John Henderson Dortmund Reports

Round 9 Saturday 21st July 2001

WISHING YOU WERE HERR

Kramnik demonstrates his win against Anand

Leisure is a bit of a problem for most Germans thanks to their in-built work ethic. Watching a German relax is simply exhausting, and you may need a day off to get over it. You’ll never see a group of Germans simply lounging around a park soaking up the rays of summer’s day. You’re more likely to find them using their leisure time in a course of self-improvement by enrolling in a class of some sort.

They are also notorious for finding the best spot's on the world's beaches. You try getting your towel on the beach before them. No matter how early you struggle to get to the beach, the Germans will be there before you - I think the only time they missed out on getting there first was in 1944 during the D-Day landings. Yet, despite the fact they are first on the beach, how they ever manage to achieve this is still a mystery, given that they can be seen carousing in the bars and tavernas until the wee small hours along with everyone else on holiday.

In the pressroom, however, you try getting your laptop on the tables before the Indians! No matter what time you arrive, you could swear that the likes of Arvind Aaron, RR Vasudevan, Vishy Krishnaswamy and Manisha Mohite have never left the building and have stayed there all night. They have the prime spot at the front of the pressroom each day, the better, they claim, to report back to India on the performance of Vishy Anand.

Unfortunately, the Indian ace is having what could only be described as “a bad tournament”. When the tournament started, there were high-hopes for Anand – Fide even got his rating wrong and admitted they owed him three or four points. They needn’t have bothered. It seems that with his –4 score, he owes them something like 15-20 points! When was the last time you saw a reigning world champion come trailing in last after only managing a 30% score? I don’t think it’s ever been seen. When was the last time Vishy Anand came in last in a tournament? Again, I don’t think we’ve seen it.

So what went wrong? I don’t suppose the extra pressure he went under at the start of the tournament with the big Brain Game announcement helped his cause. We could see that this visibly upset him. He’s more or less told the organiser, Carsten Hensel, that he will not have anything to do with next year’s Dortmund, as his participation would only serve to devalue the Fide title. This could change though should he lose his title in the Fide lottery system that they laughingly call a world championship.

However, in my humble opinion, by far the biggest problem he had in Dortmund was that he was without the man he usually relies on to get the best out of him: his second, Elizbar Ubilava. Not only is Ubi a superb trainer, he’s a bit of a father-figure on the road with Vishy who can always be relied upon to calmly talk things over with the FIDE champ.

It seems that after Mainz, a holiday was in order. The only problem was that the wrong member of the team had the break! They agreed that Ubi was due a bit of relaxation - and he took it during Dortmund! According to my Spanish sources (a certain Leontxo Garcia) he had a nice time touring in the Pyrenees. Hell, in the first week of his vacation he even gained some Elo points by winning a tournament! With an unbeaten score of 9/11, he won the Benasque Open. It all works out in the end: Ubi gains some Elo, and Anand loses a whole suitcase full.

The best thing that he can do now is just “forget” about Dortmund and have his holiday – he needs it badly.

Apparently the tournament, much like a computer disk, has already been deleted from his his memory. Back in 1995, when he lost the match to Garry Kasparov in New York in the PCA match, Anand had once said, "I simply deleted those files. I didn't want to think about it anymore." Dortmund 2001 was something like New York 1995 - except without the sneering Gazza.

Shrugging aside the disastrous performance, Anand, who is looking forward to defending his world championships later this year (when and wherever Fide decide to hold it – as long as its not Dortmund), was as cheerful as only Anand could be with a –4 score. “ I will take some rest, and then prepare.”

Kramnik,V - Anand,V [D27]

1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 As in Mainz a few weeks ago, this was Anand's chosen battleground. 3 Nf3 e6 4 e3 Nf6 5 Bxc4 c5 6 0–0 a6 7 Bb3 cxd4 8 exd4 Nc6 9 Nc3 Be7 10 Bg5 0–0 11 Qd2 Na5 [11 ..h6 12 Bf4 Re8 13 Rad1 Bf8 14 Ne5 Ne7 15 Qd3 Ned5 16 Bc1 b5 17 Qg3 Bb7 18 Bxh6 Nxc3 19 bxc3 Ne4 20 Qg4 Nf6 21 Qg5 Qe7 22 Rd3 Ne4 23 Qg4 Nf6 24 Qg5 Ne4 25 Qg4 Nf6 ½–½ Kramnik,V-Anand,V/Mainz GER 2001 (25). ] 12 Bc2 b5 13 Qf4

