The Jack Rabbit Chess Report for October 15: Hail, King Kramnik

[Jack Rabbit]

The Jack Rabbit Chess Report
for the week ending October 15



Photo: Vladimir Kramnik after winning the traditional version of
the World Championship in London, November 2000
from ChessBase.com

Contents

Post 1: News for the week
Post 2: Diagrams and other features
Post 3: Games from Current and Recent Events
Post 4: Comment: The World Championship and Other Observations

[Jack Rabbit]

1. News for the week ending October 15

Kramnik wears the reunified chess crown



Photo: US Chess Federation

Vladimir Kramnik won a four-game rapid chess tiebreak from Veselin Topalov Friday, 2½-1½, to win the reunified world championship.

The first game, in which each player had 25 minutes to compete his moves, was drawn. Kramnik, who had White in the second game, won that while Topalov evened the score in the third. In the fourth and final game, Kramnik already had a won position when Topalov made a move that would be considered a blunder were the game not already lost for him; the move lost a Rook. When Kramnik replied with the tactical stroke that assured him an overwhelming material advantage, Topalov resigned.

Black: Veselin Topalov
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White: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 44. Kf2e3

44. -- Rxc5 45. Rb7+! 1-0

Can't see the diagram? Please click here.

After eight games, the match was even at 4 points apiece. Topalov won the ninth game to take his only lead in the match, but Kramnik bounced back the following day to win game 10. Both games are featured below. Games 11 and 12 were drawn, setting up Friday's tiebreak round.

Had the four rapid game been split, two blitz games would have been played; had those been been even, one "Armageddon" game, in which White would have six minutes to win and Black to win or draw, would have decided the world championship.

The match was marred with controversy when a dispute over access to toilets was allowed to fester into a crisis that nearly halted the match after four games. Prior to the fifth game, Topalov's manager, Bulgarian grandmaster Silvio Danailov, complained to the Appeals Committee about Kramnik's frequent trips to the rest rooms, suggesting he may be using the toilet to consult a computer illegally. The Appeals Committee made changes without consulting Kramnik or his team. When arrived for game 5, he insisted that the facilities be restored before play begin, arguing that the arrangement for private toilets was in the players' contract. The chief arbiter started Kramnik's clock and announced Topalov's victory by default after one hour had elapsed.

After the match was stopped for the better part of a week to settle the dispute. FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov dismissed the Appeals Committee and took personal control of the match. In the end, access to toilets was restored, but Kramnik's forfeit of game 5 was upheld.

Kramnik played the remainder of the match under protest. He threatened to sue FIDE if the forfeit was not repealed. However, all legal issues were rendered moot when Topalov resigned the final game Friday.

Kramnik's principled stand won him the respect and admiration of many chess followers who don't necessary like his risk-advers brand of chess. As Mig Greegard said on his website:

I don't know if the better player won today. But looking back over the past few weeks I'd have to say that the better man certainly did. Hail the new and improved world champion! Or, dare I type it, hail the new World Champion!

Russian men, Armenian women win European Club Cup



Three Russian men's teams tied for first in the men's division of the European Club Cup team tournament in Fügen, Austria, while a team representing Armenia leads the women's division.

The seven round event finished today.

The three Russian teams are Tomsk-400, Ladya Kazan and Ural Sverdlovskaya. Each has won five matches and drawn two.

Tomsk-400 has been award first prize base on tiebreak points, which for this event was individual points scored.

Tomsk was led by Alexander Morozevich on board 1. Morozevich scored 5 points, most on the Tomsk team. The two top players for Ladya Kazan were non-Russians, Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan and Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan. Kasimdzhanov led the team with 5 points. On top board for Ural Sverdlovskaya was Peter Svidler, but the team's top scorer was Alexander Grischuk with 5½ points.

Tomi Nyback, who plays for Werder Bremen, led all scorers in the men's division with 6½ points. The leading top board scorer was Vassily Ivanchuk of TPS Saransk with 6 points.

In the women's division, the Mika Yerevan team won five matches and drawn two. To call this team Armenian is something of a misnomer, since its four players were made up of two Georgians, former women's world champion Maya Chiburdanidze on the top board and Nino Khurtsidze on board 3, and two Armenians, Elina Danielian and Nelly Aginian.

Ms. Khurtsidze led all scorers with 6 points in 7 rounds. Ms. Chiburdanidze and Tatiana Kosintseva of AVS Krasnoturinsk led the top board players with 5 points each.


Aniasian, Melia, Mongontuul lead World Junior Championships



Zaven Andiasian, 17, an international master from Armenia, leads the juniors division of the World Juniors Championships in Yerevan, Armenia, with 9 points in 12 rounds while in the girls division Salome Melia of Georgia and Bathuyag Mongontuul of Mongolia, both 19, are tied for first with with 8½ points each.

The event finishes tomorrow.

In the juniors division, Yuriy Kryvorichko of Ukraine, Russia's Nikita Vitiugov and Georgian Levan Pantsulaia are tied for second with 8½ points each. Vitiugov and Pantsulaia are grandmasters while Vitiugov is an international master.

For the girls, there is a five-way tie for third place among Anna Rudolf of Hungary, Eesha Karavde and Donavalli Harika of India, and Shen Yang 12-year-old Hou Yifan of China, all with 8 points.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Diagrams and other features on the JR Chess Report

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White to move
This position is a theoretical draw

Does this picture make sense to you? If not, or if it looks like a bunch of Wingdings, please click here.

Diagrams used in the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess Merida, a true type font that is available as freeware at the above link.


Also, the JR chess report makes the main variation in annotations more distinct and readable by putting it in red. A secondary variation, is in blue and other colors are used if needed.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Games from current and recent events

Chess Games
Analysis by JR and Fritz

Veselin Topalov - Vladimir Kramnik, Match for the World Title/Round 9, Elista
Vladimir Kramnik - Veselin Topalov, Match for the World Title/Round 10, Elista
Hou Yifan - Hoang Thi Bao Tram, World Juniors Championship, Yerevan
Evgeny Bareev - Alexander Grischuk, European Club Cup, Fügen
Vladimir Akopian - Sergei Volkov, Isle of Man Open, Port Erin
Akex Shabalov - John Cox, Isle of Man Open, Port Erin

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Topalov - Kramnik, Match/Round 9, Elista

Veselin Topalov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Veselin Topalov vs. Vladimir Kramnik
Match for the World Title, Round 9
Elista, Kalmykia Russia, October 2006

Queen's Gambit: Slav Defense

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6 hxg6 8. a3 Nbd7 9. g3 Be7

• After 9. -- Qb6 10. c5 Qc7 11. h3 0-0-0 12. b4 e5 White stakes his game on the queenside and Black in the center.
• 9. -- Qc7 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Bg2 Bd6 12. h3 0-0-0 the game is equal.

10. f4 dxc4 11. Bxc4 0-0!?

• It's a good idea to get the King out o the center, but it would also have been a good idea to leave the Rook on the open file.
• An alternate line that might be considered is 11. -- Qa5 12. Bd2 Qf5 13. Rc1 0-0-0 14. Qc2 Qxc2 15. Rxc2 Nb6 with a level gmae.

12. e4 b5 13. Be2 b4!?

• Black is intent on getting a pin at b4, but this opens the a-file for White's Rook.
• If 13. -- a5 14. e5 Ne8 then:
• 15. Bf3 Rc8 16. h4
• 16. -- Nb6 17. h5 gxh5 18. Rxh5 and White has an indecisive advantage in pawn structure command of open lines.
• 16. -- b4 17. axb4 axb4 18. Ne2 and White has a strong edge in piece activity.
• 15. h3 b4 16. axb4 axb4 17. Rxa8 Qxa8 and White has a small edge in space.
• else if 13. -- Qb6 14. Be3 then:
• 14. -- Rfc8 15. h3 b4 16. axb4 Qxb4 17. Qd2 Rcb8 18. Ra2 c5 19. Bf3 offers equal chances to each side.
• 14. -- b4 15. axb4 Qxb4 16. Qd2 Rfb8 17. Ra2 c5 18. 0-0 cxd4 19. Bxd4 and White is better in space.

14. axb4 Bxb4 15. Bf3 Qb6?!

• This move is very risky. White has an advantage in space and can do quite a bit of building behind his center pawns.
• Better is 15. -- c5 when:
• 16. Be3 Qb6
• 17. e5
• 17. -- Nd5 18. Bxd5 exd5 19. 0-0
• 19. -- Qc6 20. Qf3 Nb6 21. Na2 and White has an advantage in space.
• 19. -- Qe6 20. dxc5 Bxc3 21. bxc3 and Whitee is a pawn up with better piece activity.
• 17. -- Bxc3+ 18. bxc3 Nd5 19. dxc5 Qb2 20. Bd4 Nxc3 21. Qc1 and White has two Bishops over two knights and superior piece activity.
• 17. h3 17. -- Rfd8
• 18. e5? Nd5 19. Bd2 Rab8
• 20. Nxd5 exd5 21. Ra4 Bxd2+ 22. Qxd2 Qxb2 and Black is a pawn up.
• 20. Na4 Qb5 21. Nc3 Qd3 22. Qe2 Qxd4 White's command of the dark squares in Black's camp gives him a huge advantage.
• 18. 0-0 18. -- cxd4 19. Na4 Qb5 20. Bxd4 Nc5 and the game is balanced.
• else if 16. 0-0 16. -- cxd4 17. Na2 Qa5 18. e5 Nd5 19. Nxb4 Qxa1 then the game is level.

