© CHESS MATE Vol.27 No:3 March 2009 ISSN 0970 - 9142 $ : i i . ay Bs P. Karthikeyan, born June 14, 1990 of Chennai hampion and now is closing in onthe Grand Master title having completed two fe f ae Advt Winning Moves package consists of 3 DVDs containing 22 episodes of coaching lessons for about 11 hours. The contents are in English and high quality. It will be useful for beginners, club and tournament players. The box also accommodates a 4-colour glossy printed 86-page booklet. Market price: Rs.4,999, USD 250. Inaugural offer; Rs.3499. For information: Emmanuel Chess Centre, Russian Cul- tural Centre, 74, Kasturi Ranga Road, Alwarpet, Chennai 600018. Tel +91-44-65 470 470. E-mail: emmanuelchess@gmail.com www.emmanuelchesscentre.com | Lo —Satate BOOKS/SOFTWARE ON SALE My Great Prede- cessor Vol | by Garry Kasparov Rs.450 pages 464. On sale at Chess Mate My Great Prede- cessor Vol 2 by Garry Kasparov Rs.450 pages 464. On sale at Chess Mate. 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Karthikeyan @chess-mate.com Topalov Beats Kamsky 4 INTERNET By GM Ian Rogers | www.chess-mate.com [ Chief Editor: Arvind Aaron Publisher: A.Aaron. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Keep It Simple 88 | year: Rs.380,2 vears: Rs.600, 3 Be IMP. Kenthik | years: Rs.850, 4 years: Rs.1100. y IME, Rantpikeyan Four Pages 88-91 -Sponsored by Sameer A Salgaocar FOREIGN SUBSCRIPTION More Tactics 90 Sea Mail: $25 Two Years By Manuel Aaron Air Mail: $20 One Year Chess Magic 92 MODE OF PAYMENT Indians Dominate Lankan Chess 93 At our office premises we ac- Chess On The Net 95 cept Cash, cheques, all cards: By R-R. Vasudevan _ Amex, Master, Visa. Bank trans- /mmortals: Young Fischer 96 : By Nagesh J fers to our Accounts ae possible Master Analysis 98 (Name: Chess Mate): Indian By IM Pra cahiMfokal Bank A/c 439640512, HDFC [2,1M Pratbam 00 Bank A/c 00102000000194 and en the name is Chess Mate. ICICI Bryan biog et Bank transfers are also possibleon Tournament Calendar 104 A/c 000101523865 favouring Not receiving your subscription Arvind Aaron. We also do VPP copy? SMS your name, pincode or sales. 7-digit number to 9840053199. CHESS MATE FORM IV (RULE 8) Place Of The Publication: Chennai Periodicity: Monthly Printer: S, Ramaswamy, Citizen of India, 154, Avvai Shanmugam Road, | Chennai 600 086. | Publisher: Anand Aaron, 12, 5th Cross Street, Shastrinagar, Chennai 600020 Editor: Manuel Aaron, 12, 5th Cross Street, Shastrinagar, Chennai 600 020. Individual who owns Chess Mate: Arvind Aaron, 12, 5th Cross Street, Shastrinagar, Chennai 600 020. 1, Anand Aaron, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. March 2009 Signed Anand Aaron, Publisher. 1 www.chess-mate.com CHESS MATE * March 2009 69Linares 2009 A Substitute Wins Linares! By lan Rogers When Veselin Topalov’s Candi- dates Final was rescheduled from No- vember to February — a direct clash with the 26th edition of the City of Linares super tournament : the organisers were forced to look for a replacement for their top seed. Unexpectedly, the organ- isers chose Alexander Grischuk. The Russian was ranked 14th in the world but some pundits believed that Grischuk, at only 25 years old, was nearing the end of his time as an elite player. The view was founde Grischuk’s dispirited and dispiriting last place at the 2007 FIDE World Championship tournament in Mexico City, and the lure of his poker hobby, which seemed to be costing Grischuk the study time needed to stay at the top of the chess tree. However the last-minute call up to Linares seems to have revived Grischuk’s appetite for chess and the GM from Moscow, ranked second last inthe 8- player field, led the tournament from round two until the finish and earned a place in September’s Grand Slam Final in Bilbao. A sluggish finish by Grischuk allowed Vassily Ivanchuk to catch him in the final rounds and share 175,000 Euros with Grischuk but. the Russian was a deserved winner on tiebreak. For Ivanchuk, the result was partial redemption for his woes in recent months; being exonerated by FIDE’s doping tribunal in January must have been a welcome relief. However the Ukrainian veteran, who has now won the Linares tournament four times, looked far from convincing in many games and scored full points only against Levon Aronian — “I was lucky,” was Ivanchuk‘s own description of his tournament performance. For much of the tournament, Grischuk’s main ri- val looked to be Carlsen but the teen- age sensation, while beating World | Champion Viswanathan Anand for the first time as well as Grischuk, fell just short after spoiling two easy endgames. Anand finished even further back. The World Champion recovered quickly from a second round swindle by Aronian but his loss to Carlsen turned out to be a powerful psycholog- ical blow and he failed to win a game for the remaining eight rounds of the tournament. Curiously, Grischuk also did not win a game after round six! Anand, who like Ivanchuk turns 40 this year, has now flanked his world title win in October with two poor tournament results and his humour would not have been improved by reading Kasparov’s comments, made in Anand’s native India, that Anand’s time at the chess summit may be slip- ping away. “Vishy can fight against anyone but time,” said Kasparov. “He is a brilliant player but it is very diffi- cult to compete at 40.” Anand himself did not view his re- sult in Linares as so disastrous, unlike Aronian who felt that he had played one of his worst tournaments in recent years. “Even when | was near the lead | early, I was still playing terribly,” be- moaned the 26-year-old Armenian. Final placings: 1 Grischuk 8, 2 Ivanchuk 8, 3 Carlsen 7.5, 4 Anand 7, 5 Radjabov 6.5, 6 Wang Yue 6.5, 7 Aronian 6.5, 8 Dominguez 6. Viswanathan Anand 2791 - Wang Yue 2739 Slav Defence D15 70 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 21.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.a4 e6 6.93 dxc4 7.Bg2 c5!? Looking for rapid exchanges rather than trying to hang onto the pawn. 8.dxc5 Qxd1+ 9.NxdI Bxc5 10.Ne5 Nd5 11.Ne3! Anti-positional, but [11.Nxc4 Be7 gives White noth- ing.] 11...Nxe3 12.Bxe3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 c3! 14.b4! Nd7 15.Nd3 Rb8 These endgames are always borderline cases; either White re- gains the pawn on c3 and invades or Black frees his bishop from ¢8 and equalises comfortably. 16.0-0 bS! 17.axbS RxbS 18.Rfcl Ne5? Too keen on more exchanges. [18...0-0 19.Rxc3 Nf6 was play- able for Black.] 19.Nxe5 Rxe5 _ 20.Rxc3, Missing a tactical trick. [20.b5!! axb5 21.Ra8 0-0 22.Rxe3 Bd7 23.Re7! was immedi- ately decisive because the d7 is doomed.] 20...0-0 21.Be6! Rd8?! the start of a dubi- ous plan. Black needed to seek freedom for the bishop as soon as possible, even if that meant playing the awkward plan 5 and ...e5. 22.e4! Kf8 23.Kf2 Ke7 24.b5! axb5 25.Ra7+_Kf6 [If 25...Kf8 26.Re7! b4 27.Rd3! wins the bishop.] 