Corus Wijk aan Zee, 14-29 Jan 2006
Last Edited:
Friday September 1, 2006 2:25 PM
Round 4: The Calm Before The Calm
Round 4 (2006.01.17)
Adams, Michael - Kariakin, Sergey 1/2 24 B92 Sicilian Najdorf
Leko, Peter - Ivanchuk, Vassily 1/2 27 C13 French Classical
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar - Tiviakov, Sergei 1/2 52 E42 Nimzo Indian
Sokolov, Ivan - Anand, Viswanathan 1/2 15 D28 Queen's Gambit Accepted
Bacrot, Etienne - Gelfand, Boris 0-1 61 D17 Slav defence
Van Wely, Loek - Topalov, Veselin 0-1 43 D15 Slav defence
Kamsky, Gata - Aronian, Levon 0-1 72 C85 Ruy Lopez
Corus Wijk aan Zee (NED), I 2006 cat. 19 (2716)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Positions after Round 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2792 * . . 1 . . = 1 . = . . . . 3.0 2900
2 Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2801 . * . . 0 . . . . . . 1 1 1 3.0 2882
3 Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2723 . . * . 1 = . . . . . 1 . 0 2.5 2807
4 Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2729 0 . . * . = 1 . . 1 . . . . 2.5 2838
5 Adams, Michael g ENG 2707 . 1 0 . * . . = . . = . . . 2.0 2713
6 Leko, Peter g HUN 2740 . . = = . * = = . . . . . . 2.0 2716
7 Aronian, Levon g ARM 2752 = . . 0 . = * . . . . . . 1 2.0 2736
8 Kariakin, Sergey g UKR 2660 0 . . . = = . * . . . . . 1 2.0 2731
9 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar g AZE 2709 . . . . . . . . * = = = = . 2.0 2680
10 Sokolov, Ivan g NED 2689 = . . 0 . . . . = * . . = . 1.5 2632
11 Tiviakov, Sergei g NED 2669 . . . . = . . . = . * 0 = . 1.5 2608
12 Bacrot, Etienne g FRA 2717 . 0 0 . . . . . = . 1 * . . 1.5 2638
13 Van Wely, Loek g NED 2647 . 0 . . . . . . = = = . * . 1.5 2630
14 Kamsky, Gata g USA 2686 . 0 1 . . . 0 0 . . . . . * 1.0 2541
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Giddins reports direct from Wijk aan Zee
I suppose there must be windier places on earth than Wijk aan Zee, but
I have yet to visit one. The Dutch seaside town outdoes even Hastings
for the ferocity with which the gales howl in off the sea, and in previous
years, I have several times come close to being swept off my feet whilst
walking the few hundred yards from the playing hall to the hotel. With
cold and wind tends also to come illness, and most years sees some kind
of cold or flu bug terrorising the players. Thus far, we have been lucky
this year, as both wind and rain have held off, and long may it continue.
However, today's fourth round did see the first hints of the dreaded drawitis
epidemic, as three games ended in short, and uneventful draws.
In Sokolov-Anand, the first-named tried to combine ideas of Nc3 and b4
in a known QGA position, but obtained nothing. In the final position,
he could play on with 16 Qxd5 Nxd5 17 bxc5 f6 18 Ba5, seizing some squares,
but Anand felt that this was nothing special for White, who could even
end up worse if he plays e4 and Black responds e5. As it was, Sokolov
took the Indian's draw offer on move 15.
Adams-Kariakin was a 6 Be2 Najdorf, with Kariakin preferring the classical
Najdorf reply 6...e5, rather than the 6...e6 which brought Topalov to
grief against Adams two rounds earlier. Kariakin offered a pawn sacrifice
first tried in Asrian-Grischuk, from the recent world team championship
in Beersheva. Asrian had declined with 15 c4, but Adams took the pawn,
which was widely assumed to be preparation. In fact, however, Adams revealed
after the game that he was unaware of the Grischuk predecessor. Black
obtained reasonable compensation for his pawn, with good dark-square control
and superior development, and regained the pawn with a drawn ending a
few moves later. Adams tried various attempted improvements in the post
mortem (19 a3 and 19 c3, for example), but even with the assistance of
Vishy Anand, he was unable to prove anything significant.
