Valerij Popov GM Valerij Popov annotates online the games of the 3rd round:


Wijk aan Zee, round 3,
January, 15, 2002

Hi dear fans of chess! Again site " Russian chess " and the leading Petersburg GM's work for you!
By transmission of games of the first supertournament of year in Wijk aan Zee we continue tradition of commenting of the strongest competitions of year. In two days the final match of the Championship of the World FIDE - we also will begin broadcast for you this event - remain with us!

3-rd round. " We will pay under the accounts? "

Today we are waited by meetings:
Leko-Morozevich
Timman-Gurevich
Bareev-Van Wely
Grischuk-Piket
Gelfand-Adams
Dreev-Kasimdzhanov
Khalifman-Lautier

Background and forecast.
Leko-Morozevich
The game of the main favorites of the tournament - very important for both contenders - without doubts, most important game of the round. We are waited by struggle - Morozevich yet has not gained any victory in tournament, and the last offences compell him to be going for revenge - the last year on this tournament "sick" Peter has won by white. Leko wants to much to outstrip Alexander - not in a rating, so in tournament - competition... yes:).
Timman-Gurevich
The game of the most elderly participants of tournament:) - one of them the leader thus. I think Yan will follow a saying - " Old knight does not spoil the furrow... But also deeply will not plough "(russian proverb) While the points are collected - them it is necessary to take! I assume aspiration of the Dutch strong by hand to conduct the game - will fail to deceive so a drawn game...

Bareev-Van Wely
Here any drawn games and be the Champion of Holland does not owe - there is no even a half of point - as he will try! And what his contender? Such "floating" participants - as Van Wely, Yevgenij considers obliged to beat by white. The difficult opening to us is supplied - we will not be dully!

Grischuk-Piket
Having lost in the last round, the young muscovite will try "to recoup". Whether waits for us One more novelty in Spain - for certain novelty from the first round not last?! The Dutch then will not envy...

Gelfand-Adams
One more game between favorites of tournament. That the opening preparation is more important -, erected in the chapter of a corner, or " spider's play "? As the theorist plays white:) - I would put on Boris. Though if the game will be long... - it I also wish to all of us:)

Dreev-Kasimdzhanov
" Superblitzplayer&Bulletplayer " of ICC, and in the past very strong GM Aleksei Dreev in play on the Internet could lose any draft to play classical chess - fast drawn games like that confirmation, but everything happens... And for Rustam it is necessary to show himelf - to predict something it is difficult.

Khalifman-Lautier
Not most important - but very principal game. Just, on Championship of the World in Moscow, Joel has stopped Alexander on the ways to the next rank of the Champion:). Revenge can be awful...:)
Now the games:

(1) Leko (2713) - Morozevich (2742) [C96]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands (3), 15.01.2002
[VSP]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 Ruy Lopez - ... The first experience of this opening in the top level tournamnets was not very good for Morozevich - one can remember the match Morozevich-Ponomariov on the FIDE WCC in Moscow... 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 In my opinion this continuation meets first time in Alexander's games... 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Re8!? Was met only once ... What is this - a prepared variation or play at sight? [13...Bb7 - the main continuation 14.Nf5 Now White can in any time get an advantage of two Bishops. In any cases after 13...Re8 this will not happend - it's interesting...] 14.Bg5!? Peter tries to "come off" a possible rival's preparation and avoid a natural [14.Nc3 Hagarova-Mihalincic, Zadar 1995... (1-0)] Why - on this question will be able to answer only experts and significantly later... 14...h6! 15.Bh4 Nd5! Also a concrete aproach - using a good opportunity Black changes his "bad" Bishop. 16.Bxe7 [16.Bg3? is bad because of 16...Nb4 and the white Bishop has not place where it can hide from the exchange] 16...Nxe7 17.Nd2 And now Peter don't place the Knight on c3 - it means that he has reasons... 17...Bb7 18.a4 Qb6 It seems Black solved his opening problems 19.N4b3 Nac6 20.axb5 axb5 21.Rxa8 Rxa8 22.Nf1 Ne5 White has not any advantage - and in a fight "who will jump over whom with Knights" Leko hardly feels favorite by himself - this why draw. Alexander in this tournament solved "Leko as a problem" - it means that everything is in future - attention - leaders! 1/2-1/2