26.Rf3+ Kg6 27.Rfxf7 Rg8 28.Rfc7! Rh5 29.h4 Kf6 30.Ra8 Rce5 31.Rexc8 Rxc8 32.Rxc8 b4 33.Bd7 1-0 SUBSCRIPTION TO CHESS MATE WIN ASSURED GIFTS | One year Rs.350 gift Pocket ECO worth Rs. 195 free | ‘Two years Rs.600 gift Chess Agency book worth Rs.890 free | Three yeats Rs.850 Chess set worth Rs.250 free Four years Rs.1100 My Great Predecessor Vol 1,2.3, (any one) Rs.450 Five years Rs.1350 New In Chess Magazine (2 Issues) Seven years Rs. 1850 CT-Art 3.0 Software worth Rs.1 Ten years Rs.2600 Chess Informant (latest worth Rs.1450 free) 16 years Rs.4100 Magnetic Demo board 7 cms per sq worth Rs,2400 20 years Rs. 21 years Rs. 23 years Rs 24 years Rs. 25 years Rs. 5100 DGT960 Digital Chess Clock worth Rs.2950 free 50 GST Digital Chess Clock worth Rs.3050 free 00 Fritz1 1 or Rybka3 worth Rs.3400 (any one) 50 New In Chess Year Book | yr worth Rs.3400 free 200 NIC Magazine | year worth Rs.3500 free 39 years Rs.9999 Deep Fritz or Deep Rybka worth Rs.5950 free Offer Valid till April 28, 2009. SMS 9840053199. a www.chess-mate.com CHESS MATE * March 2009 71Parsvnath Analysis P.Karthikeyan 2450- Yuriy Kuzubov 2626 Bogo-Indian E11, Delhi 2009 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ The Bogo Indian defence. 4.Bd2 Qe7 5.a3 is seldom played in tourna- ments these days. 5...Bxd2+ 6.Nbxd2 [6.Qxd2 This is the routine way but it just a matter of taste.] 6...d6 7.e4 e5 8.d5 0-0 9.93 a5 10.Bg2 [10.b3!2 Nbd7 11.Bg2] 10...a4 11.0-0 Nbd7 12.Nel Ne5 13.Qc2 Idea Nd3, Rae! followed by f4. 13...Nfd7 14.Q¢3 [14.Nd3?! Nxd3_15.Qxd3 NeS 16.Qc2 f+] 14...c6 15.Ne2 Now I was very much happy about my position. 15...Nf6!? [15...26 16.Rael> idea f4] 16.Rael Bd7 17.f4 Ries In this position I was tempted by the move b4 with a good pawn sacri- fice. I played it but different thing happened in the game. 18.b4 [18.h3!?; 18.Ne3 exf4 19.Rxf4 QeS] 18,..axb3 19.Nxb3 Nxb3 20.Qxb3 cxd5 21.exd5 Bad 22.03 Bxe2 23.Qxe2 Till this I had antici- pated. 23...e4 I had missed this strong move by my opponent. | [23...Rxa3 24.fxe5 dxe5 25.c5, this is what | thought with a very good counterplay for the pawn sacrifice. ] \24.Q¢3? A serious mistake. In some Beating A Super GM By IM P. Karthikeyan positions queen is well placed on the d4 square. [24.Qb3= is just an | equal game 24...Qc7 25.Qb4] 24...Ra4 White position got col- lapsed here. | would have saved my pawns with passive moves | like Ral, Rel but is of no use. Surely the Super GMs know to win such kind of positions. 25.g4 Trying to create some counter chances. 25...Qe7 26.g5 Rxc4 [26...Nxd5 27.Qd2 Qxc4 28.Bxe4 Rxe4 29.Rcl QbS 30.Qxd5 Qd7¥] 27.Qd2 Qce5+ 28.Kh1 Nxd5 29.f5 Qd4 [29...Re2. 30.Qd3] 30.Qe2 Obvi- ously I should not exchange my queens. 30...Nc3 31.Qh5 Re5 32.Qh4 Planing to push my pawns. 32...Qd2 I think both of us had around ten minutes in the clock under time trouble. Even super GMs like him did not man- age to find the proper defence. 33.Rf4 Ree5 34.16 Ne2 35.Rg4 [35.g6 Qxel+ 36.Qxel Nxf4] 35...e3 36.Rfl 2 [36...Qd3 may be way to defend quite diffi- cult to find under time time trou- ble] 37.26! hxg6 38.Rxg6 fxg6 39.f7+ Kf8 40.Qh8+ Ke7 | 41.fxe8Q# 1-0 72 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 4At Sofia: Who Dares Wins! Topalov Defeats Kamsky 4.5-2.5 To Secure World Title Challenge Against Anand By Ian Rogers and All Photos Cathy Rogers Name, Fed, Rating Games, V. Topalov BUL 2796 Kamsky USA 2725 =1 On paper, Veselin Topalov was more than a hot favourite to defeat Gata Kamsky and secure a second world title challenge~ he was an absolute certainty. Topalov, 33, sat atop the world rank- ings while Kamsky was ranked only 17th and his last hit-out was a modest 50% score at the Wijk aan Zee tourna- ment. In 8 games dating back to 1994 Kamsky, 34, had never beaten Topalov and had lost four times. The match was being played in Topalov’s back yard, the Bulgarian capi- tal Sofia, a venue which the American had fought strenuously to avoid. The bookmakers had installed Topalov as a3 to 1 favourite to become Viswanathan Anand’s challenger and few Grandmaster judges gave Kamsky, with only his legendary resilience to compensate for his sub-elite openings, a chance in the best-of-eight match. Yet, despite all the odds, the chess world was treated toa classic Candidates Final, with the result uncertain until the final time scramble. Going into the seventh game, Topalov led Kamsky by a point, 3.5-2.5 and was determined to play for a win with White without taking risks. How- ever after being out-prepared. in the opening — not for the first time in the match — Topalov threw caution to the winds, sacrificing pawns and creating threats. After using up 30 of his 40 remain- ing, minutes on a single move, Kamsky 74 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com Score, Rating +/ | decided to allow Topalov to force a | draw but the Bulgarian refused to capture Kamsky’s advanced pawn and gambled on blitzing Kamsky in a position which was fiercely compli- cated but objectively good for Black. “| counted on my opponent's time trouble,” said Topalov, “and in a way my decision was justified.” The New Yorker found three excellent defen- sive moves but eventually the strain proved too great. Kamsky missed ‘once clear win and then a saving queen sacrifice to lose a rook, the game and the match, After the time control was reached Kamsky spent 20 minutes staring at the ruins of'a once-great po- sition before playing a few perfunc- tory moves and offering his hand. As Kamsky resigned the Sofia crowd both inside and outside the playing arena match, bursi into spirited ap- plause. So in the end the favourite Topalov earned the right to challenge Viswanathan Anand for the world ti- tle at the end of 2009 after a 4 victory in the best of eight contest. The final margin was flattering for the victor, as even Topalov admitted. “It was not easy for me,” said a relieved Topalov at the post-match press confer- ence.WESELiN LTOPALOV “I have never won such a long match before. Gata played quite well and there was fighting in all games. The result was finally decided by his time trouble.” Kamsky pinpointed his lack of self-confidence, leading to time trouble as a key factor. “I made some serious mistakes while Veselin made fewer mistakes,” was his assessment of the consequences of his clock problems, Topaloy agreed: “This is sport — when you make a mistake it is not the fault of your opponent. Gata missed his chance in the first game — he should have continued [with 28...Kg8, rather than allow a draw] In the second he lost because he spent too much time in the opening. Then in the next two games | was in trouble [after the opening].” Yet Topalov lost only one game from seven ~ a positional master-class from Kamsky - while Kamsky’s mis- takes have tended to overshadow some great practical chess from Topalov: the piece sacrifice from nowhere in game two, the slow increase of pressure in games five and six, and the incredible ‘GAA KAMSKY risk-taking in the final game. For once Topalov was unable to dominate in the openings but he found another path to victory — setting practical problems for his opponent until Kamsky cracked. “He is a great tactician,” ad- mitted Kamsky. “He was able to come up with moves that kept surprising me. He really deserved to win this match Whether Topalov’s strategy will work against Anand — himself the arche- typal practical player — isa question which chess pundits will be discussing until the title match begins. | Meanwhile Kamsky, while admit- ting he may not be the player he was when he unsuccessfully challenged for Anatoly Karpov’s FIDE world title in 1996, scotched suggestions that he might retire (again).