John Henderson Linares Reports

Round 3 25th February 2001

RAGING BULL

WHAT do you need to do to see some blood spilt in Linares? Yes, correct. Head up the Plaza del Ayuntamiento in the general direction of the paseo, and there you’ll find the local bullring, where, on occasion, the brave perform the subtle (and not to mention downright idiotic) art of bullfighting. It’s a mixture of bravado, braggadocio, and bullshit. Larded with some good old Spanish abuse of animals.

Bullfighting today in Spain is still big business for the successful few that make it to the top. Such immortals as Juan Belmonte and El Cordobés (Manuel Benítez Pérez) were multimillionaires, but paid for their fame with many severe horn wounds; Joselito (José Gómez, 1895-1920), Manolete (Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez), and dozens of others tragically paid with their lives.

Next to the Spanish classical guitarist cum poet Andres Segovia, Manolete is probably the most famous inhabitant of Linares. The arena here is regarded as a monument to the myth that was Manolete, who on August 28th, 1947, was fatally injured by a bull. All the gory details are part of the folklore here in Linares - just about everyone can tell you the name of the bull that did the nasty: Islero. Pay them a few hundred pesetas, and they’ll only too gladly guide you to the exact spot in the arena where he met his Waterloo. Funny, but each year the spot seems to move to a different part of the bullring.

I was in two minds whether to go during the third round. It’s not every day that there is a bullfight in Linares – and particularly during the tournament. But I was drawn to a large poster in the foyer of the Hotel Anibal that announced a special corrida in aid of a Cancer charity. You have to laugh, really. Only the Spanish could come up with the concept of someone risking a nasty goring by a beast that weighs in at a thundering 1200lbs – and all in the name of Cancer research!

I thought again. Maybe, just maybe with all the bad blood between Kasparov and Shirov, the tournament just might spring to life with a victory, as one of them would be angry enough “to go in for the kill.” After all, at Wijk aan Zee Garry Kasparov was like a raging bull when he set about Shirov, who still hasn’t apologized to him for making the accusation that his match with Kramnik was “fixed”. And, coupled with the legal “threats” from Shirov towards Kasparov and Rentero for his ill-fated World Chess Council title match, I thought this encounter would make what was happening up the road look like a Sunday afternoon picnic. Such was the animosity, Shirov refused to line up for the official photograph of the players and officials on the opening day.

I was right in one respect: You could almost feel the hatred both these players had towards each other as they sat down at the board – making damn sure they didn’t arrive together. Again, no handshake was offered, and none was given. They spent the best part of the game doing their best to avoid eye contact with each other – they even went as far as making sure they avoided sitting next to each other. Whether deliberate or not, most of the time when they made their moves they would get up and leave the other on their own at the board to ponder their move, the other pacing up and down in the private area for the players behind the stage.

But, try as he did, the raging bull in the form of Kasparov just couldn’t find his “moment of truth”.

Shirov,A (2718) - Kasparov,G (2849) [B84]

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be2 e6 A blast from the past - You need to go as far back as the Yerevan Olympiad 1996 for Garry's last Scheveningen, when he faced Topalov. Kasparov has never really been one to play the Najdorf with ..e5, and usually always falls back on ..e6. 7 f4 Be7 8 Be3 0–0 9 g4 d5! 10 e5 Ne4 11 Nxe4 dxe4 12 g5 Qb6N

