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| Linares Round 8 |
Crosslinks: Draw | Anand Interview | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 | Round 6 | Round 7 | Round 8 | Round 9 | Round 10 | Games in PGN | Java viewer
Round 8 (March 8, 2000)
Kramnik, Vladimir - Kasparov, Gary 1/2 41 A30 English; 1.c4 c5
Khalifman, Alexander - Leko, Peter 1-0 47 D85 Gruenfeld indian
Shirov, Alexei - Anand, Viswanathan 1/2 23 C42 Petroff defence
SuperGM Linares ESP (ESP), 28 ii-10 iii 2000 cat. XXI (2752)
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1 2 3 4 5 6
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1 Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2758 ** == 1= =. 1. == 5.0 2848
2 Kasparov, Gary g RUS 2851 == ** == =. 1= 1. 5.0 2823
3 Khalifman, Alexander g RUS 2656 0= == ** =1 =. =. 4.0 2773
4 Leko, Peter g HUN 2725 =. =. =0 ** == == 3.5 2702
5 Shirov, Alexei g ESP 2751 0. 0= =. == ** 1= 3.5 2720
6 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2769 == 0. =. == 0= ** 3.0 2659
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The John Henderson Report for round 8: HOMAGE TO CATALONIA
HOMAGE TO CATALONIA
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Bobby Fischer! Today the American chess idol is 57. Oh, how we miss him. If your reading this, how about another comeback, Bobby? We'd even settle for one of your shuffle chess matches.
At dinner last night Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, the editor of that wonderful Dutch magazine, New In Chess, retold me his story about how he managed to get an interview in Budapest with the reclusive Bobby. It was a proud moment for Dirk (or any chess journalist for that matter). According to Dirk, Fischer was more interested in asking him question. Fischer asked him "Dirk, what made you take-up chess?". "Well," said Dirk, "there was this match in Reykjavik in 1972 between an American and a Russian…" For many of us out there (myself included) we could have all answered as Dirk did.
New in Chess Editor: Dirk Jan ten
Geuzendam
Dirk, who has been a regular at Linares for some ten-years now, told me about an amusing little story about one of his recent newspaper columns where he compared Bobby to Elvis Presley. He felt quite proud of this column and the hard work that he had done in making the comparison between the two "Kings". After it was published, he phoned a friend who was a fan of both to ask what he thought of his latest output? "Yes, great Dirk," he said, "but why didn't you use the most obvious comparison that they were both managed by a Colonel?" Dirk "Aagh!" - in Dutch, obviously.
If you've never read any of Dirk's legendary interviews with chess celebrities that appear in New In Chess, then you should make the effort to do so, they are unquestionably the best in the business. There's also a book of them printed by New In Chess, entitled "Finding Bobby Fischer". I discovered recently that he'd written a chess novel, based around some of the tales of Linares, entitled "Het geheime wonder" (The Secret Miracle); available only in Dutch just now (though there are plans to print in English. Not only does it tell graphic tales of the celebrities and players from Linares tournaments throughout the years, it also gives a potted history of the Spanish town too.
With this knowledge in mind, I accepted Dirk’s kind offer to visit downtown Linares on a Saturday night. In true Ralph McTell style, he was (figuratively speaking!) offering to take my hand and lead me through the streets of Linares. How could I refuse? After all, this guy had written the definitive book on Linares. So, at around 11.30pm, off we set. “You’ll love this nightclub,” said Dirk, “it’s so crowded they’ll be hanging from the ceiling.” Guess what? It was as empty as the combined space between the ears of the Spice Girls! “Maybe we are a bit too early,” said Dirk. So, midnight came and went, 1.00am came and went, and, with no real improvement in the crowd size, we decided to call it a night at around 2.00am when the placed had about as much atmosphere as the Moon that was shining brightly above us. “I just don’t understand it,” protested Dirk, “every time I’ve been here this has been the place to be – I even wrote about it in the book!” Only last night he discovered from the commentator, GM Felix Izeta, that nightlife Linares has now moved to the opposite end of the town. Dirk’s now asked me if I wanted to help with some research into the re-write for the English version of the book!
GM Felix
Izeta
On the playing front, the tournament suddenly came to life again in round eight as Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik paid their own little tribute to the Basque Country with a Catalan Opening. It was an epic duel that ended with honours even after an incredibly complex game, which the players analysed amicably afterwards.
