I am glad to greeting everybody who wish to watch the event in Linares! Today I Konstantin Aseev will follow with you the development of occurrences and lead the story. In the meeting Anand-Ponomariov Black has chosen a not very perspective variation where he forced to conduct a fight for equalization during the whole game. After 10th move White stands slightly better. Although White don't try to play on maximum nevertheless after 19...Qa5 20.Be6 fe6 21.a4 White has slightly better chances. On 21...Qb4 possible is 22.Qb2. It seems Anand today was not in the mood to fight or has not guessed with the opening. After 21.Nd5 Nd5 the structure of the struggle gets drawn contours. In this game the struggle didn't come in - draw. In the duel Ivanchuk-Adams played was Anti-Marshal with 8.a4. After the obvious 13...f6 White needs a certain accuracy. Ivanchuk just from the opening has turned into the defensive side. And this only to 14th move. Will he be able to ward off? Suddenly whirligig began to turn! Adams instead of calm 14...Qf6 proceeded in a skirmish on a harsh sharpening of the battle with 14...Ng2. Now we should only wait how much correct was Michael's calculation. After all an omission of attack or defensive move is equivalent to a capitulation. The position stabled. Vassily has the active Queen against 3 pieces but Black still has not arranged the interaction of pieces. Where will "drive up" the position's evaluation? It is still a question. Now is obvious that White has good chances for a success. But what shows the hands of the clock dial (or the indicator panel) ? Does Ivanchuk will manage to interrupt the series of games without a victory? After 44.Kd3 it is all over, Black can't defence. Vassily Ivanchuk gains his first victory in this competition and improve his tournament's position and certainly the mood. In the game Kasparov-Shirov after 11.Nh4 White leads the game. Shirov has suggested a pawn sacrifice which was rejected by White. After 13...g5 began a "scuffle". But White are ready to a close fight. The game soon to the 20th move passed in a complicated endgame where after a suggested itself 20...Be5 21.Bd4 Bd4 22.Rd4 Rad8 23.Red1 Whute's position is more preferable. It seems that White has admitted a inaccuracy playing Nd7. There is a feeling that the part of advantage is missed. The feelings were confirmed - draw, which "suddenly" could lead Gary to the 1st line in the tournament table before the 2nd round. |
