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World Championship Candidates Finals Elista 2007. Round 3 8th June 2007. Comments by Mark Crowther. Flash game notes by IM Malcolm Pein. 
Photo © Casto Abundo [http://www.fide.com] Proof, if more were needed, that Gata Kamsky isn't really putting a full time pros efforts into his opening repertoire was the way that he played the opening with white in game three against Boris Gelfand. Choosing the biteless London System (something he could actually have prepared) he then thought around 25 minutes on move 5 and came up with something which isn't supposed to be terribly good. He then continued to use up acres of time leaving 3 minutes for 19 moves. It wasn't really a huge surprise that material fell off the board leaving Kamsky three pawns down at first time control. He did play on but the results was never really in doubt.Kamsky,G (2705) - Gelfand,B (2733) [D02] 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Bb5 White used 26 minutes on this move, which isn't even supposed to be that good theoretically. [5.dxc5 Followed by c4 or c3 and b4 if allowed is better. Kamsky spent 26 minutes on this - strange] 5...cxd4 [5...Qa5+ 6.Nc3 Ne4 7.0-0 Nxc3 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.Qd2 Ne2+ =+ 0-1 Mostowik,D-Tammemaegi,V/corr 1991 (38); 5...Qb6] 6.exd4 Qa5+ 7.Nc3 Bg4 8.0-0 e6 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Rc8 11.Rfd1 Be7 Kamsky has half an hour left, Gelfand an hour. 12.Bf1 0-0 13.Ne2 b5 14.c3 [14.a3] 14...b4 15.Qd3 Qb6 Black has a minority attack for free after White's insipid opening. Kamsky has been trying to provoke his opponent all match but in this game Gelfand gets free play without any risks. His sharp lines with Black were too intimidating but maybe Kamsky could have tried something like a Torre Attack 16.cxb4 Nxb4 17.Qb3 Ne4 18.a3 Nc6 19.Qxb6 axb6 20.b4 Now down to 3 minutes left as opposed to half an hour. 20...g5! Black is better and White had already drifted into time pressure 21.Be3 Nd6 22.Nc1 f5 23.Nb3 Nc4 24.b5 Nd8 25.a4 Nb7 26.Bc1 f4 27.Be2 Bb4 28.Ra2 Nbd6 =+ 29.Bd3 Ra8
30.Kf1? Its not a huge surprise Kamsky overlooks something. [30.Bd2] 30...Nxb5-/+ 31.Rc2 Nbd6 32.Bd2? Rxa4 33.Bxb4 Rxb4 34.Nc1 Nf5 35.Bxf5 Rxf5 36.Nd3 Rb3 37.Ra2 Rf7 38.Ke2 Nd6 39.Rda1 Nb5 40.Kd2 Nxd4 The rest requires no comment 41.Rc1 Rb5 42.Rc8+ Rf8 43.Rc7 Ra5 44.Rb2 Rf7 45.Rc8+ Kg7 46.Ne5 Rb7 47.h4 gxh4 48.Rb4 Ra2+ 49.Kd3 Nf5 50.Rxf4 Rba7 51.Rc3 R7a3 52.Rxa3 Rxa3+ 53.Ke2 b5 54.Rg4+ Kf6 55.Nd3 Ra8 56.Kd2 e5 57.Rb4 e4 58.Nc5 Rg8 0-1 
Photo © Casto Abundo [http://www.fide.com] Peter Leko crushed Evgeny Bareev for the second time in the Caro-Kann. 4. ...Nd7 is going through a theoretically tough time at the moment and when Bareev played g6 and Kg7 putting his king opposite his opponents c3 bishop then you must assume he was already in serious difficulty. When Leko dealt with Bareev's immediate tactics he simply carved open the diagonal by attacking the e-pawn with his f-pawn and Bareev's position collapsed like a pack of cards. A lead of 2.5-0.5 with three games to go for Leko, and the equivalent surely to, match over.Leko,P (2738) - Bareev,A (2643) [B17] 