Corus Round 9: Heavyweight battle drawn short and sweet
20.01.2004 Right after rook sacrifices shook the board in Kramnik-Anand, the players shook hands. Did someone resign? What was going on? It turns out a perpetual check was unavoidable. Adams lost to van Wely to join Leko a full point behind Anand. Full report and analysis.
Corus Wijk aan Zee 2004 Round 9
|
66th Wijk aan Zee Tournament
Jan. 10-25
Category 19 (avg. Elo 2702) |
Round 9 (Tuesday, January 20,
2004) |
Van Wely, Loek |
1-0 |
Adams, Michael |
Bologan, Viktor |
1-0 |
Akopian, Vladimir |
Svidler, Peter |
½-½ |
Leko, Peter |
Shirov, Alexei |
1-0 |
Sokolov, Ivan |
Zhang Zhong |
½-½ |
Topalov, Veselin |
Bareev, Evgeny |
0-1 |
Timman, Jan |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
½-½ |
Anand, Viswanathan |
|
|
van Wely on a plus score |
Vishy Anand found a brilliant defense to hold off an aggressive Vladimir Kramnik
and hold on to his tournament lead. When Mickey Adams fell to van Wely it all
worked out perfectly for Anand, whose is now a full point ahead. Even in a week
of exciting chess the games today were riveting. That is, if you like sacrifices,
tactics, and non-stop action!
It
was a good day for the home team, muted only if the locals have embraced Bosnian
Dutchman-come-lately Ivan Sokolov, who was routed by Alexei Shirov in
the way only Shirov can rout. The Spanish-Latvian thusly reached an even score
after reaching -2. Loek van Wely moved to a plus score by outplaying Adams in
an epic endgame. The Englishman had an opportunity to turn the tables but when
that slipped by van Wely converted confidently.
That was the only relatively calm win of the round. Timman handed Bareev his
third loss in four games with a very well-played kingside assault. The game
is also notable for the Russian's curious decision to recapture in the center
with his king, costing himself considerable time. It was the fifth game to surpass
75 moves.
The outsiders continue to beat each other senseless. Bologan defeated Akopian
in a wild Semi-Slav that eventually took on many characteristics of a Botvinnik
System. It all boiled down to an extra pawn for Bologan, who didn't have any
trouble notching the point and dragging Akopian back to a minus score. Zhang-Topalov
was a clean draw. Svidler and Leko stole from the the fans with a 14-move draw.
Jan the Man shows how he polished off Bareev.
The most important game was one of the shortest and most exciting at the same
time. Some baffling bishop maneuvers by Anand held the balance as Kramnik sacrificed
a pawn for open lines on the kingside and closed in. Suddenly Black went on
the offensive on the queenside and managed to generate enough play to force
a perpetual check before getting mated.
With his toughest hurdle now behind him Anand has a full point lead with four
games to play. His remaining games include two against tail-enders Sokolov and
Timman, although the latter isn't showing his usual late-round swoon. But blacks
against Topalov and Adams keep things interesting. Wednesday is the final rest
day. Adams-Anand is the highlight of the 10th round.
Kramnik-Anand
after 23.Bxd5
23...Rxc3!! [ 23...Nxc3+?! 24.bxc3 Rxc3]
24.Qg6 [ 24.a4!? A computer move to gain a piece,
but Black gets good attacking chances. Even against computer defense Black's
counterplay and pawn gains should be adequate. 24...Na3+! 25.Ka2 (
25.bxa3?? Qb6+ 26.Bb3 Rxb3+ 27.Nxb3 Qxb3+ 28.Ka1 Qxa3+ 29.Kb1 Qb4+ 30.Ka2
Qxa4+ 31.Kb2 Qxe4) 25...Rd3 26.bxa3 Qc7 27.Nb1 Qc2+ 28.Ka1 Rxg3 29.Rc1
Qxa4 30.Rc4 Qa5 31.Rh3 Rg1 32.Rhc3 Bd8 33.Rc8 Qb6 34.Rb3; 24.bxc3 Nxc3+
25.Kc2 Nxd5!? 26.exd5 Qb6]
24...Qb6!= [ 24...Bg5? 25.f6 Qxf6 26.Qxf6 Bxf6
27.bxc3 Nxc3+ 28.Kc2 Nxd1 29.Rxd1+-
24...Na3+!? Black could continue the game with this risky
try. 25.bxa3 Qb6+ 26.Nb3 Qf2 27.Qh5 Rc2 ( 27...Bg5 28.Rh2 Qxg3 29.Bxb7
a5) 28.Na5]
25.Rxh6 [ 25.a4 Na3+ 26.Ka2 Rc2 27.Nb3 Qf2 28.Rxh6
Rxb2+ 29.Kxa3 Ra2+ 30.Kb4 Qb6+ 31.Kc3 ( 31.Kc4 Qc7+ 32.Kb4 a5+ 33.Kb5
Qd7+ 34.Kb6 Bd8+ 35.Ka7 b5+-+) 31...Qe3+-+] 1/2-1/2
|
Shirov-Sokolov
after 15...Rd8
Leaving your king in the center against Alexei Shirov
is still one of the best ways in the business to find yourself in the
bar early. Considering who is playing black here you can imagine that
this wasn't too much of a hardship for him.
