Homepage Rochade Kuppenheim

The Scotsman

Chess News March 2001

to "The Scotsman" chess column


2001-03-30

DESPITE a last round hiccup that led to Terence Chapman Grand Prix leader GM Keith Arkell losing out in the prize money at one of the UK's biggest weekend tournaments, the 25th Blackpool Congress, the Derby-based GM still retains a commanding lead in the race for the 5,000(UK) first prize and the 2001 title.

Arkell, who got off to a flyer in this year's GP race, opened up a colossal lead after scoring 100 per cent results at Crewe and the Greater Manchester Winter Congress in Wigan, and sharing equal first in Dyfed with Julian Hodgson. Just a quarter of the way through the GP season, Arkell already has 158.0 points in the race to 200, with IM Matthew Turner in second on 117.1.

The player that stopped the Grand Prix leader in his tracks in the last round at Blackpool was none other than the leader of the Senior Prix, the forgotten US Master, IM James T Sherwin - the player who was immortalised by having the distinction of being Bobby Fischer's first "victim" in his monumental book, "My 60 Memorable Games".

Sherwin was a major figure in the US game in the 1950s and was a contemporary, and regular opponent of, Fischer, Reshevsky, Evans, Benko, Bisguier, Lombrady, Rossolimo, Saidy and the Byrne brothers, to name but a few. In amongst that illustrious company, he has a record of coming 3rd in the US Championship four times, and 4th three times. In 1958, he took part in the 4th World Championship Interzonal at Portoroz, with Fischer and Benko, won by Tal in his prime.

However, Sherwin never reached the dizzy heights of some of his more famous opponents as he always regarded chess as "simply a hobby." Whilst others went on in the 1960s to become big names in the game, he instead pursued a more conventional career in international finance.

Ultimately, this lead to Sherwin, much like the misguided former American world champion Bobby Fischer, more or less declaring himself persona non grata in his homeland due to a "little local difficulties" with the authorities.

He became embroiled in a major Wall Street scandal that resulted in three lengthy court cases where he faced the legendary prosecutor, Rudy Giuliani (now mayor of New York). Despite winning all three cases on appeal, the whole experience upset Sherwin so much that he decided, rather than face the wrath of a defeated Giuliani and the threat of further investigation, he would be safer living elsewhere.

In 1999, at the age of 65, he retired to a little village on the outskirts of Bristol in the South West of England, to end his 30+ years sabbatical from the game. Now a regular on the UK circuit, he is lobbying to be allowed to play in this year's Smith & Williamson British Championships in Scarborough.

 

Blackpool Congress

1-2 IM D Gormally (Hackney), IM J Sherwin (USA) 4.5/5; 3-5 M Surtees (Bolton), GM M Hebden (Beeson Gregory), IM R Palliser (Barbican 4NCL) 4.

 

K Arkell - J Sherwin
25th Blackpool Congress (5), Slav Defence

1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 dxc4 5 a4 Bf5 6 Nh4 Bc8 7 e3 Bg4 8 f3 Bh5 9 g4 Bg6 10 Bxc4 e6 11 g5 Nd5 12 e4 Nb4 13 Be3 Bh5 14 Ng2 h6 15 gxh6 g6 16 Qd2 Bxf3 17 0-0 Bxg2 18 Kxg2 Qh4 19 Bg5 Bxh6 20 Bxh4 Bxd2 21 Bf6 Rh7 22 Rad1 Nc2 23 Rxd2 Ne3+ 24 Kg3 Nxc4 25 Re2 Nd7 26 Bg5 e5 27 d5 Rc8 28 b3 Nd6 29 dxc6 Rxc6 30 Nd5 Rc5 31 Nf6+ Nxf6 32 Rxf6 Rc6 33 Kg4 Kd7 34 h4 Kc7 35 Rf3 Ne8 36 Ref2 Nd6 37 Bf6 Rc5 38 Be7 f5+ 39 exf5 gxf5+ 40 Rxf5 Rxe7 41 R5f3 e4 42 Re3 Rg7+ 43 Kh3 a5 44 Rf4 Rc1 45 Rg3 Rh1+ 46 Kg2 Rg1+ 47 Kxg1 Rxg3+ 48 Kh2 Rxb3 49 h5 e3 50 Rf1 e2 51 Rc1+ Kd7 52 h6 Rb4 53 Kh3 Nf5 0-1

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-29

TWO legends of the chessboard held, within a day of each other, milestone birthdays last week that was celebrated to the full in Russia.

Former world champion Vassily Smyslov (1957-1958) celebrated his 80th birthday, and was honoured by the world chess federation, FIDE, with a reception in Moscow after the FIDE.COM match between Alexander Khalifman and Nigel Short. Alas, due to ill health and failing eyesight, the once majestic Smyslov can no longer play in active competition.

Fortunately (though unfortunately for his opponents!) for the sprightly 70-year-old Viktor Korchnoi (who also this year celebrates the 25th anniversary of his defection from the USSR), the three-time world championship challenger is still in robust health and defying the odds by continuing to play at the top level despite his advancing years.

Regarded as one of the toughest and most tenacious players of all time, the venerable Viktor has had major tournament wins to his name in the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 90s - and I wouldn't rule out the 00s either!

Now a citizen of Switzerland, he returned at the weekend to his home city of St. Petersburg where they held a special double-round speed tournament there in his honour - with Viktor, of course, being the star attraction. One of the highlights was undoubtedly today's sixth round tussle he had with another legend, former Candidate Mark Taimanov.

 

Korchnoi at 70

1 GM K Sakaev (Russia) 8/10; 2-3 GM V Korchnoi (Switzerland), GM S Rublevsky (Russia) 6; 4 GM V Popov (Russia) 5.5; 5 G Chepukaitis (Russia) 3; 6 GM M Taimanov (Russia) 1.5.

 

V Korchnoi - M Taimanov
Korchnoi at 70 (6), Nimzo Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 c5 5 dxc5 0-0 6 a3 Bxc5 7 Nf3 b6 8 Bg5 Bb7 9 e3 Nc6 10 Rd1 Be7 11 Be2 Ne8 12 Bf4 Rc8 13 0-0 a6 14 Qb1 d6 15 b4 Qc7 16 c5 bxc5 17 bxc5 Nd8 18 Ne4 Bxe4 19 Qxe4 Qxc5 20 Bxa6 Rb8 21 a4 Rb4 22 Rd4 d5 23 Qd3 Nc6 24 Rxb4 Nxb4 25 Qe2 Nd6 26 Bb5 Ne4 27 Be5 Bd6 28 Bd4 Qc7 29 Qb2 f6 30 Rc1 Qb7 31 Nd2 Bxh2+ 32 Kxh2 Nxf2 33 Qxb4 Nd3 34 Qxf8+ Kxf8 35 Bxd3 e5 36 Bc5+ Kg8 37 Bb5 Qb8 38 Kg1 h5 39 Nf1 h4 40 Rd1 Qa8 41 Bb6 g5 42 a5 g4 43 a6 d4 44 exd4 h3 45 Ne3 Qe4 46 dxe5 f5 47 a7 f4 48 Bc4+ Kg7 49 Bd5 h2+ 50 Kh1 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-28

IS this future for chess - all the major players playing in direct competition to each other?

