|
Corus shows who is the King
of the Hill
Round 13
Tiviakov - Fedorov 1-0
Kasparov - Adams ½-½
Anand - Van Wely 1-0
Ivanchuk - Timman 1-0
Kramnik - Piket ½-½
Morozevich - Shirov ½-½
Topalov - Leko ½-½
Final standings:
| Corus,
Wijk an Zee, January 2001 |
| 1. |
Garry Kasparov |
RUS |
2849 |
9 |
| 2. |
Viswanathan Anand |
IND |
2790 |
8½ |
| 3. |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
UKR |
2717 |
8 |
| |
Vladimir Kramnik |
RUS |
2772 |
8 |
| 5. |
Michael Adams |
ENG |
2746 |
7½ |
| |
Alexander Morozevich |
RUS |
2745 |
7½ |
| |
Alexei Shirov |
ESP |
2718 |
7½ |
| 8. |
Peter Leko |
HUN |
2745 |
6½ |
| 9. |
Veselin Topalov |
BUL |
2718 |
5½ |
| 10. |
Loek van Wely |
NED |
2700 |
5 |
| |
Alexei Fedorov |
BLR |
2575 |
5 |
| 12. |
Jeroen Piket |
NED |
2632 |
4½ |
| |
Sergei Tiviakov |
NED |
2597 |
4½ |
| 14. |
Jan Timman |
NED |
2629 |
4 |
Games
in PGN
Official
website
 GM
Einar Gausel annotates:
Round 12
van Wely - Kasparov ½-½
Shirov - Kramnik 0-1
Leko - Morozevich 1-0
Piket - Ivanchuk ½-½
Timman - Anand 0-1
Adams - Tiviakov 1-0
Fedorov - Topalov ½-½
Round 11
Kasparov - Timman 1-0
Kramnik - Leko ½-½
Ivanchuk - Shirov 1-0
Morozevich - Topalov ½-½
Adams - Fedorov 0-1
Anand - Piket 1-0
Tiviakov - van Wely ½-½
Round 10
Piket - Kasparov ½-½
Shirov - Anand ½-½
Topalov - Kramnik ½-½
Fedorov - Morozevich 0-1
Van Wely - Adams 0-1
Leko - Ivanchuk ½-½
Timman - Tiviakov 0-1
Round 9
Kasparov-Shirov 1-0
The moment of truth. Shirov has never managed to win a game against
Kasparov, and the Spaniard's score with the Black pieces is truly
depressing. It would probably be unfair to criticise Shirov's choice
of opening in this game, but playing against the Petroff gives
White a certain psychological edge, since Black is indicating his
willingness to suffer for a draw. Anyway, Shirov never really managed
to get into this game, as Kasparov virtually took control from
the "B" in bang.
Kramnik-Morozevich 0-1
Kramnik's first defeat as BGN Champion, and a pretty humiliating
one at that. Squeezing every last drop out of an endgame advantage
is normally what he does best, but on this occasion he didn't seem
to be up to the task at hand. 31.Kf2 was a grave error, and after
that it was Morozevich's turn to show off his technique.
Anand-Leko ½-½
Leko managed to obtain a dynamic edge with his favourite Sveshnikov
Sicilian, but even though Anand is playing like a tired old man
in this event, his defensive skills still appear to be intact.
Ivanchuk-Topalov ½-½
I was surprised to see Ivanchuk employing the somewhat anti-positional
Leningrad variation against Topalov's Nimzo Indian, and I can't
say the Ukrainian did anything in this game to inspire potential
white players. Topalov was able to secure a comfortable positional
edge, but Ivanchuk managed hose off enough pieces to save his skin.
Adams-Timman ½-½
Timman's treatment of the Petroff seemed slightly more convincing
than Shirov's, but Black was still on the defensive in this game.
But this seems to be par of the course for Timman in events of
this magnitude. Sometimes he loses, sometimes he draws. On this
particular occasion, White's advantage was kept within reasonable
boundaries.
Van Wely-Fedorov ½-½
Van Wely's treatment of the g3-variation against the King's Indian
was far from convincing, and Fedorov was able to maintain a slight
initiative for most of the game. The crucial moment was probably
move 46, when Black could have made life more difficult for White
with Qxc4.
Tiviakov-Piket ½-½
Not much of a struggle. Both players have received their fair share
of beatings in this gathering of titans, and a quick handshake
was no big surprise.
