January, 18, 2002 The third meeting between the pretenders on a world champion title awaited with a special interest, and the unexpectedness were found from the first moves. First of all V. Ivanchuk, disappointing by a course of the struggle in the first game, where he has selected the French defence, this time has chosen the sharp Paulsen system in the Sicilian defence. Ponomariov at once has turned from the main ways of this opening, placing K-side's bishop on g2-field, also has tried to muffle aggressive intentions of the partner, but has not achieved this purpose. By a sharp movement of the "h"-pawn and the subsequent refusal from castling Ivanchuk has aggravated the situation, and the game has entered in a complicqted midgame, where the partners as if would exchange by roles. Usually in Paulsen system White aspires to the initiative on the K-side, and Black on the Q-side, here picture of the struggle is directly opposite. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. g3 a6 7. Bg2 d6 8. O-O Bd7 9. Nxc6 Bxc6 10. Re1 Be7 11. Qg4 h5 12. Qe2 h4 13. a4 hxg3 14. hxg3 Rc8 15. a5 Kf8 16. Be3 Nf6 17. Bb6 Qb8 18. Bf3 Nd7 After 18 moves begins a phase of concrete operations. 19.Bd4 Bf6 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Bg2 Ne5 22.f4 Qa7 23.Kf1 Ng6 24.Qf2 Qxf2 25.Kxf2 Rh5 26.Rh1 Rc5 27.Rh7 Ke7 28.Bf1 Alas, sharp midgame has failed - Ponomariov persistently extinguished a hardly beginning flame. However after some basic simplifications he was not expected by quiet life. Tricky having thrown the rook on a route Rh8-h5-c5, Ivanchuk has transferred the centre of operations on the Q-side and to the 28-th move his position looked perspective. The exchange on the c3-field deserved, in particular, attention. At once to estimate its consequences certainly it is uneasy, but it is obvious, that the move made by Ivanchuk 28... Nf8 with the further exchange of the bishops has missed planned the initiative. 28... Nf8 29. Rh8 Bb5 30. Bd3 Bxd3 31.cxd3 Nd7 32. Rxc8 Rxc8 To 33th move the chances of the rivals were approximately balanced. 33.d4 Rc4 34. Ra4 Rxa4 35. Nxa4 Soon and the rooks have disapeared from the board and arisen knight ending has drawn outlines. Although, after Ivanchuk's move 35...f5 and deteriorated black pawn's position, the Ponomariov's admirers have got the optimistic hopes again, but not for a long time. Weak pawns had both contenders, and peaceful negotiations became inevitable. And as result - the draw on 47th move. 35...f5 36.exf5 exf5 37.Nc3 Nf6 38.d5 Nd7 39.b4 Nf6 40.Ke3 Kd7 41.Kd4 Nh5 42.Ne2 Nf6 43.Kc4 Ne4 44.b5 axb5 45.Kxb5 Kc7 46.Kc4 Kb8 47.Kb4 And so, inspite of all prognosises, after 3 games Ivanchuk has 1 point and not Ponomariov... P.S. So, the key of understanding of this game course is in answer for principal question - had Black advantage in case of 28...Rxc3 or not?.. |