16. 0-0 e5

• Black must open up the pawn structure soon, but this thrust seems premature.
• If 16. -- Rfd8 17. Be3 c5 then:
• 18. e5!
• 18. -- Bxc3 19. bxc3 Nd5 20. Bxd5 exd5 21. Qf3 and White has superior piece activity.
• 18. -- Nd5 19. Nxd5 exd5 20. Bxd5 Rac8 21. Qb3 and White has a winning edge with an extra pawn and greater command of open lines.
• 18. h3? would permit the tactical stroke 18. -- cxd4, equalizing.
• else if 16. -- c5 17. e5 Nd5 18. Nxd5 exd5 19. Bxd5 Rad8 20. Be3 then White is a pawn up with better activity.

17. Be3 Rad8?

• This move is not a logical follow-up to the previous one.
• Correct is 17. -- exd4 18. Na4 when:
• 18. -- Qb7!
• 19. Bxd4 Rfd8
• 20. Qc2 Nf8 21. Rfd1 and white controls more space and has better-placed pieces.
• 20. e5 Nc5 21. Rc1 Nfe4 and White has a slight edge in space.
• 19. Qxd4 19. -- Rfd8 20. Qc4 Rac8 21. Nc3 a5 and White has an advantage in kingside space.
• 18. -- Qb8 19. Bxd4
• 19. -- Rd8 20. Qc2 Qb7 21. e5 Nd5 22. e6 fxe6 23. Qxg6 and White's attack is gathering strength.
• 19. -- Re8 20. e5 Nd5 21. Qc2 Qb7 22. Rfc1 Rac8 23. Nc5 and White has an advatage in kingside space and open lines on the queenside.
• 18. -- Qb5? 19. Bxd4 Rfd8 20. Qc2
• 20. -- Nf8 21. Rfd1 and White has a strong plus in space and piece mobility.
• 20. -- c5 21. Bc3 and White has advantages kingside space command of open lines.
• else if 17. -- Rfd8 18. Na4 Qb7 19. Qc2 exd4 20. Bxd4 Nf8 21. Rfd1 and White has a slight edge in piece activity.
• else if 17. -- exf4 18. Bxf4 Rfe8 19. h3 then:
• 19. -- Rad8 20. Na4 Qb7 21. Qc2 Re6 22. Bg5 and White has a strong edge in space and piece activity.
• 19. -- Rac8 20. Na4 Qd8 21. Bg5 Be7 22. Nc3 White is stronger in space.

18. Na4 Qb8

• This move leaves the c-pawn twisting in the breeze and hastens the collapse of Black's game.
• 18. -- Qb7 19. Qc2 exf4 20. Bxf4 Rfe8 21. Bg5 Be7 22. e5 and White has a strong edge in space and piece activity.

19. Qc2 exf4

• 19. -- exd4 20. Bxd4 c5 21. Bf2 Qb7 22. Kg2 Nh7 23. e5 gives White a very strong edge in space and peace activity.

20. Bxf4 Qb7 21. Rad1

• Even better is 21. Rac1 Nb8 when:
• 22. Rfd1 Rfe8 23. Bg2 Re6 24. e5 Nd5 25. Bg5 and White's piece activity give him a strong edge.
• 22. Bxb8? Qxb8 23. Qf2 Qb7 24. e5 Nd5 25. Nc5 Bxc5 26. Rxc5 and White has only a small plus in space.

21. -- Rfe8 22. Bg5 Be7 23. Kh1

• This move is prophylactic. The King is removed from a diagonal before it is opened.
• If 23. h3 then 23. -- Nb6 24. Nc3 a6 25. Bg2 Nc4 26. Na4 Qb4 27. Bc1 White has stong advatages in space and command of open lines.
• else if 23. e5? Nd5 then:
• 24. e6 fxe6 25. Qxg6 Nf8 26. Qh5 Qb4 27. Bxd5 cxd5 and the position is level.
• 24. Bxd5 cxd5 25. e6 fxe6 26. Bxe7 Rxe7 27. Qxg6 with an equal game.

23. -- Nh7 24. Be3 Bg5 25. Bg1 Nhf8

• White enjoys a strong advantage in space.
• 25. -- Nhf6 26. Ra1 Bh6 27. Nc3 Nf8 28. Bg2 Ng4 29. Ne2 yields White a stong edge in space and piece activity.

26. h4 Be7

• This is more flexible than 26. -- Bh6 27. Nc3 Ne6 28. Bg2 Rb8 29. Rb1 a5 30. Ne2, which gives White a strong plus in space.

27. e5?!

• This move throws away much of Black's advantage.
• Stronger is 27. Rc1 g5 28. h5 Nb8 29. Bg2 Bd6 30, Nc5 Bxc5 31. Qxc5 when White maintains his pawn duo in the center, allowing Black fewer chances at counterplay.

27. -- Nb8 28. Nc3 Bb4 29. Qg2 Qc8 30. Rc1 Bxc3?!

• Better is 30. -- Qe6 31. d4 Qxe5 32. dxc6 a5 33. Rce1 when White has a strong game but still needs to work hard to win.

Black: Vladimir Kramnik
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White: Veselin Topalov
Position after Bb4xc3

31. bxc3!

• The text is better than 31. Rxc3 Qd7 32. Rxc6 Nxc6 33. Bxc6 Qe6 34. Bxe8 Qxe8 35. Be3 and White has an extra pawn.
• After the text, White's game is won.

31. -- Ne6 32. Bg4 Qc7 33. Rcd1 Nd7

• If 33. -- g5 34. h5 Nd7 then:
• 35. Qf3 Nb6 36. Be3 Nd5 37. Bxe6 Rxe6 38. Bxg5 and White is a pawn to the good with a spatial plus and command of open lines.
• 35. Ra1 Rb8 36. Be3 Nb6 37. Bc1 Nd5 38. Ra3 and White has a strong edge in space and command of open lines.
• Barring any gross mistakes on his part, White's game is won.

34. Qa2

• Also good is 34. Ra1 Rb8 35. Ra2 Rb3 36. Qc2 Rbb8 37. Rfa1

34. -- Nb6 35. Rf3 Nf8

• 35. -- Rb8 36. Rdf1 Nd8 37. Be3 Nd5 38. Bg5 Rb7 39. h5 gxh5 40. Bxh5 yields White command of open lines with a decisive edge.
• 35. -- Nc8 36. Rdf1 Rd7 37. Rxf7 Rxf7 38. Bxe6 Rxe6 39. Qxe6 and White wins a piece.

36. Rdf1 Re7 37. Be3 Nh7

• No better is 37. -- Rdd7 38. Bxd7 Qxd7 39. Bg5 Qh3+ 40. Qh2

38. Rxf7 Nd5

• 38. -- Rxf7 39. Rxf7 Qxf7 40. Be6 is hopeless for Black.

39. R7f3 1-0

• 39. R7f3 c5 40. Bc1 cxd4 41. cxd4 then:
• 41. -- Qc6 42. Ba3 Ree8 43. Bb2 Re7 44. Ra3 and White is a pawn up, controls more space and commands open lines.
• 41. -- Kh8 42. Ba3 Ree8 43. Rf7 Qc6 44. Bf3 Qe6 45. Bg2 White is a pawn up with active pieces.
• Kramnik resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Kramnik - Topalov, Match/Round 10, Elista

Vladimir Kramnik
Photo: World Chess Trophy (Czech)

Vladimir Kramnik vs. Veselin Topalov
Match for the World Title, Round 10
Elista, Kalmykia (Russia), October 2006

Queen's Gambit: Catalan Opening

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+

• The altenative 4. -- dxc4 is also satisfacotry: 5. Qa4+ then:
• 5. -- Bd7 6. Qxc4 Bc6 7. Bg2 Bd5 8. Qa4+
• 5. -- Nbd7 6. Qxc4 Nb6 7. Qc2 Bd7 8. e4

5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 0-0 7. 0-0 c6

• Black prefers to fortify his center rather than open it.
• 7. -- dxc4 8. Qc2 c6 9. e4 b5 10. b3 cxb3 11. axb3 a5 gives Black a small edge in space on the queenside.

8. Bf4 Nbd7

• Again, Black seeks to control space rather than open the center.
• 8. -- dxc4 9. Ne5 Nd5 10. Bd2 Qb6 11. Bc1 Bf6 12. f4 is balanced.

9. Qc2 a5

• Having fortified his center, Black seeks to expand on the queenside.
• 9. -- Nh5 10. Bd2 Nhf6 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Bg5 Re8 is level.
• else if 9. -- b6 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Qxc6 Ba6 12. Re1 Nxf4 13. gxf4 yields White an advantage in piece activity.
• If after the text move, White plays 9. Ne5 then 9. -- Nxe5 10. Bxe5 Nd7 11. Bf4 Qb6 12. Qd2 dxc4 13. Rc1 and as White recaptures on c4, Black prepares to thrust forward in the center with -- e6e5.

