Chess for Wednesday January 11th 2006

The twelfth world champion Anatoly Karpov has made a rare appearance in competition as Estonia celebrates the 90th anniversary of of the birth of Paul Keres who died thirty years ago at the age of 59. Keres was arguably the strongest player never to become world champion and is a national hero in his native land. Crowds lined the streets at his funeral and he appears on the 5 Kroon note.

Keres competed in the WCC Candidates from 1948-1965 but missed out narrowly several times. His finest tournament victory was shared first with Reuben Fine at the AVRO tournament in 1938 ahead of Mikhail Botvinnik, Max Euwe, Sammy Reshevsky, Alexander Alekhine, Raoul Capablanca and Salo Flohr.

Karpov, Vasily Ivanchuk Alexei Shirov and former Fide champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov are in the field for a Rapid Chess tournament taking place at Tallinn. After the first day Shirov had only scored half a point.

Karpov in contrast has 3.5 points and played the following sparkling game.

V Yemelin - A Karpov
Keres Memorial Rapid (3) Tallinn
Caro Kann Panov-Botvinnik Gunderam Attack

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.c5 ( The Gunderam Attack, White seeks to advance his queenside majority quickly while maintaining control of e5 to keep Black hemmed in) 6...Be7 7.Nf3 0-0 8.Qc2 b6 9.b4 a5 10.Na4 axb4 11.Nxb6 Ra7 12.Ne5 Nfd7 13.Nbxd7 Bxd7 14.Bd3 h6 15.Bd2 Bf6 16.f4 (16.Bxb4 Bxe5 17.dxe5 Nc6 18.Bc3 d4!) 16...Nc6 17.Nxc6 Bxc6 18.Qb2 Qa5 19.Ke2 (19.Bxb4 Rb8! 20.Bxa5 Rxb2 21.Bc3 Rxg2) 19...Qxc5! 20.Rac1 (20.dxc5 Bxb2) 20...Qd6! 21.Bxb4 Qxf4 22.Bxf8 Bxd4 (With threats against f2 and e3) 23.Qd2 Rxa2! 24.Rc2 (24.Qxa2 Qf2+) 24...Qf2+ 25.Kd1 Ra1+ 26.Rc1 Ba4+ 27.Bc2 Rxc1+ 28.Qxc1 Qxg2 29.Re1 (29.Bxa4 Qxh1+ 30.Kc2 Qxh2+ 31.Qd2 Qxd2+ 32.Kxd2 Kxf8 And White has been 'hoovered') 29...Qf3+ ( 30.Re2 Qf1+ 31.Kd2 Bc3+ wins the queen or 30.Re1 Qf1+ 31.Re1 Qd3+ 32.Qd2 Bxc2+ 33.Kc1 Bb2+!) 30.Re2 Qf1+ 31.Re1 Qd3+ 32.Qd2 Bxc2+ 33.Kc1 Bb2+ 0-1

Karpov

Yemelin

Final position after 29...Qf3+

A Karpov - A Shirov
Keres Memorial Rapid (4) Tallinn
Gruenfeld Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Be3 c5 8.Qd2 Qa5 9.Rb1 b6 10.Bc4 Bb7 11.f3 Nc6 12.Ne2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 Rd8 15.Rhd1 Bxd4 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.Kc3 Nc6 18.Rxd8+ Nxd8 19.Rd1 Bc6 20.Bh6 Rg8 21.h4 Ne6 22.Rd2 Bd7 23.Be3 h5 24.Kb4 Nd8 25.Kc3 Rf8 26.Bh6 Rh8 27.Bf4 Rf8 28.Bb8 Nc6 29.Bc7 Na5? 30.Bb5 1-0