CHESS
Odd man out
Raymond Keene
A MIGHTY tournament is due to start in Linares, Spain in the coming week. From 22 February to 9 March, seven of the world's top players will joust in a double- round test of strength against each other. The impressive line-up is as follows: Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, Peter Swidler (all Russia), Viswanathan Anand (India), Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine), Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria), Alexei Shirov (Spain). However, there is one obvious omission from the list, namely the Fide champion, Anatoly Karpov. I do not know whether Karpov received an invitation but decided not to participate or whether he was simply not invited at all. This is a matter which needs investigation. As I have repeatedly argued in this column, it is not appropriate for the two rival claimants to the world championship, Kasparov and Karpov, to operate in environments which never coin- cide. The question of whether an invitation was issued to Karpov or not must be resolved, and I will keep you informed in this column.
Meanwhile, the convocation of top play- ers in Linares gives Garry Kasparov a gold- en opportunity to announce plans for a defence to his own title. He cannot delay much longer. One of the main claimants for a title shot would be the world-ranked number two player Vladimir Kramnik. This game shows him exploiting a small edge during the tournament at Wijk aan Zee where he shared first prize with Anand.
Polgar—Kramnik: 1998; Sicilian Defence. 1 e4c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 The sharp, counter-attacking Sveshnikov varia- tion of the Sicilian Defence. Black voluntarily crucifies himself on the light squares, but hopes to gain time by chasing White's knights around the board and by striking back along the dark squares. Dynamic balance is the general verdict of theory. 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5 9 Nd5 Bel 10Bxf6 Bxf6 11 c3 0-0 12 Nc2 Bg5 White's knight on d5 is dominant, but the increased range of Black's dark-squared bishop provides valuable compensation. 13 a4 bxa4 14 Rxa4 a5 15 Bc4 Rb8 16 b3 Kh8 Black's camp appears to be full of holes and the white blockade nigh per- fect. Nevertheless, Black enjoys latent pressure in the b-file and now begins to toy with opera- tions on the other flank, involving the thrust f5. 17 0-0 g6 18 Khl Bh6 19 Qe2 In a game Zagrebelny—Belikov, 1995 White tried 19 b4. However, this was not a true test of the system since, after Black's reply 19 ... Bd7, a draw was agreed with the board virtually full of pieces. 19 ...Bd7 20 Raal f5 21 exf5 gxf5 In spite of White's occupation of the centre, Black's mobile pawns and active bishop pair give him plenty of prospects. 22 f4 Bg7 23 Radl Ne7 24 Nce3 Ng6 25 Qh5 Qe8 26 fxe5 QxeS (Diagram) In a perfect world Black would like to straighten out his pawns with 26 ... dxe5 but then 27 Nc7 is annoy- ing. Still, even after the text, it becomes appar- ent that White's blockade is crumbling and that Black is gradually assuming the initiative. 27 Be2 Also after 27 Qh3 Bc8 Black cannot be prevent- ed from playing ...f4. However, the endgame is now somewhat better for him. 27 ... f4 Black refuses to be distracted by 27 ... Rxb3 when 28 Nc4 keeps White well in the game. 28 Nc4 QxhS 29 BxhS Bb5 30 Bxg6 hxg6 31 Itf3 Or 31 Nxf4 Kg8 32 Nd5 Rx11+ 33 Rxfl a4 and White is in difficulties. Alternatively, in this variation if 32 Nxg6 Rxfl + 33 Rxfl a4 34 Ne7+ Kh7 35 Rf3 Bxc4 36 Rh3+ Bh6 37 Nf5 axb3 and White's queenside collapses. 31 ...Be5 32 Nxe5 dxe5 33 c4 Bc6 Black has the edge. White's pawn on b3 is weak, her knight on d5 is pinned and Black's pawns are more mobile than their White coun- terparts. This said, with careful defence, White should still draw. 34 Rel Rfe8 35 g3 35 h4 would probably have avoided any real danger of losing. The text is suspicious, since it weakens White's defences along the path of Black's bishop. 35 ...g5 36 gxf4 exf4 37 Rxe8+ RxeS (Diagram) 38
Position after 37 . . Rre8
h4 Too impatient. The last chance to defend was 38 Kgl. 38 ...a4 Ignoring White's demonstra- tion, Kramnik proceeds to annihilate White's flimsy defences along the a8-bl diagonal, on which all of White's pieces are precariously bal- anced. 39 bxa4 Re4 After this move White is no longer able to deflect the power radiating from the black bishop on c6, for if 40 Rc3 Rxc4! with a decisive gain of material. 40 Kgl Rxc4 41 Rd3 g4 The wretched outcome of White's impatience to force a draw is that Black now has two connect- ed passed pawns. 42 a5 g3 43 Rd1 f3 44 Ne7 12+ 45 Kfl Bb5 46 Kg2 Rc2 White resigns.
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