Champions eclipsed
Raymond Keene
WHILE Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik are gearing up for their world title challenge in London later this year, two rival claimants to the crown, Anatoly Karpov and Alexander Khalifman, respectively FIDE champions from 1993 to 1999 and 1999 until the current year, have been performing in muted fashion in a tournament in Indonesia. The laurels went to Judith Polgar, who has been repeatedly thrashed by both Kasparov and Kramnik. The actual score is 23 wins to the MC duo and none to Judith. Khalifman, however, could take solace from a brilliant win against Jan Timman, who challenged unsuccessfully for the FIDE title against Karpov in 1993.
Japfa Classic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
1. Polgar * Y2 Y2 1 Y2 1 1 )/ y2 1 6Y2 2. Ithalifman 2* 2 Y2 Y2 1 1 2 2 1 6 3. Karpov 12 Y2 * 12 12 12 1 1 1 12 6 4. Milos 0 Y2 2 . 1 * Y2 , Y Y 2 . 2 1115Y: 5. Seirawan YY YVY Y15 . , . 2 , 2 * 2 2 2 . 2 - 5 6. Timman 0 0 12 12 12 * Y2 12 1 1Z 4 7. Adianto 0 0 0 y2 12 Y2 * 1 12 1 4 8. Ehlvest y2 1, 0 0 Y2 Y2 0 * 1 0 3 9. Gunawan 12 Y2 0 0 2 0 12 0 * 12 212 10. Z.W. Lay 0 0 Y2 0 0 12 0 1 12 * 2Y: In the above table, 1 represents a win, y2 a draw and 0 a loss.
Timman–Khalifman: Japfa Classic Indonesia, 2000; French Defence 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 c5 5 a3 Ba5 The normal move here is 5 Bxc3+ attempting to exploit White's doubled pawns on the c-file. The text retains tension in the position but has a bad reputation for tactical reasons, not least because of contributions by Timman to the white side. 6 b4 cxd4 The pawn sacrifice 6 b4 is a brainchild of that fertile master of attack, Alexander Alekhine. His idea was that after 6 ... cxb4 7 Nb5 bxa3+ 8 c3 Black's situation is rendered lifeless through the combined threats of Nd6+ and Bxa3. 7 Qg4 Ne7 8 Nb5 Bc7 9 Qxg7 Rg8 10 Qxh7 a6 Here Khalifman diverges from the game Timman-Hug, Nice Olympiad 1974 which had resulted in a white victory after the moves 10 ... Nbc6 11 f4 a6 12 Nxc7+ Qxc7 13 Qd3 Bd7 14 Nf3. 11 Nxc7+ Qxc7 12 Bb2 Qxe5+ 13 Net Qc7 14 Ng3 This appears to be a new move. One idea is to transfer the knight to h5 and thus anni- hilate Black on the weakened dark squares around his king. Other moves which have been tried in this position include 14 Bxd4 and John Nunn's 14 f4, doubtless designed to impede the mobilisation of Black's central pawn majority. 14 e5 15 Be2 Be6 16 f4 Sadly for White this move is much less effective here than where pro- mulgated by John Nunn. 16 ... exf4 17 Nh5 Qe5 This powerful centralisation leaves White on the run. 18 0-0 Bf5 If 18 ... Qxe2 19 Nf6+. 19 Qh6 Rg6 20 Qxf4 20 ... Rxg2+ This sacrifice demolishes White's resistance but it is not at all clear that the simple
20 ... Qxe2 would not have achieved a similar aim. White's best is 21 Ng3 Qxc2 22 Rf2 but now 22 ... Rg4 keeps Black well ahead, while after 21 Ng3 the simple 21 ... Qg4 is also good enough.
21 Kxg2 Qxe2+ 22 Kg3 QxhS Black has won somewhat less material this way but by renounc- ing greed he has left the white king hopelessly exposed. 23 Bxd4 Nbc6 24 Rael Nxd4 25 Qxd4 Qh3+ 26 Kf2 Qxh2+ White resigns Ardbeg Malt Whisky Puzzle No. 28 Black to play and win — first move only required. This position is from the game Lay–Khalifman, also from Indonesia. Here White was hoping for 1 ... Kxh6 2 Qxf6+ but Khalifman's next move disillusioned him. What did he play? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 16 May or via e-mail to vanessa@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7242 0603. The winner will be the first cor- rect answer drawn out of a hat, and each week I shall be offering a prize of a bottle of Ardbeg Malt Whisky.
Last week's solution: ... g1Q+ Last week's winner: Revd Gordon D. Geddes, Cheshire.
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