Konstantin Aseev GM Konstantin Aseev annotates online the games of the 7th round:


Corus tournament
Wijk-aan-Zee, January, 20, 2002
Bareev - Morozevich [D17]
20.01.2002

Hello, dear friends! Today when the participants of the competition should overcome the tournament equator about the peripeteias of the fight will tell your obedient servant. What we could wait from today's round? Certainly the most interesting game is the meeting of the leaders Bareev-Morozevich. The result of this game could give an answer on the question - who has the better chances to win in this tournament.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4
One of the main directions defended by Morozevich.
5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Qc7 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4 Nfd7 11.Bg2 g5 12.Ne3 gxf4 13.Nxf5 0-0-0 14.Qc2 Nc5
Facing first time with this variation against Garry Kimovich a couple of years ago here in Wijk-aan-Zee Alexander replied less successful 14.Ng4 and failed to ward off. Nevertheless already in Astana last year after a strengthening he managed to keep the position vs Kramnik. 15.0-0 Ne6 16.Rad1 Bc5 17.Ne4 Bb4 18.e3
Here are the attempt to strengthening White's game with such an original way. Kramnik continued 18.Qc1, which gave him only a minimal advantage.
18...fxe3 19.fxe3 Kb8 20.Nf6 a5
It is difficult still to say how strong is White's plan. Begins a concrete game - the analysis is over. We are waiting the development of events.
Alas since the technical problems I return to continue the review after a long interruption. Now is unknown only the result of the game Kasimdzhanov-Adams. It is difficult still to guess the White's decisions.
21...Be7
Black is forced to play concrete. The weakness of h7-point is sensible.
22.Nxe7 Qxe7 23.Qc3 Qc5 24.Rc1
Allows White to save the pressure.
24...Qxc3 25.Rxc3 Nf8
One can't see another defence from the maneuver Rf5-h5 .
26.Rc5 Nfg6
Tempting looked 27. Rf5
27.Be4 Rd2 28.Rf2 Rhd8 29.Bxg6 Nxg6 30.Rxa5 Rd1+ 31.Kg2 Re1
In spite of an extra-pawn Black has an active counterplay.
32.Rh5 Rxe3 33.Rxh7 Rd4 34.h3 Ka7!
Undermining that Black has nothing to afraid. [34...Rxa4? 35.Nd7+ quite dangerous]
35.Kh2 Ne5
Perhaps at this moment White considered that draw is a good result.
36.Nh5 f5
Alexander tries to put before the rival the last problems.
37.gxf5 Rh4 38.Kg2 Rexh3 39.Nf4 Rh2+ 40.Kg3 Rxf2 41.Rxh4 Rxb2 1/2

Kasimdzanov - Adams [E12]
20.01.2002

In this duel before each of the rivals stands big stimulus. Michael in case of a success could become the main competitior in the fight for the victory in this event since outwardly his finish line of the rivals looks lighter than for his competitors. Meanwhile Kasimdzhanov has his own hopes - to improve the tournament's position + the white color.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Ba6 5.Qc2 Bb7 6.Nc3 c5 7.e4 cxd4 8.Nxd4
Quite a predicted way of the struggle in the opening. Adams constantly defends this schemes with black.
8...Nc6 9.Nxc6 Bxc6 10.Qe2
Rather new direction in the fight for an advantage which first met in 1999. The statistic here is quite sad for Black - 0 out of 4! And Adams also turned out to be in a list of victims keeping no the color against V.Tkachiev in 1999.
10...d6 11.g3 Be7 12.Bg2 0-0 13.0-0 Rc8 14.Rd1 Qc7 15.Bf4 Qb8 16.Rd2 Rfd8
White stands perspectively.
17.Rad1 h6 18.h4 Ne8 19.Rd3 a6 20.b3
If in this position Black has no b6-b5, then his position simply worse.
20...Qa8
[20...b5 21.cxb5 (21.c5 e5) 21...axb5 22.Nd5 Bf8 (22...Bxd5 23.exd5 e5 24.Bd2!?+) 23.Nb4 Bd7 (23...Ba8!?) 24.e5!?+]
21.Nd5 Qa7 22.Nxe7+ Qxe7 23.a4
White has an advantage-two bishops+superiority in the center. The hard defence is necessary for Black.
23...e5 24.Bd2 Qb7 25.Bb4 f5
An attempt to force the game, which is not influencing an estimation of the position.
26.Bxd6 fxe4 27.R3d2 Nxd6 28.Rxd6 Qe7 29.c5 bxc5 30.Qc4+ Kh8 31.Qxc5
[After 31.Rxd8+ Rxd8 32.Rxd8+ Qxd8 33.Qxc5+ question only in volume - enough whether advantages to a victory?]
31...Rxd6 32.Rxd6 Rc7 33.Qb4
Here again for Black not sugar.
33...e3 34.fxe3 Bxg2 35.Kxg2 a5
[35...Rc2+ 36.Kh3+] 36.Qd2 Rc8 37.Qd5
Other opportunities were quieter: [37.Rd5+; 37.e4+]
37...Qf8 38.Qxe5 Rc2+ 39.Kh3 Qf1+ 40.Kg4 Qe2+ 41.Kf5 Qf3+ 42.Qf4
[In case of 42.Kg6 Qg4+ 43.Kf7 (43.Qg5? Qe4+ 44.Qf5 Qe8+ 45.Qf7 Qe4+ 46.Qf5=) 43...Rc7+ 44.Ke8 White kept chances of success.]
42...Rc5+ 43.Ke6 Qa8 44.Ke7 1/2
In result a drawn game, that, certainly, purchase for Black in this game.

