time ir should have been! 20.1xa7 lhis would have simply won a pawn. 20 ... b6 lhe logical try, bur failing. After 20... c5 2 1 .-ibB! .ic6 22.gad1 the bishop on b8 is a hunter rather than a prisoner, whereas after 20 ... lilxa7 2 l .gxa7 it is nor so much rhe extra pawn, but the fact that Whire is putting unpleasant pressure along the seventh rank that makes Black's position very dubious: 2 1 ...1c6 22.f5! Closing off the bishop on g7. With this bishop unable ro play an active role, Black's position is difficult. 2 1 .l0d5 �dB 22.1b8 White is winning.

20...\:Wds 21.c4 2 1 .1xa7 is now less convincing, as e4 is weakened, and after 2 1 . .. lilxa7 22.gxa7 f5! 23.exf5 gxf5 rhe knight on d5 is subject to anacks. Black has ar least sufficient compensation here.

21 ...c6 22.fLlc3 lhe knight has done its job, so it can go home.

22... c5

Whire is finished regrouping and e5 is now an option. It is evident rhat Polgar has seized the initiative.

18 ... £6 Preventing one of White's ideas, at the cost of shutting our rhe dark-squared bishop - from now on Black will be relying on a later ... f5 .

19,gal! A strong move: White needs to shake Black's position as much as possible, and switching wings is the best way to do so.

19 ... l0c8

1 9 ... a6 is, of course, unthinkable: 20.1xb6 cxb6 2 1 .gad 1 with a huge advantage for White.

Morozevich wants to solve both the issue of a7 and prevent White from playing c5. But rhe price he pays is high: the d5-square is severely weakened, which compromises his entire flank. 22 ... a6 seems like a better option: 23.c5 f5 24.e5 (afrer 24.cxd6 fxe4 25.lilxe4 1f5 Black is fi ne) 24 ... dxe5 25.lilxe5 1e6 and, although Black is still worse, it is definitely better than the game.

23.tLld5 lhe knight can go back again, rhe c-pawn cannot. lhe only way to ger rid of the knight would be to exchange ir, allowing White ro improve her pawn structure.

23...fLle7 Perhaps Morozevich missed Polgar's strong reaction, bur after rhis his position is already critical. Such moves are traditionally described as 'a blunder in a difficult position'.

1 78

ROUND 5

Attempting to prevent White's next move with 23 ... a5 runs into 24.f5 gxf5 25.exf5 1xf5 26.gxa5, returning a pawn bur with a huge strategic superiority. The rook is immune: 26 .. .�xa5 (or 26 ... gxel t 27.1xe l ) 27.gxe8 gxe8 28.lLlxf6t '.!?f7 29.lLlxe8 with a big advantage for White. Nevertheless, this is better than what Black had in the game.

24.b4!

However, there is an even more amazing shot: 27 ... 1g4, which could definitely have been expected from Morozevich The point is that after 28.�xg4 Black has 28 .. .f5 29.�g3 1xd4t 30.lLlxd4 �c5 and suddenly we have a balanced position again. True, after the initial shock following Black's 27'h move, White can bring the rook back home with 28.gaa l , bur who needs all rhis excitement?

27...f5 As we said before, Black has to play this sooner or later, as there is no other way except ro seek counterplay as quickly as possible. After White's correct reaction, however, it should only have made things worse.

28.e5 �c4 29.gadl

Apart from being pushed back, Black has no plan for counterplay. All his pieces are occupied trying ro prevent White's pawns from breaking through.

29....ia4! 1his surprising idea, totally exposing e6, is the only (and last) chance to confuse White.

30,gd2 ic2 A great move by Polgar, tearing Black's queenside apart. After 24.gxa7 Black gets a chance for coumerplay with 24 ... lLlxd5 25.cxd5 �b6.

24... �xd5 1his had to come sooner or later, as the knight on d5 is putting pressure on Black's entire position, and thus cannot be tolerated.

25.cxd5 cxb4 26,gxa7 White is virtually a pawn up, plus much better pieces.

26 Yec7 27J:gaal! •..

A safe decision, especially nearing time trouble. Such moves are sometimes the key ro winning a better position, as they deprive the opponent of counterplay. Leaving rhe rook on a7 and the king on gl with a move like 27.1d4 would not be roo safe, especially against Morozevich, who does nor need many invitations to search for tactics. For instance, Black could play 27 ... f5 28.e5 �c4 29.gxb7 dxe5 30.1xe5 �xd5 and, although White is much better, rhe position is unnecessarily complicated.

31.h4?! A sad inaccuracy, which makes a deserved win much more complicated. After playing very powerfully, it was perhaps here that Judie Polgar starred losing her grip of rhe game, with this altogether natural move. But how can such a natural move be a mistake? 1he problem is rhar Black's last manoeuvre was

POLGAR - MOROZEYICH

very unusual, and the reaction should have been appropriate. Of course, we are all very smart after the fact, but in a tense baule this was far from obvious, and after 3 1 .h4 White's attack looks promising. After 3 l .lt:lg5!, attacking both Black's weaknesses, h7 and the new one on e6, White's position would be clearly winning.

1 79

3 l . ..�e4 What else? 32.exd6 M6 32 ...�xd5 is ruled out by 33J:!ed 1 �c6 34.d7 gds 35.b3 winning. 33.d7 ge7 33 ... ga8 loses to 34.lt:lxe4 fxe4 35.f5 �g7 36.fxg6 hxg6 37.'1Wg4 etc. 34.lt:le6 Winning an exchange. The rest is, as the cliche goes, a mauer of technique.

3l. ..�e4 1he position is no longer so one-sided, and it seems that White began reconsidering the plan started by her last move, and she should not have!

32.gd4 1he point is that 32.exd6 is no longer good since the knight is still on f3: 32 ...�xf3 33.'1Wxf3 gxe 1 t 34 .�xe 1 gds and it will be a draw.

1 80

ROUND 5

White should have played the consistent 32.h5. Now Black has the following options: a) 32 ... .ixd5 33.hxg6 hxg6 34.fi)g5 dxe5 35.WI'h2! Black gets efficiently almost-mated!: 35 ...gf6 36.gedl gd6 (an invasion along the d-file cannot be allowed) 37.fxe5! and Black collapses. Such lines are not for time scrambles, of course. b) 32... gxh5 33 . .id4! h4 (33 ....ixd5 loses nicely to 34.exd6 gxel t 35.�h2 gf7 36.WI'xel and the weak king along with the passer on d6 leave Black with no hope) 34.WI'g5, and White keeps pressing. c) However, Black can fi nally destroy the knight with 32 ...-ix£3 33.gx8 gxh5 and, although White's chances are better, there is still a lengthy battle ahead.

(stopping . . . b5-b4) 42 ....ih6! 43.e6 (or 43 ..if4 .ixf4 44.gxf4 c2 45.gcl gc5 drawing) 43 ... c2 44.e7 c l =WI' 45.exd8=WI't gxd8 46.gxcl .ixcl with a drawish position.

37.�b5!

32...�b3 33.�g5? Better seems 33.fi)d2, making ...WI'xb2 impossible in view of fi)c4, which only leaves Black with 33 ...WI'xg3 34..ixg3 dxe5 35.fxe5 .ixe5 36..ixe5 gxe5 37.fi)xe4 fxe4 38.gexe4 with good winning chances for White.

33 ...�xb2 34.�xe4 fxe4 35J�dxe4 dxe5 36.�d3?!

Black's position hangs on tactics: 36.fxe5 .ixe5! 37.gxe5 gxe5 38.gxe5 gx£2 39.gest gffi, but it hangs!

36 ...�c3? Time trouble had a strong effect on both players. With the text move Black misses a chance to clinch the draw. While White's f-pawn is pinned, Black should have used the time to unpin his e-pawn, and the right way to do so was 36 . . . gc8!, after which the game should end in a draw with 37.g4e2 Wl'c3 38.WI'xc3 bxc3 39.fxe5 mds 40.d6 b5 4 I ..ig3 (4 I ..ib6? is bad: 4 1 ...gd7 42..ic7 gcxc7 43.dxc7 gxc7 44.e6 �ffi and Black's pawns are too strong) 4 1 . ..-iffi 42.ge4

A very good move, but with the wrong idea. Black cannot prevent .ic5, which makes his position critical again.

37...b3

37 ...gc8 38.fxe5 is just hopeless, of course. Black's best chance was 37 ... WI'd2 38 ..ic5 Wl'xd5 39.gxb4 winning the exchange, after which White should be able to overcome the technical difficulties.

38J�4e3? This throws away a golden opportunity: 38. .ic5 simply won the exchange.

38...�c2 And the game ends in a draw.

39.gxb3 gd8 40..ib6 �d2 4l.gbbl �d5 After 42.WI'b3 Wl'd3 43.WI'xd3 �d3 44.fxe5 the draw is inevitable. lfz-lfz

SVIDLER - TOPALOV

@ 'iii> W •

GAME 19 Peter Svidler Veselin Topalov Sicilian, English Attack 890

l l. .i.xf5 l 2.exf5 .!Llbc6 l3 .!Lld5 e6 l4 .!Lle3 •

l.e4 c5 2 .!Llf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4 .!Llxd4 .!Llf6 5 .!Llc3 a6 •

•

181

•

According ro Svidler himself he had a dilemma here, seeking ro reach rhe English Arrack (in which he is a big expert) but, unfortunately for him, there is no move order ro force Black into it. On 6.f3 Black can opt for 6 ...�b6, with a completely different line, which Svidler (again according ro his words) was not fully familiar with. 1herefore he chose:

•

•

For deeper investigation, the reader could refer to Kasimdzhanov - Anand (Game 1 5) . For now we'll jusr point our rhar rhis move order (without exchanging on e6 first) is relatively rare. What is irs purpose? As a secondary idea, Whire refrains from opening the f-file for Black. But the main point is to keep 'g6' under control, depriving rhe knight of irs typical manoeuvre ( .. . .!Llg6-f4). Indeed, rhe idea is pretty similar to rhe one Kasimdzhanov executed against Anand.

l4 ...\1;Ya5t

6 .te3 •

But here roo Black can disturb White's ser-up.

6....!Llg4 Topalov's choice is somewhat surprising. For many years he has been happy to face the English Attack. It seems rhe problems outlined by Leko (Game 1 ) are yer to be solved (or maybe Polgar's game against Kasimdzhanov impressed him, like everyone else) . Svidler, for his parr, landed in a strange siruarion. Firstly, he was not expecting this from Topalov, and therefore did nor prepare specifically for this line. Secondly, this line is parr of Cheparinov's repertoire, while Topalov plays ir only rarely - rhis is enough to make Svidler suspicious. 1he question is whether one of rhe favourites for rhe World Championship would arrive without a novelty hidden up his sleeve? We'll soon find out who is rhe humer and who is the victim.

7.i.g5 h6 8 .ih4 g5 9..ig3 .ig7 lO.h3 .!Lle5 l l ..!Llf5 •

Back ro rhe Kasimdzhanov - Anand line, which impressed everybody. Mosr top players are very versatile, and so when they come across an interesting idea (such as rhar of Kasimdzhanov) rhey can immediately make use of ir in their own games during the same tournament! Lacer on in rhe tournament, we will learn rhar Svidler could also have played 1 1 .f3 as he did against Polgar. Against Topalov, however, who was among the pioneers of this line from the white side, he prefers a different road.

A first indication thar Anand's suffering after playing without an active plan is not going ro be repeated today. This check has been tried in rhe past, bur mostly wirh other plans in mind. It is worrh noting that the only previous game rhar featured exactly the same idea was played by Cheparinov, Topalov's second in this tournament. This game was crucial for Black's choice of roday's opening: 14.fxe6 fxe6 1 5.�e3 �a5t 16.c3 �f3t l7.�xf3 .ixc3t 1 8.®dl ixb2 1 9.gcl ixcl 20.�c4 �xa2 2 l .�f6 �bl 22.�xe6t ®f8 23.�xd6t ®g7 24.id3 and Cheparinov (having the white pieces) won in "a tournament somewhere in Spain" according to Topalov. Well, the game was Cheparinov - Ibarra Jerez, Roqueras de Mar 2000. However, Topalov also said ir was played by his assistant more rhan once, and this/those game(s) do nor appear in the databases. An interesting derail...

182

ROUND 5

Moreover, Cheparinov was also the one to conduct all the analysis, preparing a surprise for Svidler. A surprise that will give Topalov a huge practical advantage in such an important game. The problem is that the position now is not exactly the same one they prepared (without the exchange on e6). So Topalov was taking his time to make sure the idea works in this move order as well. But let's leave Topalov's ideas for later, and discuss another important point - is Svidler's move order important? On most occasions Black did nothing special to react to this move order. Once, however, Emil Sutovsky tried to make the point that White's move order may have a downside. He played 14 ... WI'b6!? and now White does not have 1 5.WI'xd6? since the pawn on e6 is not attacked, which would allow Black to continue 1 5 ...WI'xb2, when after the forced line 1 6.l1M l gd8 1 7.WI'c5 t0d7! 1 8.WI'c4 !c3t White's position has trouble written all over it. Therefore, in that game White continued 1 5.fxe6 and after 1 5 ... WI'b4t!? (weaker seems to be 1 5 ...WI'xb2 l6.gb l ) 16.c3 Wl'xb2 l7 .!e2? Black had a serious advantage, A. Sokolov - Sutovsky, Aghia Pelagia 2004. Could it be that Topalov and Svidler simply were not aware of this game? Topalov was, spending a decent amount of time checking this line, and preferred to avoid it and not deviate from his home preparation. Svidler, however, admitted learning about Sutovsky's game only afterwards, which sounds suspect, as he could not have been going to such an important game without knowing the line he might play. It seems more likely that Sokolov's play can be improved. For example with 17.gcl !?.

Black has to choose: a) 17 ... WI'xa2 1 8.exf7t (weaker is 18.t0d5 0-0 with a serious initiative for Black) 1 8 ... WI'xf7 19.!e2 0-0 20.0-0 gadS 2 l .c4 with good compensation for the pawn. b) 17 ... fxe6 18.gc2 Wl'a3 1 9 .WI'h5t xb2 'tVb4t 20.'t!ic 1 tt:ld4 2 l .'tVd1 (21 .tt:lc2? loses on the spot to 2 1 . . .l3c8) 2 1 .. .l3c8t (there is a perpetual, for those interested: 2 1 . ..'tVc3t 22. 't!f b 1 'tVb4 t) 22.�c4:

184

ROUND 5 20.\1;Yb3!?

lhe attack ends after 22 .. .gxc4t 23.�xc4 Wl'xc4t 24.g;,d2. Also after 22 ... e5 23.WI'd2! gxc4t 24.�xc4 Wl'xc4t 25.g;,d l Black is going to miss that rook. But very strong is 22 ... WI'c3t 23.g;,bl gxc4 24.�xc4 Wl'xc4. White is unable to untie himself and Black has a draw, but no more. White should play 25.a3! and now Black must find 25 ... �e2! (on 25 ... 0-0 or other developing moves White answers with 26.ga2! terminating Black's attack) 26.WI'c2 Wl'b5t with a perpetual.

Forcing an endgame, and thus reducing the complications. A very practical way to deal with a complex novelty. In more relaxed conditions, however, it is possible to find a more powerful approach. Very strong was 20.gc l ! and now: a) 20 ... WI'xa2? leads to an immediate loss: 2 l .WI'e4! and Black can only choose how to sac his king: a l ) 2 l ...WI'd5t 22.WI'xd5 exd5 23.gbl and White wins. a2) 2 l ...g;,e7 22.J.c4 d5 23.J.xa2 dxe4 24.gbl and the ending is lost for Black. a3) 2 l ...�e5 22.J.xe5 dxe5 23.J.c4 0-0-0t 24.g;,e2 with resignation. b) Equally unpleasant is 20 ... J.xcl 2 l .WI'f6! ( 2 l .g;,xc l ? Wl'xc2t! 22.g;,xc2 �d4t 23.g;,d2 �x8t 24.gxf3 e5! and the bishop on g3 is dying, together with White's position)

18 ...ixb2 19.fxe6 Transposing into "the Cheparinov position . In all the previous lines we could see that White does not benefit (rather the opposite is true, in fact) from the pawn still being on f5, and this is what Topalov was checking at the beginning. And as we have seen, he made the right decision.

19...fxe6 2 l ...J.b2 (2l ...g;,d7 22.g;,xcl Wl'xa2 23.J.e2 and White is first to reach the enemy monarch) 22.WI'xb2 with a position similar to the game, only with queens, which benefits White as it increases his attacking potential. c) The strongest is probably 20 ... 0-0-0 and White can choose whether he should play 2 l .WI'b3 Wl'xb3 22.axb3 J.xcl 23.g;,xc l , which leads to the same position as in the game, only now the knight is not stuck in the corner, whereas Black has castled long, which it not necessarily to his benefit either; or 2 l .WI'g4 which seems even better. Mter 2 l ...WI'xg4t (2l ...WI'xa2? 22.J.c4) 22.hxg4 J.xcl 23.g;,xcl

SVIDLER - TOPALOV

Black has a weakness on h6 in addition to the problems of the previous variations. As we shall see, even the game version is not too great for Black, but here he would really suffer. 1herefore, theoretically, Topalov's novelty certainly has problems, but this has little to do with a practical game.

20 tYxb3 2l.axb3 hal 22.�xal •••

185

did not have to face a novelty in the opening. So what are the plans? First and foremost - bring the knight back into the game and complete development. 1hen, using his greater number of pieces, attack one of Black's pawns, forcing it to move and then blockade it. If he makes it this far, White will have neutralized his opponent's pawn majority. Mter that, it is all easy. Again, outnumber the defender by attacking his already-stationary pawns and laugh all the way to the crosstable. Naturally, Black is well aware of all this and will try to develop his initiative as fast as possible, before White coordinates his forces. His general direction should be to open the position as much as possible and make use of the open c-file. 1hen either White will have to forget about active plans, while trying to defend his weaknesses, or he will have to accept complications, where Black's better development can be significant.

22 g;,e7 23.id3?! •••

A very complicated endgame has arisen, although White has no objective reason to worry. As Svidler himself put it nicely - the fact of White being "objectively" better has no influence on the game, as it will only tell much later, after both sides play perfectly. Here it is not a typical "better" position, where you have a clear and pleasant game. For this White will have to sweat a lot, just like Black. And we should not forget the time factor, which favours Black as he

Imprecise, and it could have allowed Black to grab the advantage. After the game Topalov suggested an improvement in New In Chess: 23.lilc2 gac8 1here is no point in 23 ... lila5 since after 24.b4 the knight has to retreat as 24 ... lilb3? loses to 25.!c4. 24.h4 1his does look threatening at first glance, but it is not entirely clear what the threat is. Did Topalov really reveal a remedy against his novelty? We do not think so. True, the pressure along the h-file is annoying, the knight cannot enter c4 (!xc4 ...gxc4 and after hxg5 the rook on h8 is hanging) and he cannot leave the h-file to White. Also bad is 24 ...g4 25.h5! (adding another weakness to White's basket), but. .. Black is not zugzwanged! We think that now 24 ... lila5 is in order a nd after 25.b4 the hyperactive knight gives White a nasty headache: 25 ... lilb3!

186

ROUND 5 The point Black missed here, however, is a totally different approach. Keeping the knight on al is not only useful for aesthetics reasons, it also prevents it from attacking important squares (like b4). Black could take the advantage of it with 23 ... .!i:lb4!.

a) The knight cannot be caught with 26.hxg5 hxg5 27Jhh8 �hh8 28.J.c4 ghl t 29.®e2 .!Llci t and after the forced exchange: 30. ®d2 b5 31 .J.d3 .!i:lxd3 32. ®xd3 Black reaches his dream position (the rook is in enemy territory, White no longer has two bishops) where his advantage in beyond doubt. b) White's rook cannot help either: 26.gh3 g4! as 27 .ixd6t (on 27.gh I Black plays 27 ... h5) 27 ... ®xd6 28.gxb3 ghf8 allows Black to seize the initiative. c) lherefore, White must switch to a more quiet game, but it is not easy to develop. For example, 26.f3 a5 27.bxa5 .!Llxa5 28.J.f2 g4!? 29.fxg4 .!Llc4 and Black's strong central pawns make White's position questionable. In fact, this is one of the main drawbacks of h3-h4: after the pawn sacrifice on g4 the two runners in the centre are rather intimidating. d) Thus it seems that White should try to develop without f3. Mter 26.J.d3 gc3 White's chances do look slightly better. No less interesting than Topalov's 24.h4 is 24.f3, intending to manage without h4 at all. After 24 ... .!Lla5 25.b4 .!Llc4 26.J.f2 White has a better version of the game (the knight is breathing) and therefore is better in general. 23 gac8?! A very natural move, fighting against White's attempts to release his knight from the corner, but it leads to a complicated game where White keeps his advantage. lhe immediate 23 . . . .!Lld4 is worse. Mter 24.f3 gac8 25 .M2 the knight is expelled from the centre. .. .

Here Grischuk (www.chesspro.ru) suggested 24.J.g6 ®f6 25.J.e4 d5 26.J.bl a5 27 ..!Llc2 .!Llc6 28.ge 1 with an unclear game, although Black is better placed than he was in the game. But what if we (after 24.J.g6) switch the move order? 24 ... a5! lhreatening to open another line for the rooks, allowing them to attack the white pieces from the flanks. In the spirit of the position would be: 25 ..!Llc2 Otherwise Black keeps pushing his a-pawn. 25 ... ®f6 26.J.h5 26..!Llxb4 ®xg6 27. .!Llc2 e5! (without the light­ squared bishop this is already possible) Now ... b5 will follow (which would have been met with .!i:ld4 before) and the only question is whether White can hold. 26 ...ghc8 Black has a good position. For example: 27..!Llxb4 27 ..!Lle3 gc3 28.®e2 ®e7 29.gbl b5 and again Black seems fine. 27 ...axb4 28.gel gc3 With a clear advantage. Another possibility is 24.1e4 d5 25.1f3, but now 25 . . . �d3! becomes possible, and either 26.\tJd2 �f4 27.E!e I \tJd6 28.�c2 e5 with a pleasant edge for Black. Safer is therefore 26 . .!Llc2, where Black will play 26 ... .!Llf4, as 26 ... e5 leads to

S VIDLER - TOPALOV

1 87

an equal position after 27.tlJe3 gad8 28.'t!te2 e4 29.tiJxd5t! gxd5 30 . .ixe4 ghd8 3 I ..ixd5 gxd5. So after 26 ... t1J f4! 27.ll:el 't!td6 Black will have similar ideas to after 26. 't!td2

24.gel Svidler is playing in distinctly solid style. He believes his knight is getting our eventually and develops his other pieces in rhe meantime. A very logical approach. Topalov mentions that 24.tlJc2 is nor good because of 24 . . . tlJa5, when after 25.b4 tlJc4! Black has a nice initiative. Bur GM Shipov improved the line. 25.tlJd4! e5 26.b4 tlJc4 27.tlJf5 t 't!te6 28.'t!te2 H ere he evaluates the position as "OK for White". Apart from rhe fact rhar he wants more than OK, it is nor all rhar simple here: 28 ... h 5 ! 29.h4 Nor the passive 29.f3 tlJb2 30 ..ib l h4 3 I ..if2 d5 without any play for White. 29 ... g4 30.tlJe3 tlJxe3 3 l .fxe3 Apparently even here it is White who is fighting for a draw. For instance: 3 ! . . .d5 32.e4 Or 32.'t!td2 e4 33 ..ie2 gc6! and b4 is falling. 32 . . . dxe4 33 . .ixe4 gc4 34 ..ixb7 gxb4 35 ..ixa6 gb2t 36.'t!te3 gxg2 Black is nor necessarily winning here, bur White will surely have to work hard for a draw.

24... tlJd4 24 . . . tlJa5 is now pointless, due to 25 . .if5 and e6 falls.

Keeping the knight imprisoned is virtually the only way to keep fighting for something.

25.£3 With a clear plan of driving the black pieces away, as they are raking way roo much of White's airspace. 1his is the soundest choice of all the alternatives. Every commentator and even the computer (!) tries: 25 .tlJc2 Sacrificing a pawn to get the knight back into the game. 25 . . . t1Jxb3 26 ..if5 1his position is crucial for the evaluation of the line. Now bad is 26 . . . e5 27 ..ixc8 gxc8 28.ge3 tlJc5 29.f3 and rhe three pawns are hardly enough to compensate for the piece. Much stronger is: 26 . . . tlJc5 27 ..ixe6 tlJxe6 28.tiJd4 't!tf7 29.gxe6 Two options now caught our interest: a) Grischuk suggested 29 . . . gce8 30.gxd6 gd8, and nor 3 l .f3 gxd6 32 ..ixd6 gd8 33 ..ic5 b5 and

1 88

ROUND 5

White is no longer in danger of winning, but 3 l .�f5! and Black cannot untangle himself as taking on d6 would drop b7. b) Black could play better with 29 ... b5. There is now nothing to be gained by 30.gxd6 (White should bail out with 30.ixd6 gc4 3 1 .ie5 gd8 32.gxa6 gdxd4t 33.hd4 gxd4t with equality) 30. . .gcd8 3 l.�f5. In comparison with a previous variation, Black has an extra tempo ( ... b5) and it is an important one! He can now play 3 l ...gxd6t 32.�xd6t g;,e6 33.g;,c2 gd8. Only White can lose here!

25 J:gc3 ••

Topalov continues his way as well - disturb, sting, attack on every possible occasion. The final clash is inevitable.

26.®d2 ghc8

1his is the moment of the game.

27.gbl?

A serious error, throwing away the advantage when it was close to decisive! Even more annoying is the fact that, prior to this, Svid.ler was playing really great - some minor inaccuracies cannot change that! But is it possible to play all the best moves in such an important game? Apparently not. Svidler, in the spirit of his previous moves, is preparing ic4, but it gives Topalov very precious time. Stronger, almost decisive, was 27.ic4 g8xc4 28.bxc4. 28 ...gxc4 is met with 29.ge4! and Black cannot avoid the rook exchange. For instance:

29 ... d5 30.gg4 �c6 (the same position is reached after 30 ... b5 3 l .J.f2 �f5 32.gxc4 dxc4 33.g;,c3) 3 l .gxc4 dxc4 32.g;,c3 b5 33.�c2 1his position is probably lost for Black. If the knights are traded, the win is trivial - the bishop alone will be able to hold all the black pawns (in this specific case!) and the king will simply penetrate. Keeping the knights on the board might lead to either Black losing all his pawns, or ending up in a very passive position protecting them. Practically it is perhaps easier to defend than attack here, but the evaluation does not change because of that. So, Black is pretty much forced to go for 28 ... ga3, as Topalov was indeed planning. He even stated that, because of threats to g2, White's position is collapsing. Grischuk, however, had a different opinion, uncorking the magical 29..ih2! (such a move is a hundred times more difficult to find than most attractive combinations!).

White has the strong threat of .ig I !. Therefore Black is forced to play 29 ... ga2t 30.g;,c3 and now: a) 30 ... e5 1his allows White to demonstrate the power of the bishop manoeuvre. 3 1 .J.gl �e2t 3 1 ... g;,d7 protecting the knight, and renewing the threat of ...gxg2. 32 ..ixd4 exd4t 33.g;,xd4 gxg2 34.gb I g;,c7 (Black's best drawing chances seem to lie in 34... b5) 35.�b3 gg3 36.g;,e4 gxh3 37.�d4 with good winning chances for White. 32.g;,b3 gd2 33.ie3! gd3t 34.cbb4 And 34 ... gxe3 is not really a threat, as after 35.�c2 White regains the material with a won position.

Not 29.ie4? tLlx8t 30.We2 l:!d2t 3 l .Wx8 l:!c3t 32.Wg4 l:!d4 33.l:!el l:!xb4 when Black is winning back the piece, with a winning position.

intending to ( finally) bring the knight into the game. White does not have anything special anymore - he has already missed his real chance. After 30 . . . tLlc6 3 l .We2 we have: a) 3 1 . . .l:!e5t 32. Wd2 (32. Wfl is not too good, because of 32 . . . tLlxb4! and White is falling apart) 32 . . . l:!d5 with a draw. b) With 3 l . . . tLle5 Black can only get in trouble: 3 2.ie4 l:!b5 33.tLlc2 d5 34.id3 and Black has nothing good. But considering Black's next decision in the game, it is not difficult to guess which path Topalov would have chosen.

29 ...Wd7

30 ... li.Jf5 3I.Xi.fl

b) 30 . . . tLlxf3 is met with 3 l .ixd6t Wxd6 32.gxf3 l:!h2 33.tLlb3 l:!xh3 34.c5t, which gives White excellent winning chances. 27 l:! 3c5 After escaping the previous potential trouble, Black's initiative is suddenly not so negligible and White's pieces are rather misplaced. White is not yet worse, but already not better. ...

28.b4 i:tdS 29.1i.fl

A strange move which could only be explained by Topalov himself. In many lines he considered h2-h4 to be White's best plan, and therefore he removed his king from the potential bishop check, so the pawn can be taken without wasting time. Prophylaxis in the middle of an extremely complex battle!

30.XLe3 Here, with time running out and having gone through enough adventures for one game, Svidler decides to call it a day with a repetition (the bishop returns to f2 ) , while he still believes that his position is better. But Topalov decides that he wants to keep fighting! A more constructive way to play was 30.l:!b2

1 90

ROUND 5

1he general feeli ng was that the game would soon be a draw, but then came the thunder:

3I. .. l[)h4!! It is not common practice to award a move of questionable chess value, which could have landed Black right back in trouble, two exclamation marks, but he deserves them. If we could give more - he would get it. Courage, the will to fight no matter what - these are the real reasons for the Bulgarian's success. Topalov deserves full credit he wants to win and is not afraid to take risks. 1he move itself is not too bad, as Black does not lose by force. He might experience difficulties, but the position would still be closer to a draw than a loss.

and destroying the h4-pawn makes sense, but it was better to do it another way. Much stronger was 34.b5 which gives White some chances, but one should not exaggerate their extent. After 34 ... axb5 (worse is 34 ... a5 35.�a1 �a8 36.�a4! and White indeed gets a serious advantage) 35.l[)e3 �g5 36 ..ixb5t rJ:lc7 the position is pleasant for White, but what are his chances of winning? After 37.�b4 �a8 38 ..ia4 d5 39.�xh4 b5!

32.�xh4 gxh4 33.l[)c2 The knight is eventually released, and Black has two more weaknesses now.

33 h5?! .•.

This move justly drew sharp crmcJsm from Topalov. The very deep idea is to prevent the knight from getting to g4 via e3, which could be important in some lines. But could it not be prevented when the threat becomes real? 33 .. .l:�g8 is much more natural and logical: 34.l[)e3 �d4 and after, for example, 35.b5 the position is similar to what could have happened in the game, with one tiny difference: both black h-pawns are alive. It is not clear whether both his h-pawns are so important, but why lose one for nothing?

34.�el?! It seems that Black's decision to continue unbalanced Svidler, according to Topalov he was becoming visibly nervous with the approaching time control. 1hat is probably the reason for this move - the idea of putting the rook on the 4'" rank

Black gains some activity. If we continue the line a little bit: 40 ..ic2 (40 . .ixb5? d4 or 40 . .ib3 �a3 with similar ideas) 40 ... �a2, White is unable to win. For example, 4 1 .f4 ? is not too good, because of 4 1 ...�g3 4 2.f5 (preventing ... d4) 42 ... rJ:ld6 and suddenly White is in trouble. 34... �g8 3S.'i!?c3?! A small mistake that does not yet lose the game, but forces White to play precisely in time trouble. 1his time a profound move backfires on Svidler - he was depriving the black rooks of the d4-square i n some lines... 3 5 . liJ e3 �d4! 36.rJ:lc3 �f4 37.�e2 (Also possible is Grischuk's 37.�d 1 �c8t 38.rJ:lb3 d 5 39.-ifl with a sort of fortress. For example, 39 ... �c6 40.tiJc2 �b6 4 l .�d4! and the win has gone with the wind.) 37 ... d5 38.rJ:lb3 Black will find it extremely hard to break through.

35 ... a5! Of course, no more repetitions here: 35 ... �c8t 36.rJ:ld2 �g8 is a draw. Also Black has no interest in 35 ... �xg2 36.tiJe3 �xd3t 37.rJ:lxd3 �h2, as neither side can win here: 38.tiJd1 �xh3 39.rJ:le3 �h2 (39 ... �g3?! 40.�h l ) 40.tiJf2 With such a rook, Black cannot hope for anything.

SVIDLER - TOPALOV

191

47.c!Od6 ®d7 48.c!Oxb7 gc4 49.ga1 h2 50.a6 And it is no longer clear who is playing for the win.

36..J!�c8 All of a sudden it is over. White loses material and the game.

37.�e3

What White missed on the 35'h move is that after 37.®b3 Black plays 37 ... a4t winning a piece. Quite a normal zeitnot blunder for mortals, which is good news for the rest of us - these players are human!

37.. ,gb5!

The text move frees c 5 for a rook check, and thus threatens to capture on g2. At the same time Black has in mind advancing the pawn to a4.

36..ic4? As always, a small mistake is followed by a bigger one. Svidler's last three moves have not been ideal and have changed his position from marginally better to lost. lhe text is a simple blunder, but the ground for it had been prepared earlier. Also 36.ge2 axb4t 37.c!Oxb4 gdg5 fails to satisfy White, as g2 is falling. But the ugly looking 36.bxa5! was in fact very strong. 36 ...gxg2 37.c!Od4! 37.c!Oe3 does lose to 37 .. .!k5t escaping the fork. 37 ...gc5t 38.®b4 White survives after all, as his pieces threaten the enemy king now. For instance: 38 .. ,gb2t 39.®a3 gh2 40.J.b5t gxb5 Giving up the central pawns would end Black's ambitions. 4 l .c!Oxb5 !hh3 42.gcl ! gxf3t 43.®b4 h3 Even here White has to play precisely. 44.gc7t ®d8 45.gc l ! Black cannot improve his position. For example: 45 ...gf4t 46.®b3 d5 Both 46 ... ®d7 47.gc7t ®d8 48.gcl and 46 ... gh4 47.c!Oxd6 h2 48.c!Oxb7t ®d7 49.gh 1 are clearly drawn.

This puts an end to White's hopes. Worse is 37 ... b5 38.c!Oxd5 gxc4t 39.®d3 exd5 40.bxa5 ga4 4 l .gb1 and White is closer to a draw than in the game.

38.®d3 gxb4 39..ixe6t

A nice try, but it falls just short.

39...®xe6 40.�c2t ®d5 41.�xb4t axb4

This ending is easily won, mainly because White does not have the usual motif for rook endgames attack the passer from behind.

42,ge7 b5 43,gh7

43.gb7 !k3t 44.®d2 gcs

43 .. ,gc3t 44.®d2 gc4!

The most precise and very human. Pawn endgames are the easiest for humans to calculate, even for the best of them. After 45.gxh5t ®c6 46.gh8 b3 47.ge8 b2 48.ge1 ge l 49.gxcl t bxcl ti't 50. ®xcl ®d5 the win is elementary. =

0-l

1 92

ROUND 5

@ GAME 20 Michael Adams * Rustam Kasimdzhanov • Sicilian Najdorf 892 W

I .e4 c5 2.lLlf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.lL!xd4 lL!f6 5.tLlc3 a6 6..ie2 e5 7.tLlb3 .ie7 8.� 0-0 9.\!lhl The ideas of this position were discussed in Morozevich - Kasimdzhanov from the first round (Game 2).

9.. ..id7?!

3. After .!Lld5 taking on d5 with the f6-knight would put Black in a ridiculous situation, having to retract his own (long) steps with the bishop. 4. It allows .ig5 with complete control of the d5-square (this idea is shown in the game). No worse than the text is 1 O ..ie3 .ic6 1 l .f3. The point of White's modest play is thar an attempt to break free with l 1 ... d5 does not work, because of l 2.exd5 .!Llxd5 l 3 . .!Llxd5 .ixd5 1 4.c4 .ic6 l 5.�xd8 gxd8 1 6 . .!Lla5 with a surprisingly big advantage for White, Jakovenko - Khismatullin, Tomsk 2004. After the more accurate 1 l ... .!Llbd7 White plays l 2 . .!Lld5, underlining the problems of Black's plan. After l 2 ... .!Llxd5 l 3 .exd5 1a4 14.�d2 h6 l 5 .�b4 White enjoyed a clear advantage in 011 - Wojtkiewicz, Tallinn 1 998.

IO.. ..ic6 10 ... .!Llxe4? does not work: l l ..ixe7 .!Llxc3 1 2.�xd6 and Black can only regret putting a bishop on d7, which blocks the queen's influence on d6.

I I ..ix£6 .ixf6 12..ic4

Kasimdzhanov deviates first and not in the best possible way. He wants to have a bishop on c6 rather than a knight (like in Game 2). This manoeuvre was tried by Kasparov in his march against Deep Junior, but apparently ideas thar work fine against a computer are too artificial and lead to an unpleasant position against a well prepared human. 1his does not matter, of course, since Kasimdzhanov always gets unpleasant positions when playing Black against Adams, so why nor do it straight from the opening?

IO..ig5 Perhaps this should be played simply because it is possible, unlike on many other occasions when ir is met with ... .!Llxe4. This shows that placing the bishop on c6 has a few drawbacks: 1 . It takes two tempi. 2. White can exchange it for a knight (from a5 or sometime d4) at a convenient time (and if Black captures with the pawn ir will also weaken a6).

Chess practice in the last 50 years has proved thar controlling d5 does not yield Whire anything real by itself (apart from good aesthetic feelings). He needs something else on the board - a weakness would be ideal.

12 .. ..ie7 13.�e2

A very logical move. This is the righr square for rhe queen.

13 ... tLld7 I4JUdl ®h8

ADAMS - KASIMDZHANOV Kasimdzhanov is showing his versatility. Although the Sveshnikov is not one of his openings, he handles this position in the same manner simply ignoring White's outpost on d5, fi nding other objectives. Compared to the Sveshnikov he has not created weaknesses on the queenside, but then White does not have the usual problems with a knight on a3. 14 ... b5 instead is not good, as after 1 5 .id5 White gets a favourable bishop exchange and a clear target on b5.

1 5.lLld2 lLlf6

Trying to start the counterplay immediately with 1 5 .. f5 1 6.exf5 gxf5 17.�de4 �f6 1 8.f3 achieves the opposite effect - in such positions Black must have better activity as compensation for his d6 weakness and White's control over the centre. And, what is more, here it is also covered tactically, since Black cannot break through: 1 8 ... d5? 1 9 . �xd5 �xd5 20.1xd5 .ixd5 2 l .c4 regaining all the material with interest.

16.a4

1he purpose of this standard-looking move is to continue his squeeze on the queenside and not so much to prevent ... b5. As we have already seen in Morozevich - Kasimdzhanov (Game 2), Black's seemingly logical pawn thrust can become a boomerang if White is better organized on the queenside. Black of course understands all this and even more - his dreams traverse to the kingside, and he begins with: 16...g6

1 93

Slowly preparing .. .f5. 1his Boleslavsky/ Sveshnikov approach naturally does not surprise White. 1he surprise was probably the fact that this plan undoubtedly gives Black counter chances that compensate not only for his weaknesses, but also for the strange bishop manoeuvre in the opening.

17.ib3 1he active 1 7.b4 looks appealing, and reminds us of the game where Anand caught Kasparov off guard with such a surprising attack in their match in 1 995. Here, however, the absence of the dark­ squared bishop is significant. After 17 ...gc8 White has severe problems on the c-file: a) 1he immediate 1 8.b5 gives nothing after 1 8 ... axb5 1 9.�xb5 (or 1 9.axb5 .id7 20.f3 .ie6) 1 9 ... ga8 and White's initiative is suppressed. b) A slow concentration of forces after 1 8.�b3 is met by the vulgar 18 ...�c7! with a forced line: 1 9.�a5 b6! 20.�xc6 �xc6 2 1 .1xa6 �xc3 22 ..ixc8 gxc8 23.a5 and here 23 ... ga8! stops White's threats with a material advantage. c) Finally, the more accurate 1 8 . .ib3 also does not work: 1 8 ... 1d7! 1 9 .W/d3 W/b6 20.�d5 �xd5 2 I ..ixd5 .ic6, a nd again, Black's counter chances against White's weaknesses are at least as significant as White's hopes.

17 ...'/;Yc7 18.a5 gadS 19.lLlfl

19.1a4 is not good because of 19 ....ixa4 20.gxa4 d5! and it is White who should look for equality.

19... lLlh5 20.lLle3 igs

Both sides are executing their plans. White, as always, is busy with d5, and he has succeeded there. Black minds his own business: .. .f5 in particular and the kingside in general.

2LlLled5 V;Ybs 1his may not look good, but it prevents White from developing a strong initiative. 1he drawback, of course, is that Her Majesty will be missed in Black's kingside attack. 1he alternative was 2 1 ...W/ d7, but here Black is clearly on the defensive, and Kasimdzhanov wants more: 22.�b6 W/e8 23 . .id5! Carrying out an important exchange. 23 ... �f4

1 94

ROUND 5

Problematic is 23 .. .f5 24.exf5 tt:lf4 25 .�g4 �hf5 26.tt:le4 �xd5 27.tt:lxd5 and White is fully in charge. For instance, after 27 . . .�c6 he has a nice tactical shor: 28.tt:lxg5 tt:lxd5 29.tt:lxh7!. 24.�xc6 tt:lxe2 24 . . .�xc6 25 .�c4 25 .�xe8 tt:lxc3 26. bxc3 13fxe8 Wirh good chances for White thanks ro rhe monster on d5. Black may possibly hold here, bur he would rather have a life of his own.

22.13d3?!

Much more ro rhe point was 22.�g4 immediately, forcing Black to swear if he wants ro sray in rhe game: 22 . . .�h6 23.�h4 Black is no longer able ro regroup as he did in rhe game, bur he has other resources. 23 . . . f5 1he preparatory 23 . . .�g7 also deserves attention, and after 24.f3 f5 25. exf5 13xf5 26.g4 13f4 27.tt:lxf4 tt:lxf4 Black has decem compensation, which however will be enough for equality at best. 24.exf5 13xf5 25.tt:le4 Bur nor 25.g4? �g5 26.�h3 tt:lf4 27.�g3 tt:lxd5 28.�xd5 13f4 and White will regret rhe weaknesses he created. 25 . . . ttJf4! 26.g4 tt:lxd5 27.gxf5 tt:le7! If Whire manages to dampen Black's initiative rhen he will win, bur it is nor easy to do so. In rhe line above rhe play remains sharp and Black is rhe one who has more worries. 1he main problem of rhe game move is that now ir is White who needs to rhink a lor about his king wirhour real counterplay.

22.. tt:lg7 .

A mulrirasking move, borh eyeing rhe kingside and possible doubling along rhe d-file. Ir is roo multitasking to be good in rhis position, which demands more concrete play. Especially since Black is improving his position wirh every move.

1he knight on h5 only makes ir harder to execute .. .f5. After 22 .. .f5 curious complications arise, bur Kasimdzhanov correctly assessed rhar rhey are mainly to White's benefi t: 23.exf5 13xf5 Now Whire can play rhe precise: 24.13ad 1 13dfB 25.f3 Black's rhrears turn our to be insufficient, and Whire is about ro starr cynically picking on his opponent's weaknesses. Whereas an arrempr ro artificially complicate matters wirh: 25 . . .�d8 26.�e1 �xa5 backfires after: 27.g4 13xf3 28.gxh5 28.13xf3? 13xf.3 29.gxh5 �f8! wirh a decisive arrack.

ADAMS - KASIMDZHANOV

195

28 .. ..!hd3 29..!hd3 1b5 It might seem that Black wins material, but after: 30J1!d l gfl t 3 l .Wfxfl 1xfl 32.gxfl White's advantage is decisive.

dangerous threats along the g-file is unwanted. After the most tenacious 28.gg3 gg8 29.�bxd5 1xd5 30.1xd5 �f4 3 l .Wff7 �xd5 32.�xd5 f4 33.gg2 Wfc8! White is still going down.

23.%Yg4 �e6

Settling for a draw. In view of the variations it seems that Black's main consideration for ending the game peacefully was time. However, he had a surprising resource in 26 .. ,gf6!.

Black is already marginally better, and Adams hurries up, before it is too late.

24.�b6�!

Black is ready and his next move will definitely be f7-f5. This was a great opportunity for White to exchange as many pieces as possible and peacefully finish the game. White senses this critical moment, but chooses another idea - he is simply forcing Black to make a move in time trouble. This idea worked well, but it could have been different! Continuing a calm approach with 24.:!! ad l was no longer possible, as after 24 .. .f5 25.exf5 gxf5 26.W/h5 gd7! Black gains a rather dangerous attack. The best try was 24.gh3 with the idea of reducing Black's attacking potential after 24 .. .f5 25.Wfg3 gde8 26.�b4 Wfd8 with 27.�xc6 bxc6 28.1xe6 gxe6, and White's position has some drawbacks, but is much safer than it could have been in the game.

24 ... f5 25.exf5 gd5

26....if4

And, indeed, how can White fight the spreading fires? a) lhere is no relief in 27.h4 1f4 (wrong is 27 .. ..!! h6? 28.1xe6 Ehh4t 29.�gl gg4 30.Wfh3 1xg2 3 l .Wfxg2 gxg2t 32.�xg2 and the attack ends in a fiasco) 28.Wfh3 gg8! 29.1d5 gg4 is too much for White to handle. b) 27 .1xe6 looks most natural, but after 27 .. ,gxe6 28. �cd5 (28.Wfxg5? gg8 29.Wfh4 1xg2t 30.�gl 1f3t 3 l .�fl e4 and White is helpless) 28 ...gg8 29.Wfh3 Wff8 Black continues with a very promising initiative. To sum up: the FIDE champion's strategy proved itself amazingly, but when very dose to something tangible he missed his great opportunity.

27.%Yh4 White has no choice, 27.Wfh3? �c5 28.gddl gf6 the h2-pawn falls, dragging the whole position down.

27 ....ig5 28.�g3 28. Wfh5 1xg2t 28 .. ..if4

26.%Yg3

26.Wfdl is not good: 26 ... �f4 27.gg3 1h4 winning the exchange. Also 26.W/h5 1xg2t! 27.�gl d5! with

28 .. ,gf6! could still have been played, but Black had made his mind up.

29.%Yh4 .ig5 •!2-lfz

ROUND 6 R esul t s:

Mundial de Ajedrez

Kasim dzhan ov

Y2

Y2

Leko

Adams

Y2

Y2

M or ozevi ch

Ana n d

Y2

Y2

Svi dl er

Polgar

0

1

Topa l ov

Standings: 1 Topal ov

2-3 Anan d 2-3 Svi dl er 4 Kasim dzhan ov

5 Leko 6-8 Adams 6-8 M or ozevi ch 6-8 Pol gar

Mundial de

Ajadrez

S Y2 3 Y2 3 Yz 3 2 Y2 2 2 2

In this round we were becoming accustomed to the new pecking order. One player has raced so far ahead that the rest have little choice but to wait and hope for him to become exhausted and stumble. History has seen many such slips in crucial moments, but for now the chasers have to cope with continual disappointments. 1he game

Polgar - Topalov

d id not seem likely to be a very combative one. The Berlin is not a

very promising opening at this level if you want to win with Black. Especially taking into account the Hungarian's extensive experience in this line, where she even beat the almighty Kasparov. For Topalov, however, it worked well and he has to be credited for his opening choice. Although the Berlin is an important weapon in his arsenal, Topalov does not choose it very often. Apparently he came to the conclusion that this opening was most suitable for restricting Polgar's best qualities. Her play was indeed anything but convincing - as early as move 20 White found herself in a slightly inferior position, but from there to a loss was still a very long way... or just one move - a big mistake by the Hungarian grandmaster. Following that fatal 20'h move White's play was full of inspiration and effort, but defeat could no longer be avoided. 1his was, unfortunately, the last straw: breaking the Chess Queen's faith in a favourable tournament outcome.

198 A crucial game was played between Anand and Svidler. This game might answer a number of questions, especially regarding the identity of the main pursuer. After all, despite unimpressive play so far, Anand is Anand, and will inevitably come to his senses. For now, however, Anand's opening torpedo missed its target: he played into Svidler's hands going for the Marshall Attack, in which there are no secrets for the Russian, and we all know how well Svidler plays once he manages to survive the opening. Although it was Anand who introduced a novelty, it had already been analysed by Svidler in great depth! In his search to discover how profound Svidler's preparation was, Anand managed to uncover an exceptional prophylactic move and nearly scratched out an advantage after Black's inaccuracy. But Svidler did not repeat his previous round suicide, making all the best moves from that point onwards. At the end Anand could still try to play for a win, but there was nothing real and eyewitnesses will tell you that after the opening shock he considered the peaceful outcome as far from catastrophic. All in all, the game was full of slight nuances, but apparently was always near equality.

Leko continues his torments Meanwhile Leko was continuing his torments in the Sveshnikov. His opponent, Kasimdzhanov, repeated the line Anand opted for against the Hungarian on a previous day - a rather typical situation for modern, fast-changing chess. But it was no problem for Leko, who never goes to bed with his homework unfinished. Black's reaction was tough, not only equalizing but even getting good prospects for an initiative. Alas, once again Leko's form failed to keep up with the level of his preparation and he found himself in a worse position. The opponent had nothing tangible, but he could press virtually forever. It sounds horrible for anyone but the Hungarian goalkeeper, who excels in technically difficult defence. All Kasimdzhanov's attempts were rebuffed by the poker-faced Leko. There are very few who are capable of combining defence and counterplay with such harmony. Morozevich, a champion in rocking the boat, quite successfully confirmed his tide. He even managed to drag the ultra logical Adams into a world of chaos. But that was just an impression, and in reality it was the "calm" Adams who decided to punish his opponent, impudently snatching the latter's pawn, and then added two rooks to go with it. However, that pleasure cost him a queen (that would be half a problem) and a central pawn (and that was already utterly unpleasant). In the arising irrational position White appeared to be slightly better, but Black's play was easier. In any case, despite a few inaccuracies, Adams made the draw fairly easily by sacrificing some material and building a fortress. A new tendency can be observed at the end of the day - the rest seem to fear playing Topalov. And it is not just about his great talent, which is nothing new. In particular, he has simply stopped making mistakes, and in general is showing great technique. It is hard to pinpoint the player who could dispute his triumph.

KASIMDZHANOV - LEKO

@ GAME 2l lt' Rustam Kasimdzhanov * Peter leko • Sicilian Sveshnikov 833 l.e4 c5 2.lL!f3 lL!c6 3.d4 cxd4 4.lL!xd4 lL!f6 5.lL!c3e5 6.lL!db5 d6 7..ig5 a6 8.lL!a3 b5 9.tLld5 J.e7 10ixfh2 1f4t 32.\!>hl �xa7) 30 . . . �xf2t 3 1 .\!> h l icl ! 32.�d l . lherefore, Black continues searching for counter-chances by bringing the queen into the game. Now White has to create a plan for the next phase. His only chance for something real lies in reaching d6 somehow, and this cannot be done before his second knight joins the game.

26.lt:la6 lhat's how this good idea was born. lhe knight draws a circle around its starting point, and ends up on b5 rather than b4, threatening black pieces in the process. It is interesting that transferring a knight to b5 is thematic in this structure, but usually the d5-knight is the one to travel to b5. In rhis case White hopes to arrange both his knights as best he can.

KASIMDZHANOV - LEKO

26..J�a5

A very imponam move! As we memioned, wi£h only one rook in £he game Whi£e's chances would gready drop - he would no longer be able £O anack wi£h full force, and once £he rook leaves £he firs£ rank i£ migh£ be exploi£ed by Black's coumer­ £hrea£s.

203

36.'Wxe6 ms 37.�f7t gxf7 38.'Wxf7 and Whi£e wins) 36.'Wxe6 'Wg6 37.'Wd7! and Black is helpless.

31.�b5

27.�ac7 !xalt 28.!xal

Bmh whi£e knigh£s are op£imally placed, bu£ whal"s nex£? Black can easily pro£ec£ d6 or f7 (af£er Whi£e's ga7). Black only has £O avoid exchanging £he bishops, and, as in any posi£ion, beware of £ac£ics.

28..-AcB

A good decision - Black should nO£ allow his imponam bishop £O be exchanged, even w kick ou£ Whi£e's d5-knigh£. Af£er, for example, 28 ...'Wg5 29.�xe6 fxe6 30.�c7 l!k8 3 I .'Wb5! Whi£e invades Black's weakened camp. 3l ... 'We7 (3 I .. J�xc7? 32.'Wb8t winning) 32J�a7 wi£h suong pressure. The al£erna£ive was 28 ....td7 wi£h posi£ions similar £O £he game, bu£ £hen £he d6-pawn is more vulnerable. 29.c4 'tfg5 30.�h2 gds Leko's uademark is his grea£ sense of danger. He immedia£ely feels when he should be ac£ive, or when s£anding s£ill is more sui£able. Too dangerous is 30 ... f5 3 l . �b5 gds 32.ga8! and if 32 ... -tfB, Whi£e answers 33.'We3! and Black is going down. lhis reminds us of classic games such as Smyslov - Reshevsky, Moscow 1 948, in which such an exchange finished £he game. 33 ...'Wxe3 34.fxe3 leaves Black wi£hou£ ma£erial. Ye£ even worse is 32 ....te6 33.exf5 gxf5 34.�xd6! gxa8 35.'Wxe5t 'Wg7 (35 ....tg7

31...-tfB 32.tff3

lhe wrong move order. Bener was 32.ga7! and Black would have a lm of work £O do, especially since 32 .. .f5 is mongly me£ by 33.f4! wi£h a hean auack af£er 33 ... exf4 34.'Wb2t �g8 35.�f6t. Therefore Black mus£ play 32.. ..te6, bu£ af£er 33.�bc7 .td7 Whi£e has £he £hema£ic 34.�b6!, keeping his advamage. How can Black save £he bishop? There is no solu£ion in 34 ....tc6 35.'W£3 .th6 36.�bd5 (36.'Wxf7? ms and wins) 36....txd5 (36... gf8 37.�b5 'Wd8 38.gc7! and Black is helpless) 37.�xd5 wi£h Whi£e in full comrol af£er 37.'We2 'Wf4t 38.g3 'Wh6 39.ga5 f4 40.�xd7 gxd7. However, af£er 34 ....te6 £he muggle cominues. For example: 35.'Wf3 'Wf4t 36.'Wxf4 exf4 and Black will probably be able £O hold, bu£ wi£h a few obs£acles on £he way.

32...£5!

As opposed w £he mher move order, £his is very suong and Whi£e has no remedy agains£ i£.

33.ga7 .ie6 34.g3

204

ROUND 6

negotiate about the future - if the situation continues to be "rwo bishops against rhe ciS­ square" there will be no winning hopes for White. From this point of view, the last chance was 35.'1Wf6t '1Wxf6 36.ttJxf6 �g7 37 . .!tlxe4 �xc4 38 . .!tlbxd6 �g8 39. .!tlf7t �xf7 40.l:!xf7. Here White could torture his opponent until move 80 (and we all know at least one B ulgarian player who would), bur Kasimdzhanov does nor even want to rry.

35 ....ig8! Preventing the mare and with it White's last hopes for an advantage.

36.ttJxe4 Wff5 37.'1We2 1his posmon is hard to play for both sides. White still has a fraction of his advantage, bur has no direct plan. For now he frees his d5-knighr by preventing a queen exchange if it leaves.

White has nothing after 37.'1Wxf5 gxf5 38 . .!tlf6 �g7 39 . .!tlxg8 'iilxg8 40.l:!a6 ( 40. .!tlc3 e4 4 I ..!tld5 �e5 is also equal) 40 ... d5.

34...fxe4?! More precise would be to just wait with something like 34 .. J:!b8 when White cannot improve his position.