According to the governing body, FIDE, this is their intention to try and force established events - like Wijk aan Zee, Linares and Dortmund, who recently joined together against their proposals - to play in their Grand Prix that starts next month.

In a recent interview, Artiom Tarasov, the head of FIDE Commerce, was asked what would happen to tournaments that didn't join the GP? He came in heavy with the Soprano-like reply: "In certain cases...we will organise new tournaments in the capital cities of some of these countries. This would be a slightly unfortunate situation for some events as the new Grand Prix events will be likely to take place at the same time as those events rejecting our proposal."

Whether by accident or not, the first visible sign of tournaments in direct competition was seen recently with the FIDE World Cup of Rapidplay in Cannes taking place at the same time as the long-established Melody Amber tournament in Monte Carlo.

The whole idea is to try and make money out of chess [and in particular all the internet and television rights] by having a firm grip on all the tournaments.

Alexander Khalifman and Nigel Short played a televised match (which Short won 2-1) with a prize fund of $15,000 in Moscow on Monday for the FIDE.COM Cup. This, and the World Cup of Rapid Chess, marks the start of heavy involvement of Octagon Marketing Ltd in FIDE events.

 

A Khalifman - N Short
FIDE.COM Trophy Cup (3), French Defence

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 b6 4 c3 Qd7 5 Nd2 c5 6 Ndf3 Ba6 7 Ne2 Nc6 8 h4 0-0-0 9 a3 f6 10 b4 fxe5 11 dxe5 Nh6 12 Bg5 Re8 13 bxc5 Bxc5 14 Ned4 Bxf1 15 Kxf1 Rhf8 16 Bxh6 gxh6 17 Qe2 Na5 18 Nd2 Kb8 19 g3 Rc8 20 Kg2 Rfe8 21 N4b3 Nxb3 22 Nxb3 Qa4 23 Nxc5 Rxc5 24 Qe3 h5 25 Rhc1 Rec8 26 Qg5 Qe4+ 27 Kg1 Qg6 28 Qe3 Rc4 29 Rab1 Re4 30 Qd2 Rxh4 31 Rb4 Rhc4 32 a4 h4 33 Kh2 hxg3+ 34 fxg3 Rg8 35 Rg1 Rxb4 36 cxb4 Qh5+ 37 Kg2 Qxe5 38 Qd3 Rg4 39 Rf1 Qe4+ 40 Qxe4 Rxe4 41 Rh1 Rxb4 42 Rxh7 Rxa4 43 Kf3 e5 44 g4 e4+ 45 Kg3 Ra3+ 46 Kf4 Rf3+ 47 Ke5 Rg3 48 Kxd5 Rxg4 0-1

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-27

WITH relative ease, former world champion Garry Kasparov defeated his fellow countryman Evgeny Bareev 1.5-0.5 in the final, to win the 1st FIDE World Cup of Rapidplay in Cannes.

The victory was also Kasparov's third successive tournament win since losing his world crown to Vladimir Kramnik, and defeating the new champions second, Bareev, in the final, must have given the former champion some sort of personal revenge over the group that so successfully plotted his downfall.

Kasparov, who turns 38 in April, lifted the Ze Bank Trophy and the $20,000 first prize in the tournament organised by the French Chess Association on behalf of the world governing body, FIDE.

The only problem Kasparov had in the tournament was his semi-final tussle against the promising young 17-year-old Muscovite, Alexander Grischuk, who, after holding the No.1 seed to two draws in the normal time control games, collapsed 2-0 in the playoffs. Bareev, meanwhile, had an easier path to the final with a comfortable 1.5-0.5 win over the world's top female player, Judit Polgar.

Under severe time pressure, Bareev resigned game two with only a few seconds left on his clock - despite the fact the end position looks as if it is simply drawn! The most logical continuation is: 44 Kd3 Kc6 45 Kc4 Kd6 46 Kb5 Kd5 47 Kxa5 Ke4 48 a4 Kxf4 49 Kb6 Kg3 50 a5 f4 51 a6 f3 52 a7 f2 53 a8Q f1Q, with a draw.

 

G Kasparov - E Bareev
World Cup of Rapid Chess (1.2), French Def. Tarrasch

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 Ngf3 Nc6 5 exd5 exd5 6 Bb5 Bd6 7 dxc5 Bxc5 8 0-0 Nge7 9 Nb3 Bd6 10 Re1 0-0 11 Bg5 h6 12 Bh4 Bg4 13 Bg3 a6 14 Be2 Re8 15 Nfd4 Bxe2 16 Rxe2 Qd7 17 Bxd6 Qxd6 18 Qe1 Kf8 19 Qc3 Nxd4 20 Nxd4 Nc6 21 Rae1 Qb4 22 Qxb4+ Nxb4 23 Kf1 Rxe2 24 Kxe2 Re8+ 25 Kd2 Rxe1 26 Kxe1 Ke7 (26 ..Nxa2? 27 c3 b5 28 Kd1!) 27 Kd2 g6 28 a3 Nc6 29 Nxc6+ bxc6 30 c4! Kd6 31 Kd3 a5 32 b3 Kc5 33 cxd5 Kxd5 34 Kc3 h5 35 h4 f6 36 Kd3 g5 37 g3 gxh4 38 gxh4 f5 39 f3 Ke5 40 Ke3 c5 41 f4+ Kd6 42 Kd2 Kc6 43 Kc3 Kb5 44 Kd3 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-26

SPEAKING after her superb performance recently in Linares, Judit Polgar, the world's top female player, thought that a top ten place and a 2700+ rating could be a realistic goal for her in the near future.

In the FIDE World Cup of Rapidplay in Cannes, she's showing the sort of consistent performance needed for her to become the first female player to enter the elite "2700 club", as she knocked out the No.2 seed to become the first player to book a semi-final place.

Following a play-off with Peter Svidler and Joel Lautier for the fourth qualifying place from the tough Group A section, she won through to join Garry Kasparov, Evgeny Bareev and Alexander Grischuk in the quarter finals.

They were joined in the quarterfinals by the four qualifiers from Group B, joint winners Mikhail Gurevich and Mickey Adams and the French duo of Etienne Bacrot and Vladislav Tkachiev, the former Kazak GM who now lives in France.

Facing England's Mickey Adams, Polgar became the first player to clinch a semi-final place after winning 1.5-0.5. In the semi-final, she will now play Bareev, who defeated the former French wunderkind Bacrot, 1.5-0.5.

No.1 seed Garry Kasparov, who convincingly won Group A, also easily moved forward to the semi-finals after defeating Tkachiev 1.5-0.5. In the longest match up so far of the FIDE Rapid World Cup, it took seven decisive games to separate Alexander Grischuk and Belgium's Mikhail Gurevich, before the 17-year-old Muscovite finally won through 4-3. Grischuk now faces Kasparov in the second semi-final match.