Putting the queen on the same diagonal as the bishop does look odd, but there's method in Kasparov's madness. Developing the queen on c7 has been more usual - until now that is!: 12 ..Qc7 13 Qd2 Rd8 14 0–0–0 Nc6 15 Kb1 b5 16 Qc3 Bb7 17 Nxc6 Bxc6 ½–½ Lanka,Z-Van Wely,L/Pula 1997/CBM 57 ext (17). 13 Nf5 If Rb1 or Qc1, ..Bc5 is awkward. As for 0–0? It looks as if Black can simply take on b2 safely as there's no real attack or threat from White. 13 ..Qa5+ 14 Bd2 Qc5 15 Nxe7+ Qxe7 16 c3 b5 17 Be3 Rd8 18 Qc2 Bb7 Black's easily equalised - And, as they say in the Sicilian: If Black has equalised, he's winning! 19 Kf2 Nd7 20 b4 Shirov had to stop ..Nc5. 20 ..Nf8 21 h4 Qc7 21 ..Rac8!? 22 a4! Probably the best. 22 ..Qxb4 23 cxb4 Rxc2 24 axb5 axb5 25 Rhc1 Rb2 26 Rab1 Ra2 (26 ..Rxb1 27 Rxb1 Bc6 28 Rc1 Be8 29 h5!) 27 h5 And, if anything, despite being a pawn down, White is better. 22 h5 Nd7 23 h6 g6 24 a4 Nb6 25 axb5 axb5 26 Kg3!? Puzzling, bit I think Alexei was worried about something like this: 26 Bxb5 Nd5 27 Rxa8 Rxa8 28 Qd2 Nxf4 29 Rd1 (29 Bxf4? e3+ 30 Qxe3 Bxh1) 29 ..Nd5 30 c4 Nxe3 31 Kxe3 Ra3+ 32 Ke2 Rd3 33 Qb2 Qd8! 26 ..Nc4 27 Rxa8 Rxa8 28 Bxc4 Qxc4 29 Rd1 Bd5 30 Rd4 Qf1 31 Qd1! The only move. If Black gets to keep the queen's on, he stands much better. Now, due to the opposite coloured bishops and the formation of both sets of pawns, White can realistically look for the draw. 31 ..Ra1 32 Qxf1 Rxf1 33 Kg4 Rf3

If there's a win, it has to be around here somewhere - but with the opposite coloured bishops and all the pawns on the same coloured squares as the bishops, It's not going to be all that easy: 33 ..Re1! 34 Bf2! (34 Bd2?! Re2 (34 ..Rg1+? 35 Kh3 Rh1+ 36 Kg2 e3+ 37 Rxd5! exd5 38 Bxe3 and Black will never be able to stage a breakthrough. ) 35 Bc1 e3 36 Rd1 (36 Rd3 Rg2+ 37 Kh3 e2 38 Bd2 Rg1) 36 ..Rg2+ 37 Kh3 e2 38 Re1 Rf2 39 Bd2 Bf3 40 Kg3 Rf1 White's helpless now - Black simply marches the king up the board: Kf8-e7-d7-c6-d5-e4-d3.) 34 ..Re2 (To show you how difficult it is to win, White - as in the game - can even give up a pawn and still draw easily enough: 34 ..Rc1 35 Rd2 Rxc3 36 Bd4 Rc1 37 Bc5 Re1 38 Rc2! Bc4 39 Rc3 and again White blockades the crucial e3-square.) 35 Bg3 Re3 36 Rd2 Rxc3 37 Re2 e3 38 Be1 Rb3 39 Rc2 Black has at least made some progress as White's bishop can't get to c5. However, now a new problem: White can generate his own threats: 39 ..Bc4 (39 ..Kf8 40 Rc3!=) 40 Ra2 Bd5 (40 ..Kf8 41 Ra8+ Ke7 42 Ra7+ Ke8 43 Ra8+=) 41 Rc2 Bc4= 34 Bg1 Rxc3 35 Rd2 Kf8 36 Bc5+ Ke8

The exchange sacrifice doesn't work here - though again it comes close: 36 ..Rxc5 37 bxc5 b4 38 c6! Ke7 (38 ..Bxc6 39 Rb2 e3 40 Kg3!) 39 Rd4 b3 40 Rb4 e3 41 Rb7+ Kd8 42 Kg3 Kc8 43 Rb5 Kc7 44 Rc5 Be4 (44 ..Kb6 45 c7! Bb7 46 c8Q Bxc8 47 Rxc8) 45 Rb5 Bd5 46 Rc5= 37 Re2 Rc1? But it does here! 37 ..Kd7! 38 Re3 Rxc5 39 bxc5 b4 40 Re1 Kc6 White's in serious trouble: the active Black king, bishop and pawns will secure the victory. 38 Kg3 Kd7 39 Kf2 Kc6 40 Be3 Rb1 41 Bc5 There's just no way through for Kasparov now. 41 ..Rc1 42 Bd6 Rh1 43 Re3 Rh2+ 44 Kg3 Rc2 45 Bf8 Ra2 46 Bc5 Ra1 47 Kf2 Rc1 48 Bd6 ½–½