“I have still got some chances [to play for the world ti- tle]. [Though] maybe I am not as am- bitious as I should be... When you get older it's really hard to study; there are many other things in my life.” High Anxiety “We don’t want a scandal like in Elista’”” was the mantra which was re- www.chess-matecom CHESS MATE *™ March 2009. 75peated endlessly by the organisers of the match, the Bulgarian Chess Federa- tion and even by spectators paying their 10 Lev to come to the National Palace of Culture (NDK) to watch the match. That Topaloy was robbed in his 2006 world title match by Vladimir Kramnik and the Russian security agency, the FSB, is a national myth ap- parently believed throughout Sofia, de- spite the rest of the world’s view that all the scandals in Blista were created by the Bulgarian side. So to ayoid their national hero be- ing robbed again, security measures at the Sofia match were extraordinary, in- cluding metal detectors for both play- ers and spectators and a total ban on press photographers after the first five minutes of the game. In fact in Sofia 2009 a determination existed on both sides to ensure that no cheating of any sort was possible. After three solid days of negotia- tions in November at the Dresden Olympiad, the two players and their managers signed an enormously de- tailed match agreement. However upon atrival the Kamsky team realised that enforcing many of the details would re- quire constant argument with the match organising committee. Topalov’s manager, Silvio Danailov, also began.a psychological war, with a bogus claim that Kamsky (who has an Israeli manager, Emil Sutovsky) had sent a Mossad agent to inspect the playing venue. Sul ve To New ir —— iadaetie | New In Chess magazine comes out eight times a year from Alkmaar, in, the Netherlands. Subscribe now at Chess Mate for Rs.3500 per year. You are ensured Speed Post or Courier delivery if you have an address| in India. You can get a back issue for Rs.300 from us to test if you like] it. Suggested for serious chess lovers looking for greater detail on Elite | chess and competitions. This rate is not applicable for those outside In, dia. Remit by a bank draft on Chennai favouring CHESS MATE. | In fact the Kamsky team did bring a technical expert, a Russian, who ensured that the mobile phone jammer in the playing hall — installed only midway through the first game — was operational | and checked Team Kamsky’s hotel room for lis- tening devices. | “We don’t want conflict — we want to concentrate on chess,” explained Sutovsky. “That’s why I have to be ab- solutely sure, that Gata is focused on the game itself. I have nothing person- ally against Topalov (whom | greatly respectas a chess player) but it is a real- ity of today’s world that you have to take precautions. Five years ago, a computer could help you a lot. Today, the use of a computer just wins, It’s to- day’s reality. Tam ready to risk sound- ing paranoid, but really I’m not.” Sutovsky went on to say that the security matters should be separated from the overall match organisation: “The hotel and the playing hall were great and all security measures are just minor. [However it is true that] most of. the minor things in the contract were not realised [at first]. We arrived on the 12th, had the inspection on the 14th. ‘The playing area was not ready on the 15th, not even on the 16th [the day of the opening ceremony] but only on the morning of the 17th.” 76 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 8RAMSEY Veselin Topalov Age 34 World Ranking 1 Representing: Bulgaria 1975 Born March 15 in Ruse, Bul- garia Manager; Silvio Danailov (Bul) Seconds: Ivan Cheparinov(Bul), Paco Vallejo (Spa), Erwin L’Ami(Ned) Quote: “Anand is my only rival.” Ultimately, it is to the credit of the organisers and the two teams that the match took place without incident. There is no doubt that, in today’s para- noid times, playing in Bulgaria was an advantage for Topalov, who could be more relaxed about potential espionage threats. However there is no doubt that the Sofia match was decided entirely over the board, a fact for which many will breathe a sigh of relief. Prizemoney: Topalov and Kamsky shared a $250,000 prize fund equally but this was far less than they might have hoped and expected after | the FIDE President Kirsan Iljumzhinov | in June 2008 personally guaranteed a ($750,000 prize fund for the match. Ata 9 www.chess-mate.com CHESS MATE * March 2009 77 VESELIN PAW Gata Kamsky Age 34 World Ranking 17 Representing: United States 1974 Born) June 2. in Novokuznetsk, Russia Manager: Emil Sutovsky (Isr) Seconds: Evgeny Najer (Rus) and Andrei Volokitin (Ukr) Quote: “The more chess, the better.” press conference at the Dresden Olym- piad Iljumzhinov frankly admitted that the press release was a lie and that he never intended to pay out any money. His motivation, he said, was to help Kamsky’s then manager Chernenko find a sponsor to host the match in the Ukraine in November 2008. The wasted months waiting for Iljumzhinov or Chernenko to fulfil their promises caused the match to be delayed until February 2009. Sofia: For the capital of a chess-loving nation, the Bulgarian capital of 1.5 million people has not hosted many major chess events, Bul- garia’s Black Sea resorts of Varna and Plovdiv have hosted an Olympiad and J‘European Team Championship respec- tively but until the Mtel super-tournaments began in 2005, So- fia hardly featured on the international chess map. The Candidates Final, with sponsorship from the State Ageney for Youth and Sport and the Prime Minis- ter of Bulgaria heading the organising committee, may herald change. With its spectacular Orthodox churches and many parks — sometimes occupied by chessplayers - Sofia is an underrated tourist destination but Sofia in February is not the perfect time for a visit. The Topalov-Kamsky match was held in a city covered in heavy snow and with temperatures regularly below -10 degrees C. The tournament venue, the Na- tional Palace of Culture (NDK) ~ just metres away from the Sofia Hilton where Kamsky was housed - is a mas- sive complex of theatres and halls with adistinctly Balkan flavour. (For exam- ple, the no smoking rules appeared to apply only to the upper floors!) The NDK's 1980s brown décor has seen better days but the small theatre in which the GMs competed provided ideal playing conditions, even if the spectator