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ngf6 6.Bd3 e6 7.N1f3 Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Qc7 11.0-0 b6 12.Qg4 Kf8 13.Qh4 [13.Re1 Game one which Leko won, he is the first to vary, a big psychological blow] 13...Bb7 14.Re1 Kg8 [14...Re8 15.Bd2 c5 16.Be4 Bxe4 17.Rxe4 Nf6 18.Re2 c4 19.Ne5 Bxe5 20.dxe5 Nd5 21.a4 Rc8 22.Ra3 Qd8 23.Qd4 a6 24.h4 Kg8 25.h5 Ne7 26.Qxd8+ Rxd8 27.Bb4 Nd5 28.Bd6 c3 29.bxc3 Rc8 30.Re4 Nxc3 31.Rg4 Kh7 32.Kf1 Rhd8 33.Rb3 Rc6 34.Ke1 Rdc8 35.Ba3 b5 36.a5 Rc4 37.Rxc4 Rxc4 38.Bd6 Nd5 39.Kd2 Rf4 40.f3 g6 41.hxg6+ fxg6 42.Bc5 Rc4 43.Bb6 h5 44.Rb1 g5 45.Re1 Kg6 46.Re4 Kf5 47.Rxc4 bxc4 48.Bd4 g4 49.fxg4+ Kxg4 50.Ke2 Kg3 51.Kf1 Nf4 0-1 Arakhamia Grant,K (2440)-Speelman,J (2605)/England 1997] 15.Qh3 Re8 16.c4 Nf6 17.Bd2 c5 18.d5 [18.Bc3!?] 18...e5 [18...exd5 is obviously critical. 19.cxd5 Bxd5 20.Bc3 Rxe1+ 21.Rxe1 and Bxf6 is a problem 21...Be7 (21...Kf8) 22.Bxf6 Bxf6 23.Re8#] 19.Bc3 White has a stable advantage 19...g6 20.Qh4 Kg7 Hardly ideal, the king is badly placed here as in the first game but otherwise the Rh8 is stuck and e5 will come under huge pressure 21.Nd2 Qd8 22.Bc2 Bc8 23.Ba4 g5 Very loosening but alternatives are also difficult to find. 24.Qg3 Nh5 25.Qf3 g4 26.Qd1 Re7 27.h3 Nf6 28.hxg4 Bxg4 29.f3 Bc8 30.Re3! Qe1-h4 is threatened now 30...Nh5 Black's position is full of holes and e5 can only be covered at the cost of further weaknesses 31.Qe1 f6 32.Qh4 Nf4 33.Ne4 Rf7 34.g3 Ng6 35.Qh5 Bb8 36.Bc2 f5 37.f4!
Obvious and winning 37...Re8 [37...fxe4 38.Bxe4 Rf6 39.fxe5+-] 38.Nf2 Rf6 39.Rae1 e4 40.Bxe4! fxe4 41.Nxe4 Bareev is losing the house. 1-0
Photo © Casto Abundo [http://www.fide.com] Levon Arionian allowed Alexei Shirov to escape in an ending where he lookied strong favourite to win. Shirov played the Queen's Gambit Accepted and ended up a pawn up but with a totally shattered pawn structure. The whole game was miserable for him but he is a strong endgame player and he put up tough resistance which was eventually rewarded with a draw.Aronian,L (2759) - Shirov,A (2699) [D20] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Bxc4 Nc6 6.0-0 Be6 7.Bb5 Bc5 8.b4 Bb6 9.a4 a6 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.a5 Ba7 12.Bb2 Nf6 [12...Ne7 13.Bxd4 Bxd4 14.Nxd4 Bc4 15.Re1 Rb8 16.Qd2 Qd6 17.Na3 Qxb4 18.Qg5 0-0 19.Ndc2 f6 20.Qg3 Qa4 21.Qxc7 Ng6 22.Ne3 Bf7 23.Nac4 Qb4 24.Nd6 Ne5 25.Nef5 Nc4 26.Nxc4 Qxc4 27.Rac1 Qb4 28.Ne7+ Kh8 29.Nxc6 Qb7 30.Nxb8 Qxb8 31.Qxb8 Rxb8 32.Rc7 Be8 33.Rec1 Kg8 34.Rc8 Rxc8 35.Rxc8 Kf7 36.f4 Bb5 37.Kf2 g5 38.f5 h5 39.Ke3 h4 40.g3 1-0 Melkumyan,H (2391)-Shanmugam,R (2161)/Batumi 2006/EXT 2007] 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.Bxd4 Nxe4 15.Bxg7 Rg8 16.Be5 Bh3 17.Bg3 Nxg3 18.hxg3 Qxd1 19.Rxd1 Be6 20.Nc3 Rg4 21.Rab1 Rb8 22.f4 Bf5 23.Rb2 Rxg3 24.Na4 Kf8 25.Nc5 Ra8 26.Kf2 Rc3 27.Rbd2 Rc4 28.Rd4 Rxd4 29.Rxd4 Ke7 30.Rd1 Be6 31.Re1 Kf6 32.Re5 h6 33.g3 Bc4 Shirov has 20 minutes left, Aronian over an hour. 34.Nd7+ Kg7 35.Re7 Rd8 36.Ke3 h5 Shirov 5 mins left. 37.f5 Rg8 38.Re4 Bb5 39.Rh4 Rd8 40.Nc5 Kh6 41.Kf4 Be2 42.Rh2 Bb5 43.Ke5 Kg5 44.Ne4+ Kg4 45.Kf6 Kf3 46.Rh4 Bd3 47.Nc5 Kxg3 48.Rxh5 Bc4 49.Rh1 Rb8 50.Rd1 Rxb4 51.Rd4 Kf3 52.Nxa6 c5 53.Nxc5 Ke3 54.Rh4 Kd2 55.Na6 Ra4 56.Nxc7 Kd3 57.a6 Ra5 58.Rf4 Kc3 59.Ke7 Rc5 60.Kd6 Ra5 61.f6?= [61.Kc6] 61...Bxa6 62.Nxa6 Rxa6+ 63.Ke7 Ra7+ 64.Kf8 Kd3 65.Rh4 Ke3 66.Rh7 Kf4 67.Rxf7 Ra6 68.Kg7 1/2-1/2
