John Henderson Linares Reports

Round 6 1st March 2001

THE SPANISH INQUISITION

HA! No one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition! But, thanks to the 16^th century Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura, there’s many of us out there that would much rather be invited round for a cosy afternoon chit-chat over the rack with Tomás de Torquemada than face the torturous task of defending Black’s position after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 – The Ruy Lopez!

Since we’re in Spain, I suppose now would be the best time to have today’s history lesson on the opening and its inventor.

Ruy López (pron. Span-ish Opening) was the first recognised superstar of chess. In-between conducting the Sunday Mass and the odd stint in the confession box, Ruy dominated the game in the period between 1560-75, when he was widely recognised as the first world champion of the modern game.

Born in 1530 in Zafra, Badajoz, López’s game came on in leaps and bounds after studying in-depth Questo libro e da impare giocare a scachi et de le partite, a book by the Mark Dvoretsky of his day, Pedro Damiano. This led to him producing his own book with an even snappier title in response: Libro de la invencion liberal y arte del juego del Axederz, which in the process made the humble Spanish priest a small fortune as it became one of history’s most successful chess books. Unfortunately for players who liked facing the Giuoco Piano, Scotch, Evans Gambit etc., Ruy claimed that after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6, White had a good game as it allowed 3 Bb5. The rest, as they say, is history.

López’s demise came when he made the cardinal error that most of us make: He entered a chess tournament! In the first documented chess competition, he lost badly at the hands of Leonard di Bona and Paolo Boi in Madrid, 1574-75. And, like most of us, from here on he was on the slippery slope as his rating and standing in the game, much like Karpov’s, plummeted. Matters didn’t get any better when King Phillip of Spain (the one who upset Francis Drake so much when he sent out the Spanish Armada during his annual Bowls tournament) decided to organise the first international chess match, Spain vs. Italy, at his court. With López playing on top board for his country, to Phillips annoyance, the Italians won easily and walked off with over a thousand crowns.

Therefore it would be rather remise of us if we didn’t pay tribute to Spain’s most famous player during the tournament. This came from the players in round six in Linares with two Spanish Openings. First person on the rack was Peter Leko, who suffered big-time at the torturous hands of Garry Kasparov.

Kasparov,G (2849) - Leko,P (2745) [C88]

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0–0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 0–0 8 a4 The Anti-Marshall. Although Leko has never played the Marshall (8 c3 d5), he has had plenty of experience of the White side of Frank's gambit, so would be well aware of all the nuances in it, so Kasparov avoids it. It's not that he is frightened of the Marshall. It's just that, if Black doesn't go in for anything speculative, he has a safe draw. Playing the Anti-Marshall against Nigel Short in their 1993 PCA title match was the advice given to Kasparov by the former Soviet giant and opening expert, Efim Geller. 8 ..Bb7 9 d3 d6 10 Nbd2 Na5 11 Ba2 c5 12 Nf1 Re8 13 Ne3N

Different. The standard Lopez knight manoeuvre is to head for f5 via g3. Garry new idea keeps this as an option, but also allows him to cover d5 and c4. 13 Ng3 h6 14 Nf5 Bf8 15 Bd2 b4 16 N3h4 d5 17 Qf3 Re6 18 Qg3 Kh7 19 Nf3 Nh5 20 Qg4 g6 21 Ne3 Nf6 22 Qh4 Re8 23 exd5 Nxd5 24 Nxd5 Bxd5 25 Bxd5 Qxd5 26 Ng5+ Kh8 27 Ne4 Qd8 28 Bg5 Qb6 29 Bxh6 Bxh6 30 Qxh6+ Kg8 31 Re3 1–0 Balashov,Y-Frolov,D/Moscow 1996/CBM 55 ext (31). 13 ..h6 14 Bd2 c4?! The wrong choice, according to Leko. Instead, he felt that 14 ..b4! was a better option. 15 Bc3 Qb6 16 Nd2 Nc6 17 Nd5 Nxd5 18 exd5 Na5 19 Bxa5! Qxa5 20 dxc4! 20 axb5? cxd3 21 Bc4 dxc2 (21 ..Qxa1? 22 Qxa1 axb5 23 Qd1 dxc2 24 Qxc2 bxc4 25 Nxc4±) 22 Qxc2 Qc7! 23 bxa6 Bxa6 24 Qe4 Bg5= 20 ..Qxa4 21 c5

