CHESS

Best by . . .

Raymond Keene

KASPAROV'S projected match against Alexei Shirov has collapsed, with the Spanish ex-organisers running around hurl- ing imprecations at one another. Shirov must be particularly upset, since his 'prize' for beating Kramnik in the qualifying con- test was to share in a $1 million-plus prize fund for the final match against Kasparov.

In preparation for this non-event, Kasparov had booked in to play six training games against Dutch grandmaster Jan Tim- man. When these two last played a match, in 1985, Timman was near the height of his powers and it was a truly exhilarating con- test. Now, though, Timman can no longer be considered in the absolute top rank and, in spite of one or two brilliant and typically Kasparovian touches, the world champion did no more than was required to register a clear victory. In particular, Timman's open- ing play left much to be desired, as the fol- lowing two games demonstrate.

Timman—Kasparov: EuroTel Trophy, Prague 1998; Slav Defence.

d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 dxc4 5 e3 Although this has been played by respected grandmasters such as Miles and Adorjan, it does present White with some difficulties in regaining his gambit pawn. For this reason the main line 5 a4 should be preferred. 5 ... b5 6 a4 b4 7 Nbl Ba6 8 Qc2 b3 9 Qdl e6 10 Be2 The curious gamelet Adorjan–Torre, Toluca 1982, varied instead with 10 Nbd2 Qd5 11 Be2 Nbd7 12 0-0 Rb8 13 Nbl Ne4 14 Nfd2 Ndf6 15 Nc3 Nxc3 16 bxc3 Bel 17 Bb2 0-0 when a draw was agreed, presumably because White can set his central pawns in motion by means of f3 and e4, thereby regaining his pawn. The question, though, is why Black did not play 16 ... b2 17 Rbl Ba3, which wins a piece in broad daylight. Given this possi- bility, and the outcome of the opening for White in the game under review, one is drawn to the inevitable conclusion that White's whole open- ing strategy is unsound. 10 ... c5 11 0-0 Nc6 12 Ne5 Rc8 13 Na3 cxd4 14 Naxc4 Qd5 15 Bf3 Ne4 16 Nxc6 Rxc6 17 Nd2 White's opening has proved a catalogue of disasters. He is still a pawn down and there is no visible compensation. Indeed, it is Black who is better centralised and better developed. 17 ... f5 18 Rel d3 19 Nxb3 e5 At least White has regained his pawn, but the black passed pawn on d3 is a monster. 20 Bd2 Rb6 21 Bxe4 fxe4 22 Ncl Rxb2 23 Bc3 (Diagram) White hopes for some respite but the logic of the situation dictates that Black now has a forced win. 23 ...d2! 24 Rfl The horrible truth dawns. After 24 Bxb2 dxe1Q+ 25 Qxel Bb4! White has no way to save his queen. 24 ...BA' 25 Bxb2 Bc4 26 Ne2 Bb3 27 Nc3 Bxdl 28 Nxd5 Bb3 29 Nc3 Bb4 30 Ndl 0-0 White resigns An amazing case of late castling. White is now quite helpless, for example 31 Bxe5 Rc8 32 Bb2 Bxdl 33 Rxdl Rc2 and Black wins at least a piece.

Kasparov—Timman: EuroTel Trophy, Prague 1998; Nimzo-Indian Defence.

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 0-0 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 Qxc3 b6 7 Bg5 c5 8 e3 d6 9 Bd3 A well-known position in which Black would usually play 9 Bb7 10 f3 Nbd7 as in Kasparov–Karpov, Las Palmas 1996. Timman comes up with something new, but it loses time and allows his kingside to be smashed, not a great combination of ideas when facing Kasparov. 9 ... cxd4 10 exd4 d5 11 cxd5 QxdS 12 Bxf6 gxf6 Black may have been relying on the zwischenzug 12 ...Qxg2 but in that case 13 0-0-0 Qxhl 14 Nf3 Qxf3 15 Bxh7+ Kxh7 16 Qxf3 is destructive. 13 Net (Diagram) 13 ...Rd8 Naturally 13 ... Qxg2 now loses at once to 14 Rgl while, sadly, the natural 13 ...Bb7 allows 14 Nf4 Qd6 15 Ba6 and if now 15 Qxf4 16 Bxb7 winning material or 15 Nxa6 16 Qg3+ Kh8 17 Ng6+ picking up Black's queen, while finally 15 Qe7 16 Bxb7 Qxb7 17 0-0 leaves Black with a horrible position with threats such as d5 and Nh5 in the air. 14 Ng3 Qxd4 An admission of error but once again 14

Bb7 15 Be4 Qd7 16 Bxb7 Qxb7 17 0-0 leaves White with a massively superior structure. 15 Be4 Qxc3 + 16 bxc3 Rd5 17 Rdl Doubtless 17 Bxd5 is also good enough to win, but the text is more incisive. 17 ...Bb7 18 Bxd5 Bxd5 19 Nh5 Nd7 20 c4 Bc6 21 Rxd7 Bxd7 22 Nxf6+ Kg7 23 Nxd7 f6 24 Keg Kasparov's hyper-accurate move order has ensured the win of a piece. 24 ...Rc8 25 Ra Rc7 26 Nb8 Black resigns.

Final crosstable

1 2 3 4 5 6

Kasparov

1/2

1 1

1/2 1/2

1/2 4 Timman

1/2

0 0

1/2 1/2 1/2

2