 

M Adams - J Polgar
FIDE Rapid World Cup (1.2), Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 b3 b6 4 d4 cxd4 5 Nxd4 Bb7 6 Nb5 Na6 7 N1c3 Nc5 8 Bf4 Rc8 9 Qd4 Nf6 10 f3 Na6 11 Nd6+ Bxd6 12 Bxd6 Nb8 13 Qd2 a6 14 a4 Ng8 15 Bc4 Ne7 16 0-0 0-0 17 Rad1 Nbc6 18 Kh1 Re8 19 Bd3 Ng6 20 f4 e5 21 f5 Nf4 22 Ne2 Nxd3 23 Qxd3 Nd4 24 f6 Re6 25 Be7 Qe8 26 Qg3 g6 27 Nxd4 exd4 28 Rxd4 h6 29 c4 b5 30 axb5 axb5 31 cxb5 Kh7 32 Qf4 Rc2 33 Re1 Qa8 34 h4 Qa5 35 b4 Qxb5 36 Bf8 Qh5 37 Kg1 d5 38 e5 Rc4 39 Bc5 Rc2 40 Qf3 Rxe5 41 Rxe5 Qxe5 42 h5 Rc1+ 43 Kf2 Qe1# 0-1

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-23

THE chess spotlight falls on the South of France, with a stellar line-up including, to name but a few, Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, Vishy Anand, Michael Adams, Alexander Morozevich, Boris Gelfand, Vassily Ivanchuk, Judit Polgar and Anatoly Karpov...all playing within a few kilometres of each other in different tournaments!

The Metropole Palace Hotel in Monaco yet again plays host to Dutch philanthropist Joop van Oosterom's 10th annual Melody Amber tournament, an event held in honour of the birthday of his daughter of the same name. Veselin Topalov, Anand, Kramnik and Peter Leko lead the field by 1.5-points, in this novel event that consisting of two disciplines: Rapidplay and Blindfold Chess.

Meanwhile, just a short trip down the road in Cannes, despite stressing that his contract is with the French Chess Federation, Kasparov has come in from the cold to play in his first FIDE event since the Yerevan Olympiad of 1996, The World Cup of Rapidplay.

In typical Kasparov fashion, the former world champion stormed into a 3.5/4 lead as he obliterated the field in his group. He now leads Group A by a full point ahead of Bareev, Polgar Svidler and Lautier. In Group B, Mikhail Gurevich, on 3/4, has a half-point lead over Michael Adams and Alexander Morozevich.

Much as in the Cap D'Agde, the top four finishers in each group will go on to a second group all-play-all phase. Then there will be a semi-final phase and the top two will play in the final on Sunday.

 

G Kasparov - E Bareev
Rapidplay World Cup (1), French Defence

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 Ngf3 Nf6 5 e5 Nfd7 6 c3 Nc6 7 Bd3 Qb6 8 0-0 g6 9 dxc5 Nxc5 10 Nb3 Nxd3 11 Qxd3 Bg7 12 Bf4 0-0 13 Qd2 Bd7 14 Rfe1 a5 15 Bh6 a4 16 Bxg7 Kxg7 17 Nbd4 Na5 18 Rab1 Nc4 19 Qf4 Qd8 20 h4 h6 21 Qg3 Qe7 22 Ne2 Kh7 23 Nf4 Rg8 24 Re2 Raf8 25 Rbe1 Rc8 26 Nh2 g5 27 Nh5 gxh4 28 Qh3 Rg5 29 Nf6+ Kg7 30 f4 Rg6 31 Nhg4 Rh8 32 Nh5+ Kf8 33 Ngf6 Bc6 34 Qxh4 a3 35 b3 Nb2 36 Kh2 Qc5 37 Re3 d4 38 Rg3 dxc3 39 Rxg6 fxg6 40 Nd7+ Bxd7 41 Qf6+ 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-21

DESPITE a valiant last round effort, the United States Chess Team found the going tough as they tried to overhaul the two-point deficit to tie their Chess Summit Match in Seattle with China.

The US won two games but also lost two (with six drawn) to tie the fourth rubber 5-5, but lose the match 21-19. Overall, China, who are now emerging from the wilderness to become a force to be reckoned with in the game, won 11 games to the US's 9 and 20 games were drawn.

As expected, in the games on the top six boards, the US managed a fine result scoring 13.5 points to 10.5. Larry Christiansen and Gregory Kaidanov shared most valuable player honours by both earning 3 points from their four games. For China, Zhang Zhong scored an impressive 3 points as well to also take most valuable player honours.

Despite many predicting the Chinese ladies would sway the balance of power in the match, it was, however, the outstanding performance on the two Junior boards that won China the match. China was clearly better as they racked up an amazing 6/8(!). The world's youngest grandmaster, Bu Xianggzhi, scored 2/3, but the find of the match was the relatively unknown Ni Hua, 17, from Shanghai, who top-scored in the match with an undefeated 3.5/4.

 

USA 5-5 China

1 B Gulko draw Yin Hao; 2 Y Seirawan draw Xu Jun; 3 G Kaidanov draw Peng Xiaomin; 4 J Benjamin draw Zhang Zong; 5 A Ivanov 1-0 Xie Jun; 6 L Christiansen 1-0 Zhu Chen; 7 I Krush draw Wang Lei; 8 C Baginskaite draw Qin Kanying; 8 V Bhat 0-1 Bu Xiangzhi; 10 H Nakamura 0-1 Ni Hua.

 

Ni Hua - H Nakamura
US-China Chess Summit (4), Sicilian c3

1 e4 c5 2 c3 Nf6 3 e5 Nd5 4 d4 cxd4 5 Nf3 Nc6 6 Bc4 Nb6 7 Bb3 d5 8 exd6 Qxd6 9 Na3 a6 10 0-0 Be6 11 Bxe6 Qxe6 12 Nxd4 Nxd4 13 Qxd4 Rd8 14 Qh4 Qc6 15 Nc2 e6 16 Nd4 Qc7 17 Bg5 Be7 18 Nf5 exf5 19 Bxe7 Rd7 20 Bf6 gxf6 21 Rae1+ Re7 22 Qxf6 Rg8 23 Rxe7+ Qxe7 24 Qxb6 Qe4 25 f3 Qe2 26 Qf2 Qxf2+ 27 Kxf2 Ke7 28 Rd1 Rc8 29 Ke3 h6 30 Rd4 Rc6 31 Kf4 Kf6 32 g3 Ke6 33 Rd8 Rc4+ 34 Ke3 Rc6 35 Rh8 Ke5 36 f4+ Kd5 37 Re8 Rf6 38 Re5+ Kc6 39 c4 b6 40 b4 Kd7 41 Kd4 Kd8 42 a4 Kd7 43 a5 bxa5 44 Rxa5 Ke7 45 Re5+ Kd7 46 b5 axb5 47 cxb5 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-20

CHINA'S woman's world champion, Xie Jun, led a rout of the Americans in the third round of the Chess Summit Match at the Harbor Club in downtown Seattle, as the Chinese stormed into a 16-14 lead in the competition after a decisive 6.5-3.5 win.

