The event is being
held from January 14 to 30 (first and last rounds) at the De Moriaan Community
Centre in Wijk
aan Zee, Holland. There are three main tournaments, all 14-player round
robins, starting at 13.30 Central European Time. The rest days are on Jan.
19, 24 and 27. The rate of play is 40/2, 20/1 and 30 minutes to finish
the game (group C 40/2 plus 1 hour for the rest). The games can be watched
on the official live coverage
site or watched and discussed with other chess fans on the Playchess.com
server. |
Round two
The young Azerbaijani GM Teimour Radjabov, watching the games in some disbelief,
speculated that it must have something to do with the massive storms that are
currently raging on the surface of the sun. How could both Vishy Anand (top
seed, number two in the world) and Vladimir Kramnik (number four) get into
such a lot of trouble, especially when they had the white pieces? Maybe it
was the sunspot activity, but more likely the fact that they were facing number
five and number three in the world, respectively.
The first to go was Vladimir Kramnik, who was faced with a Sicilian Najdorf
and a novelty on move 11 against Veselin Topalov.
Vladimir Kramnik, classical chess world champion
Kramnik,V (2754) - Topalov,V (2757) [B90]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 16.01.2005
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 b5 8.g4 h6 9.Qd2
b4 10.Na4 Nbd7 11.0-0-0 Ne5
Most experts believed that Topalov's pawn offer should not have been accepted
and that Kramnik's 12.Qxb4 was a fatal mistake. But the game
really went downhill after 12...Bd7 13.Nb3 and a disheartened
Kramnik resigned after 13...Rb8 14.Qa3 Nxf3 15.h3 Nxe4 16.Be2 Ne5 17.Rhe1
Qc7 18.Bd4 Nc6 19.Bc3 d5 20.Nbc5 Qa7 0-1. The last time something
like this happened, as far as we know, was when an 18-year-old Kramnik lost
rapid chess game with white against Elizbar Ubilava (Anand's second) 1992 in
Oviedo.
Veselin Topalov showing his 20-move win in the press room after the game
The next to bite the cold sand of Wijk aan Zee was Vishy Anand, who was confronted
with a novelty by Peter Leko on move 21.
Vishy Anand, Indian GM and world's number two player
Anand,V (2786) - Leko,P (2749) [B33]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 16.01.2005
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5
9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 11.c3 Bg7 12.exf5 Bxf5 13.Nc2 0-0 14.Nce3 Be6 15.Bd3
f5 16.0-0 Ra7 17.a4 Ne7 18.Nxe7+ Rxe7 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bxb5 d5 21.Ra6 f4
Instead of sacrificing the exchange with 22.Rxe6 (22...Rxe6 23.Qxd5 Qxd5 24.Nxd5),
Anand played passively: 22.Nc2 Bc8 23.Ra8 Qd6 24.Nb4 Bb7 25.Ra7 d4
26.Ba6? This is where the real problems begin. 26...Bxg2.
Could Anand have overlooked this move? 27.Bc4+ Kh8 28.Ra6 Qc5 29.Kxg2
f3+ and from there on it was all downhill. Although Anand hung on
for another 28 moves the game ended in a dejected resignation after move 57.
Peter Leko, who scored a very important win against the top seed
Alexander Grischuk vs Nigel Short was a well-fought game. The former British
chess prodigy, now pushing 40 and the oldest player in the field, had a definite
advantage with the black pieces, but his youthful Russian opponent was able
to save the game to a 34-move draw.
Nigel Short, fighting back at 39
The game Michael Adams vs Alexander Morozevich saw the mercurial GM from Moscow
go down after losing a pawn on move 28.
Adams,Mi (2741) - Morozevich,A (2741) [C42]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 16.01.2005
Morozevich has just played 28...g7-g5, possibly overlooking White's petite
combinaison. After 29.Nxg5+ fxg5 30.Rf3 Black cannot
defend the pinned knight on f5, since the second rook can be brought into play
on e5. Michael Adams did not let the chance pass and ground his opponent down
with ruthless efficiency to win in 49 moves.
Judit Polgar, flushed from her comeback victory in round one, was doing fine
with the black pieces against Ruslan Ponomariov until around move 37. Then
the strongest women player in the world played some hyper-aggressive moves
to ruin her position.
Ponomariov,R (2700) - Polgar,Ju (2728) [B90]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 16.01.2005
Black has just played 39...Qf2xPh4. White's reply 40.Qxd6
threatens 41.Ne7+ and 42.Qf6 mate, so 40...Bd8 is forced.
41.Nf6+ Bxf6 42.gxf6 Ra8+ 43.Kb2. The threat of course is
44.Qd8+ and 45.Rxd8 mate. 43...h5 44.Qe7 Qf2 45.Rd8+ Rxd8 46.Qxd8+
Kh7 After this the ex knockout world champion from Ukraine had no
problems converting the position to a full point. 47.Qe7 Qd4+ 48.Ka2
Kh6 49.Qxf7 Qc5 50.Qg7+ Kg5 51.Qe7 Qxc2+ 52.Ka3 Qc1+ 53.Kb4 Qd2+ 54.Kb5 Qd3+
55.Ka5 Qc3+ 56.b4. The perpetual she is seeking is not there, so the
end is: 1-0.
