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World Championship Candidates Semi-Finals Elista 2007. Round 2 28th May 2007. Comments by Mark Crowther. Flash game notes by IM Malcolm Pein. I can't say what a pleasure it is to see the return of Candidates Matches with serious issues at stake. There has been some tremendously hard chess played in just the first two games. If a short candidates series such as this with maybe two double rounds can be organised then it should be done. Its exciting to see such matches when the stakes are so obviously high to the competitors. Photo © Casto Abundo [http://www.fide.com] Gata Kamsky was the first winner of the day when he won on time against Etienne Bacrot . Kamsky tried to avoid deep theory by playing the Leningrad Dutch which is a rare visitor at this level and this allowed him to achieve a satisfactory games as Bacrot didn't find a great plan. Then Bacrot mishandled his clock leaving far too many moves to the first time control and in fact his flag fell on move 37 but both blitzed out a couple more moves before the arbiters managed to intervene. Gata Kamsky interview in Russian posted on utube 27th May 2007. Bacrot,E (2709) - Kamsky,G (2705) [A81] 1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.b4 This plan makes more sense if Black has committed to d7-d6 then a queenside pawn storm can be potent 5...c6! 6.c4 d5 7.Nbd2 Ne4 8.Bb2 a5 Like in game one, an a6 Slav, Black takes action on the queenside before White can dominate 9.bxa5 Qxa5 10.0-0 0-0 11.a4 Be6 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Nb3 Qa6 14.Ne5 b6 15.Qd3! Nd7 [15...Qxd3 16.exd3 Nd6 17.a5 bxa5 18.Nc5 And d5 falls] 16.a5 [16.Nc6 Kf7 =] 16...Rfc8= 17.Qe3 bxa5 18.f3 Nef6 19.Nxa5 Qb6 20.Nd3 Bf7 Black has more pieces on the queenside and White is already having to play accurately 21.Qd2 e5! 22.Qb4 [22.e3 e4 23.Nf2 exf3 24.Bxf3 Ne4 -/+] 22...e4 23.Qxb6 Nxb6 24.Nc5 Nfd7 25.Nab3 [25.Nxd7 Nxd7 26.Rfc1?? Rxc1+ 27.Bxc1 Bxd4+] 25...Nxc5 26.Nxc5 Nc4 [26...Rxc5 27.Rxa8+ Nxa8 28.dxc5 Bxb2 29.Rb1 Bd4+ 30.Kf1 Nc7 31.Rb7 Ne8 32.c6 looks dangerous but Black appears to win after 32...Be5 33.Re7 Bd6 34.Rd7 Be6 35.e3 h5 36.Ke2 Kf8 37.Kd2 Bc7] 27.Bc3 [27.Rxa8 Rxa8 28.Ra1 Rc8] 27...Rxa1 28.Bxa1 Bf8 [28...Ra8] 29.fxe4 dxe4 Black is clearly better now, both his bishops roam 30.Bc3 Ne3 Kamsky can win a pawn whenever he likes but Bacrot was low on time and so he complicates, a decision which is vindicated 31.Ra1 Nc2 32.Rc1 Bxc5 33.dxc5 [33.Rxc2 Bxd4+ -+] 33...Bb3 34.e3 Rxc5 35.Bb2 Kf7 [35...Rd5! wins e3] 36.Kf2 Ke6 [36...Rd5] 37.Bf1 Bd5 38.Be2 Rc6 39.Bd1 Nb4