Leko-Ivanchuk completed the trio. After yesterday's disaster, Ivanchuk
chose the solid Burn Variation of the French. Leko's 8 Qe2 is a rare plan,
though not completely new, but it appeared that he did not have anything
too special in mind. The early d4-d5 break in such positions generally
leads to one of two results - either a rapid initiative and an overwhelming
attack for White, or a mass simplification, followed by an early draw.
Today it was the latter.
One of the nice things about a 14-player event, rather than an 8-player
tournament such as Linares, is that a few early draws does not leave the
spectators lacking entertainment. Today, the four remaining games in the
A group were all absorbing struggles. Kamsky looked to be heading for
the proverbial early bath, after dropping a pawn in the opening against
Aronian. However, Kamsky has always been renowned as a tremendous defender,
and he somehow managed to put up stout resistance in a position which
appeared to be decaying rapidly. As I write, he is still resisting, in
the last game of the day to finish.
Mamedyarov-Tiviakov saw White gradually build up some initiative from
a quiet Nimzo-Indian variation, but a sudden miscalculation at move 28
led to the tables being turned. Black emerged with an extra piece in the
ending, but with relatively few pawns remaining and his king very exposed.
Mamedyarov managed to coordinate his rooks and force perpetual check,
a rather lucky escape for the world junior champion.
Bacrot-Gelfand was a tough struggle in another main line Slav, a popular
opening so far in this event. Against White's rather rare plan of an early
b4-b5, Gelfand's 18...Qe7 appears new. Despite losing castling rights,
Black's powerfully centralised pieces soon gave him the upper hand, which
he converted into an extra exchange, and eventually, a full point.
The game of the day was the clash between Dutch champion Loek van Wely
and FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov. Despite having the black pieces,
Topalov was in a fighting mood, and had prepared a razor-sharp variation
for the occasion. The game did not disappoint.
van Wely - Topalov [D15]
Corus Wijk aan Zee A Group Rd4
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 a6 5 a4 e6 6 Bg5 h6!? 7 Bh4
The alternative was 7 Bxf6, leading to an altogether quieter game, but
it was not hard to predict that van Wely would choose the sharper course.
7...dxc4 8 e3
8 e4 g5 9 Bg3 b5 leads to a Moscow Gambit variation, with the additional
moves a4 and a6 included. This has apparently never been tested before,
and it is not entirely clear whom the extra moves favour, but one can
be sure that Topalov and his team will have looked at this in some detail.
8...b5 9 Bxf6
Quiet development will allow Black to play Bb7 and Nd7, when White has
some compensation, but probably not enough. The line selected by van Wely
is critical.
9...gxf6 10 axb5 cxb5 11 Nxb5 axb5 12 Rxa8 Bb4+
13 Ke2!
A previous game van den Doel - van der Wiel had continued 13 Nd2 here,
but Topalov indicated after the game that Black is better after 13...Bb7
14 Ra1 Qb6, and Loek's choice may well therefore be stronger.
13...Bb7 14 Ra1
14 Ra7 is another option, but after 14...Bd5 it is not clear if White
has helped himself or his opponent. One point is that 15 g3? always loses
to 15...Be4! In all such lines, including the game continuation, Black
has a strong long-term initiative for his material. One of White's ideas
is to return the exchange by Rxb7 at some stage, when he can consolidate
his position by g3 and Bg2, with chances of standing rather better, thanks
to his superior pawn structure. This is a theme of much of what follows.
14...f5?!
Topalov was not entirely happy with this after the game, feeling that
he should probably have preferred 14...Qb6, and only after 15 Ne1 play
15...f5, now that the white knight cannot hop into e5.
15 Ne5 Rg8
15...f6!? 16 Ng6 Rg8 17 Nf4 does not leave any clear follow-up for Black.