10. Rd1 Nh5 11. Bc1 b5 12. cxd5!?

• White decides the time is ripe for him to open lines.
• The usual continuation is 12. c5 f5 13. Nc3 and now:
• 13. -- g5 14. a3
• 14. -- Bf6 15. Qd2
• 15. -- h6 16. h4 g4 with equality (Rahman - Ghaem Maghami, Doha, 2003; the game ended in a draw on the 21st move).
• 15. -- g4 16. Ne1 Bg7 and a level game.
• 14. -- g4 15. Ne1 f4 16. Nd3 with equality.
• 13. -- b4 14. Na4 Ba6 15. b3 Rb8 16. Nb2 and White's piece have a little more freedom.
• 13. a3 a4 14. Nc3 f4 15. Bh3 e5 16. Be6+ Kh8 is equal.
• else if 12. Ne5 (one of two "less energetic" moves named by Susan Polgar) 12. -- Bb7
• 13. b3 Nxe5 14. dxe5 bxc4 15. bxc4 f5 16. exf6 Nxf6 and White has a little more mobility.
• 13. c5 a4 14. Nd3 Re8 15. Bd2 Qc7 16. Bf3 Nhf6 17. Bf4 yields a spatial plus for White.
• else if 12. b3 (the other "less energetic" move listed by Ms. Polgar) 13. -- Ba6 13. Nbd2 Nhf6 14. Rb1 c5 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Bb2 Rc8 sees Black expanding on the queenside.

12. -- cxd5 13. e4!

• Before Black expands further on the Queen's wing, White thrust forward in the center.
• 13. Qc6?! Ba6 14. Bd2 b4 15. Re1 Nb6 16. Qc1 Rc8 and Black has an advantage in space and control of the c-file.

13. -- dxe4 14. Qxe4 Rb8 15. Qe2 Nhf6 16. Bf4

• White disrupts Black's queenside pieces.
• If 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. dxe5 Nd5 then:
• 18. Be3 b4 19. Nd2 Bb7 20. Nb3 a4 21. Nc5 Bc6 22. Rac1 and White's pieces are more active.
• 20. -- Qc7 21. Be4 a4 22. Rac1 White pieces are more active; Black must give way in the c-file.
• else if 18. Be4 18. -- b4 19. a3 bxa3 20. Nxa3 Bb7 21. Qc2 h6 22. Nc4 and White has better command of open lines.
• 19. Qh5 g6 20. Qf3 Qc7 21. Bxd5 exd5 22. Bf4 Be6 and Black is expanding on the queenside.

16. -- Rb6 17. Ne5 Nd5

• Black attacks the Bishop, which has no good retreat squares.
• If 17. -- Nb8 18. Nc3 Ba6 19. Qd2 then:
• 19. -- Bb7 20. d5
• 20. -- b4 21. Na4 Nxd5 22. Nxb6 Qxb6 23. Nc4 Qa6 24. Rac1 and White has a small plus with more active pieces.
• 20. -- Nxd5? 21. Nxd5 Bxd5 22. Qxa5 f6 23. Bxd5 exd5 24. Nf3 and White has a strong advantage in piece activity.
• 19. -- b4 20. Na4 Rd6
• 21. Nc5 Nd5 22. Nf3 Nxf4 23. Qxf4 Nd7 with an equal game.
• 21. a3 Nd5 22. axb4 Nxf4 23. Qxf4 Be2 24. Re1 Rxd4 and Black has greater piece activity.

18. Bxd5 exd5 19. Nc3 Nf6

• This is prophylactic move protecting the isolated d-pawn.
• 19. -- Bb7 20. Nxb5 Ba6 21. a4 Re8 22. b3 Bb4 23. Qd3 gives White has an extra pawn.

20. Nxb5 Ba6 21. a4 Ne4

• If 21. -- Re6 22. Rac1 Qb6 23. Qd3 then:
• 23. -- Ra8 24. Rd2 Ne4 25. Rdc2
• 25.-- Nf6 26. Rc6 and White has a strong advantage with active pieces.
• 25. -- Bf6 26. Nd7 Qd8 27. Rc7 and White has a strong advantage in space and piece activity.
• 23. -- Re8 24. Rd2 then:
• 24. -- Ne4 25. Rdc2 Nd6 26. Rc6 Bxb5
• 27. Rxb6 Bxd3 28. Nxd3 and White has a slight advantage with more active pieces.
• 27. axb5?! Qxb5 28. R6c5 Qxb2 and the position is balanced.
• 24. -- Rc8 25. Rxc8+ Bxc8 26. Rc2 Bb7 27. Qf3 and White has a strong plus in space.

22. Rdc1 Qe8

• Black focuses his forces on b5.
• If 22. -- Bf6 23. Rc2 Re8 24. Rac1 then:
• 24. -- Bxb5 25. axb5 Rb7
• 26. Qg4 Nd6 27. Rc5! Nxb5 28. Rc8 and White wins, for example: 28. -- Qe7 29. Rxe8+ Qxe8 30. Rc8 Bd8 31. Bg5.
• 26. Qd3 a4 27. Ng4 Bg5 28. Bxg5 Qxg5 29. Ne5 gives White a very strong position with complete command of the c-file and the Knight at e5.
• 25. -- a4 26. Rc7 Nd6 27. Qc2 and White attack will focus on f7.
• 24. -- Rb7 25. Rc6 Bxb5 26. axb5 and White's dominance of open lines gives him a great advantage.

23. Rc7 Bd8 24. Ra7

Black: Veselin Topalov
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White: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 24. Rc7a7

24. -- f6?

• This move has been condemned the world over. It just forces the Knight to move to a better square.
• 24. -- Bxb5 25. axb5 Qxb5 26. Qxb5 Rxb5 27. Ra2 and "Black (will) have to defend an unpleasent endgae" (Susan Polgar); White's active pieces give him only a slight edge(JR).
• From here forward, White is winning.

25. Nd7 Rf7 26. Nxb6 Rxa7 27. Nxd5 Rd7

• Attacking the loose Knight.
• If 27. -- Qe6 28. Ndc3 Re7 29. Re1 Ng5 then:
• 30. Bxg5 Qxe2 31. Rxe2 Rxe2 32. Nxe2 fxg5 33. f3 and White is two pawns up.
• 30. Qxe6+ Rxe6 31. Rxe6 Nxe6 32. Be3 and White is two pawns up.

28. Ndc3 Rxd4 29. Re1 f5 30. Qc2!

• Even stronger is 30. f3!! Rxa4 31. fxe4 Bxb5 32. Qxb5 Qxb5 33. Nxb5

30. -- Rb4

• 30. -- Bxb5 31. Nxb5 Rb4 32. f3 Bb6+ 33. Kg2 Qa8 34. fxe4 and the Black Rook looks like a lost child.

31. Nd5 Rxb5

• 31. -- Bxb5 32. Nxb4 Bxa4 33. Qc4+ Kh8 34. Nd5 Bb5 35. Qd4 and White is an exchange up; Black must break the pin in the e-file because of the threat of 36. f3!.

32. axb5 Qxb5 33. Nc7 Qc4

• 33. -- Bxc7 34. Qxc7 Qxb2 35. Qd8+ Kf7 36. Qd7+ Kf6 37. Be3 and White is an exchange up and threatening 38. Bd4!.

34. Qd1 Bxc7

Black: Veselin Topalov
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White: Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 34. -- Bd8xc7

35. Qd7!

• White threatens 36. Qe8# and attacks an undefended Bishop at the same time. White must win a piece, giving him an exchange to the good.
• If Black now plays 35. -- Qf7 then White wins the piece by 36. Qxf7+ Kxf7 37. Bxc7

35. -- h6 36. Qxc7 Qb4 37. Qb8+ Qxb8 38. Bxb8 Nd2

• Ms. Polgar calls Black's position "resignable".
• Of no avail is 38. -- a4 39. f3 Nd2 40. Kf2 Nc4 41. Re2 Kf7 42. h4

39. Ra1 g5 40. f4 Nb3 41. Ra3 Bc4 42. Bc7 g4 43. Bxa5 1-0

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Hou - Hoang, World Juniors Championships, Yerevan

Hou Yifan
Photo: ChessBase.com

Hou Yifan vs. Hoang Thi Bao Tram
World Juniors Championships, Round 7
Yerevan, Armenia, October 2006

Open German Game: Steinitz Defense (Caro-Kann Defense)

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Ng5 Ngf6 6. Bd3 e6 7. N1f3 Bd6

• 7. -- h6 8. Nh3 b5 9. 0-0 g5 10. Ne5 Nxe5 11. dxe5 gives White a small edge with control of the b1h7 diagonal.

8. Qe2

• 8. c4 h6 9. Ne4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 0-0 11. 0-0 Nf6 12. Qc2 is equal.

8. -- h6 9. Ne4 Nxe4 10. Qxe4

• White's control of the diagonal is not very important. The position is balanced.
• 10. Bxe4 Nf6 11. Bd3 0-0 12. Ne5 Nd5 13. c3 Qc7 14. Nc4 is level.