(2) Timman (2605) - M.Gurevich (2641) [C11]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands (3), 15.01.2002
[VSP]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Bc4 a6 9.Qe2 b5 10.Bd3N [a super-fundamental 10.Bd5 was not probably in Jan's plans] 10...Bb7 11.Nxf6 Qxf6 12.Be4 Bxe4 13.Qxe4 0-0 14.0-0! Firmly [14.0-0-0 - let the others play so] 14...Qe7 15.a4 Nb6 16.axb5 axb5 17.Qc6 b4 To fight having black pieces was not in Mikhail's plans. Draw. Old men needs to rest - that's right. :) 1/2-1/2



(3) Bareev (2707) - van_Wely (2697) [D97]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands (3), 15.01.2002
[VSP]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 a6 8. Be2 b5 9. Qb3 c5 10.dxc5 Be6 11. Qc2 Nc6 12.0-0 Qc7 13. Rd1!? N an Interesting novelty [13.h3!? Nb4 14. Qb1 Qxc5 15. Be3? Piket - Avrukh, Biel 1999 ( 15.a3 1/2-1/2 Onishuk-Svidler, Panormo 2001 ) ; 13.a3 Ng4 14.g3 Nge5 15. Be3 Bareev-Van Wely, Bundesliga 2001] 13... Rfd8 14.a3 the Same idea as in the last game - only with exchange of pair of rooks - and it for certain on hand white - and promised preparation for outsider:) 14... Rxd1 15. Qxd1 Rd8 16. Qe1? At black some compensation for the pawn- but is visible, that for a drawn game still to work and to work... 16... Ng4!? Already Van Wely applies idea from the last game - only would fail as always... [16... Ne5!? Trying at once to take back the material 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. Be3 Nxe4 19.f4! Qf5 20.g4 Bxc3 21.gxf5 Bxe1 22. Rxe1 (22.fxe6? Bd2) 22... Bxf5 23. Bf3 with unpleasant ending for black] 17.h3 Nd4!? Loek goes on the forced game... 18.hxg4 Nc2 19. Bf4 Qxf4 20. Qc1 Qxc1 21. Rxc1 ... Also passes in ending without pawn -═ having a nil points too difficultly to protect such ending! 21... Bxc3 [21... b4!? Trying to keep two bishops; 21... Nd4 22. Nxd4 Rxd4 +] 22.bxc3! taking the bishop - no opposite color bishops! [22. Rxc2 Bg7 continued struggle] 22... Nxa3 23. Ra1 Nc4 24. Rxa6 And it - already technical ending - here from the Dutch anything does not depend... 24... Rc8 And he knows it - and disgracefully loses - hardly.... 25.c6 Bxg4 26. Bxc4 bxc4 27. Nd4 Rb8 28. Ra5! unexpectedly breaking on 5th line to a field d8 - Bareev's technic on the height! 28... Kf8 29. Rc5 Bc8 30. Rd5 Rb1 31. Kh2 Ke8 32.c7 Bd7 33. Nc6! with idea to take the elephant after А8Q 1-0



(4) Grischuk (2671) - Piket (2659) [C82]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands (3), 15.01.2002
[VSP]

1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 again Spain - so so... 4... Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 the truth - open variant 6.d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 Bg4 11. Bc2 Ne6!? rare variant [ 11... Qd7 more often met] 12. Re1 Bc5 13. Nf1 Ne7 14. Ng3 h5 15.h3 h4 16. Nf1 Bh5 17.a4 d4N [17... b4 Adams-Sokolov, Bosna 2000... (1-0)] 18. Be4! c6 19. Qc2! successfully having rearranged, white have avoided exchange queens - hangs h4-pawn - initiative at them - well and the variant has chosen Piket... 19... Bxf3 20. Bxf3 two bishops... 20... Bb6 21. Nd2 0-0 22. Be4 Nc5 23.cxd4 Qxd4 24. Nf3 in the nearest prospect extra-pawn h4... 24... Qc4 25. Qxc4 bxc4 26. Bg5 Nd5 27. Rac1 now are weak also pawns of BlackQ-side 27... c3 28.bxc3 Nxa4 29.c4 Nb4 30. Be7 the exchange - what still is necessary for quiet old age - excuse - ending.:) 30... Nc5 31. Rb1 a5 32. Bxf8 +- That's all?No... Rises Piket's zeitnot.... 32... Rxf8 33. Re2 [33. Nxh4!? Why not to take the pawn?; 33. Bxc6? Ncd3] 33... Nxe4 34. Rxe4 Bc5 35. Nd2 In zeitnot - already mutual - Grischuk replace knight to the Q-side -trying to stop passed pawn... But knight does not help... 35... a4 36. Re2 a3 37. Ne4 Be7 38.c5 a2 39. Ra1 Rd8 40. Nd6 Ra8 Zeitnot is finished - to win now for white already not so it is easy. 41. Rb2 Ra4 42. Kf1! After long meditations Grischuk is going to to win the game anew. Purpose of travel of the king - to replace the knight from the field b4. 42... g6 [42... f6 Trying to enter the bishop into fight. 43.e6 (43.f4) 43... g6 44. Ne4] 43. Ke2 Kg7 Black "rises" - but any game does not conceive - similar Alexandr all the same will win. [43... f6!? 44. Ne4! + -] 44. Ne4 the King white has covered a field d3 - threatens Nc3 44... Nd5 45.f3 Nf4 46. Kf1 +- the Purpose is achieved - black fortifies will fail soon... 46... Rc4 47. Rbxa2 Bxc5 48. Ra4 Bd4 49. Rxc4 Bxa1 50. Nc3! that remained less pieces...:) 50... Nd5 51. Nxd5 cxd5 52. Rxh4! [52. Rc5 Bxe5 53. Rxd5 Here to win longer] 52... Bxe5 53. Ra4 not quite sure - But the unshakable game of Alexander has allowed to take second point by white in the Spain in this tournament. If it would be by black... 1-0