In case you wonder: No! There was no handshake at the end – or a post mortem on the game. Maybe they all went out for a meal together with Valery Salov? Then again, maybe not!

For one fleeting moment I thought that Judit was going to become the Conchita Cintrón of the tournament, but, unfortunately, the bull escaped to fight another day.

Polgar,J (2676) - Karpov,A (2679) [B17]

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 5 Ng5 Ngf6 6 Bd3 e6 7 N1f3 Bd6 8 Qe2 h6 9 Ne4 Nxe4 10 Qxe4 Qc7 The immediate 10 ..c5 was played by Karpov in his opening round game with Shirov. 11 Qg4 Kf8

This line is extremely popular at the top level. However, at first sight it is hard to believe that a king move like that is enough for equality. First played (I believe) by Andrei Kharltonov in the late 80s, the line soon became popular with some of the world's top Caro aficionados: Speelman, Anand and, of course, Karpov. 12 0–0 The immediate 12 Be3 was Judit's choice in three games against Karpov in a rapid play match in Hungary, 1998, where she scored 2/3. 12 ..c5 13 dxc5!? New, but not a novelty. 13 Re1 and 13 c3 is more standard. The idea is, at the cost of the White pawn structure, to open as many lines as possible to try and take advantage of Black's underdevelopment. 13 ..Nxc5 14 Be3 14 Re1 e5 15 Bf5 e4 16 Nh4 Bxh2+ 17 Kh1 h5 18 Qh3 Be5 19 Be3 g6 20 Bxc8 Qxc8 21 Bxc5+ Qxc5 22 Rxe4 Kg7 23 c3 Bf6 24 Qf3 Rad8 25 Rf4 Qe5 26 g3 Rd2 27 Qxb7 Rb8 28 Qxa7 Rbxb2 29 Kg1 Qd5 30 a4 Be5 31 Rf3 Bf6 32 Rf4 Bxc3 33 Rf1 Be5 34 Rf3 Bf6 35 Rf4 Bg5 36 Ng2 Bxf4 37 Nxf4 Qe5 38 a5 h4 39 a6 Ra2 0–1 Luther,T-Anastasian,A/Istanbul TUR 2000/The Week in Chess 314. 14 ..Nxd3 15 cxd3 e5! Black has to unravel somehow, and this is the best way. 16 Qe4 How about 16 Qh5!? Qe7 (16 ..g6?! 17 Qh4 and Black's looking a bit loose.) 17 Rae1 (17 Bg5?! Qe6! with the idea of ..Qg4 with a good game.) 17 ..Kg8 (17 ..g6 18 Bxh6+ Kg8 19 Qg5!) 18 Nd2 g6 19 Qe2 with the idea of Ne4 and f4 to open up the game? 16 ..g6 17 Rac1?