[39...Nb4 40.Rxc6+ Bxc6 41.Be2 should hold but Bacrot now lost on time] 0-1 The first game to finish was that between Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlsen . Carlsen played fast as he unleashed what looked at first sight a very risky variation of the Benko Gambit. Aronian with the lead played conservatively and the position was sterile by move 21 when the draw was agreed. It remains to be seen if Carlsen tries to repeat this with Aronian forewarned.Aronian and Carlsen post match press conference in Russian May 27th 2007. Posted on utube. Aronian,L (2759) - Carlsen,M (2693) [A58] 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.g3 d6 8.Bg2 Bg7 9.Nf3 Nbd7 10.Rb1 Qa5 11.0-0 Nb6 [11...0-0 12.Qc2 Rfb8 13.Rd1] 12.a3! [Attempting outright refutation since Black does not have Rb8 available 12.Qc2 Nfxd5] 12...Nc4 13.b4 Qc7
14.Qa4+ [14.bxc5 Qxc5 15.Qa4+ (15.Nd4 Nd7 16.e3 0-0 17.Ncb5 Ndb6 18.Rb4 Rfb8 19.Qb3 Na5 20.Qb1 Nbc4 21.Re1 Rb6 22.Re2 Rab8 23.a4 Bb7 24.Nc6 Nxc6 25.dxc6 Bxc6 26.Rc2 d5 27.e4 Bxb5 28.axb5 Rxb5 29.Rxb5 Rxb5 30.Qa2 Qb4 31.exd5 Nd6 32.Qa8+ Rb8 33.Qa7 Qb7 34.Qa4 Qb4 35.Qd7 Qe1+ 36.Bf1 h6 37.Bd2 Qd1 38.Qc6 Rb1 39.Rc1 Rxc1 40.Bxc1 Kh7 41.Be3 Bf6 42.Kg2 Qb1 43.Be2 Kg7 44.h4 Nf5 45.Bc5 Bd4 46.Bf3 1/2-1/2 Neverov,V (2578)-Hartvig,O (2275)/Trignac 2002) 15...Nd7 16.Qc6 Qxc6 17.dxc6 Bxc3 18.cxd7+ Kxd7 19.Ng5 Rab8 20.Rxb8 Rxb8 21.Nxf7 Nd2 actually looks good for Black because if 22.Rd1 Rb1 wins; 14.b5 Bb7 (14...Bc8) 15.a4 needs to be checked out.] 14...Nd7 15.Nb5 [15.b5!? Ndb6 16.Qb3 Bb7 17.Rd1 and although Black has a blockade White must be better. (also 17.a4!? ) ] 15...Qb8 16.bxc5 Bxb5 17.Qxb5 Qxb5 18.Rxb5 Nxc5 19.Nd2 [19.Rb4 Nxa3 20.Bxa3 Rxa3 21.Rb8+ Kd7 22.Rxh8 Bxh8 23.Ng5 f6 24.Nxh7 Is too risky. It will cost at least the h pawn to extricate the knight] 19...Nxa3 20.Bxa3 Rxa3 21.Ne4 1/2-1/2 Sergey Rublevsky might have had white but it was Ruslan Ponomariov that looked in charge out of the opening and surely should have made more of his attacking opportunities around move 27. The game ended in repetition at the first time control.Rublevsky,S (2680) - Ponomariov,R (2717) [B86] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Rublevsky usually plays 3.Bb5+ and has enjoyed enormous success but of course his opponent would be ready. 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Nbd7 8.Bg5 Qa5 9.Qd2 Be7 10.0-0-0 Nc5 11.Rhe1 h6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 A typical Sicilian where White has all his pieces out but Black has positional advantages like the bishop pair and c file 13.Kb1 [13.Nf5!? exf5 14.exf5+ Kf8 15.Qxd6+ Kg8 16.Re8+ Kh7 17.Rxh8+ Kxh8 18.Qf8+ Kh7 19.Bxf7; 13.Nf5 Nxb3+ 14.cxb3 exf5 15.exf5+ Kf8 16.Qxd6+ Kg8 17.Rd5 Traps the queen 17...b5 18.b4! Qd8 19.Qxd8+ Bxd8 20.Rxd8+ Kh7 21.Rxh8+ Kxh8 22.Re8+ +-; 13.Nf5 Nxb3+ 14.cxb3 exf5 15.exf5+ Be6 16.fxe6 0-0! 17.exf7+ Rxf7 18.Kb1 +=; 13.Nd5?? Qxd2+ is check] 13...Bd7 14.f4 [14.Nd5 Qxd2 15.Nxf6+ gxf6 16.Rxd2 Rg8=] 14...0-0-0 [14...Qc7 15.Nf3 0-0-0 16.Re3 Bc6 17.Nd4 Kb8 18.Qe2 1/2-1/2 Kogan,A (2580)-Efimenko,Z (2643)/Montreal CAN 2005/The Week in Chess 562] 15.Ncb5!