Surprisingly, Xie Jun, who is considered a national heroine in her homeland, might not have been so good at chess if it wasn't for the fact that, as a child, she showed outstanding promise at the more popular Chinese version of chess, xiangqi.

In 1980, at the age of ten when she became the Beijing Girls Champion, the authorities instructed her to give up xiangqi as there was already a better player in the city. Instead, they decided that she should try her "luck" at the western form of chess. Starting from scratch, and knowing nothing about chess, Xie Jun turned out to be a true natural at the game.

By 1988, she was just a promising junior who had never even seen a grandmaster, let alone beaten one. But, such was her development, by 1991 she was not only challenging for the world title but in fact shocked the world when she ended the 13-year reign of Maya Chiburdanidze to become China's first world champion. After losing her crown in 1996 to Zsusza Polgar, she regained her title again last year.

 

USA 3.5-6.5 China

1 B Gulko 0-1 Ye Jiangchuan; 2 Y Seirawan draw Xu Jun; 3 G Kaidanov 1-0 Peng Xiaomin; 4 A Shabalov 0-1 Zhang Zhong; 5 A Ivanov 0-1 Xie Jun; 6 L Christiansen 1-0 Zhu Chen; 7 I Krush 0-1 Wang Lei; 8 C Baginskaite draw Qin Kanying; 9 V Bhat draw Wang Yue; 10 D Schneider 0-1 Ni Hua.

 

Xie Jun - A Ivanov
US-China Summit Match (3), Spanish Defence

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 d3 d6 7 c3 0-0 8 Re1 b5 9 Bc2 Bb7 10 Nbd2 Nb8 11 Nf1 Nbd7 12 h3 Re8 13 Ng3 Bf8 14 d4 g6 15 b3 c6 16 Bg5 Bg7 17 Qd2 Qe7 18 Rad1 Qf8 19 Be3 Rad8 20 Qc1 Rc8 21 Ng5 h6 22 Nf3 a5 23 Nd2 exd4 24 cxd4 c5 25 d5 Ba6 26 f4 c4 27 bxc4 bxc4 28 Nf3 Nc5 29 e5 Nfd7 30 e6 Nf6 31 Bxc5 Rxc5 32 Qe3 Kh8 33 e7 Qg8 34 Ba4 Rxd5 35 Bxe8 Qxe8 36 Qb6 Bb5 37 Rxd5 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-19

THE USA continues to defy the odds by holding on to their slender lead in their Chess Summit match against China being played at the Harbor Club of the Norton Building in downtown Seattle, in the US.

In round two, the USA, who are the underdogs in the match, were unlucky not to win again as they continue to hold the Chinese at bay with a 5-5 draw. This gives the USA an overall lead of 10.5-9.5 in the best of four-game series.

Making an electrifying debut in one of the two junior boards in round two was the competitions youngest player, 13-year-old Hikaru Nakamura. A chess prodigy for several years now, the teenager recently made a big breakthrough in the game when he became America's youngest International Master after he won the Eger International in Hungary to gain his third and final norm.

Despite losing to Ni Hua, Nakamura at lest set the match alight when he went down in a blaze of glory in a complicated line of the Sicilian Scheveningen, which for 27-moves followed a recent encounter between elite players Vishy Anand and Alexei Shirov. In that game, Anand wisely decided to defend f7 first with 27 ..Bd5!

 

USA 5-5 China

1 B Gulko draw Ye Jiangchuan; 2 Xu Jun draw Y Seirawan; 3 G Kaidanov 1-0 Peng Xiangchuan; 4 Zhang Zhong draw A Shabalov; 5 J Benjamin draw Xie Jun; 6 Zhu Chen draw L Christiansen; 7 I Krush draw Xu Yuhua; 8 Wang Lei 1-0 E Groberman; 9 V Bhat 1-0 Bu Xiangzhi; 10 Ni Hua 1-0 N Nakamura.

 

Ni Hua - H Nakamura
US-China Summit Match (2)
Sicilian Scheveningen

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 e6 7 f3 b5 8 g4 h6 9 Qd2 Bb7 10 0-0-0 Nbd7 11 h4 b4 12 Na4 Qa5 13 b3 Nc5 14 a3 Nxa4 15 axb4 Qc7 16 bxa4 d5 17 e5 Nd7 18 f4 Nb6 19 f5 Nxa4 20 fxe6 Nc3 21 exf7+ Kxf7 22 Bd3 Bxb4 23 Qf2+ Kg8 24 Rdf1 Ba3+ 25 Kd2 Ne4+ 26 Bxe4 dxe4 27 g5 Rc8 (27 ..Bd5!) 28 Qf5 Qc3+ (28 ..Qc4!?) 29 Kd1 Bd5 30 e6 Qa1+ 31 Ke2 Bc4+ 32 Kf2 Qxf1+ 33 Rxf1 Rf8 34 g6! Rxf5+ 35 Nxf5 Bxf1 36 Kxf1 Kf8 37 Bd4 Rg8 38 c4 Ke8 39 Ke2 Rf8 40 Nxg7+ Ke7 41 Ke3 Rd8 42 Kxe4 a5 43 c5 a4 44 Ke5 Rg8 45 Nf5+ Kd8 46 g7 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-16

THE USA vs. China Chess Summit Match got underway yesterday in the glorious setting of the Harbor Club within the Norton Buildings in downtown Seattle, with the USA defying the pre-match odds in the first game by taking the honours on the opening day with a 5.5-4.5 win.

Organised by the Seattle Chess Foundation, the intriguing four-game match features the top six players from each country, plus two top women and two top juniors in battle.

And, with the Chinese, with an average Elo of 2557, having a younger and more aggressive team who have strength in-depth in the two female and two junior boards, nobody gave the ageing USA squad, with an average Elo of 2475, much of a chance in this epoch-making match.

However, by a stroke of luck in the female and junior boards where the Chinese were tipped to score heavily overall in the match, the USA defied the pre-game predictions with a 2-2 score that set-up the narrow upset victory in the first rubber of the four-game match.

 

China 4.5-5.5 USA

1 Ye Jiangchuan draw Gulko; 2 J Benjamin 1-0 Xu Jun; 3 Peng Xiaomin draw G Kaidanov; 4 A Shabalov 0-1 Zhang Zong; 5 Xie Jun 0-1 A Ivanov; 6 L Christiansen draw Zhu Chen; 7 Xu Yuhua draw I Krush; 8 C Baginskaite 1-0 Qin Kanying; 9 Bu Xianghzi 1-0 V Bhat; 10 D Schneider draw Ni Hua.