1his position is worth half a point each and it is nor clear who has a hundredth of a point more. Perhaps in the final moves it was Leko who wanted to rest his opponent's stare of mind.

35.tiJf6

40.h4 �g7 41 .'1We3 grs 42.'iilg2 '1We6 43.l:!c7

Before the complications end the players

37...d5 38.cxd5 .ixd5 39.tiJbc3 �g8

lfz-lfz

ADAMS - MOROZEVICH

GAME 22 Michael Adams * Alexander Morozevich 1ft Sicillan Scheveningen 883 @

�

205

ro 9 . . . a6, excepr wirh a small bur significant difference: no a7-a6 and a2-a4. 3) A line rhar seems ro offer Black quire a straightforward way ro equaliry, 9 . . . e5.

9.. ..id7 l.e4 c5 V�f3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.�xd4 �c6 5.�c3 d6 1he move order is significant: Black delays . . . �RJ. rhus preventing rhe possibility of rhe Keres Arrack, which over rhe years has proved ro be an efficient weapon for Whire.

6..ie3 �f6 1he Scheveningen - a slighr surprise from Morozevich.

7..ie2 .ie7 8.0-0 0-0

Black's idea is clear and simple: caprure on d4 and place a bishop on c6. This "clear idea" was nor so clear until Yikror Korchnoi discovered ir. Ir seems narural rhar Morozevich should feel comfortable wirh Korchnoi's ideas. A conceptually different idea is 9 . . . e5!?. Alrhough rhis promises Black an equal game rhe variation is nor rhe mosr popular. The reason is probably rhe lack of real winning chances. If Black wants ro make a draw our of rhe opening, why play rhe Sicilian? 1here are orher, less risky, openings ro do so. 1 o �b3 exf4 l l .ixf4 ie6 1 2.®h l Less successful is 1 2 .ed3 d5 1 3.e5 �d7 14.�xd5 �xe5 1 5.�xe7t exe7 1 6.eg3 f6 and Black was ar leasr OK in Malakhov - Rublevsky, Poikovsky 2005. Black equalizes wirh rhe rypical: 12 ... d5 1 3.e5 �d7 1 4.�xd5 �dxe5 1 5.c4 .ig5! .

A classical position in rhe Sicilian. Here Whire is nor rrying ro immediately push his pawns in rhe direction of rhe enemy's king, bur rarher builds up pressure in rhe centre, and sometimes mighr even consider playing on rhe queenside (provided rhar Black has weakened himself rhere, of course). Ir is rherefore lirrle wonder rhar positional players like ro handle rhe Scheveningen in such a way. Morozevich, on rhe orher hand, is no novice in rhis posirion, having experience wirh borh colours.

9.f4

Here Black has a wide range of possible plans. I ) Play 9 ... a6 and enter rhe main lines as were fearured in rhe riranic Karpov - Kasparov clashes in rhe mid 80's. 2) 1he rexr move, which leads ro similar play

1 6.ig3 ih4 Quire a few games have ended here wirh a draw by reperirion.

lO.®hl 1his move is a rypical prophylaxis againsr furure racrics along rhe opened diagonal. In rhe meantime Whire wams ro see whar his opponent's plans for rhe furure are, and rhen reacr accordingly. Morozevich has had rhis posirion wirh Whire and afrer I O.�db5 .ie8 rhe game ended abruprly in a draw, Morozevich - Damljanovic, Bled (ol) 2002.

206

ROUN D 6

'This had nothing to do with the position and everything to do with rhe fact it was the final round of the Olympiad. Another plan at White's disposal is 1 0.�e 1 transferring the queen to the kingside: 1 o ... l0xd4 1 l ..Axd4 .Ac6 1 2.ti'g3 g6 1 3 ..Ad3 l0d7 1 4.C�h 1 .ih4 1 5 .ti'h3 e5 16 ..Ae3 exf4 1 7 ..Axf4 l0e5 1 8 ..Axe5 dxe5 1 9 .E:ad1 .Ag5 20 ..Ac4 with advantage to White, J. Polgar - Zvjaginsev, Las Vegas ( 4) 1 999. However, the most direct and probably the best way to counter Black's plan is by retreating the knight with 1 o.l0b3. 'This is despite the fact it is a concession: White does need the knight in the centre for future play, wherever it takes place. For example: 1 0 ...E:c8 1 l .ti'e1 a6 1 2.ti'g3 b5 1 3 . .Ad3 ti'c7 1 4.E:ae 1 E:fd8 1 5.®h1 g6 with a typically solid position for Black, Nataf - Movsesian, Ohrid 200 1 .

1 o )oxd4 1 l.�xd4 .ic6 12.E:ad1 �c7 ••

1 2 ... a6 is a possible addition, leading to similar positions to the game, only with the insertion of ... a6 and a4. It weakens b6, but it takes care ofb5. Swings and roundabouts ...

Morozevich's previous round game vs. Polgar (Game 1 8) , the pawn on a7 is immune, as now the bishop gets caught: 1 5 ... b6 1 6.ti'a6 /0d7 and 'Hasta Ia vista, baby'.

15 ...�d7

'The attempt to grab a pawn with 1 5 ....Axb5 1 6.ti'xb5 ti'xc2? does not work out too well after 1 7.E:c l , and the queen is in trouble. After 1 7 ... a6 1 8.ti'xb7 ti'd3 1 9 . .Ag1 E:xcl 20.E:xcl ®£8 2 l .e5 White is in full control.

16.�xa7 .id5! lhe point behind Black's plan! White is pretty much forced to part with his lady, as retreats are mainly interesting for Black.

17.�xc8 1 7.ti'e2 .Ac4 1 8.'%\'£2 .Axfl 1 9./0xc8 E:xc8 20.E:xfl Yl!fa4! 'Threatening three(!) pawns simul­ taneously, meaning that at least one is about to fall with a continuing initiative for Black. If 1 7.ti'd4 then Black keeps attacking the queen: 1 7 ...E:c4 1 8.ti'd3 l0xe4 and the dark forces are taking over.

17 " .E:xc8 18.�xc8 .ixe4 19.�xe7t �xe7

13..if3 E:fd8

14.�c4 The beginning of the conflict - until now both players have not paid any special attention to each other's play. 'The rhreats now are /Od5 and l0b5.

14 E:ac8 15.�b5 ••.

Not 1 5 ..Axa7. 'This time, as opposed to

After a forced series of moves, White has two rooks for a queen. Generally speaking, with both kings safe, the rooks are supposed to be betrer than rhe queen, but here there are two factors which contest this superficial evaluation: 1 . Black has a strong centre, greatly limiting the rooks. 2. Against Morozevich you should never base your conclusions on "general principles".

ADAMS - MOROZEVICH

All in all, the position is about equal, but is a bit easier for Black to play as his pieces coordinate better.

20.c4 White has a pawn majority on the queenside, and quite naturally wants to play there. His last move also prevents Black from enforcing his hold on the centre.

20... h5! Black is beginning to play on the kingside. As we said in a previous note, king safety favours the rooks, so Black is going to change that. Curiously enough, 20 moves from now the situation will change 1 80 degrees.

21.b3 2 l .b4 is still too early, as after 2 l . . .ixf3 22.13xf3 d5 23.c5 �d7 24.a3 �a4 White's queenside pawns turn out to be just weak. 1he attempt to kick Black from his ruling position with 2 1 .13d4 allows him to develop a dangerous initiative: 2 l . ..ixf3 22.13xf3 e5

207

23.fxe5 dxe5 24.13d l e4! 25 .13h3 (Or 25.13ffl ltlg4 and the e-pawn, soon to be supported by its f-colleague, is extremely dangerous, not to mention the headaches a �+li:J combination can cause White's king.) 25 ... li:Jg4 26.a3 f5 and Black is clearly better.

21. .. h4 2 l . . .ixf3 would be too early: 22.13xf3 22.gxf3 covering e4 for good is playable in some lines, but here the weakening of the king is significant, and could be answered with 22 ... h4 followed by ... li:Jh5 and ...�f6. 22 ... li:Je4 Intending . . . f5, while after 22 . . . e5 White has an important tempo (compared to 2 1 .13d4) after 23.fxe5 dxe5 24.ig5. Without the knight only Black will have worries here. 23.f5 ! White is better.

22.13d4

208

ROUN D 6

22.h3 was worth considering, as after 22 ....i.xf3 23J�ixf3 �e4 White can finally begin his play on the queenside: 24.a4 \Wf6 (24 ... f5 25.a5 \Wc7 26.J.b6 \Wc6 27.®h2 with a balanced position) 25.J.f2 with an unclear position.

26..i.gl �c2 27..i.xe4 dxe4 28..i.fl �e2! Forcing the king to g l , where it is much more vulnerable.

29.�gl �xa2 30..i.xh4 �xb3

22...d5 The point is that now 22 ....i.xf3 no longer works: 23.:Sxf3 e5 24.fxe5 dxe5 25.:Sxh4 and it is not the pawn itself that's so important, but the squares it was controlling.

23.cxd5 23 ..i.xe4 �xe4 24.cxd5 exd5 25.:Sxd5 is dangerous for White, as Black quickly gets to the king. 25 ... h3 26.:Se5 \Wd7 (threatening ... hxg2t followed by ...\Wg4t) 27.f5 (not 27.:Sxe4?? \Wc6! and White can resign) 27 ...\Wc6 and Black is quite clearly in the lead.

23...exd5 24.h3 As we have seen in the previous line, White cannot allow the pawn to h3.

24...�c7

And here is the difference Black's 28'h move has made: with the king on h2 White would simply have captured twice now (on f6 and e4).

31.�h2

25.�h2 It is hard to explain why Adams did not fight for the c-file. Much more logical is 25.:Sc l \Wd6 (or 25 ...\Wa5 26 ..i.xe4 �xe4 27.a4 �g3t 28.®h2 \Wb6 29.:Sd3 \Wb4 30 ..i.f2! and White's position is much better than in the game) 26 ..i.xe4 �xe4 27.:Scdl \We6! 28.®h2 \Wg6 29.:S4d3 and the game should end in a draw.

25 ...�c3!

Now the queen will show all its might; the rooks are way too slow to keep up.

A totally understandable move: running short of time Adams did not want to evaluate the :S's vs. 'tfl endgame arising after 3 I ..i.xf6. lhe knight, however, has a tendency to become very jumpy and annoying in such positions, especially when driven by Morozevich. 3 I ..i.xf6 does look a little frightening, as after 3 I ...\We3t 32.®hl gxf6 Black's passers look very dangerous. Nevertheless, White has an escape: 33.:Sb4 and now: a) 33 .. . f5 34.:Sxb7 ®g7 35.:Se7 \Wd3 36.:Sgl \Wg3 37.:Sfl ®f6 38.:Se5 with a draw, as neither side can improve. b) 33 . . .\We2 34.:Sfb I f5 34 ... e3 leads 1D the main line after 35.:Sxb7 'tf/f2 36.:Se7 f5 37.:Sb8t ®g7 38.:Sbe8. 35.:Sxb7 'tf/f2 36.:Se7 e3 Now not 37.:Sb8t? ®g7 38.:Sbb7 e2 39.:Sxf7t ®g6 40.:Sg7t as the king takes a long walk to escape the checks on a6! 40 ... ®f6 4 l .:Sgf7t ®e6 42.:Sfe7t ®d6 43.:Sbd7t (or 43.:Sed7t ®c5 44.:Sbc7t ®b6 45.:Sb7t ®a6) 43 ... ®c6 44.:Sc7t ®b6 45.:Sb7t ®a6 and Black wins. Instead White should play:

ADAMS - MOROZEVICH 37.gbb7! Bfl t 37... e2 38.gb8t �g7 39 .gbe8 Bfl t 40.�h2 Yfxf4t 4 1 . �h 1 with a draw. 38.�h2 Yfxf4t Protecting b8! 39.�h l Yfg3! Only Black can play for a win here, although it seems to be a dynamically balanced position.

31 ...�d5 There will be no more chances to liquidate into a B vs. g•s endgame. Whether it was the position or murual time trouble that inspired Morozevich to keep the tension, we do not object. 3 1 ...Yfe3 would have transposed into the previous annotation.

32.Rxe4 "d3 33J!fel bS

209

afi:er the prosaic 36.gel we cannot find a suitable way for Black to avoid the repetition.

36..."bl Attacking whatever moves, and thus preventing White from arranging his forces the way he would like to. 37.Ra8t �b7 38.gd4 38Jiee8 would have been premature: 38 ... �xf4 39.1ih8t �g6 and White has only one remaining check, which is hardly satisfactory compensation. 38 ...�c7!

Transferring the knight to e6, where it both covers the king (g7) and is only one step away from the white king. Afi:er 38 ... Bf5 39.gbs �xf4 4o.gb4 tfe5! 4 l .g8xb5 Yfe2 42.gb2 tfe4 43 ..ig3 it is White, if anybody, who plays for a win.

39.gb8�

Amazingly, of the four queenside pawns that were on the board entering the endgame, only one lived to see this stage of the game, and it will play a very important role in the forthcoming battle. The position, if handled with care, remains quite drawish, as both sides have enough trumps to keep the balance.

A serious error right before the time control. 39.ga7 was much more to the point. lhe rook should attack the king, and it is on the seventh rank. The lines could have been quite amusing after 39 ... �e6 : a) 4o.gdd7 Bfl 4 l ..ie3 �xf4 42 ..Axf4 Bxf4t with an inevitable draw. b) Afi:er 40.gxf7 GM Shipov on the Russian site www.chesspro.ru suggested 40 ... '9a2!? 4 l .gd6 �g8 removing a defender from f4. 42.gb7 (Or 42.gf5 Yfc2 43.gxb5 �xf4 44.�g3 Yfe4. Chess is such a drawish game, after all!) 42...'9xf2 43.gxe6 Yfxf4t A draw again ... A very tricky position arises after 40 ... �xd4 4 1 ..Axd4 Yfg6 42.gc7 b4 43 ..ie5 b3 44.gb7:

34..if2! lhe bishop is heading towards the long diagonal where it will both prevent Black's b-pawn from moving and participate in possible counterattacks.

34..."d2 3SJ!le2 "dl 36.Ra2

Adams refuses a repetition. Was he eager to punish his over-ambitious opponent, or just not sure Black would repeat the position? In any case,

We will not bore the reader with the extensive analysis of this position, and will simply conclude

210

ROUND 6

that only White can even think about playing for a win, but he has no effective way to improve his position: both his pieces are committed to preventing the b-pawn from moving, and whenever he tries to advance his kingside pawns - Black will be right there with a perpetual.

39 ... lbe6 1he slight difference is that now the rook is forced to evacuate the fourth rank, losing the f4-pawn. Luckily for Adams, he still has various ways to bail out with fortress options.

47J:!e3 Wfdl 48J!g3 W/d5 49..ixg7 W/d6 50 ..ib2 All White needs to do now is to sacrifice the bishop on b2. Not too hard a task.

50 ...�h6 5 I.h4 There is no other way to unpin, but White does not need this pawn anyway.

5 1 ... �h5 52. �h3 Wfe6t 53. �h2 �xh4 54J!h3t �g4

4oJ:!d7 �xf4 4U!xf7 W/e4

In contrast to 39.ga7, White is still forced to give up an exchange, but under much worse conditions.

42J!xf4! Wfxf4t 43..ig3 W/g5 44J:!e8!

There is no doubt about his goal in this game anymore, and Adams achieves it very precisely. His last move makes the bishop transfer to the long diagonal possible.

44... b4 45J!e2 b3 46. .ie5 Wih5

46 ...\We7 47.l!?gl b2 48.gxb2 \Wxe5 49.gf2 White will place his rook on f3, with a theoretical draw.

From now on White is just waiting. Morozevich will make a long trip with his king to the queenside, before admitting the inevitable: it is a dead draw. 1he rest could have been spared.

55J!g3t �£5 56J!f3t �e4 57.�gl W/d6 58 ..if6 WIdl t 59.�h2 �d5 60..ib2 Wlc2 6I..if6 �c4 62.�gl �b4 63JH4t �a3 64J!f3 W/c5t 65.�h2Wfcl 66..ie7t �a267..if6Widl 68.!H2t �bl 69J!f3 W/d6t 70.�gl Wlb6t 7l.�hl �c2 72.!k3t �d2 73J!f3 �e2 74.�h2 b2 75..ixb2 Wfxb2 76J!h3 W/e5t 1he rook cruises between the f3- and h3squares, and Black is unable to break through. 112-lfz

ANAND - SYIDLER

@ 'it' e 1ft

GAME 23 Viswanathan Anand Peter Svidler Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack C89

211

l l ... �f6 but his opponent was unfortunately Capablanca, who warded off Black's initiative and won the game. This is why the opening was considered to be dubious for many years.

l2.d4

l.e4 e5 2.g7 35 .a4 tLle5 fails to 36 . .ie2! i.g2 37.i.d l and White should win.)

Svidler was worried that he could not move his a-pawn fast enough, bur White has 32.i.c8! which is not easy to spot in advance, bur he would defi nitely have fou nd it if he reached the position over the board.

25..ae2 �c5 26.!!bl

Although he has no objection to the queen exchange, White is not ready to improve Black's pawn formation. 1he difference between 24 . . . 0-0 and 24 . . .� d7 is clearly visible now: b7 will be captured with check.

26 ...�xe3 27.!!xe3 !!b8 Of course, after 27 . . . b5 28.!!a3 Black's queenside falls apart.

28..ixa6 !!a8

29..ab5t

232

ROUND 7

An imporram intermediate check after which the final result is clear. Of course not 29Jhb7t ®d8 30.ifl l:ha2t: there is no need to give up so easily on a potential queen.

40.l:�c3t q,d8

29 ..,q,d8 30.a3 h5 30 .. .ixh3 3 Uihl g4 32.f4! h5 33.e5 with a decisive attack.

3 l.ifl ga7 32,gb4!

Umil some files are opened, the rooks will have to play along the ranks, and Svidler does so extremely skilfully. lhe threat is to play h4, fixing the weakness on h5.

32.. .ic8

After 32 ... h4 33.gxh4 gxh4 34.gb5 White enters from the other rank.

33.q,b2

Freeing the e3-rook: there is no rush.

33 ... f6 34.h4! gxh4 35.gxh4 i.d7 Polgar's position deteriorates with every move, and there it nothing that she can do about it. lhe pawn is poisoned: 35 . . . lLlxh4 36.e5 lLl£5 37.exf6! exf6 38.gd3 &6 39. i.h3 and White starts gathering the weaknesses.

36,geb3 lhere now follows a typical exploitation of two weaknesses: one is on h5, the other on b7. Black's pieces are first tied to protecting the first, and then White switches to the second.

36 .. .ic8

36 ...ic6 is met with 37.ib5, forcing the exchange of the light-squared bishops. Whereas 36 . . . lLlxh4 is refuted by 3 7.f4!, threatening to catch the knight with f5. After 37... lLlg6 38. f5 lLle5 39.gxb7 White wins easily.

37,gb5 �f4

Black manages to defend once, but after

38.ic4 �c7 39.i.f7

There is no defence.

39.. .id7 After 39 . . . e5 White switches to attacking the d6-pawn: 40.gc3t ®d8 4 l .gb6 ®d7 42.ie8t winning.

4l.gxh5! The simplest! Black is helpless against the passed h-pawn.

4l ...�xh5 42.ixh5 e6 43.i.g6 i.c6 44.h5 q,e7

Trying to stop the pawn with .. .f5 and ... ®f6, so Svidler plays

45.f4! More beautiful prophylaxis! It opens the path to the kingside, while now ... £5 will be met with e5.

45.. ,ga8 46.h6 gh8 47.h7 f5 48.exf5 Or 48.e5 dxe5 49.fxe5 ® fB 50.gg3 f4 5 1 .gg4 f3 52.®c3 f2 53.gf4t ®g7 54.id3 winning.

48 ...q,f6 49.gd3 i.e4 Or 49 ... d5 50.gg3 exf5 5 I .gg5 i.d7 52.®c3 is decisive.

50.gxd6 .Lf5 5 t .i.xf5 q,x£5 52,gd7

lhis rook ending is easily winning. lhe rest could have been spared.

52 ... b6 53.gf7t q,g6 54.gb7 q,£5 After 54 . . .gxh7 55.gxh7 ®xh7 56.c4 ®g6 57.c5 White queens.

55.c4 q,xf4 56.gxb6 e5

56 . . .gxh7 57.gxe6 lhere is no point playing this position with the king cut off.

57.gh6 e4 58.q,c2 q,e3 59,gh2 l-0

MOROZEVICH - ANAND @ GAME 26 'itt Alexander Morozevich * Viswanathan Anand 1ft Caro-Kann, Advance Variation 812

l.e4 c6 2.d4 d 5 3.e5

A very trendy continuation for sound reasons rhe arising positions demand exacr play from borh sides (meaning one mistake mighr yield an easy advantage), and rhey are very unusual for Caro­ Kann players.

3.. .t5 4.�f3 .

1he mosr positional continuation and well known ro borh players, who have played ir wirh borh colours against strong opposition. In facr, Anand was one of rhe pioneers who popularized rhis variation while played a march against Karpov in rhe early 90's. The surprising rhing is rhar, despite his grear experience on borh sides of rhis modern line, Anand has been rarher unsuccessful here. Ar leasr from rhe rheorerical point of view ­ in a sporting sense he is almost always successful. So could ir be rhar rhe writing was on rhe wall, raking into consideration rhe facr rhar rhe Indian grandmaster believes his biggest mistake in rhis game was rhe opening choice? Kramnik's win over Leko in rhe final round of rhe Brissago march made 4 ..i.e3 a very popular move, bur Morozevich reaches a quire similar position differently. Another option rried frequently in rhe pasr is 4.tLlc3 which leads ro very sharp play.

4...e6 5 ..i.e2

233

A very complex posmon, especially because borh sides can play on eirher flank and no plan could be described as compulsory. Whire can opr for c4, rrying ro exploit rhe facr rhar Black's queenside is weakened by rhe absence of rhe light­ squared bishop. On rhe orher hand, rhe e5-pawn is begging for kingside play wirh f4. Black, for his parr, has no bad pieces (compared ro rhe French Defence, wirh rhe same pawn formation), bur rhe rypical-for-rhe-French ... c5 break is now double­ edged: again, due ro rhe position of rhe light­ squared bishop. He can also play on rhe kingside, bur usually only for defensive reasons.

5 ...�e7

A tricky continuation, delaying rhe opening of rhe centre. In general, borh sides are nor in a hurry ro force marrers here and wair for rhe orher one ro speak firsr. The popular move is 5 ... c5, which was deeply examined in rhe well-known Gelfand - Karpov march, where after rwo games Karpov decided ro srop playing rhe Caro-Kann in rhe march. Today ir is less clear and leads ro very concrete play, which, however, still seems ro give Whire cerrain chances of exploiting Black's weaknesses on rhe queenside. For instance: 6..i.e3 cxd4 7.tLlxd4 tLle7 Here Black seems ro have found a way ro cope wirh rhe direct crunch on rhe centre. 8.c4 1his is whar made Karpov suffer. 8 ... ttJbc6 9.'tfla4 a6 I O.cxd5 And now nor I O...'tf/xd5 l l .tLlc3 'tfla5 1 2.ttJxf5 wirh advantage ro Whire in Svidler - Morozevich, Moscow 2002, bur instead: I O... ttJxd5 l l .tLlxc6 'tfld7 1 2.tLlc3 tLlxc3! Wirh equality. Thus worrh checking is 8. .i.g5 wirh a little­ explored and curious position. Here is one recent example: 8 ... 'tfla5t 9.tLlc3 tLlbc6 I O. .i.b5 'tflc7 1 1 .0-0 ig6 1 2.'tflg4 a6 1 3 ..i.a4 'tflc8 1 4.'tf/f3 h6 1 5.if6 wirh a straightforward arrack, which brought Whire a win in a very complicated game, Morylev - Bareev, Moscow 2005.

6.�bd2 1his weird looking manoeuvre IS mreresring, keeping all options open. In rhe event of rhe

234

ROUND ?

queenside opening the knight will be ready to jump to b3, whereas if the centre remains closed it can go to the kingside. White could have attempted to punish Black for his slow play with 6.it:lh4, exploiting the fact thar rhe h4-d8 diagonal is now closed.

6...h6

Preparing an escape square for the bishop, in case of the aforementioned it:lh4. Black's play looks rather sluggish, but Whire has yet to do anything that would force him ro hurry. Once again the immediate 6 ... c5 allows White to seize the initiative after 7.dxc5 it:lec6 8.it:lb3 ixc5 9.it:lxc5 'iff a 5t I O.c3 'iffxc5 I I .'iff b3 with a steady edge, Svidler - Azmaiparashvili, Beer Sheva 2005.

7.0-0 �d7

see how White will build up. Very interesting and logical. lhe straightforward 8 ... c5 is premarure: 9.dxc5! it:lxc5 I O.it:lb3 (or I O.ib5) and Black is not developed and suffering from rhe queenside weakness. lhe best seems to be I O ... it:ld7 l l .f4 and White is clearly berrer, even more so than in the game (wirh the same srrucrure afrer move 1 7).

9.�b3 lhe knight might have had a different future after 9 . .E:e I , but rhen, as mentioned before, ... c5 would gain in force. lhis move, however, has drawbacks - in some cases White has an active idea to advance c3-c4, usually supported by b2-b3. Here the knight takes the pawn's square. As we can see, Morozevich did not intend to play for a win at any price, as he plays rather carefully. And ir is nor his "fault" Anand was not ready for such a style of play.

9...!c8?!

8.c3

Another plan is to improve the knight with 8 . .E:el ih7 9.it:lfl although White did not ger much of an advantage in the following game: 9 ... c5 I O.c4 dxc4 I I .it:le3 cxd4 1 2.it:lxd4 it:lxe5 1 3.it:lxc4 it:l7c6 14.it:lxe5 'iffx d4 1 5.it:lxc6 'iffxd l 1 6 ..E:xd I bxc6, Svidler - Dreev, Elista 1 998.

8 ...a6!? Further preparation for . . . c5, which brings up the narural question - "How long can ... c5 be prepared?" lhe real idea behind rhis move is, however, quite foxy. lhe way White is developing his pieces poses no immediate threat to Black, but is rather oriented against Black's probable ... c5. lherefore, Anand waits a bit longer, intending to

Black insists on White being rhe first to speak our. But actually this was the point where Anand underestimated White's ability to achieve his aims, which will become clear after the next move. Bur even more interesting is that Vallejo committed rhe same inaccuracy against Kasparov in Linares 2003. And Anand must have been aware of it - he knows everything, not to mention rhat he played in the same tournament.

lO.�h4!

MOROZEYICH - ANAND

A very strong idea by Morozevich, which was extremely hard to think up! By forcing Black to deal with the threat of f2-f4-fS, he manages to take much of the sting out of . . . cS. How? The point is that after . . . cS, the battle is going to circle around the d4-square. If White can control this square without too many concessions Black will be left without counterplay. And the best way to do so is to prevent Black from applying pressure on it - namely, not allowing his knight to c6, and this is exactly what I O.l0h4 fights against. Thus, on the previous move Anand had to accept that the knight is not going to his favourite place on c6, and look for a different location, in order at least to fi nish development. For those purposes the most appropriate seems to be another typical idea in this line, I O . . . l0c8, which would probably lead to positions from the 4.�e3 line after I I .ie3 �e7 1 2.l0el .

23S

2 l .�f4 l0g4. But after 1 4.�d2 �e7 I S .g4 �e4 1 6. fS, we believe not many people would want to defend here.

l l. .c5 12.�h5! .

Continuing the plan from his tenth move, trying to talk Black into . . . l0e7-f5 . Definitely worse is 1 2.dxcS which plays into Black's hands after 1 2 . . . l0c6! 1 3. l0f3 lUxeS.

10 ...�h7 l l.f4 l l .�e3 looks good as well: I I . ..l0f5 1 2.lOxfS �xfS 1 3. f4 The pawn chain allows White many promising possibilities. a) 1 3 . . . cS 1 4.dxcS lUxeS ( 1 4 . . .�xcS l S .lOxcS lUxeS 16 .�d4 with a pleasant advantage for White) and here 1 S .l0d4 leads to the game. b) A different idea is 1 3 ...�b6. It is too early for 1 4.g4 �e4 1 S .�d2 hS 1 6.f5 cS! 1 7. fxe6 �xe6 1 8.gxhS cxd4 1 9.l0xd4 �h3 with the initiative, for example 20.1'�f2 lUxeS

12 . . l!Jf5 .

Stopping White's attack and completing development. After this, however, White achieves a very pleasant position with a steady advantage. 1 2 . . . �c7? would allow White to demonstrate

236

ROUN D 7

the strength of his last move: 1 3.£5! l!Jx£5 1 4 .l!Jxf5 !xf5 1 5.g4 (less clear is 1 5J:hf5 exf5 1 6.e6 l!Jf6 1 7.exf7t �dB 1 8.!g6 !d6) 1 5 . . .!g6 ( 1 5 ... g6 1 6.gxf5 gxh5 1 7.fxe6 with a decisive anack) 1 6.!xg6 fxg6 1 7.'1Wc2 and the king is in trouble. However, 1 2 ... c4 deserved consideration. 1 3.l!Jd2 l!Jf5 (the correct positional solution, 1 3 ... l!Jc6, loses to 1 4.£5 with a decisive attack) 1 4.l!Jxf5 !xf5 1 5.f!f2 !e7 1 6.l!Jfl g6 1 7.!e2 h5 and Black is bener off than he was in the game. So why did Anand reject 1 2 ... c4? Possibly because of 1 3.£5, bur it does not seem to be a problem after 1 3 ... l!Jxf5 1 4.l!Jxf5 !xf5 1 5.g4 !g6 1 6.!xg6 fxg6 with an unclear game. More probable is that he did not like 1 3.l!Jc5. In this line White sacrifices a pawn, bur obtains an interesting initiative. It is hard to find the balance even in analysis, bur it is understandable that he was not willing to head for such a position at such an early stage of the game. The variation could continue: 1 3 ... l!Jxc5 14 .dxc5 l!Jc6, and here 1 5.'1We1 !? !xc5 1 6.�hl 0-0 1 7.'1Wg3. Not everyone would accept this position for Black.

In fact, such positions where Black succeeds in advancing c6-c5-c4 are the most principled and probably the best Black can get in this line. White must organize his anack quickly, or Black will play c5-c4 at the most appropriate moment, so that White's pieces will first have to manoeuvre for a while (they do not have a lot of space for the manoeuvres), which will allow Black to take the initiative, for instance with f7-Rl? This question is key, and it seems that the fact that a pair of pieces have been exchanged favours White.

15 .i.e2 h5 16.dxc5! tbxc5 17.tbd4 !e4

Black is not yet ready for the typical 17 ... b5? because of 1 8.a4! bxa4 (or 18 ... l!Jxa4 1 9.f!xa4 bxa4 20.'1Wxa4t '1Wd7 2 1 .'1Wxa6 f!b8 22.!d1 : end of story) 1 9.!xa6 l!Jxa6 20.'1Wxa4t '1Wd7 2 1 .'1Wxa6 and Black is lost.

13.tbxf5 !xf5 14.i.e3 White's anack against the king promises to be strong; his position is better. Again, there is no need to hurry with 1 4.g4? !e4 1 5.f5 g6! winning material. Bur if he wanted to get a position similar to the game, why not 14.dxc5 !xc5t 1 5.l!Jxc5 l!Jxc5 16.!e3 with advantage? 14 ...g6 Trying to typically seal the kingside. Bur he could have tried to play 14 ... c4 first, closing the queenside. It was a bener choice, even though it reduces the pressure on the centre, leaving White free to develop his play on the kingside. At least Black also has play and the queenside is not in danger. After 1 5.l!Jc1 g6 16.!f3 h5 1 7.l!Je2 both players seemed to assess this position in White's favour (as White did not prevent it and Black did not play it), bur we're not sure they are right - although anacks on the king tend to look more dangerous, there are mutual chances. Or at least, Black has more chances than in the game.

Both players were trying to achieve this position, in which Black is clearly solid bur he, just as clearly, lacks any active plan. He has managed to build a wall on the kingside, bur it's not an unbreakable one, and on the queenside he will have to consider White's possibilities, such as c3-c4. All in all, not a pleasant position for Black to play, and the improvement should be looked for earlier.

18.a4

A good idea - even though b7-b5 is not yet a threat, this move is Black's only hope for counterplay in the future. Morozevich rules our this idea before it was even born.

18 ... h4

MOROZEVICH - ANAND A legitimare plan, rrying ro creare some kind of play wherever he can. lhe sooner he manages ro open rhe h-file, rhe berrer will be Black's siruarion.

237

24 .id3 W/d7 25.W/f3? •

l9.a5 h3 Only here do we ger a reminder rhar rhis is nor jusr an individual game, bur parr of a very imporram rournamem where one of rhe main comenders srarred badly and is under grear pressure. Under normal conditions Anand would have slowly improved his pieces, wairing for rhe righr momem (for as long as ir rakes), bur here he dives imo complications, which are clearly nor in his favour. Berrer was l 9 . . .ie7 20.tt)£3 �f8. For example: 2 I .tt)g5 if5 22 . .if3 �g7 and Black can keep playing wirhour a plan for a long rime, having very good chances ro solve rhe nor-so-dangerous problems Whire can pose him.

20.g3 .ig2 2 tJ:U'l! Weaker is 2 l .ge I tt)e4 and black pieces occupy roo much of Whire's airspace, in rhe hearr of his posirion. Anempring ro srarr rhe rradirional play wirh 22.c4 leads ro a posirion afrer 22 ... dxc4 23.\Wa4t \Wd7 24.ixc4 tt)xg3! 25.hxg3 gxc4 26.\Wxc4 id5 27.\Wc2 h2t 28.�f2 h l =\W 29.gx h l gxh l 30.gxhl ixh l rhar is nor whar Whire had in mind.

2l. ..�e4 22,gxg2 hxg2 23.c.tlxg2 To sum up Black's manoeuvre: Whire successfully sacrificed an exchange and he can now play on borh flanks whereas rhe opponem's rooks will nor and cannor be a serious facror wirhour open lines. Whire is berrer, and nor jusr slighdy.

23....ic5?!

A srrange bur very characrerisric decision by Anand. lhey say he has very srrong imuirion, and now we may add decem prophetic powers. lr is rhis move rhar could have broughr abour an escape from rhe very delicare posirion he's in righr now. Bur how could he know Morozevich would allow rhe upcoming rrick? 23 . . .ie7 would be a more narural move, sraying close ro rhe king and keeping rhe c5square vacanr, in case a knighr needs ro run for irs life.

A calcularion misrake, alrhough ir's impossible ro see all rhe lines here. Objecrively, however, now Black has a very narrow escape, or even more. Had he payed more anemion ro Black's possibiliries, Morozevich would definirely have played 25.h4, ending his opponem's dreams of delivering a big check. The plan he execured in rhe game no longer works. 25 .. .f5 promises norhing as afrer 26.exf6 e5 27.fxe5 rhere is no check on h3.

25....ixd4? A painful move order mix-up. Whire's rhrear was serious: 26.ixe4 dxe4 27.\Wxe4 ixd4 28.ixd4 \Wc6 29.\Wxc6t gxc6 30.b4 and Whire is winning rhe ending. Bur after rhe immediare 25 . . . 5! Black emerges healrhy from rhe complications wirh a million­ dollar smile: 26.exf6 (orherwise Whire can forger abour an advanrage) 26 ...e5 27.ixe4! (only move) 27. . . \Wh3t 28. �£2 dxe4 29.\Wxe4 \Wxh2t 30.�£3 \Wh5t 3 l .g4 \Wh3t 32.�e2 (so far everyrhing was forced) 32 ...ixd4 (nor 32 ... \Wxg4t 33.�d3 when rhe whire king escapes all rhe rhrears, much ro his rival's chagrin) and now Whire has rhree moves: a) Afrer 33.\Wxg6t �dB rhe checks are over, and so is rhe game. b) 33.ixd4 \Wxg4t 34.�d3 gh3t 35.�c2 gh2t 36.�b3 and now: b l ) 36 . . .\We6t 37.�a3 \Wxf6 and 38 ..ixe5 is

238

ROUND ?

nor good because of 38 . . .�e7t and there is no 39.b4? because of 39 .. J':hc3t. Therefore, White has to play 39.�b3 but here roo, after 39 . . .�e6t 40.�a3 1::k 5 4 l .�a4t (only defence) 4 l . . .�f7 White might not be able to hold it. But better is 38.fxe5 �f7 and Black has to protect both the b7- and g6-pawns, but an exchange is an exchange and White does not have enough firepower to create serious threats. Black is not worse, for instance 39J�gl 1:k6!. b2) Anand's suggestion, 36 .. J�e2, is possible as well, and with some work leads to a draw: 37.�d5 exd4 38.13h l �e6 39.13h8t � f7 40.�xe6t 13xe6 4 1 .13xc8 dxc3 42.bxc3 b6 c) 33.cxd4 �h2t 34 ..W2 �xf4 35.�xe5t �xe5t 36.dxe5

It all looks great for White, until 36 . . . 13h3!! is found for Black, threatening 37 . . . 13c2t 38.�fl 13(3 winning. White has to play 37.13fl 13c4! allowing his pawns to be destroyed. For example: 38.�e l (worse is 38.�b6 13e4t 39.�d2 13h7! as e5 is now falling, and the trouble is all White's) 38 . . . 13e4t 39.�f2 �f7 40.�c3 13ee3 (also possible is 40 ... 13xc3) and White is unable to prevent a perpetual. But what is even more interesting is that those complications could even bring about Black's advantage (although not a serious one). Jacob Aagaard showed an alternative and surprising way Black could achieve even more than j ust equality by playing: 28 . . .�xh2t!? Now White has two possibilities: a) 29 �g2 dxe4 30 fxe5 �f7 and after 3 1 .13dl 13ce8 it becomes clear that Black will be the one pushing in the endgame. b) 29.�fl dxe4! 30.�g4 �h i t! 3 l .�e2 �h 5 ! 32.�xh5 13xh5 33.fxe5 13xe5 and Black i s the only one to fight for a win here, even though the game remains very complicated.

26.�xd4 After Black missed his chance White's position became even more promising. With two such bishops he is not even concerned about opening

MOROZEVICH - ANAND the game. Here Anand slowed down into thought, probably realized it was the wrong move order, but decided to stick to his plan until the bitter end.

239

One (if not more) of the pawns will queen.

37...!!hxf6 38.f5

26 f5 •••

Black had better alternatives (such as 26 .. .'lf/c6), but sometimes those "better" alternatives can be extremely depressing.

27.exf6 e5 28 .ixe4! •

38...!!f7 39.�g3 b5 40.axb6 !!xb6 4l.g5 !!d7 42.f6 d4 43..ig6 !!b8 44.cxd4 !!xd4 45.!!e7! Based on exact calculation.

45 ...!!db4 46.!!f7t �g8 47.!!g7t �h8 Or 47...�£8 48 ..if7 gsb7 49.g6.

28 ...'flh3t

lhe point is that after 28 ...dxe4 29.'lflxe4 'flh3t 30.�£3 'lflh5t White has the e3-square for his king, 3 l .�e3, leaving White with three pawns and a possible attack for the exchange, which will be the end of the story.

29.�£2 'flxh2t Here too, the idea fails: 29 ...dxe4 30.'lftxe4 'lflxh2t 3 l .�f3 'lflh5t 32.�e3 30.'ftg2! exd4 3 l..ixg6t �f8 32J!el! Black is helpless against White's strong passers supported by active pieces.

32...d3 33.hd3

Very mature. Younger player may leave such a pawn on the board, and eventually even lose because of it. Morozevich is not so young and naive anymore . . .

33..J!c6 34J!e5 !!d6 35.�f3 lhe final part of the game demands no variations - White plays simply and strongly. Black can do nothing against the pair of pawn running at his king.

35 ...'fixg2t 36.�xg2 !!h6 37.g4

48..if7! Now it is mate.

48 ...!!d4 49.!!g6 !!d3t 50.�g4 White is threatening mate after 50.�g4 forcing Black to keep checking: 50 .. ,gb4t (50.. ,gd4t 5 l .�h5) 5 l .� f5 gb5t 52.�e4 gh3 53.ggst �h7 54.g6t �h6 55.ghst �g5 56.g7, therefore Black resigned.

l-0

240

ROUND ?

@

GAME 27 Peter Leko * Michael Adams • Petroff Defence C42 'it>

l.e4 e5 2.�f3 � 3.�xe5 d6 4.�f3 �xe4 5.d4 d5 6.J.d3 �c6 7.0-0 J.e7 8.c4 �b4 9.J.e2 0-0 10.a3 �c6 l l.cxd5 \1;Yxd5 12.�c3 �xc3 13.bxc3 �a5 Adams repeats his favourite line, which he opted for in rhe first round (Game 3) against Svidler as well.

14.�e5!?

Adams is nor the only one with a PhD in chis line. Leko is one of the biggest experts as well (he has even won in chis line against Adams twice) and therefore the text should be taken seriously. Such a reaction to Black's ... ltla5 is common in many positions, but there is always a question whether it's too early - White might not be ready to support such an advanced knight and the pawn on d4 might be feeling a litde bir lonely.

14...J.f5!? A new move in this position that, despite all its apparent simplicity, is quite tricky to handle. Black has his queen and three minor pieces (one can add a few pawns to your own taste) exposed to possible tactics from White (Anand Kramnik from Sofia 2005 is a good illustration of this claim) and should therefore be very careful on every move. Besides, White has an eternal threat of pushing his central pawns, which is

sure to give him a lead So rhe main question here is whether 1 4 .. ..if5 is tactically sound (it certainly is positionally). We will soon get all the answers, but ir is clear that Adams' idea was over­ criticized: Black is nowhere near the bad position he eventually ended up in. Also 14 ....tf6 does not seem ideal - the bishop should meet its white colleague if and when the latter reaches f4. After 1 5.!£3 '1Wd8 1 6.\Wa4 c6 1 7.if4 ie6 1 8.liia b1 White's position looks great, Matras - Hernandez, Warsaw 200 1 . lhe most topical is considered to be 1 4. . .c5, but Adams does not allow Leko to demonstrate his home preparation here. In any case, in the following example White did not succeed in converting the advamage, although her position was very promising at times: 1 5.lii b 1 i£5 (On 1 5 ... a6 White has 16 .if3 - compared to Svidler - Adams, Black does nor have his bishop on f5 yet, making good possibilities he had there (like ie4) hard to execute here.) 1 6.lii b5 b6 1 7.liie 1 lii a d8 18.!8 '1Wd6 1 9.'1We2 cxd4 20.cxd4 liic8 2 1 .id5 ie6 with a complex struggle, Xu Yuhua - Koneru, Hyderabad 2002. But it seems that ir is Black who should be worried in this line. For instance, White could improve with 2 1 .i.d2, and afi:er 2 1 ... liic2 22 . .id5 ie6 23.ie4 White's advantage is clear.

15.c4

White hurries up, knowing that the black pieces will not be shaky for long.

15 ...\1;Yd6?! lhis leads to problems - probably Adams simply overlooked White's next move. Stronger was 1 5 . . .\We6 1 6.liie l . In the arising positions White seems to be better, but it is by no means completely forced, and Black always has chances to find coordination. After 1 6 ... liiad8 it's not easy to prove White's advantage. For instance, not only 1 7.ib2 '1Wb6! and 1 7. .i£3 '1Wa6! give White nothing, but also the more logical 17.'1Wa4, and here not 1 7... b6? 1 8.!£3! liixd4 1 9.ib2 lii f4 20.g3 liixf3 2 l .ftlxf3 with a serious edge for White, but 1 7... liixd4! with a forced line: 1 8.'1Wxa5 b6 19.\Wb5 a6 20.'1Wxa6 '1Wxe5 2 1 .ib2 id6 22.g3 ie4 Black's threats should not be underestimated, especially

LEKO - ADAMS

24 I

since 23.�xd4 �xd4 24.�fl �c5 25.l�;a2 �c6 is anything but pleasant for White. TI1e strongest seems to be I 7.�h5 but after I 7 ...�a6

White does not seem to have anything serious. I 8.tLlxf7 gives White nothing I 8 .. J:;xf7 I 9.�xf7t @xf7 20.�f3 (only White is in danger after 20.13xe7t @xe7 2 I .�g5t @d7 22.�xd8 @xd8 23.�f3 �e6) 20 ... �f6 and White has nothing. TI1e problem is that White cannot win a piece with 2 u;es because of 2 I .. .g6! 22.13xa5 �xd4 and Black wins. Better is 2 I .h4 h6 22.13e5 �e6! 23.13xa5 �x£3 24.gx£3 13xd4 and suddenly White's king becomes an issue, which makes the position dynamically equal. For instance: 25 .13xa7 l:!xc4 26.13xb7 �d5 27.13b5 c6 28.13b7 �x£3 and Black has no problems. Another option is I 8.�f3 �g6 and Black is 0 K again.

16.c5!

Forced, strong, and not typical. TI1is difficult to calculate move leads to White seizing the advantage. Positionally, it limits the mobility of all Black's pieces (with the e7-bishop bearing the brunt of it) . Tactically, it does not allow Black the time he needs to coordinate his forces.

16 ...W/d5? And this simply loses. Black also ends up in a difficult position after I 6 ...�f6 I 7.g4! and here: a) Black can sacrifice an exchange I 7 . . .�e4, but still after I 8.tLld7 �g6 I 9. tLlxf8 l:!xfB 20.�e3 there is no compensation for the material. b) Also failing to do the job is I 7...�xc5 I 8.gxf5 13ad8 I 9.�e3 �xd4 20.�xd4 c5 2 I .tLld7! �g5t 22.@hi 13xd7 23.13gi and Black loses his king. c) I 7 ...�e6 I 8.g5 �f5 I 9.�g4 �e4 20.13el �d5 (20 ...�xg4 2 I .tLlxg4 and e7 falls) 2 1 .�£3 �d8 22.d5 (White's position is very impressive) 22 . . .�f5 23.�d2 with a resignable position. Painful for Black, but a nice line. TI1e only way to keep fi ghting was I 6 ... �e6 and, indeed, Black has chances to survive. For instance: I7 .�f4 13ad8 1 8.�a4 and White has to prove his advantage: I 8 . . . tLlc6 I 9.lLlxc6 �xc6 2 0.�xc6 (20. �b5 �c2!) 20 ... bxc6 2 I .l:!fd I �f6 22.�e3 �e4 It does not seem that White can pull off a win here.

17..iB .ie4

Even worse is I 7 ...�d8 1 8.�a4 f6 I 9 .�xa5 fxe5 20.dxe5 with no compensation for the pawn.

18 ..ixe4 Wfxe4 19..id2!

242

ROUND 7

1he heart of Leko's plan. Black has only one way to avoid losing material immediately.

19...fLlc6 Hopeless is 1 9 . . . b6 20.ixa5 bxa5 2 U!el with a decisive advantage. White also wins nearly after 1 9 . . .�xd4 20.tt::l f3 �xc5 2 l .ib4.

20J3el Y:!fh4 2 l .fLlf.3! Of course, there is no need to destroy Black's pawn structure by capturing on c6 - it is better simply to capture the pawns. Leko correcrly avoided the temptation to win an exchange with 2 l .g3 �f6 22.tt::l d7 which would allow Black some counrerplay: 22 . . .�xd4 23.tt::l xf8 ixc5!

21...Y:!ih5 22J3bl! 1he strongest move, assessing that the arising rook ending is easily winning. Creating a 'weak' pawn on e3 terminates all Black's possible hopes for counrerplay connected with mates on the back rank.

26 ....be3 27.fxe3 c6 28.13d6 Amazingly enough, there are rook endgames which are nor drawn, and this is one of them.

Although h e has managed to save all his pieces, Black's success is temporary - his weaknesses are about to be destroyed. 22 .if6 22 ... b6? 23.cxb6 axb6 (or ... cxb6) 24J!cl loses material. 22 . . .�d5 23.13xb7 tt::l xd4 24.13xe7 tt::l xf3t 25 .�xf3 �xd2 26.g3 is even better for White than in the game - controlling the seventh rank with queens on the board will seal the deal quire quickly. ..

23.13xb7 fLlxd4 1he idea of sacrificing a pawn is nor enough: 23 . . . 13ad8 24.ie3 13d7 Black falls just short of developing some kind of compensation: 25 .�a4 �d5 26.if4! ixd4 27.id6! and White wins.

24.fLlxd4 Y:!fxdl 25.13xdl ixd4 26.ie3!

LEKO - ADAMS

243

1he numerous black weaknesses combined with White's control over the seventh rank leaves Black no hope.

28 .. J3ae8 Slightly more stubborn was 28 .. Jhc8, but White's win is not complicated: all he needs to do is play the most natural moves. Generally speaking, after White wins the a-pawn, and exchanges one pair of rooks (and it will be Black begging for it), all White has to do is bring his king into the game. 29.a4 gb8 29 ... aS does not change much: 30.'it>f2 g6 3 l .gb6 gfd8 32.gbxc6 gxc6 33.gxd8t Wg7 34.gdS followed by the king's triumphant march to the queenside. 30.gxa7 ga8 3 l .gdd7 gxa7 32.gxa7 gb8 33.aS Wf8 34.a6 gbl t 3S.Wf2 gal and now it's time to bring the king: 36.e4 h6 37.We3 gas 38.Wf4 '.t>g8 White wins nicely after 38 .. . f6 39.WfS! gxcSt 40.Wg6 ggst 4 1 .Wh7 gas 42.ga8t Wf7 43.a7 followed by gg8. Has Black stopped the king? 39.eS Not really! 39 . . . ga4t 40.Wf5 gaS 4 l .ga8t Wh7 42.a7 gal and now 43.e6! gfl t 44.WeS gel t 4S .Wd4 is curtains.

29.Wf2 Now the win is effortless. 29.gxc6 gxe3 30.gxa7 ge I t 3 l .Wf2 gfe8 32.h3 also wins, but with more complications.

29... ge5 Or 29 ... ge6 30.gxa7.

30.gxc6 gfe8 3 l.gcc7 We all know how strong rooks on the 7'h rank are - this is no exception.

3l ...gxe3 Protecting f7 (with 3 l . . .gfSt) is hopeless there are not enough rooks to do that and stop the c-pawn from queening.

32.gxf7 ge2t 33.Wg3 g8e3t 34.gf3 gxf3t 35.Wxf3 gc2

36.gc7 A last finesse. There is of course no need to make life harder with 36.gxa7 gxcS 37.ge7! even though White should win the ending.

36... hs 37.c6 Wh7 38.h3 Wh6 39.We4 Wg6 White is now going to force Black to sacrifice the rook for the c-pawn, and then simply queen his remaining a-pawn. Black's counterplay on the kingside is about three or four tempi late.

1-0

244

ROUND ?

@ GAME 28 'itt Veselln Topalov * Rustam Kasimdzhanov 1ft Ruy Lopez, Anti-Marshall C88

After 1 2.lbc3, as opposed to the text, the knight also participates in the battle for d5. The question of which is preferable is still open, but most of the elite players seem to prefer the texr.

l2 ... �c6 l3.�fl .ic8 After last round's game Anand - Svidler (Game 23) there is no furrher desire on White's parr to test the Marshall.

lhe bishop is transferred to e6 where ir will both fight for d5 and neurralize White's b3bishop, insread of sleeping on b7. In this way Black rries to solve rhe disharmony of his pieces. lhe only problem is rhat it requires some time.

8 ....ib7 9.d3 d6

l4.c3

lhe third round game between Svidler and Leko (Game 9) featured 9 ... E!e8.

A European team championship game in Gorhenburg 2005 berween Sutovsky and Beliavsky fearured 1 4.lbe3 .ie6 and then a very promising idea in 1 5 ..id5. Probably this is going to be the most popular position in this line. After 1 5 ... E!c8 1 6.c3 .ixd5 1 7.exd5 lbb8 1 8.a4 �d7 1 9.axb5 axb5 20.c4 E!fe8 2 I .lbd2 E!c7 22.cxb5 �xb5 23.lbdc4 White had rhe advantage.

l.e4 e5 2.�f3 �c6 3..ib5 a6 4..ia4 �f6 5.0-0 .ie7 6.!el b5 7..ib3 0-0 8.h3

IO.a3 �a5

lhe most popular continuation. Black wants to play c7-bl e5! 2 l .fxe5 �xe5 22.1f4 �e4t 23.\t>al 1f6 Anand, on rhe Black side, eventually won against Vallejo in Monaco 2004. lr is inreresring ro consider why Svidler did nor go for rhis continuation - Adams had already rried ir wirh Whire, so ir could be expected ro reoccur. Perhaps he did nor like rhe opening results of Adams' opponents, or maybe he wanted higher winning chances. In either case, he goes for a rypical opposite sides casrling game.

10.g4 In rhis game rhe so-called 'English Arrack' gains a double meaning. Or perhaps ir finally deserves irs name!

10...�xd4

A typical procedure, allowing Black ro play b7-b5 wirhour losing important rime.

l l .�xd4 �d7 12.h4 b5 13.g5 Now Black faces an eternal question: how ro support rhe further advance of rhe b·pawn.

13...�a5

Another way is 1 3 ...1:!b8 1 4.\t>b l b4 1 5.lDe2 iDeS 1 6.�d2 e5 17 .1h3 1e6 1 8.h5 �c8 1 9.1xe6 �xe6 20.lDg3, wirh a berrer game for Whire, Kritz - Cviran, Biel 2005.

14.®bl b4 1 5.�e2 i.b7 16.h5 �e5

9 ... a6

Only rhis is new. 1he move is very logical, closing rhe dangerous diagonal, bur objectively nor a very good one. On previous occasions Black played 16 . . .1xg5 and even gor good positions, bur ir is hard ro believe such greediness can go unpunished.

268

ROUND S 1 9.l'!xd4 tt:lc6 20.hxg7 1!1xg7 2 I .�d2, threatening tt:lg3-h5, followed by �dh2. However, Black was counting on 17 . . .�fc8. 1his position is critical for the evaluation of Svidler's idea. Now we have: a) 1 8.hxg7?? is not the solution: I S . . . tt:lx£3 1 9.�b6 �xb6 20.�xb6 �xe4 and Black wins. b) Also 1 8.tt:lgl , as suggested by both Adams and Svidler, is not very good: 1 8 . . .M8 1 9.hxg7 �g7 20.�d2 Adams stops his analysis with a ";!;" evaluation. However, after 20. . . d5! the advantage is perhaps not so tiny, and tends to go the other way round: 2 I .�h2 dxe4

Best looks 1 7.�xg5 �xg5 1 8.h6 with a strong attack, De Ia Villa - Bauer, Lausanne 2001 . I 6 .. J':!fd8 is Svidler's personal preference over the text, defining 1 6 . . . tt:le5 as a 'serious mistake'.

17.£4? Returning the favour, rhus j ustifYing Black's last move. Correct was 1 7.h6 after which 1 7 . . .�c5 is ruled our by the simple 1 8 . f4 �xd4

22.�d4 1he attempt to go recklessly after Black's monarch with 22.�xh7t 1!1f8 23.tt:lh3 tt:lx£3 24.tt:lf4 falls short (again, by one tempo) 24 . . .�xc2! 25. 1!1xc2 �a4t mating. 22.f4 is also bad, due to 22 . . . tt:lg4! 23.�xh7t \!;JfB 24.�d4 �xd4 25 .�xd4 �d5! and White has no suitable defence as 26.b3 loses to the crushing 26 . . . �xc2!. 22 . . . ex£3 Threatening f3-f2. 23.�xh7t 1!1f8 White falls exactly one tempo short in all the lines: 24.�h4 24.tt:lh3 �d8 (24 .. .f2 25.tt:lf4! �xhl 26.tt:lh5 b3 27.�xg7t l!1e7 28.axb3 �el 29.�c5t! �xc5 30.�f6t Drawing the game in style.) 25.tt:lf4 �xd4 26.�xd4 �d8! 27.�xd8t �xd8 28.tt:ld3 (28.�d3 loses on the spot to 28 . . .�d4) 28 . . .�xg5 and Black is in charge! 24 . . . �d8!

