January, 19, 2001 I had a thought that a part of the participants will not be able to fight in this round - after the celebration of the Birthday of the Ex-World Champion, it proved to be true only partly - still... Who play today: Morozevich - Kazimdzhanov Adams - Lautier Piket - Khalifman Van Wely - Dreev Gurevich - Gelfand Leko - Grischuk Timman - Bareev Morozevich - Kazimdzhanov. These fight for sure - no celebrations. Morozevich needs to catch up the leaders - there more that his rival in this tournament still couldn't settle down. Rustam needs points very much - all could be improved. Probably he has not the slightest wish to be at the bottom of the table! It is difficult to predict the result, but obviously that the fight will go with Alexander's advantage. Adams - Lautier The Englishman needs to try to strengthen the leadership but ... carefully. We all were intimidated with the "risen" French and Joel just now has won! :) But Micky should not get into the habit.Adams - Lautier The Englishman needs to try to strengthen the leadership but ... carefully. We all were intimidated with the "risen" French and Joel just now has won! :) But Micky should not get into the habit. Piket - Khalifman Here the syndrome of the celebration have to be. Alexander usually have nothing against a draw and Jerun perhaps especially not strives. Because of if to strive there is possible like Kasymdzhanov with white to get not out of 30 moves! Van Wely - Dreev Here there more - Luc needs to come to oneself. He will try to fight ... with somebody else. Alexei with black agrees on a draw... always :) Gurevich - Gelfand Here is almost the same situation. Mikhail don't want to lose nobody in this tournamnet. Boris wants to restore the status quo but will it comes in with black? Leko - Grischuk In this game I think couldn't be any draws. Peter "slightly dissatisfied" with his tournament position. And now such a chance - with white against the leader - his direct competitor for a place in the world elite ( at least youth). Peter for sure will do his best but the question - is he has the forces. Because the wedding was recently... I know this from my experience. :) Timman - Bareev Jan now is in a quite very good form. Will it last long time? But he plays white - if he will play as in the previous rounds a draw from force position is guaranteed to him. What will undertake a "skilful" Evgeny? The opening. And further... Morozevich - Kazimdzhanov Morozevich again avoids the main variations of the Sicilian Defence - now by 3.Bb5 on 2...Nc6 - for sure adversely affects his absence of the preparation to the tournament. Or maybe a new opening's strategy - no one loss with white - with black you know ;). Rather rare variation 4.Bc6(B31) and accordingly rare reply - in view of a disposition Nh6 and f6. Follows 10.b3!?N - a novelty!? An idea to take out of the Bishop on b2 is not a new one but usually it was provided after preliminary 10.Nc3 - 10.Nc3 Rb8 11.b3 d6 12.h3 Nf7 13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Bb2 (Zagrebelny-Gogolis, Patras 2001 ... (1-0). In the whole after a long fight the Black's affairs in this variation usually are bad. :) - if with white plays an experienced oppressor. Alexander goes with his own way - the Knight goes out on d2. Further follows the restrictive White's maneuvers but one failed to chain Black... Two bishops - this is dangerous. Although two Knights in Morozevich's hands...:) Kasimdzhanov decides on a sharp pawn's movement 19...с5!? After 21.d5 the White's pawn structure from better becomes winning. But the Bishops alive begins a concrete play. Will win one who is in better form... Adams-Lautier . The Englishman following Morozevich's example :) also had not engaged in the Sicilian's labyrinths and played 3.Bb5. Joel chose 3...e6, which promise more complicated strategical fight than 3...g6. The Sicilian-Spanish structure with White's advantage in space without a visible Black's counterplay - the poet's dreem ;) With a trick maneuver Ng8-Ne7-Ng6-Nh4 Black trades a couple of Knights which undoubtedly in his benefit. Micky provides :) a novelty 11.Rd1!?N - usually was met 11.Nbd2 - 11.Nbd2 Rc8 12.d5 Ne5 13. Nd4 Bd6 14.N2b3 Nc4 1/2-1/2 Degraeve-Bacrot, France(ch) 2001. Not a bad idea - to put the Knight on c3 not partition off the way to the c1-Bishop. Only the Rook on the K-side would be of use for sure... Proceeding from the pawn structure the further play White will develop not there at all - but on the K-side. It's not clear idea. And later... Micky has confessed that the novelty was not very successful. How otherwise one can evaluate 18.Nb1!? - and further its transfer through d2(!) on f1. Joel in the best traditions of the Soviet chess school :) began a counterplay in the center and on the Q-side - 18...d5! 