Round 5

Anand - Adams [C89]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3

V. Anand allows the English grandmaster to apply his favourite opening weapon, the Marshall Attack. Thus the game becomes a curious opening duel between two leading grandmasters of the world.

8... d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. Re1 Bd6 13. d3

In days of old they advanced the pawn one square farther: 13.d4. At present this continuation is analysed thoroughly up to the draw. Still, six weeks ago in the game Topalov - Adams (Sarajevo, 2000) the line 13... Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Re4 g5! 16. Qf3 Bf5 17. Bc2 Bxe4 18. Bxe4 Qe6 19. Bxg5 f5 was played and after White's unfortunate novelty 20. Bxd5? Black gained a strong initiative with 20... cxd5 21. Nd2 f4 and won.

13... Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Re4 Qf5

Now as the white pawn is on d3 instead of d4 the rook on e4 is well defended, and Black is deprived of the tactical opportunity connected with the advantage g7-g5.

16. Nd2 Qg6 17. Re1 f5 18. a4 Rb8 19. axb5 axb5

20. Ne4!

There is White's expected novelty. 20. Nf3 was played in a game between the same opponents one year ago, and after some complications in 20... f4 21. Ne5 Bxe5 22. Rxe5 fxg3 23. fxg3 Bg4 24. Qe1 Bh3 25. Be3 Rf1+ 26. Qxf1 Bxf1 27. Rxf1 Rf8 28. Rxf8+ the game was drawn (Anand - Adams, Dos Hermanas, 1999). An important nuance should be featured here. If White attempts to use the strength of his Ruy-Lopez-like bishop to win material with 20. c4, then after 20... f4! 21. cxd5 fxg3 22. dxc6+ Kh8 23. fxg3 Bxg3 he gets under Black's strongest attack.

20... fxe4

The result of this game which was unfortunate for Black made us look for a different opportunity already in this position. Neither 20... f4 was good because of 21. Nxd6 fxg3 22. hxg3, nor 20... Be7 because of 21. Bf4. It's interesting what was planned by V. Anand in case of 20... Bc7. Probably 21. c4. After 21... bxc4 (the move 21... f4 would cost Black too much as the knight on e4 defended the pawn on a3 quite reliably) 22. dxc4 fxe4 (after 22... Nf4 23. Bxf4 Bxf4 24. c5+ with a subsequent intrusion of the white knight to d6 Black's position becomes really unpleasant) 23. cxd5 Kh8 (in case of 23... Qf7 24. Be3 White had an extra pawn and defended everything, while the move 23... Bg4 would deprive Black of material after 24. d6+ Kh8 25. dxc7 Bxd1 26. cxb8Q Rxb8 27. Bxd1) 24. Be3 Bg4 25. Qc2 Bf3 26. dxc6 Qf5 27. Bc4 White expired the attack and kept the extra pawn.

21. dxe4 Bg4 22. Qd4 Bf3 23. exd5 c5 24. Qh4 Rbe8

After 24... c4 25. Bd1 Bxd5 26. Qg5 or 26. Qh5 Black remained without the attack as well as without the pawn.

25. Be3 Qf5

If 25... Re5, then White has the only 26. Qh3! which is enough, however.

26. Rac1 Be4 27. Bd1 Bxd5 28. Bc2 Qf3

Probably Black would have held longer after 28... Be4 29. Bxe4 Rxe4 30. Qg5 but the result would be the same anyway.

29. Qxh7+ Kf7 30. Qf5+ Kg8 31. Qxf3 Bxf3

White's two extra pawns leave Black no chance for a draw.

32. Bd3 c4 33. Bf1 Re5 34. Bg2 Bh5 35. Bd4 Rxe1+ 36. Rxe1 Bf7 37. Ra1 b4 38.cxb4 Bxb4 39. Ra8 Rxa8 40. Bxa8 g5 41. Kg2 Kh7 42. Be4+ Kh6 43. Be3 Kh5 44. h3 Be6 45. g4+ 1-0

Black resigned.