15...Qb6 [15...Qxd2 16.Nxd6+ Kc7 17.Rxd2 Kxd6? 18.Nxe6+ Kc6 19.Nxd8+ Rxd8 20.Bxf7 +/-] 16.Nxd6+ Qxd6 17.e5 Qc7 18.exf6 gxf6 19.Qe3 Kb8 Black is solidly placed here and the Bb3 is not great 20.Bc4 Bc8 21.Be2 e5 22.fxe5 fxe5 23.Nf3 Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1 f6 25.Nh4 Be6 26.Rf1 Rc8 27.g3
27...Bd5 Around here Black seems to be better. Maybe [27...Na4!? when 28.Qe4 Nxb2 29.Kxb2 Qc3+ 30.Kb1 Qa3] 28.Bf3 Na4 29.Rc1 Be6 30.Be2 [30.Qxh6? Qc4 31.b3 Qc3 32.bxa4 Qc4 -+] 30...Qa5 31.c4 Qb4 32.Qb3 Qd2 33.Qc2 Qe3 34.Rf1 Nb6 35.Nf5 Bxf5 36.Rxf5 Nxc4 37.Bxc4 Qe1+ 38.Qc1 Qe4+ 39.Qc2 Qe1+ [39...Qxc2+ 40.Kxc2 Rxc4+ 41.Kd3 Rc6 42.Rh5 =] 40.Qc1 Qe4+ 41.Qc2 Qe1+ 1/2-1/2 Rustam Kasimdzhanov and Boris Gelfand drew a Queen's Indian in 23 moves where Gelfand had to play very accurately to hold the balance. In the end Kasimdzhanov had the opportunity to simply for a draw so they agreed one instead.Kasimdzhanov,R (2677) - Gelfand,B (2733) [E15] 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Rc1 [8.Qc2!? Idea e2-e4] 8...d5 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Bg2 Bb7 11.Ne5 Na6 12.0-0 h6 [12...Re8 13.Bg5 Ne4 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.e3 c5 16.Nd3 cxd4 17.exd4 Rac8 18.Nb5 Rxc1 19.Qxc1 Nb4 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Nxb4 Qxb4 22.Qc7 Qxb5 23.Qxb7 Qb4 24.Qd7 Qe7 25.Qxe7 Rxe7 1/2-1/2 Gyimesi,Z (2529)-Farago,I (2533)/Lillafured HUN 1999; 12...c5 13.Be3 Nc7 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Bxc5 bxc5 16.Na4 Ne6 17.Nd3 c4 18.Ndc5 Nxc5 19.Nxc5 Bc6 20.bxc4 Rc8 21.cxd5 Bxd5 22.Bxd5 Nxd5 23.Qd4 Qg5 24.Rfd1 Nf4 25.Qxf4 Rxc5 26.Rxc5 Qxc5 27.Rd7 h6 28.Qe4 a5 29.a4 Rb8 30.e3 Rc8 31.Rd5 Qc7 32.h4 Rd8 33.Rb5 Rb8 34.Re5 Qb6 35.Qd5 Qb4 36.Qxa5 Qe1+ 37.Qxe1 1-0 Schmidt,W (2430)-Toth,B (2470)/Rome 1979] 13.Bf4 [13.Nd3 c6 Provoking the extra move b3 has helped Black, Ba3 is an occasional resource and White's plan of a3 and b4 is inhibited] 13...c5 [13...Re8] 14.dxc5 Bxc5 [14...bxc5 15.Nc4 Qd7?! 