seating of around 160 was full only on weekends Qualification Quarrels The world body FIDE had decided in 2006 that the winner of the 2007 World Cup in Khanty Mansiysk would qualify to play the World Champion in |a title match but in mid-2007 the rules | were altered and it was announced that | the World Cup winner would have to play against Topalov before challeng- ing for the world title. Why such a late change to the World Championship system? Inessence, the answer is atribute to the negotiating skills of Topalov’s manager Silvio Danailov In 2006 when the contracts for the \BaaimatiTonaloy match in Elista were being negotiated, Danailov made sure that a clause was included to exclude the loser — which at that time looked likely to be Kramnik — from the next World Championship cycle. When his player lost in Elista, Danailov spared no effort to ensure that Topaloy would not have to wait years for his next challenge and, though he failed to have Topalov added to the 2007 World Championship tourna- ment in Mexico City, Danailov did | succeed in having Topalov included as | an extra obstacle for the World Cup winner. Topaloy rationalised: “This was a privilege but also compensation [to me] for the changes FIDE made to the cycle.” The unorthodox nature of this agreement in part explains why it was so difficult to find a neutral sponsor for the match. As Kamsky’s manager Sutovsky explained, “In some ways the match was only of interest to the Bulgarians. It was an artificial match = Gata (or eventually, any winner of World Cup 2007) should have qualified directly to play Anand by winning the World Cup but then Topalov was added to the cy- cle. “So we could go to war — a legal war — or renegotiate and play; a diffi- cult choice. If we took the legal route, some would say that we were doing it because we were scared about the out- come ~ not true at all. So I advised Gata to agree to Sofia.” ChessBase and Copyright During the first four games of the match, viewers of the live games on the official site were greeted with a strange message informing them that the Ger- man website ChessBase was broad- casting the games without permission. It has long been assumed that moves of a game, without comments, are not copyrightable but after four 78 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 10‘games the Sofia organisers sent a “Cease and Desist’ legal letter to ChessBase and ChessBase - though be- lieving that they were legally entitled to transmit the moves - to avoid a court battle ceased and desisted. The Sofia organisers were mightily satisfied that ChessBase stopped live transmission because they, and indeed Team Topalov had long regarded the German firm as Public Enemy Number One. The one sided feud dates back to the acrimonious Elista world title match, where the Bulgarians be- lieved. that ChessBase was biased in favour of Kramnik. Subsequently ChessBase pub- lished a video from a Duich amateur which purported to show manager Danailoy signalling to Topalov. Danailov has always believed that the Dutch amateur was in fact ChessBase identity Frederic Friedel, a claim Friedel strenuously denies. Rather awkwardly for the match organisers’ claim to copyright, plenty of other organisations, such as Internet Chess Club, broadcast the games live without asking for permission. One may conclude that this. was not a fight over copyright— this was a fight for re- venge. How Top Grandmasters Assess The Match Anand: “Kamsky lost many games in the middlegame. It’s funny - we expected it to be Topy’s prep[aration] against Kamsky’s nerves but it turned out to be the other way | around.” | Aronian: “It was an ex- citing match right up to the end. Kamsky’s preparation in game 3 was great. But what is it they say about the good player always being lucky?” Wang Yue: “Topalov was clearly better — his open- ings with Black were very strong. Kamsky had chances but because Topalov is so good Kamsky had to think for along time.” Topalov: “The level I showed was not really good. I am not completely satis- fied.” Subseribe To New In Chess Year Book | It comes out four times a year. It contains opening reviews. If you see a stunning novelty at Linares you will see the next Year | | Book take that up with various and detailed analysis. It can be | subscribed in India with Chess Mate for Rs.3400 per year. De- livery is guaranteed since it is sent by Speed Post or Courier de- pending on your address in India. Need a back issue'to check the contents? Ask for one remitting only Rs.500 for a New In Chess back issue which can serve as a useful sample. SMS 9840053199 or Call 044-24450587 for details. i | iB www.chess-mate.com CHESS MATE * March 2009 79Veselin Topalov 2796 - Gata Kamsky 2725 Game | Topalov had sacrificed a pawn immediately after the opening but his attack has been neutralised and Kamksy must now make a big deci- sion, 28...Rg8 Kamsky considered playing for a win with [28...Kg8!? 29.Nf6+ Qxf6 30.Qxh7+ Kf8 31.Rh6 Rc8! but after 32.Rxg6 Rel+33.Kh2 Qe5+ 34.Rg3 Rc3 he misjudged the rook endgame which arises after 35.Q28+ Ke? 36.Qe5+ Qxg5 37.Rxg5 Kaméky thought that White’s h pawn would be very dangerous but in, fact after 37...Ke6! it is White who must be careful. Probably White can hold after 38.Rg8! so Kamsky’s move, which allows a religved Topalov to force an immediate draw, was area- sonable decision:] 29.Nf6 Rg7 30.Nxh7! Rxh7 31.Qxg6 Qe3+ 32.Kf1 Qcl+ 33.Kf2 Qd2+ 34.Kg3 Qe3+ 35.Kh2 Qf4+ 36.Kg1 Qel+ 4-4. Gata Kamsky 2725 - Veselin Topalov 2796 G/2, Ruy Lopez C65 1.e4, e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Be5!? An old favourite of Boris Spassky, only sporadically seen in modern times; the close re- lation with 3...a6 and 4.Ba4 in- serted has attracted far more atten- tion. 5.Nxe5 A move which already cost Kamsky considerable time; [5.c3 is the other main line.] 5...Nxe4 6.Qe2 Nxe5 7.d4 Qe7!? 1:59 8:dxe5. 1:10Gambitting) a | pawn and keeping the game alive. When not averse to a quick draw, | Spassky’s opponents preferred | [8.Qxed Ng6 9.Qxe7+ Bxe7 with | dead equality.| 8...Nxc5. 9.Nc3 Ngé6 [9...c6?! 10,Rel 6 11.f4 | would be asking, for trouble.] 10.Qh5 c6 1:45 11.Bg5 0:37 11...16 12.Rael Ne6 13.Bd3 0-0 14.Bd2 0:26 14...d5 15.f4 0:13" should probably just exchange the pieces and make a draw but | wanted to play,” said Kamsky."Overambitious and im- practical" was Kamsky’s mahnager Sutovsky’s blunt as- sessment after the game, though he added, “One of the qualities of re- ally super-players is self-confidence. So, the very idea of refuting Topalov’s opening concept over the board, although a bit naive deserves certain respect.” 15...Qc5+ 16.Kh1 Again White could play safe with [16.Be3 d4 17.Qxc5 Nxc5 18.Bxg6 dxe3 19.Be4 but this was certainly not White’s idea when playing 15.f4.] 