ADAMS - SYIDLER But not 24 .. .'Sc7? 25.tDh3 'Sd8 26.tDf4 and Black has no defence against the trivial threat 27.tDh5. 25.tDh3 'Sxd4! Destroying White's most important piece! 26.'Shxd4 tDc6 Black's control over the long diagonal proves much more valuable than White's minimal material advantage. 27.'Sd7 Or: 27.'Sf4 �e5 28.'Sf6 .ixf6 29.gxf6 �xf6 with a technically winning position for Black. 27.'Sc4 �e5 28.c3 bxc3 29.'Sxc3 tDb4 with an initiative that just cannot be stopped. As an illustration, we could offer you the following line: 30.tDf2 (preventing ....ie4) 30....id5 3 l .a3 .ia2t 32.\t>al �xc3! 33.bxc3 .ixc3 mate. Adolf Anderssen would have been proud of his successor. (Fritz of course, who did you think?) 27...�e5 28.c3 bxc3! 29.'Sxb7 'Sb8! Despite being a whole rook up, White is helpless. In fact, this position deserves a diagram:

269

c) However, White does have a way to obtain an advantage, and a rather significant one at that, with 1 8. tDg3! pretty much forcing Black into a difficult endgame after 1 8 ... gxh6 1 9.gxh6 �c5 20.f4 �xd4 2 l .'Sxd4 tDc6 22.'Sd2 \t>h8 23.tDh5 with a big positional advantage for White. I B ...MB is no longer playable: 1 9.hxg7 .ixg7 20.tDh5 .ihB 2 l .tDf6t .ixf6 22.gxf6 tDxf3 23.�xd6 �e5 24.�xe5 tDxe5 25 ..id3 and to say Black's position is unpleasant would be an understatement.

17 .. tDg4?! .

Black had a beautiful idea in 1 7...'Sfc8 but after 1 8.tDg3 (but not 1 8.fxe5 dxe5 1 9 .�b6 �xb6 20..ixb6 .ixe4 and White is collapsing) 1 8 ...tDg4 1 9 ..ih3 tDxe3 20.h6 MB 2 1 .hxg7 .ixg7 22.�xe3 it leads to an advantage for White. Better was 1 7... tDf3!. After 1 8.�d3 d5 1 9 ..ig2 dxe4! (weaker is 1 9 ...'Sfd8 20.e5! d4 2 l ..ixd4 tDxe5 22.�g3 with a strong attack) 20.�d7 Black has an amazing resource pointed out by Svidler: 20. . . �b5! and it is Black playing for the advantage! For example: a) 2 l .�xb5 axb5 22.'Sd7 .id5 23.tDcl (23.'Sxe7 loses after 23 ....ixa2t 24.\t>cl .ic4 and Black emerges with two extra pawns) 23 ... 'Sfe8 White has insufficient compensation for the pawn. He has no compensation at all, in fact. b) 2 l .�xe7 �xe2 22.�xb7 �xe3 23 ..ix£3 ex£3 with a clear advantage for Black. According to Svidler, he saw these lines in a blink of an eye (up to 20 ...�b5!), but unluckily for him, did not trust his feelings at the time, and went for the "safer" continuation.

18 ..ih3 30.'Sxb8t 30..ixa6 changes nothing, as after 30 ... 'Sxb7 3 l ..ixb7 �b5 the ideas are similar to the main line. 30 ...�xb8 3 l .b3 After 3 l .�c2 tDb4 Black wins back all the material (and more) and ends up with a totally winning position. Now Black wins with the "positional" 3 l ...�e5 32.'Scl tDb4 33.'Sc2 �el t 34.'Scl f2! What a picturesque position! White can resign.

White has no time to save the bishop: 1 8 . .igl e5 1 9 .�d3 exf4 getting the fundamental Sicilian square for a knight. Also after 1 8.'Sgl tDxe3 ( 1 8 ... e5 1 9.�b6!) 1 9 .h6 e5 20.�xe3 g6 Black is alright.

18 ...�xe3 19.�xe3 �c5 Svidler is interested in playing the endgame, where White's weaknesses in the centre would be felt.

20.�d3

Adams agrees with him: 20.�xc5 dxc5 2 l .tDg3 'Sfd8 is good for Black.

ROUND S

270

20 'ftb5 2l.'fle3 'ftc5 22.'flf3 •..

exposed, which might prove to be an important tempo for White.

26.fxe6?! White should have tried to hold the centre with 26.f1d4 d5 27.exd5 .ixd5 28.�d3 l!l h8 29.fxe6 fxe6 with infi nite possibilities for both sides, but rhe position seems to be balanced. For instance: 30..ixe6! leads to the interesting continuation 30....ixe6 3 l .f1e4 �f6 32.�e3 and it turns out that Black cannot hang on ro rhe piece, but he escapes with 32 . . .�fl t! 33.t!)cl (33.E1xfl E1xfl t 34.t!)cl .ig5 35.�d4t l!l h7 White has no checks, and is therefore lost) 33 ....ig5 34.E1xg5 .ixa2t 35.1!1xa2 hxg5 36.�xg5 �f5 with a draw.

26 .ixe4 27.'flb3 •••

Adams decides to play on for a win, only to be faced with:

22 h6!!? •..

Perhaps objectively chis move does nor deserve two exclamation marks (Adams even called it dubious in Chess Informant), but as Svidler himself put it: "When you see such an idea, rhere is no way to stop." lhe idea of the move is that one file in from of his king may be opened, instead of two as seemed likely. Borh players seemed to chink that the conventional 22 ... f1ac8 was stronger: 23.t!)d4 E1c7 24.f1h2 e5 25.t!)f5 exf4 26.�xf4 �e5 with a balanced position. But even if it is proved chat it is objectively better than the text move, 22 ... f1ac8 would hardly be called 'rhe move of the tournament . I

23.gx:h6 gxh6 24.£5

White must react fast, because if Black manages to play ... l!lh8 and .. .f5 he will take over. lhe downside is that this gives Black full control over the a l-h8 diagonal. 24.t!)d4 l!lh8 25.E1hgl E1g8 and the black king feels more comfortable than White's centre.

24 'fte5 25.E1hgl t l!lh7 ..•

lhe typical dilemma: 'where to place one's king'. lhe alternative was 25 ...l!lh8. Each king move has its drawbacks, and it is impossible ro say in this position which is more important. On h7 rhe king is more vulnerable ro checks, whereas with the king on h8 the h-pawn is more

27... a5!? Another brilliant idea by a brilliant player! Unfortunately, there was a better way to continue, and the exclamation mark is purely for originality and boldness. We believe that after 27 ... f1ac8 28.t!)d4 (worse is 28.f1d2 because of 28 .. .f5 and now 29.�xb4?? loses on the spot to 29 . . . f1xc2 30.f1xc2 .ixc2t 3 l .l!lxc2 �xe2t while 29.t!)d4 d5 is also clearly better for Black) 28 ... d5 29.f1gel (29.exf7 f1c4! spells trouble for White: 30.t!)f.3 �xh5) 29 .. .f5 and Black simply must be better with such a bishop on e4!

28 .ig2?! •

After this it is again White who has to make a draw.

ADAMS - SYIDLER

271

28.exf7 is strongly met with 28 ... a4 29.�xb4 !:!ab8 30.�c3 .if6 3 1 .�xe5 .ixe5 32.t£)d4 !:!xf7, where the activity of Black's pieces easily outweighs the pawn deficit. Svidler's core idea was based on 28.t£)g3, which is also White's best move, and now the fireworks begin: 28 ... a4! 29.�xb4 d5! Material is nothing, rime is everything! 30.�xe7 !:!ab8 Bur not 30... a3? which loses immediately to 3 1 .�b4 !:!fb8 32.�d4. 3 1 .�a3 3 1 .'i!icl �xb2t 32.'i!id2 .ixc2! is hopeless for White. 3 l ...!:!xb2t! 32.�xb2 !:!b8 33.�xb8 �xbBt 34.'i!icl �f4t Looks like a draw, bur it is j usr a beginning: 35.!:!d2 �f6 36.'i!id l �al t 37.'i!ie2 �xgl 38.e7 The pawn in unsroppable, bur Black has a perpetual at his disposal: 38 ...�xg3 39.e8� �f3t 40.'i!iel �e3t 4 1 .!:!e2 �c3t 42.'i!idl �al t 43.'i!id2 �d4t

A great defensive resource by Adams, which was unjusdy criticized by some commentators. Apart from being the best move from an objective point of view, and one that gives White sufficient counterplay, it is also a very strong practical decision. Svidler, having an exposed king. must have expected his opponent to play for an arrack and not to exchange queens. The supposedly 'more tenacious' 3 1 .�d4 is in fact much weaker: 3 1 .. ..ig5 32.t£)g3 (the pawn is poisoned: 32.�xd6 !:!adS 33.�c7t !:!f7) 32 ...�f3 33.�e4t !:!f5! 34.�xf3 !:!xf3 35.t£)e4 .ie3, and Black has a more active version of the endgame in the game.

28... .ixg2 29Jhg2 fxe6

33.gxg8

Black is a clear pawn up, bur that doesn't mean he is winning.

After this it should end in a draw virtually by force.

30.'1Wd3t Wf£5

33 ... gxg8 34.�xe6 gg2 35.gfl c.t/g8 36.a4?

3 l. ..Wfxd3 32.cxd3 gg8

This move was also criticized, and as before this was unjust. Trying to hang on to the extra pawn with 32 . . .e5 would make too many positional concessions: 33.t£)e6 !:!f7 (weaker is 33 ... !:!g8 because of 34.!:!f2!) 34.!:!dgl .if6 (34 . . .M8 35.!:!g6 d5 36.t£)xf8t l:!axf8) 35.!:!g6 .ih8 36.!:!cl! and White has sufficient compensation for the pawn.

Bur this should have thrown away half a point! After 36.b3 !:!h2 37.W5 the draw is inevitable.

36...b3?

Time trouble, they say, has rules of its own: 36 ... !:!h2! would probably have brought Svidler half a point closer to the leader: 37.!:!f5 b3 38.'i!icl d5!, threatening 38 . . . !:!e2 39.t£)d4 !:!el t 40.'i!id2 .ib4 mate! 1herefore White must play 39.!:!fl . But with such a passive rook, (which is forced because of the vulnerable position of the king), Black's advantage is close to decisive.

37.�d4

This leads to a drawn rook endgame.

37 ... .if6 38.�xb3 gxb2t 39.cbcl gxb3 40.gxf6 gxd3 3 l.�d4!

•!z-1/z

ROUND 8

272 @

'it>

* •

GAME 32 Viswanathan Anand Judit Polgar Sicilian Paulsen 848

l.e4 c5 2 �£3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.�d4 �c6 5.�c3 W/c7 6..ie3 a6 7.W/d2 �f6 8.0-0-0 .ib4 9.£3 �e7 10.�de2 b5 l l..if4!? .

1his is only the second time this move has been played according to our database: the I O ... b5 line is young and undeveloped. In the fourth round (Game 1 3) Leko played I I .g4 h6 1 2.l'!g l ! , winning a fine game. Anand has other plans.

l l ... e5 Practically forced, as after I I ...'Mia5 1 2. bi 0-0 1 3.a3 i.c5 1 4.e5!, Black does not have 1 4 ... ll:Jd5, and without it her position is difficult.

12..ig5 .ib7?!

1 2 .. .'Mic6 looks better, not compromising the kingside pawn structure. 1 3.bi 0-0 with a normal game, although the queen on c6 is rather misplaced.

13.�bl

1 3.i.x1U wouldstill have been too early: 1 3 ... gxf6 1 4.1Mfh6 ltlg6 as now the bishop can come back to f8, covering the kingside. Instead, White plays a typical prophylactic move, and makes a little threat of 1 3.ltlxb5!.

13....ia5?!

After this Black ends up in a very difficult position. Bad is 1 3 ...i.xc3 1 4.ltlxc3 and the future without the dark-squared bishop is very grim for Black. 1 3 ... d5 is refuted by 14.ltlxb5! 'Mic5 1 5.ltlc7t 'Mixc7 I 6.'Mixb4 l'!c8 17.c3 a5 1 8.'Mia4t i.c6 1 9.'Mfc2 dxe4 20.i.xf6 gxiU 2 I .fxe4 without any compensation for the pawn. 1he right move was 1 3 ... i.c5! as here the plan White went for in the game no longer works: I 4.i.xiU gxf6 1 5.'Mih6 'Mib6 I 6.g3 (after I 6.f4 0-0-0 followed by ... d5 the initiative can go Black's way) I 6 .. .f5! In the game Black did not have this option, because of l'!d6.

I4.ixf6! A logical and strong novelty. Hardly Anand's most difficult discovery. A previous game continued rather curiously: I 4.'Mid6 ltlfd5 I 5.1Mfxc7 ltlxc7 I 6.ltlg3 IU and a draw was agreed, Akopian - Nisipeanu, Gothenburg 2005.

14 gx:f6 1 5.W/h6 •..

1he bishop is missed on the kingside.

1 5...W/b6

If I 5 ... ltlg6 then I 6.g3, as suggested by Anand in Chess Informant, looks to be the best: I 6...i.b4 1 7.i.h3 0-0-0 1 8.'Mig7 with a decisive advantage. I 6.h4 is interesting as well: 1 6...i.xc3 1 7.ltlxc3 e7 1 8.g3! ltlf8 1 9.i.h3 and White is strategically winning.

ANAND - POLGAR

16.g3!

273

for Black. White has a rook, knight and three pawns for the queen, but he will lose at least rwo of the pawns, and with the vulnerable position of the king his position is inferior.

18 f6 •••

1 8...b4 1 9.exf5 lt:lxf5 20.i.xf5 W/xf5 2 i .lt:ld5 i.xd5 22.:1!xd5 ic7 23.lt:ld4 with a vicious attack.

The bishop joins the attack, and Black's position is becoming critical.

16 Wfe6 •••

lhe complications arising after 1 6... b4 are interesting mainly for White: 17.lt:la4 W/c6 1 8.i.h3! f5 1 8 ...0-0-0 is nicely refuted by 1 9.Wfg7! W/xa4 20.i.xd7t! 1'hd7 2 1 .W/xh8t i.d8 22.W/xf6. White's rook, which has good prospects along the d-file, is more useful that Black's bishops, which are limited by pawns. 1 9.W/g7! l'!g8 20.W/xe5 W/xa4 2 i .lt:ld4! lhe king is in the centre, the queen is offside - a good recipe for an opening disaster: 2I ... d6 22.W/xd6 l'!g6 22 ... :1!d8 23.W/e5 is even more painful for Black. 23.W/e5 f6 24.W/e6 i.c8 After 24 ... W/d7 25.W/xd7t �xd7 26.lt:lxf5t White wins back a piece, keeping the three extra pawns and the initiative. 25.W/c4 fxe4 26.lt:lf5 lhe position is totally hopeless for Black.

17 .ih3 f5 IBJWh4! In Chess Informant Anand provides the •

following interesting line: 18.W/g7 l'!g8 1 9.W/xh7 WIRJ 20.i.xf5 0-0-0 (20... :1!h8 is refuted by 2 1 .1'!d6!) 2 1 .1'!xd7 l'!xd7 22.1'!dl l'!h8 23.1'!xd7 l'!xh7 24.:1!xe7t �b8 25.1'!e8t �a7 26.i.xh7 i.xc3 27.lt:lxc3 b4 Well, it is much more interesting

19.exf5?!

lhe move does not change the assessment of the position (it is still winning for White) but it is unclear why Anand chose to keep his light-squared bishop. 1 9.i.xf5 lt:lxf5 20.W/h5t W/f7 (20 ...�e7 2 I .exf5 W/c4 22.W/h6! and Black is doomed) 2 1 .W/xf7t (2 l .Wfxf5) 21 ...�xf7 22.:1!xd7t �e6 23.1'!xb7 White has two healthy extra pawns in the endgame, and Black's resignation could be expected any moment.

19 Wff7 20.�e4 •••

Despite the inaccuracy White is a pawn and a position up. lhe opening phase can hardly be defined as a success for the Hungarian star.

20 ..ixe4 2I.fxe4 ••

In the next phase of the game both sides are improving their pieces: Anand brings his forces into the game, while Polgar is trying to create some counterplay.

2l. �c6 22.1'!d6! ••

Black will have no trouble driving the rook away from d6, but it forces her to castle short, right into White's advancing pawns.

274

ROUND S

22 ...0-0 23J�� hdl ga7 24..ifl gc7 25.�cl .ib4 26.g6d5 gfc8 27.�b3 .if8 Forcing White to weaken his kingside with c3, as ... tt:Jb4 is a serious threat.

28.c3 'itih8 29.g4 'Wg7 30.'Wg3

lhe queen is brought closer to the queenside, while freeing the way for the h-pawn to support the kingside attack.

30 ga8? ..•

Polgar protects the a-pawn, preparing ... b4. However, another pawn sacrifice was worth considering, as Black does not have the luxury of spending time on creating her counterplay. Black's position is lost and cannot be saved without help from her opponent. Thus the defender should try and create the most unbalanced position possible, hoping to provoke an error. For this purpose 30 ... b4!? could be interesting:

a) After 3 l .ixa6 EiaS 32.ib5 bxc3 33.bxc3 �e7 the evaluation of the position has not changed. White is still winning, but his task has become harder. b) White can also try to prevent Black from opening the queenside with 3 l .c4, but then Black still has a good try to muddy the waters with 3 l ...a5. A more conventional continuation is also available in: 3 l ...EiaS But Black's position demands measures beyond the conventional. 32.tt:lxa5 Eia7 Worse is 32 . . . tt:Jxa5 33.Eixa5 ic5 34.h4 with a hopeless opposite-coloured bishops position. Black's settlement on d4 can always be dismantled by an exchange sacrifice.

33.tt:lb3 33.tt:lxc6? dxc6 34.Ei5d2 (34.EidS EixdS 35.EixdS Eid7 36.Eixd7 �xd7 37.id3 ih6 and Black has decent chances to survive, despite the rwo pawns deficit) 34 ... EicaS 35.b3 ic5 36.EidSt irS 37.EixaS EixaS 3S.h4 ic5 39.g5 �a7 and it seems that Black has managed to create some kind of first line of defence. 33 ... EicaS 34.h4 tt:ld4! 35.tt:lxd4 exd4 36.Ei5xd4 d6! 37.g5 Eixa2 Black has managed to get some counterplay along the a-file, while the material deficit is normally felt less with opposite-coloured bishops. While looking through the above lines it is important to keep in mind our earlier point: Black is not seeking objective equality, but for positions that are as unbalanced as possible, where the potential for errors increases.

3l.a3 From this point on it seems that Anand switched onto automatic pilot and wanted to win with every possible luxury, not giving Black even a single chance. Unfortunately for him, as often happens (especially against such imaginative opposition), this strategy ends up giving every possible chance. 3 1 .h4 was a good alternative. After 3 l ...b4 then 32.g5 bxc3 33.bxc3 a5 34.ib5! seals the deal: 34 ... a4 35.tt:ld2 EibS (or 35 ...Eib7 36.�al tt:le7 37.ic4! Eic7 3S.Eid3 EiacS 39.ib5 and once again, Black has nothing to play for) 36.�al with a simple win.

ANAND - POLGAR

31..J!ac8 32.tt:lcl?! l h e knight is not ideally placed on b3, but it does a very important job of restricting Black's play on the queenside. In his annotations for Chess Informant Anand suggests another route for his knight: 32.ctJal tt:la5 33.ctJc2 Compared to the game, the knight on c2 is much more mobile, keeping an eye on all the viral squares: a3, b4, d4 and is only two moves away from supporting the attack on the kingside (ctJe3-g4). In that case White would be winning easily. lhere was also nothing wrong either with 32.h4 and only on 32 . . . 1!!ff7 retreat the knight with 33.tt:la I .

275

36.h4 b4 37.axb4 axb4 38.tt:lxb4, and Black still has nothing.

34... tt:lc5! 35.id3 tt:la4 36..ic2 Anand suggests 36.ie2 as a very serious improvement over the text, covering c4. He provides the following line: 36 . . . tt:lb6 37.�5d2 d5 38 .exd5 ii.d6. In contrast to the game, he has 39.g5 and is first to break through.

36... tt:lb6

32 ... tt:la5! 33.tt:la2? Again, trying to minimize Black's options. As Anand himself writes, 33.h4 ixa3 34.bxa3 �xc3 35.�5d3 would have guaranteed the win.

33...tt:lb3! Black's seemingly pointless knight moves are in fact very strong. The knight is heading towards the best spot in such a pawn formation, the a4-square.

34.h4?! N{Jw it was perhaps a good moment to spend a move on prophylaxis: 34.id3 tt:lc5 35 .ic2 (depriving the knight of the a4-square) 35 . . . a5

lhe "wonder knight" has made five consecutive jumps and single-handedly beaten White's entire

276

ROUND S 40.�g4) 40.�xd6 exd3 4 I .ixd3 �c4 (4 l . ..�d7 42.�b4 fxg5 43.�xa6 gb7 44.hxg5 �xg5 45.�e6! gds 46.d6 etc) 42.�e6 gds 43.gxf6 �g8 44.ixc4 bxc4 45 .d6 gcd7 46.�b4 Black's position is as hopeless as can be.

39...a5 40.W/f2 40.g5 a4 4 I .ic2 �c4 42.�g4 and White is in control.

40 ...l!:k4 4I.Wie2 4 I .g5! e4 42.gh3 fxg5 43.hxg5 �xg5 44.ixc4 gxc4 45.gdh l g8c7 46.�b6 winning.

4I. ..l:!g8!

army. OK, perhaps "beaten" is too strong a word, as the evaluation of the position has gone from "easily winning" to "simply winning" or something similar, but that is the real point! In winning positions such as White has had for the past I 5 moves, there is a well known psychological effect: with every move that the advantage fails to increase, the winning player who becomes more and more nervous, whereas the defender, who by this point has already accepted his/her defeat, is playing calmly. A casual spectator could easily be mislead about which player has the winning position.

37J�Sd3 d5! Another blow to fi nish the (psychological) job. Apart from psychology, this move has a very firm positional justification. 1he pawn on d7 was doing nothing except demanding protection from other pieces, whereas after its disappearance the d-file is closed, which gives Black's bishop a great square on d6 and makes White's rooks very unhappy. Not only has White failed to bring the victory closer, but he now has to deal with real threats, like ... e4.

38.exd5 .id6 39..ib3 It is not easy to adjust, even for a brilliant player. 1he straightforward attack 39.g5 was still the best way to go, as after 39 ... e4 (39 ... �c4

After this the initiative, amazingly, changes hands. As much as Anand's play during the previous ten moves deserves criticism, his play in the remainder of the game deserves praise, and more! He manages to pull himself together and win the game for a second time.

42.:Bgl W/h6 43.:Bddl A sad necessity. After 43.ixc4 gxc4 44.gh3 �f4 Black is in control.

43...a4 43 . . .�xh4 44.a4

44.Lc4 :Bxc4 45.g5! Finally!

4S ...fxg5 45 ... �xh4 46.g6 �e4t 47.�xe4 gxe4 48.ghl gg7 49.gdgl is lost for Black.

46.hxg5 :BxgS 47.Wfe3 1he point behind his 45th move: the queen is going behind enemy lines, armed with a knife and fork.

ANAND - POLGAR

47..JU4 48.�b6 E1gx5?! White is ready to destroy Black's entire queenside, so Black needed to act precisely. Anand provided a beautiful line: 48 ... f1fxf5 and now: a) 49.f1xg5 f1xg5 50.�xb5 �g6t 5 1 .00al f1gl 52.�xa4 f1xdl t 53.�xdl h5 It is not clear who has the upper hand here, since it seems that one amazing pawn runs much faster than four. b) 49.�d8t is also hardly convincing: 49 ...�f8 50.�xf8t 1xf8 5 1 .f1xg5 f1xg5 52.d6 1xd6! 53.f1xd6 h5 and White has to search for study-like ways for a win. c) The only way to get a decent shot at winning the game seems to be 49.�b4! �g6. Anand suggests: c l ) 50. �c2. Finally correcting the mistakes on moves 32 and 33: 50 ...1e7 5 l .�xg6 f1xg6 52.f1xg6 hxg6 53.d6 idS 54.�b4 e4 55.�c6 e3 56.00c2 f1f2t 57.00d3 e2 58.f1el f1f6 59.00d4 f1xd6t 60.00c5 f1d2 61 .�xd8 f1xd8 62.f1xe2 f1b8 63.f1e4! 00g7 64.f1b4 (threatening c4) 64 ... f1a8 65.00xb5 g5 66.c4 g4 67.c5 f1b8t 68.00xa4 f1xb4t 69.axb4 g3 70.c6 g2 7 1 .c7 gl� 72.c8� With a winning position. If that is the best one can get ... c2) To us 50.00a2 looks like a better try, as exchanging into the 'always-drawn' rook ending is losing for Black: 50 ... 1xb4 5 1 .�xg6 f1xg6 52.f1xg6 hxg6 53.axb4 And here: x) 53 ...e4 54.d6 f1fB 55.b3 axb3t 56.00xb3 e3 57.c4 and White wins. y) 53 ...00g7 54.d6 f1fB 55.c4! bxc4 56.b5 e4 57.d7 f1d8 58.b6 e3 59.b7 00f7 60.f1d4! White is threatening f1e4, with an easy win, and 60 ...00e7 loses to 6 I .f1xc4 e2 62.f1e4t 00xd7 63.f1d4t 00c7 64.f1xd8. z) After 53 ...f1f7 54.d6 f1d7 White has time for 55.b3! axb3t 56.00xb3 00g7 57.c4 bxc4t 58.00xc4

277

00f7 59.00d5 supporting the pawn just in time, with a simple win.

49.�xb5 E1f8 50.c!Llb4 e4 5 I .E1del E1h4 5 1 ... e3 52.�xa4 �f() would have posed more problems.

52.®al

Good prophylaxis. White needs no more surprises.

52 ... e3 53.�xa4 E1e4 54.�a6!

Protecting the e2-square, pinning the bishop, and unpinning the knight. Such a move, utilizing the whole spectrum of the queen's capabilities, simply cannot be bad.

54 ...E1fe8 55.E1e2 1he pawn is stopped on the correct (dark) square, and there is no more hope for Black.

55 ...�f8 56.�d3 �f6 57.c!Llc2 1he knight finally finds it place, and the game will soon be over.

57.. ..ic5 58.E1gel �e5 59.b4 i.b6 60.®b2 h5 6 l.d6 �f5 62.f1xe3

After 62 . . .1xe3 63.f1xe3 there is no stopping the d-pawn.

l-0

ROUND 9

Resul t s :

Mund1a1 da A, drez

Svi dl er

Y2

Y2

K asimdzhanov

Polg ar

Y2

Y2

Adams

Y2

Topal ov

0

Leko

Anand

...,

M orozevi ch

Y2

:

1

Standings: 1 Topal ov

?Y2

2 Svi dl er

5 Y2

3-4 Anand

5

3-4 M or ozevi ch

5

5 Leko 6 K asi mdzhanov 7 Adams 8

Pol gar

Mundial de

Ajadrez

4 3 Y2 3 2 Y2

1his round provided an answer to whether the Bulgarian could be beaten by conventional means. 1hat answer was no. If even Anand with White could not inflict a fi rst defeat on the leader, then who can? Fortunately for chess, the sporting aspect did not occupy the spectators' minds for long. Chess is after all not j ust sport but also an art. And the art of Svidler - Kasimdzhanov was the subject of long debates. Even detailed analysis failed to resolve all the questions. 1his game was i mmediately awarded the "best game of the round" prize (according to most journalists), then of the tournament, and then became the game of the month (according to the Russian websites). The opening of Svidler - Kasimdzhanov showed both players' intentions to go for an open fight, with no doubts and deliberations. 1he spectators were those to benefit most from this amazing duel. Kasimdzhanov obviously had thoroughly studied this line well in advance, but Svidler has colossal experience. The position reached was most suitable for each of their playing styles: White was playing for domination in the centre and to exploit Black's strategic drawbacks, whereas Black had plenty of tactical possibilities. Both players obviously had Dolmatov's well-known plan in mind; Dolmatov won a classic game in this line. After the opening a fierce struggle arose around White's attempts to clamp Black, and each move consumed a lot of time. 1his struggle peaked when the Uzbek put a bishop en prise, but it could neither be taken nor displaced. This was the first critical moment of the game. White should have just ignored this thorn in his side, but Svidler decided to punish his opponent for his cheeky manoeuvre and committed a crucial mistake. For the next few moves Black did not just have an advantage, but a

280 series of possible wins. However down to his lasr minures rhe FIDE champion did nor find rhe righr way, and commined a crucial misrake of his own, after which ir looked as if the game would end in a Russian victory. Bur Kasimdzhanov found a plan rhar was so beauriful rhar after rhe game Svidler, who needed a win like air, was anything bur disappointed - all grear players appreciare arr. Meanwhile, anorher creative player was up to his old tricks. Opting for a rather unpretentious line in the Sveshnikov, Morozevich allowed Leko to improve his position wirh every move played. 1he Hungarian grandmaster knows rhese posirions well and his iniriarive unfolded smoorhly. Anyone bur Morozevich would have gone entirely on rhe defensive, bur he did nor even consider such an option, clearly provoking his opponent's aggression. Leko, similarly to many of rhe Russian's previous opponents, was playing according ro the posirion. Unforrunately for him, rhe similarity did nor end rhere - like many orhers before him, he found himself in rime rrouble, and consequentially losr. But on rhe way he missed a virtually forced win, and then a clear draw, and just a move before rhe rime control commined his decisive error. Chess can be very cruel, and rhis game pur an end to Perer Leko's hopes for a successful rournament. A shorr draw occurred in Polgar - Adams. Shorr, because a grear majoriry of rhe game's 37 moves were following theory, and rhe resr, alrhough demanding some effort, were no challenge for players of rhis class. Whire's decision to go for rhe classical line in the Marshall Arrack, where it is a long rime since Whire has been able ro achieve any advantage, was merely an anempr ro play wirhour risk. And this is exacdy whar happened - in a posirion which was rhoughr to be sarisfacrory for Black anyway, Adams, who was concerned abour Polgar's preparation, chose a more accurare way. Even here she could have rried to play on, bur decided ro err on rhe safe side. Well, ir is time ro mendon "The Leader vs. 1he Favourire" barrie. 1he opening was nor hard ro predicr Topalov cerrainly did nor want ro rake unnecessary risks, and playing a Sicilian against Anand is usually very unprofi rable. 1herefore - The Berlin, in which Topalov has already ourplayed many, including his great opponent. The Indian chose a rare continuarion, and rhen a sideline in ir as well. Imagine his amazement when Topalov blitzed our a novelry, and continued to play while barely spending any rime on his clock! Wirh hindsighr, Anand should have avoided forced lines ar any cost, and steered rhe game into a slow manoeuvring srruggle, bur he did not and landed srraighr in his opponent's prepararion. One can only marvel rhar Topalov has deeply srudied even this line, which is nor mainstream to pur ir mildly. Afrer rhe game rhere was a lor of criricism addressed rowards Anand for nor playing on. A shorr variation, however, which was definirely within Anand's capabiliries ro calculare over rhe board, shows rhar had he continued only Whire would run the risk of losing. Moreover, he was rarher forrunate ro have a draw by reperirion, as in many such cases ir could have been worse. So even rhough there is still a chance of an unexpecred finale to rhe rournament, this game proved that even if rhe unbelievable happens, ir would clearly be an illogical and even unfair rurn of events -Topalov has earned his vicrory. Bur pracrical chances srill exist - rhe leader only needs to lose one game for his posirion to be shaken. Among the orhers, ofspecial nore is Morozevich's rhird consecurive win - not so long ago he could nor score his firsr. We can only wish Adams follows his example. -

SYIDLER - KASIMDZHANOV @

'it> * 1ft

GAME 33 Peter Svidler Rustam Kasimdzhanov Sicilian, English Attack 890

l.e4 c5

h is a brave decision ro play (he Sicilian agains( Svidler, one of (he bigges( experts in Sicilian countera((acks wi(h bO(h colours.

2.b1 a4 16.tbbcl lbb6 17.lbg3 d5 1 8.i.xb6 �xb6 1 9.exd5 1'!d8 20.i.c4 tbc7 and Black is fine. In the following game White opted for a queen sacrifice, which however did not give him anything special: 2 1 .dxe6 1'!xd2 22.exf7t c;!;>h8 23.:1hd2 �c6 24.b3 lbb5 25.i.xb5 �xb5 26.bxa4 �xa4 27.1'!hd 1 1'!xf7 28.1'!d7 c;!;>g8 29.tbe4 Leko - Karjakin, Wijk aan Zee 2006. Much more interesting, and presumably most promising, is 14.c;!;>b1 (although it can transpose into lines after 14.f4): 14 ... a5 1 5.f4 a4 16.tbbcl exf4 (on 16 ... b3 White has 17.f5! and White achieves much more than usual, Bruzon - Vera, Capablanca Memorial 2003) lhere are two possibilities now, and in both Black seems to be OK. a) 17 .i.xf4 tbc5 18 .i.g2 b3 1 9 .cxb3 axb3 20.a3 d5 with a complicated game in which after 2 l .tbd4 tbd6 22.exd5 i.g4 23.1'!de 1 �d7 24.�b4 Black managed to get to the enemy's king first: 24 ...i.f5t 25. c;!;>a1 1'!fb8! and soon it was over, Svidler - Vallejo, Monte Carlo 2004. b) 1 7.tbxf4 i.xg5 1 8.tbxe6 i.xe3 1 9.tDxd8 i.xd2 20.1'!xd2 1'!xd8 21 .1'!d4 tbef6 Although Black is supposed to be fine, the game is still very unclear, Almasi - Vallejo, Tripoli 2004. lhe sharpest and most intriguing is 1 4.f4 a5 1 5.f5 a4.

Here very interesting is 16.fxe6, and after 16 ... axb3 17.exf7t 1'!xf7 1 8.c;!;>b1 (quite an impressive move) 1 8 ... bxc2t 1 9.c;!;>xc2 lbb6 20.tbcl d5 2 l .exd5 tbd6 22.c;!;> b1 White eventually overpowered his opponent, though later analysis showed that Black was OK, Topalov - Vallejo, Linares 2005.

283

Another fascinating line is 1 6.tbbd4, and afi:er 1 6 ... exd4 1 7.tbxd4 b3 1 8.c;!;>b1 bxc2t 1 9.tbxc2 i.b3 20.axb3 axb3 2 l .tba3 a critical position arises. Black has tried 2 l .. .tbe5 and 2 l . . .d5, and probably will try other ideas. The evaluations here are changing too fast for any book, so we will just state our humble opinion that Black will not abandon this line.

14...a5 1 5.c.tlbl a4 16.a l . After winning a pawn Black's position has become really suspect: all his pieces are hanging and badly placed, especially compared to White's united forces.

22.�d4 .ia5 Continuing rhe manoeuvre which starred a move earlier, while rhe alternatives are clearly inferior. 1he plan wirh 22 . . . lDc5 makes less sense now, as rhe e4-pawn is well protected. Also 22 ...ib6?!, after 23.lDxe6 fxe6 24.1xd6 !'1f2 (24 ... lDxd6 25.�xd6 with a clear advantage) 25.�b4, brings Black only trouble.

23.�e2 �c5

No more rhan a rough defence is awaiting Black after: 23 ... lDe5 24.lDxe6 fxe6 25.1xe5 dxe5 26.�b5! �e7 26 ... �xb5 27.1xb5 and rhe wolf will soon go to c4 for a feast. 27.ic4 lDd6

SYIDLER - KAS IMDZHANOY

287

Now either 28.�c5 with White in control or: 28.li:Jf5 li:Jxf5 28 .. .:Bxf5 29.:Bxd6 �xd6 30.exf5 and the opposite-coloured bishops prove to be very helpful for White's pressure. 29.exf5 :Bxf5 30.�c6 :Bff8 30 . . . :Be8? 3 l .:Bd6 and Black loses material. 3 l .�xe6t �xe6 32.�xe6t \tlh8 33.�xb3 makes Black suffer, even though he has chances of getting out of it alive.

24..ig2 Black's threats seem to be fading, and he is going to pay for all the risks he took. But Kasimdzhanov's fantastic reply keeps the game double-edged. According to Svidler, probably better was 24 .:Bc l "for the sake of conserving the nerve cells". But apart from nerve cell conservation this would not have changed much, as White cannot get more here than in the main line after 24 . . .�b6. Since he cannot reach the long diagonal via c3, the bishop tries another path, 25 .�g2 :Ba4 26.:Bhd 1 , and after 26 . . . li:Jd3! 27.:Bxd3 �xd4 28.li:Jf5 �c5 White is slightly better, but as we have already seen, this means little in such positions. For instance, after 29.li:Jxd6 (29.�xd6 li:Jxd6 30.li:Jxd6 �a?!) 29 . . .�b6 Black gains good counterplay.

24 ic3! ...

objectively, giving Black serious counter-chances. When we said that Black's plan is to sacrifice on a3 or b2 it was just general advice, with no direct continuation attached. Now White has to bear in mind all kinds of possible sacrifices around his king, even including queen sacs!

25.e5?

1his incredible resource forced many, including Svidler, to look differently at the position. Apart from its visual effect, the move is also very strong

1his move is another puzzle, and a really fascinating one. It seems to be a bad mistake, but why did it happen, and what should have been played? Svidler's b iggest error seems to have been the urge to immediately punish his opponent. 1he core of the problem is that White was searching for a winning solution, and there is no such thing here. Black's last move is not a psychological trick, but a very strong continuation of a legitimate plan. His last move, in fact, almost levels the position. Almost! White still can obtain some advantage, but by no means a decisive one. But in order to search for just an advantage, White must first accept that there is no refutation. Let's try to reconstruct (with obvious limitations) Svidler's line of thought:

288

ROUND 9

25.bxc3? can be disposed of on the spot: 25 .. .l'ha3 26..icl ga2 27.ib2 (27.e5 �a7 and 27.gd2 tt:la4 are both winning) 27... tt:la4 28.gd2 gxb2t 29.gxb2 tt:lxc3t And it is over. OK, we cannot take it, but maybe we can see it off? No, afi:er 25.tt:lb5 we witness another point of Black's move: 25 ...1xb2! and there is no help in either 26.\!lxb2 tt:la4t 27. \!lbl tt:lc7! forking on c3, or 26..ixd6 tt:lxd6 27.tt:lxd6 ie5!! 28.tt:lxb7 gxa3 29.�b2 ixb2 30.\!lxb2 ga2t 3 1 .\!/bi tt:la4. Despite the extra piece, White cannot save his king. For example: 32.gd3 gb2t 33.\!/ci (33.\!/al gxg2) 33 ... gcst 34.\!/d I gxg2 and there is no reason to continue. All this can be quite depressing for White: there seem to be too many threats. Perhaps he could just reinforce the defences around the king? How about 25.1c I . Here we witness another rather surprising idea behind 24 ... ic3: 25 ...1xd4! (the position after 25 ...tt:la4 26.tt:lgf5 will be discussed in a minute) 26.gxd4 tt:lc7!

capture the rook: 29.1xa8 (On 29.gxe6 Black uncorks another one of his ideas: 29 ... gxa3! 30.ge7 �b6 with a straightforward win.) although even here it is not exactly heaven on earth: 29 ...tt:lxd6 30.gdl (or 30.exd6 �xa8 3 l .gd I gcs 32.ie3 with an interesting and double-edged position, where Black does not seem to be worse) 30...�xa8 3 1 .gxd6 gcs with more that sufficient compensation for the pawn. For example: 32.�b5?! �g2! 33.�xc5 (what else?) 33 ... h5 34.�xc8t 1xc8 35.gdst \!lh7 36.gxc8 �xh2 37.gc3 (37.tt:le4 �xe5 is very similar to the main line) 37 ... h4 38.tt:le4 �xe5 and the h-pawn gives Black excellent chances. All this is not too optimistic either, so maybe instead of thinking defensively, White should try creating counter-threats? lhis looks more natural, but the obvious 25.tt:lxe6 leads White nowhere: 25 ...fxe6! (25 ...tt:lxe6 26.e5! and White wins material) 26.ixd6 tt:lxd6 27.e5 �a6!

lhe knight breaks free, obtaining a very strong initiative for the sacrificed pawn. The position could be described as dynamically balanced, where it is White who should be more careful: a) 27.tt:lf5 is not good because of 27 ...tt:lb5! and after 28.gb4? (28.tt:lxd6 also does not help: 28 ...tt:lxd4 29.tt:lxb7 tt:lxe2 30.tt:lxc5 tt:lxci 3 l .gxcl gfcS and Black is just an exchange up.) 28 ... gxa3! 29.bxa3 (29.�xb5 gal t 30.\!/xal gast 3 1 .\!/bi �a7 winning) 29 ... tt:lc3t 30.\!lb2 tt:l5a4t 3 1 .\!/a I �xb4 32.axb4 tt:lxe2 Black has a winning position. b) 27.gxd6 tt:l b5 28.e5 �b8! It turns out that Black has quite a significant initiative on the queenside. So the best bet would be to simply

Now both 28.gxd6? �xa3!! 29.bxa3 gxa3 30.�b2 ixb2 3 1 .\!lxb2 ga2t 32.\!/ bl Elxg2 and 28.exd6? �xa3!! 29.bxa3 Elxa3 30.�b2 ixb2 3 1 .\!lxb2 ga2t 32.\!lc3 gxg2 promise Black a big advantage. Also 28.1xa8? is hopeless. After 28 ... tt:lb5! 29.ghfl Elxa8 30.�£3 �a7 White can resign with a clear conscience, as the attempt to seek counterplay with 3 I .tt:lf5 fails after 3 i ...tt:le4! (3 l ...exf5? 32.�d5t and it is no longer clear who is attacking) 32.�xe4 tt:lxa3t!. lhe best seems to be 28.�xa6, and after 28 ... Elxa6 29.exd6 El£2 30.bxc3 tt:la4 the position is drawn, as we will see later. At this point one has to take a deep breath and

SVIDLER - KASIMDZHANOV keep looking (just as Svidler had to do during the game). lhe lines given above are, of course, impossible to see over the board, even for Svidler. But according to some of his remarks he sensed dangers in many lines. However, the presence of a ticking clock prevented him from finding the best continuation, which would have kept him in the driver's seat: 25.tLlgf5!

This was suggested by Grischuk, and supported by Svidler after the game. h does indeed seem the most promising for White, although he is far from gening anything significant. a) Afi:er 25 .. �xd4 White gets good chances: the bishop stays on f4, keeping the black knight on e8. As usual, this promises a big advantage. For instance: 26.tLlxd4 d5 27.tLlxe6! (also good is 27-l:!he 1 dxe4 28.tLlxe6 fxe6 29.i.xe4 with a serious advantage) 27... fxe6 28.exd5! and Black does not make it out alive: 28 .. .l:!xf4 29.dxe6 l:!e4! 30.'�f2! Wfe7 (30 ...tLlxe6 3 I .Wff5!) 3 1 .l:!cl l:!a5 32.l:!xc5 l:!xc5 33.�xe4 Wfxe6 34.l:!el l:!e5 35.l:!fl Wfe7 36.�d3 tlJd6 37.Wfh4 and it is pointless to continue the struggle. b) The strongest is probably 25 ... tLla4 26.�c l : b l ) Now the immediate 2 6. . .tLlc7 is weak. For instance after 27.g6! (Also possible is 27.tLlxd6 Wfb6 28.tLlxe6 tLlxe6 29.e5 l:!a5 30. .id5! and White's anack is as substantial as the amount of material Black has sacrificed ... ) 27 ... hxg6 28.tLle7t 'it>h8 29.e5 d5 30.tLlxe6 (the point of 27.g6) Black loses plenty of material: 30... tLlxe6 3 1 .tLlxd5 b2) Much bener is: 26....ixd4! 27.tLlxd4 tLlc7 Although White manages to keep some of the advantage, Black has solved his main problems, especially since

289

28.tLlxe6 is not dangerous because of 28 ...fxe6 28 ... tLlxe6? 29.e5 Wfa6 30.Wfxa6 l:!xa6 3 1 .l:!xd6 winning. 29.l:!xd6 tLlb5 30.e5 tLlxa3t 3 l .bxa3 tLlc3t 32.'it>b2 Wfc7! 33.Wfd3 l:!f2t 34 . .id2 tLla4t 35.\t>b l 35.\t>a l ? Wfc5! 36.Wfxb3 Wfxe5t 37.\t>bl Wfxd6 38.�xa8 l:!xd2, and the only way to keep the king is by paning with the queen. 35 ...l:!xg2 36.l:!c l with a sharp game where White's good pieces at least compensate for his weak king. h seems this is one of the beuer positions White could get. Now everything turns again. Undoubtedly this game will make a great advertisement for the Sicilian (especially the Najdorf) and amact many new devotees: the price of any mistake by White is remarkably high.

25 d5! •••

lhis was the only move, but it is also sufficient for Black to achieve an advantage. White's control in the centre is of no help anymore as it is now closed, while his king is still under pressure. Black still has to play accurately, but without the weakness on d6 he has nothing to worry about.

26.Wfb5? A second consecutive mistake, and if the first led to a worse position, the second is losing. White should have put all his efforts into

290

ROUND 9 the d5-pawn, and especially some initiative on the kingside. 26 Y9c7?! Black returns the favour, although it is not as drastic as White's preceding mistake. It was hard to grasp, after all the jolts along the way, that Black is not just better. He is winning! For that one would have to see a fantastic idea, and the correct way of using it. Much better was the virtually winning 26 . . .�a7!. ...

equalizing, although this becomes clear only after very lengthy analysis. Now Black has chances to finish the game right away. So what should White have played? a) As always, not 26.bxc3 Eixa3 27.ic l Eia2 28.Eid2 /t}a4. b) Kasimdzhanov considered 26.�e3 to be White's best choice, suggesting 26 . . .ixb2! 27.Wxb2 �a6! 28.Eial /t}a4t 29.Wbl and after 29 . . . Eic8 the position might be unclear. But why not 29 . . . b2 with a clear variation: 30.Eia2 �c4! and the extra piece is of very little help to White, while his king is totally exposed. For instance: 3 l .Eixb2 /t}c3t 32.';!?c2 Eixa3 33.�d3 �a4t 34.Eib3 (or 34.W c l /t}a2t 35 .Eixa2 Eixa2 winning) 34 . . . Eixb3 35 ./t}xb3 d4 and White can resign. c) 26./t}xe6 also looks suspicious, since after 26 . . . fxe6 27.icl /t}c? Black can reinforce his attack without looking back: he does not even have a weakness. d) Probably the best choice is 26.ic l with the ideas of grabbing the audacious bishop and strengthening the king. After 26 ...ixd4 27.Eixd4 /t}c? Black still has more chances, but White's king is now well protected, he has play against

1he ideas are the same: sacrificing the bishop on b2, or the queen on a3. 1he saddest part for the FIDE champion is that he saw both ideas, bur something bothered him. Nevertheless, we can excuse him: this game revealed his great tactical ability, and it would be superhuman to see everything. The amazing thing is that White is helpless against the threats. Let's check: a) Definitely not 27./t}xb3 ltJa4! with an explosion on b2, much to the delight of the FIDE Champion's fans. b) 1he challenge with 27./t}c6 is joyfully accepted: 27 ... �xa3!! 28. bxa3 Eixa3 29.�xb3 (there is no other way to prevent mate) 29 . . . Eixb3t 30.Wc2 d4 with excellent chances of a win. c) Adding a key defender with 27.ici does not save the day either: 27 . . . /t}c? 28.�e2 /t}a4 29./t}gfS For some reason Kasimdzhanov believed this position to be unclear. Strange, as it is very clear after 29 . . .ixf5t 30./t}xf5 ixb2! 3 I .ixb2 /t}xb2 32.�xb2 /t}b5, with the arrival of another rook to the c-file. A check on a3 will end all doubts. d) Grischuk's suggestion was to run away in disgrace with 27.�e2, but this does not save

SYIDLER - KASIMDZHANOV

29 1

White either. True, it is too early for 27 ...ixb2. 28.�xb2 (not 28.1fixb2 �xa3t 29.1fic3 � a5t 30.Ifib2 l0a4t 3 1 .\fi c ! Elc8t winning) 28 ... 4Ja4 29.�cl Elc8 30.�e3 4Jc3t 3 I .Ifib2 liJxd l t 32.Elxd l and the position remains unclear. But after the last piece joins the game with 27 ... 4Jc7, things look different.

1he most surpnsmg discovery is that White has no defensive resources! For example, after 28.4Jc6 Black "as always" wins with the crunching 28 ...�xa3. So White can try: 28.ie3 1his looks like the most stubborn, but: 28 ...ig4!! Driving the knight away from d4, thus exposing the key squares it was protecting. The following lines are exceptionally beautiful, and show why so many people love chess. 29.if.3 29.�xg4 ixb2 30.icl (White is mated in style after 30.Ifixb2 �xa3t 3 I .Ific3 �a5t 32.1fib2 �a2t 33.1fic3 4Jb5t 34.1fib4 �a4t 35.1ffx c5 �c4t 36.\fib6 Elfb8) 30 ... ixcl 3 1 .\fixc! �xa3t 32.1fid2 �a2t 33.1fie3 b2 Forcing resignation. 29 ...ixf3 30.4Jxf3 ixb2! 30 ...�xa3 does not work now. 3 l .bxa3 Elxa3 32.�b2 ixb2 33.ixc5! and everything collapses. 3 l .�xb2 4Jb5 And the white king is doomed. Finally, trying to enforce the previous idea with 28.4Jxe6 fxe6, and only now 29.ie3, still loses after 29 ... ixb2! 30.�xb2 4Jb5. 1he usual picture repeats itself: White is helpless against Black's invasion into the heart of his position.

For example: 3 I .icl (3 l .a4 �xa4! 32.ixc5 �c4! wins) 3 1 .. .4Ja4 32.�xb3 Elfb8 and the game's over. To sum up, Black missed a practically forced win, although a very complicated and imaginative one. Now, as many jokes go, he has good news and bad news. 1he good news is that he still has the advantage; the bad news is that his future chances are based on the same ideas he didn't exploit here. OK, Kasimdzhanov probably wouldn't think it was funny either.

292

ROUN D 9

27.�ge2 One of those moves which Nimrowitsch liked to call "consolidating". All the pieces suddenly start acting as a unit. Luckily for us all, chess is not a game ruled by dogma, and even a great concept is not applicable for every occasion. For all its apparent positional beauty, this move is losing by force tactically. 1he alternatives were not ideal either, but White could have made it less straightforward. Once again, the question of all questions is: 'What to play?' and it is as difficult to answer as ever. 1he most principled looks to be 27.'�c6, but after 27 ... \Wa5! White's life is not getting any easier! For example, the variation 28.tbxb3 tbxb3 29.'1Wxc3 \Wxc3 30.bxc3 tbc7

brings us to a very interesting position, evaluated by the players as double-edged during the game, but actually Black looks to be a little better. This is interesting as it is not every day that such great players' evaluations turn out to be superficial. The point is that, even without queens, White's weak king seems to be a serious factor. 1he first question is: how should White continue? Black will soon bring his reserves close to the enemy king, attacking White's hanging pieces on the way. a) An attempt to strengthen the defensive lines with 3 1 .1cl fails after 3 l ...!'!:fb8 32.1b2 l'!a6, and it is not clear how to continue. 1he most logical move, 33.l'!hfl , leads to a position with no hope after 33 ... tba5 34.l'!f4 tbc4 35.l'!xc4 dxc4. b) Running away does not help either: 3 l .cl 1f5! and White has no hope. 33 ...1f5t 34.\t>a l f1xa7 35.1d2 b2t

294

ROUND 9

36.c;!;>a2 b i �t 37-l:hbl f!xbl 38.f!xbl ixb l t 39.c;!;>xbl ltlb5 With an extra exchange Black will face a few technical problems on his path to victory.

28.e6! 1his position is a perfect example of the gap between what seems and what is. After this move White's position looks great, and the general feeling is that we are witnessing the logical finale of White's strategy. In reality, however, White miraculously avoided defeat, and now takes his chance to seize the initiative. Quite unluckily for him, though, a forced line leads to a draw. But all this is only clear after the event, when we are all smart. A glance at the board reveals that virtually all Black's pieces are hanging, and cannot even imagine a way to save the game.

28....ixb5 Only move.

29..ixc7

32.ftlxd4 fxe6 33.ftlxe6 E1f5 34.f!dl ft:lf2 35.f!fl and Black loses material) 32.f!dl ! 1xd4 33.ftlxd4 ftlf2 34.exf7t c;!;>xf7 (34 . . . f1xf7 35.1xf2 f!xf2 36.1xd5t c;!;>fB 37.1xa8 winning) 35.1xd5t c;!;>g6 36.1xf2 the game is over.

30.�xd4

Now Black seems to lose plenty of material and with it the game. Shipov recommends 30.exf7t "which probably wins the game", but in fact an idea similar to the game rescues Black: 30... f!xf7 3 l .ftlxd4 a) Svidler suggests 31 ...1d3t 32.f!xd3 ft:lxd3 33.1g3 f!d8 34.tt:lc6 f!dd7 35.f1dl ltlf4 36.1h l f!d6 37.ltld4 ftlc7 38.tt:lxb3 ft:lce6 and Black is even better. But if White plays 35.1h3! the situation turns in White's favour: 35 ...f!c7 (35 ... f1b7 36.1e6 c;!;>fB 37.ltld4 ftlf2 38.f!g l ! and Black can only hope for a draw) 36.1xc7 ft:lxc7 37.1f5 and White is the one to emerge with an advantage. b) Stronger is 3 l ... ftlxc7 32.ftlxb5 and now a huge mistake is 32 . . . ltlxb5? 33.1xd5 f!b8 (33 ...f!af8? 34.1xf7t f!xf7 35.f!d5 wins) 34.f!cl ltld3 35.f!hfl tt:ld6 36.f!c3 ltle5 37.f!el f!e8 38.1xb3 c;!;>fB 39.1xf7 ft:ldxf7 with excellent winning chances for White. But after the amazing 32 ... f!f2!! 33.ftlxc7 f!xg2 (33 ... ltla4? 34.1xd5t c;!;>hS 35.1xb3) 34.tt:lxa8 tt:la4 we will finish in the same way as the game.

30...fxe6!!

29 ..ixd4! •.

Getting rid of the hanging pieces, and fast. 29 ... 1d3t? gives no dividends after 30.f!xd3 ft:lxd3. Now less convincing is 3 l .e7 1xd4 (3 1 ...1xb2 32.exfB�t c;!;>xfB 33.f1dl ft:lf2 34.f!fl 1xd4 35.ftlxd4 ft:lxc7 36.f!xf2 f!xa3 37.1f3 with a technical position) 32.exf8�t c;!;>xf8 33.1xd5 ft:lxc7 34.1xa8 1e5 35.ftlcl tt:lxb2 36.1c6 tt:lc4 37.ftlxb3 ft:lxa3t 38.c;!;>a2 ftlc2 and it will be very difficult to exploit the exchange here. But after 3 1 .1g3! 1xb2 (or 3 1 ...1xd4

All of a sudden, there is no win! A lot has been said about this game already, but even today it is

SYIDLER - KASI MDZHANOY

295

hard to accept the situation. This stunning idea is the only way to save the day.