13 ..Ra7N [A new move that took Kramnik by surprise - Bb7 is usually played. However, from a7, the rook can help to bolster up the defence of the kingside from certain positions. Also, it can swing across to attack the isolated d-pawn with Rd7. 13 ..Bb7 14 Rad1 g6 15 Bh6 Nh5 16 Qg4 f5 17 Qh3 Rc8 18 d5 b4 19 dxe6 Bd6 20 Rfe1 Re8 21 Ba4 Re7 22 Bd7 bxc3 23 Rxd6 cxb2 24 Bg5 Rc4 25 Rdd1 Qc7 26 Rb1 Kf8 27 Ne5 Be4 28 Bxe7+ Kxe7 29 Nxc4 Nxc4 30 Rxb2 Qa5 31 Rbe2 Ne5 32 Qe3 Nd3 33 Qg5+ Nf6 34 Rf1 Qe5 35 f3 Nf4 36 Rxe4 Qc5+ 37 Kh1 Nd3 38 Ree1 Qb4 39 Qe3 1–0 Tkachiev,V-Lesiege,A/New Delhi/Theran 2000/CBM 80 (39). ] 14 Rad1 Bb7 Played after a long think and returning to a known(?) position. Afterwards Kramnik believed that [14 ..Rc7 planning to play b4 was a better idea for Black.] 15 d5 The only way to fight for an advantage. Otherwise Black will disentangle with Nh5 and have a good position. Alexander Baburin mentioned the fact that last year at Frankfurt, he had given Kramnik for his 25th birthday a copy of his new book, "Winning Pawn Structures", that recommended ideas like d5 in such positions. 15 ..Bxd5 [ 15 ..Nxd5? 16 Qd4! Nc6 17 Qe4 g6 18 Be3 and black's in trouble.] 16 Nxd5 exd5?! This came as a (welcome) surprise to Kramnik who had mainly counted on [16 ..Nxd5 and now there is a choice between 17 Rxd5! (and 17 Qe4 g6 18 Bh6 Bf6 (18 ..Re8 loses) 19 Bxf8 Qxf8 20 Nd4 and White is better but it will not be easy to win.) 17 ..exd5 18 Bxh7+ Kxh7 19 Qh4+ Kg8 20 Bxe7 Qxe7 (20 ..Rxe7? 21 Ng5 mates.) 21 Ng5 Qxg5 22 Qxg5 Rd7 and it will be complicated to convert the white advantage.] 17 Qh4

17 ..h5 [The only move - 17 ..h6 18 Bxh6! gxh6 19 Qxh6 Rc7 20 Nd4 Rxc2 21 Rd3 Ng4 22 Rg3 f5 23 Qg6+ Kh8 24 Ne6 is mating; 17 ..g6 18 Rfe1! and black can't defend against the looming Rxe7.] 18 Rfe1 [Kramnik wasn't happy about this move. Afterwards he indicated 18 Nd4 Ne4 19 Bxe7 Qxe7 20 Qxh5 and White has a significant advantage.] 18 ..Nc6 19 g4 Qd6 20 gxh5 Qb4 [This came a surprise to Kramnik, who thought that Anand could have defended more tenaciously with 20 ..Nh7 21 Bf4 Qc5 22 Bxh7+ Kxh7 23 Qg4 d4 24 Ne5 although here too White should be better.] 21 h6! Qxh4 22 Nxh4 [22 Bxh4 was also good. But Kramnik believed that taking with the night was more "energetic" as he has the f5 square.] 22 ..Ne4 [Kramnik:"If 22 ..gxh6 23 Bxh6 Rc8 24 Nf5 Bc5 then of course I have 25 Kh1! winning." We all saw that, of course, didn't we? 25 ..Ne4 (25 ..Ng4 26 Rg1 Nce5 27 Rxg4+! Nxg4 28 Rg1 wins.) 26 Bxe4 dxe4 27 Rxe4 Kh7 28 Rg1 Rg8 29 Bg7 Bxf2 30 Rg2 wins with ease.] 23 hxg7 Rc8 24 Bxe7 Nxe7 25 Bxe4 dxe4 26 Rxe4 Kxg7

27 Rd6! [White has attacking potential and this is definitely stronger than 27 Rxe7 Rxe7 28 Nf5+ , which Kramnik thought was "technically winning", but why risk everything in the vagaries of a rook and pawn ending?] 27 ..Rc5 28 Rg4+ Kh7 29 Nf3 Ng6 30 Ng5+ Kg7 31 Nxf7! Rxf7 32 Rdxg6+! Kramnik: "I could have taken with the g4 rook, but this way is more accurate as it forces the exchange of a set of rook's - making my winning task easier." 32 ..Kh7 [32 ..Kf8 33 Rxa6] 33 R6g5! With the threat of mating the black king, Anand is forced to exchange off a set of rook's. 33 ..Rxg5 34 Rxg5 Rc7 35 a3 [White has to be careful with his queenside pawns which have to bring him the win. For a brief moment Kramnik considered 35 b4? until he realised that he would simply lose a pawn after 35 ..Rc1+ 36 Kg2 Ra1] 35 ..b4 [35 ..Rc2 36 b4 Ra2 37 Rg3 , and white wins by putting the rook on c3, followed by moving the king along e3 via g2-f3-e3. From here, it's a relatively simple process.] 36 axb4 Rc1+ 37 Kg2 Rb1 38 Ra5 Rxb2 39 Ra4 Black resigned. He cannot bring over his king as White will take on a6 with check, so he can only watch on passively as White will advance his kingside pawns. 1–0