16...d4 17.Bf5 Another ambitious move criticised by Kamsky after the game since it was based on a | tactical oversight but in any case | [17.Qxe5 NxeS 18.Be4+ Kh8 19.Ne2 would only leave White grovelling. for a draw,] 17..RE7 Topaloy could have played. the | queen sacrifice [17...Nexf4 | 18.Rxf4 dxc3!! since 19.Be6+ Bxe6 20.Qxc5 cxd2 21.Rd1 Nxf4 22.Rxd2 Bd5 leaves Black with 80 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 12too many pieces for the queen.However White could de- fend with 19.Be3 and, besides, Topalov prefers to avoid forcing lines until Kamsky is seriously short of time.] 18.Ne4 Qd5 1:06 19.Bxg6?! 0:08Finally the clock takes its toll. After [19.Ng3! White would. haye ample compensation for the pawn.Kamksy thinks he is exchanging into a favourable end- game but he had missed Black’s 21st move.] 19...hxg6 20.Qxd5 exd5 21.Nd6 21...Re7!! A terrific idea, over which Topalov took 12 minutes, time enough for Kamksy to realise that 21...Re7 was not forced as he had originally calculated.. 22.c4? Panic. Kamsky had to accept the of- fer and hope for the best after [22.Nxc8 Raxc8 23.Rxe6 Rxc2 24.Bb4 Rxb2 25.a3 Objectively this position may be tenable but given Kamksy’sa time trouble his sur- vival chances were bleak. For ex- ample, Black can try 25...d3! when 26.h3?! would lose spectacularly to 26...Rxb4!! 27.axb4 d2!] 22...dxe3 23.Bxe3 d4 24.Bb4 Bd7 25.Rf2 0:01 With a pawn down, less than a minute on the clock and a bad posi- tion to boot, White’s chances are negligible and Topaloy plays the last part of the game with great pre- cision. 25...a5! 0:46 26.Ba3 bS 27.b3 b4 28.Bb2 Ra6! 29.Ne4 Rac6 30.Kg1 Re2 31.g3 d3 32.Rd1 f5 Time 0-1. Veselin Topaloy 2796 - Gata Kamsky 2725 G/3, Grunfeld Defence D81 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Qb3 Having seen his beloved Exchange Variation neutered in the first game, Topalov springs a surprise by trying an old Russian. line, recently revived: 4...dxe4 5.Qxe4 Bg7 6.e4 0-0 7.Be2 The modern preference, delaying Nf3. 7..a6!? A surprise in return for Topalov. Kamksy alongside other Grunfled experts such as Svidler and Dominguez, had in the past preferred [7...Nfd7 but, Carlsen had dealt the ...Nfd7-b6 plan a heavy blow in the Wijk aan Zee tournament just a fortnight ear- lier.] 8.Bf4 b5! 9.Qxe7 Qxe7 10.Bxc7 b4 11.Na4 Nc6 All ac- cording to plan for Kamsky. Of course [11...Nxe4 12.Nb6 would be disastrous for Black.] 12.45 Nd4 13.Bd3 13,,.Bd7! 15.Be5! By far the safest move. [15.Nxa8?! Bxd3_ 16.Rd] Nc2+ 17.Kd2 Bxe4 18.f3 Bho+ 19.Ke2 Bxd5, would be terrific for Black wt www.chess-mate.com CHESS MATE * March 2009 81 14.Nb6 Bb5!despite his exchange deficit; White’s pieces are horribly scat- tered.] 15,..Nxe4! All according to preparation for Kamsky. Had Black been desperate for a win he could have tried [15...Bxd3!? 16.Bxd4 Rab8 intending to meet 17.£3 with 17...Bb5 when the knight on bé6 is in trouble. The ctitical line appears to be 17.e5 Rxb6! 18.Bxb6 (/8.exf6 Rxf6!) 18...Nxd5 19.Bd4 Nf4 when Black has a surpising amount of compensation for the pawn, albeit probably not enough for an advan- tage.) 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Bxe4 Rab8 The final point behind Kamsky’s preparation. The knight is trapped and the game was drawn 20 moves later. 4-Y2. Gata Kamsky 2725 - Veselin Topalov 2796 G/4, Ruy Lopez C92 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 No sidelines for Topalov today. 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.b3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 BIS | I |. 12.Ng5!? The first real surprise; an | idea suggested to Kamsky by his second Volokitin. Rather than enter any fash- | ionable variations, Kamsky heads for a position that has not been thought to be dangerous for many years. 12...Re7 13.d5 Nb8 The modern preference, al- though Karpov’s choice of [13...Na5 has never been refuted.) 14.Nf1 Nbd7 15.Ng3 g6 16.Bc2 The first newmove and an eminently logical one, In the original 1979 game in this line Romanishin had used [16.Be3 to beat Beliavsky] 16...h6 17.N13 Nb 18.h4! The start of a very annoy- ing plan. Kamsky knows that Black wants to play ...c6 and later ...d5 so he makes sure that he will have a weak- ness to attack on g6 if Black manages to execute his plan, 18..Qd7 19.Nh2 Bg7 20.h5 Rf8 21.Nhfl c6 22.dxc6 Qxc6 23.Ne3 Kh7 Quietly accepting his fate. The advance [23...d5 allows 24.hxg6 fxg6 25.exd5 Nbxd§ 26.Nxd5 Nxd5 27.Be4 when White controls some key squares.) 24.013 Be8 25.Rd1 Be6 26,b3! Without this long term pawn sacrifice, White would struggle to make progress but now Topalov must grab the pawn since allowing 82 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 1427.Ba3 would lead to similar positions to the game without the material so- lace."It's a very logical move, said Kamsky. “My queenside pieces were- n’t playing but after 27.Bd2I definitely had compensation for the pawn.” | 26...Qxc3 27.Bd2 Qe7 28.Ba5 Qb8 | 29.Rd2! Ne8 [29...Rd7 30.Rad1 Re8 | keeps some activity but Black is still | suffering after 31.Bb4 Rc6 32.Nd5!] |30.Rad1 b4? Topalov’s first bid for counterplay and a serious mistake. The | threat to trap White’s bishop is easily | parried and Black’s queenside pawns soon become chronically weak. “Thad | some idea but I missed one variation - ee I sort of blundered a pawn.” 31.Qe2! Kh8 32.Bd3 Na7 33.Rcl! Nb5 34.Bxb5 axb5 35.Bxb4 Rd7 36.Re6 Rfd8 37.Qd1 Bf8 38.Qc2! Kh7 39.BaS Re8 40.hxg6+ fxg6 The time control has been safely reached but Kamsky continued playing quickly - he had already calculated that the d pawn can safely be captured. 41.Bc7 Qb7 42.Bxd6! B7 13 minutes went on this move - part bluff, part despair. 43.Bb4 Played after halfan hour’s cog- itation. “I thought that (43.Bxf8!! Rad2 44.Qcl!! was winning,” said Kamsky “and it is winning. 1 just didn’t see that after 44...Rxf8 45.Rxf6 Qd7 I have 46.Nefl! Rd6-47.Nf5! , winning.”] 43...Bxb4 44,.Rxd7 Qxd7 [44...Nxd7 45.Rc7 is even worse.] 45.Rxf6 Re6 46.Nd5 BAB 47.Rf3! Kg7 48.Rc3 Raé 49.Re7 Qd6 50.Qe2! The dual threats of 51.Qxb5 and 51.Qg4 ensure that Black cannot maintain his position. 50...Kg8 51.Qxb5 Rxa2 52.Qb7 Ral+ 53.Kh2 Bxd5 Here a despon- dent Cheparinov, Topalov’s trusty sec- ond, wandered into the NDK building, tired of watching the game online and hoping to provide some support for his charge after his inevitable defeat. In the event, he had to wait much longer than expected for Topalov to stop fighting. 54.exd5! Far more precise than taking back with the queen, although that must inevitably win in the long run, “T would have a chance to find 43.Bxf8!! and 44.Qcl!! but I would never take back with the e pawn myself,” admit- ted Sutovsky. “The guy sees every- thing.” 54...Qf6 55.Qc8 Qh4+ [55...Qxf2 loses the rook on al after two checks.] 56.Qh3 Qxh3+ 57.Kxb3- Rd 58.Ne4 Ba3 59.Ra7 Bb4 60.Rb7 Ba3 61.f3 Kf$ 62.Rb5 h5 63.Kg3 Rel 64.Rb8+ [64.d6 or first; 64.b4 would have been much faster but Kamsky has seen.a clear path to victory and is con- tent to follow it. “Of course the ending is winning for White,” said Kamsky.] 64...K{7 65.Rb7+ Kf8 66.K2 Re2+ 67.Kfl Rel+ 68.Ke2 Re2+ 69.Kd3 Rxg2 70.Ra7 Be7 71.d6 Bd8 72.Nc5 [72.Ra8 Ke8 73.Nf6+ Kf7 74.Rxd8! Kxf6 75.Re8! was again a faster route to victory. 