3l.lf:lxb5 After 3 l .ib6 Svidler provides a nice variation: 3 l . ..id3t 32.B:xd3 lDxd3 33.l!Jxe6 B:f5 34.ih3 B:e5 35.id4 B:e4! 36.if5 l!Jd6! 37.ixe4 dxe4 and Black is better. Bur maybe 32.'i!ial is better? 32 . . . B:xa3t (32 . . . l!Ja4? 33.l!Jxe6! l!Jxb6 34.l!JxfB if5 35.B:hfl g6 36.B:xf5 gxf5 37.l!Jd7! is "Game Over") 33.bxa3 B:f2 34.B:xd3 l!Jxd3 35.B:dl (35.l!Jxb3? B:xg2 and in addition to his threats, Black even has more material) 35 ... B:a2t 36.'i!ibl B:b2t 37.'i!ial with a draw by repetition.

33 ... ltla4!

Accompanied by a draw offer. A great fin ish to a fantastic game. Attempting to change fate with 34.ie4 leads after 34 . . . dxe4 35.B:d8t 'i!f f7 36.B:c8 B:xb2t 37.'i!fcl B:a2 to White having to retrace his steps, as 38 .B:e I ? is complicated: a) First of all, Black can reach the draw with 38 . . . B:a l t 39.'i!fd2 b2 40.B:b8 e3t! 4 I .B:xe3 b l � 42.B:xbl B:xb I . b ) Kasimdzhanov's 3 8. . .l!Jb2 also brings about a draw. c) Bur then again, why not 38 . . . b2t! 39.'i!fc2 B:al 40.B:bl e3!

White is a rook and a piece up, bur is helpless against a perpetual.

Not surprisingly White is unable to cope with all the black pawns. For example: 4 I .B:c7t 'i!ig6 42.B:c6 'i!ff5 43.l!Jc7 B:xbl 44.'i!ixbl e2 45.B:xe6 l!Jc3t 46.'i!ixb2 l!Je4 winning. So White restrained his ambition and accepted the draw offer.

3l. .. lf:lxc7 32.lf:lxc7 l:U2!! A standing ovation for the FIDE champion! One could say that this championship proved beyond any doubt that Kasimdzhanov is not the best player in the world. Maybe that it is true, but it also showed that he is a brilliant player who is able to create a masterpiece.

33.lf:lxa8 White does not take u nnecessary risks and grabs the rook, forcing Black to go for a perpetual.

34.�M3!

112-1/z

296 @

W * •

ROUND 9

GAME 34 Judit Polgar Michael Adams Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack C89

l.e4 eS 2.�8 �c6 3..ib5 a6 4 ..ia4 �f6 5.0--0 .ie7 6J!el bS 7..ib3 0--0 8.c3 Once again White shows her readiness to play the Marshall. We will soon see, however, that Polgar wanted to avoid all risk, and it is a well known fact that if White wants to eliminate all losing chances in the Marshall, she can easily do so.

8 ... d5 9.exd5 �xdS l O.�xeS �xeS l l .�xeS c6 12.d4 .id6 1 3.�el §'h4 1 4.g3 §'h3 1 5 ..ie3

The safest and probably best continuation. 17 .. .f5 is played every now and then, but less so among the elite. One high level example: 1 8.�fl �h5 1 9 .f4 W h8 20.�xd5 cxd5 2 1 .� g2!? ge4 22.h4 h6 23.tt:lxe4 fxe4 24.gfl gf6!? 25 .a4 gg6 26.axb5 axb5!? 27.f5!? �xf5 28.�f4 Black does not seem to have enough compensation, Anand - Topalov, Las Palmas 1 993. It feels strange to say that this move, which once made Black stop playing the Marshall, is now considered unpromising; but that is the theoretical situation. Black players know how to handle this position to get enough counterplay for the sacrificed pawn, so the line is rarely played by White anymore.

1 S....ig4 For the pawn Black has active pieces and pressure in the centre. Years of practice has proved this is enough for equality, and it is rather interesting to guess whether Polgar had anything in mind here.

16.§'d3 1he queen is ready to go to f1 if needed. Many games have been played in this line. Some of them finished elegantly after ! 6.�d2?? �f3 and mate.

16... �ae8 17.�d2 �e6

1 8.a4 Bringing the rook into the game. Moreover, on quite a few occasions Black manages to regain the pawn thanks to his initiative on the kingside, and at this happy moment White plays ga l -a6 obtaining the advantage.

1 8...§'h5 A continuation that became popular thanks to the elfons of the I O'h World Champion - Boris Spassky. Too dangerous is 1 8 ... bxa4 1 9.gxa4 f5 20.�fl �h5 2 l .gxa6 f4 and here lvanchuk, uncorked one of his more amazing ideas: 22.i.xf4! �h3 23.gxe6! which places Black in a difficult position: 23 .. .i.xfl 24.tt:lxfl �xf4 25.gaxc6 �f3 26.�xd5 �xd5 27.gxf4 lvanchuk - Short, Riga 1 995.

POLGAR - ADAMS Another alternative is 1 8 ... f5. For example: 1 9.�fl �h5 20.f4 bxa4 2 1 .gxa4 gbs 22. .ixd5 cxd5 23.�g2 �e8 24.�xd5 'i!ih8 25.l(k4 .ixf4 26.gxf4 gg6 Black's initiative is strong enough, Kamsky - Polgar, Linares 1 994. Bur after 23.gxa6 gbe8 24.�b5 ir all seemed like a bad day ar the office for Black in Shorr - Pinter, Rotterdam 1 988.

l9.axb5 axb5

297

20 ...M5 2 1 .�dl .ig4 22.�d2 �h3 23 ..id1 .ixdl 24.gaxd1 f5 25.f4 g5 26.�g2 �xg2t 27.'i!ixg2 !!feB Black is nor worse, Karpov - Shorr, Tilburg 1 99 1 .

20 . J�fe8 .

Adams really likes these positions - positional pressure suits his style very well. Black wants to rake on e3, which makes White's next move forced: Also possible is 20 ... .ih3, and although White was marginally better in rhe following example, ir was only enough for a draw. 2 l .�e2 .ig4 22.�fl .ih3 23 ..id l �f5 24.�e2 g6 (there are other possible continuations as well) 25.�8 �d3 26 . .ib3 gxe3 27.gxe3 �xd2 28 ..ixd5 cxd5 29.g4 �xb2 30.gae I b4 3 1 .�xh3 .if4 32.cxb4 .ixe3 33.�xe3 �xb4 and Black made rhe draw eventually, lvanchuk - Grischuk, Russia 2005.

2 l.i.xd5 '\1;Yxd5 22.h3 As long as the black pieces occupy such dominating positions White cannot even think of an advantage.

22....ih5

Ir is rime for White to make a choice. Black's initiative is becoming quire threatening, and what is more important his plan is simple and natural: double on the e-file, f7-f5 ere... White, on rhe other hand, does nor have a master plan and is rather limited to purring pressure on c6 and trying small tactical shots to reduce Black's initiative. In rhis key position White has tried many things, with lirde success.

20.'flfl

To begin with, rhe logical bishop exchange 20. .id 1 leads White into difficulties afi:er 20 ... .ixd1 2 1 .gaxdl f5 , as he cannot play f4 due to the hanging rook on d I , and without ir there is no stopping Black's anack. e.g. 22 . .!Llfl f4 23 ..icl gef6 24.�e4 'i!ih8 25.�d3 h6 26.b3 b4 27.cxb4 fxg3 28.fxg3 .ixb4 29 . .!Lld2 gf2 30.h4 .!Llc3 Hellers - I. Sokolov, Haninge 1 989. 20..!Lle4 runs into 20...M5 2l ..id2 gxe4 22.gxe4 .!Llf6 23.f3 �g6 24.�fl .!Llxe4 25.fxe4 .ixe4 with equality, Svidler - Kamsky, Groningen 1 995. A worthy alternative ro rhe game is 20 . .!Llfl , bur here Black is able to solve his problems as well:

Judging from rhis game, this is a good square for rhe bishop. An alternative which was rested in 2005 between rwo other San Luis participants led to Black suffering all rhe way to a draw. Kasimdzhanov continued 22 ....if5, and after 23.�g2 �xg2t 24.'i!ixg2, his position looks OK. Bur later on he lost his way and found himself a pawn down in a difficult endgame, which he nevertheless managed to draw in Leko - Kasimdzhanov, Linares 2005.

298

ROUN D 9

23.Y!Yg2 Y!Yxg2t!? A novelty, which has an unexpected impact on the position. 1hese positions have been so exhaustively played and analysed that it is hard to come up with anything special, but some minor improvements are still possible. But is it a good novelty? Surprisingly, it is! In fact, this game is further proof that there is opening theory, and then there is elite opening theory. 1hey are not the same, as we shall see. 23 .. .f5 proved itself after 24.�xd5 cxd5 25.ltlfl f4 and all advantage for White vanishes. After 26..id2 !'he 1 27.l'hel !!xe 1 28 . .ixel .ie2 29.ltlh2 \!Jfl 30.\t>g2 \!J f6 3 1 .£3 h5 32.g4 g6 33.ltlfl hxg4 34.hxg4 g5 35.ltld2 .id 1 :

should be able to make a draw, but he will have to make a few precise moves.

25 ... £4 26..id2 fxg3 27J:!:xe6 27.fxg3? l:'!e2t

27..J�xe6 28J:!:a8t .if8 Black has regained the pawn, White has some initiative. Everybody's happy, and soon shaking hands and going home.

29.�e5!

A typical Marshall Gambit draw was reached (the extra pawn plays no role in the game) in I. Gurevich - Benjamin, New York 1 992. But White can probably improve with 25.!!a5 realizing that after 25 ....ixg3 26.fxg3 E:xe3 27.E:xe3 E:xe3 28.ll:lfl E:e2 29.E:xb5? is not playable because of 29 ....i£3, but he has 29.g4! and Black faces a hard struggle for survival. Did Polgar intend to play it? Probably she did. Perhaps Adams also found this and is therefore preventing it? Also very probable.

24.�xg2 f5 25.�f3

After this Black is fine. A real try to win seems to be 25.!!a6 f4 26.gxf4 .ixf4 and here after 27 ..ixf4!? E:xel 28.E:xc6 E:d1 29.E:c5 .ie2 Black

Otherwise White could find herself in an unpleasant position. Shipov provided a nice line: 29.\t>xg3? E:g6t 30.ltlg5 h6 3 1 .\t>h4 .id 1 32.ltlh7! \t>xh7 33.E:xf8 E:g2! All of a sudden Black creates mating threats. For example: 34.!!f7 \t>g8 35.!!f5 .ic2 (bur not 35 ... g5t 36 . .ixg5 hxg5t 37.E:xg5t !!xg5 38.\t>xg5 and Black is in no danger of winning) 36.E:e5 \t>h7 37.E:e7 E:x£2 Black is somewhat better, bur is far from anything major.

29...gxfl 30.�xf2 ge8 3l.ga6 .id6 1he rapidly approaching opposite-coloured bishops endgame leaves no place for speculation.

32..if4 Le5 33..ixe5 ge6 There go the chances.

34.b4 �fl 35.ga7t ge7 36,gxe7t �e7 37..ixg7 l!z-1/2

ANAND - TOPALOY @

'it'

* •

299

GAME 35 Viswanathan Anand Veselin Topalov Ruy Lopez C65

l .e4 eS When the ride is on the line, even the most uncompromising warrior rends to play on the safe side. So no Sicilians today!

2.tt:lB tt:lc6 3..ib5 tt:lf6 4.d3

Avoiding well-known lines of the Berlin where Topalov would feel very comfortable. Instead Anand wants to keep the tension for as long as possible, ideally in itiating complications in a rime scramble.

4 ....ic5 Also interesting is 4 . . . d6, leaving the dark­ squared bishop "at home". Kramnik tried this and lost one of the more memorable games of 2005: 5.0-0 g6 6.d4 id7 7./"!el ig7 8.d5 f1Je7 9.ixd7t f1Jxd7 I O .ie3 f5?! l l .f1Jg5 f1Jf8 1 2.exf5 gxf5 1 3.f4 with strong pressure for White, Sutovsky - Kramnik, Dortmund 2005.

S.c3 Anand plans to build the classically perfect centre of d4- and e4-pawns. 1his aggressive idea certainly gives a hint about his ambitions in this game.

s . o-0 ..

The position is full of small nuances. The point is that after Black castles and plays d7-d6, his position might be problematic because of ici -g5.

The pin in this case might be a pain in the neck for Black, since he cannot unpin with h7-h6 and g7-g5 because of a very dangerous knight sacrifice on g5. Thus Black castles first, when he is ready to give the arrogant white bishop (once it gets to g5) the treatment it deserves, as we will see in the game.

6..ig5 Despite all of the above, Anand plays this move! Is there a chance Anand did nor know the ideas mentioned above? Maybe it was better to wait for d7-d6 and rhen try ici -g5? Of course Anand knew all rhose ideas. Bur he also knew rhar ir is nor easy to fi nd a good developing move rhar keeps his options open. For instance, 6.f1Jbd2 conceals the g5-square from rhe bishop. Bur rhe main problem is rhar afrer the common and logical 6.0-0, Black can advance rhe d-pawn twice as far as expected: 6 ... d5 Ir is quire surprising rhar many players srill play 6 ... d6, and face problems afrer 7.ig5. Ar rhe same rime, rhe idea of 6 . . . d5 has been known for a long rime, because rhe pawn on e5 is immune: afrer 6.ixc6 bxc6 7.f1Jxe5 dxe4 Black has a very serious initiative (this position was even played about I 50

300

ROUND 9

years ago, when the German king of romantic chess, AdolfAnderssen, delivered a few cute mares with Black). Ir is interesting that this pawn sacrifice became common in this position. White could even take it right away, bur after 6..ixc6 bxc6 7.l!Jxe5 d5! Black's compensation is more than enough. For example, 8..ig5 (8.0-0 leads to various Anderssen games) 8 ... Eie8 9.f4 dxe4 1 O.d4 .ib6 1 1 .l!Jd2 c5 1 2.dxc5 .ixc5 13.�e2 h6 1 4 ..ih4 g5! 1 5.fxg5 hxg5 16 ..ig3 e3 1 7.l!Jb3 .ib6 with a very strong initiative for Black, lvanchuk - Kramnik, Wijk aan Zee 200 I . Taking all the above into account i t becomes clear why Anand did not want these positions: it seems he had no real choice but to enter the position with rhe early .ig5 (before Black played ... d7-d6).

6...h6 7..ih4 g5!

feel quite satisfied. But Anand is nor too upset either - after all, White does not have to get a winning position from the opening, he can try to win later. Anand couldn't have known that he was just at the start ofTopalov's home analysis.

8 ...d6 9.�bd2 a6 10.Lc6 One justification for this move is saving time, bur it strikes us that the main reason behind Anand's choice was ro take Topalov out of his home preparation; he even played it quickly to increase the impact. Unfortunately, this too had been analysed by the soon-to-be World Champion. After I O ..ia4 Black continues developing his pieces as if nothing happened: 1 0....ia7 1 1 .0-0 (Probably the only way to try and threaten Black's opening play is by castling queenside, but it is not easy, as Black seems ro be first ro attack. 1 1 .�e2 .ie6 1 2.0-0-0 b5 1 3 ..ib3 b4 etc.) 1 l .. ..ie6 Here one can note that the fact Black managed to play ... g5 is in his favour, as the bishop on g3 is offside.

10...bxc6 1 1.0-0

1he immediate 1 l .d4 does not promise White anything special either, as after 1 l ...exd4 neither 1 2.l!Jxd4 ges 1 3.0-0 .ixd4 1 4.cxd4 l!Jxe4 1 5.l!Jxe4 Eixe4, nor 1 2.cxd4 .ia7 (threatening 1 3 ... g4) 1 3.h3 ( 1 3.0-0 is the same as in the game, only Black has managed ro capture on d4, which is clearly good for him) 1 3 ...�e8! 1 4.0-0 l!Jxe4 1 5.gel f5 1 6.�c2 �f7 1 7.l!Jxe4 fxe4 1 8.�xe4 Eib8 give White any advantage.

1 t.. .ia7 Of course Black reacts immediately. White's problem is that Black can play this, and he knows it! One needs ro have very strong nerves to play rhis way in a vitally important game, or to have analysed ir all ar home; or maybe both.

8..ig3

lhe point of Black's bravery is rhar 8.l!Jxg5 is nor an option here, since he has nor played d7-d6 yet and rhus would be able ro simply go back with a bishop to e7, unpinning the knight. lhe opening results are positive for Black usually, if Black does not get punished tactically for pushing White's bishop ro the corner, he can

ANAND - TOPALOY

A good prophylactic move, anticipating d3-d4.

12.d4 Played quickly, only to sink into deep contemplation two moves later. As a way of keeping the tension on the board, 1 2.h3 can be suggested, bur with his I O'h move Anand pretty much obliged himself to act quickly (in tempi), and keeps doing so without hesitation (on rhe clock) .

1 2...g4 13.�h4! In a normal game the situation would be pleasant for White: he can choose whether he wants to play on, or make a draw after this move. Bur in this game drawing is equivalent to losing. 1 3.tt:lh4 exd4 1 4 . cxd4 ixd4 1 5 .� cl tt:lh5! I 6.tt:lb3 if6 1 7.�xh6 tt:lg7! and Black is better. Also 1 3.dxe5 gxf3 1 4.exf6 fxg2 1 5 .@xg2 �xf6 is clearly in Black's favour.

13 gxf3 14.'1&xf3 'i!:?g7 ...

Here White starred spending rime. Plenty of it. lhe analysis shows rhar Black is indeed OK, and after the game Topalov stared rhar it had all been carefully studied by his ream. Once again,

301

Anand's intuition did nor fail him, although it was visibly painful for him to make the call.

1 5.WI'g3t Nor good is 1 5.tt:lc4? (hoping for 1 5 ... exd4? I 6.cxd4 ixd4 I ?.l:!adl c5 1 8 .e5 dxe5 1 9.�xa8) due to 1 5 ...�e7 and White does nor even have a draw anymore: I 6.�g3t @h7 1 7.�f3 �e6! unpinning thanks to the vulnerable position of the white knight. White's best try to continue probably lies in 1 5 .�fe I �g8 ( 1 5 ... exd4 loses on rhe spot to I 6.e5 dxe5 1 7 .tt:le4) 1 6.tt:lfl @g6.

302

ROUND 9

a) Now not 1 7.tLlg3 ig4 1 8.ixf6 �c8 (or 1 8 ... ixf3 1 9.ixd8 Ehxd8 20.gxf3 exd4, if Black wams to make sure he has a draw) and White's attack seems to be fading out. b) 1 7.h3 is also bad: 17 ...�e7 1 8.tLlg3 �e6 and Black is more than fine. c) 1he most promising way for White seems to be 1 7.tLle3 exd4 1 8. ttJf5. Now bad is: c l ) 1 8 ... 'tt> h 7? 1 9.e5 dxe5 20.i:he5 dxc3! 1he immediate 20 .. .l''lg4 loses to 2 1 .tLlxh6! 'it>xh6 (2 1 .. .l''lx h4 22.tLlxf7 and White wins) 22.ixf6 �d6 23.�ael and the black king falls. 2 l .bxc3 �g4 22.�d 1 22.tLlxh6 is already bad because of 22 . . .�xh4 23.tLlxf7 �d2! (this was not possible after 20 ... �g4) 24.�xf6 �xf2t and Black wins. 22 ... �h8 23.�de I �xh4 24.tLlxh4 ig4 25 .�xc6 1he material balance is restored, while White keeps the initiative. c2) Bur amazingly, Black gets out of trouble thanks to the calm 1 8 ... dxc3! 1 9.bxc3 (or 1 9 .�xc3 �b8! 20.�ad l �b5 when the rook joins the game, and White's attack ends) 19 ... �f8 20.ixf6 'tt>x f6 2 l .tLlxh6t 'it>g7 22.tLlxg8 'it>xg8 23.e5 d5 and Black has nothing to worry about.

1 S ... 'it>h7

16."§'f3 After 1 6.� d3, as suggested by numerous annotators, Black has nothing to worry about: 1 6 ... �g8 1 7.f4 �g4 1 8.fxe5 �xh4 1 9 .�xf6 ie6, and White's attack comes to an end. For example: 20.�afl dxe5 2 l .�g3 �g4 22.�xf7t (22.�xe5 �g8 is not very promising either) 22 ...ixf7 23.�xf7t 'it>g8 24.�xg4t 'tt>xf7 25 .�h5t 'it>g7 26.�xe5t �f6 and Black is winning.

16...'tt>g7 17.Wi'g3t lfz-lfz

MOROZEVICH - LEKO

303

GAME 36 Alexander Morozevich Peter Leko Sicilian Sveshnikov 833

@

'it> * •

l .e4 c5 2.�£3 �c6 3.d4 cxd4 4.�xd4 �f6 5.�c3 e5 6.�db5 d6 7..ig5 a6 8.�a3 b5 9.�d5 .ie7 1 o..Lf6 .ixf6 l l.c4

Other ways of development have also failed to yield White anything real: 1 3.�e2 0-0 14.0-0 �g5 I 5.'Mid3 a5 1 6.!1ad l �e6 17.b3 'i!?h8 1 8.tLlde3 'Mib6 1 9. tLlf5 �xf5 20.exf5 l'!bd8 2 1 .�£3 tLle7 and Black is fine, Beliavsky - I. Sokolov, Manila (ol) 1 992.

13 .i.g5 14.g3 0-0 15.h4 ••

This line used to be regarded as nO£ promising White anything special. lhe point is not so much that White is weakening the d4-square, but the fact that he makes his main plan in this position - to play on the queenside - more difficult. lhere are, however, good sides to this move, as it allows White to bring the knight back into the game without losing time (c4 is played with tempo) and it stabilizes White control over the d5-square. Recently this line has become increasingly popular for White, being adopted by quite a few top players. Although Black hasn't experienced real problems yet, it will be worth following future developments.

l l . b4 12.�c2 gbs •.

An interesting alternative is 12 ... a5, intending to place the rook on c8, where it seems to be better placed. For instance, 1 3.g3 0-0 14.h4 i.e6 I 5.�h3 tLld4 I6.tLlxd4 exd4 17.'Mid3 1'k8 I S.'i!?fl l"k5 1 9.'i!?g2 �xd5 20.exd5 l"k7 2U!hel and a draw was agreed, Svidler - Eljanov, Germany 2006.

13.b3

Morozevich is delaying the development of his bishop, intending to fianchetto.

A new move. lhe idea is taken from the main lines with I I .c3, but here pushing the black bishop to h6 looks less efficient. In those positions White is playing on the queenside, and Black is really missing his dark-squared bishop. Here, on the other hand, there is no play on the queenside, so the bishop will not feel lonely on the kingside. After 1 5.�g2 f5 I 6.exf5 �xf5 Black has little to worry about, which cannot be said about White.

1 5 ....ih6 16 ..ih3

lhe core of Morozevich's plan, preventing f7-f5 for the moment as it would mean exchanging the light-squared bishops, which is good for White.

16....ie6! Black has no objection to exchanging the bishops, bur only if it happens on e6!

17.fl

White's plan is to keep rhe rook on h I , rhus preventing Black from playing ... g6. 17 .�xe6?? is of

304

ROUN D 9

course a huge positional blunder, leading to Black controlling the whole board (most importantly the d5- and f5-squares): 17 . . .fxe6 1 8.lt:lde3 1xe3 1 9.lt:lxe3 lt:ld4 and Black is clearly better. A notable alternate strategy for White is 1 7.�h5 a5 1 8.1f5

and the idea is to take control over the light squares and put the knight on e3 without being afraid of its exchange. 1his seems very interesting, and after 1 8 ... lt:le7 1 9.lt:lxe7t �xe7 20.lt:le3 !:!fd8 2 l .g4 �b7 22.lt:ld5 White looks just great, Lahno - Zapata, Ekaterinburg 2006.

l7 a5 l8.C.tlg2 gb7 ...

Leko has already begun preparing f7-f5, after which Black will be ready to double along the f-file. Morozevich's plan found successors very quickly, as two games have been played within a month of the current game. Here is one of them: 1 8 ... lt:le7?! 1 9.lt:lce3 1xe3 20.lt:lxe3 �c7 2 l .�d3 c;!;>hs 22.!:!ad 1 !:!bd8 23.h5! h6 24.£3 White has the advantage, Hanley - Ansell, Halifax 2005.

l9 .if5 i'h8! .

A useful preparation for ...g6, and it will also be useful once Black plays f7-f5. And what's more, the king is now out of reach of the d5-knight - you don't want to take chances with Morozevich. Why not 1 9 ... g6 immediately? Because there is a king on g8, and White is just in time, opening the kingside. 20.�g4! 1xd5 (after 20 ...1xf5 2 l .exf5 c;!;>h8 22.f6 Black is in serious trouble) 2 l .cxd5 lt:le7 22.h5 c;!;>g7 23.hxg6 hxg6 24.!:!h3 with unpleasant pressure down the h-file.

20.V!id3?!

White chooses a dubious plan; though we could say that it is so like Morozevich to invite his opponent to take the initiative. Of course, Black has no problem here and probably is even better: he has possible plans of attacking on either flank: the kingside (with ... g6 and ... f5) and on the queenside (a5-a4 to play down the a-file). However, the first plan is much more dangerous, so White had to deal with it first. 20.h5 was called for (here or on the next two moves), stopping ... g6 for good. Then Black would find it more difficult to carry out a real plan. Of course, he still has the a-file and the bishop on h6 will be able to come back (maybe even to b6 at some point). But with such a strong centre Whire is probably able to withstand any of Black's activities.

20...lt:lb8! A typical Leko manoeuvre. The immediate 20 . . . g6 2 I .ih3 f5 runs into 22.�d l ! (22.h5 fxe4 23.�xe4 1f5 is good for Black. So is 22.�e2 f4.) 22 ...�e8 23.h5 fxe4 24.1xe6 �xe6 25.hxg6 �xg6 26.�h5! c;!;>g7 27.�xg6t hxg6 28.!:!ael with advantage to White. So the Hungarian does not start active play until all his pieces are ideally placed. 1he knight on c6 was supposedly a good piece, aiming to enter the inviting d4-square, but was quire useless wirh a white knight on c2. Now, it is heading towards c5, which will greatly increase rhe pressure on White's centre.

M O ROZEYICH - LEKO

2 Uhdl

305

22 g6 23..ih3 f5 ...

White keeps inviting his opponent to make a move, and im proves his pieces in the meantime. Again 2 1 .h5 was objectively stronger, but Morozevich wants to play for a win. Once again, as in the game against Kasimdzhanov (Game 30), it means playing for a loss for a while and then using the opponent's mistakes and time trouble.

2l. . liJa6 22.§'f.3? .

Consistent and wrong! Here it was already the last moment to prevent the trouble with 22.h5 tLlc5 23.�f3 and 23 ... g6 leads exactly to a position Morozevich was trying to get: 24.hxg6 fxg6 25.1'hh6 gxf5 And now: a) 26.l!xe6 tLlxe6 27.exf5 l!bf7 28.f6 l!xfU 29.tLlxf6 l!xf6 30.�e3 with an unclear position. b) 26.�h5 fxe4 27./"!hl ig8 28.tLlce3 tLld3 29.tLlf5 l!bf7 30.g4 a4 3 l .g5 �d7 32.g6 axb3 33.axb3 �a7 34.c5! l!b7 (34 ...�xc5?? allows a nice mate: 35 .l!xh7t! ixh7 36.�xh7t l!xh7 37.l!xh7t g8 38.tLlh6) 35.�g5 and White is first to get to the enemy king. Another option is 30...�d7 3 1 .l!xd6 �a7 32.�h4 l!g7! 33.tLlxg7 l!xf2t 34.g3 l!f3t 35.h2 �xg7. But not 35 ...�d4 and White protects the king with 36.l!gl , with a winning position.

Eventually Leko did pick the best moment for the break, and Black's initiative develops naturally and rapidly, threatening to turn into a hurricane.

24.h5

A rare case when both players have reasons to be happy. Leko is objectively better, so he has no reasons to complain, but Morozevich is also happy, as this is exactly his type of position: he does not care who is better as long as the

306

ROUND 9

position is complex enough, demanding both players play precisely, and when the consequences of one mistake are devastating. We believe he did not even consider 24.exf5, after which Black does not have to recapture immediately with 24 ... gxf5, because of 25.lLlf4! e4 26.We3 ic8 27.lLld4 and White is OK. The point is that he has the strong 24 ... lLlc5! with the in itiative being clearly on Black's side and White has no counterplay.

30.£3 does not prevent the text either, and after 30 ... lLle4 White's problems are even more pleasant.

30 ... lLle4 31.8 �g7! 32.gddl?! White must have brought his queen back into the game with 32.Wh3 lLlf6 (32 ... lLld2 33.1':1f2 and :!:lxd2 is already a threat) 33.1':1dd! transposing to the game without allowing Black to get more.

24 ... fxe4 25.�xe4 lLlcS 26.�e2 hdSt 1he knight on d5 was a key player in this game, covering way too many squares on both halves of the board (upper and lower) . However, Black had a more clear-cut way to develop his initiative: 26 .. . :!:1bf7 27.:!:lhfl Wg5!, threatening 28 ... ixh3t 29.Wxh3 :!:lf3 30.Wg2 Wg4 with total invasion (now, for example, Black is threatening :!:lg3). And after 28.ixe6 lLlxeG 29.hxg6 Wxg6 30.£3 :!:lg8 3 l .g4 :!:lgf8 White's position is difficult.

27.1':1xd5 gbf7 28.gfl Admitting failure. 28.hxg6 :!:lxf2t 29.Wxf2 :!:lxf2t 30.Wxf2 Wf6t 3 l .Wg2 Wxg6 is hopeless for White, due to his exposed king.

28 ... gxh5 Without a White rook on h I , 'opening' of the h-fi le benefits Black much more.

29.�xh5 �f6 30.�g4

32 ... lLlf6? Although he got a losing position, Morozevich did succeed in something else, namely forcing Leko to spend a lot of time on an opening stage. The Hungarian grandmaster was now short of time, and could not calmly assess all the rich possibilities of the position.

MOROZEVICH - LEKO However, the film has its negative, and with all due respect to Morozevich, the main story here belongs to Leko. As we mentioned in the introduction, Morozevich usually does not enjoy playing Leko. lhis game could have been another example why, as Leko has played excellently until now. But his bad form and, possibly, not very good mood failed him at the moment of truth. lhis is a classic example of when ideas do not "coalesce", as some chess players call it. Sometimes one is in good form and great ideas come easily into a player's head. But it can be the opposite - the player is talented, his preparation is great, but the process of generating ideas becomes real torture. This seems to be Leko's fate in this game, and throughout the whole tournament. So, he wastes a lot of time and, despite being close to a win, does not find the winning idea (in fact, he had more than one of those). Correct was the j ump 32 . . .tt:)d2! 33.!!£2 (33.!!h l ft:)x£3 34.�xh6 �xg4 is hopeless for White) 33 ...E:f6!

307

whole queenside, while the position of the white king stays unchanged: 38 ... �b2t 39.c;!;>fl �xa2 40.�£2 �xb3 4 1 .�d4t .ie5 42.�d3 �xd3t 43.!!xd3 a4 and White is helpless.

33.'flh3 �xg4 34.'ftxg4 'flf6 Leko keeps playing for a win, although with the clock ticking it was difficult to evaluate the endgame arising after 34 ...�xg4 35.fxg4 !!xfl 36.!!xfl !!xfl 37.c;!;>xfl c;!;>g7 38.c;!;>e2 e4!. The king cannot be allowed to e4. 39.tt:)d4 c;!(f6 40.tt:)c6 c;!;>e6 with a dtaw, because the pawn is poisoned: 4 l .tt:)xa5? is met by 4 1 . ..c;!;>d7, trapping the knight.

35.'fte4 .if4!

36.®£2

with two nasty threats: 34 ...!!g6 followed by ...tt:)xf3, and 34 ... .ig5 followed by ...!!h6. lhe variations are (relatively) simple and straightforward: 34.�hl loses to 34 ...e4 and 34.!!fxd2 is impossible because of 34 ....ixd2 35.!!xd2 !!h6. A more complicated way was 32 ...tt:)xg3 33.c;!;>xg3 .if4t 34.£2 !!f6 35.�h4 e4! opening all the lines, after which the white king does not make it. For example: 36.tt:)d4 exf3 (threatening ...E:f6-h6, and after .ig4-h5 Black has �g7-g2!) 37.!!gl (or 37.-ix£3 !!h6 38.�g4 !!h2t 39.c;!;>gl !!g8 and it is over) 37 ... !!g6 and White can barely make a move. Afi:er 38.ft:)x£3 Black cleans up the

After 36.gxf4 �h4 White will have to suffer for a draw: 37.!!£2 !!xf4 38.�e3 e4 39.tt:)d4 ex£3t 40.tt:)xf3 �g4t 4 1 .c;!;> h l and now not 4 l ...!!x£3 42.!!x£3 �xf3t (42 ... !!x8 43.�e8t) 43.�xf3 E:x£3 44.!!d5 drawing, but 4 1 ...�h3t! 42.!!h2 �xf3t 43.�x£3 E:x£3 44.!!xd6 !!fl t 45.c;!;>g2 !! l f2t 46.c;!;>g3 !!xh2 47.c;!;>xh2 !!f2t 48.c;!;>g3 !!xa2 and White has to prove he can escape.

36 'flh6 37.gxf4 •.•

just like in last round's game, Morozevich's opponent is provoked into a promising sacrifice, but has no time to continue.

37 J�xf4 38J�hl 'flg7 39.'fld5 e4? .•

Just before he gets another hour for calculations, Leko makes his final mistake, from which it will be impossible to recover.

ROUN D 9

308

Correct was the violent 39 .. J'hf3t! 40.'&xf3 e4! 4 l .'&xf8t '&xffit 42.Wel with the point 42 ... '&8!:

43.l"lfl (the king cannot escape as 43.Wd2 is met with 43 ...'&f4t 44.tLle3 '&f2t) 43 ...'&c3t 44.l"ld2 e3 45.tLlxe3 '&xe3t 46.Wdl '&g3 with a drawish endgame.

40J'!dgl Not the only, but certainly the best way to victory. 40.'&d4 was also winning, although with much greater difficulty. 40...e3t 4 I .'&xe3 '&b2 42.l"lc l l"lxf3t 43.'&xf3 l"lxf3t 44.Wxf3 '&xa2 45.tLld4 and White will convert his extra piece. 40.. J'!x£3t 4 I .�e2 :Sf2t 42.�dl Black has no chance; the attack has ended and the piece is still there.

42.. .'�e5 43.:Sh5! NEC

•

Arnet

�

IVE§5

J!l\ TELMEX

•-

Morozevich leaves his opponent no chances! After 43.'&xe5t dxeS Black has some play thanks to the opened d-file.

43...:Sfl t 44.:Sxfl :Sxfl t 45.�e2 '@f4 46.'@d4t �g8 47.:Sg5t! The simplest.

47 ...'@xg5 48.�xfl Black could have resigned here, but he first gave a few checks.

48 ... '@cl t 49.tLlel '@f4t 50.�gl '@g5t 5 I..!Llg2 '@cit 52.�h2 '@h6t 53.�g3 '@g5t 54.�f2 54 ...'&g5-f5t would be the last check and therefore Black resigned.

1-0

-

·�·

ALIANZ

@ TOYOTA

ji!i\ TELMEX

Ban

x.

ROUND 1 0 .

R es ults : L ek o

�

�

/'

� -

Topalov Ad ams

K asimd zh anov

,_. ......

(\� ' .�

Y2

lh

Svidl er

Y2

lh

Mor oz evi ch

1/2

Y2

Anand

-- 1�

0

Polgar

Mundial de

Ajedruz

----

Standings: 1 Topalov 2 Svid ler 3-4 Anand 3-4 Mor oz evi ch 5-6 Leko

8 6 5 1/2 5 llz 4 1/2

5 -6 Kasi mdz hanov

4 1/2

7 Ad ams

3 1!2

8

P olgar

2 1/2

The tenth round changed little regarding the sporting aspect of the tournament, and the status quo naturally favours the leader. In this round the spectators were hoping somebody (possibly called Morozevich) would reopen the fight for first place, but it did not happen. Indeed, coming into the round Morozevich seemed like a most suitable person to finally make the outcome of the tournament unclear. He had j ust won three games in a row and is well known for his ability to score many successive wins.

Topalov seems to have slowed down, so there was really a lot to

expect. 1he beginning of the game did promise a hard-fought game, after the Bulgarian grandmaster, true to his combative style, avoided exchanging pieces early on. Morozevich immediately produced a surprise with an unclear novelty and obtained a curious position that was passive, but very complicated - exactly what you want when trying to win with Black. 1hroughout the game the Bulgarian never gave a single hint that a draw would satisfY him, repeatedly choosing the most principled, at times even risky, continuations. It could have cost him dearly, as by move 30 Morozevich could have had the better position, which would have put Topalov under tremendous psychological pressure. However, Black missed his chance and we witnessed an amazing transformation. If the first half of the game was balanced with two equal players, on move 3 1 Topalov pressed some hidden turbo button and the Muscovite never saw him again before the finish line. White emerged from the time trouble with a decisive advantage, missed a couple of more or less forced wins, but still the position was totally winning. It was then that Morozevich took out his magic wand, finding amazing resources time and time again. And Topalov blundered. For the fi rst time in ten long exhausting rounds the Bulgarian

310 showed rhar he is also subjecr ro misrakes, and even big ones. He was one srep away from winning his sevemh game, and virrually clinching rhe ride wirh four rounds ro spare, bur, Morozevich escaped. The resulr of rhis round's only decisive game was known a long rime ago. Kasimdzhanov did nor hide his eagerness for revenge ever since rhe fourrh round, and preferably execured in no less beauriful a sryle rhan rhar of Polgar over him. The Queen, for her parr, is eager ro end rhe rournamem wirh minimal damage. Whar could rhis lead ro? Ir is quesrionable wherher rhe game was as beauriful, bur ir did resemble rheir previous encoumer in being rorally one-sided. Already in rhe opening Polgar chose a variarion in rhe Scheveningen rhar is known ro be dangerous for Black, even Kasparov is careful ro avoid ir. Polgar, however, played rhe line quire carelessly, and soon ir became apparem rhar Whire enjoys a few exrra rempi compared ro classic games, which were anyrhing bur comforrable for Black. Kasimdzhanov was playing very powerfully, bur rhe concluding parr was inaccurare - in rime rrouble he chose virrually rhe mosr unforrunare cominuarion, insread of crushing rhe opponem's king, allowed an endgame in which Black's posirion was srill difficulr, bur neverrheless playable, wirh all kinds of drawish rook endings on rhe horizon. The rired Polgar insread wem for an acrive plan, and missed a decisive blow. lhe biggesr hope for rournamem imrigue, Perer Svidler, began his game from a losr posirion. Afrer mixing up rhe move order he was subjecr ro very heavy pressure by Leko and rhe quesrion remained wherher Whire would be able ro converr his big posirional advamage imo a poim on rhe cross-rable. Bur Svidler defended imaginarively and renaciously and Leko made an error in judgemem, assessing rhar his advamage on rhe queenside would be sufficiem for a win. In facr, rhis opinion was also shared by mosr commemarors, bur no win was found, even afrer exrensive analysis. lhar was rhe case umil rhe posirion was reconsidered from scrarch: realizing rhar rhough all Black's pieces were grouped on rhe queenside, rhe advamage should be looked for on rhe orher flank. In rhe game Svidler refured all Whire's aHemprs, and wirh a pawn sacrifice even rook rhe iniriarive. Leko blocked his downfall, and accurarely reduced rhe game imo a drawn endgame. lhe shorr draw in Adams - Anand was gready underesrimared, perhaps simply under rhe influence of irs breviry. Adams imroduced an imeresring novelry in rhe Ami-Marshall, and managed ro obrain a slighr edge - rarher arypically for such posirions. True, afrerwards he invesred roo much energy in exchanging rhe lighr-squared bishops, which led ro rhe roral disappearance of his advamage. Moreover, Anand agreeing ro a draw was very surprising, as in rhe final posirion he had no problems and had decem chances ro exploir Whire's weaknesses in rhe endgame. His decision could perhaps be explained by rhe realizarion rhar he is only fighring for silver.

LEKO - SYIDLER @

'itt * 1ft

GAME 37 Peter Leko Peter Svidler Ruy Lopez, Anti-MarshaU C88

l.e4 e5 2.!1h8 23.tLleg4! tLlxd5 24.�h3 �xg4 25.tLlxg4t '>!1g8 26.�c2, followed by �c2-e4 with a win. 2 l .�c2 tLlxc3 22.�d3 g6 23.�xc3 gxf5 Black's pieces finally threaten to make an appearance in today's game, and White is just one tempo short. 24.tLlxf5 �xf5 25 .�xg5 �xc2 26.�xc2 hxg5 27.�f5 f\fe8 28.�xg5t \!if8 29.�h6t '>!1e7 30.�g5t With a perpetual. b2) However, with 1 9.tLl hf5! White maintains very unpleasant pressure on Black's king position: 1 9 ... cxb2 20.�xb2 b2 1 ) Now 20 ...�xb2 is strongly mer with: 2 I .�d3! 1hrearening to trap the queen. 2 1 . ..�xf5 2 I ...�b7 is just bad, with no intrigue: 22.E!ab l �a8 23.tLlxe7t \!ih8 24.f\xb8 �xb8 25.f1b l �a8 26.�c2 and Black's extra pawn only means that White will to make one more hand movement while collecting them all. 22.tLlxf5 1he queen is now forced to go back: 22 ...�b7 1his (again) leads to a passive position with a clear plus for White: 23.tLlxe7t '>!1h8 24.f1ab l �a8 25.E!bc l

White has a pawn less than i n the game, bur has managed to improve his pieces and the opened lines are to his advantage. 2 I .. .tLlxe4 is bad due to 22.�g4 tLlg5 23.h4 g6 24.hxg5 hxg5 25 .�c2! gxf5 26.tLlxf5, with a crushing arrack. e.g. 26...�b4 27.f1e4 �c3 28.�xg5 �xf5 29.�xf5 �xal t (29 . . .�xc2 30.�h6 mares) 30.'>!1h2 with an inevitable mare. While 2 I ...�b4 22.�d2 �xe4 23.�c2 �f4 24.g3 �g5 25.h4 maybe looks OK for a computer, bur is hardly playable for a human.

1 8 �g4! ...

Black shows an understandable willingness to exchange a pair of pieces, leaving more air for the or hers. 1 8 ... c6 would have led to exactly the type of position White wants: 1 9.dxc6 tLlxc6 20.tLld5 tLlxd5 2 l .exd5 tiJd8 22.c4 with a long-term advantage and a clear plan.

LEKO - SYIDLER

l9.c4

Perhaps by trying to lock the black knight on a7 Leko wants to get back at Svidler for his own knight's suffering in the first leg (Game 9), where it stayed on a5 for almost the whole game. However, with his next move Black forces open files on the queenside, freeing his pieces. And one should not forget about the a5-pawn, which is weak and within reach. Perhaps White should have let his opponent's pieces fight for the limited space with 1 9.ltk4 as after 1 9... f5 20.ltkd2 (but not 20.lLlfd2 lLlx£2!) 20 ... fxe4 2 l .lLlxe4 1f5 22.c4 White has a good version of the King's Indian. White had another, quite shocking option: 1 9.tLlxg4 1xg4 20.tLlxe5 1he idea is 20...dxe5 2 l .�g3, and 2 l ...h5 is not the answer as after 22.h3 bxc3 23.bxc3 1c8 24.�xe5 1f6 25.�g3! h4 (25 ... tLlb5 26.e5 1e7 27.1h6 is curtains) 26.�d3 Black can do nothing against White's moving centre. Not with such pieces. Better is 2 l ...�c8! and White's compensation does not seem to suffice. 22.c4 1f6 23.1e3 c5 (23 ... E1b7 24.£3 1d7 25.1xh6 and it would be Black playing for a win) 24.£3 1d7 25.1xd7 �xd7 26.1xc5 E1fc8 27.�f2 E1b7 28.b3 and Black is even better.

l9...�xe3 20..ixe3

20...c5! Again, just about the only move on the board (otherwise White will play 2 l .c5 and Black will find it difficult to breathe), and one that forces

315

Leko to dive into more concrete play. And now for the really shocking news: White has nothing but an optical advantage, which is quite useless in terms of converting into points in the cross table.

2 l.dxc6

Leko was definitely having a hard time deciding whether to capture on c6, eventually deciding to open the centre. 1he point is that had he ignored the c-pawn, White would have been left without any play in the centre and on the queenside (where virtually all his forces are situated), whereas on the kingside the chances are equal. Moreover, after 20 ... c5 the pawn on a5 has become a weakness that needs attention 24/7. 2 l .tLld2 is now met with a thematic exchange of dark-squared bishops: 2 1 ... 1g5! 22.1xg5 hxg5 23.�g3 �e7 24.1dl �f6 with �f6-f4, and Black is fine. Once again there was a piece sacrifice, which this time is more promising than two moves ago: 2 l .lLlxe5!? 1his leads to a forced sequence: 2 l . ..dxe5 22.d6 1f6 23.1xc5! Less convincing is 23.d7 l:'1d8 24.dxc8� E1bxc8 25.�e2 tLlc6 26.1xc6 �xc6 and Black is OK. 23 ... tLlc6 24.1b6 1d7 25.c5

We have a curious situation where Black's pieces are not playing any role in the game, whereas White can play without any risk. For example: a) 25 . . . l:'1a8 26.1b3 E1fe8 27.1d5 It is not clear how exactly White breaks through, but he has plans. Here is one: 27 ... 1e6 28.l:'1a4 1g5 29.E1d l �d7 30.�c4 l:'1ec8 3 l .l:'1dal idS 32.E1xb4 1his would be scary in a real game,

316

ROUND 1 0 25.�xd6 ixb6 26.axb6 �xb6 27.ixc6 ig4! the situation is again double-edged) 25 ...�xc6 26.ixd8 l:!fxd8 27.b3 White is slightly better, but nothing special.

22...i.d7 23.c5 lhis looks very natural, but Black will always have enough counterplay. lhe problem is that White now has nothing better.

23 ...dxc5 24.i.xc5 i.xc5 25.'ffxc5 gfc8!

but analysis suggests Black has a draw at best. 32 ... lt:lxb4 33.�xb4 l:!ab8 34.�a3 ig5 3 5.b4 �b5 36.�c3 and White is taking over, slowly but surely. lhe whole line is perhaps not very practical, but Nimzowitsch would probably be happy. b) Another option is 25 ... lt:ld4 26.�c4 ixa4 27.l:!xa4 lt:lc6 28.l:!d 1 id8 29.d7 ic7 30.�d5, with White dominating the board, but still a piece down.

21. .. lt)xc6 22.'ffd 5?! Leko is playing very naturally, but this allows Black the time he needs to finally get his pieces together. 22.ib6 was probably the last moment when White could have made Black's life harder. 22 ...ie6: a) 23.lt:ld2 id8! 24.c5 (24.�xd6 lt:lxa5 25.ixa5 ixa5 26.ic6 �a7 27.l:!xa5 l:!fd8 28.�xe5 l:!xd2 29.c5 l:!c8 is very unclear) 24 ... lt:ld4 25.lt:lb3 lt:lxb3 26.ixb3 ixb3 27.�xb3 dxc5 28.ixc5 ie7 29.ib6 l:!fc8 Black has nothing to worry about. b) 23.l:!e d 1 l:!bc8 24.lt:ld2 id8 25. ixc6 (after

A great defensive move, correctly assessing that the initiative is more important than material here. 25 ... l:!bc8? 26.�b6! �xb6 27.axb6 would be decisive, but an interesting alternative is 25 ...l:! fd8!? 26.lt:lxe5?! lt:lxe5 27.�xe5 ixa4 28.l:!xa4 l:!d2 and Black has very good compensation for the pawn.

26.'ffe3?! After this passive move the mmanve passes to Black. His pieces occupy more active places, White has a weakness on a5 he must take care of and Black generally gains the psychological momentum. After 26.ixc6?! ixc6 27.�xe5 l:!e8 or 26.lt:lxe5 lt:lxe5 27.�xe5 ixa4 28.l:!xa4 l:!c2 29.l:!aa 1 �b5 it is Black, ifanyone, who has the better chances. lhe only way to keep some initiative was by not allowing the bishop to e6 with 26.ib3, but Black has just enough time for counterplay against aS: a) 26 ...lt:ld4? loses nicely to 27.ixf7t! 'it>h8 (27 ... 'it>xf7 28. lt:lxe5t and White wins) 28.�xe5 lt:lc2 29.id5 �a7 (But not 29 ... ic6

LEKO - SYIDLER 30.ixc6 V!fxc6 3 I .liJd4! and Black can safely resign. Also bad is 29 . . . V!fc7? 30.V!fxc7 l:'!xc7 3 U!acl winning.) 30.V!ff4 liJxal 3 U:ha! followed by liJe5 with a strong attack, with equal material. b) Bur Black can play 26 . . . V!ib5! and although White looks good, he does not have anything concrete against the strongest defence: 27.V!fd6 leads, almost by force, to a draw (while after 27.V!fxb5?! l':'lxb5 there is nothing left of White's advantage but memories) 27 . . . ie8 28.ia4 V!fb7 29.ixc6 ixc6 30.liJxe5 ixe4 3 I .liJxf7 Otherwise White has absolutely nothing. 3 1 ...1:'1c6! and Black is j ust in time to deliver a perpetual after 32.V!id4 ixg2! 33.liJd8 (33.g8 1 8.lbxd4 and White is much better) 1 5.1c3 1g4 1 6.h3 1h5 1 7.1e4 l:'ie8 1 8.'l*'c2 1g6 1 9.1xg6 hxg6 20.l:'iad 1 , eliminating all the heavy pieces, and with them all life in the position, Gustafsson - Kasimdzhanov, Germany 2004.

319

development, and not exchange pieces (especially rooks, when the d4-pawn would die young) and wait for his opponent's mistakes.

15 �b6 •.•

A further advantage of not having a bishop on b6. Black's game is developing rather swiftly. Black could have prevented White's next move with 1 5 ... a5, bur it is not clear whether b4 is worth stopping.

16.b4

13 ....ic7! A very logical idea that, surprisingly, is new - usually Black exchanges this bishop later. Previously Black had been more concerned with his other bishop and played 1 3 ...1g4, when the pin seems irritating and White will have to unpin with 14.h3 1h5 I 5.g4. However Black should not celebrate White's vulnerability - he usually uses it to build serious pressure against Black's king: White has no other way to unpin, so he pushes his kingside pawns, using the d4-pawn as a shield. For example: 1 5 ... 1g6 1 6.lbd2 f6 1 7.l:'icl 'it>h8 1 8.lbc4 1c7 1 9.1xc7 'l*'xc7 20.f4 l:'iae8 2 1 .'l*'£3 (Carlsen - Shorr, Hoogoveen 2004) with a double-edged position where White's activity might promise him a few more prospects. Generally speaking, neither of the two alternatives ( 1 3 ...1c7 or 1 3 ...ig4) seems to give Black full equality. While 1 3 ...1g4 gives White the time needed to organize his pieces, the text-move is faster to counter White's plans in the centre. On the other hand, 1 3 ...1c7 doesn't force White to weaken his king, leading to bigger problems finding counterplay later on.

14..ixc7 White's problem is that if he wants to get a bener version of the game with 1 4.'l*'d2 then 14 ...1g4 significantly gains in force, as ... ix£3 is already a threat.

14 .. .'ftxc7 15.h3

And this is the price for the novelty - Black's bishop stays at home, and will look for a life from e6. Now Black is quite solid, bur has problems finding a strategic plan - he should simply finish

A double-edged move. On one hand, it helps White occupy space on the queenside and prevents Black's knight activating via a5. On the other, it weakens the very important c3-square, which can later be used by Black to support the advance of his d-pawn. Moreover, the b4-pawn can be a trigger to enhance Black's play on the queenside, as now it would be easier for him to open the flank with a7 -a5. lhe text prepares play on the queenside, bur according to the game White plans aggression on the other flank. For this purpose 1 6.'l*'d2 was more appropriate, as 16 ... lba5 is now just a shot in the air: 1 7.l:'iad 1 lbb3 1 8.'l*'f4 and White has a position similar to the game, only without the weakening of his queenside.

16 .. ..ie6 17 .!cl Black is not afraid of 17.lbg5 lbe5!. As we said previously, White does not wam to exchange his knight for the bishop, whereas after 1 8.lbxh7 l:'ifd8! 1 9.lbg5 l:'iac8 Black gets promising

320

ROUND 1 0

compensation for the pawn, and Topalov definitely wants ro have rhe initiative in his hands in such a crucial game.

l7 ... h6 l8.\1;Yd2 l:Ud8 l9.\1;Yf4

Planning ro begin an attack by means of e4e5 and "Mfe4, as attacks on the king are usually more dangerous than rhose on a "kingless" queenside, which is whar Black will have here. Morozevich, for his part, has both defensive and attacking resources, and rhis suits him too for rhis game. A rare case of both players being happy with their position. However, as explained above, a more logical plan was to play on the queenside in general and the c-file in particular. 1he immediate 1 9 .!k5 is problematic for rhe same reasons as in the game, bur rhe accurate 1 9.Ek2 promises Whire a clear and permanent advantage.

Also after 20 ... .id5 2 l .l:!c5 !iJe7 22.i:!fc l l:!xc5 23.l:!xc5 !iJg6 24.1Mfg4 White would have a firm advantage.

20Jk5 Topalov is nor going ro sir back, waiting for a draw. He's heading for sharp, double- edged play: a real rrear for every chess lover. The objective value of the move, however, is a little less clear Afi:er 20.e5 a5 2 l .b5 !iJg6 22.1Mfg3 .id5! Black is fine. The attempt to move the queen ro g3 with 20.1Mfc7 !iJc6 2 l ."Mfg3 would have saved White a tempo had Black continued like in the game, but since e4-e5 is nor a serious threat anymore (rhe queen cannot ger to e4), Black can continue playing on the queenside: 2 1 ... l:!ac8 22.e5 a5 23.b5 !iJe7 and Black has good prospects. However, the natural 20.l:!fd 1 seems ro be stronger, as now Black would have ro be worried about his d4-pawn.

20... �g6

l9...�e7 The knight is heading ro protect irs king - jusr like ir did in rhe first encounter between rhe rwo players in this tournament. Then rhe knight was Topalov's ... 1 9 ...a5 is still premature due ro 20.b5 !iJe7 2 1 .1Mfc7 with a big advantage for White. Much worse is 1 9 ...l:!ac8 20.e5 (intending 2 l ."Mfe4): Black can no longer play 20... !iJe7 conveniently, as after 2 l .l:!xc8 !!xeS (2 l .. ..ixc8 22.l:!cl gives a one-sided game) 22.ithd4 !!dB 23.!iJxe6 l:!xd3 24.!iJc5 l:!xa3 25.l:!d1 White's initiative is roo strong.

1he besr square for rhe queen was f4, since it can play on borh flanks from rhere, bur now White has ro decide where rhe second-best square is.

2 l.\1;Yg3?! This leaves the whole of rhe queenside ar Black's disposal. No good comes our of 2 l ."Mfc7 l:!d7 and rhe queen srill has ro go. Correct was 2 l ."Mfd2 l:!ac8 22.i:!fcl l:!xc5 23.l:!xc5 1Mfd6 with a roughly equal position.

TOPALOY - M O ROZEYICH

321

2l. .. a5! And now all the previous moves White played (b4, gc5) backfire, and allow Black to develop strong play on the queenside.

22.gb5 Wl'c6 1his is the point: with White's queen on f4 it would nor be possible, due to the simple gel . Now the c-file belongs to Black.

23.e5!?

White's best bet would be to simplify to a draw with 25 .ixf5 l/tlxf5 26.bxa5 d3 27.1/tlg4 l/tlxg4 28.hxg4 gac8 29J!xc8 gxc8 30J!d1 gc3 3 l .a4 ga3.

