The Princes and the Kings
Before round 4

The Russia Team Championship features many chess stars, even though Kasparov, Kramnik, Khalifman and Morozevich don't participate. The teams are reinforced with players from other areas and even from neighbour countries. The former St.Petersburg Kings changed their name, ashamed of their past modest results. They are called Gasprom St.Petersburg now. Svidler, Korchnoi, Sakaev, Volkov are well known in Russia as well as abroad. But Volkov keeps failing so far, so it's not absolutely clear why we could not have coped with own forces. The second St.Petersburg team, let's call them the Princes, was the only leader after two rounds. And though they suffered a severe thrashing in round three, our young Alexeev defeated the newly-made Russian Champion Motyliov himself. Since Gasovik (Tiumen), made up of invited stars almost fully, will play in the final part for sure, the second St.Petersburg team has but few chances to qualify. Now the ex-Kings are fighting against the Kazan team, and so far we don't know the results, but we do know that the loser won't play in the final.
In the game against our young star the Champion of Russia conducted quite a confused attack, without any serious threats. So, he failed, as the result, but the game was rather entertaining. The boy took all sacrifices but survived and won.

Motylev,A - Alekseev,E [ECO "B48"]
Round 3

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. O-O-O Bb4 9. f3 Ne5 10. Nb3 b5 11. Bd4 Be7 12. Qf2 d6 13. g4 O-O 14. Rg1 Nfd7 15. f4 Nc4 16. g5 b4 17. Bxc4 Qxc4 18. f5 bxc3 19. f6 Bd8 20. fxg7 Re8 21. Rd3 e5 22. Rh3 Qe6 23. Qe3 exd4 24. Nxd4 Qxe4 25. Qxc3 Nc5 26. g6 Bxh3 27. gxf7+ Kxf7 28. Qxh3 Bg5+ 0-1

No comments on the demonstrated psychological attack. But remember that in St.Petersburg a young and gifted player grows with nerves and fists of iron.
The Gasprom team has already no prospects for demonstrating a super result, only if a wonder helps.

G. Chepukaitis