Wijk-aan-Zee, 2005,
2nd round

Annotates GM Sergey Ivanov

Adams - Morozevich 1-0
Anand - Leko 0-1
Grischuk - Short 1/2
Kramnik - Topalov 0-1
Ponomariov - Polgar 1-0
Svidler - Sokolov 1/2
Van Wely - Bruzon 1/2

Hello, dear chess lovers all over the world! Hello, dear chess lovers all over the world! After some interruption we are again with you. The Saint-Petersburg GM and the site leads an live annotation of the strongest tournament in 2005 in Wijk-aan-Zee. Yesterday took place the 1st round and Veselin Topalov and Yudit Polgar became the leaders of the tournament. Veselin Topalov defeated ex-world champion FIDE Ruslan Ponomariov and a young mother Yudit Polgar rather unexpectedly convincingly defeated a younf father 4 times Russian Champion Petr Svidler. But today it will not be easy to leaders. Both of them play Black accordingly with World Champion Vladimir Kramnik (Topalov) and Ruslan Ponomariov (Polgar). Kramnik yesterday had a short limbering-up: playing Black with a novic at super-tournaments Lasaro Bruson, he gradually outplayed the opponent but in a complicated position preferred to not take a risk and agreed on a drew. Probably now Kramnik obtained a fighting form and today will play till the end. And Ponomariov after yesterday's lost perhaps simply strives to a buttle.
The pairs Anand-Leko and Adams-Morozevich seems to be also very interesting. So, the intrigue today is guarantee.
Anand-Leko
The Cheliabinsk variation was played. Vishi is a fine fellow! He took the challenge and went on the most principal way. After the match in Brissago (where the Cheliabinsk variation didn't meet) it seemed White humbled with advantage loss and nobody want to go to such tense positions. Anand by himself in a previous game vs Leko (Dortmund 2004) also chose not the main line (7.Nd5) and obtained an equalization not easy. To 20th move arose a position which met in Anand's practice 2 times. With Kramnik (Dortmund 2003) Vishi played 20.Bc2, against Kasparov (Moscow 2004) - 20.Ra6, but both times Black got not bad game Now Anand made a new (for himself) move - 20.Bb5. Really, why White couldn't simply take a pawn? However this also was met as well as the next White's move - 21.Ra6 (it's obviously stronger than 21.Nc2 Rb7! 22.Bc6 Rb2 with an excellent game for Black, Svidler-Kramnik, Wijk-aan-Zee 1999). And here Leko employed a novelty - 21...f4 (till now met 21...Kh8, beforehand preparing to a possible Exchange sacrifice on e6). After that Anand didn't dare to take on e6 and retreat with the knight on c2 although the endgame after 22.Re6!? Re6 23.Qd5 Qd5 24.Nd5 looks perspective to White. After the 24th Black's move arose a complicated dynamic position: Black has two Bishops and a mobil pawn's center meanwhile White has an extra-pawn and there are no any weaknesses (still) in his position. Now Anand has to decide whether he exchange a pair of Rooks or to keep them on the board. In my opinion desires the attention 25.Ra7!? with idea further to sacrifice a Rook on b7-Bishop and win a very important d5-pawn. The nearest moves will determine the firther development of the game. Remain with us!
