Kasparov - Anand 1-0 Ponomariov - Vallejo 1-0 Good evening, dear friends of our site! Today in Linares is overing the first stage of the match-tournament of famous grandmasters which intrigue the chess world. And although the time to a long stretched conclusions still has not came but there are quite sufficient causes to share one's impressions there more that the grandious battle leads under a sign of the unexpectedness. First of all strikes that all paricipants fight without any compromise. Disgraced were the sceptics who considered that on the tournament will determine the style of a reliable caution. In 18 played games was only 10 draws at that only in 3 of them one could find a peaceableness. 8 duels ended in a somebody's victory - a rare result! And what is more, already 5 out of 7 coryphaeus had felt the bitterness of a lost and only 2 leaders - V.Anand and V.Kramnik fight "with a shield". To a surprise one could refer a modest start of an usual favorite of the battles in Linares G.Kasparov. In his play there is felt an unusual for his valiant style an "apprehension" of sharp intentions of his partners - a "conformism", going away from the obligatory decisions. Grieves also an obvious confusion of the World Champion FIDE R.Ponomariov, who unexpectedly turned out to be in a role of "a boy for a beating". In opposite the less experienced T.Radjabov and F.Vallejo independently of their results gladden with a fresh, inventive and brave play. As to the leaders - they are faithful to their deep classic style and quite desire a high status. Especially impress Leko's play - a today's R.Fischer, who demonstrate an astonishingly consecutive energically-offensive manner to lead the battle. An "accident" - a serious opening "perforation" in the game vs Anand don't change the general estimation. So, a common motto - all the fight is yet to come - to the end of the 1st half of the competition sounds quite valid and optimistically. As prompts all-knowing computer Anand has today the most difficult task who fights black with Kasparov . The World ex-championis is a very "unsuitable" rival for Vishi. Out of 72(!) games Anand lost 26 and only 8 wins. True in last 6 duels the result was a peaceful one... Approximately an equal balance in their 39 games has Leko with Kramnik . The World Champion has advantage only in a point, thus their today's meeting especially in view of planned on the end of May their match became especially of principle. Their own "interrelations" have young Ponomariov with Vallejo . They still played only 3 times and last year in Linares Vallejo has lost one of two games. What prepare this round? I have to say that the circumstances of today round have been excited and impetuous, Only half an hour of the round and on all three boards have been made almost per 20 moves! It became clear that the partners gessed the predilections of the rivals and bravely entered in the theoretical discusses. Leko with Kramnik played one of the most complicated lines of the Sveshnikov's system in Sicilian Defence where Black as if neglecting the classical principals of the opening strategy (refusing the castle, breaking his pawn structure) all hopes puts on an activity of the pieces It's funny amusing that the position happened after 19th move has already met in the tournament's practice 12 (!) years ago in the game Nijboer-Kuiff, where it was 20.Qc2 Bd4 21.Qd2 Bc5 22.Qh6+ Ke8 23.Bd1!? Ng6 24.Ba4+ Ke7, and Black has got an enjoying full rights play и черные Leko interpreted this position slightly differently aspiring by way of 20.Nс2 to bring up the Knight to the centre. In the game Kasparov - Anand their "own" play (and not along a strategical direction but rather in moves order) began since the 21th move. In a calm and well-exploied variation of Caro-Kann defence the partners exchanging the Queens passed the game into a multy pieces endgame where White has a certain advantage in space but the Black's position is rather firm. In practice major of such positions ended in draw but recently Shirov managed to defeat even Kramnik... Will Kasparov manage today to repeat this feat? To the 34th move he managed to expand his influence on the board, but it remained very few pieces to the realization of this advantage and the only opened file is in opponent's hands... "A storm in a teacup" happened in the opening stage of the duel Ponomariov - Vallejo . The White's anti-Meran constuction which is characterized by the maneuver 6.Qc2 quickly got a form of a sharp skirmish in the centre. The position after 9th Black's move had already a practical test and brought Black good results but today Ponomariov refused of an approved 10. de in favour of a new continuation 10.cd. The reaction was a discussion pawn sacrifice from Vallejo's side which however didn't ended successfully... After a short tactical scirmish the game in fact missing the middlegame passed in the endgame where the only Black's consolation for a pawn deficiency was the present of different colored Bishops. In the sake of the activisation of his blocked pawns Ponomariov gave back the "spoil", been satisfied with an active play in the centre. Alas, in the duel Leko - Kramnik the expected substantial events have not happened. The Knight's transfer from a3 on c6 undertaken by Leko gave Black the time to place his forces in the centre harmoniously and firmly and the partners exhausting no the potential strategic wealth of the situation on the board satisfied with a draw. But in the rest two duels Kasparov and Ponomariov obtaining certain positional advantages didn't want to go for a compromise and their perseverance have been rewarded suitably. A huge impression provides Kasparov's achivment today. In seemed a firm Black's construction he managed to find a weakness - b6-pawn. With a witty maneuver Re1-a1-a3-b3 he counting no with possible pawn loss reached to the aim and in spite of a resourceful Anand's counterplay (38...Bf4), passed the game into the Rook ending where the activity of his pieces haf a big significance. Without a special analysis it's difficult to affirm that this advantage was sufficient for a victory but an excellent chance associated with an witty form of exchange a4-pawn on e6 one put all points over i. Correctly using the zugzvang motives Kasparov decisively strengthened the position of his pieces and forced his opponent to resign. Bravo, Garry Kimovich! A full recognition desire also Ponomariov's skill which he demonstrated in a complicated ending in the game vs Vallejo. Skillfully combining the active play on the kingside (where he managed to open the play with a profit) with the preventive measures on the queenside (where Vallejo threatened with an break a4-a3 after 38...a4) Ponomariov created an advanced passing pawn on e-file and with a correct play which was full of the tactical content, obtained a decisive material advantage. A fighting end of the first stage! The situation in the tournament table harshly sharped. |