Leko - Bareev [B19]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nf6

Usually E. Bareev prefers a more traditional 7... Nd7. Still, the move 7... e6 which is relative to the line with 7...Nf6 was seen in his tournament practice as well. After 8. Ne5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nd7 11. Bf4 Qa5+ 12. c3 Ngf6 13. O-O Be7 14. Rfe1 O-O 15. Nf5 White took the initiative in the game Ivanchuk - Bareev (Elista, 1998).

8. Ne5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Nbd7

P. Leko knows well the line 9... Bxd3 10. Qxd3 from his own practice. In the game Adams - Leko (Linares, 1999) he experienced a very strong attack after 10... e6 11. Bd2 Nbd7 12. f4 Be7 13. O-O-O O-O 14. Qe2 c5 15. dxc5 Nxc5 16. Bc3 Qc7 17. f5!.

10. Bxh7 Nxe5 11. dxe5

11. Bf5 Ned7 12. Bd3 e6 13. Qe2 Qc7 14. Bd2 O-O-O 15. O-O-O c5 with an approximate equality occurred in the game Fontaine - Magem (Badals, 1999).

11... Qa5+

Why not deprive the white king of his castling as there is an opportunity there? In the endgame to come after 11... Qxd1+ 12. Kxd1 Nxh7 13. Ke2 (Black has to reckon also with 13. e6 fxe6 14. h5, hampering the development of the dark-squared bishop) 13... O-O-O (in case of 13... e6 there was an unpleasant 14. Rd1) 14. Be3 Black's light pieces would occupy not very good positions.

12. Kf1 Nxh7 13. Qe2

After 13. e6 fxe6 14. Qd3 complications with mutual chances were possible.

13... O-O-O

There was a reason to chose 13... e6 too.

14. e6 Qd5 15. exf7 Qxf7 16. Be3 a6

If 16... Kb8, then 17. Rd1! was very strong. At the same time, the combination 17. Bxh6 gxh6 18. Qe5+ Kc8 19. Qxh8 to be followed with 19... Nf6 20. Nf5 e6 would let Black catch the white queen into a trap.

17. b4 e6 18. Bb6 Rd7 19. Rb1 Nf6 20. c4 Bd6 21. Rh3

21...Bxg3 22. fxg3 Ne4+ was threatening.

21... Bf4 22. Rb2 Qg6 23. b5 Qd3

White's initiative on the queenside grows stronger, and Black hurries up to exchange the queens.

24. bxc6 bxc6 25. Kg1 Qxe2 26. Rxe2 Rd1+ 27. Nf1

27... Ng4!?

Black decides to sacrifice the pawn in order to prevent the white rook from h3 from entering the game. After 27... Kd7 28. Rb3 Rb8 29. g3 Bd6 30. Kg2 White could gain gradually a slightly better play having three pawn islets against Black's four.

28. Rxe6 h5

Having seized the initiative, Black suspends. After 28... Bh2+ 29. Rxh2 Nxh2 30. Kxh2 Rxf1 31. Rxc6+ Kb7 32. Rg6 White had two pawns vs. exchange and, respectively, certain advantage.

29. g3

A questionable decision. White's rook just stepped out. After 29. Rxc6+ Kd7 30. Rg6 or 29... Kb7 30. Rg6 the position would have remained very keen. So, in the last case 30... Re8!? 31. Ba5 Re2 would be possible, all Black's pieces rushing to White's kingside.

29... Be5 30. Rxc6+ Kb7?!

Appears to be not the very best solution. After 30... Kd7! 31. Rg6 (if 31. Rc5, then 31... Rb8 32. Ba5 Rb2 was very strong) 31... Bf6 32. Kg2 (after 32. f4 Rb8 33.c5 Re8 White had no redemption) 32... Ne5 Black would catch the rook g6, while another white rook h3 would still be in its voluntary seclusion.

31. Re6 Rh6

Black exchanged White's only active piece.

32. Rxh6 gxh6 33. Be3 Ra1 34. Kg2 Rxa2 35. Kf3 Bc3 36. Nh2 Nxe3 37. Kxe3 Bb4?

Again, the move was not too good. Black is losing time. 37... a5 or 37... Kc6 suggested themselves to be followed with 38... Kc5, keeping the balance.