16.Na5! +/-; 14...Nxc5 15.Nf3 +/= Now Be5 will take control of d4 and Black is slightly worse] 15.Nd3 Qe7 16.Nxc5 White has an edge but Gelfand manages to negate it 16...bxc5 17.e4 [17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd5 Rad8 19.e4 Nb4 =/+; 17.Na4 Rfe8 18.Re1 Nh5 19.Bd2 Nf6 20.e3 Ne 4=] 17...d4 18.Na4 Bxe4 19.Re1 Qb7! 20.Bf1 [20.f3 Bd5 21.Nxc5 Nxc5 22.Rxc5 Qb4 23.Rc1 Rac8 and Black's activity seems to hold the balance for example if White tries 24.Be5 Rxc1 25.Qxc1 Re8 is annoying] 20...Rfe8 21.Bxa6 Qxa6 22.Nxc5 Qxa2 23.Qxd4 =
White intends Qa1 with equality. [23.Bxh6!? computer 23...d3∞ 23.Qxd4 Rad8 24.Qa1 =] 1/2-1/2
Bareev,E (2643) - Polgar,Ju (2727) [E15] 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qc2 c5 6.d5 exd5 7.cxd5 Bb7 8.Bg2 Gelfand's pawn sacrifice, one of the most popular tries against the QID at the moment 8...Nxd5 9.0-0 Be7 10.Rd1 Nc6 11.Qf5 [11.Rxd5 Nb4 -+] 11...Nf6 12.e4 d6 [12...g6 13.Qf4 h6 14.e5 Nh5 15.Qg4 Ng7 16.Nc3 Ne6 17.Be3 h5 18.Qa4 a6 19.Rd2 b5 20.Qd1 c4 21.Nd5 Nb4 22.Bb6 Qc8 23.Nxe7 Kxe7 24.Rd6 Nd3 25.b3 Kf8 26.bxc4 bxc4 27.Qa4 Kg7 28.Bd4 h4 29.Rb1 h3 30.Rxd7 Bc6 31.Rxf7+ Kxf7 32.Ng5+ Nxg5 33.Bxc6 Rb8 34.Rxb8 Qxb8 35.Qxc4+ Ne6 36.Qxd3 Nxd4 37.Bd5+ Kg7 38.f4 Qb6 0-1 Loeffler,S (2448)-Sakaev,K (2633)/Dresden GER 2007/The Week in Chess 648] 13.e5 Qd7 14.Qxd7+ Nxd7 15.exd6 Bf6 16.Re1+ +/= Kf8 17.Nc3 Nb4! [17...Re8 18.Bg5 Bxg5 19.Nxg5 g6? (19...h6+/-) 20.Rxe8+ Kxe8 21.Re1+ Kf8 22.Bxc6 Bxc6 23.Re7] 18.Bg5 Bxf3 19.Bxf3 Rd8 20.Bxf6 Nxf6 21.Re7 Nc2 22.Rd1 Nd4 23.Kg2 [23.Bg2 Rxd6 24.Rxa7 g5 25.Re1 Kg7 26.Ree7 Rf8 Was also possible] 23...g6 24.Rxa7 Rxd6 25.Be2! Coming to the very strong square c4. This piece proves to be very strong
25...Kg7 26.Bc4 Rd7 27.Rxd7 Nxd7 28.Re1 Kf8 29.a4! Fixing the weakness so that now the Nc3 can advance 29...h5 30.Nd5 h4 31.g4 g5 32.Nc7 Nf6 33.h3 White is going to gradually force an opening for his rook with Re5 and f2-f4 if necessary. Black can only wait 33...Kg7 34.Re5 Kh6 35.f4! Nh7 36.f5 Nc6 37.Rd5! Kg7 [37...Rc8 38.Rd6+ Kg7 39.Rxc6] 38.f6+!
38...Kh6 [38...Nxf6 39.Rxg5+ Kf8 40.Rf5 Kg7 41.g5 +/-] 39.Bb5 Nb4 40.Rd6 Rb8 41.Na6 Nxa6 42.Bxa6 Intending to march the king in. 42...Nf8 43.Bc4 Rb7 44.Kf3 Nd7 [44...Kg6 45.Bd3+] 45.Ke4 Kg6 46.Bd3!
