Hello to all who is still didn't melted in the July
heat as we here and is able to move the pieces on the
scorching chess board!
Today I, GM Sergey Ivanov, will help you.
So, Dortmund (tournament of the year) has crossed
smoothly the equator. And what we have?
Vladimir Kramnik is ahead in the proud loneliness the
World Champion Vladimir Kramnik.
He plays easly, confidently, with a big margin of
safety this why there are all reason to consider that
in this pleased loneliness he will come to the finish
first. There more that in 3 out of 5 games Kramnik
will manage with white pieces.
Half step behind go two experienced tournament's
matadors - Topalov and Leko. But they came to their
results in different ways. Leko plays in his usual
manner - the minimum of the risk, the technic, technic
and once more technic. And Topalov as it say
"remembered the youth" - played as in his best years
(5-6 years ago), when he won almost all tournaments.
And the result is direct evidence. What cost his
brilliant victory against Anand.
In this pair I am a fan of Topalov and predict him
the second place.
With an unusual result (-1, without any victory) ended
the first round another World Champion - Vishi Anand.
Now he share the last but one place with Morozevich.
Before Dortmund many experts expected a duel between
two Champions, Kramnik and Anand but the full-fledged
duel had not happened still - Kramnik wins it with
with an evidence advantage. One don't belive that Anand
so easy will resign - in the second round he will
increase for sure. But something in his play is
brokedown: there is no energy, no new opening ideas,
and perhaps the motivation.
Alexander Morozevich also started unhappy: lost a
prospective game to Topalov, looked unconvincingly
in his favorable black color with Kramnik.
But the last confident victory against Adams should give
him forces and if he will play in the second round
as well as in Astana then he could try to fight for the
high place. I am fan of Morozevich and want very much
that he would perform not less than 2-3 places.
On the last place is Michael Adams. What can I say:
somebody have to be the last. Certainly, the Englishman
had not luck a little: he should not lost the almost
equal endgame to Leko, then he was "run over" by
Morozevich. But he is not in a good form still and to
go away from the outsiders Adams should try to make the
heroic efforts.
Well, enough lyrics, it is time to pass to the business
at last. What we can expect in today's 6th round?
Kramnik - Topalov
Anand - Morozevich
Adams -Leko
Anand and Morozevich played with this colors in classic
chess only two times - in Wijk-aan-Zee last year and
this year. Both games were in a sharp fight and ended
in a draw and at that in January this year only the time
trouble didn't allowed Morozevich to realise his
advantage. If Alexander will find something in the
opening (in the game mentioned above he used his favorable
Chigorin Defence) then Hindu can "flow" taking inaccount
his bad form.
Kramnik has a huge advantage against Topalov with white -
7:1 (without draws), true the last resulted game (last
year in Monaco) he lost. Probably Kramnik is a hard rival
to Topalov.
Adams and Leko have played recently a match in Fischer's
random chess, so probably learned each other rather well.
In this match Leko won. In usual chess Adams has the
advantage. True he obtained it mainly in blitz and rapid
games.
So, we begin to follow the games.
Kramnik - Topalov
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6
Benoni Defence is a serious arm in Topalov's hands. Out
from 10 games on the GM level he won 6 (true 3 of them
is against Van Vely. With Kramnik he didn't played in this
opening still. Probably today he intends to giva a battle
playing with black.
7.Nd2 An old variation called "Nimzovich's pirouette".
White Knight aspires to take the key square c4. The
variation again became fashion afterthe game
Khalifman-Akopian (Las-Vegas, 1999, 6th game of the match).
7...Bg7 8.e4 0-0 9.Be2 Re8 10.0-0 Na6
The other way begins with 10...Nbd7 11.a4 a6 12.Qc2 Rb8
13.Ra3 Qe7 14.h3 h6 15.a5 g5 The same position as in the
mentioned game. Now 16.Re1 with idea Nf1-g3 gave an obvious
advantage to White.
11.f3 The most solid continuation, introdused in practice by
S.Gligorich.
Reliably strengthening the pawn structure in the center White
untie his hands for a successful regroup of pieces
(Nc4, Bf4 Х Р.О.) 11...Nc7 12.a4 Nd7.