Also good was 21 Bb3!? Qb4 22 c3 Qc5 23 Ne4 Qc7 24 c5!² 21 ..Qb4 The defining moment. During the post mortem, Garry's legendary instinct detector was on full alert. Looking at the position, he commented to Leko that Black's position "smelt bad" - and worse for this move. Instead, both felt Black should have taken another route here, though it still favours White thanks to strength of the c & d-pawn: 21 ..Qd4 22 c6 (22 Ne4? Qxd1 23 Raxd1 dxc5 24 d6 Bxe4!µ) 22 ..Bc8 23 c3 Qb6 24 Bb1!² and White still controls the game. ; Also no better was 21 ..Qh4 22 c6 Bc8 23 c4! 22 Ne4! Kasparov, as ever, chooses the best line, though he could also have opted for the immediate push of the c-pawn: 22 c6!? Bc8 23 Bb3 Bg4! 24 c3 (24 Nf3 Qf4!) 24 ..Qf4 25 f3 Bc8 (25 ..Bf5 26 Bc2!²) 26 g3 Qg5 27 c4! Rb8 28 Ne4 Qg6 29 c5² 22 ..Qxb2 23 cxd6 Winnin the queen was also an option: 23 c3 f5 24 cxd6 Bf8 (24 ..fxe4 25 dxe7 Qxc3 26 d6++-) 25 Re2 Qa3 26 Bb3+- 23 ..Bf8 23 ..Bh4 24 g3 Bg5 25 c3+- 24 c3 f5 25 d7

Red8 26 d6+ Kh8 27 Nc5 Bc6 28 Nd3 Qxc3 29 Nxe5 Be4 30 Nf7+ Kh7 31 Ng5+ 31 ...Kh8 32 Nxe4 fxe4 33 Qd5!+- 1–0

After the game, young Peter decided to take his mind off the experience he’d suffered by taking in a relaxing film at the local Linares cinema. His choice? HANNIBAL! Not bad, Peter. Two Hannibal’s in one day! You could just picture Kasparov inviting Leko round for “dinner” and some Chianti!

“Remember the name of Alexander Grischuk for the future – he’s got great potential,” was the prophetic words to me last year at Linares from the legendary Russian chess editor of “64 – Review”, Alexander Roshal.

Much like Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik, the 17-year-old Muscovite is another Russian who’s become the leading player of his generation - and one with genuine designs on the laurel leafs of the world championship.

The last year has proved to be the big breakthrough for Grischuk as he moved onto the world stage. After strong showings in the New York Open, Reykjavik Open and North Sea Cup, he went on to big wins at the Lausanne Yong Masters, Chigorin Memorial and the Torshavn International. Not content with that, he more than played his part in Russia winning the recent Chess Olympiad in Istanbul.

However, the highlight of that glittering year was unquestionably his performance in the Fide KO world championship in New Delhi. Unlucky to be knocked out in the semi-final by Alexei Shirov in a superb match, Grischuk walked away with some serious pocket money - $172,000!

Grischuk showed he had a much better feeling for handling the nuances of the Black side of the Lopez than Leko, as he came close to defeating Judit Polgar.

Polgar,J (2676) - Grischuk,A (2663) [C96]

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0–0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 c3 0–0 9 h3 Na5 10 Bc2 c5 11 d4 Bb7 The Romanishin Variation. Named after one the most original thinkers in the game, the Ukrainian GM Oleg Romanishin, who is one of the world's leading experts on this line. It's also one of Grischuk's favourite pet-lines. 12 Nbd2

Traditional theory in the Lopez is that White should play d5 as soon as Black commits the bishop to b7. However modern players tend to opt for a more open center; reasoning that at some point Black must make a minor concession by exchanging in the centre. The locking of the center with 12 d5 saw an amazing game between Shirov and Grischuk from the FIDE KO World Ch: 12 d5 Nc4 13 a4 Nb6 14 Qe2 Nxa4 15 Bxa4 bxa4 16 c4 Nd7 17 Rxa4 Nb6 18 Ra3 a5 19 Nc3 a4 20 Be3 Bc8 21 b3 axb3 22 Rxb3 Ra6 23 Reb1 f5 24 Bxc5! dxc5 25 Nxe5 Na4 26 Nxa4 Rxa4 27 Nc6 Qc7 28 e5 Ra6 29 Qf3 f4 30 Re1 Bf5 31 Rb5 Bc2 32 Rb2 Bg6 33 Rd2 Be8 34 Nxe7+ Qxe7 35 d6 Qe6 36 Qb7 Bc6 37 Qxa6 Bxg2!! 38 f3 (38 Kxg2 f3+ 39 Kh2 Qf5 40 Qb7 Qf4+ 41 Kh1 Qf5=) 38 ..Bxf3 39 Kh2 Bg4 40 Qb7 Qh6 41 Qd5+ Rf7 42 Kg1 Qxh3 43 Qg2 Qh4 44 Rf2 f3? (44 ..Bh3!=) 45 e6 Rf8 46 e7 Re8 47 d7 Bxd7 48 Qxf3 Qg5+ 49 Kf1 1–0 Shirov,A-Grischuk,A/New Delhi IND 2000. 12 ..cxd4 13 cxd4 exd4 14 Nxd4 Re8 15 b4 Nc6 16 Nxc6 Bxc6 17 Bb2 Nd7 17 ..Bf8?! 18 Qf3! Rc8 19 Bb3 Qe7 20 Rad1 Bb7 21 Qf5 d5 22 e5 Nd7 23 Ne4 g6 24 Qxd7 dxe4 25 e6 fxe6 26 Qd4 Kf7 27 Qh8 Qh4 28 g3 Qh5 29 Qf6+ Kg8 30 Rd7 1–0 Xie Jun-Chiburdanidze,M/Manila 1991/CBM 26. 18 Bb3 Bf6 19 Bxf6 Nxf6 20 Rc1 Rc8 21 Qf3 Bb7!