(5) Gelfand (2708) - Adams (2742) [C88]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands (3), 15.01.2002
[VSP]

1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.a3 Na5 11. Ba2 c5 12. Nc3 Nc6 13. Ne2N Is similar to idea Nbd2-f1-g3 (e3) knight goes on f5. Surprisingly - but so nobody played. 13... Bc8! Adams well knows as it is necessary to play at the order of moves 12. Nbd2 Nc6 13. Nf1 - 13... Bc8! - following the game Shirov-Onischuk, New Delhi 2000 14. Ng3!? Shirov moved 13.c3 Be6 14. Be6 fe 15. Ng3 - but anything especial has not achieved. Gelfand goes - and quite good way! 14... Be6 15. Nf5! Just in time - white receives advantage of two bishops. 15... Bxf5 [15... Bxa2?! - what to do then with knight f5] 16.exf5 Qd7 17.g4 h6 Black stands passively, any opening should be on a hand white. Only pawn structure - how it to correct - only if to move f4... And can prepare attack on the king... The eyes run up - what to do - obviously one - at white more pleasantly. 18.c3 On the centre? [ 18. Bd2!? With gradual "arising" of the position and preparation of operations On a line g provided white long pressure in a reliable position.] 18... Rfe8 19.b4?! On flank?!? Q-side? Hm...Yes... Or on all board at once... 19... cxb4 20.cxb4 [20.axb4!? a5! = with counterplay] 20... Bd8! "Spider" theme in all color. The line g1-a7 - there has opened we shall plan... [ 20... a5 too early opened cards.] 21. Bb2?! And whether there there was an bishop? 21... a5! Fastening fullscaled counterplay. 22.bxa5 Bxa5! With rate! At the black initiative. 23. Re2 Bb6 24. Qb3?! Qb7 25. Qd1 a drawn Game? 25... Ra4! 26. Rc2 Ne7! All forces to the field f4... 27. Nh2 Ned5 At black positional advantage and strong attack - that has made with the positionn Gelfand for incomplete ten moves... 28. Qf3 Rf4 29. Qg2 e4! 30. Re1 Blunder in the difficult position [30. Bxf6 continued struggle.] 30... Rxf2! simple combination - in spider's nets now not for long it is necessary to twitch... 31. Rxf2 Nf4 32. Qg3 Bxf2 33. Kxf2 Nxd3 34. Kf1 Nxb2- + perfectly carried out " on interception " game by Adams. He completely has changed the contender - it is possible only to sympathize to Gelfand - it's not his day... 35.h4 Qd7 36. Kg2 Nd3 37. Rf1 e3 38.g5 hxg5 39.hxg5 Nh5 0-1



