What happened to Kasim

In round seven in the game Topalov-Kasim Black got nice position after the opening and I suspected that Kasim was just waiting for a draw offer. Topalov most probably was thinking about it but just played some more chess, moves like Nf3-h2-g4 looked very innocent indeed. Kasim was too relaxed and when he played h7-h6? and followed by Nf6xg4? suddenly from nowhere White had some play on c1-h6 diagonal. Now Topalov did not give him any chance for survival. Yes playing with the top (Topalov) player you should be alert all the time.
Anand is not good defender.Why to play f7-f5 and at the end you have just a a bad position. Black could not do much but I hardly believe that White had more than just enough compensation.
Adams, sorry but this is the end of his chess career. You get wounded and in next tournament they do not respect you any more. Anand is in the same danger. We will see the second part of the tournament-Anand, Adams do they strike back and everybody is looking forward what our chess Federer can do. I heard rumors that Garry the great is coming back because in politics they do not admire him so much as he is used to be. I am in Reykjavik and I saw Bobby already-more news about him next week.

Boring round

Round six. Sorry for late comments. Reason the round was very boring indeed. Why? Because there I (we) did not see any real conflict. People played chess but you need still two of them to create something interesting. One man still plays different chess. Does he. Garry Kasparov had a succinct explanation for Topalov's success: "He is playing chess." Let take a closer look of his game against Polgar. Short explains: “one of the reasons that Soviet grandmasters in their heyday were so strong was that they possessed great patience”. Patience is all you need not only on poker table. In poker table you just wait for good hand but in chess you must execute the plan step by step. Polgar was like a chess goddess against Kasim where she had a chance to sacrifice. The most difficult part for women chess players as my former coach pointed out is to stand still. The mistake Polgar made 20.g4? she can not explain herself, it is in her nature. Just these kind of strikes do not work in endgames. Back to Kasparov. Back in 1989-1991 during the World Cup series I got angry when I saw my compatriots losing as white against Garry trying to create something extraordinary in the openings due to their incompetence in modern theory. I always thought why they just let it go (the dream beating Garry) and make a draw (playing for a draw). Now Topalov has the same advantage. Usually strong player should be capable to draw against any opponent as white. I even managed to make two draws against Zappa program now the official World Champion among chess programs. Topalov has however only three games left where he has black pieces, so he can not use his advantage much. Today he faces Kasim, he should play solid in other hand he must keep his champion style. It would be difficult for him and any result today is possible.
About other guys. Kasim could not create real problems for Leko. For Moro it was really difficult to create enough complications against Adams. It seems that the latter gave it up already and plays unpretentious chess. Anand versus Svidler looked like a computer game. Very clean draw despite the theoretical exchange sacrifice.

Round six openings

Kasim-Leko
Leko is playing again his pet line and with move order 16...g6 instead of 16...Kh8 In the game Anand-Leko I thought that probably this was some kind on mouse slip. It was not because against Kasim he played today 16...g6 again. Why, all other experts like Radjabov play 16...Kh8 first. Leko came out with improvement 18...Bd7 but after obvious move 19.Qe2 he made his next move after conciderable thought. If you are not in best shape everything seems against you even your own pet lines. Kasim is better and Leko is going to suffer again.
Anand-Svidler
Anand had problems before with Marshall attack as white. In his match game against Khalifman in New Delhi 2000 he was lost but somehow managed to save the game. Svidler is also from Saint-Petersburgh like Khalif-they now the lines well.
Adams-Moro
Strange game, I know that 8.O-O is not the best move order because Black can play 8...Bd7 and after 9.Nb3 Na5 the pawn is still on f2 and white can not play e4-e5. Moro did not use this and played Bd7 only after short castle, now the theory suggests 10.Nb3 with big plus for White. Adams the lazy guy probably new this but did not know the exact lines most likely. In the game after some tactics the position is very unclear.
Polgar-Topalov
We play endgame with a weaker player. Should be a draw-difficult to realize how White can lose this endgame.

Endgame

Every game is important an the games between leaders have double interest. I am really fond of Topalovs game so far. I played against him back in 1995 and it seems that he did not lose any energy but even strengthened his fighting spirit. It also seems that he really works on his chess. He is nearly the only player who has something new in his openings. There are two ways one is just copy modern theory and other is to find your own road to perfection. Anand, Leko and many others just follow the mainstream. Adams keeps it quiet following the old quite lines. Moro is in his own. Polgar is a good student but she opened again the sharp line in this tournament with 7.g2-g4 and beat Kasim. This is why today Svidler instead of 6.f2-f3 played 6.Be3 but Topalov was ready for this and went to his own line followed by novelty.
Svidler,P (2738) - Topalov,V (2788)
WCh-FIDE San Luis ARG (5), 03.10.2005


