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The Ultimate Islay Malt.

CHESS

Rdbe

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Vlad the Impaler

Raymond Keene

THIS week I conclude my introduction of the challenger for the World Championship in London, Vladimir Kramnik. Kramnik has acquired the reputation of a player who is extremely difficult to beat. However, that does not imply that his chess is at all tedious. Indeed, his games against Kasparov and Karpov, who between them have held the World Championship for the past quar- ter of a century, have tended to be blood- thirsty and violent encounters, even when ending with honours even. As noted before, Kramnik has maintained a level score against both Kasparov and Karpov. Last week I published a smooth positional win by Kramnik against the man who held the world title from 1975 to 1985. The game which follows is a more robust demolition of the former champion.

Kramnik–Karpov: Dortmund 1997; English Opening 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 b6 3 g3 Bb7 4 Bg2 e6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Rel 0-0 7 Nc3 d5 An alternative is 7 c5 8 e4 d6 with a hedgehog formation, passive but hard to crack. 8 cxd5 Nxd5 In former times Karpov would probably have replied 8 ... exd5 continuing 9 d4 Na6 followed by ... c5, not fearing the pawn weaknesses which might ultimately result from Black's occupation of the centre. Here, Karpov is anxious to avoid possible blemishes in his forma- tion but in exchange he can scarcely prevent White from building up a powerful pawn centre. 9 e4 Nxc3 10 bxc3 Nc6 More conventional would be 10 ... c5. The text encourages White to build up a monolithic central constellation of pawns, for which Black's only compensation is the slight exposure of the c4 square. 11 d4 Na5 12 h4 Kramnik immediately announces his aggressive intentions against Black's king. 12 ... Re8 13 125 h6 14 Ne5 Bd6 15 Bf4 Qe7 16 Qg4 Threatening the devastating Bxh6. 16 ... Kh8 17 Nd3 Kramnik's plan is to set his central pawns in motion to create more attacking squares for pieces in the rear. 17 ... RadS 18 Radl Bch

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a b c d e f g h 19 e5 Ba3 20 Bxc6 Nxc6 21 Re4 The first stage in White's strategy of massing all available force against the black monarch. Having declined the opportunity to trade dark-squared bishops, Black's king's bishop now finds itself temporarily excluded from the action. 21 ... Qd7 22 Qf3 Bf8 23 Be3 Na5 24 g4 Bringing up more reserves. 24 ...Nc4 25 g5 Nxe3 26 fxe3 hxg5 27 Rg4 Qe7 28 Rfl Rd7 29 Qg3 f6 Karpov clings tenaciously to his extra pawn, less for the sake of the material than to maintain the shield around his king. 30 e4 Introducing the threat of exf6 followed by e5, when Black's barricades would crumble, Karpov now abandons his kingside and tries to hack his way through White's centre. 30 ... Qa3 31 exf6 Qxc3 32 f7 Rc8 (diagram 2) Instead 32 ... Qxd4+ 33 Khl Rc8 34 Ne5 is also dangerous. 33 d5 exd5 34 e5 Now a race develops between opposing masses of passed pawns. 34 ... c5 35 R£3 Also possible is 35 Rxg5 when a possible variation is

35 ... c4 36 h6 g6 37 Rxg6 Qxd3 38 Rg8+ Kh7 39 Rh8+ K(118 40 Qg8 mate. As alert readers will notice, this variation formed the basis of last week's punle. 35 ... c4 36 Nf2 White's knight has been driven to a more defensive post but his passed pawns are further advanced and his attack continues to rage unabated. 36 ... Qel+ 37 Kg2 Be7 After this Black's resistance collapses but

8 6 5 4 3 Diagram 2 a bcde f g h even after 37 c3 38 RxgS c2 39 h6 c1Q 40 hxg7+ Black's case is hopeless. 38 RxgS BxgS 39 f8Q+ Black resigns

Ardbeg Malt Whisky Puzzle No. 27

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 a bcde f gh

Black to play and win — first move only required. This position is a variation from the game Sadler–Kramnik, Monaco 1998. Here Kramnik found a clever way to force a win on material. What did he play?

Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 9 May or via e-mail to vanessa@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7242 0603. The winner will be the first cor- rect answer drawn out of a hat, and each week I shall be offering a prize of a bottle of Ardbeg Malt Whisky.

Last week's solution: Rh8+ Last week's winner: John Stott, Wiltshire