10. -- Qc7 11. 0-0 b6

• Neither side has any weaknesses.
• 11. -- Nf6 12. Qh4 Bd7 13. Re1 0-0-0 14. Ne5 g5 is even.

12. Qg4 Kf8 13. b3!?

• White prepares to develop the Bishop on the flank. There is little future for it on the c1h6 diagonal.
• 13. Qh4 Bb7 14. Rd1 Rd8 15. c3 Kg8 16. Nd2 g5 17. Qh3 yields an equal position.

13. -- c5 14. dxc5

• White feels that she has enough of an edge in piece activity that it is to her advantage to open the game.
• 14. Bb2 Nf6 15. Qh4 Bb7 16. dxc5 Qxc5 17. Bd4 Qc7 18. Bxf6 and White has a small edge in peice mobility.

14. -- Nxc5 15. Bb2 e5

• Black attempts to keep the center blocked.
• If 15. -- f6 then:
• 16. Rad1 Bb7 17. Kh1 h5 18. Qh3 Rd8 19. Nd4 and White is attacking the weak e-pawn.
• 16. Bg6 e5 17. Qh4 Bb7 18. Rad1 Bxf3 19. gxf3 Ne6 is level.

16. Bf5 Bxf5 17. Qxf5 Re8 18. Rad1 Kg8

• White's pieces are more active and mobile.
• 18. -- e4 19. Nh4 Bxh2+ 20. Kh1 e3 21. Ng6+ Kg8 22. Nxh8 and Black has the edge owing to his advanced e-pawn.

19. Rfe1 f6 20. Nh4 Rd8?

• It's not going to do Black any good to put the Rook on the open file. She needs to activate the King's Rook somehow.
• Better is a line that involves an excahnge of Queens: 20. -- a6 21. c4 Rd8 22. Ng6 Rh7 23. a3 Qd7 24. Qxd7 Rxd7 25. b4 and White is still better, but White has serious hopes of holding the position.

21. f4 exf4

• Also losing is 21. -- e4 22. Ng6 Rh7 23. b4 Nb7 24. Qxe4 Qf7 25. Rd4

22. Ng6 Rh7 23. b4 Nb7

• Black is being pushed off the board.
• 23. -- f3 24. bxc5 Qxc5+ 25. Qxc5 Bxc5+ 26. Kf1 Rxd1 27. Rxd1 give White a piece for two pawns.

24. Re7 Qc4

• Black attacks a weak pawn, but ist's way too late.
• 24. -- Bc5+ 25. Bd4 Qc6 26. bxc5 bxc5 27. Ree1 Qb6 28. Bf2 and White threatens Ne7+.

Black: Hoang Thi Bao Tram
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White: Hou Yifan
Position after 24. -- Qc7c4

25. Rd5! 1-0

• White mates in one move:
• 25. -- Qxd5 26. Qxd5#
• 25. -- Bxe7 26. Qe6#
• Ms. Hoang resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Bareev - Grischuk, European Club Cup, Fügen

Alexander Grischuk
Photo: Rochade Kuppenheim (Germany)

Evgeny Bareev (Elara Cheboksary) vs. Alexander Grischuk (Ural Sverdlovskaya)
European Club Cup, Round 5
Fügen, Austria, October 2006

West Indian Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3!?

• 5. dxc5 Bxc5 6. a3 d5 7. Bg5 Qb6 8. e3 Ne4 is equal.

5. -- Nc6 6. Bg2 Ne4

• If 6. -- Qa5 7. dxc5 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Qxc3+ 9. Bd2 Qxc4 and Black's active Queen gives him a small advantage.
• else if 6. -- Nxd4 7. Nxd4 cxd4 8. Qxd4 d6 9. 0-0 0-0 10. Bg5 and White has the more active pieces.

7. Bd2 Bxc3 8. bxc3 0-0 9. 0-0 Na5

• Black attacks the pawn at c4, which will be diffcult for White to directly defend.
• Tow alternatives are:
  • If 9. -- f5 then:
  • 10. d5 Na5
  • 11. dxe6 dxe6 12. Bf4 Nxc4 13. Qd3 Nb6 and Black's centrlized Knight gives him a small edge in space.
  • 11. Qa4 b6 12. dxe6 dxe6 13. Bg5 Qe8 give Black a strong position based on superior pawn structure and greater piece activity.
  • 10. dxc5 10. -- Qa5 11. Be3 Qxc3 12. Qa4 e5 13. Rac1 and Black's in in an uncomfortable position.
  • else if 9. -- b6 then:
  • 10. d5 Na5
  • 11. Bf4 d6 12. dxe6 fxe6 is even.
  • 11. Qc2 f5 12. dxe6 Qe7 13. Ng5 Bb7 gives Black an edge in space and piece activity.
  • 10. dxc5 10. -- bxc5 11. Bf4 d5 12. cxd5 exd5 13. c4 and White has better command of open lines.

10. Bf4 d5!

• Rather than go pawn hunting, Black reenforces his centralized Knight.
• 10. cxd4 11. Qd3 d5 12. cxd5 Nxc3 13. d6 Nc6 is level.

11. cxd5 Nxc3 12. Qd3

• White attempts to push Black's forward units back.
• 12. Qc2 cxd4 13. d6 Nc6 14. e3 Nd5 15. Qc5 d3 16. Ne1 is level as the pawn at d3 will fall.

12. -- cxd4?!

• Black's center as it is now cannot be maintained.
• Better is 12. -- Nxd5 13. Bd2 Nc6 14. dxc5 Qe7 15. Ng5 g6 16. Ne4 with equality.

13. dxe6?!

• This opens the d-file allowing the Black Queen to protect the d-pawn.
• 13. d6 Nc6 14. Rfc1 e5
• 15. Nxe5 Nxe5 16. Bxe5 Qe8 17. Rxc3 dxc3 18. Bxc3 is equal.
• 15. Bxe5 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Qxd6 17. Nf3 Rd8 18. e3 Bg4 is level.

13. -- Bxe6 14. Ng5 g6 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. e3 Nc6 17. Rae1 Rc8 18. exd4?!

• This is an inferior move that allows Black to take quite a bit more space than he other would.
• 18. Bxc6 Rxc6 19. exd4 Rf7 20. a3 a6 21. Re5 Rd7 22. Be3 is level.

18. -- Nxd4 19. Qe3 Rf7 20. Kh1 b5

• Black's forward Knights supported by heavy pieces give him an advatage in space.
• 20. -- Rc4? 21. Rc1 Nde2 22. Bg5 Qa5 23. Qxe6 Nxc1 24. Qxc4 and Black has a strong advantage in piece activity.
• 20. -- Nc2 21. Qxe6 Nxe1 22. Rxe1 Rc5 23. Bh6 is balanced.

21. Rc1!

• White activates his Rook. This is his best shot at getting counterplay.
• 21. Bh3 Qd5+ 22. Bg2 Qd7 23. Qd2 b4 24. f3 a5 25. Be5 Nf5 and Black still has a spatial edge.

21. -- b4 22. a3 a5

• Black, of course, wants to keep a pawn at b4 to support the Knight.
• 22. -- Nde2 23. Qxe6 Nxc1 24. Rxc1 bxa3 25. Bd5 Qxd5+ is balanced.

23. axb4 axb4 24. Be5 Nf5 25. Qf4?

• This simply reenforce the Bishop's control of an unimportant diagonal.
• Correct is 25. Qe1 Nd5 26. Qe4 Rxc1 27. Rxc1 Qd7 28. Re1 Rf8 29. Bb2 Ng7 maintaining the equalibrium.

Black: Alexander Grischuk
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White: Evgeny Bareev
Position after 25. Qe3f4

25. -- Nxg3+!!

• This splendid sacrfice puts the game in the bag.
• 25. -- Qb6? 26. Qd2 Rd8 27. Qb2 Nd5 28. Rc4 Nd6 is level.

26. Qxg3

• No better is 26. fxg3 Rxf4 27. Bxf4 b3 28. Be5 Qd3 29. Bxc3 Rxc3 30. Rcd1 Qc4

26. -- Ne2 27. Qe3 Nxc1 28. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 29. Qxc1 Rxf2 30. Ba1

• After 30. Bg3 Ra2 31. Be1 Qd6 32. Qb1 Ra4 Black threatens 33. -- Qd4 and 34. -- Ral/

30. -- b3 31. h3 Rc2 32. Qb1 Qd2 0-1

• 33. Qg1 Rc1 is very convincing.
• Bareev resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Akopian - Volkov, Isle of Man Open, Port Erin

Sergei Volkov
Photo: Website of the 2005 Abu Dhabi Chess Festival

Vladimir Akipian vs. Sergei Volkov
Isle of Man International Open, Round 9
Port Erin, October 2006

French Advance Game: Vienna Opening (MacCutcheon Defense)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Ne4 8. Qg4 Kf8 9. Bd3!?

