I c.pptan u CHESS
SPAIN'S FINEST CAVA
ValDlo R N SPAIN'S FINEST CAVA
Young pretenders
Raymond Keene
THIS WEEK AND NEXT I will analyse the styles of three young grandmasters who have qualified for the various world cham- pionship cycles. Gata Kamsky, who is now the leading US player, defected from the USSR to the United States when he was 15. His father Rustam has always exerted a powerful influence on his son. His training methods are reputedly harsh, but they appear to have been extremely successful. Kamsky is not noted as a profound student of opening theory, nor does his play sparkle with that sacrificial elegance and power of attack which characterise Kaspar- ov. Instead, Kamsky shines by virtue of dogged persistence and an accumulation of small advantages, which he often conducts to victory in exceedingly long games. There is something robotic about his play, but given the opportunity, as in the game which follows, he can strike with a deadly and flowing efficiency.
Kamsky — Seirawan: Monaco Speed Chess 1994; Queen's Indian Defence.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 Nc3 Bb7 5 Bg5 Bel 6 e3 Ne4 Said to be a reliable equalising method, but in this game Seirawan soon finds himself in hot water. 7 Nxe4 Bxe4 8 Bf4 More promising than simplfication with 8 Bxe7. 8 . . . c5 It looks more prudent to castle. 9 Bet 0-0 10 0-0 Nc6 11 Nd2 Bg6 12 d5 The net effect of Black's over-optimistic thrust on move 8 has been to cede White valuable extra terrain in the centre. 12 . . . Na5 13 Bf3 Rc8 14 Qe2 Bf6 15 Ne4 e5 16 Nxf6+ Qxf6 17 Bg3 e4 18 Bg4 Bf5 19 BxfS QxfS 20 Radl White's advantage is clear. Black's knight on a5 is completely out of play. In fact, there is no visible means of reintroducing it into the struggle. Meanwhile, White's bishop on g3 scythes through the black camp. Over the next few moves Kamsky is, essentially, operating with an extra piece in the part of the board which counts, namely the king's flank. 20 . . . Rfe8 21 b3 Qf6 22 f4 White commences his attack. Dangerous as it might appear Black should now open the T file and risk activating White's rooks with 22 . . . exf3 23 Rxf3 0g6. As played, his knight still fails to reach a useful post. 22 . . . Nb7 23 f5 d6 If 23 . . . Nd6 White has the pleasant choice between 24 0g4 .and 24 Bxd6 Qxd6 25 f6 plunging a dagger into the heart of Black's kingside. 24 Rf4 Rc7 25 Rdfl a6 26 Qh5 The vultures are massing around Black's king. 26 . . . h6 27 Rg4 Kh7 28 Bf4 Rh8 29 Bg5 Beginning the final combination which shatters Black's defences. 29 . . . Qe5 (Diagram) 30 Bxh6 gxh6 31 Rg6 The beautiful final point of White's attack. If now 31 . . . fxg6 32 Qxg6 is checkmate. Meanwhile there is no good way to defend the pawn on h6. 31 . . . Qg7 32 Rxg7+ Kxg7 33 f6+ Kf8 34 Rf4 This final summoning of the reserves persuaded Black that it was time to concede. Black resigns.
Boris Gelfand first made his mark at the highest level at the Linares tournament of 1990, where he not only came second to Kasparov but contested a most thrilling game with the champion, in which the result could have gone either way. At that time Kasparov predicted that Gelfand was his most likely successor. Since then, though, Gelfand's star has somewhat waned, largely as a result of his drubbing by Nigel Short in the 1991 Candidates quarter-final. It became clear, in the ex- amination conducted by Short, that although Gelfand was an adept in opening systems he had studied deeply, he found it difficult to orientate himself against less orthodox systems.
In recent events, though, Gelfand has once more demonstrated his ambition to reach the top. He won the Fide Interzonal lin 1993 and in the first stage of the Fide Candidates cycle he eliminated Michael Adams with consummate ease. His style is scientific, but packs a combinative punch when necessary. Against Adams, Gelfand also demonstrated that it is now no longer so easy to unnerve him with offbeat sys- tems.
Gelfand — Anand: Biel Fide Interzonal 1993; Semi-Slav Defence.
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e3 e6 5 Nf3 Nbd7 6 Bd3 dxc4 7 Bxe4 b5.8 Bd3 Bb7 The more popular alternative is 8 . . . a6 but then Karpov — Kramnik from Linares 1994 continued: 9 e4 c5 10 d5 c4 11 dxe6 fxe6 12 Bc2 Bb7 13 0-0 Qc7 14 Ng5 Nc5 15.e5 Qxe5 16 Rel with a dangerous attack. In their later game from Monaco Kram- nik sought to improve his play by trying 10 . . . Qc7 against Karpov and, in fact, won that game. 9 a3 b4 10 Ne4 Nxe4 11 Bxe4 Qc7 12 axb4 Bxb4+ 13 Bd2 Bxd2+ 14 Nxd2 c5 The complications of the opening appear to have burnt out and a draw does not seem far off. However, White's coming manoeuvre subtly nudges the black queen away from the defence of the knight on d7. 15 Qc2 Qb6 16 dxc5 QxcS 17 Qa4 The point of White's play. The pin against the black knight ham- strings Black's development. 17 . . . Rb8 18 0-0 0-0 An ingenious solution. Anand seeks to break the Gordian knot by sacrificing a piece tempor- arily. 19 Qxd7 Rfd8 20 Bxh7+! The only way to 'try to refute Black's stratagem. White sacrifices two pieces back to expose the black king. 20 . . . Kxh7 This is where Black goes wrong. He should have declined the sacnfice with 20 . . . Kf8 when after 21 Qa4 Rxd2 22 Qxa7 Qxa7 23 Rxa7 g6 White's bishop is trapped. Alternative- ly, 22 Racl Qd5 23 Qa3+ Qd6 leaves White marginally better but Black should be able to hold the draw. 21 Qxf7 Rxd2 22 Ra4 This sudden and unexpected introduction of hitherto dor- mant reserves into the battle swiftly decides the issue. 22 . . . Qg5 23 g3 The winning move. Black cannot avoid the deadly check on h4 and his queen sacrifice merely staves off inevitable defeat. 23 . . . e5 24 Rh4+ Qxh4 25 gxh4 Rd6 26 h5 Be4 27 Qe7 Rbb6 28 Qxe5 Re6 29 Qf4 Black resigns.
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