Wijk-aan-Zee, 2005, 4th round Annotates GM Sergey Ionov Grischuk - Bruzon 1/2 Kramnik - Sokolov 1-0 Adams - Topalov 1-0 Leko - Ponomariov 1/2 Short - Morozevich 1-0 Anand - Svidler 1/2 van Wely - Polgar 1/2 Hello, dear chess lovers! In 4th round the most interesting pairs are the meetings between leaders Adams-Topalov and Ponomariov-Leko, as well as the duels between those who sit up late on the start: Anand-Svidler and Kramnik-Sokolov. The games between "outsiders" most likely will be more bloody. Anand playing White will try to fill up the points deficiency, meanwhile Peter Svidler there is nowhere to retreat. Kramnik probably has in mind the meeting with the same opponent on the tournament in Wijk-ann-Zee in 2004 (where Sokolov won in a good style) and he will try to give an adequate reply. Anand and Svidler showed by themselves again as the most rapid-firing players. They very quickly played the opening part of the game. Instead of didn't prove sharp Sicilian and Counter-attack Marshall he choose a solid Chigorin System in Ruy Lopez. Probably he understand that he is not in a good form now. On 14th move instead of more popular 14.Nb3 Anand choose 14.a3. In his turn Svidler replied with a rare continuation 15...d3, which met lat time in the game Birn-Lein, Amsterdam 1979 (in the game Kramnik-Shirov, Linares 2004 was 15. ...Ne5 16.Nbd4 Rе8 with soon draw). On 17th move White employed a novelty 17.Bf4 (instead of 17.Ne5), which allowed Black to exchange White's light-colored bishop on his Knight. The nearest development of the occurrences will show whether Black be able to finish the development and equalize White's pressure on the weak d6-pawn with reciprocal assault on e4-pawn. After a long thought Svidler sacrificed a pawn 21. ...Bd8 (threatened unpleased 22. Na5), but it seems that he doesn't get a sufficient compensation. For example it's possible 23. e5 and 23....Ne4 is bad: 24. Re4 Qe4 25. Qb6. After 23.Ba5 Svidler practically was forced to give away two pieces for a Rook and a pawn but the domination of white pieces increases Anand's advantage. It's true that Black has not special weaknesses (except a6-pawn) and if he managed to neutralize White's active pieces (Ba5 and Nc5) than Black has not bad chances to save. It's necessary to take into account the slightly opened position of white king. In the neares future White probably must try to change the Queens and closely engage in Black's queenside. Svidler managed to arrange a counterplay. Additionally sacrificing the Exchange he swept away from the board the White kingside and in spite of the piece absence his chances looked not worse. Probably on 48th move he missed a chance immediately to obtain a draw 48. ...Rf1 49. Kh2 Rf2! 50.Kh3(50.Kg1 Rf1=)Kh5 51. Rd4 (51.Rd5? f5)g4 52. Rg4 Rf3 53. Kh2 Kg4 54. Nе4 with a probable draw which White should reach. It's true that also with the continuation chosen by Black White failed to stop black pawns without Knight loss. The game drawn. In the game Kramnik-Sokolov also was played Chigorin system in Ruy Lopez. Sokolov has chose more sharp continuation 12...Bb7 and White immediately limited the activity of the Black's lightcolored Bishop by way of 13.d5. Black will try to alive him with the help of advancement of the f-pawn, which followed on 17th move. White could prevent it by 16.Ng3 as it was in the game Aseev-Sturua, Lvov, 1985, which White won in a good style. On 18th move Sokolov employed a novelty Bf6 instead of 18...Bd5 19. Be2! Bf3 (otherwise 20.b4) 20.Bf3 Nc6 21. Ne3 with an obvious White's advantage (Saks-Tseshkovsky, Wijk-aan-Zee,1989). A skirmish in the center ended with a multiple exchanges and perhaps the meeting comes to a peaceful result if only White not manage to arrange an attack on the Black King using a remoteness of Rb3 and Nb4 from the residence of the black monarch. Kramnik did manage to organise an attack but not along 7th rank as one could predict but on opened g-file and facing irresistible threatens Sokolov was forced to acknowledge defeat. Adams with Topalov lead a sharp Sicilian fight. If one took the Queens from the board Black will have an obvious advantage. But in existence of all heavy pieces on the board his King has not any absolutely reliable refuge and this equalize the chances. Ponomariov's strive to take away his more experienced opponent from the main theoretical ways didn't give him dividends. Leko maneuvered more successfully and now Black's position looks preferably. This duel ended in a draw after the multiple exchanges. White extinguished Black initiative with an accuracy defence and led the game to a draw. Adams managed to drive his opponent in the time trouble and there became apparent the main plus in White position: a reliably covered King. His black opponent didn't own this and despite of simplifications White manage to take g-pawn. When the way to white pawn delivered she moved to Queen with forced march. Having no the possibilities to stop it Topalov stopped the clock. In the game Short-Morozevich was played Filidor Defence with giving away the center on the 3rd move. This tactics rare leads to a success against experienced players. Similarly in this game. White got a stabile advantage. Morozevich didn't want to be pressed and began to "twist": 15...d5. Further he gave away the Exchange for two strong bishops but in White's position there were no weaknesses and transferring the a4-knight from the edge of the board on the strong c4-point Short consolidated his forces. Looking for any chances Black in the time-trouble gave away also f-pawn but this opened g-file for attack on the Black King. After 40th move White's position is winning (very strong looks 41.Qd7). Short gracefully ended the meeting 41.Qf4! ,43.Rе5!,and facing mate or material losses Morozevich was forced to resign. And now he sinks in a deep minus. Polgar surprised with her opening choice. This variation is known in theory as a reliable but absolutely passive. White is able to try increase his advantage in space without extra-risk (there are known two games Kramnik vs Lautier played several years ago where White manage to do it). Passive defence is not in Polgar's spirit and in this game Black was forced to be engaged in a laborious defence during all the game and as a result she obtained a desirable draw. About the game Grischuk-Bruzon I can say only that White failed to open defects of the variation chosen by Black. It's true not simple to do it. The lightcolored Black's bishop quite successfully covers the defects of pawn structure and after the exchanges this defects also disappeared.