CHESS
Ma in Spagna.• •
Raymond Keene
THE MODERN GAME of chess was probably invented in Spain around 1475, immediately replacing, in most countries, the older and slower Arabian version. Although the Spanish have failed to pro- duce any truly great players of their own since the days of Ruy Lopez, the 16th- century Spanish priest who codified the openings, their enthusiasm for chess makes them perhaps the most energetic and pro- lific organisers of chess tournaments in the world. This year's Seville tournament is the highest-ranked so far, outclassing in rating average even Linares (another Spanish competition) and Riga, the tournament which Garry ICasparov won last week ahead of Ivanchuk, Anand and Short. Apart from its high rating average, the games from Seville have also been superbly exciting and rich in complex variations.
Shirov—Lautier: Seville, April 1995; Ruy Lopez.
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 d6 5 c3 Bd7 6 d4 Nge7 7 0-0 Ng6 8 d5 Nb8 9 Bc2 Shirov's com- plicated style prefers to avoid simplification but the strategically approved move here is 9 c4, not shying away from the trade of light-squared bish- ops. 9 ...Be7 10 h3 h6 11 c4 At last, but now Black has the chance to gain kingside counter- play. 11 ... Bg5 12 Nbd2 a5 13 b3 Na6 14 a3 Nc5 15 Rbl Nf4 16 Nel 0-0 17 b4 axb4 18 axb4 Na4 19 Rb3 b5 20 Ra3 bxc4 21 h4 If 21 Bxa4 Bxa4 22 Rxa4 Rxa4 23 Qxa4 Ne2+ followed by ...Nxcl. 21 ...Be7 Avoiding 21 ...13xh4 22 g3 c3 23 Ndf3 when Black will lose material. 22 g3 Nh3+ 23 Kg2 Nb6 24 Rc3 Qc8 25 Rhl White's entire strategy has been designed around trapping a black knight, either on a4 or h3. But, now that he nears the goal of his ambitions White discovers that Black can generate intense counterplay. 25 ...Ral 26 Nxc4 Nxc4 27 Rxc4 Bxh4 (Diagram) White can hardly accept the sacrifice in view of 28 gxh4 Nf4+ 29 Kfl Rxcl 30 Qxcl Bh3+. Alternatively 29 Kh2 Bb5 30 Rc3 Ne2 with over- whelming threats. Shirov tries to confuse matters but his king is already too exposed. 28 f4 Bxg3 29 Kxg3 Nxf4 30 Rh2 Bb5 31 Rc3 Qd8 Bringing up the reserves. 32 Qd2 Qg5+ 33 Kf3 Qgl 34 Bdl 15 35 Rxc7 fxe4+ 36 Kxe4 Be8 37 Rf2 Bg6+ 38 Ke3 Nh3 39 Nf3 Qg3 40 Rg2 On the last move of the time control and subjected to intense pres- sure, White cracks. He had to play 40 Rfl, although his chances of survival with his king floating in the middle of the board are slim. 40 Qf4+ And after playing 41 Ke2 White resigned without waiting for 41 ... Qxf3+.
Karpov—Salov: Seville, April 1995; Queen's Indian Defence.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 5 b3 Bb4+ 6 Bd2 Be7 7 Bg2 c6 8 Bc3 d5 9 Ne5 Ne4 10 0-0 Bb7 11 Bb2 Nd7 12 Qc2 Nxe5 13 dxe5 Nc5 14 Nd2 0-0 15 Radl a5 The opening has been conven- tional, but now Black risks weakening his queen- side in order to prevent the advance b4. 16 e4 dxc4 Inviting immense complications. White's knight will immediately travel to d6, but is it then a source of strength or weakness? The alternative is 16 ...d4 when 17 Nf3 d3 18 Qbl Nxe4 19 Rxd3 Qc7 20 Rfdl is better for White, but not 16 ... d4 17 Bxd4 Qxd4 18 Nf3 Qxe4 19 Qxe4 Nxe4 20 Rd7 Bd8 21 Rxb7 Nc5 when White's rook is trapped. Hardly surprisingly, this strange line was pointed out by the Fritz com- puter program. No human would ever think of it. 17 Nxc4 Qc7 18 Nd6 Ba6 19 Rfel RadS 20 Qc3 f6 The key move in the undermining of White's knight. Of course not 20 ...Bxd6 21 exd6 when White immediately threatens mate on g7. 21 exf6 Karpov responds to the challenge and inaugu- rates a sharp tactical exchange. 21 ... Bxd6 22 e5 Nd3 23 exd6 (Diagram) The crucial position.
Black's next move leaves White with a clear edge, so we must examine the alternative 23 ... Nxel. If then 24 dxc7 Rxdl 25 Bfl Nd3 when White has nothing better than 26 Kg2 Nel+ with a draw. Nevertheless, after 23 ... Nxel White has alternative methods of prosecuting his attack, namely 24 fxg7 Rf7 25 Be4 Rxd6 26 Rxd6 Qxd6 27 Bxh7+ Kxh7 28 g8/Q+ Kxg8 29 Qh8 mate. Such variations explain why Salov opts for the inferior endgame. 23 ...Rxd6 24 fxg7 Rxf2 25 Rxd3 Rxg2+ If instead 25 Rxd3 26 Kxf2 Rxc3 27 Bxc3 when White has more than suffi- cient compensation for the queen. 26 Kxg2 Bxd3 27 Qf6 Q17 28 Q117+ Kxf7 29 Be5 Rd5 30 g4 Kg8 31 h4 h5 Jettisoning a pawn in this fashion appears desperate but he must do something to prevent the onward march of White's pawns. The point of the sacrifice in the text is partly to provide a safe haven for his bishop on f5 whilst also creating an extra escape square for the king on h7. 32 gxh5 Bf5 33 Kf3 Rd7 34 Kf4 c5 35 Kg5 1Cf7 36 Reg Kg8 37 h6 Kh7 38 Rf2 Rd5 39 Kf6 In spite of the opposite bishops White enjoys so many advantages that it is most unlikely that Black can ever find a defence. 39 ...Rd7 40 Rg2 Kg8 41 h7+ This destroys Black's final presence in the centre. 41 ... Bxh7 42 Kxe6 Rf7 43 Bf6 Rc7 44 Rd2 Rc6+ 45 Ke7 Rc7+ 46 Kd6 Rc8 47 Rf2 Bd3 48 Be5 Re8 49 h5 c4 50 h6 cxb3 51 axb3 Ra8 52 Ke7 Ra7+ 53 Ke6 Ra8 54 Bd6 Re8+ 55 Kd7 Black resigns After 55 ... Bb5+ 56 Kc7 there is no satisfactory antidote to Rf8+.
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