46...c4 [46...Nxf6+ 47.Ke5+ Kg7 48.Rxf6 Re7+ 49.Kf5 +-] 47.Bxc4 Nxf6+ 48.Kd4 There is no defence to a4-a5 48...Kg7 49.Bb5! Domination 49...Re7 50.Rxb6 Re4+ 51.Kd3 Rb4 52.Kc2 Nxg4 53.Kc3 Re4 54.hxg4 h3 55.Rd6 h2 56.Rd1 Rxg4 57.Rh1 Rg3+ 58.Kb4 Rg2 59.Kb3 g4 60.a5 g3 61.Bc6 Re2 62.a6 Re7 63.Ra1 Ra7 64.Bg2
1-0 Alexei Shirov and Michael Adams had another heavyweight struggle, this time in a Ruy Lopez. Shirov pressed in a Queen and Bishop ending but eventually had to settle for a draw.Shirov,A (2699) - Adams,Mi (2734) [C78] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 Rb8 8.c3 0-0 9.d4 Bb6 10.dxe5 A line that does not have a fearsome reputation but Shirov achieves a position where he can 'grind'. 10...Ng4 11.Bf4 Qe7 12.axb5 axb5 13.Qd5 Bb7 14.Qxb5 Ba8 15.Qc4 Ncxe5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Bxe5 [17.Qe2 Ng6 18.Bg3 Qxe4 =] 17...Qxe5 18.Nd2 Rbe8 Black's two bishops and active pieces give some compensation here, he should not be much worse [18...Kh8 19.Nf3 Qf4 20.Rae1 Rbe8 1/2-1/2 Smirin,I (2673)-Kamsky,G (2690)/Khanty Mansyisk RUS 2005/The Week in Chess 578] 19.Rad1 Qf4 Hereabouts I was wondering about Kh8 and f7-f5. Adams chooses a safer plan 20.Qd3 Bxe4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 22.g3! [22.Qxd7 Re2=] 22...Qg4 23.Rfe1 [23.Bc2 Rfe8 24.Qxd7 Qxd7 25.Rxd7 Re2 26.Bb3 Rf8=] 23...Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 g6 [24...d6 seems playable 25.Re7 Qg5 =] 25.Re7 Qg5 26.Qxd7 Qf6 27.Re2 Kg7 The opposite coloured bishops give White only limited chances to exploit the extra pawn. Adams was playing pretty quickly 28.Kg2 Rd8 29.Qe7 Rd3 30.Qe4 Rd7 31.Bc2 h5 32.h4 Bc5 33.Qc4 Re7 34.Be4 Bb6 35.b4 Re6 36.Qd3 Qe7 37.Bf3 Rxe2 38.Bxe2 Qf6 39.Bf3 Kf8 40.Qd2 Kg7 41.Be4 [41.c4 Bd4] 41...Kf8 42.f4 Qe6 43.Qc2 f5 44.Bf3 Qe3 The white queen is tied to f2, Shirov tries to advance his extra pawn 45.c4 Bd4 46.c5 Kg7 47.Qa2 [Black would welcome 47.Qe2 Qxe2+ 48.Bxe2] 47...Kh6 48.Qa8 Qd2+ [48...Qf2+? 49.Kh3] 49.Kh3 Qxb4 50.Qf8+ Bg7 51.Qe7 Qc3 52.Bd5 Bf6 53.Qf8+ [53.Qxc7 Bxh4! 54.Kxh4 Qd2= 55.Qd6?? Qh2#] 53...Bg7 54.Qe7
1/2-1/2 Vladimir Malakhov obtained what appeared to be a huge edge out of the opening against Alexander Grischuk in and English. Grischuk was a pawn down and also had to look out for his king but he fought back strongly coming up to the first time control. Grischuk still had to exercise some care but he was accurate enough to get the draw.Malakhov,V (2679) - Grischuk,A (2717) [A30] 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 g6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Qxd4 Bg7 8.Nc3 d6 9.Rd1 Nbd7 10.Be3 Rc8 11.Rac1 0-0 12.Qh4 a6 13.b3 h5!? Trying to prevent Bh6 and Ng5 for ever [13...Rc7] 14.Bh3 Rc7 15.Ng5 [15.Ne1 Re8 16.Nd3 Qb8 1/2-1/2 Levin,F (2498)-Hracek,Z (2595)/Erfurt GER 2005/The Week in Chess 536; 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.cxd5 Nf6 17.Rxc7 Qxc7 18.Qc4 Qd8 19.a4 Qa8 20.Bxb6 Bxd5 21.Qd3 Be4 22.Qd2 Rb8 23.a5 Nd5 24.Ng5 Nxb6 25.axb6 Bc6 26.Qc2 Rf8 27.Rc1 Bd5 28.Qc7 Bf6 29.Nf3 Rb8 30.Qxb8+ Qxb8 31.Rc8+ Qxc8 32.Bxc8 Bxf3 33.exf3 Bd4 34.b7 Ba7 35.b4 Kg7 36.Bh3 Kf6 37.Bf1 Ke5 38.Bxa6 Kd4 39.Kf1 Kc3 40.b5 Kd2 41.Kg2 e5 42.b6 Bb8 43.Bc4 f5 44.h4 Kc3 45.Bf7 f4 46.Bxg6 d5 47.Bxh5 d4 48.Bg6 d3 49.Bxd3 1-0 Arsovic,Z (2330)-Palkovi,J (2460)/Budapest 1991] 15...Qb8 16.Bxd7 Rxd7!? [16...Nxd7 17.g4! Nf6 18.gxh5 Nxh5 19.Bxb6 +/-] 17.Bxb6 Ng4 18.h3 Nh6 19.g4! d5! Necessary, Black must change the character of the position and secure some play 20.cxd5 Bxc3 21.Rxc3 Rxd5 22.Rcc1 Rc8 23.Be3 [23.gxh5 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Qe5 25.Be3 Nf5 26.Qa4! Kf8! 27.Qf4 Should give White an extra pawn in the endgame] 23...Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Qd6! 25.Nf3 [25.gxh5 Rd1+ 26.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 27.Kh2 Qh1+ 28.Kg3 Nf5+] 25...Kg7 26.Ne1 f6 27.f3 g5! 28.Qf2 [28.Qxh5? Misplaces the queen 28...Re5 29.Ng2 Rxe3 30.Nxe3 Qd2] 28...hxg4 29.hxg4 Nf7 30.Nc2 [30.Nd3 Rxd3! 31.exd3 Ne5] 30...Rd1+ 31.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 32.Ne1 Qb1 33.Bc5 Qxa2 Black has just held on but he will need to repair the opening before game 4 34.Qe3 e5 35.Be7 Qa5 36.Nd3 Qc7 37.Ba3 Bc8 38.Nc5 Qd6 39.Qc1 Qc6 40.Qc4 Qd6 41.Ne4 Qb6+ 42.Kg2 Be6 43.Qc1 Qb5 [43...Bxb3 44.Be7] 44.Qe3 Bd5 45.Ng3 e4!? Grischuk evidently did not like the passive [45...Nh6] 46.fxe4 Bb7 47.Bb2 Ne5 48.Bxe5 Qxe5 49.Qa7 Qc7 50.Kh3 Kg6 51.e3 Qh7+ 52.Nh5 Qe7 53.Qd4 Bc8 [53...Bxe4 54.Nxf6] 54.Qd5 Be6 55.Qd1 Qh7! 56.Kg2 [56.Kg3 Qc7+=] 56...Bxg4 57.Nf4+ Kh6 58.Qxg4 Qxe4+ 59.Qf3 Qxf3+ 60.Kxf3 gxf4 61.Kxf4 Kg6 62.Ke4 a5 63.Kf4 Kf7 64.Kf5 =
1/2-1/2 Mikhail Gurevich didn't get anything with his Qc2 Nimzo Indian against Peter Leko and looked in severe trouble right out of the opening. Leko probably didn't make the best of his chances and Gurevich mananged to bail out to an ending. He is a strong endgame player and he put up tremendous resistance before eventually weakening with 48.Bg3? after which Leko finished things nicely.Gurevich,M (2635) - Leko,P (2738) [E32] 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 7.Bg5 Bb7 8.f3 h6 9.Bh4 d5 10.e3 Nbd7 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Bxd8 Nxc3 13.Bh4 Nd5 14.Bf2 c5 15.e4 Ne7 16.0-0-0 [16.Bb5 Nc6 17.Ne2 Rfc8 18.0-0 cxd4 19.Nxd4 Nc5 20.Rac1 Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Nb3 22.Rxc8+ Rxc8 23.Bc3 Rd8 (23...Bc6 24.Be2 Ba4 25.Rd1 Nc5 26.Rd4 e5 27.Rd6 1/2-1/2 Zilberberg,A-Bang,E/ICCF corr 1989) 24.Ba4 Nd4 25.Kf2 Bc6 26.Rd1 Bxa4 27.Rxd4 Rxd4 1/2-1/2 Teplitsky,Y (2453)-Gershon,A (2467)/Bermuda 1999; 16.Ne2 are the main lines. Leko lost with Black to Kramnik in the former and would have analysed it in minute detail. He deals with 16.0-0-0 easily] 16...Rac8 17.Kb1 [17.dxc5 Nxc5 18.Kb1 Rfd8 And Black's development more than cancels out the white bishops. Indeed White will be unable to prevent Nd3] 17...c4! Introducing a white square strategy which works superbly 18.Ne2 f5! 