Grischuk - Timman [B12]
20.01.2002

Obviously Alexander will press on the lost in previous round veteran. The chances for a success is quite ponderable and Jan Timman will have a not easy day. But whom now is easy?
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3 e6 5.g4
And again a demonstration of an aggression.
5...Bg6 6.Nge2 f6 7.Nf4 fxe5 8.Nxe6 Qe7 9.Nxf8 exd4+ 10.Be2 Kxf8
After 10...dc3 11.Ng6 fg6 one can remember M.Kobalija's victory against D.Yevseev in the last Chigorin memorial.
11.Qxd4 Na6 12.Be3 Nb4 13.0-0-0
The game is continuing literally 3 moves on the new way but the Black's position quite is bad.
13...Nf6
Maybe during the preparation Black has not take into account White's replies? [Nevertheless I think that it was necessary to cast prudence to the winds 13...Nxc2 14.Qf4+ Qf6 15.Bc5+ Ke8 Although in this case one coudn't envy to Black 16.Qc7 ]
14.Rd2 a5 15.a3 Kf7 16.Qf4 Kg8 17.Bd4
And here the decisive advantage of White is obvious and further don't need in special annotations .
17...Na6 18.Bxa6 bxa6 19.Re2 Qf7 20.f3 Re8 21.Rhe1 h5 22.g5 Rxe2 23.Nxe2 Nd7 24.Qxf7+ Kxf7 25.Nf4 Bf5 26.g6+ Bxg6 27.Re7+ Kxe7 28.Nxg6+ Ke6 29.Nxh8 g5 30.Ng6 c5 31.Bg7 Kf5 32.Ne7+ Ke6 33.Nc6 d4 34.Kd2 a4 35.c3 Kd5 36.Nd8 A breach done 1-0

Khalifman - Van Wely [B80]
20.01.2002

In this duel an obvious preference is on the side of our compatriot A.Khalifman. However one should remember who is now the most dangerous participant. If to note the ex-champion's aspiration in this event to impose a hard fight than we can wait an interesting meeting.
1.e4
White are in the aggressive mood.
1...c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e6 7.Be3 h5
The preventive measures against g4. But where to castle after that?
8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.Bc4 Ne5 10.Bb3
According to a picture - White stands better.

10...b5 11.0-0-0 Bb7 12.Bg5 Qa5
Otherwise it's not simply to finish the development [After 12...Be7 it is necessary to consider with a standard sacrifice on e6; But stronger looked 12...Rc8 ]
13.Kb1 Nc4 14.Bxc4 bxc4 15.Rhe1 Rb8?
Allows a combination let standard but refined. Although in the others cases there is an obvious advantage on the White's side.
16.Nf5! exf5 17.e5!
Maybe this move has fallen out from Loek's field of vision?
17...Bc8
[17...dxe5 18.Bxf6+-]
18.exf6+ Be6 19.fxg7 Bxg7 20.Qxd6
Already here it was possible to to drop the curtain.
20...Rxb2+ 21.Kxb2 Qxc3+ 22.Kc1 Qb2+ 23.Kd2 Qd4+ 24.Qxd4 Bxd4 25.Ke2 Bb6 26.Rb1 Bc7 27.Rb7 Bxh2 28.f4 0-0 29.Rh1 Bg3 30.Rxh5 Kg7 31.Bh6+ Kg6 32.Rg5+
A good, refined game which become the adornment not only of the round. 1-0