Round 8
Shirov-Tiviakov 1-0
(GM
analyses)
Not the most impressive piece of opening preparation I've seen
from Shirov. The Spanish ace got absolutely nothing out of the
opening, and after Tiviakov's piece sac on move 13, I was almost
sure White would be going down in a sea of flames. The turning
point was move 20, when Tiviakov opted for simplification, thus
allowing Shirov to make the most of his extra bishop.
Leko-Kasparov ½-½
Leko signalled his peaceful intentions by going 1.c4, and Kasparov
spent a lot of time trying to sharpen things up as much as possible.
The Big Guy ended up with the worse position, but Leko probably
wasn't looking hard enough to spot the road to a clear plus. Kasparov
may even have been slightly better when he accepted a draw on move
28.
Fedorov-Kramnik ½-½
Fedorov decided not to tempt fate by issuing his third King's Gambit,
choosing the ultra-solid Bishop's Opening instead. Kramnik tried
to mix it up with an early pawn sacrifice, but I don't think his
two bishops ever constituted more than compensation. Fedorov's
peace-offering on move 41 was quite understandable, since his passed
c-pawn was going nowhere. The question is whether or not Kramnik
would have been risking anything by playing on.
Morozevich-Ivanchuk 0-1
Morozevich is not the most consistent of players. One day he's
a genius, the next he's playing like an absolute chimp. And this
game clearly took place on "Primate Day". First he sacrificed his
c-pawn for nothing, then his f-pawn. The only real danger for Ivanchuk
in this game, was that he might fall out of his chair laughing.
Piket-Adams ½-½
If I ever understand why Piket dropped his b-pawn on move 15, I'll
make sure to let you know. The Dutchman had to play almost an entire
game at pawn odds, which makes the fact that he avoided losing
all the more impressive. Adams' 53...b4 must have been a mistake,
since it allowed Piket to simplify by sacrificing a piece for two
pawns.
Topalov-Anand ½-½
Anand has thrown away many a half point in this event, and this
game proves beyond any doubt that this is not the same player who
outclassed the competition in New Delhi and Teheran. Black's exchange
sacrifice on move 16 gave him a substantial positional advantage,
and the FIDE-champ seemed well on his way to victory when he allowed
Topalov to simplify. It's clear that Anand's senses have been temporarily
dulled by his recent success.
Timman-Van Wely ½-½
Van Wely needs to win a few more games to keep his record-high
rating intact, and he was clearly ready to rumble against his elder
compatriot. Timman's pawn-grab in the middle game seemed excessively
cheeky, but Van Wely's mating attack never materialised. However,
Timman soon had to give the pawn back, and I imagine Black may
have been slightly better in the ending.
Round 7
Adams-Shirov ½-½
Shirov made his ambitions clear by playing the Sicilian instead
of the Petroff, and this time Adams refused to wimp out with, say,
3.Bb5+. In spite of this, the game never really took off, with
a fairly level ending arising after only 22 moves. The players
managed to keep it going for another 15 moves, but a draw was inevitable.
Kasparov-Topalov 1-0 (GM
analyses)
Kasparov breaks his string of draws, and not a moment too soon!
The players went straight down one of the most topical lines of
the English Attack in the Najdorf, and I imagine the first half
of the game was simply a matter of bashing out homework. Around
move 25 the situation became extremely complicated, and even though
White's position was riddled with weaknesses, Kasparov managed
to hold it together long enough to develop a strong attack. Topalov
was probably holding his own, when he suddenly cracked on move
32.
Ivanchuk-Kramnik 0-1 (GM
analyses)
Kramnik was really on the ropes in this one. Not wanting to test
Kramnik's preparation, Ivanchuk opted for an archaic sideline of
the Ruy Lopez. The position turned into a total mess in record
time, and it was obvious to anyone watching that Kramnik's street-fighting
capabilities were now being put to the test. The BGN-champ was
the first one to go wrong with 23...Nh5?, but he miraculously got
back into the game when Ivanchuk missed what must have been a winning
continuation three moves later. After that, it was White making
one mistake after another in time trouble.
Anand-Morozevich ½-½
Even though Anand had to concede his fifth consecutive draw in
this game, it certainly wasn't due to lack of ambition. Choosing
an extremely sharp setup against Morozevich's Chigorin Defence,
the Indian speedking was able to establish a dangerous passed pawn
on d6 after only 14 moves. Black managed to keep it blocked, but
this in turn left him unable to fully devote himself to his queenside
attack.