The further course of the game showed that on the 25th move White should nevertheless to exchange the rooks. After 25.Ra7 Leko's reply 25...d4! showed that his strategy turned out to be more far-sighted. Black saved the d-pawn and a7-rook now only gets under the blows. And powerful Anand seems lost one's head. His reply 26.Ba6? at once turned out to be erroneous, it allowed a close-range blow 26...Bg2! Perhaps Vishi overlooked that if he takes rook on e7 follows Qg6!!, and White is bad. Instead of 26.Ba6? ought to continue 26.Bc6, although here also after 26...Bc6 27.Re7 Qe7 28.Nc6 Qe6 29.Nb4 f3! Black owns the initiative. When the pawn's cover of the white King became breaked the question was how long White will hold out. Leko acted calmly and technically giving White the possibility to pass the game to the endgame without the Exchange, which however was without any chance to save. Instead 31...Qb5 quicker decided 31...Qe2! with the exemplary line 32.Qe2 fe2 33.Re1 Rf2 34.Nd3 Rf1 35.Kg2 e4! 36.Re2 ed3 37.Re7 d2 38.Kf1 d1Q, and Black wins. In the endgame Anand tried to create a certain similarity to a castle but it broke easily, in a necessary moment Black gives away the rook for the knight. Everything ended just so: Leko wins, Anand lost and the intrigue in the tournament twisted till the limit.
Kramnik-Topalov
As we predicted the fight in this game kindled seriously. For the first time in his practice Kramnik played with white the English attack in Najdorf variation of Sicilian Defence. And the position just from the opening arose very sharp and hard estimated. Topalov chose a frash 9...b4 (earlier played mainly 9...Bb7). In this line Black is ready to give up with b4-pawn for the sake of the activisation of his forces in the center and on the queenside. This variation last time defended Sergey Movsesian, in 2003 on the tournament in Budapest he played against Almashi and Leko accordingly 11...d5 and 11...Qa5. Topalov employed a novelty - 11...Ne5!?: Black wants to lure the white Queen on b4 in order to develop the initiative on the queenside attacking him with the pieces. Kramnik took the challenge and captured on b4 but with his next move 12...Bd7! showed that not only the white Queen but also the Knight on a4 feels by itself comfortlessly. White has to play very correct and already the next his move - 13.Nb3? showed that Kramnik still has not felt the nuances of such positions deeply. Ought to prefer 13.Nc3, although after 13...Qc7 following by Be7 and 0-0 Black provides by himself a long initiative for the pawn. In the game White was forced to lead away the Queen on a beggarly parking place on a3; perhaps Kramnik miscalculated that in the variation 14.Bb6 Rb6! 15.Nb6 (or15.Qb6 Ba4) 15...Nc6 he remains without the material. Soon White lost both central pawns and his position became very difficult. Kramnik tried somehow coordinate his forces but the main his problem and a misfortune the Queen on a3 were unsolved. After a series of correct Black's moves it turned out to be that White lose the Knight on c5 and Ktamnik stoped the cclock. A surprising game! Have you ever heard of such a thing that Kramnik playing White has got a hopeless position to the 13th move and was forced to resign to 20th move? Nevertheless the facts are available. Probably Kramnik needs a lot of time to to come to oneself after this game, a not simple tournament expect him now. Meanwhile Topalov makes a serious apply on the concluding success.
Ponomariov-Polgar
And in this meeting the opponents also don't sit down in trenchs. It was played an actual variation of the Najdorf system in Sicilian Defence (only the other line with 6...e5). Ponomarion chooses a rather rare but poisonous continuation 13.h4 (more often they play here 13.g5 Nh5 14.Rg1). The White's idea concludes in pushing h-pawn but not g-pawn. And Polgar at once reply with a novelty - 13...a5!?, sacrificing a pawn (usually Black continued 13...Qc7). The Black's idea is to divert white knight on a flank and to blow on the center. For example, immediate 13...d5 won't go 14.g5 d4 15.gf6 Bf6 16.Nd4! ed4 17.Bd4 with White's advantage. Now in case of 14.Na5 already well will be 14...d5! 