The game between the '2Ks' had everything. It's a testimony to the enduring creativity of the top players and the immense depth of the game that the players had a totally original position on the board after just five moves. Kramnik's trainer, the Spanish GM Miguel Illescas, revealed that Kramnik's unusual fourth move, was an idea of the Bulgarian GM Veselin Topalov. Kasparov sank into deep thought and came up with an imaginative counter that the Kramnik team had not foreseen.
At one point it looked like there would be a quick draw as Kasparov attacked the black queen and the players repeated moves. After two hours and fifteen minutes only eleven moves had been played and when Kramnik avoided the repetition it was clear that an intense middlegame, with no pieces exchanged was bound to erupt into a big time scramble.
Afterwards Kramnik said: "I thought I was winning but I had missed his defence. I feel I should be better somewhere but I have to analyse it with the computer to be sure." Throughout the game, Kasparov was rocking in his chair and shaking his head and it looked like he was lost but he found the saving resource and exploited the white king's lack of pawn cover. The world champion made the time control with just 40 seconds left.
Kramnik-Kasparov, a decisive result
would have probably settled the tournament. As it was the game was
drawn.
The comments to this game are based on the player's post mortem, pressroom comments, IM Malcolm Pein and myself.
Kramnik,V - Kasparov,G [A30]
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 g3 d5 4 d4 [According to Illescas, Kramnik's trainer, this is an idea of Topalov's.] 4 ..dxc4 [But this and the following bishop manouevre had not been foreseen. Kasparov had already used a lot of time!] 5 Qa4+ Bd7 6 Qxc4 Bc6 7 dxc5 Bd5 8 Qa4+ Bc6 9 Qc4 Bd5 [9 ..Qd5 10 Qxd5 Nxd5 11 a3 e6 12 b4 a5 seems fine for Black; 9 ..Nbd7 10 Nc3 e6 11 Be3 Is a little better for White] 10 Qc2 [10 Qh4!? Ne4 11 Bg2 Nc6 12 0-0 e6 13 Ng5! Kramnik 13 ..Nxg5 14 Bxg5 f6 15 Be3] 10 ..e6 [10 ..Be4 11 Qd2 Kramnik 11 ..Na6 (11 ..Nbd7 12 Nc3) 12 b4] 11 Bg2 [11 Nc3 Bc6 12 Be3 Nbd7 13 b4 a5 14 b5 Bxf3 15 exf3 Bxc5 16 Bg2 Rc8 with counterplay down the c-file was demonstrated by Kasparov.] 11 ..Be4 12 Qc4 Bd5 13 Qh4 Bxc5 14 Nc3 Bc6 15 0-0 Be7? [? Kasparov. 15 ..Nbd7 (this was better, maybe then I have a slight advantage - Kramnik) 16 Bg5 (16 b4 was suggested by Kramnik afterwards but Kasparov flashed out 16 ..Be7 17 b5 Bxf3 18 Bxf3 Nd5 winning) A) 16 ..h6 A1) 17 Rad1 Qb6 18 Bxf6 Nxf6 19 Na4 (19 Ne5 Bxg2 20 Kxg2 0-0) 19 ..Qb4!; A2) 17 b4 17 ..Be7; B) 16 ..Be7 17 e4 h6 18 e5] 16 Rd1 Qa5 17 Bd2 Nbd7 18 g4
Kramnik-Kasparov (8) 18.
g4
[18 a4 Qb4 19 Nb5 Qxh4 20 Nxh4 0-0 21 Bxc6 bxc6 is Ok] 18 ..h6 19 Qg3 Qa6 [19 ..Qb6!?] 20 h4 Qc4 [When he played this I thought I must be doing well - Kramnik] 21 Bf4 Qb4 22 a3 Qxb2 23 Nd4 g5 24 Nxc6 [24 Bc1 Qxa1 25 Nb3 gxh4 26 Qh3 Bxg2 27 Kxg2 Qxc1 28 Rxc1 Rg8 with the advantage; 24 Rdb1 gxf4 25 Qh3 Bxg2 26 Kxg2 Bxa3 also with the advantage; 24 hxg5 hxg5 25 Bc7 Bxg2 26 Kxg2 Rh4!; 24 Bxc6 bxc6 25 Rdb1 gxf4 with advantage] 24 ..gxf4 [24 ..bxc6 25 hxg5 hxg5 26 Bxc6 gxf4 27 Qd3 looks dangerous] 25 Qd3 bxc6 26 Bxc6 [26 Rdb1 Ne5 27 Rxb2 (27 Qd4 Qc2 28 Qxe5) 27 ..Nxd3 28 exd3] 26 ..0-0 27 Bxa8 Ne5 [27 ..Rxa8 28 Rdb1 Ne5 29 Qd4 (29 Rxb2 Nxd3 30 exd3 Nxg4 is unclear) 29 ..Nc6 30 Qd3 Ne5 is a draw] 28 Qd4 Rxa8 29 Qxe5 Rc8 30 Rac1 [30 g5 hxg5 31 hxg5 Rxc3 32 gxf6 Rg3+ 33 fxg3 Qxe5 34 fxe7 Qe3+ (34 ..Qc5+ 35 Kg2 Qxe7 36 gxf4 and Black should draw instead of the following fantasy) 35 Kf1 fxg3 36 e8Q+ Kg7 37 Kg2 Qxe2+ 38 Kh3 Qh2+ 39 Kg4 Qe2+ 40 Kh4] 30 ..Nd5!