72...Ke8 73.Rh7 “I played very badly,” was Topalov’s blunt as- sessment of the game. 1-0. Veselin Topalov 2796- Gata Kamsky 2725 G/5 15 www.chess-mate.com CHESS MATE * March 2009 83Topalov has manintained pres- sure since the opening but after 34...Re7 Black would have reason- able chances of holding the game. However Kamksy, anxious to avoid any time trouble in this game, plays a’couple of quick moves and plummets to defeat. 34...Rd8?! 0:21 35.Re2 Nb4?? “I just relaxed for a minute and blundered every- thing,” bemoaned Kamsky after the game. “I completely forgot about 37.Rxd4! for some reason.” 36.Nxb4 Kamsky head in hands, thought for two mins before recap- turing, realising that his intended 36...axb4 37.Rxd4 Rxe2 38.Rxd6 Rxd6 loses to 39.Qa8+ Kh7 40.Qe4+. 36...axb4 37.Rxd4 Qf8?! Played afer 10 painful min- utes working out that the rook end- game after [37...Qxd4 38.Rxc7 Qd5 39.Rb7 will be hopelessly lost."37...Qf8 was also'a big mis- take," said Topalov, “but think ob- jectively the position was already lost.” However Kamsky’s choice only makes matters worse.] 38.Rxd8! Qxd8 39.Rxc7 Qxe7 40.Qa8+ Kh7 41.Qe4+ Kg8 42.Qxb4 These endgames are usu- ally winning even with only one queenside pawn, so Kamksy would not have been criticised for resign- ing immediately. 42...Qc6+ 43.Kg1 Qcl+ 44.Kh2 Qc? 45.Qel Kf8. 46.a3 Qb2 47.Qb4+ Kg8 48.Kg2 Qe5 49.Qg4 Qb2 50.Qc8+ Kh7 51.Qc4 Qxa3 52.Qxf7 Qb4 53.Qc4 Qb7+ 54.Kg1 Qf3 55.g4 1-0. Gata Kamsky (2725) - Veselin Topaloy 2796 G/6, Caro-Kann B12 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 BIS 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 exd4 7.Nxd4 Ne7 8.Nd2 Nbe6 9.N2f3 Bg4 Kamksy himself had played [9...a6 |against Svidler and achieved a 84 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 16 fairly comfortable draw.] 10.0-0 Bxf3 11.Nxf3 11...g6 A rather unexpected noyelty in a position where previ- ously Black had always moved his e7 knight to g6 or f. The new weakening on the dark squares will only be important if White can open up the position, a task Kamsky now undertakes. 12.c4! Bg7 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Bc5 Bf8 15.Qe1? A miscalculation by Kamksy which allows Black in- stant equality,After [15.Rel! Black still has some probelms to solve after 15.,.Bxo5 [6.Rxc5.0-0 17.Qd2 Kg7 18.h4 h6 19.Rfcl , altough whether. White can in- crease the pressure is uncertain.) 15...Re8! 16.Bxf8 Nd4! Oops! 17.Qd1 Nxe2+ 18.Qxe2 Kxf8 The: mass excahnges have led toa dead equal position and the game was drawn on move 43. 4.Veselin Topalov - Gata Kamsky G/7, French Defence C07 1.e4 e6, Again a French De- fence from Kamsky - game 5 was not a one-off. 2.d4 d5.3.Nd2_ 5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Ngf3 exd4 6.Bc4 |Qd6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Rel!? Well known, but the immediate [8.Nb3 is far more usual.] 8...Be7 9.Nb3 |Ne6 10.Nbxd4 Nxd4 11.Nxd4 [11.Qxd4 would bea de facto draw offet but Topalov is keen to press | with the White pieces rather than leave everything hanging on the eighth game.] 11...0-0 12.c3 Bd7 13.Qf3 Qb6!? A new idea, aiming to keep. pressure on the White b pawn. 14,Bb3 a5 15.Be3 Be5 16.Rad1!? Continuing with ag- gressive intent. Only now did Kamksy begin to’think ‘seriously; grabbing the b pawn in home anal- ysis is one thing but going pawn grabbing over the board, when one misstep will see you eliminated from the World Championship cy- cle is quite another, 16...a4 17,Be2 | Qxb2 18.Bg5 Nd5 See diagram 19.c4!, Bxd4 Kamksy must al- ready play with extreme care; Ss 17 www.chess-mate.com [19...Nb6 and 19...Nb4 would leave Black’s'king in trouble after 20.Bxh7+! Kxh7 21.Bf6!! gxf6 22.Qh3+ Kg7 23.Qg4+ Kh7 24.Rd3 with checkmate to follow.] 20.Qd3 £5! 21.Qxd4 Qxc?! Brave play. This capture, which would have been impossible after 20...g6?!, is far stronger than [2 1...Qxd4 22.Rxd4 when the end- game is very depressing for Black despite his extra pawn, e.g. 22...Nb4?! 23.Rxd7 Nxe2 24.Rel! Nb4 25.Rb1 when White’s rooks will double on the seventh rank and wreak havoc and destruction,] 22.cxd5 Qxa2 23.Qb6 [23.Qb4 may be more precise because then 3...a3 loses the queen after 24,.Rd2] 23...a3! [23...exd5? 24.Qxb7 would simply lose a bishop.] 24.Be7! Rfe8 CHESS MATE * March 2009 8525.Qd6 0:40 25...Ba4!? 9.36A fter thinking for half an hour and leaving himself with less than 10 minutes to reach the first time control, Kamsky decides to give up his extra pawns and allow White to | equalise. [25...Bc8 26.Qc7 would | be very messy so Kamsky spent most of his time choosing between | the text move and; 25...Kf7! with | the idea 26.Qxd7? Rxe7 27.dxe6+ | Qxe6!! when Black wins."I was \afraid [to play 25...Kf7!]," was | Kamsky frank admission. “I didn’t trust myself. With the two rooks and bishop and queen [near my king] and my queen afar. I thought it can’t be good! But of course it was good; I should have just trusted my _instincts.”] 26.Qxe6+ Kh8 27.Ral 0:35 27...Qc4 7.41 28.Recl!? 0:23The gambler’s | spirit! Topalov could force an im- | mediate draw with [28.Rxa3 Bb3 29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.Qxf5 QxdS but | with Kamsky down to seven min- | utes for 13 moves, Topalov, after a twelve minute think, decides to keep the game as random as possi- ble.] 28...Be2! 5.08 29.Qd7 0:23 [29.Qe3 was best, to win the a pawn and hold the balance, be- jcause Black has no time for 29...a2? 30.d6!] 29...a2! 30.d6 0:22 Another very fast move by Topaloy - by now the game was spinning out of White’s control. 30...b5! 3.06Suddenly Kamsky has gained the upper hand, but he still has to make 10 moves to reach the time control and there remains plenty to calculate. 31.Qb7 0:22 [31.Qc7 would make life far too easy after 31...Qxc7 32.dxc7 Bb3 33.Bd8 Raxd8 34.cxd8Q Rxd8]} 31,,,.Reb8? 2.46The obvious move but [31...b4! 32.d7 Reb8! would have been winning; Black’s pawns are just too strong.] 32.Qe7! 0:22 32...Re8? 1.36Fatal, but now the exchange of queens is no longer possible because dxc7 attacks a rook. With little time left Kamsky saw, but could not bring himself to commit to the saving queen sacri- fice [32...Bd3!! 33.Rxe4 bxe4 when itis White who must find the narrow path to the draw after 34.h4 (34.0xb8+! is also good enough Gust!), e.g. 34..Rxb8 35.44 RbI+ 36.Kh2 Rxal 37.d7 Rh1+ 38.Kg3! h5 39.d8Q+ Kh7 40.Bf6!! and White will secure a perpetual check.) 34...Rb1+ 35.Kh2 Rxal 36.d7 Rhl+ 37.Kg3! Rg8 38.d8Q alQ 39.Qcb8! when Black must force a draw beginning with 39...f4+ “I saw this [32...Bd3!!] idea and | realised I should play it but I just lost it,” said Kamsky. “I stopped trusting myself and pan- icked.”] 33,Qxc4 0:20Topaloy, | understanding that his position was now winning, ceased his blitzing and began to double-check all his decisions. 33...Rxe4 1.16 34.47 Bbi 35.Rdl Kg8 36.d8Q+ Rxd8 37.Bxd8 Be2 38.Rdcl b4 39.Rxa2 b3 40.Ra8 Kf7 41.Rb8 Here Kamsky surveyed the ruins of his position for 20 minutes before playing a few more futile moves and conceding the game and the match. 