Adams,M (2744) - Morozevich,A (2749) [C03]

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 Be7 This unusual move was first employed with great success by the Australian correspondence player John Kellner in the 1960s, but gained greater popularity in the late 70s when Oleg Romanishin adopted it. Thanks to the likes of Nigel Short and Morozevich, it's now a more common reply against the Tarrasch. 4 e5 [4 Bd3 c5 5 dxc5 Nf6 6 Qe2 Nc6 7 Ngf3 Nb4 8 Nb3 Nxd3+ 9 cxd3 a5 10 Bg5 a4 11 Nbd2 h6 12 Bxf6 Bxf6 13 e5 Be7 14 Rc1 Ra5 15 Qe3 0–0 16 0–0 Bd7 17 Rc2 Qa8 18 Rfc1 Rc8 19 Nf1 Qa7 20 d4 Qa6 21 Ng3 b6 22 c6 Be8 23 Nh5 Qb5 24 g4 Ra7 25 g5 hxg5 26 Nxg5 Rac7 27 Kh1 Rxc6 28 Rxc6 Rxc6 29 Rg1 Qxb2 30 Nxg7 Qc3 31 Nxe8 1–0 Adams,M-Morozevich,A/Sarajevo 2000/CBM 77 (31). ] 4 ..c5 5 dxc5 [French Defence expert Viktor Korchnoi prefers the white set-up of 5 Qg4 Kf8] 5 ..Nc6 6 Ngf3 Bxc5 7 Nb3 Bb6 8 Bd3 f6! 9 Qe2 fxe5 10 Nxe5 Nf6 11 0–0 Nxe5 12 Qxe5 0–0 13 Bg5 Bc7 14 Qd4 h6 15 Bh4 e5! 16 Qc5 Be6 The opening hasn't worked out well at all for Adams as Morozevich has gained the centre. 17 Rad1 Rc8 18 Qe3

18 ..e4!? Now all the fun begins with this double-edged move. [However Morozevitch may have been safer with 18 ..Bg4! 19 Be2 a)19 f3? Bb6!; b)19 Rd2 e4 20 Be2 Bxe2 21 Qxe2 (b)21 Rxe2? Bxh2+!) ; 19 ..Bb6 20 Qxe5 Bc7] 19 Bxe4 Bxh2+! [19 ..Ng4!? 20 Bxd8 Bxh2+ 21 Kh1 Nxe3 22 fxe3 Rxf1+ 23 Rxf1 dxe4 24 Kxh2 Bxb3 25 axb3 Rxd8 26 Rf2 and black has an advantage due to the better pawn structure - though this should be drawn.] 20 Kh1 Qd6 21 Bxf6 [21 g3? Nxe4 22 Qxe4 dxe4 23 Rxd6 Bh3 24 Re1 Rxf2 25 c3 Bg4! wins for black.] 21 ..Bf4 [21 ..Rxf6! was stronger 22 g3 (22 Qxa7 b6! 23 g3 (23 Qb7 Rb8 24 Rxd5 Qf4!) 23 ..Bxg3 24 fxg3 Rxf1+ 25 Rxf1 dxe4 with a winning advantage.) 22 ..Bxg3 23 Qxg3 Qxg3 24 fxg3 Rxf1+ 25 Rxf1 dxe4 with a big advantage going into the ending.] 22 Qf3?

A tricky position. Adams must have been worried about the build up of the black forces and therefore decided to keep his queen close to home. However 22 Qxa7!? Rxf6 23 Qxb7 Rb8 (23 ..Rf7 24 Rxd5!) 24 Rxd5! is good for white.] 22 ..Rxf6 23 Bxd5 Be5 24 Bxb7? [Two blunders in as many moves seals Adams's fate. He had to play 24 Bxe6+! Qxe6 25 Qxb7 Qf5 26 Qd5+ Kh8 27 f4! Bxb2 28 Qxf5 Rxf5 reaching a position that gives him an edge.] 24 ..Qe7 25 Qe4 Rf5 26 Rfe1 [The position is becoming untenable for white: Morozevich has now massed his forces for a lethal assualt on the Adams's king. 26 f4 Rc4! 27 Qd3 Rh5+ 28 Kg1 Bc7! not only defending against Qd8+, but also attacking with Bb6 - a move white has no answer to.] 26 ..Rf4! As Morozevich's second, Alexander Baburin noted in the press room, "this is a difficult winning move to see as, after playing the rook to f5, it has to be moved again." 27 Qe3 Rh4+ [27 ..Rh4+ 28 Kg1 Bh2+ 29 Kf1 Bc4+ 30 Rd3 Qxb7 is decisive.] 0–1

You can contact John Henderson at: jbhthescots@cableinet.co.uk

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center.