38. f4 Bc5+ 39. Ke4 Ra3

40. Nf3!

Well, this move seems to be overlooked by Black. White pieces begin to liven up.

40... Re3+ 41. Kd5 Bb4

After 41... Rxf3 42. Kxc5 Kc7 43. Rh2 Rxg3 44. Rf2 Rg6 45. f5 Rf6 46. Kd5 there was a material balance on the board, still the difference in positions of pieces and pawns was just huge.

42. Ne5 a5

In case of 42... Be1 White had 43. Kd4! Rxg3 44. Rxg3 Bxg3 45. Ng6, opening a free way for the f-pawn.

43. Rh2 a4

This loses quickly, but after 43... Rxg3 44. f5 Rg1 45. f6 there hardly were any chances too.

44. Rb2 Rb3 45. Rxb3 axb3 46. Nd3 Be1

Neither 46... Ba3 47. Ke6, nor 46... Kc7 47. Ke6 Kd8 48. f5 could have saved Black.

47. f5 Bxg3 48. Ke6 Bxh4 49. Kd7!

Finishing the longest game of the tournament.

49... Be7 50. c5 1-0

Black resigned.

Huebner - Piket [D39]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 Bb4

The Vienna Variation of the Queen's Gambit has been popular in most representative tournaments for several decades.

6. Bg5 c5 7. Bxc4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Qa5 10. Bb5+ Bd7 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Qb3 a6 13. Be2 Nc6 14. O-O Qc7 15. Qa3

The game Ivanchuk - Piket (Monaco(active), 2000) with 15. Nf3 O-O 16. Rfd1 was drawn in three half-moves. After 15. Rab1 Na5 16. Qa3 Rc8 17. c4 Nxc4 18. Bxc4 Qxc4 19. Rfd1 Qc3 20. Qd6 Qc7 White got no sufficient compensation for the pawn in the game Kramnik - Van Wely (Monaco (active), 2000).

15... Rc8 16. Rfc1

16. Rad1 was seen in the practice of the Holland grandmaster when he played for both colours. In the game Van Wely - Piket (Monaco (active), 1999) Black equalised after 16... Rg8 (the line 16... Na5 17. Qc1 Ke7 18. Qh6 Bc6 brought White to a victory in the game Piket - Topalov (Groningen, 1997) owing to 19. Nxe6!) 17. f4 Nxd4 18. cxd4 Qc3 19. Rf3 Qxa3 20. Rxa3 Rc2.

16... h5 17. Rab1 h4 18. Qb2 Qf4

Now it's already evident that Black's chances are some better.

19. Re1 b5

20. Qc1

This was practically a forced solution. In case of 20. a4? Black had a tactical disproof 20... Nxd4 21. cxd4 h3! 22. g3 Qxe4.

20... Qxc1 21. Rexc1 Ke7 22. Nb3 Ne5 23. Nd2 Rhd8 24. Kf1 Rc7 25. Ke1 Rdc8 26. Rb3 Bc6 27. f3 Bd7

A transfer of the rooks to the d-file was promised nothing as well. After 27... Rd7 28. Nf1 Rcd8 29. Rc2 White still could maintain the balance.

28. f4 Nc6 29. Nf3 e5 30. fxe5 fxe5 31. Ra3 Nd4 32. Nxe5 b4 33. Nxd7 Rxd7 34. Rxa6 Rxc3 35. Rd1

The continuation 35. Rxc3 bxc3 was clearly not good for White, but 35. Rb1 Rc2 36. Bg4 Rxg2 37. Bxd7 Rg1+ 38. Kd2 Rxb1 39. Bg4 with a balance was quite admissible.

35... Rc2 36. Bg4 Rxg2 37. Bxd7 Nc2+ 38. Kf1 Ne3+ 39. Ke1 Nxd1 40. Kxd1

White reduces the game to a drawn rook endgame. After 40. Ra7 Rg1+ 41. Kd2 Nc3 the position would still be tense.