Photo © Casto Abundo [http://www.fide.com] Alexander Grischuk also wasted a chance against Sergei Rublevsky . Grischuk turned down a theoretical draw by repetition to set up a powerful attack. However he sacrificed the exchange in a very strong position where is wasn't necessary and although he still had the advantage the bishops of opposite colour soon made themselves felt and this allowed Rublevsky to escape.Grischuk,A (2717) - Rublevsky,S (2680) [B85] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 Qc7 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Be3 Be7 9.f4 d6 10.a4 0-0 11.Kh1 Re8 12.Bf3 Bd7 13.Nb3 b6 14.g4 Bc8 15.g5 Nd7 16.Bg2 Bb7 17.Rf3 Nb4 18.Rh3 g6 19.Qd2 Bf8 20.Qf2 Bg7 21.Rf1 Re7 The KK Moscow 1985 move, intending Rae8 and f7-f5 22.Bd4! [22.Qh4 Nf8 1/2-1/2 De Firmian,N (2575)-Van Wely,L (2645)/New York 1997/CBM 057 ext] 22...e5 [22...Bxd4 23.Qxd4 Nxc2 24.Qf2 Nb4 25.Qh4 Nf8 26.f5 exf5 27.exf5 Bxg2+ 28.Kxg2 Qc6+ 29.Kg1 Nc2 30.f6 Ne3 31.Rff3 wins] 23.fxe5 dxe5 [23...Nxe5 24.Bxb6 Ng4 25.Qg1; 23...Nxe5 24.Qh4!] 24.Be3 I have noticed that Fritz hates these Scheveningen positions with a passion. It doth complain too much methinks 24...Rd8 25.a5! bxa5 26.Nc5 Nf8 [26...Nxc2 27.Nxb7 Nxe3 28.Rxe3 Qxb7 29.Nd5 Nc5 ∞; 26...Nxc2 27.Nxd7 Nxe3 28.Nf6+ Bxf6 29.gxf6 Nxf1 30.Qh4! h5 31.fxe7 Re8 32.Bxf1 Qxe7 +/-] 27.Nxb7 Qxb7 28.Bb6 Rb8 29.Bxa5 Nc6 30.b4 Ne6 31.Qh4 Nxa5 [31...Nf8 32.Nd5 Rd7 33.Nf6+ Bxf6 34.gxf6 +/-] 32.bxa5 Nf4 [32...Nf8 33.Nd5 Rd7 34.Rhf3 Ne6 35.Bh3 Re8 36.c4 +/- and if` 36...Nd4 37.Bxd7 Nxf3 38.Qg4 Rd8 39.Bc6!] 33.Qxh7+ Kf8 34.Nd5 Re6 [34...Nxh3 35.Bxh3 only makes matters worse for example 35...Rc7 36.Nf6] 35.Rhf3 White has an extra pawn but his queen is temporarily out of play and there are opposite bishops on the board. Its nowhere near as easy in practice as your computer might suggest 35...Rd8
36.Rxf4?! White doesn't seem to realise quite how good his position it. This sacrifice isn't necessary and lets Black back into the game with at least some practical chances [The computer finds the slightly unintuitive 36.c4 which seems very hard to cope with as Black's defences are so stretched 36...Nh5 37.c5 Rc8 38.Nf6; 36.Nxf4 exf4 37.Rxf4; 36.Nxf4 exf4 37.Rxf4 Rd7 and Fritz says that h4-h5 is very strong but it looks risky to a human particularly a human with not a lot of time 38.Rf6 seems to win 38...Qc6 (38...Rde7 39.Rxg6) 39.e5 Qc4 40.Qh3 Rde7 41.Qf3 +-] 36...exf4 37.Nxf4 Qc6 38.e5 [38.Nxe6+ Qxe6 and Black is over the worst] 38...Qc4 39.Qh3 Kg8 40.Nxe6 fxe6 Its not totally obvious how White keeps his extra pawn or even improves his position 41.Qb3 Qxb3 42.cxb3 Bxe5 43.Bb7 Rd2 44.Bxa6 Rxh2 += 45.Kg1 Rh5 46.b4 Rxg5+ 47.Kh1 Rg4 48.b5 Ra4 Just in time 49.Bc8 1/2-1/2 |
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 Kasparov Books |
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 Giant Chess Sets |
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 Chess Computers |
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 Books 2000/1/2/3 |