19.exf5 [19.Ng3? fxe4 20.Nxe4 Bxe4+ 21.fxe4 Rxf2] 19...Nxf5 20.Nc3 Nf6 21.Be2 Nd5 As easy as that Black is better as the Bf2 is a very poor piece and Black's queenside pawns are potentially mobile. The weakness of e6 is easily masked 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 23.h4 b5 24.Rhf1 Rf7 25.Rc1 a5 26.Kc2 [26.h5!? b4 27.g4 Nd6 28.Bg3 Nb5 29.Be5] 26...Ra7 27.Ra1 Rd7 28.Rfd1 Ne7 29.Be1 Nf5 30.Bf2 Rdc7 31.Kd2 Ne7 32.Re1 Kf7 33.Bd1 b4! 34.axb4 axb4 35.Be2 c3+ 36.bxc3 bxc3+ 37.Kc2 Bb3+! 38.Kc1 [38.Kxb3 c2 Wins material because if 39.Rec1 Rb7+ 40.Ka4 Ra8+ 41.Ba6 Rxa6#] 38...Nd5 39.Ra3 Rb7 40.Bd3 Nb4 41.Be4 Bd5 42.Re3 c2 Na2+ cannot be prevented 43.Rec3 Rxc3 44.Rxc3 Na2+ 45.Kxc2 Nxc3 46.Kxc3 Rb3+ 47.Kc2 Bc4 48.Bg3? [48.g4] 48...Re3 49.Be5 Re2+ 50.Kc3 Bd5 51.Bxd5 exd5 52.g3 Re3+ 53.Kb4 g6
0-1 Carlsen, Magnus - Aronian, Levon 0-1 36 C84 Ruy Lopez Centre Attack
Aronian, Levon - Carlsen, Magnus 1/2 21 A58 Volga Gambit
WCh Candidates s/f Elista RUS (RUS), 27 v-3 vi 2007
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1 2 3 4 5 6
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Aronian, Levon g ARM 2759 1 = . . . . 1.5 2886
Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2693 0 = . . . . 0.5 2566
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Leko, Peter - Gurevich, Mikhail 1/2 35 C10 French Rubinstein
Gurevich, Mikhail - Leko, Peter 0-1 53 E32 Nimzo Indian 4.Qc2
WCh Candidates s/f Elista RUS (RUS), 27 v-3 vi 2007
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1 2 3 4 5 6
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Leko, Peter g HUN 2738 = 1 . . . . 1.5 2828
Gurevich, Mikhail g TUR 2635 = 0 . . . . 0.5 2545
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Ponomariov, Ruslan - Rublevsky, Sergei 1/2 37 D17 Slav Defence
Rublevsky, Sergei - Ponomariov, Ruslan 1/2 41 B86 Sicilian Sozin Attack
WCh Candidates s/f Elista RUS (RUS), 27 v-3 vi 2007
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1 2 3 4 5 6
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Ponomariov, Ruslan g UKR 2717 = = . . . . 1.0 2680
Rublevsky, Sergei g RUS 2680 = = . . . . 1.0 2717
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Gelfand, Boris - Kasimdzhanov, Rustam 1/2 47 D43 Anti-Meran Gambit
Kasimdzhanov, Rustam - Gelfand, Boris 1/2 23 E15 Queens Indian
WCh Candidates s/f Elista RUS (RUS), 27 v-3 vi 2007
