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SPAIN'S FINEST CAVA

CHESS

Dutch treats

Raymond Keene

;.00 aia gli SPAIN'S FINEST CAVA THE DUTCH have landed a coup. Having spectacularly failed to organise a convinc- ing Fide championship between Karpov and Timman, the VSB tournament sche- duled for Amsterdam in May has attracted the impressive quartet of Kasparov, Kar- pov, Short and Timman. In other words, all four players in the two rival world championship matches. Extra credibility is conferred on the VSB event, since it is a double-round tournament where all play- ers face each other twice, once with White and once with Black. The prospect of this showdown is indeed mouthwatering.

Meanwhile, in the super-tournament at Linares Karpov's self-belief appears to have lent him wings. He has doubtless convinced himself that he is now world champion again, and certainly seems to be playing like one. After four rounds he led with 100 per cent, half a point ahead of Kasparov. Their game, with Kasparov having the advantage of White, takes place on Friday 4 March, a day after The Spectator hits the streets. It will form the topic of next week's column. As usual, the chess in Linares has been extraordinarily exciting.

First we see a young contender for the crown in action.

Beliaysky — Kramnik: Linares, February 1994; Sicilian Defence.

1 e4 c5 2 IS113 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 d6 6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd2 Be7 8 0-0-0 0-0 9 f4 Nxd4 10 Qxd4 Qa5 11 Bc4 Bd7 12 Rhel One of the most fashionable variations in modern grandmaster chess. In a later round Anand — Beliaysky continued: 12 e5 dxe5 13 fxe5 Bc6 14 Bd2 Nd7 15 Nd5 Qd8 16 Nxe7+ Qxe7 17 Rhel Rfc8 18 Bfl with the better game for White. Ironically, Beliaysky lost this later game on the black side. 12 . . . Bc6 13 f5 b514 Bb3 b415 Net Ba4 16 Kbl Not 16 fxe6 Bxb3 17 exf7+ when Black can recapture on f7 with the bishop. 16 . . • Bxb3 17 axb3 Rfc8 18 Bd2 Qc7 19 Qd3 exf5 20 exf5 d5 21 Bf4 Bd6 22 g3 a5 23 Bxd6 Qxd6 24 Nf4 a4 Black's attack against White's king is of more signifi-

Position after 26 Nxd5

cance than the weakness of his 'd' pawn. 25 bxa4 Rxa4 26 NxdS (Diagram) 26 . . . NxdS 26 . . . Rca8 looks crushing since 27 Ne7+ Qxe7 28 Rxe7 Ral is checkmate. However 27 c4 still muddies the waters. 27 QxdS Qc7 28 Qe4 Raa8 29 Rd4 Qa5 30 Kcl b3 31 c4 Qb4 White resigns If 32 Kbl Qa4 33 Kcl Re8 wins.

Now we seek the champion himself in sparkling form.

Kasparov — Ivanchuk: Linares, February 1994; Semi-Slav Defence.

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 d5 4 Nf3 e6 5 Bg5 dxc4 6 e4 b5 7 e5 h6 8 Bh4 g5 9 NxgS hxg5 10 Bxg5 Nbd7 In

Position after 22 Qel!

the early 1980s Kasparov made a living out of this position but in recent years no one has dared challenge him to a theoretical duel in this line. 11 exf6 Bbl 12 g3 c5 13 d5 Nxf6 14 Bg2 Bh6 15 Bxf6 Qxf6 16 0-0 0-0-0 17 NxbS exd5 18 Nxa7 + Kb8 19 Nb5 Bg7 20 a4 Qh6 Although Black is a pawn down, he has powerful counterplay in the 'h' file, as well as the bishop pair and an imposing mass of central pawns. The secret of Kasparov's victory is his ability to draw the black king itself into the firing line. 21 h4 Bf6 22 Qel! (Diagram above) A brilliant move, ignoring Black's threat of a sacrifice on h4, in order to transfer the white queen to a5. 22 . . . Bxh4 23 Qa5 Be7 Again threatening mate on h2. 24 Qc7+ Ka8 25 Qa5+ Kb8 26 Qc7+ Ka8 27 Rfel Disdaining the draw by perpetual check whilst creating a haven for his king on fl. 27 . . . Bd6 28 Qb6 Bb8 29 a5 Rd7 Of course Black cannot exchange queens with 29 . . . Qxb6 since the reply 30 axb6+ will prove ruinous for him. 30 Re8 (Diagram) A superb irruption. Black is still denied the possibility of . . . Qxb6 while 30 . . • Rxe8 naturally fails to 31 Qxh6. It is possible that Ivanchuk may have foreseen this brilliant coup and prepared the following queen sacrifice in advance. In spite of the ingenuity of Ivan- chuk's defence it is still insufficient. 30 . • • Qh2+ 31 Kfl Qxg2+ 32 Kxg2 d4+ 33 Qxb7+ This counter-sacrifice of the white queen breaks the back of Black's defence. 33 . . . Rxb7 34 Rxh8 RxbS 35 a6 Ka7 36 Rf8 Rxb2 37 Rxf7+ Ka8 38 a7 c3 39 Rf8 Black resigns Kasparov has conducted the technical phase with the utmost accuracy. There is now no way for Black to avoid the deadly coronation of White's 'a' pawn.