• From MCO-14:
• If 9. h4 c5 10. Rh3 then:
• 10. --Nc6 11. Bd3 Nxd2 12. Kxd2 c4 13. Be2 b5
• 10. -- Qa5 11. Bd3 Nxd2 12. Rg3 g6 13. Kxd2 cxd4

9. -- Nxd2 10. Kxd2 c5 11. Nf3 c4 12. Be2 Nc6 13. a4

• White moves to limit Black's territorial claims on the queenside.
• 13. Rab1 Qa5 14. Rb2 a6 15. Rhb1 b5 16. Ne1 Bb7 17. Qf4 Re8 with an equal game.

13. -- Bd7

• While Black's last move isn't a disaster, it is inferior to 13. -- b6 14. Rhb1 Kg8 15. Ra2 Qe7 16. Kc1 Bb7 17. Qh5, balancing Black's space on the queenside with White's in the center.

14. h4 Qe7

• The Queen can better protect the vital points on the kingside here, while 15. Rhb1 can be met by 16. -- Bc8.
• If 14. -- Qa5 15. Rhb1 b6 then:
• 16. Ra3 a6 17. Kc1 b5 18. Rba1 b4 and Black's spatial edge on the queenside is balanced by White's in the center.
• 16. Ra2?! Kg8 17. Qh5 Be8 18. Qg4 Rc8 gives Black an edge with piece mobility.

15. h5 b6 16. Nh4

• White's move is aimes at discouraging Black from playing 16. -- f6.
• If 16. Rhb1 Bc8 17. Kc1 Bb7 then:
• 18. Ra2 Kg8 19. Nd2 Kh7 20. f4 Rhe8 is level.
• 18. Qf4 Kg8 19. Rb2 Kh7 20. g4 f6 will give Black's pieces more freedom once the game is open.

16. -- Qg5+!

• A fine defensive move forcing an exchange of Queens and taking the wind out of the sail of White's attack.
• If White responds 17. Qxg5 hxg5 18. Nf3 g4 19. Ne1 then:
• 19. -- Ke7 20. Bxg4 Rh6 21. Be2 with a blanced position.
• 19. -- g3 20. fxg3 Ke7 21. Nf3 Rh6 with equality.

17. f4 Qxg4

• Of course, the real purpose of Black's 16th move was the excange of Queens.
• 17. -- Qd8 18. Nf3 Kg8 19. Rhb1 Kh7 20. Kc1 a6 21. Qh3 b5 is balanced.

18. Bxg4 Ne7

• As of now, the game is equal. One feature in White's favor is his good Bishop as oppsed to Black's bad one. Black is looking for a way to open up the game and free his Bishop.
• 18. -- Ke7 19. Bf3 Rhg8 20. g4 Raf8 21. Rab1 Nb8 22. f5 Bxa4 gives Black a beat on White' weak c2 pawn.

19. a5?!

• The pawn sacrifice is dubious.
• 19. Bf3 g5 20. hxg6 fxg6 21. g4 a5 22. Ng2 Kg7 23. Rh3 b5 is level.

19. -- b5

• Black could also accept the pawn, but prefers to expand his queenside space.
• 19. -- bxa5 20. Rxa5 Nc6 21. Ra6 Nb8 22. Ra3 a5 23. Rha1 Nc6 is equal.

20. Bf3 g5!

• Black opens the kingside. White's response is forced.
• 20. -- Nc6 21. g4 Ke7 22. Bg2 a6 23. Ke3 Rag8 24. Ra2 Be8 would give Black better piece placement, but only slightly.

21. hxg6 fxg6 22. g4 Kf7

• The King guards the e-pawn in an effort to free the Bishop.
• 22. -- a6 23. Rag1 Rd8 24. Rh2 Kg7 25. Ke3 g5 26. Ng2 Rdf8 and Black's pressure on the kingside is making itself felt.

23. f5?!

• This move loses a pawn and allows the game to open in a way to free Black's Bishop.
• Better is 23. Ng2 a6 24. Rh2 Raf8 25. Ke3 Kg7 26. Rh3 Be8 27. Rh2 g5 and Black would still have an advantage and even a good square for his Bishop at g6, but in the actual game he does even better.

23. -- exf5 24. gxf5 Bxf5 25. Nxf5 gxf5

• The Bishop has been traded for the Knight that stood watch over the King's wing. Whatever advantage White had on the kingside has been decimated.

26. Rab1 a6 27. Rh3 Rac8

• Black entertains thoughts of pushing on the queenside.
• 27. -- Rh7 28. Rbh1 Rah8 29. Ke3 Ke6 30. Kf4 Ng6+ 31. Ke3 yields a level game.

28. Rg1 Rcg8

• 28. -- Rc6 29. Ke3 Rg8 30. Rgh1 Kg7 31. Rg1+ Kh7 32. Rxg8 Kxg8 and Black retains his extra pawn.

29. Rgh1

• The text move is better than 29. Rxg8 Kxg8 30. Ke3 Kf7 31. Rh5 Kg7 32. Kf4 Kg6 and Black's pawns are much more mobile.

b]29. -- Kg7 30. Ke3 Rf8 31. Rg1+

• An attempt to confuse Black's forces.
• 31. Kf4 Ng6+ 32. Ke3 f4+ 33. Kf2 Ne7 34. Rg1+ Kh7 35. Rgh1 with an equal game.

31. -- Kh7 32. Kf4?!

• This and the next move hand Black the game.
• Better is 32. Rgh1 f4+ 33. Ke2 Nf5 34. R1h2 Ng3+ 35. Ke1 Ne4 36. Rxh6+ Kg7 with a balanced game.

32. -- Rhg8 33. Rhg3?

• This move is even worse than the last one. the game is now beyond saving.
• Correct is 33. Rxg8 Rxg8 34. e6 Rf8 35. Ke5 Ng6+ 36. Kd6 when White has drawing chances.

33. -- Rxg3 34. Rxg3

Black: Sergei Volkov
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White: Vladimir Akopian
Position after 34. Rg1xg3

34. -- Ng6+!

• This forces the win of the exchange. Black's game is won.

35. Rxg6

• 35. Ke3 f4+ wins the Rook outright.

35. -- Kxg6 36. Bxd5 h5 37. Bg2

• The text covers the light squares in the h-file.
• After 37. Bb7 h4 38. Bxa6 Rb8 39. d5 Kf7 40. Kf3 Rg8 41. Bb7 h3 the pawn scores a touchdown.

37. -- h4 38. Bh3 Kf7 39. Kxf5

• The Black pawn sheltered the King and should have been taken as long as the Black Rook remained at f8.
• Nevertheless, 39. d5 Ke7 40. Bg2 Rh8 41. Bh3 Rh5 still loses.

39. -- Ke8+!

• The move was easy to find.
• 39. -- Rg8? would throw away the win: 40. Bg4 Ke7 41. d5 Kd7 42. d6 Rg7 43. Kf4+ Kc6 and White's pawns are stronger, but not strong enough to win.

40. Ke4

• 40. Kg5 Kd8 41. d5 Rf3 42. Kxh4 Rxc3 43. Bf5 Re3 44. e6 Re5 and Black wins.

40. -- Rf2 41. d5

• After 41. Kd5 Rf3 42. Bg2 Rxc3 43. Kc5 Rxc2 44. Bb7 Kd8 45. Bxa6 Rb2 Black's outside passed pawn is decisive.

41. -- Rxc2 42. Kd4 Rd2+ 43. Kc5 b4 44. d6

• This is just desperate. Akopian could have resigned here.
• 44. Kxb4 Rxd5 45. Bc8 Rxe5 46. Bxa6 h3 47. Bb7 Kd7 48. a6 Kc7 and the a-pawn will be stopped.

44. -- bxc3 45. Bg4 c2 46. e6 c1Q 47. 0-1

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Shabalov - Cox, Isle of Man Open, Port Erin

Alex Shabalov
Photo: British Chess Magazine

Alex Shabalov vs. John Cox
Isle of Man International Open, Round 4
Port Erin, September 2006

Open Royal Game: Classical Defense (Scotch Opening)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. g3

• The alternative 7. Bc4 Ne5 8. Be2 Qg6 9. 0-0 d6 10. f3 0-0 is equal.

7. -- d5!?

• This is an unusual and aggressive move. In many Open Royals, Black's d-pawn remains at d7 for the entire game with Black develping his Queen's Bishop on the flank.
• Safer is 7. --0-0 8. Bg2 Re8 9. 0-0 a6 10. Nxc6 Qxc6 11. Bxc5 Qxc5with equality.

8. Bg2 Nxd4

• Black avoids the exchange of Knights on c6.
• 8. -- dxe4 9. 0-0 Bxd4 10. cxd4 0-0 11. Nc3 is level.

9. cxd4 Bb4+ 10. Nc3 Bxc3+?!

• This cedes White an advatage in space and development.
• Better is 10. -- c6 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Qb3 Bxc3 13. bxc3 with an equal game.

11. bxc3 dxe4 12. Bxe4 0-0 13. 0-0 c6

• Black must make this move in order to develop his Bishop. It also has the benefit of keeping White out of d5.
• 13. -- Re8 14. Rb1 c6 15. Qc2 gives White better command of open lines.

