Konstantin Aseev GM Konstantin Aseev annotates the games of the 1st round:




Hello, dear chess lovers!
The next Linares super-tournament is starting today! Of course our attention divides into parts due to Aeroflot open, which takes place at the same time. But the "Spanish game" attracts us much more! The "heavyweights" take part in the "battle". This time none of them on threshold of this great chess event felt ill or changed his plans. Objectively speaking Garry Kimovich stands out of the leading 5 participants: Kasparov, Kramnik, Leko, Shirov and Topalov. But Radjabov and Vallejo are not "yard with through-passage", but very quickly improving young chessplayers. Not too much time till the start. I hope this great event will gift us a lot of beautifull ideas, plans, combinations etc.

Today pairings:
1) Shirov - Kasparov 1/2
2) Vallejo - Kramnik 1/2
3) Radjabov - Leko 0-1
Topalov is free.

1) In the 1st pair Aleksei despite of the oppressive score with Kasparov will not lose, if of course he is not going to play regardless of obstacles one more time.
Sicilian! Najdorf! Well-known variation. Here 3 years ago Aleksei already lost this position playing Black against Polgar. He is trying to intepret this postion in a new way - 19.Qe2. But of course there's still home preparation where it's very difficult to surprise Kasparov.
It was very interesting to try principal 21. b2-b3 after which there's the way to develop initiative by 21...e5-e4 with definite compensation. However probably there was the positional Queen sacrifice 21...Qa4!? 22.ba4 Rb4.
After 22.h5-h4 position is very tense. There's the temptation to play 23.Qd3 or 23. Bb3. I think position of White is more preferable despite of some counter-play of Black.
As we predicted Black had to sacrifice a pawn - 24...e5-e4. If White would played 25. Qc4 then could follow 25...ef3!26.Qc3 Qe8!
Position is still complicated, but chances of White are higher.
The expected position appeared after 28 moves, in which looks very natural 29.e4-e5 de5 30.Rh4! (30.Kh1 e5-e4 31.Qc3 Qd2 - here already Black has some advantage). The only thing that confuses me is that such forced variations Garry Kimovich usually tests very thoroughly in his home preparation. And very unlikely that such perfunctory estimation is not quite right. Maybe Black has an advantage?
Kasparov still wants the struggle. But there was 29...Qe3 30.Qe3 Be3 31.Kh1 Bg5 32.Rh3 Ng4 where Black had enough compensation. For example, 33.d6 Ne3 34.Rc1 Ng4 35.Rf1 Ne3=.
Now White can struggle for an advantage by way of 30.Ne7!? or 30.Rh6.
On the 31st move Aleksei took the Rook b2 and agreed for a simple draw after forced repetition of moves. At the same time on the natural(probably he planned to play so primarily) 31.d5-d6 Nf5 32.Ne7 there's unexpected 32...Qe7! 33.de7 Nd4 and suddenlly the Rook b2 becomes very active and already Black has an advantage. There's only the rhetorical question - could White get more on the 30th move 30.Ne7? In my opinion there Black had a draw as well. I feel that all that we have seen in this game was the home preparation. But in any case we have got a great pleasure from this draw.

2) In the 2nd pair Paco I think will not thrust his play on his opponent.
Having played 6.Qf3 White offered to play position without Queens. The chances for a success of one of sides became less. I think Vladimir will not lose today, since the simple ending is his favourite.
To the 13th move Kramnik has a problem - what the plan to prefer? Connected with f7-f5? Or at first 13...0-0 then c6-c5 wiht ideas Be6 and Rfb8.
Position is still equal after 15 moves and the game is played for 3 possible results. Although White has some symbolical advantage in development.
Prognosis for this game was right. The draw after 18 moves. Well, normal warmnig up start.

3) As to Teimour it's very good school for him to study how to play agressive chess against such solid player as Leko. But what are the intentions of Teimour? Let's see.
White did not want to discuss in Grunfeld. Playing 2.Bg5 he just want to get a position little know for Peter.
After 12 moves there's the position with mutual chances. However Leko has a time advantage, besides this position easier to play by Black.
By move 13.Qe4 White could simplify the game. Now what the intentions does Leko have for the 1st round? Of course without Queens it's difficult to struggle for a win, but if 13...Qd8 then White can return by Queen on c2 or d3. Where to find the chances to continue the struggle?
On 15th and 16th moves White rejected subsequent exchanges - by way of Nd5. After 20.Rhe1 Black has still a comfortable position, but he has to find an active plan.
Teimour did not want to defence and after 20...Be7 he had prefered to sacrifice the pawn - to make his center more active. I do not think he has enough compensation. It's just necessary for Black to find several exact profilactic moves and then to start the realization of his material advantage.
As we expected after several exact moves beginning with c7-c6, Black directed the game to the technical stage and the win of Black is just the matter of time. The game demonstrate one more time that one should not avoid the principal ways to struggle for an opening advantage, otherwise he is doomed to struggle for equalization of chances only.