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Battles on Broadway

Raymond Keene

BRITAIN'S number two, grandmaster Michael Adams, has turned in one of the best performances of his life in the recently concluded tournament in New York. Adams fmished a point and a half clear of the field, whilst producing some entertain- ing chess. Also worthy of note was the per- formance of the 65-year-old veteran Viktor Korchnoi. This week's games see both Adams and Korchnoi inflicting a terrible beating on the young Russian champion.

Adams–Serper: Sicilian Defence.

1 e4 c5 2 NE3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd2 a6 8 0-0-0 h6 9 Be3 Bel 10 f4 Nxd4 11 Bxd4 b5 12 Qe3 Bbl 13 Bxf6 gxf6 Although this leads to the shattering of his king- side pawns, Black does at least create a solid phalanx of pawns in the centre, whilst simultane- ously gaining the advantage of the bishop pair. In any case, the alternative mode of recapture can hardly be considered since 13 ... Bxf6 14 e5 gives White a clear initiative. 14 Bd3 The open- ing has been one of those double-edged varia- tions in which Black sacrifices king safety for compensating advantages, such as possession of the half-open 'c' file. Moreover, this is a position well known to theory. In earlier games, White had tried 14 f5 but after the response 14 ... Qa5 Black maintained the balance. The British grandmaster prefers to complete the mobilisa- tion of his forces before launching a direct attack. 14 ... Qa5 15 Kbl b4 16 Net Qc5 17 Nd4 h5 By means of playing 17 ... e5 18 Nf5 Qxe3 19 Nxe3 exf4 Black could not only exchange queens, but also pick up an extra pawn. However, after 20 Nf5 Black's pawns would be wrecked and White can easily restore material balance with Rhfl followed by Rxf4. 18 Qe2 a5 Of course not 18 ... Qxd4 because of 19 Bb5 +. 19 Bb5+ Kf8 20 Bc4 Qb6 21 g4 hxg4 Voluntarily bringing the white queen into a dangerous attacking post. It would have been more consistent to pursue his own attack by means of 21 ... a4. 22 Qxg4 f5 (Diagram) Black has underestimated White's attacking chances. 23 Nxe6 + rxe6 24 Qg6 Qc7 25 Qxe6 Ke8 26 Rhgl Although Black is a piece ahead, his king Position after 22 . . . f5

is marooned in the centre and he cannot co-ordi- nate his forces properly. The entry of White's king's rook into the battle will now prove swiftly fatal to Black's cause. 26 ...Bxe4 27 Rg7 Kd8 28 Rxe7 Qxe7 29 Rxd6+ Qxd6 If 29 ...Ke8 30 Qg6+ Kf8 31 Rf6+ wins easily. 30 Qxd6+ Ke8 31 Qe5+ Black resigns After 31 ... Kd7 32 Bb5+ is decisive.

Serper—Korchnoi: English Opening.

1 c4 Nf6 2 Nc3 e5 3 Nf3 Nc6 4 g3 Bb4 5 Bg2 0-0 6 0-0 Re8 7 Nd5 Bc5 8 d3 With this move White allows his centre pawns to become doubled but hopes, in compensation, to gain counterplay on the light squares. 8 ... NxdS 9 cxd5 Nd4 10 Nd2 d6 11 e3 Nf5 12 Nc4 a5 13 Bd2 a4 14 b4 Bb6 15 Na5 I find this move hard to understand. Surely it would be more productive to shatter Black's pawns with 15 Nxb6 cxb6 and then take control of the 'c' file with 16 a3 to be followed by Rcl. After numerous gyrations with his knight, once White does get the idea of trading on b6, it turns out to be too late. 15 Qd7 16 Qc2 h5 While White loses time on the other flank, Korchnoi organises a direct strike against White's king. 17 Racl h4 18 Qc4 Qe7 19 Qc2 hxg3 20 hxg3 g6 The simple retreat 20 ... Qd7 would reveal the full bankruptcy of White's strategy. The text, though, is even stronger. Black offers an unim- portant wing pawn in order to gain sufficient momentum for his own onslaught against the white king. 21 Qxa4 Kg7 22 Qc2 Rh8 23 Nc4 Qg5 24 Nxb6 (Diagram) If White had expected Position after 24 Nxb6

Korchnoi to supinely recapture on b6 he is in for a rude shock. Korchnoi now conducts the final attack with superb elan. 24 ... Qh5 Threatening mate on h2. 25 Rfel Qh2+ 26 Kfl Nxg3+ 27 fxg3 Bh3 28 Bxh3 Qxh3+ 29 Kfl Qf5+ White resigns For the past few moves White has been a mere bystander as events have developed beyond his control. Now 30 Kgl fails to 30 ... Qf3 while if 30 Kg2 Rh2+ 31 Kxh2 Qf2+ 32 Kh3 Rh8+ 33 Kg4 Qf5 mate.

Final Scores,New York Tournament

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 lAdams • 1/2 1 1 1/2 1 1 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 81/2 2.Sokolov 1/2 • 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 0 1/2 1 1 1 7 3.Bendamin 0 1/2 • 1 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 1/2 61/2 4.Korchnol 0 0 0 • 1 0 1 1 1/2 1 1 1 61/2 5.Salov 1/2 1/2 1/2 0 • 1/2 1 1 1 1/2112 1/2 61/2 6:WDe°I 0 1/2 0 1 In • 1 1 1/2 1/2 1/7 1 02 Fff

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0 1/2 1/2 0 0 0 • 1/2 1/2 1 1 1 5

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1 1/2 0 1 • 5 41/2 41/2 3 21/2