Tiviakov-Leko ½-½
The tournament can't end soon enough for these guys. Leko's choice
of the Petroff was a clear indication that he's had enough and
simply wants to fly home in one piece. Tiviakov is already home,
but I think he's come to realise that he hasn't got what got what
it takes to compete at this level. You can safely give this one
a miss.
Timman-Fedorov 0-1
There's really not much to say about this surprisingly short struggle.
Timman blindly followed some obscure game in the Sicilian Dragon,
and Fedorov hit him over the head with a novelty that practically
wins by force!
Van Wely-Piket 1-0
Van Wely chose a reputedly harmless line against Piket's Bogo Indian,
and Black was able to develop a comfortable initiative in a queenless
middlegame. Judging by the strength of White's exchange sacrifice,
however, 18...b3 must have been a serious mistake. After that it
was Van Wely all the way. A highly instructive game nonetheless.
Round 6
Shirov-Van Wely 1-0 (GM
analyses)
Shirov increases his lead to a full point by downing his third
consecutive Dutchman. Van Wely's solid opening choice seemed to
indicate that he wasn't interested in trading tactical zingers
in the middle of the ring, but then he suddenly set the board on
fire (well, as it turned out, it was actually his hair) by sacrificing
a piece on move 15! "Lucky Luke" was clearly angling for an early
initiative, but he found himself having to defend almost immediately.
It's not clear whether or not Shirov conducted White's attack correctly,
but Van Wely obviously wasn't up to the task of defending such
a hairy position.
Morozevich-Kasparov ½-½
When Morozevich first broke into the big leagues a few years back,
Kasparov put the "fear of God" into his young compatriot by repeatedly
beating him to a pulp. Some people would probably be hell-bent
on trying to even the score, but it's obvious that Morozevich's
primary objective when playing Gazza, is to shake the guy's hand
and get the heck out of there. On this particular occasion, he
succeeded.
Kramnik-Anand ½-½
Showdown of the champions! Kramnik was clearly out for blood in
this encounter, and after 22.f4 it seemed that White's bishops
and kingside initiative would force Black into submission. However,
Anand managed to keep his cool and parry Kramnik's threats against
his king, and the BGN-champion ended up losing his momentum in
time trouble. To me it looks as though Black is clearly better
in the final position, but it is now equally clear that Anand is
still in recovery after his month-long pursuit of the FIDE crown.
Leko-Adams ½-½
Leko took on Adams' notorious Marshall Gambit and banged out 20
moves of theory before getting hit by a novelty. The young Hungarian
eventually forced the queens off, thus putting a halt to Black's
kingside ambitions, but Adams' two bishops provided him with enough
compensation for the pawn in the endgame. Leko decided not to press
his luck and offered a draw on move 27.
Piket-Timman ½-½
I would be lying if I said I fully understood what was going on
in this game. In one of the sharpest lines of the English Catalan,
Timman played a new move, 18...Nb4, and his opponent immediately
went for a repetition. But wasn't 20.Re6 worth a punt? Piket, who
seemed to be more than a little worried about Timman's advanced
d-pawn, didn't seem to think so.
Fedorov-Ivanchuk 0-1
There's nothing wrong with playing the King's Gambit as white,
but I think you should "move your head" a little and not play it
all the time. The point is that you might well expose yourself
to some nasty home cooking, and that's exactly what happened to
Fedorov in this game. I don't know about the objective merits of
Ivanchuk's 7...Nc6 (instead of the standard 7...Nxe4), but it certainly
to brought Fedorov off balance. A nice display of craftsmanship
by Ivanchuk.
Topalov-Tiviakov ½-½
Rumble in the basement. Topalov must have been banking on a full
point against his punch-drunk opponent, but he probably should
have gone for something substantially sharper in the opening. Tiviakov
equalised fairly easily, and after 25 moves, Topalov was left sitting
there, staring at a great, big bowl of "nothing soup". One move
later the Bulgarian offered a draw. Is Tiviakov in the process
of finding his legs?