41...Ke6 42.Rel+ Kd5 43.Be7 Rad 44.Bf8 Ra7 45.h4 1-0 / 86 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 18TACTICAL LESSONS When The Position Is Winning Keep It Simple By IM P. Karthikeyan P. Karthikeyan 2450 - Prathamesh Mokal 2389 Queen’s Indian E15 Parsvnath Open, Delhi 2009. Well this is the penultimate round of the Parsvnath International Open 2009. 1.d4 | got to.say few things about my opponent Prathamesh Mokal. He is an IM a very good friend of mine. We both had been to the Asian Club Champi- onship in Al-Ain in December 2008 and were team mates. He needs a draw in this game for his first GM. norm and I need a win for my GM Norm. So the battle begins... 1...Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.23 Baé 5.b3 The Queens Indian defence. 5...Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Bg2 c6 8.0-0 d5 9.Qc2 [9.NeS is also playable.] 9...Nbd7 10.a4!? [10.Rd1 is normal in this position] 10...0-0 11.Rd1 5 12.Na3 May be the best move but it is all just theory. 12...Bb7 13.Qb2 In this position black could have | maintained the position with Ae4 or may be with Rc8 but my oppo- nent needs a draw to make his GM norm may be that factor made him to open the position. 13...dxe4 14.Nxe4.cxd4.A fier 15.Nd4 1 dont see any struggle in black’s posi- tion so I decided to play the very powerful 15 Bf4. 15.Bf4! [15.Nxd4 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Nc5 17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Be5 Bf6 19.Racl Ro8#] 15...Nh5 [15...d3 16.Rxd3 Nd5 17.Radi>; 15...Bxf3 16.Bxf3 Nd5 17.Ne5 Bf6 18.Ng4 3 19.Nxf6+ Qxf6 20.Qxf6 N7xf6 21.Rxd3 slight edge for white ] 16.Qxd4 Ndf6?! [16...Bd5 17.Racl NcS 18.Qe3 Nxf4 19.gxf4 Rc8 20.Nfe5~] 17.Qb2 Bd5 18.Be5 Qc8 19.Ne3 Be5 20.Nxd5 [20.Racl Qa6 (20...0d7 21.Rxc5! bxc5 22.g4) |20...Nxd5 4 PAGES SPONSORED BY SAMEER A SALGAOCAR AICF VICE PRESIDENT 88 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 2021.e4 What I thought is when the positon is winning you dont need to complicate things much. [21.b41? I was tempted by this move over the board 21...Nxb4 22.g4 Nf6 23.Bxf6 gxf6 24.Oxf6 Nd5 25.Qg5+ Kh8 26.Qh6 [6 27.Nh4-] 21...Nb4 22.Nel [22.24 £6 23.exhS fxe5 24.Qxe5 Rf6 25.Qg3+| 22...f5 May be black is ttying to create some’ counter. [O22.'26 23.BE3 (23.g4 for) |23..:Qc6 24-Qd2 Be7 25.Racl Rad8 26,.Qe2+] 23.exf5 RxfS 24.Bd4+- This move stops every- SS P, Karthikeyan of Chennai thing. 24...Nf6 [24...Nd5 25.24 Rg5 26.gxh5 Nf4 27.Bxe5. Qc6 (27...Qb7 28.Be3 Rxg2+. 29.Kf1 Qa6+ 30.Nd3 wins) 28. Be3 Rxg2+ 29. Kfl | wins| 25. Bxe5 bxe5. 26. Bxa8 Qxa8 27.Qe2 Qe6 | 28. Rd8+ Kf7) 29.Rad1 Nbd5 | 30.Qb5 Qxb5 [30...Q¢7 31.Qb8 Qe7 32.Nd3+-] 31. axb5 Ne3 32.Ral Nxb5 33.Rb8 Nd4 34.Rxa7+ Kg6 35.Rbb7 Ne8 Time trouble 36.Re7 Nf6 37.Rxg7+ Kh6 38.Rgb7 05 39.h4 Kh5 40.Nd3 Nf3+ 41.Ke2 e4 42.Nf4+ = Rxf4 43.gxf4 Kg4 44.Rg7+ Kxf4 45.Kh3 Ne5S 46.Rxh7) Nxh7 47.Rxh7 Kf3 48.Rh5 Nd3| 49.RES+ Nf4+ | ae 4 PAGES SPONSORED BY SAMBER A SALGAOCAR AICF VICE PRESIDENT 21 www.chess-mate.com CHESS MATE * March 2009 8950.Rxf4+ Kxf4 51.h5 Kf3 52.h6 Kxf2 53.h7 e3 54.h8Q e2 55.Qh4+ Obviously my opponent was upset by this loss but he won his last round game (Jan 2009 is- sue) against GM Barua to make his 10 game GM norm so we both made GM norms in this tournament for a happy ending. 1-0. All tournaments have plenty of tac- tical combinations and the Parsvnath Open, was no exception. IM Manuel Aaron sends us two positions: White to play and win. 24.Nf6+!! Kh8 [24...gxf6 25.gxh7+ Kf7 26:h8Q wins] 25.Rh3! Qxf6 [25...h6 26.Nxe8 Qxe8 27.Qxb7 wins.] 26.Rxh7+ Kg8 27.Rh8+! 1-0. Yuri Solodovnichenko 2571 - Y B Arkhangels 2315 4 PAGES SPONSORED BY SAMEER A SALGAOCAR AICF VICE PRESIDENT White to play and win. Parimarjan Negi 2600 - GB Prakash 2397 19.Rxg7+! Kxg7 20.Qxh6+ 21.Rgl+ Bgs 22.Bxg5 Rg7 23.Qxg7+! Kxg7 24.Bxd8+ and 36 1-0. Grand Master Ian Rogers has sent some Tactical positions from Linares: Magnus Carlsen 2776- Viswanathan Anand 2791 Carlsen had played an excellent position game up to this point but is tunning out of pawns and, since 58.Bg6 Ne5 would lead nowhere, needs to find something special to finish off the World Champion. 58.h6! Nd4 Now 59.Bd3 Nxb3+! would lead to a drawn but Carlsen has something else entirely in mind... 59.h7! Nxf5 60.Rb8! Nd4 61.Kb2! The final point; White re- tains his last pawn, after which the win will be slow but sure. 61...Kd6 62.h8Q Rxh8 63.Rxh8 Ke5 64.Rh5 Nc6 65.Rh4 Nb4 66.Ka3 d4 67,.Rh5+ Nd5 68.Kb2 Ke6 69.Ka3 Ke5 70.Rh4 Nb4 71.Rh8 Ne6?! [71...Nd5 would have of- | fered greater resistance, although with 30 second increments on the | a 90 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 224 PAGES SPONSORED BY SAMEER A SALGAOCAR AICF VICE PRESIDENT _ | final time control, Carlsen’s would no doubt eventually have broken down Anand’s defences,] 72.Rh5+ Kd6 73.b4 d3 74.Rh3 Ne5'75.Kb3 | d2 76.Kc2 Nc6 77,Rh4 1-0. Magnus Carlsen- Wang Yue After 23.Qg4 the game would be far from clear but Carlsen makes an un- Jucky choice, 23.Bxe4?! 0.53 23...Qxe4! 0.59 24,Rd2 0.22Played af- ter half an hour of increasing desperate calculation. [24.Bd4 Nxd4 25.exd4 Rfe8 would be very easy fo Black to play so Carlsen provokes the following, combination and hopes that his king will later find safety.] 24...Rxb6!! 0.39 25.Nxb6 Qe5! 26.Rel?! 0.13Carlsen against chooses the most provocative line, though [26.g3! Nxg3! 27.Nxd5! Nxfl (27:..Ne2+ 28.Kg2!) 28.Kxfl would keep White in the game] 26..Qh2+27.KF1 Qhi+28,Ke2 Qxg? 0.39 29,Rxd5! 0.11 29..Ng3+ 0.37 30.Kd3 9.01 30...Be7 0.37 3i.fxg3 6.28 31...Bxb6 32,Ke4! 5.38 32...Rb8 0.34 33.KbS! Sensational defence by Carlsen but his clock trouble was now becoming critical with litte more than a minute left to reach the time control. 33.uBd4+ 0.31 [33...Bd8+! 34.Ka6 Bo7! is the unlikely computer win - | Black’s queen cannot be prevented from returning to deliver the coup de grace.] 34.Ke4 1.09 34...Bf6 0.31 | 35.Qd3 0.28 35...Qxg3 36.Rdl 0.27 36..Qe7+ 37.Re5 Qb7 38.Q46? 0.06Incredibly White would be hold- ing [38.Qd7! Qa6+ (38...e4+ still of- fered some chances)) 39.Rb5! because 39.4Re8+ 40,Kd3 Rd8 does not win a queen in view of 41.Kc2!! ] 38...Qe4+ 0.22 39.Rd4 Qc2+ 40.Ka5 0.02 40...Qg2+ 41.e4 The best chance - [41.Kc4 Qe2+ 42,Kd5 Re8! gives Black a winning attack.] 41...Rd8 42.Qxd8+ Bxd8 43.Rc8 g6! 44.Rxd8+ Kg7 45.Rd3 Qe2 46.Kd4 ad! 47.bxa4 Qxa2 48.Ke5 b3 49.Rb8 b2 50.Rdb3 Qxad S1.Rxb2 Qxed 52.R8b3 Kh6! 