24.bxa5 bxa5 24 ... gxa5 is problematic due to 25 .gb4, winning a pawn, as both d4 and g6 are attacked.

25J:Hbl �£8

Pretty much forced, as White cannot wait for Black's initiative to develop on the queenside. Moreover, he already committed himself to playing energetically on the kingside with his 2 1 " move. After 23.bxa5 l/tlc3 24.gd1 gxa5 25.gxa5 l/tlxa5 Black's position is much more promising than White's.

23...b6 Black is raking the c5-square away from White's rook, rhus preparing a move which he should have played immediately. This allows his opponent an important tempo to prevent it. Black should have tried to exchange the light-squared bishops. After e5 the bishop on d3 nor only blocks the d4-pawn from moving, bur also rakes an active parr in White's kingside arrack, so 23 ... if5! 24.gc5 l/tld7. Now Black's d-pawn can become very dangerous, especially with White's heavy pieces being misplaced. For example: 25 .ic4 axb4 26.axb4 d3 Black has a very dangerous initiative, and afrer 27.gd5 l/tlxd5 28.ixd5 gxd5 only he can win.

26.�d2! The knight is heading to e4, and once it reaches there Black's king will no longer feel safe.

26.. -i.dS 27.£4 A double-edged move. On one hand, it is hard to continue the arrack without such moves, bur on the other it seriously weakens White's king. Moves like 27.tLlb3, suggested by the computer, can hardly be taken seriously. Here is a short illustration: 27 ... tLle6 28.gcl l/tld7 29.lLlxa5 gac8! 30.gxc8 l/tlxc8 when all White's pieces are awfully misplaced.

322

RO UND 1 0 30.l0f6t @h8 3 1 .l0xd5 Vfff xd5 32.f5 with a strong attack for White) 29.:B:db5 :B:ac8 and Black is better because his play on the queenside comes much faster than White's on the kingside.

28 \Wclt •••

1he machine ofFers a curious resource with 28 ... l0g6?! exploiting White's hanging pieces, ofFering the following lines: 29.:B:c2 (29.f5 is bad, 29 ... l0f4! 30.Vfffx f4 Vfffxd3, and White's attack on the kingside is about to end in disaster. . . on the same side.) 29 ... Vfixa3 30.@h2 1he point (30.l0c4 would have been met with 30 ...Vfffa I t) 30 . . . a4 3 1 .:B:c7 Vfia2 but here it realizes what we've said earlier: attacks on the king are often much more dangerous than those without the king as a target. After 32.l0e4, threatening l0f6, Black is falling apart.

29.'ti?h2 :B:ac8 30.f5

But prophylaxis with 27.'�h2 might prove to be very valuable, given that White will have to weaken the first rank in order to fight for the c-file with the :B: b l -b2-c3 manoeuvre.

27 .'1Wc3 ••

30 :B:c3? •••

28.:B:lb2 An attempt to go tactical with 28.:B:xd5 fails to 28 .. .'�\lxd2! (but not 28 . . . :B:xd5 29.l0e4! Vfffc 6

Trying to disturb White's attack on the king, but Black should have continued his line. For this purpose, very promising seems to be 30 ... a4, threatening ...�b3. Now 3 l .:B:b6 runs into 3 l ...:B:c3! 32.l0b l :B:b3 33.:B:2xb3 axb3. If anyone is risking losing, it's White. With his queenside being compromised, White would have to play quickly: 3 l .f6 is hardly endangering Black after the cold-blooded 3 l . ..g6 32.Vfih4, and now: a) Bad is 32 ... @h7 33.l0e4 �xe4 34.Vfff xe4 @g8 (34 ... l0e6 allows White a fine combination:

TOPALOV - MOROZEVICH 35.1'!b7 �g8 36.1'!xf7! �xf7 37.�xg6t �fB 38.if5! l'!c7 39.ixe6 �g5 40.if5! and White is winning) 35.1'!b7 l'!c3 36.1'!b8! when Black is collapsing. b) After 32 ... h5 (again threatening ... ib3) White has to act very fast or his queenside will be erased. 33.�f4 is refuted by 33 ... tbe6, whereas the attempt to prevent ... tbe6 with 33.if5 l'!c3 (but not 33 ... gxf5?? 34.�g5t tbg6 35.�h6 and White wins) 34.�f4 W/el , and Black is first to hit the opponent's weaknesses. Also after 33.ie4 33 ...ixe4 34.�xe4 tbe6 35.1'!b6 tDc5 36.�f4 �h7, White has too many problems back home to seriously consider attacking the black king.

3l.lbbl!! A fantastic move, protecting the pawn on a3 and driving the black rook away, this modest knight move puts an end to all Black's prospects on the queenside. Morozevich clearly missed this idea.

3 l. gc5 ••

The attempt to keep the initiative at the cost of an exchange with 3 l ...l'!xd3 32.�xd3 �f4t meets a nice tactical refutation: 33.�gl ! l'!c8 (33 ...�xe5 34.1'!e2 �f4 35.tbd2 and White should be able to convert his marerial) 34.1'!c2 l'!xc2 35.�xc2 ie4 36.�d2! �xf5 37.�xd4! lhe point is that now 37 ...ixbl will lose to 38.1'!b8, rhrearening l'!xffi with mare, which forces Black to part with one of rhe lighr pieces, wirh a losr position as the resulr.

323

one after Black's 30'h move is really srriking. All of a sudden it is White playing for a win. Caught unprepared for this sudden change, Morozevich immediarely commits a horrible blunder.

34 ge8? .••

There should be no way back after this. 34 ... �b8, nor allowing the e-pawn into morion, was much better, bur even here afrer 35.tbc4 White is in charge. An old chess saying claims that every move weakens at least one square. Black's last move weakened the d7 -square. How can White make use of it?

35.e6! �h7

After 35 ... fxe6 36.1'!c7 it is jusr rhe right time ro resign. Black can no longer block the seventh rank wirh ... l'!d7.

36.gc7 Now it is White's turn to invade along the c-file, and it appears to be much more effective.

36... gf8 37.�c4

32.gxc5 "ffxc5 33.gc2 Wlb6 34.�d2

Black's posmon is already losr. lhe lasr segment of rhe game (since move 3 1 ) makes a very srrong impression. It is as if Topalov has suddenly changed gear and left his opponent behind, sraring at a dusr cloud.

37 .ixc4 ..•

lhe difference between this position and the

37 ... �b8 38.e7 l'!e8 39.tDd6! �xc7 40.tbxe8 (rhe firsr idea rhar comes to mind is 40.�xg7t?? bur afrer 40 ...�xg7 rhe "winning" 4 l .tbe8t rums our to be quire illegal) 40 ...�xg3t 4 l .�xg3 and Whire wins.

324

ROUND 1 0

4l. ..�b3 42.�d6

3 8..ixc4 �f6 39.�e5!

42...�b8! The idea is to keep stinging with every possible threat he can come up with. Now Black wants to play ... �xf7.

43..ic4 �e4 44.�e5 �d2! Preparing the set-up that will eventually save Black half a point.

4S..ia2 �b6!

Another strong move. The threat is more dangerous than its execution, as someone once almost said.

39...d3 40.exf7t? Not lening the win escape yet, but significantly complicating matters with the last move before the time control. 40.e7 would have led to an immediate win, as now the bishop can support the pawn to promotion after 40 . . . �eS 4 I .ixd3. Now 4 l . . .�bS is answered with 42.ic4, forcing resignation in view of the threat e7-eS and ixf7t, whereas 4 i ...tLld5 is brutally answered with 42.�cS! �xeS 43.eS�t �xeS 44.�xeSt @h7 45.f6t with mate in tWO.

40...Wh7 4 I..ixd3 White's position is totally winning, but from now on Morozevich plays very imaginatively, exhausting every chance he has, until one of them finally succeeds.

Creating the threat of 46 ... tLl f3!t with a perpetual.

46.!k2? lhis mistake, preventing one threat but missing the second, lets the win go, but it also shows that Topalov is only human. Ten hard-fought games did affect him after all, and he can become tired

TOPALOV - MOROZEVICH in £he 6•h hour of play. One should also praise Morozevich, as he searched for chances wi£h grea£ imagina£ion, helping his opponen£ £O err. The mos£ namral 46.�c5 does nO£ immedia£ely solve all £he problems, as Black can keep bugging wi£h 46... �b2! and now Whi£e should find 47.l:!b7! (bm no£ 47.�xf8 �e5t wi£h a draw) 47 ...�f6 48.l:!d7 �g5 and only af£er £he calm 49.'i!1hl ! can Whi£e claim £O have a won game, as afi:er 49 ...�g3 50.f6! g6 (or 50 ...�el t 5 I .�gl lLlfl 52.fxg7 'i!1xg7 53.�d4t! 'i!1h7 54.�d I ! lLlg3t 55.'i!1h2 �e5 56.�d6 and £here are no more £ricks) 5 I .l:!e7, Black has £O admi£ failure, as 5 I ...llJf.3 gives only a few checks. A£ leas£, when consuhing a silicon friend i£ becomes clear: 52.gxf3 �xh3t 53.'i!1gl �g3t 54.'\!;>fl �xf3t 55.�f2 �hi t 56.'i!1e2 �h5t 57.'i!1d2 l:!d8t 58.'i!1c3! l:!c8t 59.�c4 winning. Bu£ £here is a much easier win wi£h 46.l:!c5, crea£ing a mos£ unpleasam £hrea£ of �e7, £hus forcing Black w re£rea£ his knigh£. Af£er 46...lLle4 £hen, and only £hen, 47.l:!c2 leaves Black wi£hom hope.

325

Whi£e has £O be careful as well - once Black's king is om of £he box i£ will be Whi£e searching for ways £O escape.

5 I..ic6 g6

1£ is no£ £00 la£e £o lose wi£h 5 I ...g5?? 52.f6! l:!f8 (52 ...'i!1g6 53.�e8 and £he pawn queens) 53.�e4t! 'i!1h8 54.�g6. Black can resign, his king is caugh£ in a box. A march of his colleague w h6 wi£h a subsequen£ pawn advance would do now.

52..ie8 �g7 53.fxg6

46...Ufl! lha£'s i£. There is no win anymore.

47.itxd2 Forced. lhere is no mher defence agains£ 47 ...lLlf.3t.

47...Uxd2 4B..id5 Ug5! 49.Ud6 Uds

All of a sudden Black is no longer losing! An amazing escape by £he Muscovi£e.

50.Uxd8 itxd8

53...h5!

Whi£e canno£ be allowed £O play g2-g4, followed by h3-h4-h5, and g4-g5 la£er on. Now i£ is a draw.

54.a4 54.'i!1g3 l:!d3t 55.'i!1h4 l:!xa3 56.'i!1xh5 l:!g3 is also a draw. And af£er 54.h4 l:!d4 Whi£e canno£ improve his posi£ion ei£her, and is in fac£ running a risk of losing.

54... h4 55.�gl itd2 56.g3 hxg3 57.h4 ith2 58.h5 �f8 Of course no£ 58 ... l:!xh5 59.f8�t! 'i!1xf8 60.g7t! 'i!1xg7 6I .�xh5, and £he las£ remaining pawn's promo£ion square is of £he righ£ colour.

59.�fl �g7

Again 59 ... l:!xh5 loses £O £he same idea, in reversed execmion: 60.g7t 'i!1xg7 6 I .f8�t

60.�gl �f8 61.�fl ll:z-1/:z

ROUND 1 0

326 @

'itt ir 1ft

GAME 39 Michael Adams Viswanathan Anand Ruy Lopez, Anti-Marshall C88

l.e4 e5 2.�f3 �c6 3..ib5 a6 4..ia4 �f6 5.0-0 .ie7 6J�el b5 7..ib3 0-0 8.a4 b4 9.d3 d6 l O.a5 .ie6 l l.�bd2 gbs

Preparation for d6-d5! This move is imporranr ro srop some unwanred pieces from paying a visir ro g5. Another way ro cover rhe g5-square is by playing 1 2 ... tLld7, bur Black has nor been really successful here: 1 3.1e3 1f6 (rhe immediate 1 3 ... d5 can be unpleasanrly mer wirh 14.1a4 dxc4 1 5.1xc6 wirh pressure) 1 4.c3 bxc3 1 5.bxc3 Eib7 1 6.�c2 tLla7 17.d4 �b8 1 8.d5 1g4 1 9.tLlfd2 h6 20.h3 1h5 2 1 .1a4 wirh a clear plus for Whire, De Firmian - Beliavsky, Copenhagen 2004.

l3.h3 A firsr srep in White's plan, preparing 1e3, tLld2, �e2. Afrer rhar he will have a position rhar is very pleasing ro rhe eye. Nothing more, rhough. 1he natural 1 3.c3!? has, surprisingly enough. only been played once: 1 3 ... bxc3 1 4.bxc3 tLld7 1 5.1a4 tLla7 1 6.1e3 tLlb5 1 7.�c2 f5 1 8.exf5 1xf5 1 9.tLlcd2 c5 20.1b3t 'i!ih7 2 l .tLle4 1g6 22.tLlg3 tLlc7 23.� d 1 d5 24.1c2 tLlb5 wirh a very complicated game, Shirov - Z. Almasi, Calvia (ol) 2004. Up ro rhis poinr rhis is identical ro rhe Leko - Svidler game from rhis round (Game 37) , bur perhaps Anand now felr guilry abour copying Svidler's moves and so deviated! Wirh his lasr move Anand prepares for rhe opening of rhe b-file.

13 ...\Wcs l4..ie3 gd8! Purring rhe rook on dB is useful in connection wirh rhe main idea d6-d5.

l5.\We2 .i f8 t 6.�fd2

l2.�c4

White's aggressive plans in rhis position have been resred for only a couple of years now, bur ir is enough ro realize rhar rhey do nor promise much. Bur rhe same can be asked abour any orher ami-Marshall sysrem: does ir promise Whire anything? 1he main idea of rhe move is ro fighr against Black's main plan of d6-d5 by purring additional pressure on e5. An interesting alternative is 1 2 .1c4, which was played by Kasparov in rhe first game of his World Championship march against Shorr in 1 993: 1 2 ...�c8 1 3.tLlfl l"ie8 14.tLle3 tLld4 1 5.tLlxd4 exd4 1 6.tLld5 tLlxd5 1 7.exd5 1d7 1 8.1d2 1f6 1 9.Eixe8t 1xe8 20.�e2 1b5 2 l .l"iel 1xc4 22.dxc4 h6 23.b3 And Whire had a slighr advantage.

l2 ...h6

This typical mulri-purpose manoeuvre is a novelry in rhis position. Whire dreams of advancing d4, and in order ro do so, e4 musr be prorecred. Additionally, rhis move prorecrs rhe bishop on b3, which in rurn makes c3 and d4

ADAMS - ANAND possible in rhe future. And on top of all rhis, ir releases rhe bishop from defending rhe knight on c4, making .ia4 ideas possible. Despite rhe result of rhe game, we fi nd rhis idea quire interesting - if a move with so many qualities does nor promise W hire any opening advantage, he might need to switch to or her lines. Anand, as White, once tried 1 6-l:'!ed 1 , which had no impact on rhe result, and very lirde on rhe position: 1 6 ... tbe7 1 7.tbfd2 tbg6 1 8.d4 exd4 1 9 ..ixd4 t!Jh7 20. .ie3 d5 2 l .exd5 with equality, Anand - Shirov, Monaco 2004.

327

By closing rhe centre White is hoping to exploit Black's weaknesses on rhe queenside, while I 8-l:'!ed 1 would have transposed into Anand - Shirov above.

l8....id7

l6...li}e7!?

A very strong reaction by Anand. Once White plays d3-d4 rhe knight on c6 will become vulnerable. Bur rhe knight still needs to support rhe e5-pawn and therefore is heading towards g6. Ir also frees rhe way for rhe c-pawn. Chess is such an easy and logical game (when you know what you want). We think this interesting manoeuvre by Anand had to be learned by Leko - rhe Indian grandmaster will repeat it (with great success!) against him (Game 45). A critical move in Adams' preparation must have been 1 6 ... d5?! bur ir has a tactical refutation: 1 7 ..ia4! dxc4 ( 1 7 ...1M/b7 1 8 ..ixc6 Wxc6 1 9.tbxe5 and rhe compensation is anything bur obvious) 1 8 ..ixc6. Threatening to win a pawn (dxc4) and rhe exchange (.ia7). Preventing both will allow White additional resources: I 8 ... cxd3 I 9.cxd3 .id7 After 20-l:'!ecl White's active pieces and Black's weaknesses give White a plus. After 1 6 ... t!Jd4 1 7 ..ixd4 exd4 1 8.e5 dxe5 19 .tbxe5 White is bener as well.

l7.d4!

White strikes fi rst in rhe centre, and it is rhe only way to fight for an advantage. If he snoozes, Black might rake rhe initiative.

l7...� g6

The tactical shot 1 7. . .tbxe4? backfires after 1 8.t!Jxe4 d5 1 9.t!Jc5! with a big advantage for White. And opening rhe centre with 1 7 ... exd4?! 1 8 ..ixd4 only makes sense ifBiack can play ... d5, otherwise White has a steady initiative; which is rhe case here.

l8.d5

l9..ia4 As this game shows, simply playing on rhe light squares in nor dangerous for Black. The immediate 1 9 .c3? is nor yet possible, as ir loses a pawn to 1 9 ... bxc3 20.bxc3 tbxe4. A few months after this game, however, Karjakin followed Adams' footsteps until now, and tried to improve with 1 9-l:'!ecl !?, which does seem very logical. In rhe following game Black managed to get a more or less balanced position: 1 9 ..J'1e8! 20.c3 t!Jf4 2 1 .1M/d 1 1Mfd8 22 ..ia4 We7 23.b3 g6 24.tt:lb2 l:'!ec8 25 . .ixd7 1Mfxd7 26.c4 1Mfe8 27.1M/fl Karjakin - Aronian, Wijk aan Zee 2006. Perhaps White can improve on this with 26 ..ixf4!? exf4 27.cxb4 (threatening l:'!c6) 27 ... c6 (27 ... l:'!xb4 28.l:'!c4 l:'!xc4 29.tbbxc4 .ig7 30.l:'!cl and White has a good game playing against rhe weaknesses) 28.dxc6 l:'!xc6 29.1Mff3 l:'!xb4 30.1M/xf4 .ig7 3 1 .t!Jd3 with a clear plus for White.

l9 .. ..ib5!

A strong idea: if White wants to exchange bishops, he should pay for ir (here .ixb5 ... axb5 would trap the c4-knighr).

20.b3?!

ROUND 1 0

328

And Whi(e does no( wan( w pay such a high price. lherefore, he vaca(es b2 for his knigh(. In any case, Black has a very solid posi£ion, and is able w free his pieces jus( in lime. Afier (he immedia(e 20.c3 Black ge(s a good game: 20 ... bxc3 (20 ...1Mfd7 2 l ."Mfdl ixa4 22.1Mfxa4 "Mfb5 23.cxb4 1Mfxb4 24.1Mfxb4 !'!xb4 25.!'!ecl !'!db8 26.b3 is bener for Whi(e) 2 l .bxc3 c6 Black is OK, as nei(her 22.1b6 !'!e8 23.1xb5 cxb5 (even 23 ... axb5 24.ltla3 cxd5 25.ltlxb5 ltlf4 is quhe promising for Black) 24.ltlb2 "Mfxc3 25.ltld3 lLlf4 26.lLlxf4 exf4 nor (he immedia(e 22.1xb5 cxb5 23.ltlb2 "Mfxc3 24.ltld3 ltlf4! 25.1xf4 exf4 26.ltlxf4 !'!e8 promises Whi(e any(hing.

20 .. ..ie7

lhere was nmhing wrong wi(h 20 ...c6 immedia(ely, bm Anand exploi(s (he fac( (ha( Whi(e has no immedia(e (hrea(s, and improves his bishop a linle fim.

2 U�ecl

lLl f4 29.1Mffl "Mfxe4 30.!'!el "Mrg6 Whh (hrem like ... ltl h3 and ... ltld3, and all Whi[e's pieces smck on (he queenside: Black's chances are bener.

23 ...'1Wb7 24.dxc6 '1Wxc6 25.\Wc4

Here a draw was agreed, bm (here were s£ill chances of a decisive resuh. Mainly for Black. If he wamed he could have played 25 ... 1Mfb7. Now 26.!'!a4 is jUS( poindess because of 26 . . . d5 27.exd5 lLlxd5. After 26.c3 d5! 27.exd5 lLlxd5 28.ltlxd5 Black has very good chances: 28 ... !'!bxd5 Or even 28 ... !'!dxd5 evemually winning (he a-pawn. 29.cxb4 1xb4 30.ltle4 (30."Mfc8t 'i!lh7 3 1 ."Mrxb7 !'!xb7 32.ltlc4 !'!bb5 33.1b6 ltlf4 is beuer for Black) 30 ... !'!xa5 3 l .!'!xa5 !'!xa5 32.!'!dl Whi(e has some compensa£ion, bm enough for a draw a( bes(. 29.cxb4 1xb4 Nm 29 ... !'!xd2? 30.1xd2 !'!xd2 3 l .b5 when Whi(e's pawns are very dangerous, especially given (ha( Black cannm crea(e coumerplay agains( (he king: 3 1 ...ltlf4? 32."Mfc8t! "Mfxc8 33.!'!xc8t 'i!lh7 34.bxa6 winning. 30.ltle4 ltlf4 3 I .ib6

2l. c6! ••

Before Whi(e plays c3.

22.hb5 Afier 22.c3? bxc3 collapses.

22...gxb5 23.�b6

23.!'!xc3 cxd5 Whi(e

23.c3?! would have allowed Black a very promising rook sacrifice: 23 . . . bxc3 24.ltla3 !'!c5! 25.ltldc4 (25.1xc5? cxd2 winning) 25 ... cxd5 26.ltlb6 "Mfb7 27.1xc5 d4! 28.1b4

3 l .. .!'!d4! 32."Mfc6 32.1xd4 loses immedia(ely w 32 ...1Mfxe4. 32 ... !'!d l t 33.'i!lh2 "Mfxc6 34.!'!xc6 !'!xal 35.1xd8 ltle6! Forcing (he bishop w close (he 6'h rank! 36.1b6 1xa5 Black has an ex(ra pawn, and (herefore some chances. •l:z-•l:z

KASIMDZHANOV - POLGAR @

� * •

GAME 40 Rustam Kasimdzhanov Judit Polgar Sicilian Scheveningen 885

lhis game is a good example of £he imponance of move orders in modern chess. Black found herself £hree £empi behind compared £O £he usual £heory lines. lhis, of course, could no£ go unpunished...

l .e4 c5 2.�£3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.�xd4 �f6 5.�c3 a6 6.i.e2 e6 The classical Scheveningen - one of £he mos£ imeres£ing and difficul£ posi£ions in £he Sicilian.

7.a4 This slighdy unusual move-order usually uansposes imo normal lines. lhis game is no excep£ion.

7...i.e7 8.0-0 �c6 9.i.e3

In mos£ classical Sicilian vananons Whi£e casdes shon and develops £he bishops w e2 and e3. lhis can be achieved in various ways, bm £his is £he mos£ namral - £he dark-squared bishop is developed only when necessary.

9...0-0 IO.f4

I O...i.d7

Now £he move order is becoming more imponam. lhe £i£anic ma£ches of £he rwo K's in £he eigh£ies had a huge impac£ on £he evolmion of £he whole line. Karpov, £hen £he bes£ expen for £he Whi£e side, was uying w break Kasparov's fonress. lhe omcome was

329

gloomy for Karpov, nO£ being able £O win even one game, and subsequendy abandoning l .e4 in £he ma£ches. Bm even more inAuemial £han £he games £hemselves was Kasparov's book ("Two ma£ches") £ha£ revealed all £he basic ideas of £he opening. Today vinually every idea is affec£ed, one way or anmher, by £hose grea£ banles. Back £O £he £ex£ - Black's move is no£ £he mos£ accura£e, and i£ is hardly surprising £ha£ no eli£e devmees of £he Scheveningen play £his way. Bm why is 1 0 .. .'1Mfc7 more popular: wha£ is £he difference? lhe poim is £ha£ Whi£e has a lm of plans in £he classic Scheveningen: he can solidly play in £he cemre (a plan £ha£ is no longer considered £O be dangerous), he can prepare an anack wi£h 'IM!dl ­ e I , and so o n... B m £he mos£ aggressive plan is £O push £he g-pawn forward (wi£h g2-g4-g5) and £hen ei£her bring £he heavy pieces £O £he h-file or £hrow £he f-pawn imo £he anack as well. Or bmh. lhe imponam poim is £ha£ £hese plans, especially £he las£ one, are much more dangerous £han £hey migh£ appear, which forces Black £O play ex£remely accura£ely. 1hus, I O ...'IM/c7 is a good developing move, wai£ing for Whi£e £O speak fim. Af£er £his bmh players usually cominue wi£h developmem/prophylac£ic moves, like I I .hl and so on. Moves £ha£ prepare all possible plans for bmh sides. A£ some poim Black plays i.c8-d7 (some£imes £here are simply no more useful prophylac£ic moves) and Whi£e answers wi£h lL!d4-b3. La£ely Black has uied playing wi£hom ...i.d7 a£ all - plans wi£h lL!c6-a5 or e6-e5 are considered £O be less dangerous for Black. Now we can fully comprehend £he drawbacks of £he early I O... i.d7. Black chooses a dangerous plan and in £he given sima£ion i£ allows Whi£e £O win £ime by no£ making unnecessary manoeuvres like I I .h i . Maybe £his £empo (or even £empi, since even af£er I O...'IM/c7 I I .hl Black does nO£ usually hurry wi£h l l ...i.d7, bm can fim play £he very useful I i ..J�e8) is s£ill nO£ £he end of £he world, bm i£ is a serious concession.

l l.�b3 One of Black's plans £O equalize is by £aking on d4 and £ransferring her bishop £O c6 (or by

330

ROUND 1 0 1 6.ib6 '?fibS 1 7.'?fid4 d5 1 8 .tt:lc5 White is the only one playing, Oil - Sax, Szeged 1 997.

12 ..if3 Vlfc7

playing ... e5) as exchanges are generally good for Black as she has less space for manoeuvring. In order to prevent this plan White usually retreats his knight to b3 when the bishop goes to d7. It is important to note that Black cannot first rake on d4 and only then follow up with ... id7, as this allows a4-a5, sealing the queenside, after which Black can no longer achieve satisfactory counter play.

l l ...b6 Again, Black should nor allow the queenside to be closed. For example: l l ...'?fic7 1 2.a5! �ac8 1 3.g4 tt:lb4 1 4.g5 tt:le8 1 5.ig4 d5 1 6 .ib6 '?fid6 1 7 .exd5 exd5 1 8J:'!:f2 ixg4 1 9.'?fixg4 tt:lc7 20.f5 with an easily winning arrack, lvanchuk - Cebalo, Manila (ol) 1 992. Another way to prevent aS is the mechanical l l ...tt:la5, which was even played the great Jose Raul Capablanca. Here, however, the Cuban's phenomenal intuition was perhaps wrong, since Black is neglecting the centre allowing: 1 2.e5 tt:le8 1 3.tt:lxa5 '?fixa5 1 4 .tt:le4 '?fic7 1 5.a5 ic6

What did Black achieve in this relatively rare move order? b7-b6 was played instead of ... �e8, to go along with an early ...id7, provoking tt:lb3. Now White also will nor play \t>h l (there is no reason anymore, as we explained above), hence, compared to the old K-K fights, when the plans for both sides were first being developed, White is two tempi up (and the king on h I can be nor only a tempo, bur nor the best place for the king) - and even in those battles Black was, at rimes, walking a very fine line.

13.g4! The beginning of White's mam plan m the position.

13 ...ic8 .

Black's plan of defence is also typical: �e8, g6, ie7-f8-g7 and tt:ld7- ffi , covering all the key squares around the king. lhe first step is to vacate d7 for the knight.

14.g5 t[)d7 15 ..ig2 An important move. The bishop has nothing to do on f3, and it frees the diagonal for the queen (to h5) and the third rank for a rook (�f3-h3).

1 5 ... �e8 16.�8 lhe most fl exible way to continue the arrack. lhe point of bringing the rook first is to keep the queen to protect c2 for the rime being. Also, '?fih5 forces ... g6 with tempo, which can be important in some cases.

KASI M DZHANOY - POLGAR

33 1

16 ...-iffi 1he best way to go appears to be I 6 ... ttla5. Black will be happy to double the a-pawns, as long as the b-file opens for counterplay. Only strong counterplay on the queenside, forcing White to allocate resources for fighting against it, will make this position playable for Black. But White should continue 1 7.ttld2, and after 1 7 ... �b7 1 8.l!h3 g6 1 9.1l;'ig4 White had a serious initiative in Alekseev - Golod, Biel 2005.

17.Elh3 g6 1 8.�el 1he queen is deprived of h5? OK, it'll go to h4, when the time is right.

18 . ttJb4? ..

No-one had played this move before, which is fair enough. Polgar's idea is to obtain strong counterplay against c2 if White decides to abandon everything and go for it on the kingside. Ever since the above mentioned marches, however, a knight j ump to b4 is considered as not very promising, and later on Kasparov himself opted not to use this manoeuvre. All the knight's deeds there add up to attacking c2, whereas it does not even disturb White in arranging his pieces. Moreover, Kasimdzhanov is not the type of player who would ram a wall with his head, he uses this threat to better prepare his pieces for the upcoming attack. All in all, this novelty will hardly be remembered as an improvement. After 1 8 ... �g7 White sensed it was "rime", and went ahead with 1 9.Wh4 ttlf8 20.e5 dxe5 2 I .fxe5 �b7 22.l!fl ttle7 23.�xb7 Wxb7 24.lt'le4

lt'lf5 25.13xf5 exf5 26.lt'lf6t �xf6 27.gxf6 h5, but here the attack has reached a deadlock, Popovych - Kirov, Hamburg 1 997. However, what would have happened if White had continued the way Kasimdzhanov did in our game?

19.�fl White arranges his forces according to a known scheme, which usually evolves into a fierce f4-f5 break. 1he immediate 1 9.Wh4!? is typically met with 1 9 ... h5, and White has no time to rake on h6. However, then 20.Il;'ff2 is the same position as in the game, only f4-f5 becomes an even bigger threat now. An additional idea White has here is to sacrifi ce a piece on h5. Kasparov won quite a few games this way, naturally now on the White side. 1he drawback is also obvious - White will not have Wh4 with tempo anymore, and this is important enough to prefer the text.

1 9 ... Elb8 Very typical for these positions, protecting b6 (thus freeing the knight to protect the king)

332

ROUND 1 0

and evacuating rhe dangerous h l -aB diagonal. Normally ir is also played as an integral parr of Black's counterplay on rhe queenside wirh ... lba5 and afi:er rhe exchanges rhe rook would be placed exactly where a rook should be, on an open file. Here rhe knight is already on b4, so one important idea of EibB is negated, which makes rhe decision a debatable one: are rhe pawn and rhe diagonal worrh losing an important rempo in a position nearing a fisrfighr? Afrer 1 9 ... ib7 20.Eifl ig7 2 1 . f5 Black has counter-chances, although Whire's arrack is more dangerous rhan normal because of rhe exrra rime he has from rhe opening.

20JUI Polgar's chances here are nowhere near rhose Kasparov had in rhe previously mentioned march in 1 985. She realizes ir very well, and afrer deep rhoughr decides ro make ir fasr and furious.

20 ... f5!?

23.fxg6 and Black will have ro ger used ro playing wirhour a king. 20 ...ig7 is even more painful: 2 1 .f5 exf5 2 1 ... lL!fB 22.f6 wirh a typical position where White is virtually a piece up (rhe h8-based is barely alive), and White's huge advantage is indisputable. 22.exf5 lL!fB 22 ...gxf5 23.�h4 As if Whire's arrack was nor strong enough wirhour ir - rhe knight is now forked roo. 23.f6! ixh3 23 ...ih8 leads ro an even worse version of rhe already discussed position. 24.fxg7 1xg2 25.gxf8�t 'i!fxfB 26.'i!ixg2 And ir is over.

2l.exf5! "Spor rhe difference and win" was rhe rask given ro Kasimdzhanov by his opponent. He has a few rempi more rhan rhe above mentioned game, rhe question is how ro use rhem. Ar firsr he solved rhe puzzle effectively. 2 l .gxf6? would have fulfilled Black's dream: 2 1 ... lbxf6, and our of nowhere ir is unclear who is berrer. 2l...gd5 2 1 . ..exf5 22.lLld5! and Black faces a choice of losing a piece or gerring nicely help-mared: 22 ... lbxd5 23.1xd5t 'i!ih8 24.E:xh7t 'i!ixh7 25.�h4t 'i!ig7 26.�h6 mare.

22..id4! There is no satisfying defence against �h4 and g5-g6 sooner or larer.

22.. ,ge7

1he remprarion ro pur a question mark ro rhe move was so grear rhar ir seems unfair. Black is lacking a few tempi in a position rhar is nor easy anyway, and instead of dying slowly she goes for complications, which bring rhe end faster. However, had Polgar played passively and losr, we would write rhar she should have rried ro seek acrive play. Objectively, Black's position is full of problems in any case. Afi:er 20...ib7 another plus of nor playing 'i!ihl (in addition ro rhe tempo) can be seen: ...ixg2 is nor a check now. 2 1 .f5 exf5 22.exf5 1xg2

1he only move in order ro defend rhe 7'" line. 22 . . .ib7 does nor save Black eirher:

KASIMDZHANOV - POLGAR a) lhe seemingly anractive rook sacrifice 23.!!xh7? does not promise anything after 23 .. .'Jtxh7 24.�h4t c;!;>g6 25.if3 ixf3 26J�xf3 e5! 27J�h3 c;!;>f7 28.g6t c;!;>e6 29.�h7 ig7! 30.�xg7 !!e7 3 1 .�h6 !!g8 32.!!g3 (32.g7t llJf6 and Black is winning) 32 .. J�eg7 33J�g5 llJc6, and there is no material and no mate. b) Bur 23.g6! leads to a win: 23... hxg6 23 . . . h6 24.g7! ixg7 25.ixg7 c;!;>xg7 26. .ixb7 §xb7 27.�d4t e5 28.�xb4 winning a piece. Here we can see that the unsuccessful llJc6-b4 manoeuvre not only failed to gain sufficient counterplay, but even compromised the knight as well in some variations. 24.�h4 ge7 25.�h8t c;!;>f7 26.gh7t 26.�h7t c;!;>e8 27.�xg6t c;!;>d8 is unclear 26 . . . c;!;>e8 27.!!xe7t c;!;>xe7 28.§e! lhere is no satisfactory defence against 29.�h4t and 30.gxe6. e.g. 28 ... e5 29.fxe5 dxe5 30.gxe5t We can safely stop here.

23.1'iel!

White's deep understanding of the posmon is evident, not just in the game moves, but in various lines (like the one above) that could have arisen during the course of the game. In many positions the possibility to capture on e6 might be essential for the assessment of a variation. lhe rook also opposes Black's possible e5-break. It was still too early for 23.g6. Not because of 23 ...hxg6? 24.!!h8t c;!;>f7 25.�h4 c;!;>e8 (25... llJxc2

333

26.�h7t c;!;>e8 27.�xg6t c;!;>d8 28 . .if6! and Black is losing too much material) 26. �h6 'Bf7 27. �xg6. In view of the various threats Black would be wise to resign. lhe problem with 23.g6 is 23 ... h6! closing the files around the king.

23 e5 •..

lhis is an attempt to encourage the opponent into thinking his way into time trouble. lhe try was successful, although it is hard to look at Black's position without feeling sorry. 23 ....ib7 is losing to 24 . .if6!: a) 24 . . .llJxf6 25.gxf6 gee8 (25 ...gf7 26. .ixb7 �xb7 27.gxe6) 26.�g3t c;!;>h8 27.�g6! White wins with f6-f7. b) Also 24 ... §ee8 25.llJd4 ixg2 26.�xg2 �c5 (26 ... d5 27.gxh7! c;!;>xh7 28.�h3t c;!;>g6 29.gxe6 gxe6 30.�xf5t c;!;>f7 3 l.g6t c;!;>e8 32.�xe6t ie7 33.�xe7 mate) 27.c;!;>h I leaves Black is in a hopeless situation.

24.�d5 Of course!

24 ... �xd5 25.ixd5t ebbs 26..ic3

At this point time trouble (Kasimdzhanov's biggest enemy in San Luis) interfered. His position is still winning, but he could have sealed the deal immediately. And, as we all know, small mistakes are usually followed by bigger ones. 26.fxe5! wins easily: 26 ... llJxe5 (26 ...dxe5 27. �xf5 is horrible for Black) 27. �f4!

lhreatening g6 (which was not good enough immediately because of 27 ... gg7). Now the rook cannot move, and g6 wins. For instance: 27 ...id7 (or 27 ...ib7 28 . .ixb7 �xb7 29.�xf5) 28.g6 §g7 29.gxe5 gxg6t 30.gg3 Black has a choice between losing the rook, the queen or the king. Or maybe she will lose them all?

334

ROUND 1 0

26 .ib7 .••

After this the f5-pawn falls, leaving Black in a hopeless position. There was an idea to confuse the opponent with an atrempt to drive his bishop away from the lethal diagonal. 26 ... b5 27.fxe5 (27.lbd4 �c5! and Black escapes) 27 ... lbxe5 28.axb5 axb5 29.�f4 b4 Saying that Black has solved all her problems would not be true after 30.id4, but at least White does not win immediately.

27 .ixb7 Wlxb7 28.�d4! �U7! •

It is not only due to time trouble that Polgar did not get mated here, but mainly thanks to her great efforts. In a desperate situation she managed to confuse the opponent in the best possible way and almost got off the hook. Too bad that in this tournament she achieved such awful positions with Black that even her great talent for complications could not help her. Of course, after 28 ... exd4 29 ..!!xe7 1xe7 30.�xd4t if6 3 l .gxf6 .!! g8t 32 ..!! g 3 .!!xg3t 33.hxg3 lt>g8 34.�xd6 there is no hope.

and almost anything will do: 32 ..!! ee3! and after 32 ...1xe3t (or 32 ... d4 33.e6 .!!g7 34.1xd4 ixd4 35.�xd4) 33.lbxe3 .!!g7 34.e6 lbf8 35.lbf5 there is no need to continue. Perhaps that is not an easy variation in time trouble, but why the obvious 3 l ..!! xe5 was not played is a complete mystery. 1he variation 3 l ...lbxe5 32.1xe5t l!ig8 33.g6 �b6t 34.1!/fl �xg6 35 ..!!g 3 is clear and unequivocal. By the way, Fritz suggests 3 1 . �h5, as if there are not enough human solutions already. But the lump of silicon is right - Black can resign, as heavy material losses are inevitable.

3l ...Wib6t 32.'bhl

Or 29 ... exd4 30.ixd4t lbe5 3 l .fxe5 dxe5 32.1xe5t l!ig8 33.g6 and it is over.

Here the time pressure is most strongly felt. If White wanted to take on e5 with the rook (and he did!) then it was better to retreat to fl . If he wants to take with the pawn (which is not bad at all) this will also work. From all the possibilities, White chooses the worst combination - moving the king to hl and taking on e5 with the pawn. After 32.1!/fl �xg6 White can play 33 ..!! xe5 lbxe5 34.1xe5t ig7 and here 35.lbxg7 .!!xg7 36..!!g3 is winning. The same idea does not work in the game and that is what Kasimdzhanov missed.

30.�xf5 d5

32...Wixg6 33.gxe5?

29.Wih4 b5

An easy victory can still be reached after 33.fxe5! .!!xf5 34.e6t lbf6 35 . .!!g l .

33...�xe5! And here Polgar picks her head up, realizing that although White still has a big advantage, he has to win the game again! 34..ixe5t .ig7

3l.g6?! A possible solution, although taking on e5 seems simpler: It seems that after 3 l .fxe5 White did not like 3l ...ic5t, as it appears that the king has nowhere to retreat. But White can simply cover the king,

KASIMDZHANOY - POLGAR

335

35.i.xg7t Now rhe difference in rhe white king's position becomes clear. However, is was srill berrer ro exchange rhe pieces in a different order. Perhaps only here did White realize rhar after 35.�xg7 :gxg7 36.:gg3 Black has 36 ... We4t wirh a perpetual: 37.\t>gl We! t 38.\t>g2 We2t 39.\t>gl (39.\t>h3? Wfl t winning) 39 ... Wel t For rhis reason ir was berrer ro pur rhe king on fl .

35 ..J:!xg7 36.tDxg7 Yfixg7?! Black could have tried ro confuse her opponent wirh study-like drawing ideas: 36 ... We4t 37.\t> gl Wd4t 38.\t>fl a n d now:

a) 38 . . .Wc4t 39.:gd3 Wxc2 40.:gg3 bxa4! And if 4 I .Wf6, rhen 4 l . . . Wbl t 42.\t>g2 Wxb2t 43.Wxb2 :gxb2t. White has many technical difficulties ro overcome here. For example: 44.\t>h3 (44.\t>gl a3!) 44 ...:gb3 45.�e6 :gxg3t 46.hxg3 a3 47.�d4 a2 48.�b3 \t>g7 'This is a draw. As soon as rhe white king is forced ro chase pawns on rhe queenside, Black will destroy rhe last white pawns. On 49.g4 Black has 49 ... \t>g6 50.\t>g3 h5 5 l .gxh5t (5 l .g5 d4 and suddenly ir is Black winning) 5 1 . ..\t>xh5 52.\t>f3 a5 53.\t>e3 a4 54.�al \t>g4 55.�c2 \t>f5 wirh equality. Bur White srill had a way ro win: 4 1 .�h5! For example: 4 1 ...Wb l t 42.\t>g2 :gxb2t Afrer 42 . . .Wxb2t 43.\t>h3 Black has no more checks and nothing can help her poor king anymore. We even have signed proof of rhis our faithful friend says mare in 1 5 . 43.\t>h3 Wfl t 44.\t>g4 We2t 45.:gf3! We6t 46.f5 Wg8t 47.Wg5 :gxh2 48.Wxg8t \t>xg8 49J:h3 Compared ro a previous position White has a

pawn less, bur rhe rooks are srill in rhe game, and rhis proves decisive. b) An objectively berrer way is 38 ...Wd I t 39.We I Wxe I t 40.\t>xe I \t>xg7 wirh a much closer ro drawn, bur srill critical, endgame.

37.axb5 axb5 38.c3 Afrer quire a few mutual mistakes, Black's chances for a draw are higher rhan White's for a win. Her biggest problems are rhar White can arrack Black's king and advance rhe f-pawn.

38 ...Wfg6? After rhis rhe chances again go in White's favour. lr was necessary ro rare rhe f-pawn as rhe No. I rarger. 1herefore, very strong was: 38 . . J�f8! 39.:gg3 39.Wh5 We7! 39.Wf2 Wf6 40.:gh4 Wf5 and ir is nor easy ro show a real winning plan. 39 ...Wf6 40.Wh5 40.Wxf6t l'hf6 4 U!g5 b4! 42.l'hd5 bxc3 43.bxc3 :gxf4 wirh a drawish endgame. 40 ...Wxf4 4 I .Wxd5 ge8! Avoiding 4l ... b4 42.cxb4 Wfl t 43.ggl Wf3t 44.Wxf3 gxf3 45 .gg3! :gf4 46.gb3 which is winning.

336

ROUND 1 0

42.l:!gl '.We4t 43.'.Wxe4 l:!xe4 Again, chis should be drawn.

39.f5! Now White combines rhrears of rhe f-pawn advancing together with anacking Black's king and her queenside weaknesses. Black is lost again.

39 .'fig7 ••

39 ... '.Wxf5? 40.\Wd4t �g8 4 1 .l:!g3t �f7 42.'.Wg7t �e6 43.l:!e3t �d6 44.\We7t �c6 45.l:!e6t is terminal.

40J�e3 gas Polgar is, as always, looking for counrerplay, bur there is none ...

4l.'ftel 'flfl 42.'fidl 'ftg7 43.b4

Black has no rhrears, which means rhe best technique is ro play slowly, which is what Kasimdzhanov does.

43 h6 44.'ftel ..•

44

.•.

ga7?!

Once more Black allows rhe f-pawn ro move. More stubborn would have been 44 ...\WRJ, although ir does nor change rhe evaluation of rhe position roo much: 45.l3e5 and White's advantage should suffice. 45 ...\Wf7 46.\Wdl (46.\Wg l ? '.Wh5=) 46...�h7 47.\Wgl ! l:!a3 48.'.Wel l3a7 49.\Wbl �g8 50.\Wg l t �h8 (50 ...�h7 5 l .f6!) 5 1 .l:!e6 �h7 Here rhe silicon vote is for 52.h4!. Is ir trivial? The idea is ro give rhe king some air against Black's possible counter-chances. e.g. 52 ... l:!a2 53.'.We3 and Black can resign.

45.f6! 'ftxf6 Or 45 ... \Wg6 46.l:!e8t �h7 47.l:!e7t l:!xe7 48.fxe7 \WeB 49.\We6 and White's domination will soon place Black in zugzwang.

46.ge8t Near geometry finishes rhe job. 46

�h7

•••

Or 46 ... �g7 47.\Wgl t '.Wg5 48.\Wxa7t winning rhe rook.

47.'flblt Because of rhe loss of marerial after 47 ...\Wg6 (or 47 ... �g7 48.\Wgl t) 48.l:!h8t Black resigned

l-0

ROUND 1 1 �

Result s:

Mund.al de A,edrez

·'

I

-�

t

P olg ar

Y2

Y2

Lek o

Svi dle r

1

0

Moroze vi ch

Anand

1

0

Kasi mdzhan ov

Adams

Y2

Y2

Top alov

Standings: 1 Topal ov

I

�·

l�

8 V2

2 Svi dle r

7

3 An and

6Y2

4 Moroze vi ch

5 Y2

5 Leko

5

6 Kasi mdzhanov 7 Adams 8

•'

l

4 Y2 4

P olg ar

3

Finally there is a hint of an intrigue in the tournament, as the main pursuer, Svidler, managed to reduce the gap to the leader to "only" 1 .5 points, and given that tomorrow they meet face-to-face, the right result ( for the spectators) would leave only a half point lead with two rounds to go.

Svidler

earned his win after a hard-fought battle. Do not let their shared Aag deceive you, as we

have already mentioned, the games between Svidler and Morozevich are always extremely principled ­ looking to the future, these two will dispute the chess leadership of their country. Add

Morozevich's

painful loss in the fi rst half, and his mood coming into this game will be clear. Morozevich admitted that in this game he decided to play for a better place (maybe third or even second) and as a result, in his own opinion, "played like an idiot". Therefore, after winning the game Svidler was notably happy (although tired).

As

for the chess part of the game - it had it all. First,

Svidler showed he does not really care what current theory thinks, opting for a line which has not been used for over 1 5 years. Although he improved a little over White's play in those ancient games, the position remained pretty much balanced, until Morozevich made his fi rst mistake - he placed the wrong piece on a central square. This proved to be enough for his position to quickly become lost. From that point on Svidler's play was strictly technical, as if he was afraid to ruin his chances with an accident - his opponent only needs one momentary weakness to turn the tables. Svidler was so determined not to allow any complications that he rejected very promising continuations time and

338 rime again. As on many such occasions, White failed ro sense the point when he had ro rake concrete action and first significantly endangered his win, and subsequently missed it altogether. However, when the draw was within reach, Morozevich returned the favour. Ir's hard nor ro recall the classics of pop music, Boney Ms: "Oh, those Russians ...". Anand is back in the limelight, showing Kasimdzhanov that he does nor forger easily. 1he reprisal was swift and merciless. Black's choice of a ropical line in the Najdorf was either brave or suicidal. The FIDE champion appeared ro be surprised by Anand's strong continuation in rhe opening, although it was nor new. The Uzbek's reaction was nor best and he soon found himself in a difficult position, which, after he missed an amazing opportunity ro complicate matters, deteriorated very quickly. Ir is enough to glance at the position afrer White's 22"J move, with Black a pawn down and his king in the centre, ro realize how rough a day rhis was for the FIDE Champion. A very interesting and beautiful game was produced by Adams and Topalov. To some it might appear rhar Adams declared war on the Bulgarian, bur Sicilian experts know berrer. To make his opponent's life harder, Adams prepared a novelty in this old line, which was nor considered ro be roo dangerous for Black. 1his novelry, as with most of Adams', was very logical, bur with hindsight it is probably just a one-game shor. Black's reaction was nor best, and with a piece sacrifice Adams launched an arrack on the enemy king. Topalov's decision ro ignore the sacrifice, and sacrifice an exchange of his own, can only be explained by an ultra-sensitive sixth sense - even after the game every commentator (including the players themselves!) failed ro find a win for White in the event of accepting the knight sacrifice. However, after a bit of a brainstorm, we managed to find one, rhus proving Topalov's decision ro be nor only wise (why increase the risk), but in fact the strongest. To be honest, after the exchange sacrifice Black's position remained suspicious, bur Adams did not use his only chance. Eventually, rhe perpetual check was timely, as Black was intending ro starr a fierce attack. In the light of those enormous struggles, rhe long awaited duel between rhe Hungarians Polgar and Leko was essentially cancelled - the players brought golf clubs rather than guns. 1he opening played was once the scene of many fine wins by Fischer, but there are no mysteries there anymore, and the players seemed ro have accepted the peaceful outcome long before signing rhe scoresheers. For the first rime in many rounds talk about the winner's identity was back, it is nice ro remember how thousands of people were impatiently awaiting the next round's "rop of the league" clash. Nice, because it proves rhar chess can be no less intriguing than any or her sport, causing people to spend hours watching the games live (at night for the Europeans) on a daily basis.

POLGAR - LEKO @

'it' * •

GAME 4 1 Judit Polgar Peter Leko Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik B 13

Mter a hard-fought derby in the first half, w e were expecting a principled fight in this game. But the tournament situation killed most of the players' enthusiasm for a fight, if not all of it...

339

I O... e6 I I .0-0-0 fie? I 2.d5 exd5 I 3.tLlxd5 tLlxd5 I 4 .13xd5 �c7 I 5.'tfibi 0-0 I 6.f4 Black would definitely not be celebrating.

1 O.'%Yxb7 tUxd4 I I..ibSt Only this check, depriving Black of castling, gives White with some hopes, but since most of the pieces are exchanged, it is hardly dangerous.

l i ... tUxbS 12.'%Yc6t 'ifie7 13.'%Yxb5 '%Yd7

l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 tUf6 s.tUc3 tUc6 Very interesting is 5 ... e6, which usually leads to completely different and more lively isolated pawn positions after 6.ttJf3 fie? (or 6 ... ib4) 7.cxd5 tLlxd5.

6.tU8 A bit more aggressive is 6.ig5, but it is also more risky (after 6 ...ie6). And risk was defi.nitely not part ofWhite's plan today.

6....ig4 7.cxd5 tUxdS 8.'%Yb3 As always, the moment the queen's bishop leaves home, the pressure on b7 starts. On the other hand, the path to equality is well known, so this line's choice can be viewed as a silent draw agreement.

8....ix8 9.gx8 Of course not 9.�xb7?? ttJdb4 I O.gx£3 13b8 trapping the queen.

9...e6 The safest way to equalize. A more ambitious way to fight for counter-chances is 9 ... ttJb6, but it can easily play into the opponent's hands, since after I O.ie3 ( I O.d5 is more double-edged)

1his note is perhaps the most significant thing you will see in the whole game, but the game shown below is so instructive, that it was worth suffering the colourless draw. I 3 ... ttJxc3? allowed one of the cleanest technical wins in Fischer's career. 1 4.bxc3 �d7?! I 5.13bi i3d8 I 6.ie3 �xb5 I 7.13xb5 13d7 I 8.'tfie2 f6 I 9.13d i 13xd I 20. 'tfixd I 'tfid7 2 1 .13b8 'tfic6 22.ixa7 g5 23.a4 ig7 24.13b6t 'tfid5 25.13b7 if8 26.13b8 ig7 27.13b5t 'tfic6 28.13b6t 'tfid5 29.a5 f5 30.ib8 13c8 3 I .a6 13xc3 32.13b5t 'tfic4 33.13b7 id4 34.13c7t 'tfid3 35.13xc3t 'tfixc3 36.ie5 Fischer - Euwe, Leipzig I 960. Virtually every White move could be awarded an exclamation mark, and is a perfect example of chess technique, although it also shows the best White can hope for here. Comparing this game to the main one, a natural question arises: why did White get an advantage in one, and not in the other? To answer it one should realize that Black's biggest drawback is a lack of development, and the weaknesses are pretty balanced in both camps. Therefore, if

340

ROUND I I

White, who is better developed, starts attacking the weaknesses fi rst then he has a good chance of succeeding. Opening the b-file allowed White to invade the enemy's camp and hit the weaknesses. However, in the current game Black did not allow it and had enough time to complete development. lhe statistics prove that White has no real chances here, unless Black goes wrong, which has happened a few times.

l4.�xd5t 'flxd5 l5 ..ig5t A whole book on "How to make peace" could be written in this position. Indeed, there are so many different moves, so many games. One might get the impression this is among the most popular positions in chess, that it is true, although for the wrong reasons . . . Th e idea of this check is t o force Black's f­ pawn to f6, which will make it more difficult for Black to manoeuvre on the kingside. For instance, the comfortable f6-square is taken from Black's king and bishop. Here are two examples where Black exploited the absence of this check: a) 1 5.'1'Mxd5 exd5 1 6.if4 �f6 Onischuk Dreev, Moscow 2002. b) 1 5 .�xd5 exd5 1 6.0-0 �e6 1 7.ge l t �f5 1 8.gd l gds 1 9 .ie3 gd7 20.gacl ie7 2 1 .gd4 g5 22.ga4 if6 Adams - Dreev, Wijk aan Zee 2002. In both cases Black had no problems.

l5 ... f6 l6.'ftxd5 exd5 17 ..ie3 �e6

White. lhe black king is in the centre, but this is hardly dangerous, as there are not enough pieces left. Black's pieces will very soon be just as good as White's. lhe most logical continuation is a systematic elimination of the weaknesses, transposing into a drawn rook endgame. Maybe White has more practical chances, but definitely not objectively, and not at the highest level. What happened to this position is a logical consequence of a frequently played forcing line. Once it was considered to have some hidden nuances, but there were not so many, and they have mostly been revealed and exhausted by too many games.

l8.� .ib4 lhe point of this manoeuvre is simple - it both actively develops the bishop and allows exchanging bishops in case it is needed. For instance, after 1 9.a3 (as Dolmatov, the inventor of 1 5.ig5, played) 1 9 ...ghc8t! 20.�bl ic5 the game is directed into a well-known drawn 4-rooks game after 2 1 .ghe I ixe3 22.gxe3t �d6 23.gde I gc4! and Black has counter-chances due to ... gf4 and ... gh4 ideas.

l9J1�d3 Trying to cross the plan of exchanging bishops - now after 1 9 ... ghc8 20.� bl gc7 2 1 .ghd l gdg 22.a3 the idea 22 . . .ic5 is problematic because of 23.gc3.

l9.. J1�hd8 20.a3 lhis move gives no real winning chances. 20.� bl and a rook invasion along the c-file is a natural try. For example: 20 ... a5 2 l .a3 ie7 22.gel �f7 23.gcl gd7 24.gc6 a4 25.�c2 5 26.id4 ig5 27.ie5 ih4 28.gd2 gaa7 29.f4 ie7 30.gd3 &8 3 l .�d2 �g8 32.gdc3 &a7 33,gg3 ih4 34.gcst rus 35.gxd8t ixd8 36.gd3 ib6 37.�e2 gd7 38.gc3 d4 39.gcst �f7 40.�d3, and White won, Marin - Engqvist, Stockholm 2002. This idea is probably the only chance to fight in this peaceful line.