 

A Shabalov - Z Zhang
Chess Summit (1), Sicilian Najdorf

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 f3 e5 7 Nb3 Be6 8 Be3 Be7 9 Qd2 h5 10 0-0-0 Nbd7 11 Kb1 Rc8 12 Bd3 Nc5 13 Nxc5 dxc5 14 Qe2 Qa5 15 Nd5 Nxd5 16 exd5 Bxd5 17 c4 Be6 18 Bd2 Qc7 19 Bc3 Bf6 20 Bc2 Ke7 21 g4 g6 22 Rd5 hxg4 23 Rxe5 g3 24 Re1 Bxe5 25 Bxe5 gxh2 26 Bxc7 h1Q 27 Be5? (27 Bd6+! Kd7 [27 ..Kxd6 28 Qd1+; 27 ..Ke8 28 Ba4+ b5 29 cxb5] 28 Be5 is good for White.) Qh4 28 Bxg6 Rhg8 29 Bc2 Qxc4 30 Qh2 Rcd8 31 b3 Qb4 32 Re2 c4 33 Kb2 cxb3 34 Bc3 Qb5 35 axb3 Rc8 36 Qh4+ Ke8 37 Rd2 Qg5 38 Qa4+ Qb5 39 Qf4 Qg5 40 Qe4 Rxc3 41 Kxc3 Qa5+ 42 Qb4 Qa1+ 43 Kd3 Qf1+ 44 Kc3 Qxf3+ 45 Kb2 Rg2 0-1

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-15

SINCE it first started in 1965, the National Open in Las Vegas has always been regarded as one of the toughest tournaments on the American circuit.

The extravagant neon-lighted resort hotels, casinos, and bars that line "The Strip" have lured many a GM there, all looking to win the serious money on offer during the four-day festival at the Riviera Hotel.

This year, apart from the attraction of the gaming tables, the seasoned pros in the US found themselves doubly out of pocket due to the mass entry of the Chinese squad, who were getting in a bit of match practice (and looking to pick-up some extra spending money) en route to Seattle for their Summit Match with the USA.

This boosted the overall strength of the National Open at the weekend, with the field of 256 containing over 30 GMs, a few WGMs and many IMs. The early signs of the pre-tournament Blitz competition with $1,000 on offer didn't look too good for the Americans, as China's GM Zhang Zong tied in first place (on 11/13) with IM Rogello Barcenilla of the Philippines.

Things didn't get any better when the star-studded National Open got underway. Zhang and Armenia's Vladimir Akopian, equal first with 5.5/6, also took the lion's share of the $55,000 prize fund on offer to edge out the Americans from the serious money.

 

National Open

1-2 GM Z Zhang (China), GM V Akopian (Armenia) 5.5/6; 3-11 GM Y Jiangchuan (China), GM A Baburin (Ireland), GM I Ibragimov (Russia), GM A Yermolinsky (USA), GM D Gurevich (USA), GM H Yin (China), GM A Stripunsky (USA), GM H Ini (China) 5.

 

Z Zhang - V Kosyrev
National Open (3), French Winawer

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 c5 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 Ne7 7 a4 Qa5 8 Bd2 Nbc6 9 Nf3 c4 10 Ng5 h6 11 Nh3 Bd7 12 Nf4 0-0-0 13 Nh5 Rhg8 14 g3 Rdf8 15 Bh3 f5 16 0-0 Be8 17 Nf4 Bf7 18 Ne2 g5 19 Bc1 Kb8 20 Ba3 Ka8 21 Qd2 Re8 22 Rfb1 Nc8 23 Bg2 Rg7 24 Rb5 Qd8 25 Rab1 Bh5 26 Nc1 f4 27 Na2 f3 28 Bf1 Bg6 29 Qd1 g4 30 h4 gxh3 31 Qxf3 Bxc2 32 Re1 Bxa4 33 Rb2 Bb3 34 Ra1 h5 35 Bxh3 Bxa2 36 Rbxa2 h4 37 g4 Qd7 38 Qe3 Reg8 39 f3 b6 40 Rg2 N8e7 41 f4 b5 42 Bc5 Kb7 43 Kh2 Nc8 44 Qf3 Nb6 45 Rb2 a6 46 Rba2 Na4 47 Bd6 Ka7 48 f5 Qf7 49 f6 Rg6 50 Rxa4 bxa4 51 Qd1 a3 52 Bxa3 Qb7 53 Rb1 Qc7 54 Bc5+ Ka8 55 Qa4 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-14

WITH the foot and mouth outbreak wrecking havoc on sporting events like rugby and horse-racing in the UK and parts of Europe, I wonder how long it will be before the authorities also decide to ban some of the large international opens in Chess?

Yet again a very large contingent made their way through northern France to Cappella la Grande as it played hosts to one of the world's largest events on the international calendar.

Each year the modest little suburb of Dunkirk, with a population of just 9,000, is overrun by more and more chess players as - thanks mainly to an enthusiastic Communist mayor - their tournament grows in popularity and stature with each edition. This year, the 17th edition, proved to be no different. Yet another record was broken with an entry of 712 participants, including 93 grandmasters and 72 IMs.

This notoriously tough open ended in a tie between GMs Vladimir Chuchelov of Belgium and Einar Gausel of Norway, both with a final score of 7.5/9. The two winners were followed by a further nine players on 7/9, with 31 ending on 6.5/9.

For the second year running the top Scot at was Kilmarnock's John Shaw, who also for the second year running found himself being edged out in the quest for his first GM norm after being defeated in a crucial game in the eighth round by the Russian GM Nikoolai Pushkova.

Scottish scores: 53= IM J Shaw (Kilmarnock) 6/9; 73= IM S Mannion (Cathcart) 6; 113= GM C McNab (Dundee) 5.5; 180= A Minnican (Edinburgh) 5.5; 227 FM T Upton (Luxembourg) 5; 357 M Shepherd (Aberdeen) 4.5.

N Pushkov - J Shaw
Cappelle la Grande (8), Slav Defence

1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 dxc4 4 a4 e5 5 dxe5 Qxd1+ 6 Kxd1 Be6 7 e4 Na6 8 f4 0-0-0+ 9 Ke2 g6 10 Be3 Bc5 11 Nf3 f6 12 h3 fxe5 13 Nxe5 Nf6 14 Kf3 Bxe3 15 Kxe3 Nc5 16 Be2 Rhe8 17 Rad1 Rxd1 18 Rxd1 Kc7 19 g4 h6 20 h4 Ncd7 21 g5 hxg5 22 hxg5 Nxe5 23 gxf6 Nd7 24 e5 g5 25 Rg1 gxf4+ 26 Kxf4 Nxe5 27 Kxe5 Bg4+ 28 Kf4 Bxe2 29 Rg7+ Kd6 30 f7 Rf8 31 Nxe2 Ke6 32 Ke4 a5 33 Nd4+ Kf6 34 Rg2 Rxf7 35 Rf2+ Ke7 36 Rxf7+ Kxf7 37 Ke5 Ke7 38 Nf5+ Kd7 39 Kd4 b5 40 Kc5 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-13

ONE intriguing piece of news I discovered recently in Spain was chess has now been accepted there as part of a credit towards a degree course at the University of Barcelona.