(6) Dreev (2683) - Kasimdzhanov (2695) [D42]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands (3), 15.01.2002
[VSP]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e3 Nc6 7. Bd3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.a3 cxd4 10.exd4 as always for this index - the position can turn out from different by the different order of moves. But order elected by Dreev - probably not most successful. Instead of the move a3 to make any another... More often move 10. Re1 Bf6 11. Be4:) - at the other order of moves, it is natural. 10... Bf6 11. Re1 To the move Re1 came all the same - but with the move a3:) 11... Bd7!? rare continuation on GM level - and it on 12 move in such famous variation! [ Most frequently meeting moves: 11... g6; 11... Nxc3] 12. Ne4!? It is necessary for Dreev to solve the concrete tasks - any theory - and there are too many moves as "dirt"... Up to time it was possible to him not bad. [not giving back pawn - 12. Bc2 met in the game Gulko-Kaidanov, USA (ch) 1994... (1-0) 12... Nxc3!? Gulko 13.bxc3 Rc8 with not clear game; 12. Qe2 Stocek-Meduna, CZE 1999.. (1-0) 12.. g6!?] 12... Bxd4 Essentially and single. 13. Neg5!? N Continuing struggle - Oh! I am not right - Dreev wants to struggle! [13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Bc4 with fast drawn game: Schmidt-Farago, ROM 1982] 13... h6 And Rustam does not want fast drawn game too - here my prognosis has appeared correct! [13... Nf6!? 14. Nxd4 Nxd4 15. Nxh7 Nxh7 16. Bxh7 Kxh7 17. Qxd4 Bc6 =] 14. Nxd4 hxg5 [14... Nxd4!? Kept in integrity pawn's structure - but again resulted in a drawn game. 15. Nh7 (15. Bh7 Kh8 16. Qxd4 hxg5 = 17. Bd3 Bc6 18. Qg4) 15... Re8 16. Bxh6 f5! 17. Qh5 gxh6 18. Qg6 Kh8 19. Qxh6 Kg8 =] 15. Nf3 f6 Black have kept extrapawn by easing defence orders of the king - and pieces are not co-ordinated yet. White it is necessary to open the king black... 16.h4! The invitation - on execution? 16... g4! refusal! 17. Nh2 the Invitation number 2? 17... g3! [17... f5!? 18. Bc4 With indemnification.] 18.fxg3 Ne5! Behind some moves Black has achieved considerable - knight has got on the important field ╔5, pawn's covering of the king white is spoiled, them knight "has a rest" on h2. The truth all this - by pawn. If all will go quietly - at black in any way not worse. But there is at white like an opportunity to turn all back... 19. Rxe5!? And Aleksei again sucrifices the material. Seems - at white strong compensation, only check at black about stock on b6... 19... fxe5 20. Nf3 Like all is excellent... 20... Bb5! Г the Rustam's tactical vigilance at height - and can also variant all at home is prepared?! 21. Bg5 Qb6 Without a shadow of doubts - all very much particularly - black come for pawn b2. 22. Kh2 Bxd3 23. Qxd3 Qxb2! Very important pawn opens access to a key field А3... 24. Re1 Qc3 White poorly... 25. Qxc3 [25. Qe4 Nf6- +] 25... Nxc3 26. Rxe5 Rae8 Further should be without the comments, but as well as Grischuk, Kasimdjanov in the technically won position gradually creates difficulties to itself... 27.g4 Rf7 28. Be3 Nd5 29. Bd4 b6 30. Rg5 Nf6 31. Rg6 Rd8 32.h5 Rd5 33. Kh3 Nd7 34.h6 e5 35. Bb2 Nf8 36. Rc6 gxh6 37. Nxe5 Re7 [37... Rf2! 38. Bc3 Ra2 with by the subsequent pawn capture and Rc5 finished the game immediately] 38. Nf3 Re6 39. Rc8 Kf7 40. Nh4 Rd3 41.g3 Rd2 [41... Re2! Again instantly won 42. Bh8 Rd1- + 43.g5 h5 with checkmate] 42. Bc3 Rd3 43. Nf5 the game again it is necessary to win - already king black feels uncomfortably. 43... Rd1 44. Kg2 a5 45. Bd4 Ng6 46. Nxh6 Already is not pawn... 46... Ke7 47. Nf5 Kd7 48. Rb8 Kc7 49. Rg8 Rd3 50. Rg7 Kb8 51.g5 Rxa3 52. Bf6 Re2 53. Kh3 Nf4 54. Kg4 Nd5 55. Nd6 Rd3 56. Nf7 Re4 57. Kf5 Re8 58. Be5 Ka8 At last king has hidden from the checks. 59.g6 a4 60. Rh7 a3 61.g7 Rf3 62. Ke4 Rxf7 63.g8Q Nf6 64. Kf4 Nxg8 65. Rxf7 Ne7 66. Bg7 Nd5 67. Kg5 b5 68. Rd7 Rg8 69. Kh6 Rxg7! 70. Rd8 Kb7 71. Kxg7 Black realized the advantage not without effort - but here is how white Aleksei has received poorly? We with you guess - ICC to that by fault... Away off chess on Internet!:) 0-1



