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SPAIN'S FINEST CAVA

CHESS

101

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SPAIN'S FINEST CAVA

Two of a kind

Raymond Keene

WITH TWO world championships, that of Fide, involving Timman and Karpov, and the PCA,with Kasparov and Short, there is now a very real prospect that there may be a British Grandmaster in both. The inter- zonal, the qualifying tournament for Fide's next cycle, will be drawing to a close just as this article appears. After a miserable start, Michael Adams has been sweeping the board in Biel, where his most recent exploit was to defeat Korchnoi and Kram- nik on consecutive days. The win against Korchnoi was an amazing, unfathomable battle.

Adams — Korchnoi: Biel Fide Interzonal 1993; French Defence.

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 Ngf3 c4 5 g3 Nf6 6 e5 Nfd7 7 a4 Nc6 8 Bg2 Be7 9 0-0 Nb6 10 Rel a5 11 b3 cxb3 12 c3 0-0 13 Qxb3 Bd7 14 Ba3 Rb8 15 Rabl Nc8 16 Bxe7 N8xe7 17 Rb2 Na7 18 Qa3 Bc6 19 Rebl Qc7 20 Bfl RfdS 21 Nb3 b6 22 Nbd2 h6 heavy After an opening of hea manoeuvring Black has a slightly exposed 'b' pawn while White's 'c'

e

pawn could become a weakness. Given this parity Adams now shows signs of turning his attention towards the black king. 23 h4 Ng6 24 Bd3 Nfti 25 Nfl Be8 26 Ne3 Qc6 27 Ra2 RdcS 28 Rb3 Qc729 Qb2 Rd8 30 Ng4 Nc8 31 Qd2 Suddenly, the possibility of a sacrifice on h6 looms up. 31 . . . Ne7 32 Nxh6+ gxh6 33 Qxh6 Nf5 34 Qg5+ Kh8 35 g4 f6 If now 36 Qxf6+ 0g7 retains Black's extra piece. 36 exf6 Nh7 37 Qd2

Position after 37 . . . Bh5

Bh5 (Diagram) A most extraordinary position and one imagines, given Korchnoi's normal proclivities, that this was played out in horren- dous time pressure. Korchnoi's 37th is an amazing riposte, giving back the piece to scatter White's pawns and launch his own counter- attack. 38 gxh5 RgS+ 39 KflRbf8 40 Ne5 Rxf6 41 Ng6+ Rgxg6 Sweeping all obstacles from his path in order to come to grips with the white king. 42 hxg6 Qh2 43 Bxf5 RxfS 44 c4 A bold move, introducing the lateral defence from his rook on b3. Given the hurricane whirling around must have been a tempta- tion white king there mpta- tion to bale out with 44 gxh7 Qhl+ 45 Ke2 0f3+ leading to a draw by r rpetual check. 44 . . . Qhl+ 45 Ke2 Qxh4 41, Rg3 Ng5 47 Qe3 Qh5+ 48 Kfl Kg7 49 cxd5 NO 50 Rxf3 Rxf3 51 Qe5+ After all the adventures White finally transposes into an endgame which he wins by a whisker. 51 . . . Qxe5 52 dxe5 exd5 53 Rb2 Rf5 54 Rxb6 RxeS 55 Rb5 Kxg6 56 RxaS Re4 57 f3 Rb4 58 Ra8 Kf5 59 a5 Rb7 60 Ke2 Kf4 61 a6 Rti 62 Rb8 Re7+ 63 Kf2 Ke5 64 Rb4 Black resigns.

Meanwhile, Timman's preparation for his match against Karpov has been some- what derailed by a surprise match loss (2 losses, 2 draws, no wins) against the lesser-known Greek, Spyridon Skembris. Here is the most attractive game from the match.

Skembris — Timman: Corfu, Game 1, 1993; Queen's Indian Defence.

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 5 Qa4 c6 6 Nc3 b5 An interesting gambit known for about 40 years. However, it does not enjoy a particularly solid reputation. Alternatives are 6 . . . d5 and 6 . Be7. 7 cxb5 cxb5 8 NxbS Qb6 9 Nc3 Bb4 10 Bg2 0-0 11 0-0 The correct approach, giving back the pawn for other advantages. Any attempt to cling to White's extra material would be danger- ous. 11 . . . Bxc3 12 bxc3 Bxe2 13 Rel Theory

on

regards this position, based a game Bagirov — Zaichik (Kirovakan 1978), as favourable for White, an evaluation which this game does nothing to amend. 13 . . . Bb5 Perhaps 13 . . . Ba6 is superior, but it is hard to tell. 14 Qb3 Bc6 15 c4 White evidently enjoys the more pleasant position. His bishops are liable to become dangerous in this open situation and his central pawns exert a cramping effect on the black camp. 15 . . . Na6 16 Bf4 By controlling the b8 square White threatens simply Qxb6 followed by Rabl. Black, therefore, hastens to prevent a white rook reaching the 'b' file. 16 . . . Be4 This looks plausible but it might have been better to play 16 . . . Qxb3 17 axb3 Nb4 18 Bd6 Nc2 when the simplifications somewhat alleviate Black's defensive task. 17 Be5 A fine response, after which Black cannot prevent the rupture of his king-side pawns. At no stage from now on can Black trade queens without losing material. 17 . . . d518 Bxf6 gxf6 19 Qe3! Suddenly Black is in serious trouble. The option to swap queens has gone forever and meanwhile White's pieces are powering towards the shattered black king's flank. 19 . . . Nb4 20 Qh6 Faced with White's around his concentration of force a king, Timman now inexplicably moves into full retreat mode save when, in fact, he might be able to sa himself by counter-attack. Thus 20 . . . Nc2 21 Rxe4 dxe4 22 Ng5 fxg5 23 Qxg5+ with perpetual check. Better is 21 Rabl Nxel 22 Rxb6 Nxf3+ 23 Bxf3 axb6 24 Bxe4 dxe4 25 Qxf6. In this position, all the winning chances are on White's side but it would be an uphill struggle. 20 . . . Qd8 21 NM Bxg2 If instead 21 . . Nc2 22 Rxe4 dxe4 23 Bxe4 is sufficient to win. 22 Nxg2 Kh8 Again if 22 . . . Nc2 23 Nf4 Kh8 24 Nh5 Rg8 25 Nxf6 Rg7 26 Re5 Nxal 27 Rh5 and there is no good way to stop Qxh7+ . A very beautiful

Position after 25 Nxe6!!

variation. 23 Nf4 Rg8 24 Rabl Nc2 25 Nxe6!! (Diagram) Black resigns A lovely finish. If 25 . . fxe6 26 Rb7 or 25 . . . Qe7 26 Ng5 or 25 . . . Rg6 26 Nxd8 Rxh6 27 Nxf7+ Kg7 28 Nxh6.