Did Judit miss her “moment of truth” here? 17 Rfc1! Qe7 18 Bxa7 Kg7 19 Qe3 Bg4 (19 ..Bf5 20 Bc5!) 20 Nd2 and, with the idea of Nc4 and Bb6, White just seems to be a pawn ahead. 17 ..Qe7 18 Rfe1 Now if 18 Bxa7 Kg7! see the difference - at the end of the day, White's a-pawn is attacked, and Black has superb piece-play. 19 Qe3 Bg4 20 Nd2 (20 a3 Bxf3 21 gxf3 Rhc8! White's pawn structure is completely shattered. Despite being a pawn ahead, the ending may be better for Black.) 20 ..b5! 18 ..Bf5 19 Qa4 Kg7 20 Nxe5 20 Bf4 f6 21 d4 e4 22 Bxd6 Qxd6 23 Nd2 Rhc8! 24 Rxc8 Rxc8 25 Qxa7 Qb4 and Black's better here. 20 ..Bxe5 21 Bf4 Rac8 22 Rxc8 Rxc8 23 Rxe5 Rc1+ 24 Bxc1 Qxe5 25 Be3 f6 26 Qb4 b6 27 h3 27 d4! Qe4 (27 ..Qd5? 28 Qe7+) 28 h3 and Black still has a lot of work to do to secure a draw: A pawn ahead, White has a strong, passed d-pawn and the Black pawns are the more vulnerable to attack - especially with the king unprotected on g7. 27 ..g5 28 Qa3 Qc7 29 b4 Qd7 30 Qc3 30 d4 Be6 and Black can easily set up a good blockade from d5. ½–½

The young novelliros Grischuk and Leko showed some spirit, but, alas, they too decided to end the game early.

Grischuk,A (2663) - Leko,P (2745) [B12]

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 Bf5 4 c3 e6 5 Be3 Qb6 6 Qb3 Nd7 7 Nd2 f6 8 f4 g5!? A new development in this system. Instead of ..Nh6 (with or without ..h5) and ..Ne7, the idea is to breakdown the pawn chain as quickly as possible. It's very similar to the plan of f6 and g5 in the French Defence Tarrasch. 9 Ngf3 gxf4 10 Bxf4 Bh6N

Brutal and to the point: Leko's innovation simply exchanges everything off for an easy life. 10 ..Bg7 11 exf6 Ngxf6 12 Nh4 (12 Be2 0–0 13 0–0 h6 14 Nh4 Bh7 15 Bd6 Rfe8 16 Nhf3 Ng4 17 Nh4 Ngf6 18 Ndf3 Ne4 19 Bf4 Rf8 20 g3 Rae8 21 Rae1 Qxb3 22 axb3 a6 23 Ng2 c5 24 Rd1 cxd4 25 cxd4 Rc8 26 Ne3 Bf5 27 Kg2 Rc6 28 b4 b5 29 Bd3 Nd6 30 Nxf5 Nxf5 31 Bb1 Rc4 32 b3 Rc3 33 Rfe1 Rxb3 34 Rxe6 Rxb4 35 Rxa6 Rb2+ 36 Kh3 h5 37 Ra7 Nb6 38 Ng5 Bh6 39 Rf1 Bxg5 40 Bxg5 Rxb1 41 Rxb1 1–0 Morozevich,A-Stohl,I/Istanbul TUR 2000/The Week in Chess 313) 12 ..0–0 13 Nxf5 exf5 14 Qxb6 Rae8+ 15 Kd1 axb6 16 Bd3 Nh5 17 Rf1 Re6 18 Kc2 c5 19 c4 cxd4 20 cxd5 Rg6 21 g3 Nc5 22 Bc7 Na6 23 Bxa6 bxa6 24 Kd3 b5 25 Rae1 Rf7 26 Re8+ Bf8 27 Rc8 Ng7 28 Nf3 Re7 29 Nxd4 Rd7 30 d6 Rf6 31 g4 Kf7 32 g5 Rfxd6 33 Bxd6 Bxd6 34 Nxf5 Be5+ 35 Kc2 Bxh2 36 Rc6 1–0 Antoniewski,R-Skalik,P/Zakopane chT 2000/The Week in Chess 310. 11 Bxh6 Nxh6 12 exf6 Nxf6 13 Be2 Rg8 Black's equalised already; the half-point can be taken anytime now. 14 Qxb6 axb6 15 0–0 Ne4 16 Nxe4 Bxe4 17 Ne1 Nf5 18 Bf3 Ne3 19 Rf2 Bf5 20 Be2 Ke7 21 Bd3 c5 22 Bxf5 Nxf5 23 Nf3 h5 ½–½

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

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