Kramnik-Kasparov (8) 30 ..Nd5!
[A wonderful saving resource from Kasparov.] 31 Nxd5 [Kramnik thought he was winning here] 31 ..Qxe5 32 Nxe7+ Kg7 33 Rxc8 Qxe2 [By now the silicon spectators were predicting a draw] 34 Rg8+ Kf6 35 Rd7 Qe1+ 36 Kg2 Qe4+ 37 Kh2 Qc2 38 Kg2 Qe4+ 39 Kh2 Qc2 40 g5+ hxg5 41 Rxg5 Qxf2+ ½-½ A very good game, I was satisfied with my play - Kramnik
Kramnik-Kasparov (8) A tough day at
the office for Kasparov
What can we say about the talented Mr Khalifman? It was expected that he was going to be the whipping boy of the tournament, and now, with just one defeat, six draws and this win against Peter Leko, he's proved all his critics wrong and totally justified his invitation to such an elite grouping as he moved into third place.
Khalifman scores his first win and
swaps places with Leko. On the way perhaps damaging an important line in the
Gruenfeld.
Khalifman,A - Leko,P [D85]
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 Nc3 d5 5 cxd5 Nxd5 6 e4 Nxc3 7 bxc3 c5 8 Rb1 0-0 9 Be2 cxd4 10 cxd4 Qa5+ 11 Bd2 Qxa2 12 0-0 Bg4 13 Bg5 h6 14 Be3 Nc6 15 d5 Ne5 16 Rxb7 e6 17 d6 Rfd8 18 Re1 Bxf3 19 gxf3 Qa5 20 Rf1 [20 Bd2 Qa2 21 Be3 Qa5 22 Bd2 Qa2 23 Be3 ½-½ Lautier,J-Illescas Cordoba,M/Hoogovens 1997/CBM 57] 20 ..Bf8 [20 ..Qa3 21 f4! Rxd6 22 Qc1; 20 ..g5 21 f4 gxf4 (21 ..Ng6? 22 f5! exf5 23 Qb3 Ne5 24 Rb5+-) 22 Bxf4 Rab8 (22 ..Qa3 23 d7±) 23 Rxb8 Rxb8 24 Qc1!±; 20 ..Rd7 21 Rxd7 (21 Rb5? Qd8 22 Bc5 Qh4‚) 21 ..Nxd7 22 Qc1!±] 21 d7 [21 Rb5 Qa2 22 Rxe5 Bxd6-+] 21 ..Qa2 22 Bb5!
Khalifman-Leko (8) 22.