Round 5
Kasparov-Kramnik ½-½
This was Kasparov's first shot at Kramnik after losing their title
bout last year. Kramnik once again employed the Berlin Defence,
and this time Garry was ready for it. White's plan of trading off
everything that moves, is extremely logical since Black's queenside
majority is crippled at an early stage. Kasparov eventually managed
to force a clearly favourable rook ending, and the critical point
arose on move 40. With 40.f5 instead of 40.Rxc6, the World number
one probably could have secured the full point.
Anand-Ivanchuk ½-½
The FIDE Champion was unable to make headway against Ivanchuk's
ultra-solid Caro Kann Defence, and offered a quick settlement on
move 19. Ivanchuk saw no reason to decline. Both players seem to
be on vacation at the moment.
Timman-Shirov 0-1
Timman avoided a theoretical discussion by playing the Torre Attack,
and even though the queens came off at an early stage, Shirov was
still able to build an initiative by sacrificing a pawn. He was
eventually able to outplay his seasoned opponent, but Timman somehow
managed to hang on. White probably could have drawn with 61.g4.
Adams-Topalov ½-½
Nothing to get excited about, that's for sure. Adams played one
of his many boring Anti-Sicilians, and Topalov equalised with ease.
There was probably still some play in the final position, but Mickey
has already made it clear that he won't be taking any chances in
this tournament. This attitude will no doubt secure his high rating,
but it will also leave him out of the battle for first.
Van Wely-Leko 1-0 (GM
analyses)
Van Wely's first win, and against one of the most solid players
in the world! It's amazing how easily White won this game after
Black went wrong in the opening. Leko's final mistake, 22...Ne5,
is a clear indication of bad form.
Piket-Fedorov 1-0 (GM
analyses)
"Well, if Loek can do it, so can I!" Piket is a master at handling
the white side of the King's Indian, and this game is a typical
example of how Black can end up strategically bankrupt with inaccurate
play.
Tiviakov-Morozevich 0-1
Morozevich quickly defused Tiviakov's patented method of attacking
the Najdorf Sicilian, scoring a nice comeback after his humiliating
defeat at the hands of Mickey Adams. Tiviakov is rapidly losing
his self-confidence in this stellar event, and people will now
be lining up around the block to hammer him. Poor guy.
Round 4
Ivanchuk-Kasparov ½-½
Not too much action in this game. Ivanchuk seems more interested
in not losing than winning in this event, and Kasparov was probably
happy with a quick handshake and a short day at the office. In
a mainline Scheveningen Sicilian, Kasparov offered an exchange
on move ten, but Ivanchuk politely declined the Greek gift, keeping
his face protected at all times.
Fedorov-Anand ½-½
Fedorov wheeled out his favourite King's Gambit and managed to
secure a comfortable edge out of the opening. Despite its violent
reputation, the KG is basically positionally sound, and you'll
often see White capitalising on his superior pawn structure in
the endgame. In this particular game, however, Black managed to
force an ending with opposite-coloured bishops, rendering White's
structural advantage purely academic.
Kramnik-Tiviakov 1-0 (GM
analyses)
Many of Kramnik's victories can be traced directly back to his
excellent opening preparation, but in this game the BGN Champion
had to rely on raw strength to get the job done. Tiviakov's exchange
sac on move 22 looked quite interesting at first, but White soon
gained the upper hand with extremely active play on the kingside.
Once again you should take note of how the Russian technician
manages to make use of a seemingly harmless d-pawn.
Morozevich-Adams 0-1
Mickey's first win. Morozevich plays everything under the sun
against 1..e5, and on this occasion he wheeled out the double-edged
Evan's Gambit. The Russian tactician managed to establish an early
initiative, but it somehow ebbed out in the transition to the
middlegame. This left White with potentially weak doubled d-pawns,
and Morozevich clearly lost the thread after that. 25.axb4 was
a blunder, but at that point White seemed very close to being
positionally lost.
Shirov-Piket 1-0
Piket decided to tempt fate by playing the Petroff against
one of the world's leading experts, and the Dutchman found himself
defending a rather passive position. The critical point was probably
move 20, when Piket could have taken some of the bite out of White's
attack by going Nxe5. Shortly thereafter White's centralised knight
destroyed Black's kingside. Piket managed to force the queens
off with a piece up, but he soon found himself losing pawns left,
right and centre. In the end, Shirov's passers decided the game.
Topalov-Van Wely ½-½
After a very messy opening, Black ended up with an exposed king,
but Topalov was unable to get all his pieces working in the attack.