19...f6! and confidently led the game to a draw. An intermediate check 26...Qd4 27.Kh1 Nb2 28.Rc5 Rc5 29.Bb1 only provided Black with difficulties. Passing through a fright Adams immediately has changed the Queens. At that in the final position Black could still struggle... A draw which didn't bring to Adams a gladness but Lautier has really risen! Van Wely - Dreev The rivals in this meeting have not began to break a lance after an active play of both sides in the opening Anti-Moscow Gambit (D43). Dreev beat off all White's attempts to find any advantage. But this is only until the game vs the Father of this system Khalifman; The same was this time... The rivals honestly repeated till the end the game Van Wely-Lautier, Monaco(rapid) 2000 and Tyomkin-Novikov, Edmonton 2000, which ended in a draw with the same perpetual check. They have spent a couple of hours... and have not find a strengthening! Draw. Such a theory now - we can do nothing. Especially when one want to relax. :) The view after ... Timman - Bareev Old age - not pleasure... Having carried out the opening interestingly and strong - the English beginning (A29), Yan again Hhas received an excellent position. And you see the huge opening's problems were forecasted to him in this tournament! After 15 moves an estimation of the position did not cause any doubts - White there had an advantage in development and in the center. And here suddenly Timman became is unrecognizable. The following moves: 16. Qf4!? 17. Rf2?! 18.d5? had among themselves poorly common... From advantage of White remained nothing. By moves 19... Ng4! And 19... Ne5 Bareev has grasped the psychological and chess initiative - and Timman has missed the combination with the queen's sacrifice, begun by 21... Be2!!. After 24... Kg7!! despite of Bareev's shortage of time it became clear that nobody can stop him in this game...The final attack is carried out very exemplary. So become the leader! Piket - Khalifman The Dutch has managed "enter the same water twice" - as well as Kasimdzhanov he could not do anything in opening with the Ex-champion. In variation 4.a3 Queen's indian(E12) after 7. Qa4 Qd7 Piket not instead of usual 8. Qd7 has receded by queen on c2-square - already forgotten continuation. Up to 15 move the contenders repeated the game Gelfand-Lautier, Leon 1997. By the move 15.. Rc8 Alexander has evaded from 15... Nc6 - met there - and is correct! Gelfand could receive advantage after 16. Nb5 e5 17.fe Ne5 18. Nc3 Nc6 19. Qd5 Qe8 - and now 20. Be2! + =. Met 15... Rc8 was condemned in the Gelfand's analysis - but probably Khalifman had in this occasion other opinion. 16. Bh3! (mark of Gelfand) Nc6 - all while under the analysis... And here Piket has reflected... Also became to play by himself. 16. Nb5?! - and White disgracefully has lost b2-pawn and has got the worse position. Gelfand recommended 17.d5 Nd8 (deserves attention 17... ed) 18.0-0 - and... has forgotten to put an estimation! And the computer after 18... 0-0 gives "line" for the benefit of black:)! Approaches zeitnot - White try to attack - but Khalifman all competently defences - and by himself passes in resolute attack - 31... Rb2! And here comes unimaginable... Having 2 extrapawns - Khalifman does not take away by a third after 35... Rf2 - + - here any passedpawn "А" white would not help - 36. Rg1 Qg3 with idea f4...Alexander was attracted by the beautiful idea of taking the knight in attack - in the answer white pawn aspires to turn in quen - and to it turns! After the time control Black has four pawns for the piece - and Alexander can take the last white pawn... After long meditation he takes it 42... Qh4? - also runs on perpetual check after rook sacrifice! Simple 42... Rf2 43. Rf2 Qf2 44. Qc3 Qf6 45. Qg3 h5 left white very few chances of rescue - without any counterplay... A very insulting drawn game! Morozevich - Kazimdzhanov In middle of the game Morozevich has outplayed the rival. Only to defence - the destiny of Black became. After the time control in 4rook ending It was possible to "torment" very long - that with pleasure and has done Alexander Whether it is long, whether is short - Black has lost. On a drop has squeezed out today Morozevich the victory - rather unusually for him... Leko - Grischuk One of most interesting and complex games of the tournament. Leko very much wanted to win - and he has achieved the victory. For this purpose he hence has carried out some beautiful sacrifices: 25. Rb7!, 26.h4!!, 29. Ng5!!. After exchange it was impossible to defence the ending rook+bishop against rook+many pawns. It is necessary to look - it it is necessary to enjoy! To enjoy... That to you also I wish - remain with us! All good - protect yourself! |