(7) Khalifman (2688) - Lautier (2687) [B30]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands (3), 15.01.2002
[VSP]

1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Khalifman des not play 3.d4 in Sicilian defence it is already too... Or it is any special preparation? Let's live - we shall see. But it is strange - it does not look like revenge. 3... Nf6 [ 3... g6 If to remove the bishop on g7 - then;) - my opinion. Anyway - 3... g6 - much more common continuation.] 4. Nc3 g6 5.e5 Ng4 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7.h3 Nh6 8.g4 a Non-standard position of the rare variant - white achieves here of good variants. One of two the black bishops for certain will appear in a crate of own pawns - and the knight at edge of a board stands not good. 8... f5 Trying to win though some space. 9.g5 Nf7 10.d3 Be6 11. Qe2 Bg7 12.h4N Interesting new continuation - which purpose as I understand - to win rate in case of 12... h6 13.gh. And on 12... Qa5 or 12... Qc7 - at white extra tempo in comparison with by usual positions after 13. Bf4. Everywhere Khalifman has new ideas - as Joel tryed to receive a position, unfamiliar to the contender, nothing has left... Yes it is difficult for frenchman now! [12. Bf4 Qa5!? 13.0-0 (13. Bd2 Qc7 = Zemerov-Pyda, Katowice 1993... (0-1) ) 13... h6! 14.h4 Qb4! With mad play - Westerinen-Gausel, Gausdal 1990... (1-0)] 12... Bd5 The unique stayed reasonable move - not bringing of the special simplification. 13. Nxd5 Qxd5 14.c4! Sealing tightly of bishop g7 - soon black will be there is nothing to breathe. 14... Qe6 15. Bf4? At white stably it is better. A question - whether it will be possible to punch black position - remains. 15... h6 a window leaf for pieces of K-side. 16.0-0-0 Rd8 17. Kc2 Kf8 18. Rhg1! White are ready to approach at the centre... 18... hxg5 19. Bxg5 Bh6 20. Bxh6 Rxh6 21.d4 The movement goes... 21... b6 And what still? [21... cxd4? 22. Nxd4 Qc8 23. Qe3 And white takes pawn g6 - after this reaching up to the black king.] 22.dxc5 + Rxd1 23. Rxd1 bxc5 Black pawns are hopelessly spoiled - now only miracle or "shivering" hand of the partner can rescue Lautier... 24.b3 White defences pawn А4 - but as though it would be desirable to do without this move... 24... f4 Lautier searches counterplay under zeitnot - threatened Qe3 with winning. 25. Qe4 Rh5 26. Qxf4 Qf5 27. Qxf5 Rxf5 28. Rd3 Ke8 a unique move - but very important. Black should not pass rook to weaknesse of the Q-side - where pawn on b2 the third would be useful - the 3rd horizontal is sealed:( 29. Kd2 [29.e6 Nd8 30. Re3 Rf6] 29... Nxe5 30. Nxe5 Rxe5 Only the careful analysis will allow to establish, where Khalifman has missed a victory - at once to not make out... 31. Re3 Rf5 32. Ke2 Kf7 33. Rd3 Ke8! Not to let! 34. Rf3 Rh5 35. Rf4 Re5 36. Kf3 Re1! Black has broken by first - now the victory most likely is not present... 37. Re4 Ra1 38. Re6 Rxa2 39. Rxg6 Rb2 40. Rxc6 Rxb3 41. Kg4 a5 extrapawn nothing gives - and it is a pity... 42. Rxc5 a4 43.f4 1/2-1/2


The summary

Not everybody revenged today - but almost all results of the games are quite natural.

The games of the youngest and most elderly participants last not for long - here they know why. Khalifman was close to a revenge with Lautier, but has not solved technical difficulties. Bareev, Grischuk and Kasimdzhanov these difficulties have solved, having received advantage after unsuccessful play of the contenders in an opening. Gelfand was clearly outplayed after own unintelligible actions.

The tournament approaches equator - all participants it will be necessary to solve the special tasks, so, the quantity of fast drawn games will go on is not present.
All ahead - remain with us!
All good - protect yourself!