1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.Ne3 Qa5+ Novelty-at least it did not appear in recent games. 15.c3 Nf3+! The point. 16.Qxf3 Bxc3+ 17.Kd1 Qa4+ [ Not 17...Bxb2? 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Qh5+ Ke7 because of 20.Bxd6+ Diagram



] 18.Nc2 Bxb2 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Qb3 Forced. 20...Qxb3 21.axb3 Bxa1 22.Nxa1 My first impression was that White is better, but the position is still very sharp and Black has some trumps as well-the white pieces lack coordination. Now briefly checking the lines with my friend FRITZ I must say Black has good game. If this was Topalovs home preparation-good for him and congratulations. 22...Ke7 23.Bd3 [ 23.f3 Rac8 24.Nc2 Na5 25.b4] 23...Rac8 24.Re1 Nd4 25.f3 Rc3 26.Kd2 Rhc8 27.Rb1?! After [ 27.Bc4! R3xc4 28.bxc4 Rxc4 29.Bf2 the position is aproximately equal, it is difficult foresee how White can lose this position. Probably Svidler overestimated his position.] 27...R3c5 28.b4 Rd5 29.Bf2 Kd7 30.Be3 If [ 30.Nb3 then 30...Nc6; 30.Bxd4 Rxd4 31.Nc2 Rd5 32.Ne3 Rd4 33.Nc2 Rf4 Black is better.] 30...Nf5 31.Bf2 Nh4 32.Bxh4 gxh4 33.Nc2 h5 34.Re1 Rg8 35.Kc3 a5! Diagram



Very unpleasent move in time trouble. Black rooks are very active in open lines.36.Bc4? [ 36.bxa5! Rxg2 37.Nd4 Rc5+ 38.Kb4 and White should hold the position.] 36...Rc8 37.Ne3 Rb5! The point, white is lost now. 38.Kd3 Rxb4 39.Bxe6+ Kxe6 40.Nc2+ Kd5 41.Nxb4+ axb4 42.Re7 b5 43.Rh7 Rc3+ 44.Kd2 Rc4 Yes, Topalov has won nearly all of his games, but this is his best game so far. People were upset when Kasparov left chess, but there's no reason for distress when we have such excellent style from a new champion
. 0-1
(20) Anand,V (2788) - Leko,P (2763) [B33]
WCh-FIDE San Luis ARG (5), 03.10.2005


1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 The anti positional opening Pelican, Sveshnikov or whatever the name. I hate it and I can not play it myself-how you can make positional mistake so early in the game?. You also need to memorize all the lines-no good for lazy people. Once Van Wely told me that to make it ready for tournament he studied it with his second for two weeks. Really and what is the reward. Maybe a draw with strong player like Anand? 5...e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0-0 12.Nc2 Bg5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.Ra2 g6 The game Anand-Kasparov went 16...Kh8 17. Nce3 g6 18.O-O and so on. 17.0-0 Kh8 18.b4 White strikes first-Black did not play f7-f5 yet. 18...axb4 19.cxb4 Be6 20.b5 Bxd5 Diagram



21.exd5!? [ 21.Qxd5 with easy game-small and pleasent plus.] 21...Na5 22.Be2 Ra8 23.Nb4 Nb7 24.Ra6?! [ 24.Rxa8 Qxa8 25.Nc6] 24...Nc5 25.Rc6 Ra4 [ 25...e4 26.Na6 Nxa6 27.bxa6 Bf6 28.Qc2 Re8 29.Rb1 White is also better. ] 26.Qb1 Qa5 27.Na6 Ne4 28.b6 Qxd5 [ 28...Nd2 29.Qb5 Qxb5 30.Bxb5 Ra5 31.Be2 Nxf1 32.Bxf1 and White wins] 29.Qb5 Qd4 [ 29...Qxb5 30.Bxb5 Ra5 31.Bd3+/-] 30.Rc4 Anand took a relativaly long time to think but he missed. [ 30.b7! Nxf2 31.Qb6! Diagram