The second way of the fight against the strengthening of the
White's Knight on c4 was 12...b6 with an idea 13.Nc4 Ba6
13.Kh1 b6 14.Ra3!?
A standard idea for such structure, but a new one for this
concrete position. The Rook on 3rd rank can take part as well
in attack on the Queenside and in defence for disturbing
Black's counterplay in the center ad on the Kingside.
Usually White played here 14.Nc4 , but there is known from
the times of the game Najdorf-Fischer (Havana, 1966) that by
way of 14...Ne5 15.Ne3 f5 Black gets a not bad Counterplay.
14...Qe7 While the white Knight has not moved on c4,
the lunge 14...Ne5 will be met by 15.f4
15.Nb5! Provides a profitable for White changing the situation
on the Queenside and Black couln't disturb this.
15...Nxb5 16.Bxb5 Rd8 An obscure move. Naturally looks
16...a6 17.Bc6 Rb8 and on 18.a5 to have a possibility 18...b5.
17.a5 Now White open the files on the Queenside with a profit.
17...a6 18.Bc6 Rb8 19.axb6 Nxb6 20.b3 White has got a stable
advantage. The bishop on the c6 is very strong and in case of
his exchanging the a6-pawn lose a defence. One couldn't see
any counterplay for Black: darkcolored "Gufeld's bishop" shoots
in an emptiness and f7-f5 will only more weaken the Black's
position. So, at this moment one should admit that Topalov's
experiment was not successful.
20...Be5 Black threaten 21...Qh4, but allows the rival to
provide an impetuous march with f-pawn".
21.f4 Bg7 22.f5 Nd7 23.Bxd7 To "nail the pawn" on f6-square
White are ready even to give away his handsome Bishop.
23...Bxd7 24.Qf3 Bd4 25.f6 Qf8 26.Nc4 Bb5 Kramnik has provided
the designed plan. But Black covered all hi pawn weaknesses
and the strong d4-Bishop disturbs White to reach the rival's
King. Thus the next problem is to change this Bishop.
27.Be3 Bxe3 28.Qxe3 h5 It is usefull to enlarge the space to
your King.
29.h4 White should do it carefully. As a result this pawn
gets to endanger. Desired the attention more modest 29.h3
29...Kh7 30.Rfa1 Bxc4 Black could be not in a hurry with
this trade. Not bad was 30...Qe8.
31.bxc4 Rb4 32.Rc3 White has got a real object to attack -
a6-pawn. True his central pawns also need a defence.
32...Re8 It seems that Black has sufficiant counterplay to
keep the balance.
33.Rxa6 In case of 33.Qf4 Qh6! 34.Qxd6 Rxe4 35.Qxc5 Rxh4+
(if the pawn would be placed on h3?) 36.Kg1 Rb2 Black is okay.
That why Kramnik decides to force the game.
33...Rb1+ 34.Kh2 Rf1 The f6-pawn is lost and the material
balance recovers.
35.Rca3 Rxf6 36.e5 Kramnik skilfully "twist" the position,
but Topalov is up to the mark.
36...Rf5 A mistake would have been 36...Rxe5? 37.Qxe5 dxe5
38.Rxf6 Qe7 39.Raf3 and White has excellent chances to win.
37.e6 Dangerously was 37.Rxd6 Qe7! (once more the h4-pawn!)
38.Qg3 Rxe5 , and Black has the upper hand since a bad
position of the white King.
37...fxe6 38.Ra7+ Kg8 39.Qg3 Impossible was 39.dxe6 Qf6
40.Qg3 Rf4! , and one more time an unfortunate h4-pawn takes
only troubles to White.
39...Qf6 40.Ra8 Force a draw.
40...Rxa8 41.Rxa8+ Kg7 42.Ra7+ Kg8 It is not advantageous
For both sides to avoid the perpetual check. 1/2-1/2
A very interesting and tense game!
Anand - Morozevich
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3
The first little success of Morozevich. Probably Anand is
afraid of Morozevich's home preparing in the main
variations of Slav Defence.
4...a6 A rare continuation. The main is 4...Bf5, as played
Morozevich against Kramnik.