15.g5 d4 16.gf6 Bf6 with unclear game. Ponomariov's reply is correct - with 14.g5 he push off the black knight true after that Black gets a possibility to proceed profitable for himself exchanges of light pieces. After 17.Bb6 Black manages to place his heavy pieces actively. In my opinion more correct 17.Rg1 Nf1 18.Rgf1 Nc4 19.Qe2 Ne3 20.Qe3 Bc4 21.Rf2 - in comparison with the position in game Black is more difficult to prove the existence of compensation for a pawn. In the game to 25th move after a series of only moves arose a position where Black developed a strong pressure along the open files on the white King for a sacrificed pawn. Here Ponomariov could open a second front on the opposite site of the board by 25.g6!? hg6 26.h5, but preferred till to concentrate on defensive actions. Further White managed to consolidate the position and raise the knight on a key d5-square, meanwhile Black failed to lead on the percussion position his bishop. Only a careful analysis will show where Polgar could play stronger. When was passed the first time control White's position was absolutely winning. On the 45th move White had an alternative; Ponomariov preferred to play simpler and exchanged the rooks, although sooner wins 45.Rd7 Kh7 (45...Rf8? 46.Qf8!) 46.Qf7 Kh6 47.Qg7 Kg5 48.f7 Qc5 49.Rd5! Qa3 50.Kc3 Rc8 51.Kd2 Qb4 52.Kd1, and there are no checks more. In the position which arose after the 49th move White wins by the following way: 50.Qg7 Kg5 51.Qe7! Qc2 52.Ka3 Qc1 53.Kb4 Qd2 54.Kb5 Qe2 55.Kb6 Qe3 56.Ka5! Qc3 57.b4 Qa3 58.Kb6 Qe3 59.Kb7. The checks finished and the pawn passes to the Queen.
So, Ponomariov executed all this over the board and Polgar stopped the clock. The fight in the tournament sharps, it seems many interesting things will follow further!
Adams-Morozevich
A technical Michael Adams's victory! The Englishman all game led in his crown "spider-like" style, meanwhile Morozevich played obviously in no his game. Since the opening and till the endgame. Probably some crisis which became visible at the super-final of Russian Championship still didn't overcome. The opponents played one of the popular variation of the Russian Game. On 10th move Morozevich chose a very rare continuation 10...Qd7, the main theoretical line in this position 10...Na6. Adams replied simply and logically - 11.Nc3, earlier met 11.cd5 cd5 12.Nc3 Be6!? 13.Be4 de4 14.d5 Bd5 15.Nd5 1/2 (Mikhalchishin-Ionov, Klaipeda 1988) or 11.Be3 dc4 (11...Na6!?) 12.Bc4 Qc7 13.Nc3 Nc3 14.bc3 Nd7= (Leko-Anand, Leon 2001). After 13.Qb7 Qd7! 14.Qd7 Nd7 15.bc3 dc4 the position looks unclear, thus Adams preferred 13.bc3 White has a slight but firm advantage. Note that now already bad for Black 13...dc4?! 14.Qb7 Qd7 15.Rb1!, so he is forced to weak the position by 13...b6. After the Queens exchange it seemed that Black almost equalized. Almost... And here at his misfortune Morozevich decided to show the activity - 28...g5? This untimely lunge led to a loss of the most important pawn. Any other move, for example, 28...Rc8 followed by Nd6 would be better. It's difficult even imagine what Morozevich could no notice. The realization Adams proceeded in a typical suffocate style giving no any chance to his opponent. It's pity, we have only hope that Morozevich still will cheer up and manage to find his play.
Svidler-Sokolov
In this game was played the Open variation of the Ruy Lopez, just that its line which became popular after the match Karpov-Korchnoi in Bagio. The variation is estimated as a not simple for Black, he has to stand a long time pressure. And the examined game confirmed this evaluation. On 13th move Black chose a rare 13...Bb4, and White replied with a novelty - 14.ab5 Nb5 15.Qa4. Earlier met 15.Qb3 and 15.Ne4!? 0-0 16.Be3 Qd1 17.Rfd1 a5 18.Nfg5 with White's initiative (Shirov-Anand, Mainz 2004). Instead of 18.Bg5, which led to exchanges and slightly facilitated Black's position desired the attention 18.Be3!? followed by Rac1 - the Black's position is unpleased. However the endgame arose to 25th move also looks rather not simple for Black. One can suggest for White not only one way of game's strengthening, for example, 25.Rc4!? with a following choice: to attack c5-pawn or a6-pawn. Svidler chose not the best way of advantage realization: when all the rooks were exchanged White kept the positional advantage but it was impossible to convert it in something real. The knight's endgame was already drawn, White could win the c4-pawn - 38.Nd2, but after 38...Ke8 39.Nc4 Kd7 40.Kd2 Nb5 he lost the d6-pawn and the position would equalize.
