SPAIN'S FINEST CAVA u SPAIN'S FINEST CAVA

Best of the rest

Raymond Keene

This week I will chart some of the most dramatic or typical moments from the other three matches, which yielded Gata Kamsky, Michael Adams and Viswanathan Anand as Nigel's co-semi-finalists.

The first game between Kamsky and Kramnik set the tone for the remainder of their match. Kramnik's play generally lack- ed control and displayed signs that he was technically ill-prepared for combat with such a precise opponent as Kamsky. The omens were already clear in game one.

Kamsky — Kramnik: PCAlIntel World Chess Quarter-final, 1994.

8 7 6 4 3 2 1 a bc de f gh This position is known to theory and has, indeed, been condemned as inferior for Black in the book The Complete Semi-Slav by interna- tional master Peter Wells (Batsford £15.99). The analysis by Wells continues with 25 Rfbl with advantage to White, so it is a mystery why Kramnik entered on this at all. Instead Kamsky came up with the scarcely earth-shattering in- novation 25 exd4, which turns out to be even stronger. White's attacking pieces and massively IN COMPETITION NO. 1836 you were invited to incorporate 12 given words (which occur in a poem by Auden) in any order into an entertaining piece of prose.

The Auden poem, a wartime one, char- mingly irresponsible, begins 'When the Sex War ended with the slaughter of the Grandmothers . . As for `schemozzled', my Chambers decrees: n. a mess: a scrape: a rumpus — v. to make off.' But as I was judging on my birthday, I felt indulgent towards those who understandably con- fused it with 'sozzled'. The runner-up, Richard Devine, was one of these. Now we are 67, we scarcely feel the need to apologise for omitting the usual word-

dangerous passed pawn on b7 are more than a match for Black's poor queen. 25 exd4 Bxd4 26 Rfbl Qc5 27 Ra6 Rb8 28 Bel c3 29 Ba3 Qc4 30 Bd6+ Kd7 31 Bc6+ Ke6 32 Bb5 Bxf2+ 33 Kxf2 Qd4+ 34 Kfl Qe4 35 Rel A much quicker win would have been achieved by 35 Bxb8+. 35 . . . Qhl+ 36 Kf2 Qxh2+ 37 Kf3 Rxb7 38 BxeS+ Rb6 39 Be4+ Kd7 40 Rxa7+ Ke8 41 Re7+ and at last Black resigns If 41 . . . Kb8 42 Rxf7+ Kc8 43 Rc7+ Kb8 (43 . . Kd8 44 Rdl+) 44 Rh7+ wins the queen,

Michael Adams shot into a 2-0 lead against Sergei Tiviakov of Russia, after which the match appeared totally over. Amazingly, Tiviakov fought his way back and Adams could only clinch qualification after a lengthy speed chess play-off. Adams confided after his victory that his plan was to continue drawing until Tiviakov, a somewhat impatient character, smashed his own head against the wall in frustration. This is, in fact, what actually happened.

Adams — Tiviakov: PCA/Intel Quarter-final, 1994.

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COMPETITION

Wystan's dozen

Jaspistos

limit, which was almost unanimously understood. Finally, Viswanathan Anand quite over- mastered the Ukrainian grandmaster Oleg Romanishin. The latter appeared to have been unnerved by Anand's remarkably rapid play. In the following position, for example, Romanishin actually lost on time, having exceeded his allotted period of two hours for 40 moves. Anand, in contrast, had expended a mere 20 minutes or so over the entire game. The position is doubtless lost for White but in view of the opposite coloured bishops on the board, one might have expected White to play on had he not lost by time forfeit.

Romanishin — Anand: PCA/Intel Quarter-final, 1994.

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 a bc de f gh With the quarter-finals over, play in New York continued with the Intel Speed Chess Grand Prix. More of this next week.

PURE NIAlz

_ .scoTeil WHISKY ped up beside me in bed. A solitary black stocking was draped over a rocking-horse by the window. Some new vice here? I knew not. An army of deodorants and body paraphernalia stood at ease on a dressing table. Knickers spilled from a drawer.

So, schemozzled again, I thought, if that was the right word. This allergy to sobriety was getting dangerous. Winged images of a Spanish restaurant fluttered before me and settled down to roost in my consciousness. Whoops! It was coming back now, horrible details suffocating my desire to forget. I tried buttoning my memory. But it was no good. The red tablecloth with which I, as fearless matador, had so successfully enraged the head waiter, lay limp but accusing by my still laced shoes.

(Michael Limb)