14. Qb3!?

• White opts for control of the complex of light squares on Black's center and kingside.
• If 14. Qh5 h6 15. Rfe1 Bf5 then:
• 16. Bf4 Rfe8 17. Be5
• 17. -- Qg6 18. Qxg6 Bxg6 with eqaulity.
• 17. -- Qe6 18. Bf3 Bg6 19. Qg4 Qxg4 20. Bxg4 Nd5 and White has a small spatial edge, but Black's pieces are more active.
• 16. Bg2?! Nd5 17. c4 Nxe3 18. fxe3 Bd3 and Black has a small plus with piece activity.

14. -- b5?!

• Black again seems overly aggressive.
• He would do better with 14. -- b6 15. f3 Bf5 16. Rae1 Rfe8 17. Bf4 Ng6 18. Bc1 and White's piece mobility is only slightly better.

15. a4 Be6

• While this takes control of the diagonal, White simply retreats his Queen to a more aggressive post.
• 15. -- a6 16. axb5 Bh3 17. Rxa6 Bxf1 18. Kxf1 Rxa6 19. bxa6 and White can claim an advantage with advanced passed a-pawn.

16. Qb1 Bf5 17. axb5 Bxe4?

• This simply allows the White Queen to take a splendid post in the center.
• Better is the immediate 17. -- cxb5 18. Bxf5 Qxf5 19. Ra5 when:
• 19. -- a6 20. Qxf5 Nxf5 21. Rfa1 Rac8 and the position is balanced.
• 19. -- Qxb1 20. Rxb1 a6 21. Rba1 Nd5 with a level game.

18. Qxe4 cxb5 19. Rfb1 a6

• No better is 19. -- Nf5 20. Bf4 Qg6 21. Qb7 Rac8 22. Rc1 and White penetrates Black's camp from the Queen's wing.

Black: John Cox
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White: Alex Shabalov
Position after 19. -- a7a6

20. Rxb5!!

• By sacrificing a Rook, White wins a pawn.
• If 20. Bf4? Ng6 21. Be5 Qd8 then:
• 22. Bf4 Re8 23. Qf3 Nxf4 24. Qxf4 and White's advantage has evaporated.
• 22. Qf3 Nxe5 23. dxe5 Qe8 24. Qe4 Qc8 and Black's Queen is more active.

20. -- axb5 21. Rxa8 Qe6

• The offer to exchange Queens fails, leaving White two pawns up.
• White still wins after 21. -- Ng6 22. h3 Rxa8 23. Qxa8+ Nf8 24. Kg2

22. Rxf8+ Kxf8 23. Qxh7 Nf5

• 23. -- Nd5 24. Qd3 Qc6 25. Bd2 Ke7 26. h4 Kd7 27. f3 +-

24. Qh8+ Ke7 25. Qh5 Qe4

• Black has no way out:
• After 25. -- Kd6 26. Qf3 Qd5 27. Bf4+ Kc6 28. Qd3 f6 29. h4 White's kingside majority marches forward.
• After 25. -- Nxe3 26. Qg5+ Kd6 27. fxe3 f5 28. g4 f6 29. gxf5 gxf5 30. Qd8+ White will soon force an exchange of Queens, leaving him with an easily won King and pawn ending.

26. h3 Kf8

• If 26. -- f6 27. Qg4 Qd3 28. Qf3 then:
• 28. -- g6 29. Qb7+ Kd8 30. d5 Nxe3 31. Qb6+ +-
• 28. -- Nd6 29. Qc6 Qc4 30. Qxc4 Nxc4 31. Kf1 +-

27. Qg5 f6

• White was threatening 28. Qd8#.
• 27. -- Qb1+ 28. Kh2 f6 29. Qf4 Qd3 30. Bc1 Ne7 31. Qd2 +-

28. Qf4 Qd3 29. Kg2 g5 30. Qf3 Kg7 31. h4 Kg6

• If 31. -- Nxe3+ 32. Qxe3 Qg6 33. hxg5 then:
• 33. -- fxg5 34. Qe7+ Kh8 35. Qe5+ Kh7 36. Qxb5 and White wins easily.
• 33. -- b4 34. gxf6+ Kxf6 35. cxb4 and Black, four pawns down, can resign with a clear conscience.

32. hxg5 fxg5 33. Qc6+ Kh5 34. g4+ 1-0

• If 34. g4+ then:
34. -- Kxg4 35. Qf3+ Kh4 36. Qh3#
• else if 34. -- Kh4 35. gxf5 Qe2 36. Qh6+ Qh5 37. Bxg5+ Kg4 38. f3+ Kxf5 39. Qf6#
• Mr. Cox resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Comment: The World Championship and Other Observations

Comment: The World Championship and Other Observations


The Beginnings of the World Chess Championship

The world chess championship was established in 1886 in a match between Wilhelm Steinitz, a Czech chess master who had lived at various time in Prague, Vienna, London and by this time in New York, against the German-Polish master, Johannes Hermann Zukertort. The match was scheduled for 24 games of which twenty were played before one player accumulated the required 12½ points. The match was held over a three-month period in three US cities: New York, St. Louis and New Orleans. Steinitz and Zukertort were regarded as the two strongest players of the time, so the claim that the match was for the world championship of chess was not just a publicity agent's hype or an idle boast by either of the participants. It was a valid claim.

The match was won by Steinitz. Zukertort would be dead about two years after the end of the match. Steinitz would defend his title against the Russian Mikhail Chigorin (1889), Isidor Gunsberg of Hungary (1890) and Chigorin again (1892) before finally losing the title to the young German, Emanuel Lasker, in 1894.



In Diana's Wood: Steinitz vs. Lasker, 1894
Photo: ChessGraphics

Thus the world chess championship was established on the format of the Golden Bough. A brash challenger would come and meet the king in mortal combat; the challenger could only become king himself by slaying the king. The contest rules, a set of rituals and traditions, were to assure that the king would be crafty, strong and virile, so as to better fight enemies and the please the gods into making the kingdom fertile. The king and priest were one and the same. He was expected to be all things, the chief warrior and the first appeaser of the gods. In the rites that could mean his death, he would grant the challenger the instrument of his own destruction.

In 1900, Steinitz died almost penniless in New York. This had a profound effect on Lasker, an early twentieth-century renaissance man who, in addition to being the world chess champion, earned a Ph.D. in mathematics studying under David Hilbert in 1902 (an important theorem bears his name), a minor philosopher and could hold his own arguing about science and mathematics with his friend, Dr. Einstein. After Lasker's death in 1941, Einstein would write an intoduction to a biography of Lasker. For the reason of being such a polyglot, Lasker did not play chess as often as many of his contemporaries. He was busy being Lasker.

Lasker was also concerned that he would die in poverty, like Steinitz, if he devoted all his time to chess and did not take care to make money at chess. For this reason, he would not defend his title unless his challenger first put up a significant deposit for prizes and expenses. In this way, potential matches againt the Hugarian master Geza Maroczy (about 1902) and Akiba Rubinstein of Poland (about 1912) were never held, and a match that might have been held against Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch that might have been held about 1903 was delayed until 1908, when Tarrasch was declining. Instead, Dr. Lasker would defend his title against the American Frank Marshall in 1907 (Lasker won 8 and drew 7 without a loss), Carl Schlechter of Austria (when Lasker was fortunate to escape, winning one -- the last game -- losing one and drawing eight), and the Franco-Polish master David Janowsky twice (in 1909 with 7 wins, 1 loss and 2 draws; and in 1910 with 8 wins and 3 draws without a loss).

The case of Dr. Lasker's match with Janowsky is interesting. Janowsky was a friend of the Dutch artist Leo Nardus, who thought Janowsky the greatest chess player ever. Nardus supported Janowsky financially and literally bought Janowsky's matches against Dr. Laker, paying Lasker 7000 francs for the 1909 match.

In 1921, Lasker, having held the world championship for over half of his 52 years, lost a match to José Capablanca of Cuba in Havana.

Lasker would retire from chess in 1925. He had earned enough money from his various ventures to retire. In 1933, the Nazis came to power in Germany and legally robbed Lasker, a Jew, of all for which he had worked. The following year, broke and living in exile, the legendary Dr. Lasker returned to competitive chess at the age of 65.


The Beginnings of FIDE

The Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), the world governing body of chess, was founded in 1924 with the idea of bringing order to the world chess title. It was to assure that there would be sponsors for a world championship event featuring a reigning champion and a strong, qualified challenger. Of course, at this time FIDE was an upstart organization with a good idea, but to get hold of the world title, it would need the goodwill of the champion. This FIDE did not get. In 1924, the World Champion was still Capabalanca, who would lose it to Alexander Alekhine, a Russian emigre living in France, in 1927. Alekhine would hold the title for most of the next 19 years, with a two year interregnum (1935-37) in which Dr. Max Euwe of Holland reigned. During his reign, Alekhine demonstrated exactly why independent control of the world title was needed. Ducking proposals for a rematch against Capablanca, who continued to win strong tournaments, Alekhine instead handpicked his challenger, Efim Bogolyubov, another Russian emigre who lived in Germany. Bogolyubov was a strong player in his own right, but not in the same class as Alekhine, Capablanca or Dr. Lasker. Alekhine played not one but two matches against Bogolyubov, in 1929 and 1934, easily winning both. Dr. Euwe, easily the strongest Dutch master (and the former European amateur heavyweight boxing champion), also managed to get a match with Alekhine in 1935 and, to the surprise of almost everyone, scored a narrow victory over the living legend. Euwe was a consummate sportsman above all else and immediately on his own initiative began negotiations with Alekhine for a rematch. That was held in 1937. Alekhine convincing win in that match was a great setback for FIDE, since Euwe planned to place his title in FIDE's hands afterward.