Gelfand - Leko [E32]
20.01.2002

Here we can wait a strained duel. White's chances are higher.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 7.Bg5 Bb7 8.f3 h6 9.Bh4 d5 10.e3 Nbd7 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Bxd8 Nxc3 13.Bh4 Nd5 14.Bf2 c5 15.e4 Ne7
This variation has a drawn reputation.
16.Bb5 Bc6
Till this meeting all chosen 16.Nc6
17.Bxc6 Nxc6 18.Ne2 Rfd8 19.0-0-0 cxd4 20.Nxd4 Nde5
Turned out a dryish position where Black should equalize the Bishop's advantage over the Knight with an accurate play. The chances for a draw in this duel is quite high.
21.Kb1 Nxd4 22.Rxd4 Kf8 23.Rc1 Ke8 24.Rc7 Rdc8 25.Rb7 Rcb8 26.Rxb8+ Rxb8 27.Bg3 f6 28.Bxe5 fxe5 29.Rc4 Kd7
The drawn result is more and more obvious .
30.Kc2 Rc8 31.Rxc8 Kxc8 32.Kd3 Kd7
Now only remained to demonstrate an accuracy in the pawns ending.
33.h4 g6 34.g3 g5 35.Ke3 gxh4 36.gxh4 Ke7 37.Kf2 Kf6 38.Kg3 Kg6 39.Kg4 Kg7 40.Kg3 Kg6 41.Kg4 1/2

Lautier - Piket [D43]
20.01.2002

This meeting has a quite high probability for a result. But the question is in whose favour?
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 Nd7 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 g6 10.0-0 Bg7 11.b4 0-0 12.a4 Qe7 13.Qb3
The position is slightly better for White.
13...b6 14.a5 Rb8 15.axb6 axb6 16.Ra7 Bb7 17.Rd1 Rfd8 18.Ne1 Bf8 19.Nc2 Nf6
It looks like Black managed to equalize the position. Now remained to launch the exchange of heavy pieces along of a-file.
20.b5 c5 21.dxc5 Rxd1+ 22.Nxd1 Qxc5 23.Nd4 Bg7
And here there is no any advantage .
24.Nb2 Bd5 25.Bxd5 Nxd5 26.Nd3 Qc3 27.Qxc3 Nxc3 28.Nc6 Nxb5 29.Rd7 Ra8 30.g3 Nc3 31.Nde5 Bxe5 32.Nxe5 Rf8
The drawn result of the game is inavitable.
33.Rc7 Nd5 34.Rb7 h5 35.Kg2 Kg7 36.Nd7 Rc8 37.Nxb6 1/2

Dreew - Gurevich [D12]
20.01.2002

The Alexei's chances is preferable in this meeting.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4
Serious problems Black suffered last time also after 6.Qb3.
6...Bg6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.g3 Nbd7 9.Qd3 dxc4 10.Qxc4 e5 11.Bg2 Nb6 12.Qe2 exd4 13.exd4+ Be7 14.0-0
Hardly White can pretend with such way for an advantage. This positions easier to play with black.
14...0-0 15.Bg5 Re8 16.Rad1 Nfd5 17.Bc1 Bg5 18.Qc2 Bxc1 19.Qxc1 Nf6
White need to demonstrate a play to support the equality.
20.Qg5 Qe7 21.Qc5 Rad8 22.b4 Qd7 23.Qa5 Nbd5 24.Nxd5 Nxd5 25.b5 cxb5 26.Qxa7 Nc3 27.Rd3 b4 28.Qxb7 Qd6 29.Qc6 Nxa2 30.Qxd6 Rxd6 31.Rb1
Here also it is hardly possible to avoid the exchange of d5-pawn on b4-pawn.
31...Rc8 32.Bf1 Rc3 33.d5 Kf8 34.Rxb4 Nxb4 35.Rxc3 Nxd5 36.Rd3 Ke7 37.h4 Nc7 38.Re3+ Re6 39.Rxe6+ 1/2