Chess

Improvements

Raymond Keene

world Championship games are always subjected to intense scrutiny by post- mortem analysts, and in some cases (notably the Spassky-Fischer clash of 1972) innovations from the match set the fashion for years to come. This week I will examine the current standing of two new ideas from Merano, one produced by Korchnoi's team, the other by Karpov's.

Karpov — Portisch: Turin 1982; Petroff's Defence.

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 d4 d5 6 Bd3 Be7 7 0-0 Nc6 8 Rel Bf5 9 C4! Karpov's latest conception to thwart Black's notoriously drawish defence. In the 4th game from Merano Karpov played 9 Bd5 against Korchnoi, but after the novelty 9 ... Bf6! he could make no real progress in the opening stages. 9 ... Nb4 10 Bf I 0-0 11 a3 Nc6 12 Nc3 Nxc3 13 bxc3 dxc4 14 Bxc4 Bd6 If 14 ... Bf6 15 Bf4 gives White an edge.

14 ... Bg4 does deserve consideration, though.

15 Bg5 Qd7 16 Nh4 Na5 17 Ba2 b5 This looks weakening. 17 ... Bg4 is still worth a glance. 18 a4! Preparing a diabolical trap. 18 a6 What could be more natural? 19 axb5 axb5 20 NxfS Qx15 21 Be7 Rfb8 21 ... Bxe7 22 Rxe7 leaves White in complete command. 22 g4 Qd7 23 Bxf7 + ! The hidden point of White's play. If now 23 ... Kxf7 24 Rxa5 Rxa5 25 Qb3 + Kg6 26 Re6 + and wins. Alternatively, 23 ... Kxf7 24 Rxa5 Bxe7 25 Rxa8 Rxa8 26 Qf3 + forking K and R. 23 .. . Ktill 24 Bxd6 Qxf7 25 Re7 Qf8 26 Bc5 Qf4 27 Qe2 h6 28 Re4 Qf7 29 Re5 Nc4 Black's N is well placed, but it is no compensation for his missing pawn. 30 Rxa8 Rxa8 31 Rf5 Qg6 32 Qe4 Kh7 33 h3 RaI + 34 Kg2 Rc1 35 Bb4 Nd6 36 Bxd6 cxd6 37 Qd3 d5 38 13 Black resigns. He has no defence to the advance of White's h pawn to h5.

Razuvaev — Anikaev: Kislovodsk 1982; Queen's Gambit Declined.

I d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 Be7 5 Bg5 h6 6 Bh4 0-0 7 Rd dxc4 8 e4 In game 9 from Merano, Korchnoi failed to impress with 8 e3. The text is more aggressive. 8 ... a6 This looks like the wrong response. Other, less passive, tries are .

Position after

28 Bf5 +

8 ... c5, 8 ... Nc6 and the interesting ex' change sacrifice 8 ... Nxe4!? 9 Bxe7 Nxc3 10 Bxd8 Nxdl 11 Bel Nxb2 (11 Re8? 12 Ba3!) 12 Bxf8 Kxf8. 9 Bxc4 b5 10 Bd3 Bb7 11 0-0 b412 Bxf6 Bxf6 13 Net Nd7 14 e5 Be7 15 Bbl g6 16„ Nf4 Bg5 17 Nxg5 hxg5 18 Nh3 c5 19 Qg4 cxd42u Nxg5 NxeS 21 Qh4 Kg7 22 Qh7 + Kf6 23 f4 N(17 24 f5! An inspired piece sacrifice which drives Black's K into the open. 24 ... KxgS 25 fxe6 N16 26 Rc5 + Bd5 27 h4+ Kg4 28 B154

(Diagram) If now 28 . gxf5 29 Qxf5 + wins.

28 Kg3 29 Qh6 Nh5 30 RxdS Qxh4 31 R1.3

mate.

Another major improvement is the release of Korchnoi's family, which was an flounced last week. Bella and Igor have noo finally reached the West, joining Victor, presumably either in Switzerland or NO' York. Congratulations are due to Fridril. Olafsson, Fide President, who has exerted continual pressure to bring this about, but also like to think that persistent comment from Western journalists helped the Rus" sians to make the right decision.

Stop press: The three top ratings in the Fide list of 1 July are: Karpov 2700 (-20 on the previous list); Kasparov 2675 ( + 35); and Korchnoi 2635 (-10). Leading British ratings are: Speelman 2575 ( + 25); Nunn 2565 (-25); Miles 2565 (-10);Mestel 250 ( + 40); Stean 2530 ( + 25); Keene 2505 (n° change); Chandler 2505 ( + 35); and Short 2485 ( + 55).