Round 3. Game 2
Finish breath (06.12.2000)

This is of course no finish yet but tomorrow there will stay only 16 participants. The day was very peaceful. Some players won the day before so draw was a sufficient result for them. Others made draws for no particular reasons. There were altogether 13 draws there! Only Anand completed this round today and Bareev won another game against Alexandrov though it was even more than he needed. Svidler managed to recoup himself and tomorrow he will play tie break with Peng. Leko – Khalifman was the central game of the round. The opponents played already many games with each other, and Leko is a rather inconvenient adversary for Khalifman. Still the 14^th World Champion achieved a hard draw after 70 moves.

By women Skripchenko was the hero of the day. She equalised her score with Galliamova and will proceed to the rapid stage now. Only 8 women will stay after tie breaks tomorrow.

We give 2 games this time: Svidler’s amazing fight and Bareev’s second victory over Alexandrov who missed his chance to continue struggle.

Svidler, Peter(RUS) - Peng, Xiaomin (CHN)
Round 3. Game 2

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Re8 10. d4 h6 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. Bc2 Bd7 13. b3 g6 14. Bb2 Bg7 15. d5 Ne7

The Spanish rack, so chess players call this opening sometimes.

16. c4 c6 17. b4 cxd5 18. cxd5 Nh5 19. Nb3 Nf4 20. Na5 Rc8 21. Bb3 g5 22. Nh2 Neg6 23. Nc6

First sacrifice. White is ready to part with the pawn in order to improve his b3-bishop. Still Peng does not agree to take.

23... Qf6 24. Ng4

The hunt for the light-squared bishop is over. As the queen has no place to escape Black exchanges the bishop for another knight. Now Black’s queenside stays unprotected but Black still hopes organise an attack of the residence of White’s king.

24... Bxg4 25. hxg4 Nh4 26. Re3 Nhxg2 27. Rg3 Nh4 28. a4 Qg6 29. Bc2 Bf6 30. axb5 axb5 31. Ra5

This very advantage was Svidler’s aim. White’s passed pawn b4 will bother Black, all the more that he has no equivalent attack with his unhappy bishop on f6.

31... Kg7 32. Rxb5 h5 33. Rb7 Rh8 34. Rd7 hxg4 35. Qxg4 Qh7 36. Kf1 Nhg6 37. Rxd6

Svidler fears no ghosts. Black has no attack, so White can proceed as before.

37... Qh1+ 38. Rg1 Qh3+ 39. Qxh3 Rxh3 40. Ke1 Ra8 41. Kd2 Rh2 42. Rf1 g4 43. Kc3 Bh4 44. Bd1 Rg2 45. Kc4 f6 46. Rd7+ Kh6 47. Bc1 Kg5 48. Be3

White’s passed d-pawn is going to queen soon.

46... Ra2 49. Ra7 Rb2 50. d6 Bxf2 51. Rxf2 Rgxf2 52. d7 g3 53. d8=Q g2 54. Rh7

White threatens with a mate, and Black has no time to promote his g-pawn.

54... Rbe2 55. Bxe2 Rxe2 56. Qd7

Black can only resign here.

1-0

Aleksandrov, Aleksej (BLR) - Bareev, Evgeny (RUS)
Round 3. Game 2

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Be2 a6 9. e4 b4 10. e5 bxc3 11. exf6 Nxf6 12. bxc3 Bd6

The opponents chose the Slav Defence. Black has a bad bishop but as soon as he solves this problem he will be OK.

13. c4 O-O 14. c5 Bc7 15. O-O a5 16. Bg5 Qd5 17. Bxf6

Black’s pawn structure is spoiled but White created no attack.

17... gxf6 18. Qb1 Qd7 19. Bd3 Kh8 20. Re1 Ba6 21. Bc2 Rab8 22. Qc1 Rg8 23. Qh6 f5

Black threatens to bring his bishop to d5 via c4, and White still has no attack, so Alexandrov decides to sacrifice a piece.

24. Bxf5 exf5 25. Qf6+ Rg7 26. Re7 Qd8 27. Rae1 Bc4

Black has an extra piece, and White may resign without doubt. Perhaps hoping for a wonder, the Byelorussian grandmaster made several more moves:

28. g3 Bxa2 29. Qxf5 Rb1 30. Qf6 Rxe1+ 31. Nxe1 Kg8 32. Ng2 Kf8 33. Ne3 Qxe7 34. Qxc6 Rg6

Such positions can be seen by beginners or in a crazy blitz game. Black wins and advances.

0-1