White maintained his initiative throughout the game, but sometimes
this isn't enough to secure the full point. Topalov is obviously
suffering from bad form, and it's equally clear that he's not
going to get anything for free in this event.
Leko-Timman ½-½
The youngest player in the tournament against the oldest. Timman
is still looking extremely solid, even though he had to do a little
suffering in this game. Leko went straight for a slightly superior
endgame against Timman's four knights Sicilian, and he was eventually
able to force a rook ending a pawn up. It's hard to pinpoint White's
mistake in this ending, but after Black got in 45...h4, the final
outcome was never in doubt.
Round 3
Kasparov-Anand ½-½
A much awaited clash of Titans. Anand opted for one of many solid
Bc5-lines in the Ruy Lopez, and obtained a fairly equal position.
In a typically closed Spanish middlegame, the players slugged it
out on the queenside, and it seemed that Kasparov was getting the
short end of the stick tactically. Garry was, however, able to
save himself by sacrificing his queen for rook, knight and pawn,
plus an attack. White forced perpetual check a few moves later.
Adams-Kramnik ½-½
Kramnik made his ambitions clear at an early stage by wheeling
out his beloved Sicilian Sveshnikov, and Black appeared to be getting
the better of it in the early middlegame. Kramnik added fuel to
the fire by sacrificing an exchange, but Adams managed to simplify
by giving it back while trading off pieces. A good defensive display
by the Englishman.
Van Wely-Morozevich 0-1 (GM
analyses)
Once again, Van Wely decided to trade punches in the middle of
the ring, after Morozevich had managed to muddy the waters at an
early stage. White clearly underestimated Black's attack in this
game, and Morozevich was once again able to stage one of his famous
kingside barbecues. You have to give Van Wely top marks for his
gutsy attitude, but consistently conducting battles on his opponents'
home turf might make it hard for him to climb out of the basement
in this event.
Shirov-Fedorov ½-½
Playing the Sicilian Dragon at this level is risky business, as
Tiviakov found out the hard way in his round 2 game with Anand.
Fedorov probably should have shared Tiviakov's fate, but Shirov
managed to fumble several times in a clearly winning position.
33.Be4 would have wrapped things up very nicely, but instead White
slipped with 33.Re8? allowing Black to force perpetual check. The
Spanish ace will no doubt be kicking himself after this game.
Timman-Topalov 1-0 (GM
analyses)
The Dutch veteran got absolutely nothing from the opening, but
he still went all out for the initiative in the middlegame. After
an overly optimistic piece sacrifice on move 28, Timman was clearly
lost, but Topalov failed navigate the tactics. The Bulgarian topped
things off by blundering material on move 36.
Piket-Leko ½-½
Piket was able to surprise the young Hungarian in the opening by
side-stepping the Grunfeld, and the Dutchman managed to establish
an early initiative. White was better throughout the middlegame,
and Leko was no doubt relieved when his opponent offered a draw
on move 23. Piket will definitely have to toughen up if he's going
to win a game in this event.
Tiviakov-Ivanchuk ½-½
Tiviakov's main ambition in this game seemed to be getting on the
scoreboard. Ivanchuk tried to liven things up by advancing on the
kingside, but he quickly saw that he was getting nowhere and offered
to share the point.
Round 2
Fedorov-Kasparov 0-1 (GM
analyses)
Another smooth victory for Garry. Fedorov managed to side-step
Kasparov's Najdorf preparation, but the way he went for the king
straight out of the opening, seemed more than a bit naive. Kasparov
eventually came crashing through on the other side of the board,
and in the end it was Fedorov who found himself on the receiving
end of a devastating attack.
Anand-Tiviakov 1-0
Having just barely survived with Black against Adams, the FIDE
Champion seemed eager to flex his muscles with the white pieces.
Tiviakov is one of the world's foremost experts on the Sicilian
Dragon, but this did not deter Anand from employing the double-edged
Yugoslav Attack. Black's queenside attack came to a screeching
halt on move 19, and after that it was basically Anand all the
way. Tiviakov's 37th move was a bit of a howler, but I expect Anand
would have wrapped things up with his usual efficiency anyway.
Kramnik-Van Wely 1-0 (GM
analyses)
The fearless Dutchman has a rep for never backing down from a fight,
but inviting Kramnik to strut his preparation in the Grunfeld,
seemed like an exceedingly hazardous endeavour. Kramnik emerged
from the opening with a very comfortable edge, and his management
of White's passed d-pawn was highly instructive.