53.Re3 15 54.Rbb3 Qe5+ 55.Ke4 KhS 56,.Kd3 Kh4 57.Kd2 £4 58.R63 g5 59.Rfd3 QcS 60.Rbe3 Qi2+ 61.Kdl Qfl+ 62.Ka2 Qg2+ 63.Kdl Qed 64.Kd2 hS 0-1 [Affiliated to the ‘Bombay Classroom Coaching for Schools and Colleges. Printed Notes for permanent reference Online Coaching all over the World ‘One stop Website for all your requirements eeoeee Contaet Information: PROFESSIONAL CHESS ACADEMY umbai) Chess Aggo. Personal as well4s Gronp Coaehing in MUMBAI Special Course Syllabus for Beginners and Intermediate Players. Mr, Ameya Thakur, 15/3795, Nehru Nagar, Kurla (East), Mumbai ~400 024. INDIA. | Telephone: 91 - 22 - 2527 4222. Mobile: 91 - 98200 37725, Website: worwsprofessionalchessacademy.com on’) www.chess-mate.com CHESS MATE* March 2009 91 23Eee MAGIC 3. Whites to play and win. 6. Black to play and win. For solutions please see page 36 Parsynath Tournament 09 92 CHESS MATE * March 2009 www.chess-mate.com 24Srinath Triumphs Former World Under-12 cham- pion and second seed Narayanan Srinath of Chennai won the 2nd Co- lombo International Chess Festival | that concluded at the Royal College | Union Auditorium, Colombo on Feb 25. Srinath (8/9) pushed top seed In- tertiational Master Rajaram Laxman | (7.5) 0f1CF, Chennai to second place. | Srinath won the title in the 154-player tournament organised by the Passed |Pawn Chess Club. Seventh seed Rajeendra Kalugampitiya of Sri | Lanka prevented an Indian podium finish by taking the third place. The fourth place was bagged by third seed IM Anup Deshmukh of LIC, Nagpur also on 7.5. The Boys Under-15 title went to Niranjan Navalgund. of. Belgaum who scored 6.5/9 and also stood tenth. Laxman Wins Chennai IM Rajaram Laxman won the IM Norm tournament at Kegalle in Sri Lanka with a round to spare on March 4: Laxman of ICF, Chennai won this 8-player double all-play-all event by a wide margin scor- ing 12/14. Indians dominated this inter- national master tournament. In the second and third places are IM N. Srinath of Chennai on eight points and IM Anup Deshmukh of Nagpur with 7.5 points. This event ran from Feb 25. | Laxman started as top seed and won con- vincingly..He had.recently completed a Grand Master norm at Gurgaon, in Janu- ary this year. He became richer by RS.50,000 Sri Lankan Rupees, Laxman drew four games and won ten to win re- main undefeated, Placings: 1. R.R. Laxman (Ind) 12/14, 2 M.K.A. Russell | (Sri) 9, 3 N. Srinath (Ind) 8.5, 4 A. Deshmukh (Ind) 7.5,5.G.C. Anuruddha. (Sri) 7, 6 Manish Hamal (Sri) 4,7 T GM Peiris (Sri)4, 8 Kurukulasuriya (Sri) 4. Sharma Wins: Sri Lankan Open was won by Kanpur's D.K. Sharma of LIC. It was held from Feb 6-10 at Co- lombo. 1-4. IM D.K. Sharma, G.C. Anuruddha, P.M.R.L. Bandara, N. Srinath 7.5/9 each...193 players, 1st Manali International FIDE Rating Tournament | 6 June - 12 June 2009 sic Event Code is 017-2009 TN Organised by Thiruvallur District Chess Association ‘At Swathi Mahal A/c, R-104/3, IInd Main Road Mathur MMDA Manali Chennai 600068} Under Auspices of Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, All India Chess eis Prizes: Rs.100,000 Break-Up: 1 Rs.25,000 with Manali Ever Rolling Trophy, 2 Rs.15,000, 3 Rs.10,000, 4 Rs.8,000, 5 Rs.6500, 6 Rs.5,000, 7 Rs.4000, 3050, 9 Rs.2000, 10-20 Rs.1000 each. Best Prizes: Unrated: Rs, 1000, Women: Rs.1000, Veteran Rs.1000. Category prizes: Boys U-8, 10, 12, 14:.1 Rs.500, 2'Rs.300,3 R5.200 per cate- | gory. Category prizes: Girls U-8, 10, 12, 14: 1 Rs.500, 2 Rs.200. Best Manali player: Rs.500 (boy), Rs.300 (girl). Entry Fee: GM, IM, WGM, WIM free. Elo 2350+ free. Elo: 2200-2350 Rs.400, 2199-2000 Rs.500, 1999-1400 Rs.600, Unrated Rs.700. Entry closes on May 1. Entry with late fee of Rs,250 upto May 4, 2009, Eniries should be sent by bank draft payable at Chennai favouring Thiravallur District Chess Associa- tion. Send yout enttry to: Thiruvallur District Chess Association, No.24, Vietory Estate, Thirumullaivoyal, Chennai 600 062. Accommodation: Dormitory type for outstation players. Accompanying persons should make their own arrangement. Weather in Chennai will be slightly hot. Tournament Schedule: Arrival June 5. Inauguration June 6 9-11 am. Eleven rounds. Closing ceremony: June 12 1430 hours. Tournament details: K Gunasekaran 9884424747, T. Jagadeesh 98409 90979, U, Jayavelan 99406 60626, M.A. Velayudam 93808 32268, K. Sirajudeen 9444785686. In case of emergency call: S. Balaraman 944475 | 432, Fax 044-25366464, M, Sunitha 9952917850 E-mail: tvirchess@gmail.com or tvirchess@yahoo.com 25 www.chess-mate.com CHESS MATE * March 2009 93Chess On The Net | A look at the homepage, and we | see the eye catching caption "First | Professional Chess Training center in India by a Grand Master." With this | invitation the browser is led into the | website. One can infer, that imparting | chess skills and bringing out the in- herent talent in the kids, is the kind of professional training that Chess Gurukul provides The homepage link "why us" de- livers the keynote message that a stu- dent's complete chess education needs will be taken care of under one roof irrespective of the level of the student. Then comes the coaches link. Herein, Commonwealth Champion Grandmaster R B Ramesh & FIDE Master and certified FIDE Trainer K.Visweswaran spearhead the panel of coaches, that includes Interna- tional Masters and FIDE Masters among others. Further down, one comes to the classes schedule link. This page pro- vides the weekly schedule of the training centre, for kids and their par- ents. In addition to the daily classes, an elaborate and different Sunday ac- | tivity is also highlighted. The list in- | cludes, simultaneous display, special lectures from Grandmasters, counsel- ling for parents, rapid, blitz events ete., Then comes important link - psy- chological training. It is psychology along with preparation that plays a major part in ensuring the ultimate success. Renowned Sports Psychologist C.KrishnaPrasad has been roped in | by Chess Gurukul and he will be giv- Professional Training In India With A GM http://chessgurukul.com By R.R. Vasudevan ing specialized training for those enrolled kids Psychological training includes - Improving Concentration, Handling pressure, Time Management, Visualiza- tion technique, Goal setting - to name a few. Regular homepage links can also be found listed under quick links. Fee struc- ture link takes care of the unrated, me- dium and highly rated players. “Freshers course” is also on offer, as a one time measure. The registered players list, holds the complete list kids on roll. While the student's achievement page shows that Chess Gurukul is making sure but successful steps. Online coaching is offered, with more details being provided upon con- tacting the Directors. The strength of the advisory board listed - Grandmasters Elizbar Ubilava and Alon Greenfeld, Nine time national champion and Inter- national Master Manuel Aaron, India's first International Arbiter V.-Kameswaran - gives a thumbs up for credentials. "Time to think" is another thought- ful quote that comes under banner of Chess Gurukul logo, holding the impres- sive lone king in the center. Contact us page gives the contact details of the Di- rectors, and also includes the feeback link. Impressive is the motto of Chess | Gurukul which aims in not only making great chess champions, but also make them top class individuals who succeed | in all spheres of life. The author R.R. Vasudevan is a bankder and can be reached at chessvasu@yahoo.com 27 www.chess-mate.com CHESS MATE * March 2009 95