5.Bd3 Bg4 6.Qb3 Bxf3 7.gxf3 Ra7
Looks a little awkwardly but such a maneuvre sometimes meets
in similar positions. White Queenwill not stay always on b3
attacking b7-pawn and then black Rook will enter in the game.
Earlier was explored
7...Qc7 8.Nc3 e6 9.e4 dxc4 10.Bxc4 b5 11.Be2 c5 12.d5 c4 with
a sharp play Hebden-Prie, France 2000
8.Nc3 e6 9.Qc2 White is preparing to a possible rival's
counterplay connected with d5xc4, b7-b5, c6-c5 etc.
beforehand taking away the Queen
9...Be7 10.Bd2 0-0 11.0-0-0 Nbd7 The development is over.
The rivals castled in differen sides what predicts a sharp
fight. White will use the g-file for the attack, meanwhile
Black will try to activate the forces as we indicated in
previous note.
12.cxd5!? An interesting decision. Anand has not waited
when Black will develop a standard counterplay on the
Queenside and determine the pawn structure in the center.
Thanks that the advantage in the first step allows him to
capture initiative with the next move.
12...cxd5 13.e4 Kh8!? 14.e5 Nh5 But Morozevich is also at
the top. Now it seems that White can take the h7 pawn
without problem. But it's not so simple...
15.Bxh7 Otherwise White will stand worse, for example
15.f4 f5 And now since is impossible 15...g6? 16.Bg6 fg6
17.Qg6 Ng7 18.Rdg1+- White gained an extra pawn. But
Morozevich has predicted this...
15...b5! 16.Kb1 Rc7! 17.Qd3 Bg5! With a seria of the strong
moves Black intercepted initiative. Suddenly appiared that
white pieces only became tangled. And the h7-Bishop still
is out of the game and seems could be take prisoner with
g7-g6.
18.f4 Anand decides to give back the pawn but to return
the Bishop in the play. White had another possibility:
18.Nxd5!? exd5 19.Ba5 , sharply changing the position
on the board.
18...Bxf4 19.Bxf4 Nxf4 20.Qe3 Qh4 21.Bc2 Rfc8 All black
pieces gained ideal attacking positions. Black has a
clear advantage.
22.Bd3 Anand began to toss. But it is difficult to
suppose something better: White has not any allusion on
the conterplay. It is necessary to admit that Anand was
completely defeated by Morozevich during 12-22 moves.
22...Nb6 23.Ne2 Nxd3 24.Rxd3 Nc4 25.Qf3 Qe4! The most
correct way to realise the advantage. Whith Queens
trading the White's position falls in.
26.Qxe4 dxe4 27.Rh3+
To prolong the resistance it was possible by 27.Rc3 b4
28.Rcc1, but after 28...Nd2+ 29.Ka1 Rc2 the game's result
is clear.
27...Kg8 28.Rd1 Nxb2 White lose the pawn and after
29.Kb2 Rc2 30.Kb3 Re2 the Rook endgame is hopeless.
Anand resigned. An excitable defeat!
Our prediction was right - Anand is in the bad form and
when the rival chose a rare and poisonous continuation
he "swam".
The last possibility for Anand to change the course of
the battle was 18.Nd5!? but Anand passed this resourse.
The smash Morozevich has made beautifully and effectly.
Bravo Alexander!
Adams - Leko
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.b3
A very typical move for Adams. He doesn't want to discuss
with the theoretical prepared Leko in the main variations
of the Sicilian and lead away the game in the leisurely and
inoffensive variations where he feels rather well.
3...a6 4.Bb2 Nc6 5.g3 One more move which shows Adams as a
"chess-player - spider". On the board is a double "Sicilian
fiancetto".
5...d6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Nf6 8.Nxc6
White obviously is going to pass to the endgame. In the game
between two little known chess players it was played 8.Bg2 ,
and after 8...Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Be7 10.0-0 0-0
11.c4 Qc7 12.Nc3 White has got better chances.
8...bxc6 9.e5
9...dxe5 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.Bxe5 Nd7 12.Bb2 Kc7 13.Bg2 e5
Blach slightly broke his pawn structure but has got an
extra-pawn in the center and free pieces development.
The position is equal.