An action picture from Wijk, showing the game after White's 43rd move.
Ponomariov, standing on the left, knows he is winning, Judit Polgar looks for
the proverbial last resort.
Round two Sun. 16.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
0-1 |
Peter Leko |
B33 Sicilian Sveshnikov |
Peter Svidler |
½-½ |
Ivan Sokolov |
C80 Open Ruy Lopez |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
1-0 |
Judit Polgar |
B90 Sicilian Najdorf |
Vladimir Kramnik |
0-1 |
Veselin Topalov |
B90 Sicilian Najdorf |
Loek van Wely |
½-½ |
Lazaro Bruzon |
D63 Queens Gambit |
Michael Adams |
1-0 |
Alexander Morozevich |
C42 Petroff Defence |
Alexander Grischuk |
½-½ |
Nigel Short |
C91 Ruy Lopez |
Groups B and C
In Group B 14-year-old Magnus Carlsen struck out with a convincing
victory over European Women's Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, while colleague
Sergey Karjakin, who had won in round one, drew with the black pieces against
the reigning Women's World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova. Both Shakriyar Mamedyarov
and Daniel Stellwagen won for a second time to take the lead in the Group.
Antoaneta Stefanova and Sergey Karjakin analyse their game; Nigel Short
and Grischuk (watched by Nigel's second Suat Atalik) are in the background.
Daniel Stellwagen and Sipke Ernst at a very tense moment in their game
(Vishy Anand in the background is trying to see what is going on).
Stellwagen,D (2524) - Ernst,S (2509) [C80]
Corus B Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 16.01.2005
Black has just played 23...Ke7xPf6. Now, as Garry Kasparov spotted during
the game, White has an instant win: 24.Bg7+ Kxg7 25.Rg3+ Kf6 26.Rg6+ Kf7 27.Rg5+
Ke7 28.Rxd5. But young Daniel played 24.Re5 Qxe5 25.Bg7+ Kxg7.
This is the position in the picture above. Fortunately for the Dutch talent
his continuation was still enough to win, which he did with 26.Qxe5+
Kf7 27.Rh3 Nf5 28.g4 Rg8 29.Rh7+ Ng7 30.h4 Kg6 31.Rxg7+ Rxg7 32.Qe4+ Kf7 33.Qxa8
Rxg4+ 34.Kf1 1-0.
Group B Round two
Sun. 16.01.2005 |
Ivan Cheparinov |
1-0 |
Friso Nijboer |
Alexander Onischuk |
½-½ |
Peter .H. Nielsen |
Magnus Carlsen |
1-0 |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
Antoaneta Stefanova |
½-½ |
Sergey Karjakin |
Daniel Stellwagen |
1-0 |
Sipke Ernst |
S. Mamedyarov |
1-0 |
Alejandro Ramirez |
Predrag Nikolic |
½-½ |
Jan Smeets |
|
|
Group C Round two
Sun. 16.01.2005 |
Parimarjan Negi |
1-0 |
Tea Lanchava |
Alexey Korotylev |
½-½ |
Harmen Jonkman |
Wouter Spoelman |
1-0 |
Joost Wempe |
Zeinab Mamedjarova |
0-1 |
Natalia Zhukova |
Bianca Muhren |
½-½ |
Vladimir Georgiev |
Manuel Bosboom |
½-½ |
Evgeny Alekseev |
Leon Pliester |
½-½ |
Erwin LAmi |
|
Pictures by Olena Boytsun, Jeroen van den Belt and
Fred Lucas
All results and schedule
Round one Sat.
15.01.2005 |
Alexander Grischuk |
½-½ |
Viswanathan Anand |
Nigel Short |
½-½ |
Michael Adams |
Alexander Morozevich |
½-½ |
Loek van Wely |
Lazaro Bruzon |
½-½ |
Vladimir Kramnik |
Veselin Topalov |
1-0 |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Judit Polgar |
1-0 |
Peter Svidler |
Ivan Sokolov |
½-½ |
Peter Leko |
Games
|
|
Report
|
|
|
Round two Sun.