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1 2 3 4 5 6
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Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2733 = = . . . . 1.0 2677
Kasimdzhanov, Rustam g UZB 2677 = = . . . . 1.0 2733
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Ponomariov, Ruslan - Rublevsky, Sergei 1/2 37 D17 Slav Defence
Rublevsky, Sergei - Ponomariov, Ruslan 1/2 41 B86 Sicilian Sozin Attack
WCh Candidates s/f Elista RUS (RUS), 27 v-3 vi 2007
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1 2 3 4 5 6
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Ponomariov, Ruslan g UKR 2717 = = . . . . 1.0 2680
Rublevsky, Sergei g RUS 2680 = = . . . . 1.0 2717
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Kamsky, Gata - Bacrot, Etienne 1/2 29 D15 Slav Defence
Bacrot, Etienne - Kamsky, Gata 0-1 39 A81 Dutch Leningrad
WCh Candidates s/f Elista RUS (RUS), 27 v-3 vi 2007
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1 2 3 4 5 6
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Kamsky, Gata g USA 2705 = 1 . . . . 1.5 2902
Bacrot, Etienne g FRA 2709 = 0 . . . . 0.5 2512
----------------------------------------------------------------
Grischuk, Alexander - Malakhov, Vladimir 1-0 42 B61 Sicilian Rauzer
Malakhov, Vladimir - Grischuk, Alexander 1/2 64 A30 English Symmetrical
WCh Candidates s/f Elista RUS (RUS), 27 v-3 vi 2007
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1 2 3 4 5 6
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Grischuk, Alexander g RUS 2717 1 = . . . . 1.5 2872
Malakhov, Vladimir g RUS 2679 0 = . . . . 0.5 2524
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Polgar, Judit - Bareev, Evgeny 1/2 63 B19 Caro Kann
Bareev, Evgeny - Polgar, Judit 1-0 64 E15 Queens Indian
WCh Candidates s/f Elista RUS (RUS), 27 v-3 vi 2007
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1 2 3 4 5 6
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Bareev, Evgeny g RUS 2643 = 1 . . . . 1.5 2920
Polgar, Judit g HUN 2727 = 0 . . . . 0.5 2450
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Adams, Michael - Shirov, Alexei 1/2 50 C06 French Tarrasch
Shirov, Alexei - Adams, Michael 1/2 54 C78 Ruy Lopez Moeller Defence
WCh Candidates s/f Elista RUS (RUS), 27 v-3 vi 2007
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1 2 3 4 5 6
---------------------------------------------------------------
Adams, Michael g ENG 2734 = = . . . . 1.0 2699
Shirov, Alexei g ESP 2699 = = . . . . 1.0 2734
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 Kasparov Books |
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 Giant Chess Sets |
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 Chess Computers |
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 Books 2000/1/2/3 |