Title Match: Max Euwe vs. Alexander Alekhine
Photo: chessclub.demon.co.uk

FIDE's goal was not to be the king, but the priest. The king would still do combat, but the priest would be a separate person who would control the rites of combat. The king would fight; the priest would appease the gods and assure fertility in the kingdom. The world champion would defend his title; FIDE would secure money from sponsors.

FIDE scored a success by organizing the 1938 tournament in Holland under the sponsorship of the Dutch broadcasting company, AVRO. The AVRO Tournament featured he restored world champion Alekhine, former champions Capablanca and Euwe, and five other strong players, including, future World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik of the Soviet Union and the young Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres, considered by chess historians to be, along with Akiba Rubinstein and Viktor Korchnoi, one of the best players never to have been world champion. However, Alekhine said he was ready to play the first prize winner of the event "upon conditions and at a time to be arranged later" and added that he reserved the right to defend his title against master in the meantime. Indeed, a match between Alekhine and the Czechoslovakian master Salo Flohr, who would finish last in the AVRO Tournament, was in the final stages of negotiations.

Keres won the AVRO Tournament, but Alekhine would play neither Keres nor Flohr for the world title. World War II broke out less than a year after the completion of the AVRO Tournament. FIDE would get its big chance to take control of the World Title in 1946, when Alekhine suddenly died of an apparent heart attack while preparing for a championship match against Botvinnik. Botvinnik, who as a loyal member of the Communist Party, was the Soviet's favorite over Keres, who was apolitical and willing to play chess in any tournament, regardless of who organized it. Keres played in Communist organized events early in the war after the Soviets took over Estonia and then later in Nazi organized events after Estonia came under control of the Third Reich. After the war, the Soviets imprisoned Keres and, were it not for the personal intervention of Botvinnik, would probably have had him shot for treason.

FIDE took the opportunity to arrange a tournament among the five of the six survivors of the AVRO event (Capablanca passed away in 1942), dropping Flohr, whose powers had declined markedly during the war, and replacing him with Vasily Smyslov, a young Soviet talent. SMyslov would briefly hold the title (1957-58) and is today the oldest living former World Champion. The American Rueben Fine, who finished second in the AVRO Tournament, declined his invitation. FIDE elected not to replace Fine, although some thought that Miguel Najdorf, a Polish Jew who settled in Argentina during the war, was a suitable contender.

The tournament went forward in the Spring of 1948 with five players and was divided between the venues of The Hague and Moscow. Mikhail Botvinnik scored 14 points out of 20 to win the event by 3 points over his nearest rival, Smyslov. Botvinnik was the first world chess champion to be crowned under the auspices of FIDE.

FIDE's plan was to hold a cycle of tournaments culminating in an eight-player Candidates' Tournament to select the official challanger to the world champion. For decades, this format would work with some modifications. The most important of these modifications came after the 1963 cycle, when the final candidates' tournament was replaced by a series of matches with quarter-final, semi-final and final rounds. In the 1970s, the World Championship cycle saw some crises: in 1972, the challenger, Bobby Fischer, nearly walked out of the match against champion Boris Spassky before winning the match easily; in 1975, Fischer simply refused to defend his title against the challenger, Anatoly Karpov, who was declared champion by default; in 1978, the Soviets had problems in that in their view the official challenger, Viktor Korchnoi, was a traitor. However, these event were either resolved by getting the match played or simply following established rules and defaulting the match. Even Bobby Fischer, far from being the most reasonable or congenial of men, understood that by refusing to play against Karpov he was, in effect, resigning his title.

Interestingly, the FIDE president on whose it shoulders it fell to deal with the two crises centering around Fischer was the former world champion, Dr. Max Euwe. It can be said that he handled both well. Dr. Euwe was a good king and a great high priest.


The Reign of Error: Campomanes and Kisan

Euwe was succeeded as FIDE president in 1978 by Icelandic grandmaster Fridrik Olafsson, who was in turn replaced by Florencio Campomanes of the Philippines in 1982.

Campomanes, who organized the 1978 world title match between then champion Anatoly Karpov of the Soviet Union and dissident Soviet expatriate Viktor Korchnoi, is best remembered for canceling the 1984 match between Karpov and challenger Garry Kasparov after five months of play and after Kasparov had won two games in a row. Campomanes' downfall came following the 1993 Chess Olympiad held in Manila and the controversy surreound the World Championship of that year. Kasparov, by then champion, and his official challenger, Nigel Short, became dissatisfied and impatient with FIDE's incompetence and arrogance in organizing the title event and simply formed a rival federation, the Professional Chess Association (PCA) and played the match outside of FIDE's auspices. Kasparov was stripped of his title, although most followers of chess continued to regard Kasparov, by then recognized as the greatest chess player ever, as the World Champion. Financial irregularities in the Manila Olympiad led to investigations; in 2003, Campomanes was convicted in a Filipino court of failing to account for about US$240,000 entrusted to FIDE by the Philippine Sports Commission. Camponanes was sentenced to just under two years in prison.

Meanwhile, FIDE recognized former World Champion Karpov as the titleholder. Karpov was one of those who led a federation revolt against Campomanes. In 1995, at the FIDE Congress in Paris, Karpov introduced Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, president of the autonomous Russian Republic of Kalmykia, as his candidate. Kirsan (he is usually referred by his first name) became the chess champion of Kalmykia when he was 14 years old. At a meeting of FIDE, a vote was taken and Campomanes was made "Honorary President" (a title he still holds) and Kirsan was elected FIDE's new president.

Many welcomed Kirsan's election. After all, he couldn't be worse than Campomanes, could he?



Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
President of Kalmykia and FIDE
Photo: SchaakLinks (Holland)

Kirsan is nothing if he is not colorful, but perhaps the delegates to the FIDE convention should have taken a closer look. Kirsan is an autocrat and proud of it. He admires other autocrats, expressing approval of the ways of both deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and the US presumptive president, George W. Bush. Two of Kirsan's aides are currently in a Russian prison for the 1998 murder of Larisa Yudina, an opposition journalist, who had published articles accusing Kirsan of corruption. It has never been proved that Kirsan ordered the murder. Kirsan claims that a bland Bulgarian seer, the late Baba Vanga, predicted his presidency of FIDE and "multiple Bulgarian world chess champions." For those who take the occult seriosly, Veselin Topalov, until last week the FIDE world champion, and Antoaneta Stefanova, women's world champion from 2004-06, could be regarded as fulfilling the prophecy of multiple Bulgarian world champions. Kirsan also claims he was once abducted by aliens.

People in Kalmykia complain that Kirsan lavishes money on chess when the government should have more immediate priorities. Wages on state run farms are about $3 a month and the capital, Elista, is a city whose public housing is in need of repair. Kirsan owns several white Rolls Royces (the number varies with the source, but the number range from 3 to 6). At the cost of $50 million, Kirsan erected Chess City in Elista, a poorly planned project that has everything but a usable playing hall.

American grandmaster Yasser Seirawan, who engineered the 2002 Prague agreement by which the world championship would be reunified, has called Kirsan's tenure over FIDE "the reign of error."


The Debasement of the World Title

In 1998, Kirsan liquidated the world championship cycle that had worked since 1948. Even with the defection of Kasparov, FIDE was able to keep a world championship cycle running on that basis. Apparently Kirsan has never heard the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

The old cycle was replaced by a knockout tournament, the first of which was held in Las Vegas in 1999. The tournament started with 128 players and was pruned to 63 in the second round, 32 in the third and so on up to the last round between two players, two winner would be the world champion.

The winner of the first knockout tournament was Alexander Khalifman, a Russian grandmaster and a good player ranked about 50th in the world. A good player is not of the same caliber as Lasker, Alekhine or Kasparov. Even Euwe, who probably never the very best of his time, was still in the top half-dozen or so. Now Kirsan's new way of picking the world champion placed on the head of the 50th best chess player in the world the crown of Lasker and Alekhine.

Thus was the world championship debased.

While one may find something ridiculous about Khalifman being world champion, there's nothing funny about what else happened in Las Vegas. Those who received prizes had their checks bounce. Khalifman still won a tournament and was owed whatever money FIDE advertised in its promotions for the event. He was paid six months later.

The last knockout event was held in 2004 in Tripoli. Libya. Holding the event in Libya was yet another bad decision by Kirsan, since Libya has a policy of not admitting citizens of Israel into the country. It was never clear whether players holding Israeli passports would be permitted to participate, with FIDE officially saying they would and Libyan IOC chairman Mohammed Qadhafi, son of Libyan strongman Colonel Moammar al-Qadhafi, saying they would not. In the end, no Israelis participated, including Boris Gelfand, one of the world's elite grandamasters; many other refused to participate in solidarity those excluded.

The winner of the tournament was Rustam Kasidzhanov of Uzbekistan, another good player not of real championship caliber.