31...Nh3+ 32.Kh1 Qxb6 33.Rxb6 Nf4 34.Rc6 Nxe2 35.Rc8 and White wins.] 30...Rxc4 31.Qxc4 Nc3! Time trouble. [ 31...Qxc4? 32.Bxc4 Nd2 33.Bd5 Nxf1 34.Kxf1 and the b-pawn decides.] 32.Bd3 Qxc4 33.Bxc4 d5 34.Bxd5 Nxd5 35.b7 e4 36.b8Q Rxb8 37.Nxb8 e3 38.fxe3 Bxe3+ It is a draw, still Anand makes some effort to win. 39.Kh1 Kg7 40.Nc6 h5 41.Rd1 Nf6 42.Rb1 Ng4 43.g3 Bg5 44.Kg2 Bf6 45.Re1 Nh6 46.Kf3 Nf5 47.Rd1 Nh6 48.h3 Nf5 49.Rd7 Kf8 50.Na5 Nd4+ 51.Kg2 Nf5 52.Nc4 Kg7 53.g4 hxg4 54.hxg4 Ne7 55.Nd6 Be5 56.Ne4 Ng8 57.g5 Kf8 58.Rb7 f6 59.Nc5 Ke8 60.Nd3 Bd6 1/2-1/2
Adams got pressure on the d5 square but after the excellent Nf6-h5-g7-e6 and f7-f5 Kasim got enough counterplay. Adams took the opportunity to repeat the position. Another draw between Polgar and Moro was too complex for quick comment. I also have some good news. I go to Reykjavik on Wednesday and probably will meet Bobby and my friend Shabalov is back from England where he won the Isle of Man tournament. He is going to comment on some rounds as well-probably better comments and at least better English.Good luck everybody and see you tomorrow.

Middlegame

In two games Adams-Kasim and Polgar_Moro White has long lasting space advantage. Adams lost against Kasim, the horrible game in Libya last year in tiebreak. In a totally winning position Adams got confused, but this was in rapid chess. Still today we will see the climax also in or around move 35-40. Polgar has a confident position, but Moro has two bishops and he knows how to handle them-remember his game against Leko few days back.

Svidler,P (2738) - Topalov,V (2788)

22.Nxa1 Diagram


22...Ke7 [ 22...Nd4!?] 23.Bd3 I suppose that better is immediately f2-f3 with the idea Bf2. 23...Rac8 24.Re1 Nd4 25.f3 Rc3 26.Kd2 Rhc8 27.Rb1 R3c5 28.b4 Rd5 29.Bf2 Diagram



Now Black should play Nc6 and after Ke2 he has Nd4, Kd2 Nc6 with draw?
In the game Anand-Leko I did not like the move 21.exd5 instead 21.Qxd5 with small but sure plus, probably Anand is looking forward to play very open chess...
After the dubious rook a1 to a6-c6 Black has good counterchances. Simple Rxa8 could secure advantage. All results are now possible.





*

Out of opening

The round just started and we see some interesting theoretical battles. In Svidler-Topalov the latter repeated the line Anand lost against Kasim. The endgame favours White. Two bishops are stronger than rook and two pawns.
Svidler-Topalov
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.Ne3 14...Qa5+N 15.c3 Nf3+ Diagram


16.Qxf3 Bxc3+ 17.Kd1 Qa4! (not 17...Bxb2 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Qh5 Ke7 20 Bxd6! winning) 18.Nc2 ( 18.Kc1 Bxb2+ 19.Kxb2 Qb4+ 20.Kc1 Nd4 21.Qd1 Rc8+ ( 21...Qc3+ 22.Kb1 Qb4+ with perpetual) ) 18...Bxb2 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Qb3 Qxb3 21.axb3 Bxa1 22.Nxa1 Diagram


Anand-Leko
Anand has so many tricky move orders in this line and it seems that he has a decent advantage after opening.
Polgar-Moro
No theory and typical Moro chess.
Adams-Kasim
Typical Adams not pretending for opening advantage and very slow play in poker terms.

Leko,P (2763) - Morozevich,A (2707) [B80]
WCh-FIDE San Luis ARG (2), 29.09.2005


1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Qd2 0-0 9.g4 Nc6 10.0-0-0 Nd7 Kasparov played against Leko [ 10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 12.g5 Nd7 13.h4 Rb8] 11.h4 Nde5?


Do not move twice with the same piece in the opening-,so they say to the kid, but if you are extraordinary chessplayer like Moro you can play it without being afraid of your coach (second). Still I admire people who can stand the work of being coach. 12.Qf2 Bd7 13.Kb1 Na5 Another move out of normal-there was not much choice anyway. The whole plan with Nde5 needs some follow up and this ugly Na5 suits well. 14.g5 Nec4 15.Bc1 b5 16.f4 b4 17.Nce2 Qb6 18.Rh2 d5!? 19.exd5?? Why not [ 19.e5 and strategically White has winning edge. The h5 is coming.] 19...Bc5 20.Qf3 Rad8 21.Nb3 Nxb3 22.axb3 Ne3 23.Bxe3 Bxe3 24.Rd3 Bc5Diagram


Black has suddenly sufficent compensation-two bishops.25.dxe6 Bxe6 It looks that better was Qxe6 but Moro has his own idea! 26.Nc1 Why not Ng3! 26...g6 27.Bh3 f5! 28.gxf6 Bf7! Diagram