16 f4! Nc6
If 16...Nd7, White has the possibility of 17 Nxd7 Qxd7 18 Ra7, planning
to return the exchange on b7, as discussed in the note to White's 14th.
After the text move, exchanging knights is less good, because of 17 Nxc6
Bxc6 18 Kf2 e5! 19 fxe5 f4, with a powerful attack.
17 Nf3 Na5!?
Another decision which Topalov was not entirely convinced about. It is
very natural to wish to activate the knight on b3, but a good alternative
was 17...Ne7, planning Nd5-f6.
18 Kf2 Nb3 19 Ra7
Still seeking a chance to return the exchange, but Topalov is having
none of it. An alternative was 19 Ra2, when Black can consider 19...Nc5,
with good play.
19...Be4
20 Ra2?
This seems like a critical mistake. 20 Be2 was better, when Black can
either play 20...Na5, as feared by van Wely, or simply 20...Qb6, which
was Topalov's intention. After the text move, Black is able to break through
with a decisive attack.
20...e5! 21 fxe5
21 Nxe5 Qh4+ yields two nice winning variations, both crowned with the
same knight jump: 22 Kg1 Be1 23 Qe2 Nc1! winning, and 22 g3 Rxg3 23 hxg3
Qxh1 24 Nf3 Bxf3 25 Qxf3 Be1+ 26 Ke2 Nc1 winning.
21 ..f4 22 Be2
22 exf4 is answered by 22...Bxf3. Now both 23 Qxf3 Qxd4+ 24 Qe3 Qd5-+
and 23 Kxf3 Bd2-+ win for Black, but 23 gxf3 is more stubborn. After the
game, Topalov indicated 23...Bd2 as winning, but White can continue to
resist by 24 Bh3. I leave it to you and your silicon friends to investigate
this further, but it appears that Black probably does have a winning attack
after 24...Bxf4.
22...fxe3+ 23 Kxe3 Qd5 24 g3?!
Van Wely was by now is serious time-trouble, and this error makes things
easier for Black. 24 Kf2 was a tougher defence, although 24...Nxd4 still
gives Black a winning attack.
24...Nxd4 25 Nxd4
25 Ra8+ Qxa8 26 Qxd4 is another try, but both 26...Bf5 and 26...Rg4 should
win for Black.
25...Bxh1 26 Bf3
26 Nf3 Bc5+ 27 Kf4 Bd4 28 Qxd4 Rg4+ wins.
26...Qxe5+ 27 Kf2 Bc5 28 Bxh1
And here 28 Ra8+ loses to 28...Ke7 29 Rxg8 Bxd4+ 30 Kf1 Qe3 31 Qe2 Bxf3
winning. Van Wely was now down to just 25 seconds to reach the move 40
time control (no Fischer-style increments here at Wijk aan Zee!), and
it is a minor miracle that he made the moves at all.
28...Bxd4+ 29 Kf1 Rg5 30 Bf3 Kf8 31 Kg2 Qe3 32 Kh3?!
32 Qe2 is slightly better.
32...Kg7 33 b3 cxb3 34 Ra3 b4 35 Rxb3 Bc3 36 Qe2 Qc5 37 Qd3 Qc8+!
38 Kg2 Ra5! 39 Qc2 Qe6 40 Qb1
Van Wely completed this move with exactly one second showing on his digital
clock! Black could now have forced immediate resignation by 40...Ra3,
since after the exchange of rooks, the a-pawn queens. He actually missed
this, but his chosen move wins easily enough.
40...Ra1 41 Qc2 Bd4 42 Bd1
42 h4! is tougher, but does not save the game.
42...Qe1 43 Bf3??
Unfortunately, losing the game by missing mate in one, but there was
no saving the position.
43...Qf1 mate
Tomorrow is the first rest day of the tournament, but make a point of
visiting the BCM site again, for a special report. This will bring you
news and gossip from around the tournament, plus an update on what has
been happening in Grandmaster Groups B and C, two further 14-player all-play-all
tournaments, which boast no less than 21 GMs between them!
|