22 Rxc8 Keeping the rooks on makes no difference: Black's going to get in the freeing ..d5 and all his problems have been solved. 22 Rcd1 Qe7 23 Qf4 Qe5 24 Qxe5 Rxe5 25 f3 d5!= 22 ..Qxc8 23 Qf4 Qc7 24 f3 Qb6+ 25 Qe3 Keeping the queens on was no option: 25 Kh1? Qd4! and Black has the upper hand due to the better pieces and dominating queen. 25 ..Qxe3+ 26 Rxe3 d5! 27 e5?! On reflection, perhaps Judit could have had an easier life with 27 Bc2!? dxe4 (27 ..Rc8 28 Bb3!) 28 Nxe4 Nd5 29 Rb3 Rc8 30 Bd3 Rc1+ 31 Kf2 Black's a bit better, but White has an easier time of it here than in the game. 27 ..Nh5!³ 28 Bc2 Rc8?

The young Muscovite was too hasty. He had a great chance to round up on the vulnerable e-pawn, which would have given him a golden opportunity for the full point: 28 ..f6! 29 e6 Nf4 30 e7 Kf7 31 Nb3 (31 Bxh7? g6! 32 Nb3 Kg7 33 Nc5 Bc8–+) 31 ..g6 32 Nc5 Bc8 33 Bb3 Rxe7³ 29 Bf5 Rc1+ 30 Kf2 g6 31 Nb3 Rc4 32 Bd3 32 Bd7? Nf4! (32 ..Rxb4? 33 Nc5! Bc6 34 Bxc6 Rc4 35 Bxd5 Rxc5 36 Bb7=) 33 Nc5 Rc2+ 34 Kf1 d4 35 Ra3 Bd5! 36 g3 Bc4+ 37 Ke1 Nd5–+ 32 ..Rxb4 33 g3 Ng7 34 Re2 Bc8 35 Rc2! Realistically the best chance. White can't wait around for Black to reposition his pieces to make the ending simpler: 35 h4 Bf5! 36 Bxf5 Nxf5 37 Nc5 a5 38 Nb7 a4 39 Nd6 a3!µ 35 ..Bxh3 36 Rc6 Ra4 37 g4

h5?! Grischuk misses his big chance here. Instead 37 ..Rxa2+ 38 Kg3 (38 Be2 Ne6 39 Nc1 Ra3 40 Kg3 Ng5 41 Nd3 h5 42 gxh5 Bf5! 43 Nf4 Ne4+ 44 Kg2 Nc3 45 hxg6 fxg6 46 Kf2 (46 e6 Nxe2 47 Nxe2 Ra2–+) 46 ..d4–+ White can't stop all of the three passed pawns.) 38 ..Ne6! 39 Rxe6 (39 Nc5 Rg2+! 40 Kxh3 Nf4+ 41 Kh4 h6! 42 Bxg6 Nxg6+ 43 Kh3 Rc2! 44 Rc8+ Kh7 45 Rc7 Nxe5–+) 39 ..fxe6 40 Kxh3 Ra3 41 Bc2 b4 wins for Black. 38 Nc5 Rxa2+ 39 Kg3 hxg4 40 fxg4 Ne6 There's now a ray of hope for Polgar. Black's now finding it difficult to make progress due to the active White pieces: 40 ..Ra3 41 Kxh3 (41 Kh4 Rc3!–+) 41 ..Ne6 42 Nxe6 Rxd3+ 43 Kh4 fxe6 44 Rxa6 Kf7 45 Ra7+ Ke8 46 Kg5! and the king stuck on the backrank guarantees White a draw. 41 Nxe6 fxe6 42 Bxg6 Kg7 Grischuk was now realising the problems he had in trying to win from here. The most obvious try also looks as if it draws: 42 ..Bg2 43 Rxe6 a5 44 Kf4 Rf2+ 45 Kg5 Be4 46 Bf5!= 43 Bh5 Bf1 44 Rxe6 b4 45 Rg6+ Kh8 46 Rb6 Bb5 47 g5 Ra1 48 g6 Rg1+ 49 Kf4 b3 50 Rb8+ Kg7 51 Rb7+ Kh8 52 Rb8+ Kg7 53 Rb7+ Kh8 54 Rb8+ 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