16.Nxf7! Qxf7 17.Bxc7 Qe6 18.Bxd8 Bxd8 19.Kh1 So
..Qxc5+ won't exist a few moves later. 19...Nf6 [ 19...Bc7 20.e5
( 20.Rad1 Bc8+/-) ] 20.Nc5+- Qe7 21.Rad1! [ <21.Nxd7
Qxd7 22.Qb4 a5+-]
21...Bc8 [ 21...Bg4!? 22.Qxd8+ ( 22.e5! Nd7
23.Nb7 Bc7 24.Nd6+ Kd8 25.Nf7+ Kc8 26.Rde1+-) 22...Qxd8 23.Rxd8+ Kxd8
24.hxg4 hxg4+ 25.Kg1 Ke7+-; 21...Qxc5?? 22.Rxf6 Bxf6 23.Qxd7+ Kf8 24.Qc8+
Ke7 25.Rd7+ Ke6 26.Rd8+ Kf7 27.Rxh8]
22.e5! Nd5 [ 22...Qxe5 Deflection from d8 23.Qxd8+]
23.Ne4 Qxe5 24.Rde1 Be7 25.c4 Bb4 [ 25...Rf8 26.Nf6+! Qxf6
( 26...Rxf6 27.Rxe5 Rxf1+ 28.Kh2 Nf4 29.Qd6) 27.Rxf6 Nxf6 28.Qd6+-]
26.Nc3 [ 26.Nc3 Qxe1 27.Rxe1+ Ne7 28.a3 Bxc3 29.Qxc3+-] 1-0
|
van
Wely-Adams after 35.Rc1?
White's a-pawn isn't too dangerous yet, but Black can't
wait around. It turns out that White's king is in dangerous waters here,
but Adams misses his chance.
35...Rb3+? [ 35...Be4+! This shot turns the tables.
36.Ke3 ( 36.Kc3 Rb5; 36.Ke2? Bxc6 37.Rxc6 Bb4) 36...Rb3+ 37.Ke2
Ba3-/+]
36.Kc2 Ba3? [ >=36...f6!? 37.Bf4 ( 37.Ra1
Rb5) 37...Bxf4 38.gxf4 Rb5=] 37.Ra1+/- Rb2+ 38.Kc3 [ >=38.Kd1!?
Rb3 39.Rxa3 Rxa3 40.Bb4+ Ke8 41.Bxa3 Bxc6 42.a6+/-]
38...Rb3+ 39.Kc2 Rb2+ 40.Kd1 White has kept his
pawn and made it through time trouble. He later finished off with a fine
exchange sacrifice to win the ending. |
Mig Greengard
Standings after round nine
All the games in PGN (no notes) GM
group A GM group B
GM group C
Schedule (Rest days 12, 16, 21)
Round 1 (Saturday, January 11,
2004) |
Topalov, Veselin |
½-½ |
Adams, Michael |
Sokolov, Ivan |
½-½ |
Timman, Jan |
Leko, Peter |
½-½ |
Anand, Viswanathan |
Akopian, Vladimir |
1-0 |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
Van Wely, Loek |
½-½ |
Bareev, Evgeny |
Bologan, Viktor |
½-½ |
Zhang Zhong |
Svidler, Peter |
½-½ |
Shirov, Alexei |
|
|
Round 2 (Sunday, January 11, 2004) |
Adams, Michael |
½-½ |
Shirov, Alexei |
Zhang Zhong |
½-½ |
Svidler, Peter |
Bareev, Evgeny |
½-½ |
Bologan, Viktor |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
1-0 |
Van Wely, Loek |
Anand, Viswanathan |
1-0 |
Akopian, Vladimir |
Timman, Jan |
0-1 |
Leko, Peter |
Topalov, Veselin |
½-½ |
Sokolov, Ivan |
|
|
Round 3 (Tuesday, January 13,
2004) |
Sokolov, Ivan |
½-½ |
Adams, Michael |
Leko, Peter |
½-½ |
Topalov, Veselin |
Akopian, Vladimir |
½-½ |
Timman, Jan |
Van Wely, Loek |
½-½ |
Anand, Viswanathan |
Bologan, Viktor |
½-½ |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
Svidler, Peter |
1-0 |
Bareev, Evgeny |
Shirov, Alexei |
½-½ |
Zhang Zhong |
|
|
Round 4 (Wednesday, January 14,
2004) |
Adams, Michael |
1-0 |
Zhang Zhong |
Bareev, Evgeny |
1-0 |
Shirov, Alexei |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
1-0 |
Svidler, Peter |
Anand, Viswanathan |
½-½ |
Bologan, Viktor |
Timman, Jan |
0-1 |
Van Wely, Loek |
Topalov, Veselin |
1-0 |
Akopian, Vladimir |
Sokolov, Ivan |
½-½ |
Leko, Peter |
|
|
Round 5 (Thursday, January 15,
2004) |
Leko, Peter |
½-½ |
Adams, Michael |
Akopian, Vladimir |
1-0 |
Sokolov, Ivan |
