Round 5 18th January 2001

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

IT seemed like old times – Almost Wijk aan Riverzide. Kasparov vs. Kramnik, a Berlin Defence, and inevitably another draw. All I needed was Raymundo and Knuckles to be on hand to throw me out, and for all we knew it could have been a continuation of their BGN title match.

We had an added anticipation before the start of the fifth round at Wijk, due to the first meeting of the super K’s since that infamous London match. The media pack was out in force as they pitched their spot beside the top board from early on in the afternoon. No one was interested in the other stars such as Anand, Shirov, Morozevich, Adams etc. In fact, even some of the player’s in the “B” tournament became a hindrance to the proceedings. Photographers and cameramen even tried to discreetly move some of the tables there for a better vantage shot.

Kasparov and Kramnik demonstrating one of the key positions of their game

Come the start of play, there was just one huge rugby-scrum of a media pack surrounding the top board – the atmosphere was electric. Why couldn’t we get this close to the action in London? In came the two gladiators ready to do battle: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Nf6...and, after a titanic struggle, Kasparov was yet again left frustrated by Vlad as he failed to bring down the Berlin Wall – but the difference was this time it was a close call.

However, the inquest proved even more spectacular. Packed like sardines into a small room that wasn’t even small enough to stroke a cat let alone swing one, we witnessed a wonderful insight into not just what the player’s were thinking, but also what their seconds (Yuri Dokhoian for Garry, and Joel Lautier for Vlad) were analysing throughout the afternoon. It was quite a scene: “Bang, bang, bang, bang” (this sounds ominously like Baldrick’s War Poem from Blackadder Goes Forth!) as pieces were being forcibly put on squares to emphasise decisive moves in a really complicated rook and pawn ending. But the best was yet to come – we were in line for a special treat in the press room, the opening night of The Garry and Vlad Show.

Not one, but both players – yes, both! – made their way to a hastily convened press conference where they decided to treat the press corps to a detailed explanation to their game on the demoboard. Following Kramnik into the room was Garry (we did joke at the time that the main reason Garry was following Vlad was that he didn’t know where the press room was at Wijk – or indeed that they had one at all!).

But after the excitement of witnessing a high-class post mortem at close range, some of the hacks had no idea that this was about to happen. So, being the youngest, I was sent out into the vastness of the De Moriaan Centre to seek out the legendary Hans Ree, so that he could record this event for posterity in one of his excellent columns. It didn’t take me that long to locate Mr Ree. So overcome with emotion after the post mortem, he could be found propping up the bar where he’d just ordered a beer. Faced with the tough choice of skipping the show or the amber nectar, he of course did the professional thing: he took the beer in with him to watch the new double act in action!

Kasparov,G (2849) - Kramnik,V (2772) [C67]

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Nf6 Here we go again! 4 0–0 Nxe4 5 d4 Nd6 6 Bxc6 dxc6 7 dxe5 Nf5 8 Qxd8+ Kxd8 9 Nc3 Ke8 In the joint press conference come post mortem after the game, Kramnik said that he intended playing this variation of the Berlin in game 15, which by this time had so frustrated Kasparov he had moved onto an old favourite - the Catalan. In the four Berlin's from their BGN title match, we saw: 9 ..Bd7 10 b3 h6 in games 1 and 3; 9 ..h6 10 h3 (10 Rd1+ Ke8 11 h3 a5 12 Bf4 Be6 game 9) 10 ..Ke8 11 Ne4 c5 game 13. Kasparov, on his part, admitted he had "a hunch" that Kramnik would eventually play 10 ..Be7, so therefore prepared his choice carefully. 10 h3 Be7 11 Bg5 Bxg5 12 Nxg5 h6 13 Nge4 b6 14 Rfd1!

A very important move for Kasparov - it cuts right across Black's game plan. Kramnik admitted, that: "I actually discovered the possibility of this move in morning of this match - I wasn't so happy about it!" 14 Rad1 Ba6 15 Rfe1 Ke7! 16 g4 Nh4 14 ..Ne7 14 ..Ba6?! 15 a4! Ke7 16 a5!; 14 ..Be6 15 g4 Nh4 16 f4! 15 f4 Ng6 16 Rf1 h5 17 Rae1 Bf5 18 Ng3 Ne7 19 Nxf5 Nxf5 20 Kf2 Nd4 21 Rc1 Rd8 22 Rfd1 Ke7 23 Ne4 h4 24 b4 Rh5?! A bit similar to Kramnik's set-up in game 1 in London, though here it compromised his position. Kasparov now looked as if he finally had the measure of the Berlin. 25 Ng5 Rhh8 26 Rd3 Ne6 27 Nxe6 Kxe6 28 Rcd1 Rd5 29 c4 Rxd3 30 Rxd3 a5 31 bxa5 Ra8 32 Ra3 Kf5 33 Kf3 Ra6 34 c5 f6?