Morozevich-Timman ½-½
Morozevich was clearly outplayed in the opening, and for once the
Russian Destroyer was unable to turn the tables by magically pulling
an attack out of his hat. Timman eventually traded down to a rook
ending with a pawn up, but his technique proved insufficient on
this particular occasion. A narrow escape by Morozevich.
Leko-Shirov ½-½
Leko employed a reputedly harmless line against Shirov's Najdorf
setup, but the young Hungarian still managed to maintain a small
plus throughout the game. It's not clear to me why Leko felt obliged
to force a repetition, but he might still be recuperating after
his recent showdown against Kramnik in Budapest.
Ivanchuk-Adams ½-½
Ivanchuk was unable to get anything against Mickey's solid treatment
of the Nimzo Indian, but he still managed to make a game of it.
A nice quiet workout for both players.
Topalov-Piket 1-0
Despite having been thoroughly thrashed by Shirov in round 1, Topalov
was able to summon energy and inspiration for his first clash with
one of the "locals". The opening was a messy affair, but I imagine
Piket was doing alright until he blundered an exchange in the early
middlegame. The Dutchman was able to struggle on for another 35
moves, but he never came close to recovering.
Round 1
Tiviakov-Kasparov 0-1 (GM
analyses)
Fearing Kasparov's massive preparation in the Open Sicilian, Tiviakov
tried to surprise his former compatriot with an aggressive, but
closed setup. Kasparov was obviously unimpressed and quickly gained
the upper hand. White soon found himself defending a position riddled
with weaknesses, without any chance of launching a counterattack.
Smooth sailing for Garry all the way.
Timman-Kramnik ½-½
Not much of a game, really. The Dutch veteran wanted to start out
with a solid draw against the BGN-champ, and he got it. Faced with
Timman's industrial-strength vacuum-cleaner, Kramnik quickly agreed
to sharing the point.
Adams-Anand ½-½
Adams took a serious swing at Anand's favourite Taimanov Sicilian
and managed to emerge from the middlegame with a substantial endgame
advantage. The FIDE Champion showed some excellent defensive skills
in this game, but I can't help feeling that Adams should have been
able to put the ball in the net anyway.
Shirov-Topalov 1-0 (GM
analyses)
What can I tell you? Topalov had the nerve to challenge Shirov
in one of his favourite sacrificial lines against the Najdorf,
and the Bulgarian ace was duly rewarded by having his head handed
to him on a silver platter. It's hard to believe that people are
still lining up to get clobbered in this line - Van Wely is probably
Shirov's most faithful customer - but there are obviously a lot
of players out there who feel they can survive White's attack.
Piket-Morozevich 0-1
Piket managed to get a very comfortable edge against the Chigorin
Defence, but he clearly underestimated Black's counterplay when
he decided to grab an exchange on move 26. Morozevich quickly wound
up with a couple of lethal passed pawns, and Piket offered very
little resistance after that. The Dutchman ended the proceedings
by blundering a rook in a hopeless position.
Van Wely-Ivanchuk ½-½
Ivanchuk managed to create a mess employing the Modern Benoni,
but in the ensuing middlegame it looked as though White was having
more fun than Black. After a series of tactical blows, Van Wely
managed to secure two pieces for a rook and pawn, but his crippled
kingside turned out to be a constant headache in the endgame. It's
quite possible a technician like Kramnik would have been able to
squeeze a full point out of White's position, but Van Wely never
really came close to pushing Black over the edge.
Leko-Fedorov ½-½
A pretty shaky start by Leko. On paper, Fedorov should be almost
everybody's lunch in this event, but in this game he proved that,
on a good day, he's quite capable of creating problems for the
top guns. Black's piece sacrifice appeared to have backfired when
White managed to force the queens off, but Fedorov was able to
keep his kingside initiative going throughout the endgame. In the
end, Leko managed to save his bacon with a nice little repetition.
The Dutch town of Wijk aan Zee
is hosting the Corus tournament, starting from January 13.
The competition will be an extremely interesting one, as all top
contenders will have something to prove.
Garry Kasparov will have to justify his Elo rating top spot, as
he is no longer a world champion. Vladimir Kramnik will have to
prove that he deserves to be called a world champion, and so does
Viswanathan Anand.
|