Van Wely, Loek |
½-½ |
Topalov, Veselin |
Bologan, Viktor |
0-1 |
Timman, Jan |
Svidler, Peter |
½-½ |
Anand, Viswanathan |
Shirov, Alexei |
½-½ |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
Zhang Zhong |
½-½ |
Bareev, Evgeny |
|
|
Round 6 (Saturday, January 17,
2004) |
Adams, Michael |
1-0 |
Bareev, Evgeny |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
1-0 |
Zhang Zhong |
Anand, Viswanathan |
1-0 |
Shirov, Alexei |
Timman, Jan |
½-½ |
Svidler, Peter |
Topalov, Veselin |
1-0 |
Bologan, Viktor |
Sokolov, Ivan |
½-½ |
Van Wely, Loek |
Leko, Peter |
½-½ |
Akopian, Vladimir |
|
|
Round 7 (Sunday, January 18, 2004) |
Akopian, Vladimir |
½-½ |
Adams, Michael |
Van Wely, Loek |
½-½ |
Leko, Peter |
Bologan, Viktor |
1-0 |
Sokolov, Ivan |
Svidler, Peter |
1-0 |
Topalov, Veselin |
Shirov, Alexei |
1-0 |
Timman, Jan |
Zhang Zhong |
0-1 |
Anand, Viswanathan |
Bareev, Evgeny |
½-½ |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
|
|
Round 8 (Monday, January
19, 2004) |
Adams, Michael |
1-0 |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
Anand, Viswanathan |
1-0 |
Bareev, Evgeny |
Timman, Jan |
0-1 |
Zhang Zhong |
Topalov, Veselin |
½-½ |
Shirov, Alexei |
Sokolov, Ivan |
½-½ |
Svidler, Peter |
Leko, Peter |
1-0 |
Bologan, Viktor |
Akopian, Vladimir |
½-½ |
Van Wely, Loek |
|
|
Round 9 (Tuesday, January 20,
2004) |
Van Wely, Loek |
1-0 |
Adams, Michael |
Bologan, Viktor |
1-0 |
Akopian, Vladimir |
Svidler, Peter |
½-½ |
Leko, Peter |
Shirov, Alexei |
1-0 |
Sokolov, Ivan |
Zhang Zhong |
½-½ |
Topalov, Veselin |
Bareev, Evgeny |
0-1 |
Timman, Jan |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
½-½ |
Anand, Viswanathan |
|
|
Round 10 (Thursday, January 22,
2004) |
Adams, Michael |
|
Anand, Viswanathan |
Timman, Jan |
|
Kramnik, Vladimir |
Topalov, Veselin |
|
Bareev, Evgeny |
Sokolov, Ivan |
|
Zhang Zhong |
Leko, Peter |
|
Shirov, Alexei |
Akopian, Vladimir |
|
Svidler, Peter |
Van Wely, Loek |
|
Bologan, Viktor |
Games Report |
|
Round 11 (Friday, January 23,
2004) |
Bologan, Viktor |
|
Adams, Michael |
Svidler, Peter |
|
Van Wely, Loek |
Shirov, Alexei |
|
Akopian, Vladimir |
Zhang Zhong |
|
Leko, Peter |
Bareev, Evgeny |
|
Sokolov, Ivan |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
|
Topalov, Veselin |
Anand, Viswanathan |
|
Timman, Jan |
Games Report |
|
Round 12 (Saturday, January 24,
2004) |
Adams, Michael |
|
Timman, Jan |
Topalov, Veselin |
|
Anand, Viswanathan |
Sokolov, Ivan |
|
Kramnik, Vladimir |
Leko, Peter |
|
Bareev, Evgeny |
Akopian, Vladimir |
|
Zhang Zhong |
Van Wely, Loek |
|
Shirov, Alexei |
Bologan, Viktor |
|
Svidler, Peter |
Games Report |
|
Round 13 (Sunday, January 25,
2004) |
Svidler, Peter |
|
Adams, Michael |
Shirov, Alexei |
|
Bologan, Viktor |
Zhang Zhong |
|
Van Wely, Loek |
Bareev, Evgeny |
|
Akopian, Vladimir |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
|
Leko, Peter |
Anand, Viswanathan |
|
Sokolov, Ivan |
Timman, Jan |
|
Topalov, Veselin |
Games Report |
|
|
|