In the post mortem when both players were joined by their seconds, Yuri Dokhoian and Joel Lautier, where this move was roundly condemned. A big debate then followed about Black's best hope of survival being the following study-like continuation: 34 ..bxc5! 35 Ra4 c4 36 Ke3 c5 37 Kd2 Kxf4 38 Kc3 Kxe5 39 Kxc4 Kd6 40 Kb5 Ra8 41 a6 Rb8+ 42 Ka5 Kc6 43 a7 (43 Rxh4 Rb5+=) 43 ..Rb5+ 44 Ka6 Rb6+ 45 Ka5 Rb5+= 35 Re3! Suddenly White has good prospects. 35 ..Rxa5 36 e6 Ra8 37 e7 Re8 38 a4 Kg6 39 Re6 Kf7 40 Rxc6?

Kasparov: "I rate my chances of winning after 40 f5! as 70–30. If Black is escaping, it will be a very narrow escape!" Kramnik, who couldn't find any decent plan during their lengthy - and often animated - post mortem prior to the press conference, grudgingly concurred. 40 f5! g6 a)40 ..Rxe7? 41 Rxc6 g6 (a)41 ..bxc5 42 a5!) 42 cxb6 cxb6 43 Rxb6 gxf5 44 Rb4; b)40 ..Ra8 41 e8Q+! Rxe8 42 Rxc6; c)40 ..g5; 41 Kg4 Rxe7 42 Rxe7+ Kxe7 43 fxg6 Kf8 44 Kxh4 Kg7 45 Kg3! b5 46 a5 b4 47 a6 b3 48 a7 b2 49 a8Q b1Q 50 Qe8! 40 ..Ra8! Saved! Kramnik rounds-up the queenside pawns leaving all the action to the kingside - an easy book-draw. 41 cxb6 cxb6 42 Rxb6 Rxa4 43 Re6 Ke8 44 Re4 Ra3+ 45 Re3 Rxe3+ 46 Kxe3 f5! ½–½

Whilst all the excitement of the post mortem and press conference was going on, Alexei Shirov was quietly (well, as quietly as Shirov can) going about taking the sole lead in the tournament after he literally ground down poor old Jan Timman. Not only was this his second successive win, it also gave the Latvian genius his second successive Audience Prize for best game of the round. Can he better the record at Wijk of five?

Shirov so bamboozled and wore down the “old man” of the tournament that at the end poor Jan couldn’t even remember what the result was. Looking drained and tired after his “trip” to Planet Shirov, Timman mistakenly wrote ½–½ on the scoresheet, which subsequently was given out to all and sundry in the press room as the final result – hell when you’ve got an impending deadline!

With an easy start to the tournament, can Alexei keep it going to cause an upset for Kasparov, Kramnik and Anand? Well, as we head into the decisive second week of Wijk, the pressure is going to mount for him as he comes face to face with some tough opposition – particularly his last four opponents: Kasparov, Anand, Ivanchuk, Kramnik and Morozevich!

Timman,J (2629) - Shirov,A (2718) [D03]

1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Bg5 Ne4! For my money the best antidote to the Torre Attack! All club-standard players should do a little research in this line, as Black has a nice, big plus score with this move. The Black plan is very simple, easy to understand - yet very effective! 4 Bh4 After 4 Bf4, Black basically gets a London System with the extra move of ..Ne4. 4 ..c5 5 c3 Nc6 6 e3 Qb6 7 Qb3 c4 8 Qc2 Bf5 9 Nh4 Bd7 10 Nf3 g6 11 h3 Bg7 12 Be2 0–0 13 0–0 Rfc8 14 Nbd2 Bf5 15 Qc1 Qd8 16 Nxe4 Bxe4 17 Nd2 Bf5 18 Rd1 b5 19 Bf3 Bd3 20 e4 e5 21 dxe5 Nxe5 22 Bxe5 Bxe5 23 exd5 Bf4 24 b3 Qf6 25 Qb2 Be5 26 Rac1 b4 27 Nxc4 Bxc3 28 Rxc3 bxc3 29 Qa3 c2 30 Rc1 Bxc4 31 bxc4 Rxc4 0–1 Stranjakovitch,J-Sherbakov,R/Paris 1993. 4 ..c5 5 dxc5 Nc6 6 e3 g6 7 Nbd2 Nxc5 8 Nb3 Bg7 9 c3 9 Nxc5 Qa5+ 10 c3 Qxc5 11 Qb3 0–0 9 ..Ne4 10 Bd3 0–0 11 Bxe4 dxe4 12 Qxd8 Rxd8 13 Nfd4 13 Nfd2?! f5 14 Nd4 (14 0–0–0 b6!) 14 ..Nxd4 15 cxd4 Kf7! and Black has a big plus. 13 ..Ne5!?