This might came as shock for Leko. In mutual time trouble Moro is outplaying White compleatly. 29.f5 Bd4 30.fxg6 hxg6 31.Qg4 Bxf6 32.Re2 a5 33.Re4 Kg7 34.Qg3 Rh8 35.Bf5 Rh5 36.Rxd8 Qxd8 37.Be6 Bxh4 38.Qg2 Be8 39.Rg4 Re5 40.Bc4 Re1 41.Bd3 Qf6 42.Qd2 Qf2 43.Be2 Bf6 44.Rc4 Qg3 45.Rc7+ Qxc7 46.Qxe1 g5? Diagram


Pawns are not moving back, so the plan should be first centralize your forces and only after that move your pawns. 47.Nd3 Bg6 48.Qg1 Qe7 49.Bg4 Qe4 50.Qg3 Bf7 51.Qh3 Bd5 52.Bf5 Diagram


Because of too early g6-g5 White has some counterplay, but still here after Qh1! the endgame is definately lost for White... 52...Qh4? 53.Qe3 Qd4 54.Qg3 Bf7 55.Qg2 Qd5 56.Be4 Qe6 57.Nc5 Qd6 58.Nd3 Be6 59.Qh1 Qd4 60.Qh7+ Kf8 61.Bf5 Bf7 62.Qh6+ Ke7 63.Qh2 Qd6 64.Qh7 Qb8 65.Bg4 Kf8 66.Qh6+ Ke7 67.Qh7 Kf8 68.Qh6+ Ke7 1/2-1/2

Friday introduction

Dear chess friends,
You might find a lot of substantive comments about the ongoing FIDE World Championship in Argentina.

Who is playing:
Viswanathan Anand IND 2788 Veselin Topalov BUL 2788 Peter Leko HUN 2763 Peter Svidler RUS 2738 Judit Polgar HUN 2735 Michael Adams ENG 2719 Alexander Morozevich RUS 2707 Rustam Kasimdzhanov UZB 2670
I see my duty to show you the ultimate criticism a la Nigel Short and as I know and played a lot of games with the current participants I might add some comments others may miss. I haven't had time to make psychological profiles of all the
players. No chess player likes to reveal his own ego to somebody and not even to himself. So please do not take my short profile of players very seriously or personally-this isn't 'science'.
Let start with the Judit. Judit Polgar I met first in 1988. She was in the Thessaloniki Chess Olympiad playing blitz games in a huge smoke filled lobby/bar. She was 12 years old. In 1996 I lost in the last round against her in the Vienna super-tournament and I was astonished how quickly she played. Later in the afternoon when I sobered up and looked the informator (the well known quarterly chess journal) I realized that it was all theory for Judith but not for me. This is the difference-you can not underestimate woman-they have their homework done. Character. She is vicious and when in 2001 in Ohrid after the European Championship she demanded accountability from FIDE executives who were responsible for the usual bad organization and "money laundering" Her polite husband got red faced but he did not say a word.
Judith is a happy married woman and a mother and a well educated chess player but this is not enough to win the title-mens title.
She may still spoil someones dreams in this tournament. If we are looking for some excitement it is good to have Judit there but fellows like Shirov and Ivanchuk are probably not weaker players then Judit and I personally miss them.
Rustam Kasimdzhanov
Only player I never met on board. If you want to make some money-my honest advice-take the odds they are offering and bet on Rustam, you may put him for sure on top three. In round two he agreed to a draw in a winning position against Svidler, but this only shows his strength, in later rounds he probably won't be so nice! Nobody wins this 128 players FIDE (World Cup) by chance. Rustam is my favorite.
Michael Adams
Micky is lazy-why did he not study the openings? Amazing that he managed to be on the top for years without proper opening preparation.
Yes he can play the Petroff but this is not the opening for winners. He lost to Hydra, so if he has courage to use a pocket FRITZ he might be dangerous still.
Peter Svidler
Once he was very promising young player. Now he is happy family man. How many kids does he have two? He loves poetry, music, chess. I can not see in him any hidden bad thing. He is not the champion, not by passion.
Peter Leko
The champions usually grab the chances presented to them. Last year he had his chance against Kramnik-everybody hates Kramnik. Now everybody hates Leko. He's the man who analyses everything at home, even into drawn
positions. Really pathetic.
Alexander Morozevich
Anti Leko. He did not find he's indecisive about his identity and his purpose. He is still my second favorite.
Veselin Topalov
He is trying so hard that it's painful to watch him, but he is
doing well as a chess professional. He has Fischer's concentration, but has he. In some games he makes too many mistakes-I think Fischer was stronger than him. On the other hand in this shaky field he still has some chances.
Viswanathan Anand
Man who plays too quickly and is waiting for unforced errors. Still if this style works I am amazed and should return to play chess in top level again myself. I am waiting for the encounter between him and Rustam. Postscriptum. This was written
on Friday September 30