Around 40 students will be accepted onto the course, organised by the Mathematics Faculty, to be run be GM Luis Comas. In order to qualify, students will either have to beat the teacher in a simultaneous display or pass a special examination.

Although not a subject (yet!), two famous universities, Oxford and Cambridge, have a long and illustrious tradition of chess and hold the record for the world's longest running match. First started in 1873, luminaries such as Howard Staunton and Wilhelm Steinitz both actively encouraged and supported the fixture.

Recently the two top academia houses once again battled it out at the RAC Club in Pall Mall, London, in the 119th edition of the long-running match. And, for the third year running, by a decisive score of 5.5-2.5, Cambridge proved too powerful for Oxford as they retained the Margaret Pugh Gold Cup.

The latest victory for the Light Blues' now extends their lead in the series by a margin of three; the overall score now being 53-49 in their favour with 17 drawn.

 

Cambridge 5.5-2.5 Oxford (Cambridge White on odds)

1 K Mah 1-0 K Smallbone; 2 J Eklund 1-0 J Rudd; 3 J Vigus 1-0 M Buckley; 4 S Jayakumar draw E Dearing; 5 D Moskovic 1-0 T Chesters; 6 O Rosten draw J Conlon; 7 N Alfred 1-0 H Lang; 8 J Clifford draw I Anguelov.

J Eklund - J Rudd
Varsity Match (2), King's Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 f3 d6 6 Be3 e5 7 d5 Nh5 8 Qd2 f5 9 exf5 gxf5 10 0-0-0 Nd7 11 Bd3 Ndf6 12 Nge2 c6 13 g3 Bd7 14 h3 b5 15 dxc6 Bxc6 16 Bxf5 Bxf3 17 Rhf1 e4 18 g4 b4 19 gxh5 bxc3 20 Nxc3 Bxd1 21 h6 Re8 22 Qg2 Re7 23 Rxd1 Qa5 24 Be6+ Kh8 25 Rg1 Qc7 26 hxg7+ Rxg7 27 Bd4 Rxg2 28 Bxf6+ Rg7 29 Bxg7+ Qxg7 30 Rxg7 Kxg7 31 Nxe4 Rf8 32 Nxd6 Kf6 33 Bd5 Ke5 34 Nb5 a6 35 Nc3 Rf2 36 Bb7 a5 37 c5 Rf7 38 c6 Kd4 39 Kc2 Kc4 40 Ba6+ Kc5 41 Bb7 Kc4 42 Bc8 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-12

IT'S always been said that Spain is far in advance of any other country or society in its acceptance and dealing with the visually handicapped.

This was reinforced in Linares when, for the first time, the organisers decided to host a special ten man super-tournament, running concurrently with the main event, featuring eight former World Blind Chess Champions; all of whom have played in a composite International Blind Chess Association team that played in the last Chess Olympiad in Istanbul.

The visually handicapped play under conditions every bit as stringent as what Kasparov & Co. had to, but with modified pieces and clocks. With the aid of a Braille chess set, the light squares are about an eighth of an inch lower so the players can tell the difference. The pieces are also like ordinary pieces except they are pegged to go into the holes in the squares and so stay in place. In order to differentiate between the White and Black pieces, the Black ones have small pins or pips on the top.

Braille clocks are much like ordinary chess clocks, except there is no glass cover, which allows the players to feel the time used in a game. Blind players are also required to keep a score of the game, for which some use Braille writing, some use a Braille machine, while most tend to use a dictaphone.

With an undefeated score of 7.5/9, Russia's IM Sergey Krylov won this intriguing event in Linares, a point clear of his fellow countrymen Sergei Smirnow and Vladimir Berlinsky. On the rest day of the tournament, the top Spanish blind player Manuel Palacios Perez, played the Spanish No.1 Alexei Shirov, in an exhibition game, with Shirov playing blindfold.

 

Final scores: 1 Serguei Krylov (Russia, 2341) 7.5/9; 2-3 Vladimir Berlinski (Russia, 2377), Serguei Smirnov (Russia, 2253) 6.5; 4 Piet Devos (Belgium 2218) 6; 5 Piotr Dukaczewski (Poland, 2337) 5.5; 6 Tadeus Zoltek (Poland, 2304) 4; 7-8 Kai Bjerring (Denmark, 2311), Milenko Cabarkapa (Yugoslavia, 2188) 3.5; 9 Manuel Palacios (Spain, 2179) 2; 10 Gavril Draguici (Spain, 2128) 1.

 

S Krylov - G Draguici
Blind Linares (9), Sicilian Scheveningen

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 d6 6 f3 e6 7 Be3 Be7 8 Qd2 0-0 9 g4 d5 10 g5 Nxd4 11 Bxd4 Nd7 12 Rg1 e5 13 Bf2 d4 14 Nd5 Nb6 15 Nxe7+ Qxe7 16 c3 dxc3 17 Qxc3 Na4 18 Qb3 Bd7 19 Rd1 Rfd8 20 Bc4 Bc6 21 Rxd8+ Rxd8 22 g6 hxg6 23 Rxg6 Nb6 24 Bxb6 axb6 25 Rg2 Rd4 26 Qc3 Qh4+ 27 Rf2 b5 28 Bb3 Qg5 29 Kf1 b4 30 Qc5 Bd7 31 Rg2 Bh3 32 Qc8+ Bxc8 33 Rxg5 Bh3+ 34 Ke2 Be6 35 Bxe6 fxe6 36 Rxe5 Kf7 37 Rb5 Rd7 38 Rxb4 Kf6 39 Ke3 Rc7 40 h4 g6 41 f4 Rh7 42 Kf3 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-09

"Remember the name of Alexander Grischuk for the future - he's got great potential," was the prophetic words to me last year at Linares from Alexander Roshal, the legendary Russian chess editor.

Much like Karpov, Kasparov and Kramnik, the then relatively unknown 17-year-old is another Russian who's become the leading player of his generation - and one like the three Ks before him, he's a genuine world championship contender for the future.

The last year has proved to be the big breakthrough for the young Muscovite as he effortlessly moved onto the world stage. After strong showings in the New York Open, Reykjavik Open and North Sea Cup, he went on to big wins at the Lausanne Yong Masters, Chigorin Memorial and the Torshavn International. Not content with that, he more than played his part in Russia winning the gold medal at the recent Istanbul Olympiad.

From there he went on to even greater heights when he beat Bobby Fischer's 40-year record by going further than any other under-18 in world championship history. Losing out to Alexei Shirov in New Delhi, Grischuk at least had the conciliation of walking away with some serious pocket money - $172,000!

Although he had a two game goring at the hands of Kasparov in Linares, Grischuk's play, with wins against Karpov and Shirov, ably demonstrated that he's obviously the one to look out for in the future.