20..J!!ac8t 2l.�bl .ic5 22J!el �fl Leko does not even try 22 ... �d6, which led to a draw in Karpov - Kramnik, Linares 1 993. Each side have a few weaknesses: d5 and to some extent a7 for Black, and f3 and h2 for

23J!edl �e6 24J!el �fl 25J!edl l!:z_l!:z

SYIDLER - MOROZEVICH @

W

* 1ft

GAME 42 Peter Svidler Alexander Morozevich Petroff Defence C42

l.e4 e5 2.�f3 �f6 Morozevich avoids bOlh the Sicilian and the Ruy Lopez, where his opponent is justly considered to be a great expert, whereas in the Petroff Svidler failed to show much in his first round encounter against Adams.

34 1

and it is rarely chosen by White at the highest level anymore. Here is the last time it was seen among elite players: 1 8 ... g6 1 9 .ie3 :SacS 20.:Sfb I c3 2 1 .a5 ltlc4 22.:Sxb7 �e6 23.:Sa I :Sc7 24.a6 ltlxe3 25.fxe3 \!;>g7 26.e4 f6 27.�xc3 :Sff7 28.�b3 with a draw agreed, Topalov - Shirov, Wijk aan Zee 2004.

9....if5 lO.Wib3 �a6

3.�xe5 d6 4.�f3 �xe4 5.d4 Two rounds later Svidler will opt for 5.ltlc3 (Game 55).

5.. .d5 6..id3 .id6

The line 6... ltlc6 7.0--0 ie7 8.c4 ltlb4 has quite successfully gOl on everybody's nerves by now (Game 45).

7.0-0 � 8.c4 c6 9J�el 1his move is gaining popularity, at the same time as 9.�c2 has been losing its. 1he problem is that this move suffered quite a painful blow in 2005, and has yet to recover from the following game: 9 ... ltla6 1 0.a3 ig4 l l .ltle5 if5 1 2.b4 f6 1 3.ltlf3 �e8 14.b5 �h5! 1 5.bxa6 ig4 16.:Sel 1xf3 17.gxf3 �xh2t 1 8.\!;>fl £5! 1 9.cxd5 cxd5 20.fxe4 fxe4 2 1 .ixe4 dxe4 22.ie3 ig3 23.:Sa2 :S£3

White resigned in Shirov - Bluvshtein, Canadian Open 2005. The whole game was following Black's home preparation and sent White searching for other ways in the opening. Consider the position after a forced series of moves: 9.cxd5 cxd5 I O.ltlc3 lLlxc3 l l .bxc3 ig4 1 2.:Sbl t!Jd7! 1 3.h3 ih5 1 4.:Sb5 ltlb6 1 5.c4 ixf3 1 6.�xf3 dxc4 1 7.ic2 �d7 1 8.a4 Thanks to Shirov's efforts, this is thought to be fi ne

l l.�c3 The offered pawn is soaked in poison: l l .�xb7 ltlb4 1 2.t!Je5 ( 1 2.:Sd l �f6 followed by ... :Sfb8 is equally disastrous) 1 2 ...:Sb8 1 3.�xa7 1xe5 1 4.1xe4 dxe4 1 5.dxe5 ltlc2 and it is a good time to resign. The main move for White is considered to be l l .cxd5, which was played by Morozevich himself in the following game: 1 1 . . .cxd5 1 2.ltlc3 Now Black has 1 2 ...ie6 which led to a double-edged position after 1 3.a3 t!Jc7 1 4 .ie3 f5 1 5.:Sad l \!;>h8 1 6.icl �e7 1 7.ib l in Morozevich - Mamedyarov, Moscow 2003. Generally speaking, Black gets good positions here, so a deviation by White was called for. 1he text-move is reviving the past! The last time this move was seen in practice was in 1 99 1 . I t is, however, quite logical, forcing Black to give up his hold of central positions, as l l ...ie6 is no longer possible because of 1 2.ltlxe4 dxe4 and, since the queen is nOl threatened, White is just a pawn up after 1 3.1xe4. However, refraining from l l .cxd5 allows Black to play:

342

ROUND I I

l l. ..dxc4 1he game Khalifman - Rozentalis, Vilnius 1 988,

continued l l ...tbecS 1 2.dxcS tbxcS 1 3.ixfS tbxb3 1 4.axb3 dxc4 I S. bxc4 ib4 1 6.igS with an interesting battle, in which the quantity of pieces prevailed over quality.

l2..ixc4 1he most recent previous game in this line continued: 1 2.1Mfxc4?! ixh2t! 1 3.'i!lxh2 tbd6 14.1M/b3 ixd3 I S.igS 'M!c7 1 6.!'!e7 1M/c8 1 7.if4 ic4 1 8.1M/c2 tDfS and Black went on to win in Yemelin - Avrukh, Alma-Ara 1 99 1 . Given that Svidler and Yemelin are from the same town and are the same age, one might guess that Svidler had some old analysis up his sleeve for the current game.

l2 ...�xc3 l3.bxc3 b5 Virtually the only way to protect both the b7and f7-pawns. lhe latter is protected by forcing the bishop away from its best spot.

l4 ..ifl �c7

1 6.1M/b2 idS 17.tbeS !'!e8 1 8.ixd6, a draw was agreed in Serper - Akopian, Adelaide 1 988. A possible try is I S.a4 aS 16.igS 'M!d7 1 7.tbeS ixeS 1 8.dxeS ie6, where 1 9.!'!edl ixb3 20.!'!xd7 !'!feB 2 l .axbS cxbS 22.g3 tbe6 23.ie3 !'!xc3 24.ixbS is drawish, Oil - Rozentalis, Kleipeda 1 988. But 1 9.1Mfa3 with the idea of 20.1M/d6 looks like a very reasonable improvement.

l5 ...ti'c8 I S ... 1Mfd7 seems somewhat less artificial, but the text is OK as well.

l6..ih4 a5 Deprived of active play on the kingside and the centre, Morozevich seeks activity on the queenside. 1 6 ...ie6, intending to transfer the bishop to a better place, is still too early as, after 1 7.1Mfc2 idS 1 8 .tbgS g6 ( 1 8 .. fS weakens too many important squares, and now 1 9 .c4 bxc4 20.ixc4 is favourable for White) 1 9 .tbe4, White gets a clear advantage. in

l7 ..ig3 White continues his plan.

17.. .a4 18.ti'b2 hg3 19.hxg3

l5..ig5 A novelty, and a very logical one! The bishop is going to travel quite a way to exchange its opposite number, thus stopping Black's potential counterplay on the kingside and gaining easier access to cS. However, this does not greatly affect rhe evaluation. White is slightly better, but Black should not worry too much. lhe previously rested I S.ia3 also serves the idea of exchanging the bishop, bur puts less pressure on Black's position. For example, after I S . . .ie6

19... �d5? Amazingly, after this move, which happens to be Black's first mistake in the game, the deterioration of his position can no longer be stopped. From this point on he may make good or bad decisions (mostly good), but he is no longer in charge of the outcome, being is totally dependent on his opponent's play. What is even

SYID LER - MOROZEVICH more striking is that such a natural move, putting the knight in the centre (as they teach us from the very first chess lesson) can be a mistake. 1he problem is that Black occupied the right square with the wrong piece. His knight on d5 in no more than a decoration whereas the bishop on the same square would have been a key player for both defence (c6) and offence (a2, the a8-g2 diagonal). 1herefore, 1 9 ... ie6 was much more to the point, making the planned c3-c4 much harder to execute, and even after that, it will mean exchanging the light-squared bishops, which is good for Black. A possible continuation is 20.!:!acl !:!b8 2 l .�d2 idS 22.ttle5 (22.c4 bxc4 23.ixc4 ix£3 24.gxf3 �d7 with equality) 22 .. . f6 23.c4 bxc4 24.ttlxc4 �d7 and Black has sufficient play against d4.

343

plays ... a3 himself, the b-file can be closed with ib3. Black position is strategically very difficult, if not lost!

22 \1;Yb7 •••

1he attempt to get the rook in front with 22 ... !:!b6 also does not yield Black any achievements since 23.Eiacl �b7 24.ttle5 Eib2 is simply answered with 25.�a5, as 25 . . .!:!a8 loses beautifully to 26.ttlxc6! �xc6 27.ixd5 Eixa5 28.ixc6 f6 29.a3 Eib3 30.Eie3, with a technically winning position.

23.l0e5

20.c4 1he "rule of thumb" says that usually c6 is easier to defend than d4 (in case of mutual isolated pawns, that is). Here is an example of an exception, mainly because Black is stuck with his pieces on the wrong squares.

20 bxc4 2l..ixc4 gb8 22.\1;Yd2 •••

23 \1;Yb6?! •••

As we said, both sides have weaknesses (c6 vs. d4), but whereas Black's can be easily attacked by all White's pieces (and in fact very quickly) he cannot do anything to disturb d4. 1his leaves him to try his counter-chances along the b-file, which also fails to be serious: after the simple a3 Black can no longer attack the pawn, and if he

A waste of time. 1he attempt to fi x White's a-pawn on a light square with 23 ... a3 would be answered with 24.�a5! �b4 (24 . . . !:!a8 25.�c5 !:!feB 26.ttlxc6 is more than a pawn defi cit. It is a position deficit.) 25.ttlxc6! �xc4 26.�xd5! �xd5 27.ttle7t i>h8 28.ttlxd5, with a technically won position for White. What Black should have done is bring the rook into the game with 23 ...Eifc8 24.!:!acl (24.�a5 ie6 25.�xa4 ttlb6 26.�c2 ttlxc4 27.ttlxc4 �a7 28.!:!ad l �a6 would give Black some play) 24 ...ie6, with a better version of the game, although not exactly a bed of roses.

24-l:�acl .ie6

24 ... a3 loses an exchange after 25 .ixd5 cxd5 26.ttlc6 followed by ttle7t, whereas 24 ... !:!fc8 is nicely refuted by 25.ttlxf7! lt>xf7 26.�f4, regaining the piece while keeping the pawn and an attack.

344

ROUND ! !

25.a3!

threatening 29.ixd5 ixd5 30.tLle7t, so Black has to give up an exchange with a lost position, or 27.�xb2 Elxb2 28.ixd5 ixd5 29.tLlxc6 ixc6 30.Elxc6 with a probably winning ending. 1he last line is likely to be rhe cause for Morozevich playing the text-move.

27.l3c2 .i£5

1har is it. Having deprived Black of the possibility to play a4-a3, nor only did Svidler fix another of his opponent's pawns on a light square, bur without Black controlling the b2-square (as would have been the case had he been able to play a4-a3 himself) there is no hint of counterplay along the b-file anymore.

25 .. JUc8 26..ia2 h6 26 . . .�b2 is pointless, as White can choose between the simple 27.Ek2, forcing the queen back, as after 27 ... �xa3 28.tLlxc6 White is

28.l3c5?! Black's problem is that the knight on d5 cannot move, and therefore cannot help protect rhe pawn. 1he f5-bishop's fare is no less tragic: it has nothing at all to do and actually hurts Black,

SVIDLER - MOROZEVICH as in many lines i£ is hanging af£er tt:le7t. Black is regrening his choice on move 1 9 , and Whi£e does no£ wam £O le£ his opponem om of £his s£a£e. In general, Svidler's s£ra£egy from £his move forward could be described as: "minimize £he varia£ions, minimize £he opponem's chances". lhe £ex£ prepares l:!ec I , increasing £he pressure umil i£ becomes unbearable. However, Whi£e had an objec£ively much suonger move (in fac£, vinually winning): 28.l:!b i ! when Black's bes£ be£ is 28 ...1Mfxb l t (as 28 ...'Mic7 29.l:!xb8 'Mixb8 30.tt:lxc6 'Mid6 3 I ..ixd5 .ixc2 32.1Mfxc2 would only help end £he suffering quickly) 29-.ixbl l:!xbl t 30.l:!c l . Perhaps Svidler was concerned abom Black building a fonress (which is very unlikely wi£h a4, c6 and f7 being pO£emial weaknesses), or maybe he did no£ feel £he need £O place bO£h rooks under £he anack of Black's bishop - in ei£her case, al£hough £he £ex£ move is good, 28.l:!b I ! would have saved him a IO£ of elfon in £his game.

28...Y«b2

Morozevich decides £O crea£e a£ leas£ some visible coumerplay before Whi£e doubles along £he c-file and £his move becomes impossible as well, due £O £he weakness of Black's rook on c8.

345

A very suong prac£ical decision by Svidler. lhe c-pawn is no£ going anywhere, whereas £aking i£ would elimina£e £hree pawns (£rue, £wo of £hem would be Black's) and £Wo minor pieces, £hus increasing Black's chances for an escape. 3 I .tt:lxc6 tt:lf6 32.l:!xf5 l:!xc6 33.l:!a5! g6 34.l:!xa4 l:!d2 Black wins £he pawn on d4, af£er which £he arising posi£ion in undoub£edly winning for Whi£e, bm £he game can also be won wi£hom exchanging so many pawns, and according £O various 'endgame principles' £his is preferable.

31... �b6 32.�xf7 A demonsua£ion of class. Why £ake a weak pawn, if you can grab a heal£hy one?

32...gbl Af£er 32 ...tt:lxc4 33.l:!xf5 Whi£e also wins £he exchange.

33.gxbl .ixbl 34.�e5

Back again, bm Whi£e is already a pawn up.

34...�e7

34 ... tt:lxc4 35.l:!xc4 is jus£ as hopeless as £he game, bm having bO£h a knigh£ and a bishop for each side of£en complica£es £he conversion process a bi£, and £herefore i£ is advisable £O keep £hem all on £he board.

29.'l«xb2 gxb2 30..ic4

lhe c6-pawn is doomed (and Black did no£ even anemp£ £O anack £he d4-pawn!), bm Svidler will no£ £ake i£ for many more moves. 30

•.•

�18

35 ..ia6

Precise execmion. Before uansferring £he bishop £O f.3 (where i£ anacks £he pawn), i£ is useful £O drive £he rook £O an unprO£ec£ed spo£.

35 ...gc7 36..ie2 31.gcl!

h

was wo early £O £ake £he second pawn, as

ROUND I I

346

after 36.l'!xc6? l'!xc6 37.lbxc6t �d6 38.1b5 �d5 Black is a full piece up in the game - the king: 39.�fl lbc4 40.�e2 lbxa3 4 I .ixa4 1h7 42.�e3 lbc4t It is not altogether clear how White can untangle without losing d4. Svidler definitely does not want to take such decisions before the time control.

36 ®d6 .••

36 ...1e4 was a bit stronger, not allowing the bishop to £3, but Black's moves have a very limited impact on the position. Morozevich, understanding this, just tries to keep his position from falling apart.

37..if3 .ia2 Finally the bishop mere 20 moves late.

is

going to its best square. A

38..ie4

be willing to try 40.l'!a5! before he sees another hour on his clock.

40J�c3 Of course, 40.�f2 would have fallen into 40. . .l'!xe5 and Black wins. Also 40.lbxc6 is bad because of 40...l'!xe4. But with 40.l'!a5, taking advantage of the fact that Black's rook left the c-file (there is no c6-c5 now), White could have transferred his rook to a6, making Black's task of defending the position even tougher as all his pieces would be tied up to defence: the rook would have to protect the knight, which in turn would keep an eye on a4 and cover c6 with his body, just like the bishop on d5.

40..Jk7 4 U�c5 .ib3

38.1xc6 was good, but Black gets an illusion of counterplay, which probably looked dangerous in time trouble: 38 ... lbc8 39.f4 lbe7 40.1xa4 l'!xc5 4 l .dxc5t �xc5 42.�f2 A very similar position will be reached in the game, close to the second time control.

38 .. ..id5 39.f3

42.®fl?!

On these terms, White is ready to trade the bishops.

39.. J�e7 Morozevich finds the slightest possible chances, however small they might look. In the previous round it saved him half a point. And he picks the best time for this 'trap': the last move before the time control, trusting that his opponent will not

With the king in the centre there will be no need for calculation, and moves just after the time control are known to be full of tactical blunders at all levels (the tension drops after the time trouble, and with that comes mistakes). 1hese were most likely the reasons that led Svidler to make this 'must-be-good' move. 1here is only one problem with this no-hurry mode White forced himself into - eventually he will have to get back to concrete play, and more often than not it is surprisingly the stronger side who turns out not to be ready for it. However, there was really no reason to avoid 42.1xc6, and it was even bener now than on the 38'h move: 42 ... lbc8 43.�f2 lbe7 44.1xa4! winning.

SYIDLER - M O ROZEYICH

42... �d5! 43.We2 �e7 Although his options in this position are very limited, the Muscovite is defending very wisely. The knight moves to a different position, rhus changing the landscape a bit, and with it the plans.

44J3a5 l3b7 45.We3 .idS

347

action with 46.l3xa4 :r:'!b2 (46 . . . 1:'!b3t 47.lL'ld3) 47.1:'!a7 :r:'!xg2 48.g4, which is easily winning for 'JG'hire. The passed a-pawn, together with the shaky position of Black's king, make his defence impossible. The immediate threat is 49.if5! ie6 50.lLlf7t winning a piece. 1he problem is that such a position suddenly seems 'way roo messy' for the stronger side, who is waiting for the point to fall into his lap. Here is an illustration of what could follow (after 48.g4): 48 . . .'�e6 49.f4 ixe4 50.'�xe4 g6 5 1 .1:'!a6 :r:'!e2t 52.'�d3 :r:'!g2 53. lL'l xc6 lL'lxc6 54.gxc6t Wf7 5 5 . f5 gg3t 56.Wc4 gxf5 (56 . . . gxg4 57.gxg6! with an easy win) 57.gxf5 h5 58.a4 g f3 59.a5 gxf5 60.gc5 is curtains.

46 ....ic4!

Svidler probably overlooked defensive manoeuvre!

this

strong

47.�b4?! 47.b!xa4 ixd3 48 .Wxd3 b!b2 49.g4 b!xg2 is already a bit more tricky, although still winning.

47 ....ib5! Now the rook is caught offside.

48.g4 46.�d3?! 1here should be a limit to everything, even patience. After this White's win becomes more challenging. Now was the rime to switch to concrete

Bur White is nor impressed, simply improving his position, knowing that Black will have to make a move eventually. In any case, the win has become a bit more difficult.

48 ... �c8 49.Wd2

348

ROUND I I Or 53 ...1c6 54.1d3 (intending l!Jc2-e3 to c4 or f5) 54 ... l!Jb5t 55.�c4 l!Jxd4 56.l!Jxd4 cxd4 57.�xd4 We will not bore you with long lines, but White wins this in the following way: put a bishop on d I , pawns on g3 and f4. 1hen transfer the king to b4. Before capturing on a4 it is wise to play g5 ... hxg5 fxg5, after which take the a-pawn, being in time to protect one of the g-pawns (or both). 1hen, simply queen the a-pawn - it is the easiest pawn to queen in a same-colour bishop ending. Most wins are study­ like, but they do exist.

53.dxc5t g;,xc5 54.�e3

49 J�a7 .•

Black is much better off without the rooks, as White's ability to attack the weaknesses is greatly reduced. A noteworthy observation: the c-pawn, which was doomed as early as move 28, eventually survived! 1he knight cannot go to b6, as 49 ... l!Jb6 50.f!xb5 l!Jc4t 5 l .�c3 f!xb5 52.�xc4 is hopeless for Black, but he does not want to go there. He is after that rook on aS.

50J:�xa7 �xa7 5 l.�c2! Black was threatening 5 1 ... 1c4, followed by ... l!Jb5. Now this will be met with 52.l!Je3. 51 .�c3 is bad because of 5 1 ... ifl .

White gets an important tempo for regrouping his pieces.

5 l ...c5

54 ....ia6?!

No, it is not a rerun of 'Ghost'. 1he pawn is alive and kicking. White's win is probably on the verge of study-like.

After this Black is losing relatively easily again. Correct was 54 . . .1b5! keeping a4 protected, after which 55.l!Jf5 gives White nothing because of 55 ...1fl 56.l!Jxg7 l!Jb5t 57.�b2 1xg2 with a draw, due to the passive position of White's king. e.g. 58.l!Jf5 l!Jd4! 59.l!Jxd4 (or 59.l!Jxh6 1xf3 60.1xf3 l!Jxf3 6 I .l!Jf7 �d5 with a draw) 59 ... �xd4 60.ic6 �c5! with a handshake. Luckily for him, White can zugzwang his opponent with 55.�b2!. 1he black bishop cannot abandon either of the two diagonals it is on, since it would either compromise the a4-pawn or allow White to play l!Jf5 without being worried about ...ifl . And on any knight move 56.l!Jf5 is winning, as Black's knight never gets to d4 to provide the necessary counterplay.

52.g;,c3 .ifl A pseudo active move. Black should have kept his bishop on the e8-a4 diagonal, protecting the pawn. 1his would make White pay for his excessive patience previously. The correct move was 52 ...1d7! and White would have to find 53.1f5! after which Black has: 53 . . .1e8 54.1d3 l!Jb5t (After 54 ... l!Jc6 White has 55.1b5 [the point of 53.1f5 was to force Black's bishop to an unprotected square] 55 ...cxd4t 56.l!Jxd4 l!Jxd4 57.1xe8 and this wins easily.) 55.1xb5 1xb5 56.l!Je3 g6 57.f4 and White should win.

SVIDLER - MOROZEVICH

55..ic2 �b5t Black is now too late to protect the a-pawn with 55 ...i.b5 because of 56.tLlf5 i.fl 57.tLlxg7 tLlb5t 58.\!lb2 i.xg2 59.f4 and the a4-pawn is doomed. Mter it drops, with two passers so far away from each other, White wins easily.

56. c;f;lb2 �d6 57..ixa4

Finally winning that second pawn, with what was supposed but be an easy win, but ...

57 c;f;ld4 58.�£5t? •..

Time trouble has rules of its own. lhis throws away the win. White could have won with 58.tLlc2t \!le5 59.\!lc3 \!lf4 60.\!ld4 \!lg3 6 1 .i.c6! \!lxg2 62.\!lc5 and the extra piece on the queenside (the king) brings White the victory. 62... tLlc8 (62...tLlc4 63.tLlb4 wins a piece) 63.a4 \!lg3 64.a5 i.e2 65.tLld4 i.d3 66.i.b7 etc. However, it would be unfair to criticize either player very harshly for their mistakes at this stage of a long and tiring game, especially in view of the approaching time control.

58 �xf5 59.gxf5 h5! •••

lhis pawn is Black's chance! Perhaps it was this move that White underestimated a move earlier.

60.g3

Svidler cannot allow his pawn to be fixed on g2.

60 ..ie2? ••

With only one move before the time control Morozevich returns the favour. 60...i.b7! would have drawn! 6 1 .f4

349

6 1 .i.d l \!le3 62.a4 \!/ f2 63.f4 \!lxg3 64.i.xh5 is an even worse version of the main line, as White cannot put his bishop on c2. 6 1 ...\!le3 62.i.d l \!/ f2 63.i.xh5 \!lxg3 64.i.d l ! \!lxf4 65.i.c2 i.c8 66.a4 lhe problem is that White has no way to break through: 66 ... \!le5 67.\!lc3 \!ld5 68.\!lb4 Here White has one last try to trap the opponent:

68 ...\!ld4 69.i.bl ! White's problem i t that 69.\!lb5 is met with 69 ...i.d7t! 70.\!lb6 \!lc3 7 1 .\!lc7 i.e8 72.i.dl \!ld2 73.i.b3 \!lc3 with a fantastic draw. 69 ...\!ld5 70.i.d3, threatening a4-a5-a6, and now a) 70...\!ld4?? loses to 7 1 .i.c2

And Black is amazingly zugzwanged: 7 I ...\!Id5 Or 7 I...i.b7 72.\!lb5 and Black does not have the saving check along the a4-e8 diagonal. 72...\!lc3 73.\!lb6 i.f3 74.i.bl i.e2 75.a5 winning, whereas 7l ...i.d7 also loses to 72.a5 as there is now no 73 ...i.a6.

350

ROUND 1 1

72.'i!ib5 .id7t 73.'i!ib6 and Black does not have 73 ...'i!ic3, which was drawing with the king on d4. b) However, 70 ... 'i!ic6! is good enough for a draw: 7 l ..ie4t (or 7 l .'i!ic4 'i!ib6 72.'i!id4 'i!ia5 73 ..ic2 .ix£5 with a handshake) 7 l ...'i!ib6 72.a5t 'i!ia7 73 ..id3 'i!ib8 With exact play White was able to force Black's king to a passive position, but that changes nothing: 74.'i!ic5 'i!ia7 and despite his domination, White cannot improve his position. On 'i!id6 there is an automatic ... .ix£5.

6 t..ic6!

The path for the a-pawn is cleared.

61. cbe3 62.cbc3 c.t/£2 63.cbd2! .ia6 64.g4 ••

Now Black will have a passed pawn, but White will have two.

64.Mh4 65.g5 h3 66.f6 gd6 67.gd6

67 ..ib5!!?? ••

A psychological shot against an exhausted opponent. lhe "correct" 67 . . . h2 loses effortlessly: 68.f4 .ib5 69 ..ih1 ie8 70.a4 ih5 7 l .a5 if3 72.f7 ixh 1 73.£8� .if3 74.�c5t 'i!ig3 75.�g5t 'i!ih3

76.�h6t 'i!ig3 77.£5 h1 � 78.�xh1 .ixh1 79.f6 id5 80.a6 and the trouser legs are a bit too big for the bishop.

68..ie4 The simplest was to queen the pawn! 68.f7 h2 69.£8� h 1 � 70.�c5t (70 . .ixb5 �el t 7 l .'i!ic2 is also good enough, of course) 70 ... 'i!ig3 7 l .�g5t 'i!i£2 72.�e3t 'i!ig2 73 ..ixb5 winning.

68 ..ie8 69.f4 .ig6??!! ••

Last time it worked, and the two exclamation marks came first, so he tries it again, but this time his bluff is called, and therefore the question marks precede. 69 . . .ih5, on the other hand, would have given Svidler a chance to end it in study-like fashion: 70.f5 h2 and now 7 l ..ih1 ! (after 7 l .'i!id3 .if3 72.-ix£3 'i!ix£3 73.f7 h 1 � 74.£8� for an example of the practical possibilities of such positions, we suggest the reader looks at the second round game between Topalov and Anand) 7 l ...'i!ig1

72.'i!ie l !! 'i!ixh1 73.'i!if2 And we're going to watch Peter Svidler's new autumn collection of trousers for bishops. Too bad the black king is locked up and will not be able to attend.

70..ixg6 l-0

ANAND - KASI MDZHANOV

@

W * •

GAME 43 Viswanathan Anand Rustam Kasimdzhanov Sicilian, English Attack 890

l.e4 c5 2.lt:\8 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.lt:lxd4 lt:lf6 s.lt:lc3 a6 6.8 e5 7.lt:lb3 ie6 8.ie3 lt:lbd7 Two rounds ago Kasimdzhanov, against Svidler (Game 33 ), went for another possible Black approach - rhe one where Black completes his development prior to beginning his play on the queenside.

351

13.lLla5 At first this idea might strike one as a practical joke: the knight seems to be totally misplaced, counting on Black to blunder his queen with �xa5?? However, with a current score of 6Vz to Vz in White's favour it does not sound so funny, not to Black anyhow. So what is the big idea? Prior to the invention of 1 3. li:Ja5, 1 3. li:Jc5 was the only move, and here not everything is quire clear yet: 1 3 . . .fi.e7

9.§'d2 b5 10.0-0-0 lt:lb6 1 I.§'f2 lt:lc4 One of the most critical lines in the Najdorf nowadays.

12.ixc4 bxc4

White has opted for quire a few possibilities: a) 1he immediate 1 4 . g4 runs into 14 ... fi.xg4 1 5J'!hgl (or 1 5. fxg4 li:Jxg4 1 6.�g3 4Jxe3 1 7.:B:dg l ! with a position for true chess romantics) 1 5 . . .fi.h5 1 6.4J5a4 0-0 1 7.4Jb6 :B:b8 1 8.4Jxc4 �c7, with a complex game, Erenburg - Karjakin, Beer Sheva 2005. b) 1 4.4J5a4 :B:b8 1 5 .4Jb6 0-0 1 6 .4Jcd5 li:Jxd5 1 7.4Jxd5 :B:b5 1 8.4Jxe7t �xe7 1 9.fi.d2 c3!

3S2

ROUND 1 1

20 ..ixc3 .ixa2 2 l .�d2, and a draw was agreed in Z. Almasi - Gelfand, Gothenburg 200S. c) A continuation which has produced good results for White is 1 4.h4, but Black's position is by no means desperate: 1 4 ...�c8 1 S.�Sa4 !:!b8 1 6.g4 �c6 1 7.�b6 .id8 1 8.�cdS 0-0 (a possible improvement is 1 8 ....ixb6 1 9.�xb6 dS!? with a highly complex position, in which Black's chances are not worse) 1 9.c3 �xdS 20.�xdS !:!bS 2 l .�b4 �b7 22.!:!xd6 aS 23.�a6 .ie7 24.�cS �cB 2S.�xe6 fxe6 26.!:!b6 !:!xb6 27..ixb6, and White went on to convert the pawn, Anand - Svidler, Dortmund 2004.

13 ..J�c8?!

Apparently caught unprepared for this plan, Kasimdzhanov commits one error after another, beginning with this novelty. A suitable response, however, has still to be found. Wijk a an Zee 2006 featured two games in this position, both continuing 13 ...�d7.

In the first attempt White played 1 4.g4 .ie7 1 S.gS �hS 1 6.�dS �a4 1 7.�c3 �d7 1 8.�dS �a4 1 9.�el c3 20.�xc3 !:!c8 2 l .�d2 �xa2 22.�b4 .ixdS 23.exdS 0-0 24.�c6, with a sizable advantage, Cheparinov - Lahno, Wijk aan Zee 2006. This game suggests that Topalov is also closely following developments in this line, as Cheparinov is, of course, his second. The later game was played in a must-win situation for Anand, in the final round. He continued 1 4.!:!d2 .ie7 1 S.!:!hd1 !:!b8?! ( I S . . .0-0 is possibly more solid) 1 6 . .icS! �c7 1 7.!:!xd6 �xaS 1 8.!:!xe6 fxe6 1 9 ..ixe7 !:!b7 20..id6 �d7 2 1 .�h4 �d8 22.�hSt g6 23.�h6 and White obtained very promising compensation for the exchange, Anand - Gelfand, Wijk aan Zee 2006.

The only half point Black managed to score was, in fact, in the first game to appear: 1 3 ... �7 1 4.�c6 �c7 1 S.�b4 �b7 1 6.�bdS !:!b8 17.b3 cxb3 1 8.cxb3 .ie7 1 9.\!lb2 .idS! 20.!:!d3 0--0 2 l .g4 \!lh8 22.!:!cl .iaS 23.!:!c2 !:!fc8, and Black is better, Bologan - Gelfand, Spain 200S. It would be interesting to discover what Anand had prepared here, and (even more so perhaps) why Gelfand decided not to repeat his previous game.

14 ..ib6! Wld7 The position of the knight on aS no longer seems ridiculous, as it is completely blocking all Black's attempt for queenside play. Meanwhile, White can continue his play on the kingside and in the centre.

15.g3

White now has time to prepare a most unpleasant advance of his f-pawn. 15 ...g6

lhis looks slow, and weakens the d6-square in the process, but there is no good solution for the unfortunate position of the bishop on e6, since it would be caught whenever White is able to push f3-f4-fS. The more natural 1 S ....ie7 might look tempting at first sight, in view of the line 1 6.f4?! when Black gains some air for his pieces with 1 6 ....ih3! and after 1 7.fxeS? �g4 his position is rather promising. However, White has a strong response: 1 6.h3! Depriving Black's pieces of important squares,

ANAND - KASIM DZHANOV

and only after 16 ... 0-0 will White start advancing with 1 7.f4, creating very unpleasant pressure all over the board.

1 6.l3d2? Judging from his later game against Gelfand (see the note to Black's J 3'h move) this is Anand's approach in the position: simply increase the pressure along the d-file, until Black cracks under it. However, here it would have been better to first remove the king from the potentially dangerous diagonal with 1 6.'4?bl �h6 (on 1 6 . . .�g7 White can already play 1 7.gd2, when the addition of 1 6.'tt> b l is clearly in his favour) 1 7.f4 is more promising for him than the game, as 1 7 . . .0-0 loses a pawn after 1 8.fxe5 tLlg4 1 9 .�d4 tt:Jxe5 20.�xd6, with Black having no visible compensation for it.

16 .. .i.h6 17.f4 lLlg4?! Diving into concrete lines, which could have been interesting, but not in conjunction with his 1 9'h move. More solid was 1 7. . . 0-0, and if 1 8.ghd I then 1 8 . . . tt:Je8 is hardly pleasant to the eye for Black (although it is playable), but Black has a very strong alternative suggested by IM Jacob Aagaard, 18 . . .�g4!, which leads to the

353

following line: 1 9.gxd6 �e7 20.4Jc6 gxc6 2 1 .gxc6 exf4 22.�d4 1he attempt to set the board on fire with 22.gxf4 ixd I 23.�h4 backfires after 23 ... 4Jd5 24.�xh6 lLlxc3 25 .�c5 tLle2t! 26.@xdl gdst 27.gd6 c3!, and Black wins thanks to the c­ pawn 22 . . . �xdl 23.gxf6 �f3 and Black is fine (Aagaard) . 1his line proves that White's 1 6'h move let the advantage slip away.

1 8.�£3 gbs 19.h3

354

ROUND I I

Perhaps Kasimdzhanov missed rhis inter­ mediate move, and losr rhe thread of rhe position. On 1 9.ic5 Black has 1 9 . . . exf4 20.gxf4 tt:le5 2 1 .�e3 tt:ld3t, although here roo, afrer 22.cxd3 dxc5 2 3 . tt:ld5, Whire has a clear edge.

1 9 �f6? ...

Ir is hard ro say whar Kasimdzhanov was aiming for wirh rhe tt:l f6-g4-f6 manoeuvre, or whar he missed, bur afrer rhis his position is hopeless, and Anand leaves him no chance. 1 9 . . . :B:xb6? is losing ro 20.hxg4 (threatening borh 2 I . f5 and 2 I .:B:xh6) 20 ... ixg4 2 I .�f2 and Whire wins a piece. Therefore, Black's lasr chance ro complicate marrers was 1 9 . . . tt:lh2! 20.�e3 lt:J B , when natural moves fall shorr: a) Jusr bad is now 2 I .:B:dd I , as afrer 2 1 . . . 0-0!

Whire has nothing ar all. In facr, ir is Black who has rhe berrer position here: 22.�xf3 (Afrer 22.Wb l ? tt:l d4! Black rakes over. And afrer: 22 .ia7 tt:l d4! 23.ixb8 :B:xb8 rhe knighr on aS is simply a weak piece.) 22 . . . :B:xb6 23.tt:ld5 ixd5 24.:B:xd5 � a4 and Black has rhe i nitiative. b) Another natural arrempr is 2 I .tt:ld5, bur Black survives wirh 2 1 . ..�a4 22.tt:lc7t (Black is nor worse afrer 22.�xf3 �xa2 23.�a3 �xa3 24.bxa3 ixd5 25.:B:xd5 :B:xb6 26.tt:lxc4 :B:c6) 22 . . . Wf8 23.tt:lxe6t fxe6 24.:B:xd6 �xa2 25.�xf3 :B:xb6 26.tt:lxc4 :B:xd6 27.tt:lxd6 �a] t 28.Wd2 �xb2 wirh a roral mess. c) Afrer 2 1 .�xf3 :i'fxb6 22.tt:ld5 ixd5 23.Ehd5 Whire, if anything, is only marginally berrer. d) The above lines show rhar Whire, in order ro maintain an edge, would have ro fi nd rhe rather surprising continuation:

ANAND - KASIMDZHANOV 2 1 .B:d5!

355

lhe king has no time to evacuate the scene, and the following events unfold very swiftly.

2 l ...E!c8

2 1 .. .0-0 22.1xd6 is as hopeless as can be.

22bd6

White has an extra pawn and a winning position - quite a promising combination.

22...Wfd8

It looks like Black is beginning to arrange his pieces for the next game, but there is really nothing to be done.

23..ib4 And now: 2 1 ... exf4 2 l .. .ixd5 gives White a very strong initiative for the exchange after 22.ll:Jxd5 �a4 23.\t> b l ! (23.ll:Jc3 �b4 24.ll:Jd5 is a draw by repetition) 23 . . . ll:Jd4 24.1xd4 �xa5 25.ll:Jf6t \t>e7 26.1c3 �b5 27.�£2! and Black collapses: 27 ... \t>x£0 28.fxe5t \t>e6 29.�f6t \t>d7 30.exd6 B:hc8 3 1 .�xf7t \t>c6 32.Eld l and despite being a whole rook up, Black is helpless. 22.gxf4 ll:Je5 23.1a7 !::!c8 24.:Hhdl 1xd5 25.ll:Jxd5 �e6 although White clearly has more than sufficient compensation for the exchange, it is not an easy ride. A possible continuation is 26.\t>bl 0-0 27.�g3 ll:Jd7 28. �h4 (28.f5 �xe4 29.�xd6) 28 ...g5 29.fxg5 1g7 30. 1d4! when White's threats against the king will allow him to regain the material while keeping the positional advantage.

23.ll:Jb7, finally bringing the knight into the game, would also do the job: 23 ...�b6 24.ll:Jc5 Elxc5 25.ll:Ja4 winning.

23...Wfb6

20..ic5 exf4 2l.gxf4 24.a3! Such moves are usually the most unpleasant to face: emphasising the hopelessness of the position.

24.A�h5 25.c.tlbt .ixf4 25 ... ll:Jxf4 loses to 26.B:d6 �b8 27.ll:Jd5 1xd5 28.exd5 0-0 (finally!). After 29.ll:Jc6 Black can safely resign, as he loses too much material: 29 ...�b7 30.Elf6 and there is hardly one black piece which is not hanging.

26.�d5 .ixd5 27.E!xd5 .ib8 28.E!hdl c3 29.E!d7 l-0

ROUND I I

356 @

'it' * •

GAME 44 Michael Adams Veselin Topalov Sicilian Scheveningen 885

l .e4 c5 V��£3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.�xd4 �f6 5.�c3 a6 6.i.e2 e6 7.0-0 i.e7 8.a4 �c6 9.i.e3 0-0 IO.f4 Once again the Classical line. We've already seen some of the ideas in Kasimdzhanov - Polgar, but here the scenario is going w be wtally dilferem.

10 ...'l:Yc7 1 vbhl ges

In the above memioned game we spoke about Kasparov's ideas wi£h Black, and this is exacdy the move order he considered £O be most precise. In recem years, however, this posi£ion has been thought w be dangerous for Black. Or at least, more dangerous than it used w be considered, and as a resuh most of the elite players avoid this posi£ion. Topalov is one of the excep£ions...

12.i.£3

lhe fashion for 1 2.i.d3 passed after the Kasparov - Anand World Championship match in 1 995, where bO£h players tried the Black side, and showed ways £O achieve good positions.

12 ....118 A modern move order: some£imes ... l'l:b8 can be spared whereas the text is a prepara£ion for the rush of White's g-pawn wwards Black's king. With time Kasparov wo gave up on his old

passion, ... l'l:b8, in favour of the text move, and whatever he plays in the Scheveningen, everybody follows. Even Topalov.

13.�b3

A very popular cominuation, opening the door £O a very sharp and even forced line. The idea is quite simple: me positional threat of a4-a5 forces Black £O play ... b6, weakening the hl -a8 diagonal, much £O the joy of the wolf on f3, especially in view of the sheep on c6 and a8. As a consequence, instead of the usual kingside anack, White can exploit this fact and play e4-e5 before Black manages w arrange his pieces. Apan from its tac£ical sting, however, this move is not op£imal - normally the knight reueats £O b3 only in case of real necessicy. lhis varia£ion is best played in two cases: if White wams w test Black's knowledge and is willing £O accept a draw if the opponem is prepared, or he has an imeres£ing and surprising idea. In this game it seems Adams had bO£h possibili£ies. lhe main aherna£ive is the less forcing 1 3.'Mfd2, which was played just three momhs later between the same pia yers. In that game Adams proved he had recovered from his nightmare in Argemina: 1 3 ... tt:la5 14.b3 l'l:b8 1 5.l'l:ad l tt:lc6 1 6.i.f2 tt:ld7 17.i.g3 tt:lxd4 1 8.'Mixd4 b5 19.axb5 axb5 20.b4 g6 2 I .e5 d5 22.f5, and Adams killed Topalov's king, Wijk aan Zee 2006.

13 b6 14.e5 ••.

A very imeresting move, with an amazingly bold attempt £O refute Black's whole set-up! lhis cominua£ion is considered £O be sharp, but Black always manages w find coumerplay (ahhough occasionally only in the post monem). Does this game change this assessmem? Don't worry, the Scheveningen is alive and kicking! However the typical 14.g4 is now less dangerous, as after 1 4 ...i.b7 1 5 .g5 tt:ld7 Black is two tempi up, in comparison w usual positions, as he did not have £O carry out a clumsy i.c8-d7-c8-b7 manoeuvre. But if White desires £O advance e4-e5 so much, he has the nice option of 1 4.a5. He will play e5 only after Black captures with a pawn. lhe difference is that, compared £O the game,

ADAMS - TOPALOV

Black can no longer retreat h is knight to d7! Some might think a pawn is not too big a price for that. a) 14 . . . b5 is not good: 1 5.ib6 �b7 1 6.e5, and Black is in trouble. b) From a positional point of view somewhat problematic is 1 4 ... tt:ld7 1 5 .axb6 tt:lxb6 1 6.�e2 ib7 1 7.tt:la4 tt:ld7 1 8.c3 tt:le7 1 9.tt:ld2 ic6 20.c4 �eb8 2 l .b3 g6 22.id4 e5 23.fxe5 tt:lxe5 24.�e3, and Black is under pressure, De Firmian - Ftacnik, Germany 2000. c) So Black needs to play 1 4 ... bxa5 I 5.e5

1 5 ... dxe5 1 6.fxe5 and now 1 6 ... tt:ld7? (trying to follow the plan of our game) is strongly met with 1 7.ixc6 �xc6 1 8.tt:lxa5 �c7 1 9.�f3, which means that Black has to go for 1 6 . . .�d8 and this is the moment to estimate which position White should prefer: here or the game.

357

14...dxe5 1 4 . . . tt:ld7?! 1 5 .exd6 ixd6 1 6.tt:ld4! tt:lxd4 1 7.ixa8 tt:l f5 1 8.�f3 with a clear advantage for White.

l S.fxeS li:ld7 16.�xdi lhis is White's idea - trading the important bishop for an important tempo. As a result his attack is developing smooth ly, but as we have already stated, in previous games Black managed to obtain good counter-chances.

16 .. :tlfxc6 17.li:ld4 'tlfb7

18.'tlfh5 The spectacular rook sacrifice 1 8.�xf7? 'i!fxf7 1 9.�h5t 'i!ig8! 20.�xe8 fails to the equally

358

ROUND I I

spectacular counter-blow: 20... Wxg2t (also possible is 20 ... lLJxe5) 2 I .mxg2 ib7t 22.mg3 :Elxe8 23.if4 and Black has no reason to complain. Actually, White is the one to complain in such a position.

Another untested possibility is 2 I .lLJf6t ixf6 22.:Elxf6 Wd5 with an unclear position.

18 ...g6 19.Wih4

22 ..ixg5 f5

After the more solid I 9.Wg5 ig7 20.tL'Jf3 Wc7 White should forget about attacking and start thinking in terms of equalizing, and holding on to the e5-pawn.

Much worse is 20 ...ig7 because of 2 I .ih6! f5 22.ixg7 mxg7 23.tL'Jd6 Wd7 24.lLJxe8t Wxe8 25 .:Elae I and Black's position collapses.

As many variations show, f7 -f5 is Black's key defensive resource, after which White's attack is suddenly not so frightening. Queen centralization is bad now: 22 ...Wd5 23.c4!! Wxc4 Or 23 ... lLJxc4 24.:Elxf7! h5 25 .ih6! mxf7 26.:Elfl t mg8 27.Wf6 :Ela7 28 .Wxg6t mh8 29.Wxe8t mh7 30.if8 and it is over. 24.Wf4! Wd5 25.:Elad l ib7 26.tL'Jf3 tL'Jd3 27.We3 Black loses his knight.

2l.li:)gS

23.l3ael WI dS

Forcing Black to give up an important bishop, and subsequently allowing White to build up strong threats on the dark squares. A most promising choice by White. Far less fortunate is 2 1 .Wf4 f5! 22.Wxe5 Wxe4 23.Wxe4 fxe4 24.lLJc6 ic5 25 .ixc5 bxc5. Here a draw was agreed, but Black could have played on in Dolmatov - Shipov, St Petersburg I 998. 2 I .ig5 gives nothing after 2 I . . . f5 22.ixe7 Wxe7 23.tL'Jf6t mh8, and White is going to pay for his activities.

Much worse is 23 ... tL'Jf7 due to a sacrifice on f5 . lhe only question is which piece to sacrifice. 24.lLJxf5! (also interesting is 24.:Elxf5 as in Zelcic - Brkic, Basnjaci 2005) 24 ... gxf5 25 .if6, and now 25 . . . lLJh8? loses on the spot to 26.:Elxf5 lLJgG 27.:Elg5 Wf7 28 .:Elxg6t Wxg6 29.:Ele3 as in Asrian - Kurnosov, Moscow 2005. Better seems to be: 25 . . . h6 26.Wg3t lLJg5 27.:Elxf5 Or 27.ixg5 Wg7 28.:Elxf5 id7 29.:Elfe5 and again White is clearly better.

19 ... li:)xe5 20.li:)e4 White's attack appears to be very strong.

20 ...�e7

2 l .. ..ixg5 2 I ...h5 22.Wg3, creating a devastating threat of lLJxf7.

ADAMS - TOPALOV 27 ... exf5 28.�xe8t 'i!if7 29.�e7t Y!/xe7 30.ixe7 'i!ixe7 3 l .Y!/c7t id7 32.'!!Nxb6 and White should be bener.

24.�e2 lhis is new, and like most of Adams' ideas it is fi rst and foremost logical. After the knight transfer to the kingside White will be anacking with all his army. Black, on the other hand, also defends with all his pieces, and has threats of his own, plus an extra pawn. To our minds, the main achievement of White's novelty is to force Black to deal with new problems, but he is not worse. G M Shipov suggested the interesting 24.c4 and after 24 ... lt:lxc4? 25.ftlxf5 gxf5 26.�f3! White has a winning anack. But bener is 24 ...Y!/xc4! and it is not clear why White sacrificed the pawn.

359

and White's anack is less serious than it was in the game. a) For example, 26.�e3 gives nothing after 26. . .�ac8 27.�h3 �c7. b) Also not working is 26.1f6 lt:lg4! and 27.lt:lxg6 is not good because of 27 . . .Y!/xh2t! 28.Y!/xh2 lt:lxh2 29.'i!ixh2 hxg6 and White can only hope to make a draw. c) In fact, the best that can be found here is 26.�xe5 Y!/xe5 27.1f6! and now: 27 . . .'!!Ne3 Also possible is 27 ... 1xg2t 28.lt:lxg2 (28.'i!ixg2 Y!/e4t 29.'i!ih3 e5! 30.ftld3 '!!Nxh4t 3 l .ixh4 and White is not threatening to stand bener) 28 . . .'!!Nd6 and Black keeps his king without problems. 28.'!!N h6 1xg2t 29.'i!ixg2 �a7 (29 . . .Y!/e4t? 30.�£3 �a7 3 l .lt:lxg6 '!!Ne 2t 32.'i!ig3 and the black king is going for the big sleep) and it is not clear how to continue the anack. For example: 30.�f3 '!!Nd 2t 3 1 .�£2 Y!/b4 (3 l .. .Y!fe3? 32.�e2 Y!fcl 33.Y!/h4 with a great anack) 32.ltlxg6 Y!/g4t 33.'i!ifl '!!Nd l t with a perpetual.

25.�f4 Wlc6 White's anack might appear to be over, but Adams' next move shows the pleasures of anacking with a knight.

26.�h5!

24...�f7?! A small mistake, after which Black enters the twilight zone. Much more robust seems to be 24 . . .1b7 25.ltlf4 Y!/d6

This powerful move is the core ofWhite's idea. lhis position could serve as a good exercise in fi nding correct solutions without relying solely on calculation. A human being is incapable of

360

ROUND 1 1

computing all the arising lines after accepting the sacrifice. One should, of course, give it a try, but every move makes the position even more complicated. So it is wise to look for different, perhaps simpler, solutions: it is not a game of checkers after all. Topalov found a great answer:

this endgame the queen is much stronger than two rooks - all Black's pawns are on the queen's menu. c) Best seems to be 27 ... �c7!:

26...�x:g5! A very strong practical solution, leading to a reasonable and quite Sicilian-like position for Black. After the game, commentators had to work overtime to provide an answer to whether the knight was immune. Well, here is what we found ... Topalov's intuition again proved to be correct. After 26 ...gxh5? 27.1f6 White achieves a winning attack. Does that sound too pretentious? We will try to prove it mathematicaUy. To begin with Black has to find a way to avoid a simple mate on g7. a) 27 ... f4, covering all the squares along the g­ file, fails to save him: 28.E:xf4 �xc2 29.E:f3! e5 30.E:g3t �fB

And now 3 1 .�b4t! �c5 32.ig7t �e7 (After 32 ... �g8 33.1xe5t ig4 34.E:xg4t! we can see why it was important to drive the queen away from c2 with the smart 3 1 " move. After 34 . . . hxg4 35.�xg4t �fB 36.�g7t �e7 37.�f6t �fB 38.E:fl there is no chance.) 33.�h4t �d7 34.E:d 1 t And Black's dead. b) 27 ... �h8 also does not help. After 28.ixh8 �xh8 29.�f6t �g8 30.E:e3! (1he immediate 30.E:xf5 ? gives White nothing after 30. . .exf5, and the first rank weakness betrays White again.) 30 ... h4 and now 3 1 .E:xf5! exf5 32.�xc6 E:xe3 33.� g l . Black loses his bishop by force, and in

Now is the moment of truth for Adams' idea. For some reason, most commentators concentrated on 28.E:xf5 which, in fact, promises some advantage in the end (or in the ending to be more precise): 28 ... �h8! 29.1xh8 �xh8 30.1!;lfxh5 ib7 3 1 .E:f7 1xg2t! 32.�g1 (32.�xg2 1!;lfxc2t 33.E:e2 E:g8t 34.�f2 �c5t 3 5.�xc5 bxc5 is equal.) 32 ...�c5t 33.�xc5 bxc5 34.�xg2 and hereSakaev recommends 34 . . .E:ab8 35.b3 c4!, and Black has realistic chances to make a draw. But everybody missed the winning 28.�xh5!. It turns out that Black has time, but nothing to do with it: he is helpless against the rook joining from e3. Here are some possibilities: c l ) 28 ...E:f8 in order to free the knight. 29.E:e3 �hB (29 ...E:a7 30J1ff3) 30.ie5 �f7 3 1 .E:g3t �g6 32.�h6 and there is nothing Black can do against h2-h4-h5. c2) 28 ... e5 29.E:f3 f4 30.E:xf4 �xc2 protecting h7 (30 ...ib7 3 1 .E:g4t 30 ...ie6 3 1 .E:g4t �f8 32.�xh7 and mate.) 3 1 .E:f3 and Black is helpless, for example, 3 1 ...ie6 32.E:g3t �fB 33.1g7t �e7 34.�h4t �d7 35.E:c3 �g6 36.E:d 1 t �d6 37.E:g3! �f7 38.E:gd3 and Black loses material or, after 38 ...�xg7 39J1xd6t �c7 40.�b4, gets mated. c3) Probably the best defence is 28 . . .ib7 29.E:e3 E:ec8. Now, on the immediate 30.E:g3t, Black can play 30. . .�xg3 3 1 .hxg3 E:xc2, and surprisingly Black has serious counter play, which

ADAMS - TOPALOY

liquidates all White's threats. Bur White can continue 30.�fe I !! .

361

on b7. After 33 ... 1"1:xg2 34.1"1:e7 Black can resign, and 33 ...�xg2t does nor help either: 34.h8, managing to arrange his forces better than in the game. Whether this is enough, or the whole idea was not so promising in the fi rst place, remains to be seen. It seems, however, that White should be looking in the direction of27..ig5. lhe question that might be asked is whether Leko's mistake was that he automatically gave the check. lhe Hungarian grandmaster gave another explanation, but nobody checked it with a lie detector.

23 'i!.>h8 24.Wffl •••

we said, after 24.�b l b6 (24 ... l3e2? 25.�xb7 l3ce8 26.�xc7 l38e7 27.�c8t l3e8 28.�b7 l38e7 As

White seems to be fine, as all the invasion squares along the e-file are covered, whereas he has a clear plan: bring the queen to d3 and either attack f5 from the flank (l3b5) or double on the g-file. All this seems true, but it's too general: Anand provides decisive evidence that chess is a concrete game. lhe saddest part from Leko's point of view is that he was still following his prepared analysis (or so he thought), but in fact l:!bl had been marked as a move which should not be played! Unfortunately for him, he was unable to cope with his emotions upon realizing the mistake. Looking back, White should go for equality with 25.�c4 when he has no risk, and if things go well he might even be slightly better. For instance: 25 ... tt:\e7 26..ig5 .ixg5 27.l3xg5 l3g8 28.l3xg8t 'it>xg8 (28 ... l3xg8? 29.�xc7) 29.l3el and White is definitely not worse. Correct is 25 ...�xc4 26.tt:\xc4, and now 26...l3e2 hands White all the chances: 27.l3ab l b6 Worse is 27 ...l3f2 28.d5 tt:le7 29.tt:le5 h6 30.c4 with a big advamage. And much worse is 27 ... l3c2? 28.d5 tt:\d8 (or 28 ...l3xc3 29.dxc6 l3xc4 30.cxb7 l3b8 3 I ..ie3 c5 32 . .ih6! winning) 29.d6! cxd6 30.tt:\xd6 l3c6 3 I .l3be I and it is over.

LEKO - ANAND 28.!'!b5 l:i:Je7 29.1:i:Je5 .ig7 30.I:i:Jf7t c;!;>gS 3 l .l:i:Jh6t c;!;>hS 32.l:i:Jxf5 wirh a clear plus. Bur after 26 ... b5 27.1:i:Je3 l:i:Je7 28 ..ig5 rhe position is about equal.

25 �e7! ..•

371

Afrer 28.!'!xh5 !'!g7 Black rakes over rhe g-file, while rhe rook on h5 is wandering purposelessly. There is no apparent defence: 29.�£2 !'!cg8 30.!'!h6 �£7 wirh decisive rhrears.

28 E:xg8 29.'fle2 �g6 ••.

This refutes White's absrracr evaluation. All general rhoughrs prove ro be false now - our of nowhere Black has a very active plan, forcing White's pieces backwards, and ir is going ro be Black who uses rhe g-file ro arrack rhe enemy's king. Such is rhe heavy price one has ro pay for an error in preparation ar rhis level.

Ir is interesting rhar Anand evaluates rhis position as only a small advantage for Black. Ir seems ro us rhar rhis position is very bad, possibly lost, for White - his pawns are weak and he suffers due ro his king's weakness. In facr rhere is no way ro stop rhe slide.

26 .ig5?

