Sergey Ivanov Sergey Ivanov,
Grandmaster
Dortmund,
July, 18 2001.

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.