Black could easily have claimed an advantage after 13 ..Nxd4 14 exd4 (14 cxd4 f6 15 Ke2 (15 0–0 Be6 16 Rfc1 Rac8) 15 ..b6! As it is, Shirov's after bigger fish.) 14 Bxe7 Re8 15 Ba3 White has to defend b2. 15 ..Nd3+ 16 Ke2 b6! 17 f4 Timman had to play f4 now: 17 Nb5 Be5! 18 f4 exf3+! 19 gxf3 (19 Kxd3 fxg2 20 Rhg1 Bh3 21 N3d4 Bxh2) 19 ..Ba6 20 Kxd3 Bxb5+ 21 c4 Rad8+ and Black's winning. 17 ..a5 The most strikingly obvious move is Ba6, but, as good as it looks, the problem Shirov has with it is that he has no breaks: 17 ..Ba6 18 Kd2 Nf2 19 Rhg1 Rad8 20 g4 and the knight blockade on d4 is unbreachable - Hence Shirov's move and his next. 18 Nc1 b5 19 Nxb5

Why not exchange immediately the troublesome infiltrator on d3? The truth be told, I think Timman started to worry about lines opening towards his king in the centre of the board - especially against the likes of Shirov! 19 Nxd3!? exd3+ 20 Kxd3 Ba6 21 Kd2 b4 22 cxb4 Rad8 23 Rae1! Bxd4 24 exd4 Rxd4+ 25 Kc3 (25 Kc2? Rc8+!) 25 ..Rc4+ 26 Kb3 Rb8 27 b5 Bxb5 28 Be7 Rd4! and White's still got problems with the king. 19 ..Ba6 20 c4 Bxb5 21 cxb5 Rac8 22 Rd1 Rc2+ 23 Kf1 Rf2+ 23 ..Bxb2 24 Bxb2 Nxb2 25 Re1 Nd3 26 Nxd3 exd3 27 b6! Rb8 28 Rab1 Rxa2 29 Red1 and the most likely outcome is a draw. 24 Kg1 Nxb2 25 Re1?! 25 Bxb2!? Rxb2 26 Nb3 a4 (26 ..Rc8 27 Rac1!) 27 Nd4 a3 (27 ..Rc8 28 Nc6!) 28 g4 Rb8 and Black can claim an advantage in this endgame. 25 ..Rc2 26 Bxb2 Rxb2 27 a4?

Whilst the ending after 27 Nb3 a4 28 Nd4 Bxd4 29 exd4 Rxb5 is bit awkward for Timman - The White pawns on a2 and d4 are weak, and the strong, Black a-pawn, coupled with the more active rooks, is good for Shirov - it was his best hope now. 27 ..Rc8! 28 Kf1 28 Ra2? Rxc1! 28 ..Bc3 29 Rd1 Bb4 Shirov has a decisive advantage now. 30 Na2 Bd2 31 Rdb1 Rcc2 Also an option was 31 ..Rxb1+!? 32 Rxb1 Bxe3 33 b6 Rc2 34 b7 Bxf4 35 Nc1 Bxh2 36 b8Q+ (36 Ne2 Bb8) 36 ..Bxb8 37 Rxb8+ Kg7 38 Nb3 Rc4 39 Nxa5 Rxa4 40 Nc6 f5 with advantage to Black. 32 Rxb2 Rxb2 33 Nc1 Bxe3 34 Ne2 f5 35 g3 Kf7 36 Ra3 Rb1+ 37 Kg2 Bb6 38 Ra2?