16.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
0-1 |
Peter Leko |
Peter Svidler |
½-½ |
Ivan Sokolov |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
1-0 |
Judit Polgar |
Vladimir Kramnik |
0-1 |
Veselin Topalov |
Loek van Wely |
½-½ |
Lazaro Bruzon |
Michael Adams |
1-0 |
Alexander Morozevich |
Alexander Grischuk |
½-½ |
Nigel Short |
Games
|
|
Report
|
|
Round
three Mon. 17.01.2005 |
Nigel Short |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Michael Adams |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Loek van Wely |
Judit Polgar |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Peter Leko |
|
Peter Svidler |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
Round
four Tues. 18.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Peter Svidler |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Peter Leko |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Ivan Sokolov |
Loek van Wely |
|
Judit Polgar |
Michael Adams |
|
Veselin Topalov |
Alexander Grischuk |
|
Lazaro Bruzon |
Nigel Short |
|
Alexander Morozevich |
Games |
|
Report |
|
Round
five Thurs. 20.01.2005 |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Nigel Short |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Judit Polgar |
|
Michael Adams |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Loek van Wely |
Peter Leko |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Peter Svidler |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
Round
six Fri. 21.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Peter Svidler |
Loek van Wely |
|
Peter Leko |
Michael Adams |
|
Ivan Sokolov |
Alexander Grischuk |
|
Judit Polgar |
Nigel Short |
|
Veselin Topalov |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Lazaro Bruzon |
Games |
|
Report |
|
Round
seven Sat. 22.01.2005 |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Alexander Morozevich |
Judit Polgar |
|
Nigel Short |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Peter Leko |
|
Michael Adams |
Peter Svidler |
|
Loek van Wely |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
Round
eight Sun. 23.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Loek van Wely |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Michael Adams |
|
Peter Svidler |
Alexander Grischuk |
|
Peter Leko |
Nigel Short |
|
Ivan Sokolov |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Judit Polgar |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Veselin Topalov |
Games |
|
Report |
|
Round
nine Tues. 25.01.2005 |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Judit Polgar |
|
Lazaro Bruzon |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Alexander Morozevich |
Peter Leko |
|
Nigel Short |
Peter Svidler |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Michael Adams |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Loek van Wely |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
Round
ten Wed 26.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Loek van Wely |
Michael Adams |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Alexander Grischuk |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Nigel Short |
|
Peter Svidler |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Peter Leko |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Ivan Sokolov |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Judit Polgar |
Games |
|
Report |
|
Round
eleven Fri. 28.01.2005 |
Judit Polgar |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Veselin Topalov |
Peter Leko |
|
Lazaro Bruzon |
Peter Svidler |
|
Alexander Morozevich |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Nigel Short |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Loek van Wely |
|
Michael Adams |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
Round
twelve Sat. 29.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Michael Adams |
Alexander Grischuk |
|
Loek van Wely |
Nigel Short |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Peter Svidler |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Peter Leko |
Judit Polgar |
|
Ivan Sokolov |
Games |
|
Report |
|
Round
thirteen Sun. 30.01.2005 |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Peter Leko |
|
Judit Polgar |
Peter Svidler |
|
Veselin Topalov |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Lazaro Bruzon |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Alexander Morozevich |
Loek van Wely |
|
Nigel Short |
Michael Adams |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
|
Groups B + C
Group B Round one
Sat. 15.01.2005 |
Predrag Nikolic |
0-1 |
Daniel Stellwagen |
Jan Smeets |
½-½ |
Ivan Cheparinov |
Friso Nijboer |
0-1 |
S. Mamedyarov |
Alejandro Ramirez |
½-½ |
Magnus Carlsen |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
1-0 |
Alexander Onischuk |
Peter .H. Nielsen |
½-½ |
Antoaneta Stefanova |
Sergey Karjakin |
1-0 |
Sipke Ernst |
|
|
Group C Round one
Sat. 15.01.2005 |
Wouter Spoelman |
½-½ |
Leon Pliester |
Joost Wempe |
0-1 |
Alexey Korotylev |
Harmen Jonkman |
½-½ |
Zeinab Mamedjarova |
Natalia Zhukova |
1-0 |
Bianca Muhren |
Vladimir Georgiev |
1-0 |
Manuel Bosboom |
Evgeny Alekseev |
1-0 |
Parimarjan Negi |
Tea Lanchava |
0-1 |
Erwin LAmi |
|
Group B Round two
Sun. 16.01.2005 |
Ivan Cheparinov |
1-0 |
Friso Nijboer |
Alexander Onischuk |
½-½ |
Peter .H. Nielsen |
Magnus Carlsen |
1-0 |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
Antoaneta Stefanova |
½-½ |
Sergey Karjakin |
Daniel Stellwagen |
1-0 |
Sipke Ernst |
S. Mamedyarov |
1-0 |
Alejandro Ramirez |
Predrag Nikolic |
½-½ |
Jan Smeets |
|
|
Group C Round two
Sun. 16.01.2005 |
Parimarjan Negi |
1-0 |
Tea Lanchava |
Alexey Korotylev |
½-½ |
Harmen Jonkman |
Wouter Spoelman |
1-0 |
Joost Wempe |
Zeinab Mamedjarova |
0-1 |
Natalia Zhukova |
Bianca Muhren |
½-½ |
Vladimir Georgiev |
Manuel Bosboom |
½-½ |
Evgeny Alekseev |
Leon Pliester |
½-½ |
Erwin LAmi |
|
|
|
|