Gelfand - Shirov 1/2 Meran variation. Gelfand didn't like to meddle in a theoretical discussion after the main continuations 9. e4 and 9.0-0 and used a more rare move 9. a3, which served him many times faithfully and met in a game between the same partners in 1988! An academic play rare brings a success in the games between tried rivals. Shirov clearly neutralized all Gelfand's attempts to obtain even if a minimal advantage and after mass exchanges Black stands even more pleasantly in view of more active placed pieces. Although the most probable outcome of the struggle is a draw. Morozevich - Bareev 0-1 Caro-Kann was expected. But on the 6th move Morozevich probably has surprised his partner with a rare meet in GM's practice 6.c5 It's true that this move in recent times used a famous Moscowian theoretic Estrin. Alexander is well-known with his non-standard approach to openings problems and with an aspiration for impose to the rival his own play from the first moves. In the game tied a heated battle. Both partners played very creatively despite of the common rules. Staying too long with the development of his kingside White tried to embarrass the mobilization of rival's pieces on the queenside but Bareev with an unexpected 14. ...g5 extremely sharped the situation on the board. Only a careful analysis will show whether White could play stronger but in the game Black coolly capturing the material which was suggested by the rival and repulsing all Morozevich's attempts to get an attack has crossed to an endgame with two extra-pawns. About 20 last moves in this game were superfluous. Adams - Leko 1/2 In contrast to Morozevich Adams aspires to carry the heaviness of the fight on the middlegame. Here the same. In the game against Leko he played a modest but poisonous variation which also is a part of the other GM's arsenal. On the 8th move more popular is 8.Be3 following by Qd2 not clearing stoll where the white King will castle. On this move in the games Shirov-Leko, Monaco 2002, Grischuk-Shirov, Dubai 2002 and Grischuk-Leko, Dubai 2002 followed 8...b6 9. Qd2 e5 10. Bh6 Qd6 and Black obtained a satisfactory game. Adams carried out the advancement f4, opened f-file and tried to arrange a pressure along it on the position of the rival's King. Leko by way of f5 weakened this pressure and began a counterplay on the queenside against white pawns forcing Adams to distract a part of his forces on their defence. A position of a dynamic balance has arisen with mutual weaknesses. Shortly before the 1st time control White has sacrificed a central pawn hoping to penetrate in the rival's camp but Black has covered the squares of possible invasion and both players decided that the balance has not broken. So, they preferred to disperse with a peace. Topalov - Lutz White has chosen a very popular in the last years construction called "English attack". By efforts of Adams, Motylev and others it turned out to be that it is possible also against Paulsen system which was chosen by Lutz. Black carried out a maneuver Nc6-e5-c4 opening b-file but White has obtained an exchange of the dark-colored Bishops and controlling the center has put before Black not easy problems associated first of all with a bad position of c8-Bishop. When Lutz managed to carry out d7-d5 it turned out to be that Black has some compensation for a sacrificed pawn but the combination began with 28.Nf6 buried his hopes. |