Bb5
[Khalifman: "After this TN (Haba's presumably see below MC) , this line in now back in crisis". Up to now, theory has just thought that after 22 ..a6 23 Ba4 Nxf3+, Black was doing OK. However, Khalifman and his boys at the St Petersburg School beg to differ after seeing a recent game from Cappelle la Grande. 22 Re1 Qa5 23 Rf1 (23 Kf1? Nxf3 24 Bxf3 Qa6+; 23 Bd2 Qc5) 23 ..Qa2 24 Bb5 a6 25 Bd4 (25 Ba4 Nxf3+ 26 Kg2 Nh4+ is unclear) 25 ..Bg7 26 Bxe5 1/2-1/2 Kramnik,V-Kasparov,G/Linares 1998/CBM 64] 22 ..a6 23 Ba4 [23 f4 axb5 24 fxe5 Qa6 25 Rc7 is unclear.] 23 ..Nxf3+ 24 Kg2 Ne5 [24 ..Nh4+ 25 Kh3 Qc4 26 f3 Be7 27 Rf2 Qc3 28 Qd4 Qa5 29 Bxh6 Bf8 30 Bxf8 Rxf8 31 Kxh4 Kh7 32 Kh3 1-0 Haba,P-Skytte,R/Cappelle la Grande 2000.] 25 Bb6 Qc4 26 Qd4 Qxd4 27 Bxd4 Nd3 28 Bc6 Nc5 [After an hour's thought! Leko now realises that his favourite line of the Grunfeld is well and truly "busted".] 29 Rc7 Bd6 30 Bxc5 Bxc7 31 Bxa8 Rxa8 32 Be7! Rd8 [32 ..Bd8 33 Rc1!] 33 Rd1 f5 34 Bxd8 Bxd8 35 exf5 gxf5 36 Rd6 Kf7 37 Rxa6 Ke7 38 Kg3 Bc7+ 39 Kh4 Kxd7 40 Ra7! [Khalifman nicely transposes into a won King and Pawn ending.] 40 ..Kc6 41 Rxc7+ Kxc7 42 Kh5 e5 43 Kxh6 Kd6 44 Kg5 Ke6 45 h4 f4 46 h5 f3 47 Kg4 1-0
Khalifman's victory against Leko
took him to 50% for the event.
Khalifman's mastery of the final phase requires solid technique, which can either save or gain you extra points in a tournament. The seasoned chess professionals know how to patiently nurture small advantages to fruition in the endgame.
A painless way to learn more about this subtle art of the game is to study studies! Read through books on endgame studies, my own particular favourite being "1234 Modern Endgame Studies" by Sutherland and Lommer (Dover), that I picked-up many years ago at a jumble sale for just 10p!
One of my favourites from the bargain-bin is this deceptively simple study (no.46), composed by Kovalenko in 1927. Black is a Pawn ahead and closer to queening. Yet a good study is a work of art with all the connotations of beauty, surprise, ingenuity and technique that the term implies.
Kovalenko Study (1927)
How does White, to play, draw? (solution at the bottom of the page)
Yet again the Petroff proved to be the solid option in Linares with Shirov not able to make any headway against Anand.
Shirov and Anand play out another
draw in the Petroff.
Shirov,A - Anand,V [C42]
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 d4 d5 6 Bd3 Nc6 7 0-0 Be7 8 c4 Nb4 9 Be2 0-0 10 Nc3 b6 11 Ne5 Bb7 12 a3 Nxc3 13 bxc3 Nc6 14 Bf3 Na5 [14 ..Nxe5 15 dxe5 c6 16 cxd5 cxd5 17 Be3 and Bd4 was mentioned by Anand] 15 c5 c6 [15 ..bxc5 16 Rb1 Bd6 17 c4 (17 Qa4 c6 18 Rxb7 Bxe5 19 dxe5 Nxb7 20 Qxc6 Na5 21 Qxd5 looks pleasant for white) 17 ..cxd4 Anand] 16 Re1 Bf6 17 Ng4
Shirov-Anand (8) after 17. Ng4.
Petroff, draw.
[17 Nd3 Ba6 18 Nb4 Bc4 "Your knight does not look good on b4" - Anand] 17 ..Bc8 18 cxb6 axb6 19 a4 Nc4 20 Nxf6+ Qxf6 21 Ba3 Shirov felt he was fighting for a draw. Once again, this is 1.e4 calling International Rescue. COME IN PLEASE 21 ..Nxa3 22 Rxa3 Be6 23 Qb3 ½-½ White did well to hold the balance against the Petroff
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(1) Kramnik,V (2758) - Kasparov,G (2851) [A30]
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(2) Khalifman,A (2656) - Leko,P (2725) [D85]
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(3) Shirov,A (2751) - Anand,V (2769) [C42]
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Solution to the Problem given in John Henderson's article: Solution Kovalenko, 1927
1 Kc6 Kb4 2 Kd5 Kc3 3 Ke5 e3! (3 ..Kd2 4 Kxf4 Kxe2 5 Kxf5 Kxf2 6 Kxe4) 4 Kxf4 exf2 5 Ke3! f1Q is stalemate. If 5 ..f1B (5 ..f1N+ 6 Kf4) 6 Kf4 Bh3 7 e4! dissolves the last Pawn for a draw.