Hmmm, difficult - But how about this for a spirited defence? 38 Rc3!? Rb4 39 Rc6 Bd8 40 Nc3 Rb2+ 41 Kf1, and at least White has managed to activate to the maximum his pieces. 38 ..Ke6 A minor slip in time-trouble. Shirov could have kept the relentless pressure up with 38 ..Rb4! 39 Nc3 Ke6 40 Kf1 (40 Rd2 Rc4!) 40 ..Bd4 41 Ne2 Be3 and White's running out of moves. 39 Rc2 Kd7 40 Rc6 Be3 41 h4 41 Ra6? Re1 42 Nc3 Bd4! 43 Nd5 Rg1+ 44 Kh3 e3 45 Nxe3 Bxe3 46 Rxa5 Rb1! 41 ..Rb2 42 Kf1 Rb1+ 43 Kg2 Rb4!

The main difference is going to be the fact that White can't stop the a-pawn, while Black can stop the b-pawn! 44 h5 gxh5 45 Rh6 Rxa4 46 Rxh7+ Kd6 47 Rxh5 Ra2 48 Kf1 Ra1+ 49 Kg2 Ra2 50 Kf1 Ra1+ 51 Kg2 "Draw?" 51 ..Re1! "No!" 52 Nc3 Rg1+! 53 Kh2 Rc1 54 Rh6+ Kd7 55 Rh7+ Ke6 56 Rh6+ Kd7 57 Rh7+ Ke6 58 Rh6+ Kf7 59 Rc6 Rc2+ 60 Kh3 Bg1! 61 Kh4 Bd4 62 Nd5 Rxc6 63 bxc6 Ke6 64 Nc7+ Ke7 65 Nb5 Bb2 0–1

Joining the Russian duo of Kasparov and Kramnik in second equal is another Russian to make it a trio – Alexander Morozevich! Weird Al immediately hit back after his setback of the previous round when he lost horribly to Mickey Adams. His poor victim? None other than the hapless back marker, Sergei Tiviakov, who squandered a good shot to salvage a possible draw.

Faced with a difficult position with very little time left on the clock, Tiviakov looks as though he chooses the wrong option.

36 axb3? Taking on f3 seems to offer better chances as it seems to lead to an opposite coloured bishop ending - fertile drawing ground: 36 Bxf3!? bxa2+ 37 Ka1 Qc1+ 38 Kxa2 Qxd2 39 h4 Qf4 40 Qe4! Qxe4 (40 ..Qg3 41 b4! h6 (41 ..Bg7 42 Qe8+ Bf8 43 Qe4=) 42 gxh6 Bxh6 43 h5! Qh2+ 44 Qe2) 41 Bxe4 Bg7 42 Ka3 f5 (42 ..f6 43 b4 fxg5 44 hxg5 Kf7 45 b5 Bd4 46 Kb4 Bb6 (46 ..Ke8 47 Ka5 Kd7 48 b6 Kc8 49 Ka6 Kb8 50 b7 Be3 51 Bc2 Bxg5 52 Kb6 Bf6 53 Kc6 Be5) 47 Kc4 Ke7 48 Bf3 Be3 (48 ..Kd7 49 Bg4+ Kc7 50 Be6 Be3 51 Bg8! h5 52 gxh6 Bxh6 53 Be6=) ) 43 Bf3 Bd4 44 b4 Kf7 45 Ka4 Bf2 46 h5 Be3 47 b5 Bb6 (47 ..Bxg5 48 b6 Be3 49 Kb5 Ke7 50 Kc6 g5 51 Bd1!=) 48 Kb4= 36 ..Rxb3 37 Rc2 37 Bd1 Rb8 38 Qe3 Bg7! with strong pressure on b2. 37 ..Qb6 38 Bd1? Maybe the immediate 38 Qa8 was better.

38 ..Re3! 39 Qa8 Rb3 More decisive is the immediate 39 ..Qd4! 40 Rc1 Re1 41 Qa4 Qxd5 42 h4 (42 Qg4 h5!) 42 ..h6 43 Qb3 (43 Bb3 Qd3+ 44 Bc2 Rxc1+ 45 Kxc1 Qe3+ 46 Kb1 hxg5 47 hxg5 Qxg5) 43 ..Qe4+ 44 Ka2 Qxh4 and Black easily wins. 40 Ka2 Rb5! 41 Kb1 Ra5 42 Qe8 Qg1 43 Rc1 Qxg5 44 Bf3 Ra1+ 45 Kxa1 Qxc1+ 46 Ka2 Qc4+ 47 b3 Qc2+ 48 Ka3 Qxh2 49 b4 Qe5 50 Qxe5 dxe5 51 Ka4 f5 52 b5 e4 53 Bd1 Bd6 54 b6 Kf7 55 Kb5 h5 0–1

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center.