40... Kxd7 41. h3 Rg3 42. Rb6 Rxh3 43. Rxb4 Rh2 44. Rb6 Ke7

Black is complicating the matters unnecessarily. If he just took the pawn 44... Rxa2, then after 45. Rh6 Rh2 46. Ke1 the game would have ended with a draw anyway. And now Black has simply nothing.

45. a4 f6 46. Ke1 Ra2 47. Rb7+ Ke6 48. Rh7 Rxa4 1/2-1/2

Draw.

Khalifman - Akopian [C02]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Nh6 6. Bd3

The line 6. Bxh6 gxh6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Bd3 f6 is out of fashion for a long time already.

6... cxd4 7. cxd4 Nf5 8. Bxf5 exf5 9. Nc3 Be6 10. h4 h6 11. h5 Be7 12. Ne2

12... Qa5+

Previously only 12... Qb6 and 12... Qd7 occurred in this position.

13. Kf1 Rc8 14. Kg1 Kd7 15. Nf4 Rc7 16. Rh3 Rhc8 17. Rg3 Bf8

Black built solid redoubts on both flanks.

18. Bd2 Qa6 19. Bc3 Ke8 20. Ne1 Qb6 21. Nc2 Rd7 22. Qd2 a5 23. Ne3 a4 24. Nc2 1/2-1/2

Draw.

Kramnik - Junior 6 [D00]

1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Bd3 e6 4. f4 Be7 5. Nf3 c5 6. c3 O-O 7. Nbd2 Ng4

Computer's apprehension of closed positions is definitely not too good. As early as in the 19^th century humans preferred playing 7... b6. An example is 8. Ne5 Bb7 9. Qf3 Nbd7 10. O-O Qc7 11. g4 g6 12. Qh3 Ne4 13. Rf3 Nxe5 14. dxe5 Nxd2 15. Bxd2 d4 from the game D. Janowsky - J. Mieses (Paris, 1895) which was won by Black.

8. Qe2 c4 9. Bc2 f5 10. Rg1 Nc6 11. h3 Nf6 12. g4 Ne4 13. Qg2 g6 14. Qh2 Kh8

15. h4!

White begins a straight attack of the black king, using the time that was lost by Black and the closed type of the position.

15... Nxd2

15... fxg4 changed nothing because of 16. Ng5.

16. Bxd2 fxg4 17. Ng5 Qe8

In case of 17... h6 White had 18. h5!.

18. h5 gxh5 19. Rxg4 Rf6

If 19... h6, then there was a very strong 20. Rh4.

20. Rh4 Rh6 21. O-O-O a5 22. Rh1 b5 23. Bd1 Ra7 24. Bxh5 Qf8 25. e4!

White intensifies his attack with his dark-squared bishop. If he won the queen with 25. Nf7+ Qxf7 26. Bxf7 Bxh4 he'd still have to achieve his advantage.

25... Bd8

In case of 25... dxe4 the solution was 26. Bg6 Rxh4 27. Qxh4.

26. f5 b4 27. Bg6 Rxh4 28. Qxh4 bxc3 29. bxc3 Bf6

After 29... Qa3+ 30. Kd1 Qxa2 White could chose between a mere 31. Bf7 Qb1+ 32. Ke2 Qd3+ 33. Ke1 Qb1+ 34. Kf2 Qxh1 35. Qxh1 Bxg5 36. Bxg5 Rxf7 37. f6 and the very long forced line 31. Qxh7+! Rxh7 32. Rxh7+ Kg8 33. Bf7+ Kf8 34. Nxe6+ Ke7 (there was no 34... Bxe6 35. Bh6+ Ke7 36. Bxe6+ Kd6 37. Rd7#) 35. Bg6+ Kd6 36. Bf4+ Ne5 37. dxe5+ Kc6 38. Be8+ Bd7 (if 38... Kb6, then 39. Be3+ Ka6 40. Ra7#) 39. Bxd7+ Kb6 40. Be3+ Kb7 41. Nxd8+ Kb8 42. Be6 with a huge material advantage.

30. Qxh7+!

With a simple elegance.

30... Rxh7 31. Rxh7+ Kg8 32. Bf7+ Qxf7 33. Rxf7 1-0

Black resigned.