 

A Grischuk - A Shirov
Linares (9), Sicilian Najdorf

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 f3 Qb6 7 Nb3 e6 8 g4 Nc6 9 Qe2 d5 10 Be3 d4 11 Bf2 Bc5 12 a3 Qc7 13 0-0-0 Bxa3 14 bxa3 dxc3 15 Bc5 e5 16 Qe3 Nd4 17 g5 Nh5 18 Qxc3 Nxb3+ 19 cxb3 Be6 20 Kb2 Rc8 21 Bb4 Qxc3+ 22 Bxc3 f6 23 gxf6 gxf6 24 Rd6 Nf4 25 Bd2 Kf7 26 Bxf4 exf4 27 Bc4 Bxc4 28 bxc4 Rxc4 29 Rd7+ Ke6 30 Rhd1 Rc6? [30 ..Rhc8!=] 31 Rxb7 Rg8 32 Rdd7 Rg2+ 33 Kb3 Rxh2 34 Re7+ Kd6 35 Rbd7+ Kc5 36 Rd5+ Kb6 37 a4 a5 38 Rb5+ Ka6 39 Re8 Rb6 40 Ra8+ Kb7 41 Rb8+ Kxb8 42 Rxb6+ Kc7 43 Rxf6 h5 44 Rxf4 h4 45 Kc4 h3 46 Rh4 Rh1 47 Kd5 h2 48 Ke5 Rf1 49 Rxh2 Rxf3 50 Rc2+ Kb6 51 Rc4 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-08

IT'S Garry Kasparov first by a three-point margin and the rest of the field trailing last in the Linares supertorneo, which finished yesterday in Spain.

As expected without the opposition of his main rivals Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik in the top Spanish tournament, the world number one dominated the event to finish on a spectacular +5 score of 7.5/10, in the process taking his sixth outright Linares title. In comparison, there was a logjam involving the rest of the field who came equal last (or second, depending on how you look at it!) with a -1 score of 4.5/10.

Kasparov's margin at the top eclipsed by half a point the record-winning score of his old rival Anatoly Karpov, who in 1994 won here in Linares by 2.5-points. In the final round, Kasparov outplayed and out manoeuvred the rising young Muscovite star Alexander Grischuk, who was playing in his first elite event, to win the tournament in such dominating style.

Unfortunately for the world number one female player Judit Polgar, a last round defeat in a wild and complicated game at the hands of the Spanish No.1, Alexei Shirov, spoiled the chance of her achieving the best ever result for a woman in competitive chess.

 

Final scores: 1 G Kasparov (Russia) 7.5/10; 2-6 J Polgar (Hungary), A Karpov (Russia), A Shirov (Spain), P Leko (Hungary), A Grischuk (Russia) 4.5

 

G Kasparov - A Grischuk
Linares (10), Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 6 Nxc6 bxc6 7 e5 Nd5 8 Ne4 Bb7 9 Be2 c5 10 0-0 Qc7 11 Nd6+ Bxd6 12 exd6 Qc6 13 f3 c4 14 Qd4 0-0 15 Bxc4 Rfc8 16 Bxd5 Qxd5 17 Qxd5 Bxd5 18 Rf2 Rc6 19 Bf4 Rac8 20 Rc1 Ra6 21 a3 f6 22 Be3 Ra4 23 Ra1 e5 24 b3 Ra6 25 c4 Be6 26 Rd2 Rb8 27 Rd3 Rb7 28 g4 h5 29 h3 hxg4 30 hxg4 f5 31 Bc5 Rc6 32 b4 fxg4 33 fxg4 Rc8 34 Re1 Bxc4 35 Rc3 Bb5 36 Rxe5 Rf8 37 Bxa7 Bc6 38 Be3 Rbb8 39 Bg5 Rb5 40 Rcc5 Rb6 41 b5 Bf3 42 Be7 Ra8 43 Rg5 Rxa3 44 Bf6 Kf7 45 Bb2 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-06

HAVE you ever really wondered what exactly goes on behind the scenes at Don Luis Rentero's hotel Anibal in Linares?

All the answers are to be found in a wonderfully engrossing new book by the highly respected and acclaimed Dutch chess journalist Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, "Linares! Linares! A Journey into the Heart of Chess" (NIC, 9.99), which can be obtained directly from New In Chess at www.newinchess.com.

It's well known that Geuzendam is to writing about the game what Garry Kasparov is to playing it, and the English translation of his book lifts the lid on all the intrigues and conflicts surrounding the tournament and the little Andalusian town of Linares.

Why does Vassily Ivanchuk have trouble praying when he is thinking of God? Was Gata Kamsky's orange juice really poisoned? Why did Judit Polgar exclaim 'How could you do this to me?', when she confronted Kasparov in the lobby of the Hotel Anibal? Was it a coincidence that general Juan Perea's son got married in Mexico on the day when Manolete was killed in the Linares bullring? And perhaps the most intriguing question the author tries to answer: why does time come to a standstill in this provincial Spanish town when the chess players arrive?

All fascinating stuff! This must-read book on the Wimbledon of chess is nothing short of a little gem - despite the fact that it contains no games or diagrams, just the many stories behind them.

Meanwhile, in Linares, Garry Kasparov has extended his lead at the top to two points after he defeated the Spanish No.1 Alexei Shirov - again! Kasparov now has a +11 score against the lapsed Latvian who just seems to go to pieces when he comes face-to-face across the board from him.

 

Leader board: 1 G Kasparov (Russia) 6/8; 2 J Polgar (Hungary) 4; 3-6 P Leko (Hungary), A Shirov (Spain), A Grischuk (Russia), A Karpov (Russia) 3.5.

 

G Kasparov - A Shirov
Linares (8), Spanish Open

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Nxe4 6 d4 b5 7 Bb3 d5 8 dxe5 Be6 9 Nbd2 Nc5 10 c3 d4 11 Ng5 Qxg5 12 Qf3 0-0-0 13 Bxe6+ fxe6 14 Qxc6 Qxe5 15 b4 Qd5 16 Qxd5 exd5 17 bxc5 dxc3 18 Nb3 d4 19 Ba3 g6 20 Bb4 Bg7 21 a4 Kd7 22 axb5 axb5 23 Rfd1 Ke6 24 Rac1 Rhe8 25 Kf1 Kf5 26 c6 g5 27 Ba5 Rd6 28 Bb4 Rdd8 29 Rd3 g4 30 Bc5 Ke4 31 Rcd1 h5 32 Nxd4 b4 33 Re3+ Kd5 34 Bxb4 Kc4 35 Bxc3 Rxe3 36 fxe3 Rf8+ 37 Ke2 Kxc3 38 Ne6 Rf7 39 Nxg7 Rxg7 40 Rd7 Rxd7 41 cxd7 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-05

GARRY KASPAROV looks set to clinch his sixth Linares title as he stormed the tournament with a third successive win to extend his lead at the top.

Now, with just three rounds left to play in the Spanish "supertorneo", Kasparov leads his nearest rival, Judit Polgar, the world's leading female player, by a full point.

Up to this tournament Polgar had never scored a result of any description against the world No.1. Now, probably playing the best chess of her career, the former prodigy has been the only player in the field who has looked capable of taking a point off of Kasparov. In a highly entertaining seventh round dual between the two No.1's, Polgar managed to achieve her second draw against Kasparov - but only after a little bit of luck.