Or 30.�c4 �xc4 (30 ...�d6 is also interesting) 3 l .l:i:Jxc4 b6 32.!'!e I (No berrer is 32.!'!gl !'!e8 33.1:i:Je5 c;!;>g7 34.!'!el !'!e7 35.1:i:Jd3 !'!xel t 36.l:i:Jxel l:i:Jf4 and rhe ending will be straightforward.) 32... 1:i:Jh4 33.1:i:Je5 !'!g3! wirh rhe idea 34.c;!;>h2 !'!xf3 and White has no chance. Perhaps rhe besr defence is 30.!'!gl although after 30 ... c5 White's position can hardly be regarded as safe.

•

This move, which exchanges his own most important piece and loses crucial rime, was accompanied wirh a draw offer: further evidence of Leko's mood ar rhis point of rhe championship. He should seek active play ar any cosr, and for rhar 26.!'!b5 seems mosr suitable, although ir allows Black ro demonstrate a norher advantage of his previous move after 26 ... c5!. However White has good chances ro sray alive after 27.�c4 b6 (Or 27 ... !'!ed8 28.!'!xc5 !'!xc5 29.�xc5 �xc5 30.dxc5 l:i:Jg6 3 l ..id6 b6 32.l:i:Jc4 bxc5 33.!'!bl .ixc3 34..ixc5 and White has good chances ro hold.) 28.dxc5 !'!xc5 29.!'!xc5 bxc5 30.!'!el and rhe game is still young.

30J�b5

30 'ftc6! ••.

26 .ixg5 27.E:xg5 E:g8! .•.

Preparing !'!g8-e8, wirh a complete takeover of rhe position. As soon as Black's rook gers ro rhe first rank, White's king will need ro hide somewhere under rhe rable.

3 l .E:xf5

A great idea - from now on White's king is going ro be a key factor in rhe game.

28.E:xg8t

lhe pawns traded are nor equal. Apart from rhrears ro White's king, Black will have a healthy extra pawn. Trying ro cling on ro rhe weaknesses wirh 3 l .c4 !'!e8 32.�£2 �e6 33.!'!b l b6 is nor helpful: White cannot prevent rhe invasion.

ROUND 1 2

372

3 l .�c4 also fails as a rescue attempt - the queen will be missed from the defence. After 3 1 ...� e8! Black's attack develops quickly and powerfully. For example: 32.f1bl �e3 33.f1d l f4 (33 ... lLlf4? 34.�f7!) 34.�f7 f1g7 35.�f6 lLle7 Black has fully prepared, and the final blow is inevitable. lhe best defence seems ro be 3 l .f1c5, bur afi:er 3 1 . ..f1e8! 32.�fl (32.f1xc6 f1xe2 33.f1xc7 f1xd2 34.f1xb7 lLlh4 35.00gl lLlx£3t 36.00fl f1c2 37.f1xa7 f1xc3 38.d5 lLld2t 39.00e2 lLle4 is hopeless) 32 ...�d7 the best White's acrive rook can do is rerum ro previous depressing variarions.

Black has a choice of winning merhods: queen ro g3 and knighr ro f4 is an obvious one.

37 .l:!d7 .!:!fl 38 .!:!d8t �g7 39.�e4 •

•

In time trouble Leko allows a queen exchange to prevenr mate, only to enter a hopeless endgame.

39 ...Yllfxf3t 40.Yllfxf3 .!:!xf3 4l.�c5 b6 42.�e6t �f6 43.�xc7 .!:!xh3t 44.�gl .!:!d3 45.�b5 �g5

3l ...Yllfxc3 32 .!:!d5 Yllfxa3 •

Typical machine-like Anand. While some players need serious reasons to grab a pawn, he needs many reasons nor ro take one, even a pawn of lesser imporrance.

33.�h2 '1Wf8!

Yet anorher great move: the queen switches to the kingside, with decisive rhrears. Whire is two pawns down with a weak king. Ir's nor looking good ...

34.Yffe6 Yllff4t 35.�hl .!:!f8

Of course, there is always a way ro lose: 35 . . . �xd2? 36.�f6t f1g7 37.f1d8t

36.Yffe2 h4

lhe game is decided with an attack on rhe weak king after all. lhe king, rook, knighr and pawn leave Whire's king no chance ro survive. lhe time rrouble is over, and rhe rest could have been spared, but ir seems rhat White had not recovered from his sad mistake in the opening.

46.�xa7 h3 47.�c6 �g4 48 .l:!a8 �g3 49 .l:!al h2t 50.�hl �f4 5 l.�e5 .l:!e3 52 .!:!dl �h3 53.�f7 .!:!g3 •

•

•

With mate in five, according ro our subtle friend's hint.

0-1

MOROZEVICH - POLGAR @

W

* 1ft

GAME 46 Alexander Morozevich Judit Polgar Sicilian, English Attack 890

I.d7 25.ltJd2 Elg8 Black was better in Topalov - Kasparov, Geneva 1 996. But there is the interesting 1 7.0-0-0, which leads to very curious complications after 1 7 . . .�h6 ( I 7 . . .�f6 is also interesting) 1 8. f4 �e3 1 9.'&xe3 ltJxe3 20.fxe5 ttJ f5t 2 I .\t> b 1 ltJxg3 22.exd6 �g5 23.Eib4 ltJxe2 24.dxe7 with a fun position, in which White has some chances. Is it possible Morozevich prepared something tasty in this line?

Morozevich does not exploit the opportunity to punish his opponent for her opening inaccuracy. 1he point is that the evaluation of this position is closely related to the queens' presence on the board. Although Black's king is not yet attacked, the opening of the game at some point is inevitable, and then a centralized king with queens on the board will hardly be an asset. Therefore, Black wants to exchange the queens, and White's last move allows it. Much more lively was 1 6.\t>b1 ,

15.0-0-0 Of course. Now that Black is nor putting pressure on f2, White can castle, and one of his problems disappears.

15 .. Wfb6 .

A new move which seems to have been caused by attempts to recall the theory moves. Polgar, of course, remembered the idea of . . . '&b6, but could not quite remember when (this is much more common among top players than might be thought - and this variation has not been played for quite a long time). Here too, this is the best move in the position - other continuations allow White to obtain as edge.

16.8?!

sacrifi.cing a pawn. If Black does not accept it, her problems are evident for the reasons described above. Therefore, 1 6 ... ltJxf2 1 7.Eifl ltJg4 1 8.ltJd5! �xd5 1 9.exd5 ltJce5 and here: 20.�xe5 ltJxe5 2 1 .Eixh5 Elxh5 22.�xh5 �f6 23.g4 with a position where White's chances

MOROZEVICH - POLGAR are more convmcmg. For instance: 23 . . . lbc4 24.�d3! �e3! (both 24 . . . 1xb2? 25.1xf7t 'tt>d8 26.ie6 and 24 ... lbxb2? 25.�f5! followed by g5, are losing immediately) 25.�xe3 lbxe3 26.;gf3 ;gxc2! 27.;gxe3 ;gxb2t 28.'i!fcl ;gxa2 29.;gf3 with good winning chances.

16 '11lYe3! ...

A very strong tactical solution for positional ends, leaving the worries about her king's safety behind. After the exchanges Black's remaining pieces are better than White's. Morozevich later admitted having overlooked this at home, which is understandable. What is strange, however, is him knowing that Polgar would not pick the main line and implement a novelty. But he will probably n�t share the secret of such an insight with us.

17 .if4 .

Probably the correct move, but after the queen exchange the best White can think of is equality. Some alternatives: a) lhe knight is poisoned: 1 7.fxg4?! �xg3 1 8,;gxh5, and after 1 8 ...�xg2 (also interesting is l 8 ...1xc3!? l 9.bxc3 ;gg8), and only Black can stand better. b) Pseudo-centralization is also problematic: l7.lbd5 ixd5 1 8.exd5 lbb4 l 9 .c3 ( 1 9.'i!ib l ? ;gxc2) l 9 ... lbxa2t 20.'i!ibl (20.'i!ic2? lbxc3!) 20 ...ixc3 2 1 .�xe3 lbxe3 22.'i!ixa2 lbxd l 23.1xd l 1f6 with advantage to Black. For instance, 24.;ghl h4 25.if2 ;gh5, and White has trouble organizing his pieces. c) But the main alternative was to change the direction of the game with 1 7.1xd6.

375

said about the game. Nevertheless, what was more appropriate? It seems that here it is easier for Black to get something real. For example: 1 7 ... �xd2t 1 8,;gxd2 l 8.lbxd2? lbe3 l 8 ... lbe3 1 8 ...ih6 does not serve the purpose: 1 9.fxg4 exd6 20.gxh5 ;gg8 2 I .ifl lbe5 22. 'i!id I ig5 23.;ghl ixd2 24.'i!fxd2 and here White even looks better. 1 8 ...exd6 also does not look convincing after 1 9. fxg4 hxg4 20.;gxh8t ixh8 2 l .;gxd6 ie5 with sufficient compensation. 1 9.lbd5! exd6 After 1 9 ... lbxg2 20 ,;gh2 exd6 2 l .;gxg2 ih6 22.f4 1xd5 23.exd5 lbe7 24.;gf2 White is close to equalizing. 20.lbxe3 if6 20 ...ih6? 2 l .f4 2 l .g3! ixh4 22.gxh4 'i!fe7 and maybe White will succeed in making a draw, but no one wants to accept a long struggle for only half a point so early in the game.

17 '11lYxd2t 18J�xd2 �ge5 ...

1 8 ...1xc3 could also be considered, ruining White's pawn structure. However, the bishop might prove to be more important, as now White has a strong pair of bishops to compensate for the ruined structure. 1 9 .bxc3 lbge5 20.ie3 lbg6 2 1 .;gh I lbce5 Black can hardly complain, bur she also did not have reasons to complain during the game.

19 .ie3 .

Black was threatening . . . lbg6.

19 ..if6 ..

1 9 . . . lbg6?! would only add reasons for f3-f4f5, whereas Black cannot gain control over f4 anyway. For example: 20.;gh I ih6 (20. . .ie5 2 i .lbd5! The typical 2 l ...ixd5 does not look good either, as after 22.exd5 the knight will have to look hard for a good post, promising White an advantage.) 2 l .ixh6 ;gxh6 22.g3! and White looks better.

20J�hl �c4 lhe possible posmons after this move are not very good for White, but the same can be

A basic mistake would be 20... b5. In this variation Black has already accepted enough weaknesses (for the initiative), there is no need

376

ROUND 1 2

for more. I n addition, ... b 5 comribures lirrle ro Black's initiative. The punishmem could be something like: 2 I .tbd5! 1xd5 22.exd5 tbc4 23.1xc4 (23.dxc6? tbxe3 and Black wins material) 23 ... bxc4 24.dxc6 (24.tbd4 tbb4 25.tbe2 tbxa2t [25 ... c3? 26.tbxc3 1xc3 27.bxc3 tbxa2t 28.1!ib2 tbxc3 29.1d4) 26.1!/b l tbb4 27.tbc3 wirh insufficiem compensation for rhe pawn.) 24 ... cxb3 25.axb3 !hc6 and ir is already Black who should look for equaliry. Generally speaking, a key factor in rhe position is rhe pawn srrucrure, rhe number of pawn islands in particular. The vulnerability of h5 and a6 (rwo of Black's rhree 'islands') is evidem, as rhere are no pawns ro support rhem.

2lbc4

in each other's way. After 22.bxc3 1xc4 rhe advamage, however small, can only belong ro Black. lhe besr, although nor only, way seems ro be transferring borh rooks ro rhe kingside, wirh an initiative. 23.g4 One could also make use of Morozevich's advice: 23 ... tbe5 24.1d4 f6 25.1xe5 fxe5 26..!'hh5 l"!fB (26 ...l"!xh5 is no berrer. 27.gxh5 l!/f7 28.l"!h2 lt>g7 29.h6t lt>h7 and here 30.tba5! 1xa2 3 I .tbxb7 1e6 32.1!id2 and rhe position is close ro a draw.) 27.!'!£5 Black is berrer, no doubr, although real winning chances are questionable.

22.fB 30.f4 �e8 3 1 .�£2 h6 32.�e2 �xe2 33.ixe2

2l. .. fxe4

Nor 2 1 ...'tt> h 8? 22.ixd5 cxd5 23.lbc5, and White has a serious advantage.

22.dxe4 i.f3t!

The reader might be surprised (or disappointed) but this was also suggested in the previously mentioned analysis. It is not impossible to find over the board, but it is quite amusing how far modern chess has gone when such tactics, well into the middlegame, are known to theory.

23.Wxf3 gxf4t 24.\t/g3 gfxe4 25.gxe4 gxe4 26.f3 26.!:�dl �e2! White is certainly not threatening to win. Trying to prevent the rook from getting to e2 ends up in repetition: 26.'tt> f3 �4t 27.'tt> g3 �e4

26 .. ,ge5

It seems that Aronian's play in the above mentioned game is more accurate: counterplay with an active rook should end White's tries. lhere was obviously a reason for a player of Svidler's calibre to prefer the text, but he ended up in an inferior ending. In any case, 26 ... �e2! looks strong, like in Aronian's game...

27.c4!

Destroying Black's pawn chain.

27...bxc4 28bc4 a5 What are White's chances based on? The bishop is better than the knight, and Black's queenside is not exactly perfect. On the other hand, there is little material left on the board and Black's pieces

Such an endgame could prove to be difficult for Black. With pawns on both sides, the superiority of bishop over knight is usually revealed to the maximum.

29... \t/fB White was threatening ib3!.

30.i.xd5

Now it is all over. Such rook endgames are impossible to win. Here too, Polgar could have tried playing for a win with 30.h4! in order to prevent unpleasant checks. For example, conceptually wrong would be 30 ... g5 3 I .ib3 gxh4t 32. 'tt> xh4 lbe7 33.f4 and again the bishop's superiority might be very significant here, although objectively the position is close to a draw. It seems that White did not want to fight.

30.. ,gg5t 3t.\t/f4 gxd5 Now it is time to destroy the pawns.

32.gxc6 gd2 33,ga6 gxh2 34.gxa5 gxb2 35.a4 \t/f7 36.\t/£5 g6t 37.\t/e5 ge2t 38.\t/f4 h5 39.ga7t lfz-1!1

ROUND 1 3

396 @

'itt * 1ft

GAME 50 Viswanathan Anand Alexander Morozevich French Defence, Steinitz Variation C l l

l.e4 e6 Approaching rhe end of rhe tournament, rhe players naturally ger tired. Afrer rhe active play of rhe previous round, when he played l ...e5 wirh a wild Petroff, Morozevich decides on a more solid first move.

2.d4 d5 3.�c3 �f6 4.e5 Another common continuation is 4.1g5, bur afrer 4 ... dxe4 5.itlxe4 .ie7 6.1xf6 1xf6 Whire has a hard rime proving an advantage.

prominence after Kasparov - Radjabov, Linares 2003, partly because Kasparov losr, bur also because his position looked arrracrive ar some point. Today Black fighrs against ir mainly wirh: a) 9 ... 1b7, for instance I O.g3 Wa5, and here Whire amazed everybody wirh l l .l:'1a2!?, wirh rhe idea of stopping Black's natural counterplay on rhe queenside, Ponomariov - Bareev, Khanty Mansyisk 2005. b) 9 ... g5 leads ro an interesting position afrer I O.fxg5 cxd4 l l .itlxd4 itlcxe5 l 2.1d3 1g7 l 3.itlce2, Jakovenko - Bareev, Sochi 2006.

8.�xd4 i.c5 9.1f«d2 0-0 10.0-0-0

�fd7 5.f4 c5 6.�f3 �c6 7.i.e3

One of rhe main ways ro rarger rhe French, leading ro sharp positions wirh opposite side casrling. As one mighr expect, rhe rheory here is enormous, so we will mainly concentrate on encounters featuring ar leasr one of rhe current players. There have been quire a few.

7...cxd4 Morozevich deviates first from rheir previous games. In general, Morozevich's approach in San Luis has been ro avoid his opponents' preparation. Previously he has preferred rhe line 7 ...a6 8.'�d2 b5, as played every year ar Monaco berween rhe same opponents. However, rhis line has become problematic larely, mostly due ro 9.a3, which is rhe horresr fashion nowadays. lhis line came ro

The main ideas here can be similar ro some Sicilian lines, bur naturally wirh some differences because of rhe pawn srrucrure. lhe pawn on e5 will allow Whire ro arrack rhe h7-pawn more efficiently, whereas Black's play on rhe queenside is also more dangerous, since his dark-squared bishop is participating in rhe barrie (unlike in mosr Classical Sicilians).

IO ...a6 l l.�b3

A rare although quire logical move, which has been played by Durch grandmaster Friso Nijboer wirh excellent results. lhe idea behind rhis knighr rerrear is ro continue developing rhe pieces (1d3) wirhour losing rime prorecring rhe knighr on d4. lhe fashionable line is Kramnik's idea l l .W£2, in order ro develop rhe bishop ro d3 while srill defending d4. One recent example: l l ...1xd4

ANAND - MOROZEVICH 12.1xd4 b5 1 3.1e3 b4 14.�e2 a5 1 5 .�d4 �xd4 1 6.1xd4 1a6 1 7.f5, and Whire finally won rhis double-edged posirion, Karjakin - Srellwagen, Wijk aan Zee 2005.

l l .. .i.b4 Ir is srill roo early ro judge wherher rhis move is besr, bur ir is definirely very annoying. Whire musr realize he is nor rhe only one who has rhrears.

l2.i.d3 b5 l3.ghfl Nijboer likes ro play 1 3.g4, and is usually quire successful. An example: 1 3 ...1b7 1 4.E:hgl E:c8 1 5.E:g3 E:e8 1 6.E:h3 g6 1 7.'xf8 30.l:!h8t \!i>f7 3 I .l:!hg8 ttlxe5 32.fxe5 1here is no defence agains£ ma£e on g7. b) 23 ... bxa3 24.l:!fg3! Perhaps Whi£e's play looks somewha£ primi£ive, bu£ Black canno£ defend af£er 24 ...axb2t 25.\!i>d i b i �t 26.ttlxbl l:!xb I t 27. \!i>e2 and £he same panern wins for Whi£e: 27 ...�g5 28.l:!xg5 l:!b7 29.�h8t \!i>f7 30.�xg7t \!i>e8 3 I .�xf8t! \!i>xf8 32.l:!h8t \!i>f7 33.l:!hg8 ttlxe5 34.l:!5g7t \!i>f6 35.�xe5 ma£e. Nice, isn'£ i£? c) Probably £he bes£ defence is 23 ...�e8, bm here wo Whi£e has a forced line: 24.�h7t \!i> £7 25.l:!fg3 l:!g8

22.l:!h3 .ic5!

26.ttlxd5! exd5 27.l:!h6 �e6 28.l:!hg6 �f8 29.�h5 \!i>e8 30.l:!xe6t �f7 3 I .l:!gg6 wi£h a crushing anack.

1he s£ronges£ defence! Black has £O evacua£e £he 7'h rank in order £O prmec£ g7. 1he dangers of £he posi£ion can be well illuma£ed af£er 22 ... b4? 23.l:!ff3! and now: a) 23 ... bxc3 24.l:!fg3 cxb2t 25.�xb2 and Black can resign because of a beamiful ma£e: 25 ...�g5 (£he only way £O pro£ec£ g7) 26.l:!xg5 l:!b7 27.�h8t \!i> £7 28.�xg7t! \!i>e8

Anand chooses £he safes£ and bes£ way, as Black has sufficien£ resources in £he mher varia£ions. All £he lines seem very hard w calcula£e, bm perhaps no£ for Anand and Morozevich. Hereaf£er 23.�xc5 �xc5 24.l:!ff3 �gl t 25.ttld l �d4 Whi£e does no£ even have a perpemal. 1he main al£erna£ive is 23.�g6,

23JUF3

ANAND - MOROZEVICH

which is the less forcing option, in which Black has only one way to defend, but if he finds it he will be better. a) Now 23 . . . ixd4? loses on the spot: 24.l::l h 7 l::l f 7 25.�h5 and Black has a few checks prior to resignation: 25 ... ie3t 26.\!i bi tt:ld2t 27.\!ia i and then a hopeless attempt to evacuate the king: 27 . . .\!ffB 28.l::lh 8t 'i!fe7 29.�g5t l::l f6 30.�xg7t l::if7 3 l .�g5t 'i!id7 32.�d8 mate. b) Also bad is 23 . . . l::lf7? and White has two roads that lead to Rome: b I ) 1he spectacular one: 24.tt:lxd5!? �xd5 25.�h7t 'i!ff8 26.ixc5t �xc5 27.�h8t 'i!fe7

399

and now the quiet 28.l::ld i ! emphasizes the problems of Black's position. Despite the two­ piece advantage, he has no rescue. 28 . . . id7 (An attempt to sacrifice the queen with 28 . . .�c7 does not save the day either: 29.l::i hd3 [threatening l::i d 8] 29 . . . ib7 30.l::l d 7t �xd7 3 l .l::ix d7t 'i!fxd7 32.�xb8 id5 33.b3 tt:la5 34.�d6t and Black's queenside collapses.) 29.�xb8 l::lf8 30.�b7 is lost for Black. b2) However, the much more natural 24.l::l h7 wins even more efficiently: 24 ... �c7, vacating c6 for the king and protecting the d8-square. Other moves are even worse, but this too loses beautifully: 25.l::l f3!

ROUND 1 3

400

Now 2 5 ...ixd4 runs into the brutal 26J::!x g7t! \!ffB (26 ... E!xg7 27.�e8t \!/h7 28.l:'!h3 mate) 27.E!h3 tLld6 28 J:l:h8t \!/e7 29.tLlxd5t! winning. Another option is 25 ... @f8 26.E!fh3 and again, Black cannot prevent E!xg7 followed by E!h8. c) However, after 23 ... E!b7! Black emerges from the complications with the upper hand: 24.ixc5 (lhe difference between 23 . . . E!b7 and 23 ... E!f7 is seen after 24.E!h7, as now Black has a winning defensive move in 24 ...�e8! and White can resign.) 24 . . .Wxc5 and now: c l ) 25.E!ff3 is too slow as after 25 ... b4! Black is first to get to the king: 26.axb4 Wgl t 27.tLl d l tLlxb2! 28.E!fg3 W x d l t 29.\!/xb2 �d4t 30.\!/a2 (30.\!/ci �xf4t 3 1 .\!/ d l �xe5 is hopeless) 30 . . .Wc4t 3 1 .\!/ a l Wxb4 32.Wh7t \!ff7 33.E!xg7t (33.�xg7t \!/e8 34.Wxf8t no longer works because of the queen on b4.) 33 . . . \!/eS 34.�g6t \!/d8 35.Wg5t E!e7, and Black wins. c2) Whereas on 25 .E!h7 Black has a beautiful defence: 25 ...We3t 26.\!/bl tLlxe5! 27.fxe5 (Or 27.�h5 tLlf7 28.E!f3 �gl t 29.\!/a2 tLlh6 30.�g6 E!f6 3 I .E!xg7t E!xg7 32.Wxf6 Wxg2 and wins.) 27 ...Wxe5 28.Wh5 g6! 1he point! Now the queen covers h8. 29.�xg6t E!g7 30.E!xg7t Wxg7 and Black is better.

23....ixd4 We have seen similar lines after there is a slight difference . . .

22 . . . b4,

only

24.l:Ug3 gb7 2S.'!Wh7t 25 .�g6 is now refuted by 25 . . . tLlxe5! 26.Wh7t

\!ff7 27.E!xg7t \!/e8 28.fxe5 ixe5 and White is lost.

2S @f7 26.'1Wxg7t 'i!;>es •.•

It might appear that White's attack has reached a dead end, but those readers who have followed the previous variations will already have seen the idea of:

27.'1Wxf8t Only this time White has to settle for a perpetual, since after:

27 'i!;>� 28.ghst 'i!;>t7 29.gh7t •••

We doesn't have the mating pattern with 29.E!hg8? anymore, because the bishop on d4 makes the difference: 29 . . . tLlxe5 30.fxe5 ixe5 when there is a queen defi cit but no mate. l!z-lh

ADAMS - LEKO @

'it>

* ,..

GAME 51 Michael Adams Peter leko Sicillan Defence 830

I.e4 c5 2.es White's remporary initiative fades quickly. More interesting is 1 2.1'!ad 1 c;t>cs 1 3.1'!d2

0-

�Ol 3

Deviating from Polgar - Topalov (Game 24), but not emirely. In that game, as the reader might recall, White eventually developed the bishop to e3, but Kasimdzhanov refrains from an unnecessary-in-this-case b3. Polgar played 1 1 .tt)e4 but later transferred the knight to d5, which proved useless. But what if White plays the same way, only without the mistakes? Back to the current game: 1 1 . 1e3 is increasingly gaining popularity, despite its obvious drawbacks: it blocks the important e-file and offers e5 no protection. lhe eS-pawn does not really need to be supported, but perhaps White should prefer the e-file to be clear of pieces.

and if 1 3 ... 1e7?! then: I4.gfd l gds 14 ...1e6 1 5.1g5! and White obtains a good position, since 1 5 ... 1xg5 1 6.tt)xg5 tt)xeS 17.tt)xe6 fxe6 1 8.ge2 is clearly to his benefit. 1 5.1g5 1xg5 16.tt)xg5 tt)xeS 1 7.f4 tt)c4 ( l7 ... f6? 1 8.fxe5 fxgS 1 9.e6 winning) 1 8.tt)xf7 tt)xd2 1 8 ... tt)xb2 1 9.ge 1 ! tt)c4 20.gd4 g£8 2 l .ge7 and Black is in severe difficulties. 1 9.tt)xd8 c;t>xd8 20.gxd2 A dream endgame against rhe Berlin. It is therefore better to play 1 3 ...1b4 with a decent position for Black. But White can also begin with a3. Just like that, new theory on 1 1 ...1d7 has started!

l2J�adl t c.t>es

404

ROUND 1 3

As was mentioned i n Polgar - Topalov, the position of the king is one of the major decisions Black has to rake. I 2 ...id7 1 3.1='ld2 could transpose into nice positions from the previous note.

13.a3 For someone who has nor spent many hours studying the Berlin, this move might appear strange. Irs j ustification is as follows: White is planning Elfe I , and therefore prevents ... ib4, which could be unpleasant. In fact, the very thought of opposite coloured bishops is a turnoff for White (provided he wants to win, of course). Here White definitely wants to win, even playing an almost World Champion. Actually for now, Kasimdzhanov is the World Champion. Another plan proved to be quire unpromising for White in the following example: 1 3.ti:Je2 h5 1 4.1='ld2 h4 1 5 .ti:Jf4 tLlxf4 1 6.ixf4 c5 1 7.tLlg5 Elh5 1 8.ti:Je4 ie6 1 9.ti:Jc3 i='ld8 20.1='lfd I i='lxd2 2 1 .1='lxd2 idS, Negi - Karjakin, Kirishi 2005.

13...h5 A good looking novelty, essentially saving Black a tempo (spared on h7-h6). Does it have a big impact on the position in general? In fact, it does nor. lhe main point of these Berlin positions is which player arranges his forces better, and nor the tempi: after all, if Black can lose rime in order

to prevent White's activities, why can't White do rhe same? We have a strong belief rhar rhe plan wirh Black's king on e8 is more dangerous for him in any move order. 1 3 ...ie6 has been played, bur after 1 4.1='lfe I h 5 1 5.ti:Jd4 Black could nor fi nd anything better rhan I 5 ...id7 and White was clearly better, Parligras - Posrny, Budapest 2004.

14J:Uel Curiously, rhis position occurred in rwo of Morylev's White games, bur ir was White ro move there (because Black had played h7-h6 earlier).

14 . . h4 .

KASI MDZHANOV - TOPALOV A thematic continuation. One point is that it discourages a later g2-g4, which is one of White's main concepts (the f5-square could be used by White's pieces, and g4 would also block the unopposed light-squared bishop). Another plus is the ability to bring the rook into play via h5, stopping f4-f5 plans.

15.l£id4!

An important move, preparing Apparently, Black cannot take on e5.

405

l S.£5 is now pointless because of l S ... ti)xe5 (but not I S ...ixf5? as White wins with a typical shot: 1 9.g4!) 1 9.if4 f6 and White cannot break through Black's bastions.

f2-f4.

15 ...a6

After c6-c5 Black cannot allow a knight to b5, which could crack the wall. Curiously, had Black not saved the tempo, White would have most probably had a knight on e4 now, and then the more natural . . .id7 would be sufficient to prevent ti)b5. 1his, of course, does not mean that having an extra tempo is a bad thing, but sometimes one has to return it. Another idea is 1 5 ... ti)xe5 16.if4, when both 16 ... ti)g6 1 7.ixc7 c;!;>f8 I S.ti)e4 and 1 6 . . .ti)c4 17.b3! ti)xa3 I S.icl are bad for Black. Even after 1 6 .. .f6 1 7.ixe5 fxe5 I S.ti)f.3! ( I S.l:!xe5 l!;>f7 allows Black to place his king well) I S ... c;!;>f8 1 9.ti)xe5 1f5 20.ti)e2! White is much better developed, and his advantage will only increase. For instance, 20 ...ixc2 2 U!d7 id6 22.ti)d4 !:!eS 23.ti)ef3 !:!xe I t 24.ti)xe l and Black has to part with material.

16.f4 gh5

We have already mentioned this ugly-looking manoeuvre, which is necessary to prevent f4-f5. The rook has nothing better to do anyway. Also possible was l 6 ... c5 1 7.ti)d5 idS, but these positions will be discussed soon.

17.lbe4 Too early is 1 7.b4 ( 1 7 . . .id7 is met with I S.ti)b3! and Black has no play) 1 7 ... a5! and then l S.b5! ixa3 l 9.bxc6 bxc6 ( 1 9 ... ib4? 20.ti)d5 ixe 1 2 I .ti)xc7t c;!;>f8 22.ti)xaS ig3 23.ti)b6 winning) 20.ti)xc6 id7 2 1 .ti)d4 ib4. Black seems OK.

17.. .i.d7

Delaying ...c5, and if White decides to prevent it with b2-b4, Black will now have ...a5, as White cannot advance his pawn to b5.

18.c4

18...a5 Again, Black is not hurrying to play ... c5, but with White's next move this option will be ruled out for good. 1he text is a prophylaxis, as White was already aiming for b2-b4. It is an appropriate moment to discuss l S ... c5. 1he obvious drawback is weakening the d5-square, but in Polgar - Topalov this was not necessarily dangerous for Black. The difference here is that the king is now on eS, and can no longer protect c7, which will make White's knight on d5 a real pain in the neck. For example: 1 9.ti)e2 b6 20.ti)2c3 ie6 2 1 .ti)d5 idS 22.b3 a5 23.a4 It is not easy to break Black's defences, but not many would be happy with such a passive defence: two pieces are holding one flank and the remaining three are covering the other. In Sofia 2005 Topalov (playing Black) had a similar position against Polgar, except without a white rook on e I , which allowed him to temporary sacrifice a piece on e5, and get a good position tactically. Here Black would be limited to waiting for White's activities. It is not clear, however, whether this position is worse than what he had in the game.

19.c5! 1his rather rare approach in fact makes a lot

406

RO UND 1 3

20 f5! ...

o f sense. The knight will stay on d4 forever and White has unpleasant threats: advancing f5 or e6, or a temporary sacrifice t0d6. Black, on the other hand, lacks any counterplay. All in all, this unusual continuation promises White a substantial advantage.

19 a4 ...

Topalov is true to himself, refusing to accept passive defence and seeks counterplay even at the cost of another weakness. The text prepares .. . E!a5, which, however, White will have lirrle trouble protecting, whereas the pawn on a4 is a different story. As the game continues White has an advantage, bur Black's position would hardly have been better without . . . a4.

20.l':!cl With a simple bur effective plan of winning a4 with E!c4 and t0c3. Now Black is facing an unpleasant question: how to survive? 20.t0d6t? cxd6 2 l .exd6 if6 is just a shot in the air.

Very brave! Whi te's advantage is still clear, bur this is better than just sitting and waiting for a4 to fall. A passive defence was doomed to fail. For example, 20 . . .ic8 2 l .l':!c4 E!a5 and Black's position deteriorates very quickly: 22.id2 E!a6 and here 23.t0f6t! gxf6 24.exf6 c;!?d8 2 5 . fxe7t t0xe7 26.f5! with a big advantage, as f5 is poisonous: a) 26 . . . t0xf5 is nor working: 27.t0xf5 ixf5 28.E!xh4 l':!xh4 29.ig5t c;!?c8 30.l':!e8t c;!?d7 3 I .l':!e7t c;!?c8 32.ixh4 is much better for White. b) 26 . . .ixf5 is now poinrless because of 27.t0xf5 t0xf5 28.E!f4 b6 (28 .. .f6 29.ic3 winning) 29.l':!e5 t0g3 30.l':!xh5 t0xh5 3 I .E!xh4 t0g7 32.l':!h7. White is easily winning: the bishop is much better than a knight, in addition to the pair of connected passers .

2l.exf6

Premature would have been 2 I .t0d6t cxd6 22.cxd6 (22.exd6 if6 with no good discovered check) 22 . . . id8! 23.e6 if6 24.exd7t c;!?xd7 25.E!cdl l':!e8, and d6 is a weakness more than anything else. 2 I .t0d2? would turn our to be a positional blunder, as after 2 l .. .t0fB! the knight comes to e6, changing the evaluation of the position, much to Nimzowirsch's pleasure.

2l. .i.xf6! .

KASIMDZHANOY - TOPALOY

407

lhe only move again. 2 l ...gxf6 22.f5 tt:le5 (22 ... 1i.xf5? 23.g4! winning material is another well-known tactic in the Berlin) 23.tt:lxf6t il.xf6 24.1i.f4 @f7 25 .ixe5 a) 25 .. . E!e8 26.ixf6 @xf6 27.E!xe8 ixe8 28.E!c4! lhe pawn is going to pay the price after all. b) 25 ...ixf5 26.1i.xf6 @xf6 27.E!fl @g6 (27 ... @e5? 28.tt:lf3t @f6 29.E!c4! id3 30.E!f4t @g7 3 I .E!el with a virtually decisive advantage.) 28.E!f4 E!e8 2 9. tt:lxf5 E!xf5 30.E!xh4 Two connected passed pawns are enough to refute the only half­ joking claim that all rook endings are drawn.

22.5! The point! It is either this, or forget about any advantage.

22 ... lt:le7 Black loses after the pseudo-active 22 . . . tt:le5 23.if4! @f7 24.tt:lxf6 gxf6 25 .ixe5 fxe5 26.E!xe5 with suffocation.

23.lt:Jxf6t gxf6 24.if4

c7 is traded for f5 , which is good for Black, but h4 and mainly a4 are still great targets.

24 ... Wf7 25.ixc7 lt:lxf5 26.E!c4 lhe rook is already locked on targets.

26 ...lt:lxd4 27.l3xd4 ie6

All White's pieces are better, Black's king position is far from comfortable and his pawns are weak. lhe opposite coloured bishops might be a drawing factor, but just as easily can increase White's attacking potential - it is a well-known principle that opposite coloured bishops in effect give each side an extra bishop, which can be a serious factor when attacking the king.

28.id6!

408

ROUND 1 3

A good move, although its dissatisfied creator had a lot of criticism for it. Kasimdzhanov thought he could do better and suggested 28.E:lde4 as a winning move. However afi:er 28 ... �d5 29.E:le7t ®g6 30.�d6 White's threats are not too frightening. After 30 .. J:lh7! 3 I .E:lxh7 ®xh7 32.E:le7t ®g6 33.E:lxb7 E:le8, in exchange for a pawn Black finally gets good pieces, which is more important with opposite coloured bishops.

28 ... E:la5 Topalov is desperately seeking play, especially for his rook, which failed to enter the game conventionally. Objectively, his position should be lost.

importance of a pawn (or even more) is much lower than having active pieces.

3I ..J':�b5 Topalov is ready to exchange on b5, which would solve the problem of a4, while White's c-pawn will not be too hard to stop. Nevertheless, White should have traded one pair of rooks.

32J3b6? White has his own terms for a trade, however. Taking on b6 is not an option for Black, but the text is a serious m istake that lets the win escape. He had to play 32.E:lxb5! cxb5.

29.E:lde4?! A small inaccuracy. White should still win, but the technical execution is difficult. He should have first deprived Black of counterplay. For that purpose Shipov's 29.E:le2 seems to be more appropriate. This prophylactic move would have tied the aS-rook to the defence of the a-pawn. After that Black's survival would probably be impossible, or at best extremely difficult.

29...�d5 30J�e7t 'i!?g6 31 .Ehb7

White won a pawn, but Black's rook can now enter the game. Once again we can see that in endings with opposite coloured bishops the

White can try to exploit his c-pawn, together with Black's weakness on h4, with decent winning chances. Note that it seems White should not exchange the second pair of rooks. For example,

KASIMDZHANOV - TOPALOV 33.Eifl Eif5 34.Eixf5 rnxf5 35.rnf2 .ic6 36.g3 hxg3t 37.xg3 .ie8. Amazingly, this position cannot be won because Black's bishop stands on e8 preventing both white pawns from moving, and the black king shadows White's, wherever it goes. The reader is invited to check this endgame - there are interesting winning attempts and just as interesting refutations. But if White does not exchange rooks, the pawn on c5 is an important addition to White's advantages.

32 .. ,gg5 33.ge2 gb3! A very strong move, after which it becomes evident that White has lost his advantage, but the real idea behind the move is hard to even imagine. San Luis provided us with quite a few original solutions.

34.q.,h2 If White only knew what awaited him, he would have defi nicely played 34.Eixb3 .ixb3. Here, although clearly better, White has no real chances for a win: even if he manages to create a passed h-pawn, Black will hold, as he has no other weakness. 1hen why go for it, especially after rejecting a much better version on a previous move? Become here it would still be White playing for a win ...

34.. ,ge3! 35.gd2

1he plan is simple: Eib4, winning another pawn. Black seems to be on the verge of defeat, which will reopen the tournament! In reality the opposite is the truth:

35 ...geg3!!

409

A truly devilish idea, with which the chess world found its champion! In a way, this blow is just as surprising as the one Kasimdzhanov himself delivered against Svidler (Game 33), with that amazing perpetual. Here, however, Black has even more. He gets real winning chancing, while keeping a draw in hand. Black cannot force a draw with 35 ... Eid3? 36.Eixd3 Eixg2t 37.rnhl as White takes on d5 with his next move, but Black has no need for this line.

36..ixg3 This is forced, of course.

36...hxg3t 37.q.,hl

Best, otherwise g2 will fall with check. For instance, 37. gl Eie5 (note that without Black's intermediate 34'h move, this move would be impossible) 38.Ei d l Eie2 39.rnfl ! Eif2t 40.rn el Eixg2 4 I .rn fl Eic2 42.Eixd5 cxd5. Despite the balanced material Black wins easily here: the connected pawns together with the miserable position of White's king leave no doubt.

37... gf5 38.gdl gf2

White's position is suddenly critical. His only chance is to return the exchange, but it cannot be done before Black captures on g2.

39.gb8

39.Eigl leads to a draw, but is much less certain: 39 ... f5 39 ... rnf5? 40.Eib4 and the g-pawn is falling. 4o.Eib4 f4 4 I .Eid4 f6 4 l ...f3? 42.Eig4t rnf6 43.Eixg3 fxg2t 44.rnh2 Eixb2 45.h4 winning. 42.Eixd5 cxd5 43.Eicl An important position for assessing White's chances to survive, and it does seem that he can make it: 43 ...e7 44.gl Eixb2 45.h4 d4 46.c6 rnd8 47.h5 d3 Or 47 ...c7 48.h6 Eib8 49.rnfl Eih8 50.Eidl is identical to the main variation. 48.h6 c7 49.h7 Eib8 50.Eidl xc6 5 I .rnfl Eih8 52.Eixd3 Eixh7 53.Eid4 !:!h i t 54.rne2 Eigl 55.Eixf4 Eixg2t 56.rnf3 Eif2t 57.xg3 Eixf4 58.rnxf4 rnc5 59.rne3 1he king makes it to cl in time.

39... £5! 40,gd8

White has to take on d5 or at least threaten to.

ROUND 1 3

410

40 . hg2t .

.

Nothing is changed after 40 .. J!xg2 4 U�'! I xd5 ghzt 42.�gl cxd5 43.gg8t �f6 44.gxg3 gxb2 45 .gc3 gb3 46.gcl gxh3 47.c6 gh8 48.c7 gc8 49.�f2 �e6 50.�e3 �d6 5 ! .�d4 f4 (5 l . .. gxc7 52.gxc7 �xc7 53.�xd5 is equal) 52.gc5 gxc7 53.gxd5t �e6 54.ga5 with a clear draw.

4I .ri>gl

4l...�d5!

Hats off to Topalov! The birth of a new Champion is always an emotional moment, but each birth is different. 1his one is very typical of Topalov. Knowing that a draw would suffice for winning the title, he does not want to make a draw on the weaker side. After 4 I .. .f4 White has no choice but to deliver a perpetual. 42.g I d6t �g5 43.gg8t �f5 44.gfBt �e4 45 .ge8t �f5 (45 ... �8? 46.gd3 mate) 46.gf8t But in this draw Black must wait for his opponent to give checks. Topalov does not want to offer the draw either and therefore is going for a position where White has to fight for one, and only then will he (maybe!) agree to a draw. Typical of the new Champion. Alexei Shirov suggested an idea to play for a win with 4 l .. .�g5, but here too White has a draw, although it is non-trivial. After 42.g I d2! (42.gl d3 �f4! is a more complicated way) 42 . . . gxd2 43.h4t! winning a crucial tempo. (43.gxd2 ixh3 White is helpless against the advance of the f-pawn.) 43 . . . �xh4 44.gxd2 ih3

KASIM DZHANOV - TOPALOV

411

Black cannot prevent his last pawn from being exchanged: 50 ...i.e6 (50 ... f4 5 1 .b4 with a draw) 5 1 .e3 f5 52.d4 i.b3 (52 ... i.f7 53.b4 i.b3 54.b5 cxb5 55.c6 e6 56.c5 i.a4 [56 ...i.c4 57.a4 draws) 5?.b6 Now it is Black who should be quick to force a draw: 57 ... b4 58.axb4 d6) 53.c3 i.d 1 54.b4 e6 55.a5 d5 (55 ... i.b3 56.b4 i.d1 5?.a5=) 56.b4 i.e2 57.a4 and the peaceful result is clear.

42J:�lxd5?! Black's pawns still look very dangerous, but White is able to grab one pawn on the queenside, and then sacrifice the rook for both kingside pawns. But which one to take? a) The natural choice is the c-pawn, as a1 is of the wrong colour, but it proves to be a mistake: 45J:!d6 f4 46J3xc6 g5 47J3c7 g6 48J3c6t g5 49.13c7 f3 50.13f7 f2t 5 1 .13xf2 gxf2t 52.xf2 Now careless play would indeed lead to a draw, although it is somewhat study-like: 52 ...f6 53.e3 e? 54.d4 i.e6 55.c3 d? 56.b4 i.b3 5?.b5 c? 58.c6 Surprisingly enough it is a draw: any attempt to force White's king to leave the c5- or b5-squares would allow White to exchange the last pawn. And if 58 ... d6 59.b6 i.d5, then he draws simply with 60.b5 i.xc6t 6 I .b4. But after 52 ... f4! Black wins. For example: 53.e2 e4 54.d2 d4 55.c6 i.e6 56.c2 c4 and White will eventually be zugzwanged into moving his b-pawn, when Black wins easily. b) lherefore, the right choice is quite surprising: 45.13d4t! g5 46.13xa4 f4 47.13a8 f3 48.13fB f2t (48 ...i.f5 49.b4 and White's pawns are fast) 49.13xf2 gxf2t 50.xf2

With this inaccurate move White made an offer which could not be refused! Black could have played for a win: 42.13 I xd5 cxd5, but even here the position is close to a draw: 43.c6! 13c2 44.13g8t f6 45.13xg3 13xc6 46.b3 l:!cl t 4?.f2 13c2t 48.e 1 f4 49.13d3 axb3 50.13xb3 e5 5 I .h4 13h2 52.a 4 13xh4 53.13a3 13h6 54.a5 13a6 55.e2

This is, of course, a draw as Black cannot win without his rook being active. But, for the record, more accurate was 42.138xd5 cxd5 43.13cl , with a much simpler draw: 43 ... 13xb2 44.c6 13b8 45.g2 f4 46.[3 g5 47.c7 13c8 48.13c5 f6 Here many ways lead to the draw, but the most forcing is 49.13xd5 13xc7 50.xf4 13c3 5 1 .13f5t e6 52.13e5t d6 53.13e2 (53.13e3? g2) 53 ... 13xa3 54.h4. White's h-pawn gives him enough counterplay. 1/2-lf:z

ROUND 1 4 Results:

Mundial do Ajedrez

L ek o

1

0

Kasi mdzhanov

M or ozevi ch

Y2

Y2

Adams

Svi dl er

Y2

Y2

Anand

Y2

Y2

Polg ar

Top al ov

•

'

Mundial de Aiodrez

Standings: 1 Top al ov

10

2-3 Svidler

8 Y2

2-3 Anand

8 Y2

4 M or ozevich

7

5 L eko

6Y2

6-7 Kasi mdzhanov

S Yz

6-7 Adams

S Y2

8

P ol gar

4 V2

The last round turned out to be mainly for the record, although for some this record was more important than for others. The head-to-head duel between two of the medallists was peaceful. Neither of them found enough energy for a real struggle. But if Anand, playing on the Black side, did not have much choice (although he did choose a tranquil Petroff) , Svidler, who would end up third in the event of a draw due to a worse tiebreak (fewer wins), might have tried to fight for more. But after a long and exhausting tournament he had no energy left for trying to beat Anand in a position he knows so well (with both colours) .

Topalov

and

Polgar

d i d n o t even t r y t o compose a real fight. Topalov reached his goal with

straightforward simplifications, leaving neither party any chance to play on. Polgar, of course, did not object. To compensate,

Morozevich

and Adams conducted yet another mind-breaker. 1he opening was a

Ruy Lopez, which was supposed to be more familiar for the English gentleman, but it was somehow Morozevich who found his way first. Soon after the initial stage White became creative, transferring both his knights to the queenside. Strange-looking manoeuvres, together with an inaccuracy by his opponent, gave White a slight advantage. White's joy did not last long, however, as right after completing the knights' transfer he blundered, and from that moment he was doomed to fight for survival, having

414 to parr with one o f those heroic knights. His sacrifice proved to be good, as immediately afterwards Black made a serious error and although he kept the extra piece, the position was much closer to a draw than anything else. Adams tried hard to exploit his last (and very reasonable) chance to win a game, bur apparently he was not destined to. A great finale was produced by Leko against Kasimdzhanov. Overall, Leko will be disappointed with his tournament, so we might say he pur a bold full stop after nor the best of sentences. lhe Hungarian was in charge right from the opening (after Kasimdzhanov made an atypical positional mistake), and never let his opponent off the hook. In this game Peter Leko bore a much closer resemblance to Alekhine rather than his idol, Perrosian (Tigran Yarranovich, that is, rather than Leko's father-in-law Arshak). Leko dominated the entire board before the final attack was aimed at rhe enemy king, and Black had to give up material in order to prolong the struggle. lhis was one of Leko's best games of the event.

LEKO - KASIMDZHANOY @

'it> t!f •

GAME 53 Peter Leko Rustam Kasimdzhanov Sicilian Kan 842

l .e4 cS 2.tt:lf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.tt:lxd4 a6 S.�d3 �cS 6.tt:lb3 .ia7 The idea of the bishop's development to a7 is to disturb White's natural Aow by putting pressure along the g I -a7 diagonal. The drawbacks are also obvious: the bishop will be missed on the kingside and in the centre: in particular d6 is going to be weak.

7.Vffe 2 One of two main strategies White has in this position. The other is 7.c4, restricting Black's play on the queenside and in the centre. This, however, comes at the price of weakening d4. The text move is more positional in comparison to 7.1/ff g 4, which is a more straightforward way to exploit the bishop's excursion. Now after 7 . . .g6 the queen switches to attacking another square weakened by the bishop's absence - d6. 8.1/ff g3 tt:lc6 9.tt:lc3 d6 I O.h4 tt:lf6 I I .ih6 tt:le5 I 2.ie2 b5 I 3.f4 White had a strong in itiative and won convincingly in Grischuk - lsrratescu, Khanty Mansyisk 2005.

4I5

A more logical way, however, is to play 7 ... tt:lf6 8.1/ff g3 d6 9.tt:lc3 tt:lc6. As opposed to 7 . . . g6, Black has not weakened the dark squares on the kingside and not given White a target for an h4-h5 attack. In the following game White's unassuming play allowed Black to take over the initiative: I O.ig5 h6 I I .id2 tt:lh5 I 2.1/ff f3 1/ffh 4 I 3.g3 tt:le5! I 4.1/ff e2 1/ffg4! I 5.0-0-0 1/ffxe2 I 6.ixe2 tt:lf6 I 7.f4 tt:leg4 I 8.ie i �e7, and Black was better in Vallejo - Kamsky, Khamy Mansyisk 2005.

7...tt:lc6 8 ..ie3 d6 9.f4

416

ROUND 1 4

A tricky move. The point i s rhar White does nor want to rake on a7, as ir would allow Black's rook to typically join rhe game along rhe 7'h rank (after moving rhe b-pawn, of course). On the other hand, he has to make a useful move, bur which one?

l 2 ... b5

9 YlYc7?! •••

In general, Black is in no hurry to place his queen on c7. We have already said rhar one of rhe main plans is to activate rhe rook via rhe 7'h rank, bur now rhe queen will be in rhe way. So this interesting confl ict of who will capture first unexpectedly ends with Black's slight inaccuracy. White has every reason to say "Well, he starred ir!" After all, Black could capture on e3, which would have led to well-known positions with a small plus for White, mainly due to his spatial advantage. More logical seems to developing rhe knight with 9 ... �f6 (or 9 ... �e7) 1 0.1xa7 l'!xa7 l l .c4, and now Black reveals rhar another possible plan is transposing into a hedgehog position: 1 1 .. .0-0 1 2.�c3 b6 1 3.0-0 �d7 1 4.1'!adl �c5 1 5.1bl l'!d7 1 6.�d2 and all Black's pieces are ideally placed, which makes 1 6 ... b5! possible, after which he never looked back in Karjakin - Rublevsky, Mainz 2004.

10.0-0 �f6 l l..ixa7

Now White can exchange rhe bishops: Black will need to spend a tempo moving his queen.

l l..J;xa7 12.�c3 lhis strikes us as more unpleasant for Black rhan c4, as it does nor give rhe opponent clear targets for counrerplay (a pawn on c4, on the other hand, is subject to all kinds of central breaks). Ir is, of course, merely a maner of rasre. In Shorr - Fominyh, Mumbai 2004, White continued with rhe prophylactic 1 2.1!ihl 0-0 1 3.a3 b5 1 4 .� l d2 . Black's problem is rhar he lacks an active plan: 14 ... e5 l 5.f5 d5 1 6.1'!ae I ! d4 l 7.g4 h 6 l 8.h4 This will nor lead to mare, bur gives White control over rhe kingside, after which he can switch to rhe other Hank: 1 8 ... �h7 l 9.�f3 We7 20.1'!gl g5 2 1 .1'!g2 id7 22.1'!h2 f6 23.hxg5 hxg5 24.l!ig2 l'!f7 25.1'!eh l l'!g7 26.1!igl 1e8 27.1'!h6 �b8 28.�bd2 �d7 29.a4! and White went on to win rhe game.

What could be wrong with a move that is virtually standard for Black in such positions? Well, sometimes White can get a very promising initiative on rhe queenside once he plays a4 at some point. lherefore l 2 ... b6 looks more reasonable, bur in general Black's position is nor ideal: without ... b5 he cannot even dream of serious counterplay.

l3.a4!

lhis novelty is just as strong as ir is logical. Without waiting long, Leko directly attacks the newly-born weakness. In view of rhe current game, 1 3.a3 is hardly amacrive, and although in rhe only game to feature ir White gained a good position, it was mainly to Black's 'credit': 1 3 ... h5?! ( l 3 ...1b7) I 4.1'!ael Wb6t l 5.1!ihl h4 1 6.�dl �h5 1 7.�e3 e5 1 8.f5 Wds l 9.Wg4 l!if8 20.1'!f3 �f6 2 l .Wh3 d5 22.�xd5 �xd5 23.exd5 �d4 24.�xd4 exd4 25.1'!f4 lhe game is rather curious, and ir seems rhar Black was making every effort to complicate rhe position, Padeiro - Galego, Portugal (ch) 2002.

13 ...b4 l4.�dl

lhe 'tempo' (b5-b4) has only driven the knight towards rhe kingside, where ir wants to be in rhe first place. Further unpleasant news for Black is rhar if White plays a5 rhen both rhe a6- and b4-pawns will turn into permanent weaknesses, so...

LEKO - KASIMDZHANOV

l4...a5

Prerty much forced, but this weakens the b5-square.

l5.�e3

417

l9.gael �e7 1 9 ... e5 is even worse, since Whire can immediarely go on the offensive: 20.f5 f6 2 1 .1c4t l!ih8 22.gf3 with an attack free of charge. The point is that 22 ... �d4 is no longer possible (compared to 1 9 ... e5) as rhe rook on e 1 prorects an imporrant pawn o n e4, which allows: 23.�xd4 �xc4 24.�e6 g£7 25.gh3 1!ig8 26.�h4 h6 27.gg3 wirh a close to decisive iniriarive.

20.ge3 g6?!

Bur here 20... e5 should have been played. lhe point is rhar now 2 1 .f5 can be mer wirh 21 ... �f6, nor weakening the a2-g8 diagonal. However, White can inserr 2 1 .gh3 firsr, and only after 2 1 . ..1c8 play 22.f5. Black's posirion is perhaps berrer rhan the game, bur he is still rarher unhappy. lhe absence of a knight on f6 is felr borh defensively and in rerms of finding coumerplay.

2l .�g3 Initial results of the last three moves: Black weakened b5 and c4; White rransferred his knight to a much betrer position, still eyeing the vital d5-square, only one srep away from atracking the black king. Oh, and Black still has no plans for counterplay.

15 ... 0--0 l6.C�hl .ib7 l7.�g4! lhis is a good example of a move that, once produced on the board, looks very logical and even trivial. Indeed, what could be more natural than exchanging rhe king's best (and only) defender? It is finding such moves that is not so easy.

l7... �xg4 An artempt to keep the knights with 1 7 ... �d7 would have left White with too many pieces around the king: 1 8.f5 l!ih8 ( 1 8 ... �ce5 1 9.fxe6 fxe6 20.�d4 is just bad for Black) 1 9.fxe6 fxe6 20.1c4 Black's pieces clearly chose rhe wrong flank for their gathering! However, in view of later developments, it was perhaps better to bring the queen closer, and delay White's attack a little with 17 ...�e7.

Multitasking prophylaxis: the queen gets away from possible attacks from pieces (... �e5) and pawns ( ... f5), and at the same time is eyeing rhe weakness on d6.

2l. ..gfe8 Essentially preventing 22.f5, as ir would be met with 22 ... exf5 when Whire has to recapture wirh the rook.

l8.�xg4 gaa8

22..ib5!

Black would love to play 1 8 . . . e5, trying to at least close down the bishop, but after 1 9. f5 f6 20.!H3 White has full control over the position.

But Leko suddenly changes direcrion. lhis game gives rhe impression of complereness: slow improvement of the posirion, while playing on both flanks. If in the first parr of the game

418

ROUND 1 4

White's play was reminiscent of Karpov i n his prime, then from now on Leko shows that he has also studied Alekhine's games.

22 .. J3ac8 lhis makes White's task a little easier, leaving a5 unprotected. It was better to unpin the knight. 22 .. J'1ed8 makes little sense, given that Black's last move was . . . 1"1fe8. And indeed after 23.f5 White's attack continues smoothly. Black's best bet seems to be Leko's own suggestion 22 . . . ia6, although here too, after 23.1"1d3 ixb5 24.axb5 tt:Jb8 25.tt:Jd4, it is enough to take a brief look at Black's miserable pieces to understand that his position is lost.