Van Wely-Bruzon
A young Cuban Lasaro Bruson makes his debut in such solid company and plays accurately, I even would say academically. And the result of such play are still not bad, today also Bruson confidently drawn with Black against van Wely. It was played an ancient ortdox variation of the Queen Gambit where Black first played took on c4 and then played a7-a6 to avoid the conversion to Karlsbad structure (i.e. exchange on d5). As a result arose a standard position with an isolated d4-pawn for White.
On 12th move White played inaccurately, one consider stronger 12.Bb3!, for example, 12...Bd7 13.Ne5 Bc6 14.Qd3 Nbd5 15.Qh3 with an initiative. Further van Wely tried to use the pressure of his rooks along c-file, but Bruson has nothing to afraid with such a powerful knight on d5. A correct move 24...Bb4! solved all problems and in even the best line for White 25.Ba2!? Bd2 26.Bd5 Ba5 27.Re6 fe6 28.Ba8 Bb6 the position is absolutely equal. In his strive to victory van Wely has went too far and a pseudo-active move 27.Nd6? could become very bad for him (ought to play carefully 27.Kf1 Rd8 28.Ke2, and in case of 28...Rd4 comes in a perpetual check: 29.Nf6 Kg7 30.Ne8). Probably Bruson considered his own position as worse and thus agreed on a perpetual check. Otherwise nothing prevented him to play on a winning: 30...Kg7!? 31.Ng5 (the best) 31...Kg8!, for example: 32.Rc1 Rd2 33.b3 Rb2 etc.
Grischuk-Short
A game of principal. Najel Short is an old worshipper of the Ruy Lopez and it was interesting to watch what he will opposite to the ultra-modern Alexander Grischuk's investigations. Just thanks to Grischuk's efforts a variation with earlier 9.d4 Bg4 10.Be3!? nowadays was returned from the non-existence. And one should admit that Short turned out to be not so simple, he "took from a chest" a rare continuation 14...f5!?, which several time employed his compatriot Mark Habden. What could happen if Black don't prevent the white pawns offencive shows such an example: 14...Qd7 15.h3 Bf5 16.Bg5! Bg5 17.Ng5 Na5 18.g4 Nb3 19.ab3 Bg6 20.f4 Qe7 21.b4! with an obvious White's advantage (Najdich-Kariakin, Dortmund 2004). Now For White is not so simple to deliver his f3-knight from a bunch. Grischuk solved this problem cardinally 15.Qc1 (it was met 15.a4 and 15.Bf4), but when after several moves Black has thrown in his Queen on h4 it became clear that he successfully solved the opening problem and got a good game. In a position partitioned off with pawns chains it was difficult to find a work for white bishops. One was forced to exchange the lightcolored bishop on the c4-knight. Perhaps Black should think about to exchange on c4 with d-pawn in order to give no White the possibility to penetrate in his camp. But for sure Short didn't like the line 26...dc4 27.Qd1 Rd7 28.d5!?, and on a simple-minded 28...cd5? follows 29.Qd5!! Rd5 30.Rg7, and mate in 4 moves. Black also could keep up the tension by 30...Qh5!? - the certain problems for White still remains. But after a well done opening Short probably was in a complacent mood and has played rectilinearly - 30...Reg6, and Grischuk has nothing to do except to make a perpetual check. An interesting and important for theory game.