In between Las Vegas and Tripoli, the knockout format did manage to produce two world champions of higher quality. In 2000, the event was won by Vishy Anand, who has been ranked second in the world for some time and who once played a challenge match against Kasparov. In 2002, the winner was Ruslan Ponomariov, a 19-year-old Ukrainian grandmaster, who is ranked in the top ten.

In 2005, Kirsan again changed the format to a grand tournament, much like the AVRO Tournament of 1938 or The Hague/Moscow of 1948. There were eight participants: Rustam Kasidzhanov, the last of the FIDE knockout champions, and seven of the strongest grandmasters.

The event was won by Veselin Topalov, who at the time was ranked about even with Vishy Anand. At least Topalov was a credible world champion.

Meanwhile, Kasparov had continued organizing his own title matches. In 1995, he played and defeated Vishy Anand in New York. After that, Kasparov started having some trouble. Alexei Shirov, born in Latvia, but who was living in Spain and had become a Spanish citizen, qualified in a series of tournaments and matches to play Kasparov for the PCA version of the world title, the one most people considered the real world title as long as Kasparov held it. Kasparov could not find a sponsor with the funds he had at first promised Shirov, and Shirov refused to play for less than what was originally agreed. Finally, the British manufacturer BrainGames, Ltd., agreed to sponsor the match, but still did not meet the prize fund to which Shirov had agreed. Shirov was replaced by the man he defeated to earn the earn the right to challenge Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik.

A fourteen-game match was held in London in the Autumn of 2000. Kramnik won 2 games and drew 11 to win the match. Kramnik, who at the time was rated second to Kasparov, was recognized by Kasparov as the 14th World Champion in descent from Steinitz.

The 2002 Prague agreement stipulated that Kasparov would play a match against Ponomariov, then the FIDE knockout champion, and Kramnik would play a match against the winner of the 2002 Dortmund Sparkassen. In July, the event was held an won by Hungarian grandmaster Peter Leko, another credible candidate for the world title. However, Ponomariov refused to sign his contract for the match with Kasparov and that match was never held. After Kasimdzhanov won the next knockout tournament, negotiations began for a Kasparov-Kasimdzhanov match, but these also fell apart. In the Autumn of 2004, the only event proposed in the Prague agreement leading up to the reunification match was held in Brissago, Switzerland. In that event, Kramnik and Leko drew a 14-game match; Kramnik thus retained what under the Prague agreement was called the "classical" world championship.

Kasparov took himself out the picture in March, 2005, when he announced his retirement from competitive chess immediately after winning the annual Linares tournament.

The left FIDE only to have to negotiate a match between Kramnik and the FIDE champion. However, Kramnik's health became an issue in 2005. He was playing poorly and dropping out of events. In the Fall, he announced that he would absent himself from competition for six months to receive treatment for spinal arthritis.

In April, Kirsan announced that a match between Kramnik and Topalov would take place in September and October in Elista.

In September, the match was indeed held.

Kirsan made another change in the championship cycle that is noteworthy. He has ordained what is commonly called the 2700 rule, in which any player rated over 2700 (there are only 20 at the present time) may pony up $1 million dollars for the right to challenge the world champion. Leo Nardus would just have to make the check payable to FIDE rather than to Dr. Lasker.



The Two Kings and the High Priest in Elista
Photo: Official website of the World Championship Reunification Match



The Match that was nearly flushed down the Toilet

The smart money was on Topalov. He had been the hottest player in chess for almost two years. While that was true, it ignored that Kramnik had returned to chess at the Torino Olympiad in May in top form. He won a gold medal for best performance rating in the event. Then he underscored that achievement in July by winning the Dortmund Sparkassen, one of the most prestegious annual events on the chess calendar. Kramnik was back.

Kramnik won the first two games and drew games three and four. The score was 3-1 in Kramnik's favor.

Then bizarre things began to happen.

On a rest day prior to game 5, Silvio Danailov, Topalov's manager, wrote a letter to the appeals committee complaining of Kramnik's frequent trips to the rest room, suggesting that Kramnik may be using the john to illegally check computer analysis.

The charge that Kramnik (or Topalov, for that matter) was cheating was absurd. One need only look at the second game. If either player was using a computer to make those moves, he should get a refund from the manufacturer.

What the appeals committee did was to make a decision to tock the toilets and make the players use and a common toilet backstage. That sounds reasonable, but Team Kramnik wasn't let in on the problem. Not only that, but the video tapes of Kramnik's rest room were made available to Team Topalov without consulting Team Kramnik.

When he showed up for the fifth game, Kramnik refused to play until the conditions agreed to in the players' contract were restored. The chief arbiter started Kramnik's clock and after an hour declared Topalov the winner of game 5 by default.

Not surprisingly, this caused a crisis that took the better part of a week to resolve. Kirsan was meeting with Russian President Putin on state business in the Black Sea resort of Sochi and returned to Elista to personally handle the crisis. In the end, the access to private toilets was restored and the appeals committee fired, as Kramnik and his team requested. However, the forfeited game would stand. Kramnik agreed to play the rest of the match under protest.

The appeals committee was made up of FIDE Vice Presidents Georgios Makrapoulos and Zurab Azmaiparashvili, and Jorge Vega, continental president of the Americas. Both Makrapoulos and Azmaiparashvili are very good friends of Kirsan; Azmaiparashvili is also a very good friend of Danailov. These people are not experienced in what an appeals committee does. Their incompetence showed and they were rightly removed. While Kirsan gets credit for removing them, he must also accept blame for appointing them in the first place. The only qualifications for Makrapoulos and Azmaiparashvili to sit on the appeals committee was their loyalty to Kirsan.

Several international grandmasters spoke out in support of Kramnik. Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi, who have agreed on very little in the last thirty years, both stated that they would have walked out of the match in Kramnik's position.

Kramnik, however, did not walk out. He stayed and defeated Topalov, in spite of the circumstances that gave Topalov a free win and an extra round with White.


The future of FIDE

If there is a big loser in the Elista match, and one that richly deserves to lose, it is FIDE.

All signs point to Topalov having been their man. Under the 2700 rule, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Sport has bought a title match for Azerbaijan's leading player, Teimour Radjabov. However, there could be a big hitch. The arrangements were all made with Topalov. Kramnik only knows what he's read in the papers about this.

If so, then FIDE had a financial stake in Topalov winning. Would that explain why Topalov got a free point and an extra White? Why Kramnik was treated like a doormat?

FIDE is not the only culpret in matter. Danailov, and by extension Topalov, are far from blameless. However, they could not have anticipated how badly the Appeals Committee handled it. Unless there was collusion -- and there is no direct evidence of any -- Team Topalov could not have counted on getting a free point out what was simply gamesmanship on their part.

Beyond that, the response of the Appeals Committee was appalling. At the very least, the Appeals Committee should not have made a decision to lock the toilets unilaterally. Kramnik and his people should have been informed what was happening and asked to participate in a solution. This should never have been a crisis.

During the days when the chess world held its breath to see if the match was going to be restarted, Garry Kasparov wrote in the Wall Street Journal:

The protests and conflicts seen in the current match are of a very different nature and reflect the complete loss of professionalism in the sport. The event is taking place in the capital of the Russian republic of Kalmykia under the auspices of its president, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who is also the president of FIDE. He has created a vertical column of power that would be familiar to any observer of Russia today. He runs the chess world in the same authoritarian way he runs his impoverished republic. After a decade of such mistreatment, the only place that could be found to host this match was his own capital. Serious sponsors rarely want anything to do with Mr. Ilyumzhinov and his organization.

The priest is no longer appeasing the gods and the kingdom is famished. The sponsors who should be footing the bill for matches and tournaments want nothing to do with chess. And the priest can only hold his ritual of the slaying of the king in his own barren, rotting temple in Elista.

Were misplaying the Danailov's toilet gambit the only mistake FIDE has made in the last few years, there would be little to discuss. It is not. What happened to the prize fund in Las Vegas? Why was there so much trouble organizing this match or, for that matter, most of the other provisions of the Prague Agreement? Why are sponsors being scared away from chess?

And what is up with this 2700 rule? FIDE was founded with the idea of regulating the world championship so the champion would have to play a qualified challenger on a regular basis, not just a hand picked one or, more relevant to the matter, anybody who could show the champion enough money to support a prize fund. So we have gone full circle from the time that Nardus bought a match on behalf of Janowsky from Dr. Lasker to now, when the Azerbaijani Ministry of sport buys a match on behalf of Radjabov from Kirsan and FIDE.

What does this mean? It means the FIDE is now totally worthless. It has defeated its own purpose. No longer must a challenger for the world championship prove himself worthy. He only has to show the high priest the money.

What is to be done now? Chess cannot wait for FIDE to reform itself. The high priest is autocrat, a crook, and a suspected murderer. There will be no reform coming from within. And the gods are displeased.

Kirsan's corrupt and autocratic ways are enough to frighten sponsors away. Chess needs sponsors. Sponsors will stay away under Kirsan goes away. Either the federations must replace Kirsan at the next FIDE Congress or the players and federations must form a new world governing body independent of FIDE.

It is necessary to challenge the high priest.