Black now has a target! A weak pawn on c3. 25.1"1xc3 is pointless, as Black has 25 ... tLle5 26.f6 �f8 27.tLlxa5 ixe4, and although White is still better, Black gets a lot of play.

25 ... 1':!a8 Too bad the rook has to leave the open c-file in order to protect a5.

26.f6

23.c3! A very strong move, making f5 possible! The reasoning is simple: if Black takes on c3 then after 24.1"1xc3 the c-file will be entirely at White's disposal (because of the weak aS-pawn, which demands one of the rooks' attention). However, White wants to play tt:Jd4, which means the rook has to leave e8, and we remember why it went there in the first place.

23 .. J3ed8 24.5 Once again a sudden change of direction. Similar moves could be observed in the games of Michael Jordan.

24 ...bxc3 25.bxc3

From now on Black will have to be concerned about various mates-in-3.

26 .. .'f!f8 27.Wif4 lhe plan is as simple as can be: 1"1h3-h6 and �h4, and the only way to prevent it is. . .

LEKO - KASIMDZHANOV

27 h6 •••

After this White wins with no effort, but the alternatives are no better. Of course, the immediate 27 ... h5 loses to 28.g4, but also the more solid: 27 ... tbe5 28.!!h3 h5 loses to a typical Sicilian sacrifice: 29 ..ie2! .ia6 30..ixh5 .ixfl 3 l ..idl and the only way to prevent �h4-h8 mate is resignation.

4 19

1he triumph of White's plan! Black is helpless now, but in the Sicilian it's never over till it's over.

33 gac8 •••

It was slightly better to play 33 . . . g4 first, and only after 34.�e3 bring the rook in with 34 ... !!ac8. But the position is still bad for Black: 35.!!cl M5 36.tbb3 with essentially the same ideas.

34.gh5

Not a pleasant move to make, but what else? After 28 ...\!ih7 29.�g5! the black king's last memory will be !!fl -f4-h4.

On 34.g4 Black has time to block the h-file and protect the g5-pawn with 34 ... tbh4 35.!!h5 !!c5, although White is still winning after 36..id3 .ixd3 37.�xd3 lbg6 38.tbe4 etc.

29.'\1;Ye3 �e5 30.gh5

34 gc5 35.gcl

With the same idea of doubling along the h-file.

Leko's only inaccuracy in this game. There was no reason to give away the pawn on c3. 35.c4 was called for.

28.gh3 g5

30 �g6 3 t .'\1;Yh3 •••

The most natural and straightforward. Leko offers 3 l .h4 as a strong alternative, providing the following line: 3 l ...tbf4 32.!!xf4 gxf4 33.�xf4 e5 (33 . . . \!ih7 34. .id3 forcing . . . e5 anyway) 34.�g4t \!ih7 35.�f5t \!ih8 36..ic4 winning. 1he text, however, is also winning, and less dramatically.

3 L".ixe4 Of course, after 3 l ... tbf4 32.!!xf4 gxf4 Black will not live long enough to enjoy his material advantage: 33.!!xh6 is terminal.

32.�d2 .ic2

••.

35 g4 ..•

35 ...M5 36.g4 traps the bishop!

36.'\1;Yxg4 .i£5

Kasimdzhanov is trying to surprise his opponent in time trouble, but he is now a pawn down with a lost position. Black should have taken the pawn: 36 ... !!xc3 would have given him some counter-chances along the c-file, although his position is still lost - his king is too weak.

37.'\1;Yg3 d5

32 ....if5 loses to 33.g4! .ic2 34.!!xh6 and Black is helpless against !!h6-h7-g7.

33.gxh6

38.�b3! Improving the last piece, which brings the game to an end.

420

ROUND 1 4

38.. J:!:cc8 39. .!LJd4 .ie4 40..!lJc6 White could have switched back with 40.'&g5, threatening :gh3+Wifh5, to which Black has no answer, but the text-move is also an easy win.

40 ...:gxc6 Time pressure is over, and the rest could have been spared. Leko never misses in such positions. 40 ... :gd6 loses to 4 I .tl:Je7t. Also hopeless is 40 ... :gd7 4 1 . tl:Je5 :gdc7 42.id7 );'lxd7 (the attempt to surprise White with a counter-attack by 42 . . .'&a3 43.'&g5 '&xcl t

44.'&xcl );'lxc3 fails to 45.:gh8t! tt:Jxh8 46.'&g5t tt:Jg6 47.ixc8 and Black is finished) 43.tt:Jxd7 '&d8 44.'&g5.

41.hc6 'ftd6 42.'flg5 'flf4 42 . . .'&xc6 allows a typical mate: 43.);'1h8t �xh8 44.'&h6t �g8 45 .'&g7

43.'flxf4 .!lJxf4 44J':!:g5t Wh7 45.�b5 Wh6 46.h4 .!lJxg2 Black's first active move in the game, with the clear hope of causing White a heart attack.

47.:gxg2 :gg8 48.:gcc2 1-0

MOROZEYICH - ADAMS

@ 'itt * 1ft

GAME 54 Alexander Morozevich Michael Adams Ruy Lopez C77

l .e4 e5 2.ttlf3 ttlai 3..ib5 a6 4..ia4 ttlf6 5.d3

42 1

10.1g5 1g4 1 1 .lLld5 lLld4 1 2.c3 lLlxb3 13.�xb3 c6 14.lLlxf6t gxf6 1 5.1h4 l:!g8 16.�c2 l:!a8 and

in rhis balanced posirion Whire played 1 7.'i!ld2 - recognize rhe sryle? However, he was unable ro break rhe balance in Morozevich - Grischuk, Mainz 2004.

6.c3 g6

In similar fashion ro 3 ... lLlf6 4.d3 lines (when Whire is avoiding rhe Berlin) Black can exploir Whire's slow play in rhe opening by developing rhe dark-squared bishop ro a berrer diagonal.

7.0-0 .ig7 SJ�el 8.lLlbd2!? led ro a very curious game berween rwo chess romamics: 8 ... 0-0 9.l:!e1 lLlh5 1 0.lLlfl f5 1 l .exf5 1xf5 1 2.lLlg5 'i!lh8 1 3.1b3 d5 1 4.g4 lLlf4 1 5.1xf4 exf4 1 6.lLlxh7 'i!lxh7 17.gxf5 l:!xf5 1 8.d4 All Whire's combinarions seem ro have favoured his opponenr, bur rhe Muscovire acrually won in Morozevich - Shirov, Monaco 2004.

8 ...0-0 9..ig5 b5 A quier move, away from rhe main rheory, away from home analysis, pure chess from rhe beginning. Or, more precisely, almosr pure, in modern chess rhis only means ir has nor been played a million rimes. One of rhe possible reasons ro play ir is ro avoid rhe classical Ruy Lopez lines (such as rhe Zairsev variarion). Analysis of rhe efforrs ro avoid rhose lines shows rhar probably rhe besr momenr ro do so is here. So rhis line can jokingly be called rhe Ami-Zairsev, conceprually similar ro Ami­ Marshall and Ami-Sveshnikov ideas.

Only now, afrer rhe kingside is fully developed, does Black begin developing rhe queenside.

IO .ic2 .ib7 l l.ttlbd2 •

5 ...d6

5 ... b5 usually leads ro normal lines of rhe Ami­ Marshall or Archangelsk variarions (rhe classic Ruy Lopez wirh 5 ... b5 6.1b3 1c5), bur nor againsr Morozevich, who inrerprers rhis posirion (like any orher, in facr) differendy from everyone else, so Adams posrpones ... b5. Here are rwo of Morozevich's previous games after 5 . . . b5 6.1b3 and now: 6...1e7 7.c3 0-0 8.lLlbd2 d5 9.0-0 1b7 1 O.l:!e1 dxe4 1 l .dxe4 1c5 1 2.h3 lLlh5 1 3 .1d5 �f6 1 4.a4 wirh rhe iniriarive, Morozevich - Bacror, Biel 2004. 6...1c5 7.a4 l:!b8 8.axb5 axb5 9.lLlc3 d6

l l ... ttlbs A logical novelry: rhe knighr walks a parh similar ro rhe Breyer variarion wirh rhe same ideas. Afrer rhis Black has no problems. A previous game cominued wirh an ami­ Marshall sryle plan: 1 l ...�d7 1 2.lLlfl l:!fe8 1 3.lLle3 lLld8 14.lLld2 lLle6 1 5 .1h4 h6 16.a4 c6 1 7.lLlb3 and now, "afrer rorally exhausring all rhe

422

ROUND 1 4

possibilities in the position", a draw was agreed, Palac - Rogic, Pula 2000.

12.a4 �bd7 13.b4 cS

17 ... �b6 Adams does not need to be asked twice to play c5-c4 with tempo.

1 8.h3

A common sight in the Ruy Lopez: neither player is ready to give up the A ank that is nearer the clock!

A healthy prophylactic move, which should have been played a move earlier.

14.�b3!

18 ... c4 19.dxc4 bxc4 20.�c2

A great manoeuvre: the knight is heading to a5, from where it will control some crucial squares on the queenside. Morozevich's fouth round game against Svidler immediately comes to mind.

White wasted two tempi to force Black to execute the plan he wanted to play anyway. 1he good news is that this is the Spanish not the Sicilian, and two tempi are less crucial here, only allowing Black to equalize.

14.. .'�c7 1 5.�a5 �c8 16.axb5 axbS 17.�b3?!

20 ...�e6 21.�d2!?

A dubious decision: Black was probably going to play ... tl:Jb6 and ... c4 anyway, so why force him to do so? How can one know he wanted to do that? What else can Black play here? Worth considering was 1 7.d4!? exd4 1 8.cxd4 cxb4! ( 1 8 ... cxd4? 1 9.tl:Jxd4 and White is clearly better. Or 1 8 ... c4?! 1 9.'&d2 with strong presence in the centre and on the kingside, while the knight on a5 prevents Black from gaining any counterplay.) 1 9.tl:Jb3 :1:lxa 1 20.tl:Jxa1 1b7 2 1 .tLlb3 tl:Jb6 Black has an extra pawn, whereas White is hoping to exploit the weakness of both b-pawns. 1he position is pretty balanced. But 1 7 .h3 seems to be the most useful waiting move, intending to transfer the knight to g4 via h2.

M O ROZEYICH - ADAMS Morozevich is beginning his favourite game: " Catch me if you can " . There is no point in suggesting alternatives here, as beginning with his 1 7'h move, White obviously had this plan in mind. So anything else, in conjunction with White's previous play, would j ust be silly. Where is the horse going?

2I ...ll:lfd7 Adams carries on with his plan, protecting the e5-pawn, and preparing . . . d5.

22.ll:lbl!? Surprised? No need for despair, for it only means your name is not Morozevich. 1he knight is going to b5, and there is no need to prove how well it will stand there. Despite all the beauty of this manoeuvre, this plan has just as many drawbacks, the main one is time. Black now manages to build a strong centre.

22 ...i.f6?! Before playing . . . d5 it seems helpful to kick the bishop from g5, making d8 accessible to the rooks. Another interesting plan with the same idea is 22 .. . f6 23.�e3 d5 24.lLla3 :Elac8 (Worse is 24 .. . f5 25.lLlb5 W/d8 26.exf5 �xf5 27.�xf5 :Elxf5

423

28.:1:'la2! and White has the better prospects: Black's centre looks nice, but it is in fact a good target for White's pieces.) 25 .exd5 lLlxd5 26.lLl 5xc4 lLlxc3 27.W/d2 �xc4 28.W/xc3 �e6 29.W/xc7 :Elxc7 Although White's passed pawn gives him some winning chances, the position should be drawn. However Adams suggests the i mmediate 22 . . . d5 as a serious improvement, providing the following line: 23.lLla3 lLl f6 24.�e3 lLlxe4 25 .�xe4 dxe4 26.�xb6 W/xb6 27.lLl3xc4 W/c7 28.W/d6 :Elac8 29.:1:'lxe4 W/xd6 30.lLlxd6 :Elxc3 with an unclear game.

23.i.e3 White, of course, does not exchange Black's bad bishop.

23 ... d5 At first glance it might appear as if Black has taken over the initiative, but in fact his centre is immobile, which will allow White to attack it, using the two knights on a5 and b5.

24.ll:la3 B:ac8! Very accurate. On lLlb5 the queen will now be able to retreat to b8.

ROUND 1 4

424

E

time the move falls into the 'almost' category, as it was time for more concrete measures: Better was 26.exd5, before Black has time to get another pawn to the centre: 26 ...�xd5 (26 ... tt:Jxd5 27.tLlb5 �b8 28.tLla7 �c7 29.tLl7c6 �e8 30.b5! and White is clearly better) 27.�e4 ixe4 28.�xe4 f5 29.�c2 and White has a slight but stable edge.

26...£5! Both players seem to care little about the opponent's activities, continuing their plans.

27.lLlb5? A sad blunder, ruin ing a fantastic idea! White had to play 27.exf5 e4 (Less convincing is 27 ... ixf5 28.�xf5 �xf5 29.�e2 and without the light-squared bishops Black's centre is going to be weak.) 28. tLlb5 �b8 (28 ... exf.3?! 29.lLlxc7 �xf5 30.�xf5 �xf5 3 I .lLlb5 and White is better) 29.�e2 �xf5 30.�fl with an unclear position.

27.. .'1l:!fb8 28.exf5 �xf5 29.�xf5 �xf5 30.'1l:!fe2

Worse is 2 4.. J:�fd8, which would b e met by 25.tLlb5 �c8 26.�(3 ig7 27.1:!adl and it is White i n full control of the position after all.

25.'\Wf3 �g7 26.l:'!adl

30...d4! Without the knight on b5 this would not be possible. Now Black gains a very big, probably decisive, advantage.

3l .cxd4 3 I .id2 tt:Ja4 is very bad for White.

3I ... ltJd5 old chess saying states that bringing a piece towards the centre is almost always good. 1his An

Now White must give up a piece to keep his position aAoat.

32.lt:lxc4

MOROZEVICH - ADAMS White's best chance. This officially opens the San Luis food-fest 2005. 32.�a3 �c3 33.'�fl �xdl 34.gxdl �xb4 35.�5xc4 exd4 36 ..ixd4 .ixd4 37.gxd4 �e5 Black has some technical difficulties, but he should win.

32...'ff xb5 33.�d6 W/xe2 34,gxe2 35.�xc8

425

39.�xe5t ixe5 40..ic5!

�c3

After the inevitable rook exchange, the draw will be virtually automatic: Black has too few pawns, and the h ! -square is of the wrong colour.

4o ... ge8 4I.®fl �b2 42.f4! i.c3 43,gxe8 �xeS 35 ...gf8? This prophylactic move actually lets the win go. Much more promising was to continue in checkers style: 35 ... �xe2t 36.Wfl �c3! That is the point: with a tempo on White's rook, the knight gets back just in time to cover e7. 37.�e7t? loses by force to 37 ... Wf7 38.�xf5 �xd 1 39.�xg7 �xe3t 40.fxe3, when the quiet 40 ... e4! is the most precise, with an easy win. Even after 37.gd3 �d5 38.dxe5 �xe3t 39.gxe3 gxe5 Black gets a much better version of the game and wins without much trouble.

36.dxe5?! Stronger was 36.�e7t Wf7 37.ged2 �xdl 38.�xg6! hxg6 39.dxe5! �xe3 (also after 39 ... �xe5 40.!hd l neither side can win) 40J1xd7t Wg8 4 l .fxe3 with a draw.

All White needs to do is keep the bishop on c5, forcing its exchange, and meanwhile prepare to exchange pawns on the kingside.

44.�e2 ®d7 45.®e3 �a4 46.®e4 �xc5t 47.bxc5 ®c6 48.h4 Simpler was 48.g4 Wxc5 49.g5 Wd6 50.f5 .iel (50 ... gxf5t 5 l .Wxf5 is a theoretical draw) 5 l .fxg6 hxg6 52.Wf4 'tt> d5 53.Wg4 'tt>e4 54.h4 .ixh4 55.Wxh4 W£5 56.Wh3! with a draw.

48 ...®xc5 The draw is clear. After 48 ....iel White still makes the draw, although it is more complicated: 49.h5 gxh5 50.g3! The simplest. Without the g-pawn Black will have no chances for a win, even theoretically. For example, 50 ... Wxc5 5 L f5 'tt>c6 52.f6 .ib4 53.£7 .ifB 54.wf5 'tt>d 5 55.'tt> g 5.

36 .. �xdl

49.£5 �d6 50.fxg6 hxg6 5 I .h5 gxh5 52.g4! hxg4

36 ... �xe2t 37.Wfl �g3t 38.Wel !!xeS 39.f'lxd7 is not much different from the game.

52 . . . h4 53.W£3 and the g-pawn has no significance.

.

37.�e7t ®f7 38.�c6 �xe5 Or 38 ... �xe3 39.f'lxe3 We6 40.g3.

53.®f4 g3 54.�xg3 lfz-1/2

ROUND 1 4

426

GAME 55 Peter Svidler Viswanathan Anand Petroff Defence C42

An interesting and very popular line recently. Alexei Shirov was the one to introduce it into elite practice, and that by itself suggests the line can become quite complicated.

tends to be more positional, circling around Black's knight, which will soon be on e5. Shirov used to play 7 ..if4, and now: 7...0-0 B.WI d2 tt:ld7 9.0--0--0 tt:lc5 I O..ie3 .ie6 1 1 .1!/bl W/c8 1 2.tt:ld4 .id7 1 3 .h4 E\e8 14.f3 .ifB 1 5.g4 and White obtained a strong initiative in Shirov - Karpov, Benidorm 2002. 7 ... tt:lc6 8.W/d2 .ig4 9 ..ie2 W/d7 1 0. 0--0--0 a6 l l .E\hel 0--0--0 1 2.h3 .ie6 1 3.c4 l!ib8 1 4.Wfc3 .if6 1 5.W/a3, and White developed an attack on the king beginning with b2-b4 in Kramnik Nielsen, Dortmund 2005.

5 ...�xc3 6.dxc3 .ie7

7...�c6 8JWd2

@

W * 1ft

l.e4 e5 2)t�f3 �f6 3.�xe5 d6 4.�f3 �xe4 5.�c3

It is time for Black to decide where his king's hiding place will be. Short castling has proved to be sound in recent games. As surprising as it may sound, it is easier for White to develop an attack on the queenside, because his pieces are looking in that direction and his pawn mass there makes it easier for him to advance. Rather paradoxically, on the kingside White finds it much harder to attack. On the other hand, he has another plan of taking over the kingside, but it is slower and less dangerous. For both sides.

8 ..0-0 .

So, what is so complex here? For White some things are pretty clear. He wants to develop his bishop (either to e3 or f4) , then the queen, and castle queenside. Black has two d ifferent approaches, as he can castle either side. His development is going to be affected by White's. If the bishop goes to f4, then the knight is developed to c5 via d7. Otherwise, tt:lc6-e5 is a good option. These are the basics for many games and lines in this opening. All this, however, does not affect White's general plan: he desperately searches for any kind of advantage, whatever can be grasped. A bishop pair? Sure! A weakness on d6 to play against? Great! Attack the king? Oh, that is a dream, really. Black's dream is exactly the opposite.

Delaying castling with 8 ... tt:\e5 led to an advantage for White after 9.0--0-0 tt:lxf3 (opening an important file for White is a mistake) I O.gxf3 .ie6 I I .E\gl .if6 1 2 . .id4, Motylev - Bologan, Moscow 2005.

9.0-0-0 �e5

7..ie3 As of late, this move has had most attention, although 7..if4 is also seen. After 7..ie3 the game

As promised, the knight is on e5. Black does not

SY IDLER - ANAND

want to take on f3, as it would open the g-file, but rather put pressure on the centre and on f3, not allowing White to advance his kingside pawns.

I O.'ill b l Useful prophylaxis: the a-pawn might be hanging in many lines, and the c l -h6 diagonal is not safe either. The value of the move is also supported by crude statistics: of the 12 games featuring it to date, White has won seven and lost none. A worthy alternative is I O.CLJd4 c5 I I .CLJb5 �a5 1 2.a3 ie6 1 3.CLJxd6 �b6. Now 1 4.f4 led to very interesting play in Kramnik - Kasparov, New York 1 995. Th e sharpest, however, seems to be I O.h4 l:!e8 I J .h5 with a quickly developing initiative. For example: I J ...M6 1 2.Wbl a6 1 3.CLJh2 b5 1 4.ie2 ib7 1 5.f4 CLJd7 1 6.if3 ixf3 1 7.gxf3 �e7 1 8.CLJg4, and White looks perfect, Svidler ­ Kramnik, Moscow 2005.

427

up pressure in the centre, and this move suits the purpose very well. Taking on f3 has not even been tried here, learning from sad experiences in other variations. In the following example Anand, on the White side, defeated Kramnik in convincing style: I O. . . a6 I J .ie2 ie6 1 2.CLJd4 CLJc4 1 3.�d3 CLJxe3 1 4.CLJxe6 fxe6 1 5.�xe3 e5 1 6.id3 c6 1 7.h4 l:!f6 1 8 .g3 d5 1 9.�xe5 l:!xf2 20./:!hfl l:!f6 2 J .�h5 g6 22.�e2 �d6 23.h5

IO I:!e8 ...

Surprisingly enough, this natural looking move has not been played before. To prevent White from developing an arrack on the kingside (which will consume a few moves), Black has to build

Here the opposite coloured bishops helped White to build up a serious initiative, Anand Kramnik, Monaco 2005.

428

ROUND 1 4

A more principled continuation i s I O . . .b6, which allowed Black a decent game in Adams - Bacrot, Wijk aan Zee 2006.

l l.li:)d4 1his does not look dangerous, but can be explained - Svidler does not want to argue with Anand about Anand's idea with White. Much more natural is the usual I I .ie2, waiting to bring the knight to d4 with a tempo. Otherwise the knight might have to go back soon. After l l . . .ie6 1 2.tLld4 will be much more relevant, pretty much transposing into Anand - Kramnik. �e8 is, of course, more useful than the pawn on a6 in that game, but it should not change the essence of the position. Another interesting idea is I I .ib5 in order to force l l .. .c6 (bad is l l . . .id7? 1 2.tLlxe5 ixb5 1 3.tLlxf7 \tlxf7 1 4 .W d5t \tlf8 1 5 .Wxb5 winning) and only now 1 2.ie2, as here Black will have another problem to solve: he cannot develop his dark-squared bishop to a good square.

Sergey Shipov's l l . . .c5 looks very interesting. It is not easy for White to arrange his pieces, as the natural 1 2.tLlb5 is refuted by 1 2 ... ie6! when it is not clear what the knight is doing on b5, since 1 3.tLlxd6 ixd6 1 4.Wxd6 Wa5 1 5 .b3 l:!ad8 is losing for White.

12.f4 A natural continuation of White's previous move.

1 2... li:)g4 1 3..id3

l l...a6 Black's play is not entirely clear either. If he wanted to play the usual . . . c5, it could have been done immediately. After this preparation, however, he is no longer going to have time for . . . c5. l l . . .tLlg4 1 2 .id3 lLlxe3 1 3.Wxe3 if6 1 4.Wf3 gives White a serious lead in development, but

13...d5 Anand chances.

IS

not hurrying, which gives White

SVIDLER - ANAND Again, more natural was 1 3 ... c5, when critical is 1 4.l£)f3 (a piece sacrifice with 1 4.l£)f5 c4 yields nothing) 1 4 ... l£)xe3 1 5.�xe3 if6, and it is not clear who will be first to develop an attack. One example: 16.�d2 1e6 l ?.!:!hgl ( l7.1e4? 1xa2t 1 8.�xa2 �a5t 1 9.�bl Eixe4 20.�xd6 Eia4 winning) 1 7 ... b5 1 8.g4 �a5, and Black is first.

14J�hel

Too early would be 14.l£)f5 because of 14 ... 1f8 (But not 1 4 ... 1f6 taking the knight's spot, which becomes important after 1 5 .1gl !. Also 1 4 ...1xf5 looks suspicious because of 1 5.1xf5 l£)xe3 I 6.�xe3. Once again it is a position with opposite coloured bishops, where White's attack gains significantly from them. Black has no reason to allow this.) 1 5.!'ihel l£)xe3 16.!'ixe3 !'ixe3 1 7.�xe3 �f6 with equaliry. For instance: 1 8.�e8 ( l 8.g4?! g6 1 9.g5 �e6 20.�xe6 1xe6 2 I .l£)e3 1c5 and Black is playing for a win) 18 . . .�e6 19.�d8 g6 20.l£)d4 �d7 2 l .�f6 �e7, and again, only Black can win.

14 ....ih4

In order to exchange more pieces.

15.g3 �xe3 16,gxe3 gxe3 17.Y:Yxe3 .if6

429

Taking advantage of Black's somewhat passive play, White managed to obtain a certain advantage: he controls the e-file, the knight can go to f5, and there is an option of advancing the pawns on the kingside. All this gives White certain chances. Does he plan to make use of them?

18.�8

No! Although 1 8.l£)f5 does not promise anything special either after 1 8 ...g6 1 9.l£)h6t �g7 20.g4 �xh6 2 l .g5t �g7 22.gxf6t �xf6. White might have sufficient compensation for a pawn, but definitely not more. 18.!'iel is also easily neutralized: 1 8 ... 1d7! ( l 8 ...1g4 1 9.h3! forcing the bishop to keep moving) 1 9.l£)f5 �f8, and following ... !'ie8 Black has no problems. But very interesting was 1 8.�f3, followed by g4. White's position looks promising, but maybe not promising enough for the last round of such an exhausting tournament.

18 ...Y:Ye7! 19.Y:Yxe7 Perhaps Black could try and play for a win himself, utilizing his bishop pair, but, just like Svidler on the previous move, after such a long tournament more serious reasons were needed. 1/l-lh

ROUND 1 4

430 @

W * •

GAME 56 Veselin Topalov Judit Polgar Queen's Indian Defence E15

grenade he kept in his pocket here: 9 . . . tt:l fd7 I O.tt:lxd7 tt:lxd7 I I .tt:ld2 0-0 1 2. 0-0 tt:l f6 1 3.e4 b5 1 4.exd5 exd5 I S .E!el E!b8 I 6.c5 �c8 1 7.tt:lf3 tt:le4

l .d4 tLlf6 2.c4 e6 3.tLl£3 b6 4.g3 �a6 5.b3 �b4t 6.�d2 �e7 7.�g2 c6 8.�c3 d5 We have already seen this position during the evem, but here the game's dynamics are differem.

9.tLlbd2 A cominuation which is nor considered roo dangerous for Black, but some accuracy is needed and Polgar knows just what w do. The most principled is 9.tt:le5. Three momhs after the rournamem Topalov revealed the

1 8 .E!xe4 dxe4 1 9.tt:le5 �d5 20.�el �f5 2 I .g4 �g6 22.f3 b4 23.fxe4 �e6 24.�b2 � f6 25.tt:lxc6 �xc6 26.e5 �a6 27.exf6 E!fe8 28.�fl �e2 29.�f2 �xg4 30.h3 �g5 3 l .� c l �h5 32.�f4 E!bd8 33.c6 �e4 34.c7 E!c8 35.E!e I �g6 36.E!xe4 E!xe4 37.d5, and Black resigned, Topalov Aronian, Wijk aan Zee 2006. After this game Topalov admined having prepared it for San Luis, as many ofhis opponems could have played this line.

9...tLlbd7 1 0.0-0 l meresting is 1 0.�c2 0-0 l l .e4 E!c8 1 2.0-0 b5 1 3.e5 tt:l e8 1 4.c5 b4 1 5 .�xb4 �xfl I 6.�xfl with full compensation for the material, Avrukh - Sakaev, Belgrade 1 999.

10...0-0 1 U!e1 White's main plan is ro play e2-e4, but a straightforward way promises nothing, as in the game. If he wams w fight for an advamage, more sophisticated ways are needed.

1 l. ..�b7 It appears that in one other continuation Black equalizes more easily, but still has to play accurately. In general, having no coumerplay Black has w play precisely to achieve equality. This alternative is I I . . .c 5 . For example, 1 2.e4 dxc4 1 3. tt:lxc4 �b7 1 4.e5 tt:ld5 1 5 .�d2 E!c8 I 6.�e2 b5! equalizing, Kasparov - Laurier, Yerevan 1 996.

12.e4 dxe4

TOPALOV - POLGAR

1 3.tt:le5 And this is virtually a draw offer. The Chess King is making an early truce with the Chess Queen. An anempt ro play for something was:

43 1

1 3.tt:lxe4 c5 Another rry is 13 . . .tt:lxe4 1 4J':'!xe4 c5 1 5.1'l:el if6 1 6 .'!fid2 '!ticS 1 7.1'l:ad l cxd4 1 8.ixd4 ixd4 1 9.'!fixd4 l'l:d8 20.'!fie3 '!fie? 2 1 .1'l:d4 with advantage for White, Daurov - Naiditsch, Saarbruecken 2002. 1 4.tt:lfg5!? White has nothing after 1 4.tt:led2 :!l:e8 1 5 .'lfie2 '!fie? 1 6.1'l:ad 1 :!l:ad8 1 7.dxc5 ixc5 1 8 .tt:lg5 ixg2 1 9.�xg2 h6 20.tt:lge4 ie7 2 1 .f4 tt:lxe4 22.tt:lxe4 f5 with equaliry, Kramnik - Polgar, Wijk aan Zee 2000. 14 . . .cxd4 1 5 .ixd4 tt:lxe4 1 6.tt:lxe4 '!fie? 17 .tt:lc3 l:hd8 1 8.tt:ld5 with advantage ro White thanks ro Black's last move, Karpov - Kramnik, Prague 2002.

13 ...c5 Now everything is exchanged. . .

14.tt:lxe4 tt:lxe4 1 5 ..ixe4 .ixe4 16.lhe4 tt:lxe5 17.dxe5 'fixdlt 18.1'l:xdl gfd8 11z_lf2

432

No. Second half

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1

Anand

X

Y2

Y2

Y2

Y2

1

1

1

5

2

Svidler

Y2

X

1

Y2

Y2

lh

lh

Y2

4

3

Morozevich

Y2

0

X

Y2

Y2

1

Y2

1

4

4

Topalov

Y2

Y2

Y2

X

Y2

Y2

Y2

Y2

3 Y2

5

Adams

Y2

Y2

Y2

Y2

X

Y2

Y2

Y2

3 Y2

6

Leko

0

Y2

0

Y2

Y2

X

Y2

1

3

7

Polgar

0

Y2

Y2

Y2

Y2

Y2

X

0

2 Y2

8

Kasimdzhanov

0

Y2

0

Y2

Y2

0

1

X

2 Y2

Afterword After closely following these great players throughout the event, we might observe that the outcome was a logical one. One might, of course, note that Anand and Leko played below their normal strength, and that is true, but Topalov's play in the past year and a half has been the best, so this tournament did not reveal any great secret. Morozevich's play was also not so surprising: the sharp changes in his form, illogical wins and losses, fi nally put him in the most appropriate position - right in the middle. Michael Adams showed real fatigue - those who have followed his play for the past year will clearly see that he is just tired of playing, and this tournament only provided further evidence. Judit Polgar seems to have yet to recover from her lengthy break. She did not have enough recent practice, and especially her opening preparation was below par - in most of her Black games she quickly found herself in lost positions, and this made it impossible to hope for a good score. Kasimdzhanov passed on his tide of FIDE champion, and it seems without roo much regret. Some people might claim that after his result it is hard to speak positively about his tournament, but we do not share this opinion - Rustam Kasimdzhanov demonstrated a very high level of preparation, and fantastic tactical ability. Unfortunately, his constant time trouble hampered him badly, but more super-tournament experience will surely allow him to fix this problem. Last but definitely not least is Peter Svidler who is now easily among the top five players in the world. Can he become the absolute best? The authors have a very clear opinion about this, but would rather keep it to themselves. After all, what good is trying to predict the future?

433

San Lui s 2005

1

1

Topalov

X

2

Svi dler

0 Y2

3

A nand

4

N o.

3

2 1

Y2

4

6

5

Y2 Y2

1

Y2

1

Y2

1

X

Y2 Y2

1

1

1

Y2

Y2 Y2

Y2 Y2

X

Y2

1

M orozevi ch

0 Y2

0

5

L ek o

0 Y2 0 Y2

6

K asi mdzhanov

0 Y2

7

A dams

0 Y2

8

Polgar

0 Y2 0 Y2

0 Y2

Y2

1

Y2

10

Y2 Y2

Y2 Y2

1

Y2

8 Y2

0

1

1

1

1

8 Y2

Y2

1

Y2 Y2

Y2 1

Y2 0

Y2 0

X

Y2 1

Y2 Y2

1

0

Y2 0

Y2 0

Y2 Y2

0 Y2

Y2 Y2

0 Y2

0

Y2 Y2 0 Y2

1

Y2

Y2

X

0

0

8

7 1

Y2

Y2 Y2

7

Y2

1

Y2

6Y2

X

Y2 Y2

0

1

5 Y2

Y2 Y2

X

Y2 Y2

5 Y2

Y2 Y2

X

4 Y2

1

0

1

435

Chess in the New Millennium or Binary Conspiracies From the very beginning World Champions have used illegal methods. Some used to hypnotize their opponents - the most notable example being Mikhail Tal. In fact, it's easier to name those who did not use hypnosis - such accusations were made of virtually every Champion, and usually by their defeated opponents. And those who didn't hypnotize possessed different superpowers. Luckily, the accusers had some problems proving their theories as most people, especially chess players, tend not to believe in this kind of nonsense. Unfortunately, in the computer era the situation has changed. Today there is one rather rational basis for doubts. Of course, we are speaking of the silicon monsters that are rapidly gaining power and have already practically overtaken human chess players if not in chess understanding, then for sure in everything concerning tactical solutions, some endgames, and of course cold-bloodedness. Therefore, today anybody can safely accuse any strong player of using technology in one way or another. Or else, how would you explain his good play? Unfortunately, the latest successes of the new Champion, Yeselin Topalov, the greatest ofwhich was San Luis, are being explained (sometimes indirectly) by 2 1 " century computer technology. And indeed, Vesel in is playing very powerful chess, at times with computer-like precision. But can a player really be accused of cheating for this reason? Regrettably, this kind of suggestion could be heard not only from his rivals' fans, but also in some equivocal statements from his colleagues and opponents. We would not like to delve into the ethical aspects of how appropriate it is to accuse someone without any real proof: Let's put aside the presumption of innocence. Let's instead try to examine objectively the possibility of the tournament winner, Yeselin Topalov, exploiting the advances in technology. Some of the doubts, it seems, are based on Topalov's strikingly different behaviour from his predecessors. In the past all aspects of. say, Kasparov's life and decision-making processes were widely available for public discussion. Even about Kramnik, who is very different from the 1 3'h Champion, by summing up the information and combining his interviews, one could form a pretty clear picture. Regarding Topalov, however, there are players rated a hundred points lower about whom we know much more. What does the chess world really know about Topalov? Nothing much, to put it bluntly. His interviews shed little light: he clearly doesn't want to open his soul. His answers are rarely out of the ordinary, no special assessments, no delicate analysis or an extraordinary variation that was seen only by him. No illnesses, no bad moods, no depressions. After winning the World Championship he calmly told the camera: "1his is the happiest day of my life" - some players speak of a single victory with more emotion. There is no doubt that he speaks frankly and truthfully, but his unwillingness to be (or act like) "a big celebrity" is amazing. Furthermore, he rarely smiles, and it is even more unusual to see him disappointed. His reaction to great successes and painful defeats is always practically the same, stating that he has seen a lot in chess, and his result doesn't make him too happy/sad. Such behaviour does look unusual: the chess world is used to different behaviour from its champions. Well, all these are just feelings and can under no circumstances be regarded as the basis of any suspicions. But can the conspiracy buffs provide more serious proof? Apparently they can. It turns out that in some of his games, Yeselin Topalov's decisions parallel a computer's. This inevitably brought some "worried fans of chess" to conclude that if his moves often correlate with the computer's, he must be using some kind of assistance. After all, his play has become far too strong! Before we go searching for a chip "somewhere in his body", let's take a look at the root of the doubts in practice - a very striking example from Kasparov's famous last game in Linares 2005. After a very tense battle the game came down to the following position:

436 Another interesting example from our tournament is his twelfth round game with White against Morozevich:

This endgame is winning (which was much less evident in the beginning) but Topalov played the "computer" 27.h4? which could have thrown away the win. The main variation of a successful defence starts 27 ... h6! (in the game, according to Kasparov himself, he did not cope with the nerves of his last professional game, played 27 ...g6 and lost quickly) 28.\t>g4 g6 29.\t>f4 g5t 30.\t>g4 \t>g6 and it turns out that Black has managed to build a fortress. There is no need to explain that (at the present time) computers are not even aware of the fortress concept, and therefore can suggest a move like 27.h4 with no second thoughts. But why did such a strong player as Topalov make such a move? In our minds, it is not mysterious that after a long and tense battle both players were making mistakes. After all, the endgame was far from clear from the start. For example, annotating the game for ChessBase, GM Tyomkin writes at the start of the pawn ending: "I cannot prove that the pawn ending is winning for White." And this is in analysis, being able to take back moves, and use computers, and any relevant literature. Another commentator, GM Shipov, only noted that in his view the endgame should be won, but did not provide a winning line. But Topalov, after a heroic and tiring finish (which allowed him to catch up with Kasparov for shared first) with a ticking clock, he is (unlike the 1 3'h champion!) not entitled to err?

Black had the initiative but his last move, 3 1 ... l:!c3, proved to be an inaccuracy. He clearly underestimated the power of 3 1 . ttlb 1 ! after which the initiative was White's again. From this point and practically until the end, all the moves played by the future World Champion were also the choice of our silicon friend: 3 1 ... l:!c5 32.l:!xc5 £xc5 33.l:!c2 'Mib6 34.ttld2 l:!e8 35.e6 ttlh7 36.l:!c7 l:!f8 37.ttlc4 �xc4 38.�xc4 ttlf6 39.'Mie5 d3 40.exf7t \t>h7 4 I .�xd3 'Mib3 42.'Mid6 'Mib8 43.�c4 ttle4 44.1Mie5 ttld2 45.�a2 'Mib6

Here the game continued 46.l:!c2? 'Mff2 and the win had suddenly evaporated. Until this point only two of Veselin's moves did not match the

437 machine's, but which moves were they! One is the 40m move, when White had an immediate forced win (as was pointed out in the game analysis) and the machine clearly prefers the best way. The second time was on move 46, when White simply let the win slip. "Remarkably", the programs don't even suggest the blunder 46J!c2. So we are to believe that Topalov made I 0 relatively simple moves using a "chip in his head", whereas at crucial moments he decided not to use the assistance, preferring inferior continuations to winning ones, and letting the win go?! We have trouble following the logic here. But the most interesting point is White's very first move in this example, which was the basis for some further suspicions. How could Topalov find the strongest 3 1 .ltJbi so quickly, which was overlooked even by the extremely original Morozevich? And, of course, this move also complies with a computer's mood! The answer might be a bit surprising for many. To begin with, the Karpovian ltJbi , which was used by him on numerous occasions (for instance in his famous game against Spassky) will not be so shocking for fans of the classics. Could Topalov be unfamiliar with it? Unlikely, and here is an example:

This game was played back in 1 993, when computers played ridiculous chess. Topalov played l l .ltJbl (transferring the knight to c3) although it did not give him much in the game. Although it's hard to argue that the ideas in both cases are very similar, even the great Mikhail Tal once noted

that chess thinking is associative, and a manoeuvre seen once will be easier to find later, even with a totally different idea. Well, if this isn't persuasive enough, how about ...

lhis funny position occurred in a simultaneous display given by Topalov in 1 997. It's irrelevant to discuss how easily winning White's position is here. Of interest is that, as the reader has probably guessed by now, Topalov chose the computer move 20.ltJb 1 over all other possibilities. Although the position, in terms of material and the tension on the board, is not even remotely comparable to the one against Morozevich, the manoeuvre is very similar, and was played by the Bulgarian in a simul. lhat is, without spending time on deliberations. After this there seems to be little point in insisting on computer origins for Topalov's manoeuvre: the 32-processor Hydra that could be of some help in a simultaneous exhibition hadn't been invented yet! Speaking of San Luis games, most ofTopalov's crucial decisions had nothing to do with computer patterns. The strongest moves from his first round game against Adams are not spotted by the machine, neither is his great manoeuvre (the exchange sacrifice) against Kasimdzhanov from the penultimate round. And these were games of great importance, not to mention his game against Anand, where the computer cannot correctly evaluate the positional compensation for the exchange. lhe only "reproach" in the game against Anand could be made about his bad "computer" move 60.id4

438 no less amazing game against Leko was played. Veselin totally outplayed his opponent, and Leko opted for his last chance: 44.. .te l t. The computer does not recommend Topalov's reply - on the contrary, it hates it! Veselin played 45J:hc l , and clearly lost all his advantage. It strikes us that if one were able to use computer assistance, in any way, this would have been the most appropriate moment to do so. Topalov, on the other hand, keeps making the simpler moves "with consultation", and the most crucial ones "alone". Generally, having such a wonderful possibility of computer help, a player would naturally make use of hints in his most important games. And we try to provide examples from those games: .

that should have drained all the winning chances down the plughole. But those who saw this game's analysis would hardly have any thoughts about any device-usage: later Topalov missed a few simple wins, including failing to avoid a forced perpetual check - a thing a computer is surely very talented at! So what do we have? In all normal positions Topalov would make accurate technical moves using the machine, whereas in vital moments of truth he would start playing "on his own" wasting all his gains? And these moments were often obvious, and if any help was to be used then these were the ultimate times to do so. Let's take a look at a few more examples:

In the same Linares event where Veselin had the aforementioned game against Kasparov, a

1his is a position from a game that hit the headlines: Kramnik - Topalov, from the last round in Sofia 2005. Topalov gradually outplayed his opponent, but here he played 30...%Vxb2 - a move the computer would not make even under the threat of a deadly virus - indeed, why would a machine blunder a piece? Kramnik did not take the knight on c5, but a few moves later blundered a bishop of his own, and resigned. Wasn't this game too important to blunder a knight just like that? Maybe it was wiser to consult instead? Perhaps now is the right time to discuss when a player should use assistance, provided he can do so. Topalov's play has always been known (and still is!) for a relatively high number of blunders. Here is a question posed to him in

439 an imerview conducred by a Russian chess sire .chesspro.ru: "Don'r you have rhe feeling rhar you make roo many "childish" misrakes for a player of your level?" If such quesrions are asked by journalisrs, he apparemly doesn'r use help for rhe whole game - chess programs do nor make "childish" misrakes. But playing only pardy according ro computer suggestions and rhe rest by oneself could be a recipe for failure, ending up wirh the worst of borh. Therefore, ideally, the most valuable help is that in crirical momems, when you can get a sign that the momem has arrived, and whar ro do there. However, as we have seen, Topalov often commits errors in those critical momems, and the number of such examples we have shown could easily be increased ... And we end up with a clear comradicrion by any logic. Anorher importam poim is rhe change Topalov has undergone in a very short period, which is striking - a player who finished 2003 wirh a 2735 ELO raring managed to cross the 2800 mark by the end of rhe San Luis Championship! lhis "suspicious" improvemem reminds us of ... his own jump in 1 996 - thar year he won in Amsrerdam, Novgorod and Madrid, he increased from 2700 ro 2750 (which is nor bad at all roday, but was even more impressive in 1 996) esrablishing himself as one of the strongesr and mosr promising chess players in the world. So, whar happened ro Topalov in the pasr year and a half? Why did he srall in the period berween 1 996 and 2003, and then have such a sudden accelerarion? Stricdy speaking, he improved remarkably in his technical play. He has always been a great tacrical player, and srrives for dynamic play, but today in addition to these qualiries he possesses grear technical srrengrh. Incidemally, he poims rhis out himself (along with good physical fitness and opening prepararion). Apart from rhis, however, his orher great qualities were already clear in 1 996. Whar can we add, if even Anand says that Topalov showed norhing new in his sryle of play - he already played like rhis before. lhe "novelry" was much grearer srabiliry: showing rhe same level of play in many games. www

If in pasr years he could conducr a grear game wirh high nervous rension, and rhen suddenly break down, roday he b reaks his opponems. I f h e used ro ofren lose in crucial games, roday his calmness makes his opponems lose comrol. If in rhe pasr he would make bad misrakes while realizing advamageous posirions, roday he is more reliable rhan mosr, and is willing ro go even a hundred moves wirh rhe riniesr of edges ro claim a well-deserved vicrory. How did rhis suddenly appear? Where did ir come from ? These quesrions apparendy rrouble many minds. How could he rurn his biggesr minuses imo plusses? lhe answer is provided by rhe player himself: "For rhe pasr few years I worked a lor on chess - I hadn'r done such profound work for a long rime. Work wirh Ruslan Ponomariov helped me improve so much, rhar I became even more morivared, and consequemially I gained a lor of raring." lhen he adds: "Judging by our resulrs, rhe feeling is rhar ir wasn'r me rraining him, bur vice versa. . ." So, in rhis aspecr, rhe doubrs are even more surprising - afrer all he did work a lor wirh Ponomariov preparing for rhe laner's marches wirh Ivanchuk and Kasparov! And Ponomariov is mosdy known for his rechnical power, playing umil rhe board is empry of pieces. Narurally, rhis is where Topalov found his new qualiries. Now all becomes clear - nor only rechnique, bur also good opening prepararion and fighring ro rhe end in any posirion. Topalov simply absorbed Ponomariov's besr qualiries, and rogerher wirh his own huge ralem and experience, became an exceprionally srrong player. No real mysrery as far as we can see - collaborarive work ofren has such effecrs. So, now ir's clear how Topalov improved his play so sharply, bur anorher facr is even more srriking. lhis is nor rhe firsr rime in rhe hisrory of rhe game rhar we have wimessed such a rapid rise! Take rhe mosr significam example - Robert James Fischer! He was also known for his oursranding rechnical play, and he roo made a huge improvemem in jusr one and a half years, becoming virtually invincible. From

440 a "guy wirh a glass jaw", as Spassky used ro call him, Fischer became a jawbreaker. A similar rhing happened ro Topalov, and notably rhey made rhe leap ar similar ages, and rhe quality of rheir play and rheir styles are similar. Indeed, for Fischer such an i mprovement was much more difficult ro accomplish - he was working alone, and rhe whole Sovier system was standing against him. We will conclude with another beautiful game by rhe Bulgarian Champion (playing wirh Black). On irs own, wirhour comments:

1 0.e4 dxe4 l l .�xe4 � xe4 12 .Wfxe4 e5 1 3.1g5 Wfe6 14.1d3 Wfg6 1 5.Wfe3 exd4 I 6.Wfxd4 Wfh5 I ?J:l:fel

1 7 ...1xh2t 1 8.Wfl f6 1 9.1h4 1e5 20.Wfc4t whs 2 I .g4 Wfh6 22.Wg2 1xb2 23.E:hl

23 ... b5 24.cxb6 ixa l 25.1g3 �xb6 26.Wfb4 Wfxhl t 27.Wxhl c5 28.Wfe4 f5 29.Wfe7 1d7 30.gxf5 1c6 and Black won. Whar is so special about chis game? The fact char all Topalov's moves (some are especially striking in their "inhumanity") correspond ro Frirz9's suggestions. Bur ir was 1 992 when rhe 1 7-year old Topalov was playing Eingorn. Summing up, we might be wrong, bur our view is logically explained and, as thoroughly as possible, proved by examples. lhis contrasts with rhe sceptics, who mostly seem ro disapprove of rhe results of rhe new champion. Indeed, we cannot absolutely prove char all rhe accusations are nor true wirhour first entering Topalov's head. Bur rhe logic of rhe events shows char whar happened ro Topalov could undoubtedly happen without any technical interference. lherefore, until any kind of proof is provided, all accusations and doubts seem irrelevant and, frankly, preny ridiculous. In our view, rhe reaction of Topalov's biggest rivals in San Luis - Anand and Svidler - is worthy of appreciarion. lhey did nor seek irrelevant reasons for his dominance, bur instead complimented his play, and Anand even promised ro do everything in his powers ro overtake rhe new champion in rhe furure. We believe chis is rhe way for true sportsmen ro behave.

44 1 Postscript

While this book was being produced, the discussion ofsuspicions did not stop. Yeselin Topalov conquered a few more tournaments, including Corus Wijk aan Zee 2006, where the public (and, therefore, the possible "assistants") could not have approached the players during the games. Despite all this, groundless accusations by various chess fans became louder and louder. Alas, what could be easier than to turn on a strong chess program, and claim every similarity as proof! However, there was hardly any harm in such gossip until some chess journalists began contributing their "views". For example, IM Vladimir Barsky on the Russian website prosports.ru produced a huge article, full of cautious accusations. The problem with these accusations, however, is that they all drive to one conclusion: Topalov's play is too similar to a computer's (which in many cases means too strong). He also provided the Topalov - Morozevich game (from round 1 0) as proof of his claims: the winner, allegedly, made too many "machine" moves. There were other "proofs" as well. lhe "prosecution", however, tends to limit itself with "general concerns", not bothering to explain what exactly the accusation is. Did Topalov constantly use computer aid, using some kind of a chip, or was there "a courier" transmitting the advice from a machine to a human. But here is an interesting question: on the one hand he plays a lengthy series of moves "by computer" - but then, how could one explain the relatively high number of mistakes in his games (some of them were illustrated here)? And what if he gets his help occasionally? But then, firstly, according to which criteria are the moments chosen (as we have seen, they are certainly not the most crucial ones)? And secondly: in that case his streaks of "computer moves" only undermine the conspiracy theory, proving that he is able to make many consecutive "computer moves" by himsel£ And having said all that, one must keep in mind that there is not even the slightest proof of such accusations. Unexpectedly, the discussion was picked up by Topalov's coach and manager, Silvio Danailov, on another Russian website www.chesspro.ru. His position, generally similar to ours, was understandably much more emotional: Danailov accused many of the "critics" of being unprofessional and not objective (some of them were indeed assisting Topalov's rivals). His stormy reaction is more than understandable - after all, he and Topalov travelled a long and hard road to the Crown, and having achieved the ultimate goal they hear not praise but unjust accusations. We would like to end this epilogue and the book with the hope that in the future chess will attract the crowds by its beauty rather than foolish conspiracy theories.

442

Games Index Michael Adams

Alexander Morozev ich

Anand 127. 326 Kasimdzhanov 1 92. 385 Leko 240, 401 Morozevich 205, 421 Polgar 11. 296 Svidler 57, 267 Topalov 160, 356

Adams 205, 421 Anand 233, 396 Kasimdzhanov 52, 258 Leko 106; 303 Polgar 1 76, 313 Svidler 147, 341 Topalov 120, 318

Viswanathan A nand

Judit Polgar

Adams 127, 326 Kasimdzhanov 154, 351 Leko 1 69, 367 Morozevich 233, 396 Polgar 61, 212 Svidler 2 1 1 , 426 Topalov 87, 299

Adams 77, 212 Anand 61, 272 Kasimdzhanov 134, 329 Leko 143, 339 Morozevich 1 76, 3 73 Svidler 229, 393 Topalov 219, 430

Rustam Kasimdzhanov

Peter Sv idler

Adams 192, 385 Anand 154, 351 Morozevich 52, 258 Leko 199, 415 Polgar 134, 329 Svidler 69, 281 Topalov 244, 403

Adams 57, 267 Anand 211, 426 Kasimdzhanov 69, 281 Leko 1 15, 311 Morozevich 147, 341 Polgar 229, 393 Topalov 181, 382

Peter Leko

Veselin Topalov

Adams 240, 401 Anand 169, 367 Kasimdzhanov 199, 415 Morozevich 1 07, 303 Polgar 1 43, 339 Svidler 1 15, 3 1 1 Topalov 43, 255

Adams 1 60, 356 Anand 87, 299 Kasimdzhanov 244, 403 Morozevich 120, 3 1 8 Leko 43, 255 Polgar 219, 430 Svidler 181, 382

O p enings Index Sicilian Defence

King's Indian

English Arrack 43, I 06, 1 54, 1 8 1 , 22 9, 267, 281 , 35 1 , 373 Najdorf 52, 1 54, 1 8 1 , 1 92, 229, 281 , 35 1 , 373 Paulsen 77, 1 43, 272 Moscow Variation 1 20 Perenyi Arrack 1 34 Sveshnikov 1 69, 1 99 Scheveningen 205, 258, 303, 329, 356 2.lt:lf3 lt:lc6 3.lt:lc3 e5 401 Kan 4 1 5

Saemisch Variation 14 7

Petroff

6... lt:lc6 57, 240, 367 6... 1d6 34 1 5.lt:lc3 426 Caro-Kann

4 ... lt:ld7 61 Advance 233 Panov-Borvinnik 339 Pirc Defence

Austrian Arrack 69 Queen's Indian Defence

4.g3 87, 255, 430 Ruy Lopez

Anti-Marshall 1 1 5, 244, 3 1 1 , 326, 382, 385 Zairsev 1 27 Marshall 2 1 1 , 296, 393 Berlin Defence 2 1 9, 299, 403 5.d3 421

English Opening

Symmetrical 160 Philidor Defence

Hanham 1 76 Queen's Gambit

Declined 3 1 8 French Defence

Sreinirz Variation 396

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Mihail Marin

Beati n g the Open G a mes

presents a n opening repertoire for Black against the Open Games. This means provid ing a n answer to 1 .e4, but not considering the main lines of the Spanish Opening. This incl udes openings such a s the Scotch, the Vienna, the Spanish Exchange Variation, and even the notorious Ki ng's Gambit. Marin uses h i s renowned writing skills to explain the ideas behind each move, so Beating the Open Games escapes the standard opening book trap of being a boring list of analysis. Marin has based the book m a inly on his own repertoire and reveals many original moves and ideas. After studying this book the reader will not only have an excellent repertoire but a l so a deeper understa n ding of chess. Three reasons to buy this book:

Written by a renowned chess a uthor. Explanations rather than just simple l i st s of moves. QUALITY CHESS

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Many new ideas.

About the author:

Mihail Marin i s a strong Grandmaster and the author of three previous books on chess, including Learn from the Legends, which won the biggest American award, the C hessCafe.com Book of the Yea r 2005. The same book was also nominated for the British Chess Federation Book of the Yea r award. A second edition w i l l appear in 2008, but a l l u pdates will be ava i l a ble a s pdf-fi les on www.q u a l itychessbooks.com

$29.95 256 pages

£ 1 5.99

€23.99

Released 2007

ISBN: 9 1 -976004-3-1

Tr u e L i e s i n C h es s Lluis Comas Fa breg6 Brief Description:

Very few chess books are a b l e to make a n original contribution about the strategic side of chess, but that i s the aim of this remarkable book. The dogmas of chess, which have been established for more than a centu ry, are rarely questioned despite the clear evolution in the style of top class chess. Chess grandmaster Lluis Comas Fabreg6 takes on the challenging task of separating the truth from the lies in traditional advice on how to play better chess. By taking an i rreverent look at the supposed absolute truths of chess, Comas Fabreg6 judges the validity of established rules and strategic concepts.

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Acco mpanied by many practical exa mples and good advice, readers learn how to reduce the comp lexity of chess towards the essential features of each position, and so i m prove their play. About the a uthor:

is a chess grandmaster and twice Spanish Champion, and has represented his national team 5 0 times. He i s also winner of U - 1 4 Junior World Championship i n 1 984.

I I QUALITY CHESS

€23.99 £ 1 5.99 $29 .95 Released 2007 1 68 pages ISBN 1 3: 978-91 -976005-7-6

ISBN: 978-91 -976005-2-1 5 3 9 9 5

9 789 1 97 600 5 2 1

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