Peter the Great
Raymond Keene
TRADITIONALLY Russia has been the main provider of chess champions. In 1972 Bobby Fischer made a brief incursion on behalf of the US, while Nigel Short is now spearheading a British challenge to the supreme title. In spite of this, the cham- pions and challengers since 1937 have been overwhelmingly Russian.
One other nation which, however, may well lay claim to a future monopoly of championship matches is Hungary. Last week, I focused on the exploits of Judith Polgar. Her even young compatriot, Peter Leko, just 13, now looks as if he may well capture the record for becoming the world's youngest ever grandmaster. After a series of tournaments in Budapest last month Peter already has one grandmaster norm to his credit. He rarely loses and seems able to adapt his style to strategy or tactics to fit the circumstances.
This week's games reveal both asto- nishing maturity of style in one so young and the normal lust for attack one would associate with youth.
Leko — Wells: Budapest 1993; Ruy Lopez.
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re! b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 c3 0-0 9 h3 Nb8 The Breyer Variation, recently made popular through its adoption by Boris Spassky. 10 d4 Nbd7 11 Nbd2 111,7 12 Bc2 Re8 13 a4 Bill 14 Bd3 c6 15 b3 A more aggressive alternative is 15 b4 Nb6 16 a5 Nbd7 17 Bb2. With the text, Leko shows that he is quite content to play a waiting game. 15 . . . g6 16 Qe2 Rc8 17 Bb2 Bg7 18 Bfl Nh5 19 c4 exd4 20 Nxd4 b4 21 Radl c5 The British master tries to seize the initiative with this thrust. A more patient course would be 21. . . Nc5. 22 Ne2 Ne5 23 f4 Nd3 A neat coup which gains the bishop pair, for if 24 Bxg7 Nxel. 24 Qxd3 Bxb2 25 g4 Ng7 26 Qc2 Bf6 27 g5 Bxg5 A bold sacrifice, clearly intended when Black played his 23rd move. Black obtains two pawns and some attack for his sacrificed piece. Too passive is 27 . . . Be7 28 0d3. 28 fxg5 Qxg5+ 29 Bg2 Nf5 Of course this knight cannot be captured. 30 Qd3
Position after 32 Rxdl
Ne3 31 Ng3 Nxdl 32 Rxd1 (Diagram) 32. . . f5 Wells conducts his attack with commendable élan but here, and on move 45, he suffers a rush of blood to the head. Instead, 32. . Re6 would have been satisfactory, maintainin& some press- ure while also having material equivalent in the shape of rook and two pawns for white minor pieces. 33 Kh2 f4 34 Nhl Qe5 35 Kg! Rcd8 36 Nf2 Qg5 37 NI3 White gradually unravels and the minor pieces begin to tell against the rook. 37. . . Qe7 38 Re! Qg7 39 h4 h6 40 Kh2 Bc6 41 Rgl Kh8 42 Bh3 Qc3 43 Nd2 Kh7 44 Bfl Re6 45 Rg4 f3 This is suicide. 45 . . . Rf8 still leaves Black in the game. 46 Nxf3 Rf8 47 Kg2 Ref6 48 Rg3 RN 49 Qxd6 The threat of 50 Qxg6+ leaves Black little choice. He must now play 49 . . . R4f6 though after 50 Qd3 Black is getting nowhere. 49. . . Qxf3+ This final fling results in an even speedier loss. 50 Rxf3 Rxf3 51 Ng4 Rxfl 52 Qxe6 h5 53 Ne5 R8f2+ 54 Kg3 Black resigns.
Leko — Jo. Horvath: Budapest 1993; Petroff Defence.
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 Nxe4 4 Bd3 d5 5 Nxe5 Nd7 6 Nxd7 Bxd7 7 0-0 Qh4 8 c4 Nf6 An interesting attempt to improve on a fashionable variation of the Petroff Defence. In recent games 8. . 0-0-0 9 c5 has led to White's advantage. 9 Qe2+ Be7
10 cxd5 Nxd5 11 Be4 Bc6 12 Nc3 0-0-0 This is much too risky. Correct is 12 . . Nxc3 13 Bxc6+ bxc6 14 bxc3 0-0. In that case Black's doubled pawns would constitute a weakness, but in the game they represent an irreparable breach in the defences surrounding the black king. 13 Qf3 Nxc3 14 Bxc6 If now 14 . . . bxc6 15 bxc3 Qf6 16 Qd3 Kb7 17 Rbl + Ka8 18 Bg5 Qxg5 19 Qa6 forcing checkmate. 14 . . . Ne2+ 15 Qxe2 bxc6 16 Be3 Rd6 17 Racl Rg6 18 g3 Qe4 19 Position after 19. . . Kd7 Qa6+ Kd7 (Diagram) Black's position is clearly tottering and one last dagger-stroke will termin- ate resistance. This is not long in coming. 20 d5 cxd5 Capturing with the queen loses to 21 Rfd1. 21 Qb5+ Kc8 22 Bxa7 Bd6? Demoralised by the sudden turn of events Horvath blunders away a rook but if 22. . . Bd8 23 Rfdl Rd6 24 Bc5 with a decisive attack. 23 Qb8+ Kd7 24 Qxh8 Black resigns.
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