The former world champion Anatoly Karpov had his all-time high tournament win here in 1994, as he took first place with a record-winning score of 11/13. Now, at the end of his illustrious career, Karpov, who will be 50 in May, must wish he can turn the clock back as he trails the tournament, consigned to the bottom spot after losing in round seven to the promising Russian teenager, Alexander Grischuk.

 

Leader board: 1 G Kasparov (Russia) 5/7; 2 J Polgar (Hungary) 4; 3 A Shirov (Spain) 3.5; 4-5 P Leko (Hungary), A Grischuk (Russia) 3; 6 A Karpov (Russia) 2.5.

 

J Polgar - G Kasparov
Linares (7), Sicilian Najdorf

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 e6 7 f3 b5 8 Qd2 Nbd7 9 0-0-0 Bb7 10 g4 Nb6 11 Qf2 Nfd7 12 Bd3 Rc8 13 Nce2 Be7 14 h4 0-0 15 Kb1 Na4 16 g5 Ndc5 17 Ng3 Qc7 18 Nb3 d5 19 e5! Qxe5 20 Bd4 Qc7 21 f4 Ne4 22 Bxe4 dxe4 23 Rhe1 Bd6 24 Nh5 e5 25 c3 f6 26 gxf6 exd4 27 Nxd4 g6? (27 ..Ba3!! 28 fxg7 [28 Ne6 Qf7! 29 Qg3 Nxb2 30 Rd4 g6 31 f5 Na4 32 Re3 Bc5; 28 bxa3 Nxc3+ 29 Ka1 Nxd1 30 Rxd1 g6 31 Ne6 Qc3+] 28 ..Rf7 29 Rd2 Bxb2 30 Rxb2 Nxb2 31 Qxb2 Qxc3 32 Qxc3 Rxc3 wins) 28 f5 gxh5 29 Ne6 Nxc3+ 30 bxc3 Qxc3 31 Rxd6 Qb4+ 32 Ka1 Qc3+ 33 Kb1 Qb4+ 34 Ka1 Qc3+ 35 Kb1 draw

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-02

WITH a dazzling fifth round win over his old foe Anatoly Karpov, world number one Garry Kasparov has taken the sole lead at the halfway stage of the Linares supertorneo in Spain.

Karpov, now approaching fifty and in the twilight years of his illustrious chess career, was simply outplayed and overwhelmed by the man who took his world crown in 1985. It could be the passing of an era in this tournament as, with Karpov not a force he once used to be, their round 9 meeting could be the last time that the two titans meet over the board at classical chess.

The first meeting of the two in a world championship match in 1984 was to produce one of the longest (and controversial) matches in chess history. With the winner being decided by the "Fischer rule" first to win six games takes the crown, Karpov raced to a 5-0 lead and all but had retained his title. However, a determined young challenger dug his heels in with a wonderful rearguard action and the match lasted for five months and 48 games when, with the score at 5-3, the world chess federation, FIDE, controversially decided to abandon the match as they "feared for the safety of the health of the players".

When both returned to Moscow for a return match in 1985, Kasparov took the title to become at 22 the youngest ever world champion. Subsequently, he defended his title a further three times against the man he called his 'perpetual opponent'.

 

Leader board: 1 G Kasparov (Russia) 3.5/5; 2 J Polgar (Hungary) 3; 3-4 P Leko (Hungary), A Shirov (Spain) 2.5; 5 A Karpov (Russia) 2; 6 A Grischuk (Russia) 1.5.

 

G Kasparov - A Karpov
Linares (5), Caro-Kann Advanced

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 Bf5 4 Nc3 e6 5 g4 Bg6 6 Nge2 Ne7 7 Nf4 c5 8 dxc5 Nd7 9 h4 Nxe5 10 Bg2 h5 11 Qe2 N7c6 12 Nxg6 Nxg6 13 Bg5 Be7 14 gxh5 Nf8 15 Nb5! Nd7 16 h6 Nxc5 17 Bf4 Kf8 18 hxg7+ Kxg7 19 0-0-0 Kf8 20 Kb1 a6 21 Nc7 Rc8 22 Bxd5!! exd5 23 Rxd5 Qxc7 24 Bxc7 Rxc7 25 Rf5 Rd7 26 c3 f6 27 Rg1 Nd8 28 Qg4 Ke8 29 Rh5 Rf8 30 Rxc5 Bxc5 31 Qh5+ 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


2001-03-01

DESPITE the pre-tournament predictions for the Linares supertorneo in Spain that she would come in trailing last, Hungary's Judit Polgar, with a stunning fourth round victory over world number seven Alexei Shirov, now finds herself sharing the lead with Garry Kasparov as the tournament approach the halfway stage.

The youngest of three Hungarian sisters (all chess masters), Judit, Zsuzsa and Sofia, became know as the "Polgar phenomenon" to the world press after they were all taught at home by their psychologist father, Laszlo (and mother, Klara), who planned their entire family as an experiment to test his controversial theory that geniuses are made, not born.

All three played and studied chess to the exclusion of virtually everything from the age of four, despite objections from the Hungarian authorities. However it didn't take long for the trio to hit the headlines when, in 1984, they started attending international tournaments - and beating up the men at their own game!

Judit, 24, is beyond doubt the greatest female player in the game's history. She has proved that it is possible for a woman to compete at the very top, something she only achieved by never competing in the weaker female game. This "toughening-up" policy of playing only in Open tournaments quickly paid off for the youngest sibling. In 1991 she became the first female to win a full national title (Hungarian champion), a result that led the way for her to break the 30 year record of arch misogynist Bobby Fischer, by becoming at 15 the youngest grandmaster in the game.

 

J Polgar - A Shirov
Linares (4), Sicilian Najdorf

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 e5 7 Nb3 Be6 8 f3 Nbd7 9 Qd2 b5 10 a4 b4 11 Nd5 Bxd5 12 exd5 Nb6 13 Bxb6 Qxb6 14 a5 Qb7 15 Bc4 g6 16 Ra4 Rb8 17 Nc1 h5 18 Nd3 Bh6 19 Qxb4 Qc7 20 Qa3 0-0 21 Nf2 Bc1 22 Nd3 Be3 23 Kd1 Rfc8 24 Re1 Bh6 25 c3 Rb5 26 Bxb5 axb5 27 Rb4 Nxd5 28 Rxb5 Qc4 29 Rxd5 Qxd5 30 Kc2 Ra8 31 a6 Qc6 32 Ra1 e4 33 Nb4 Qc4 34 Qa5 exf3 35 gxf3 Re8 36 Qd5 Re2+ 37 Kd1 Rd2+ 38 Qxd2 Bxd2 39 Kxd2 Qf4+ 40 Kc2 Qf5+ 41 Nd3 Qxf3 42 Ra5 Qa8 43 a7 d5 44 Nb4 d4 45 Nd5 dxc3 46 bxc3 Kg7 47 Kb3 1-0

view the game online  download game (pgn)


back to "The Scotsman" chess column