Round 1 Day 2 29th April 2002

THE PRAGUE SPRING

Words alone cannot describe the romantic experience of Prague during early spring. Evening walks across the Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square, the breathtaking architecture, the thriving jazz bars, the centuries-old cafes, the dimly lit labyrinth of cobblestone streets steeped with centuries of history.

Hard to imagine that one of the most testing of times in the chequered Czech history was to start in the spring of 1968, after the political and artistic freedoms brought about when Alexander Dubcek replaced Antonin Novotny as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.

The Warsaw Pact didn’t particularly like what was happening in Czechoslovakia during this period of perestroika; years before perestroika became a buzz word by Gorbachev. The then Russian leader Leonid Brezhnev, awakening from an alcohol and drug induced stupor, decided to act by sending in the tanks.

What had started off as a “Spring of Hope”, soon disappeared as the T34’s met little opposition as they stormed into Wenceslas Square. The only thing that stood in their way was a barricade of Czech-made Skoda cars, which the tanks easily rolled over to cause major improvements. It wasn’t really an impromptu barricade. Apparently they just couldn’t start the cars!

It was during this period we can tell a tale about two Czech champions - one past, one present: Ludek Pachman and the commentator here at the Eurotel World Trophy, Lubosh Kavalek.

When the Soviets finally rolled into town during late August of 1968, Pachman, who was the Czech champion seven times between 1946-1966, had been an unquestioning Communist from his youth. He re-examined his stance in light of the consequences of the Prague Spring, and became implacably hostile to his former beliefs, even converting to Christianity. During the occupation he ended up editing an underground edition of the Party daily rag, Rudé právo, to become public enemy number one for his former masters. As a result, he was imprisoned twice (from 1969-70). Describing his life in Checkmate in Prague (published in 1975 by Faber & Faber) he relates how he intentionally became a bit of a head banger by jumping head first from his prison bed, which caused permanent injury to his head and spine.

On the other hand, the then reigning Czech champion during this turbulent period, Lubosh Kavalek, who had always hated Communism, was competing in a tournament in Poland at the time. He came second in the tournament but faced a moral dilemma: does he go home to face the Soviet authorities, or does he make his big bid for freedom? Lubos didn’t think twice. With the prize money he received, he immediately bought several crates of vodka! Now many would drown their sorrows at the prospect of going home to the Soviet authorities, and indeed that’s exactly what his fellow competitors in the tournament thought he was doing. But Lubos had a cunning plan in the Baldrick mould.

With only the clothes he had packed for the tournament and his collected chess books (remember: this was pre-ChessBase days when you had to lug around a trunk full of books), he jumped into his brand new 16 valve Skoda (four in the engine, 12 in the radio, he says) and literally bribed his way to freedom in the west, using the vodka on the security guards he met on the way. After an initial period in Germany, Lubos finally settled in the leafy suburbs of Washington in the US.

The original working title for Pachman’s book, which was published by the noted writer Josef Skvorecky who had set up “68 Publishing” to retell the tales of what happened during this period in Czech history, was to be How it Was. Lubos had a high-regard of disdain for Pachman and his “sudden” change. Skovorecky told Kavalek that Pachman was writing a book about the Prague Spring, suggesting that perhaps he too should do likewise. Since Pachman’s book was already listed in the forthcoming publications under the old title, Kavalek decided that he would call his How it Wasn’t in retaliation. Fearful for any confusion, Pachman soon changed the title to Checkmate in Prague.

In another Kavalek footnote in history, we also have to blame him – or indeed his kitchen – for the eventual split schism caused in the chess world. It was from Kavalek’s kitchen in Washington that Nigel Short made the infamous call to Kasparov in Moscow suggesting the break from FIDE. Kavalek says he intendeds writing a book on it some day. The working title he says is How it Should Have Been!

Karpov,A (2690) - Short,N (2673) [E35]

Eurotel Trophy Prague CZE (1.1), 29.04.2002

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 d5 5 cxd5 exd5 6 Bg5 h6 7 Bh4 c5 8 dxc5 g5 9 Bg3 Ne4 10 e3 Qa5 [A particularly venomous little line that has become something of a Short speciality - he even uncorked this novelty at the time against Kasparov in their 1993 title match in London, scoring a 0.5/2.] 11 Nge2 Bf5 12 Be5

So far so theory... 12 ..Nxc3? [ A big finger slip - Black has to castle here first. The latest on this line runs 12 ..0–0 13 Nd4 Nxc3 14 Qxf5 Ne4+ 15 Kd1 Nc6 16 Nxc6 Qa4+ 17 b3 Qxc6 18 Bd3 Rfe8 19 Ke2 Qe6 20 Qxe6 Rxe6 21 Bd4 Bxc5 22 Bxe4 Bxd4 23 Bxd5 Bxa1 24 Bxe6 Bb2 25 Bd5 Rc8 26 Bxb7 Rc2+ 27 Kf3 Rc1 28 Rxc1 Bxc1 29 b4 Ba3 30 b5 Kf8 31 Kg4 Bb4 32 g3 Bd2 33 e4 Bc3 34 f4 gxf4 35 gxf4 f6 36 Kf5 Kf7 37 a4 Bd2 38 Bd5+ Ke7 39 h4 Be1 40 h5 Bd2 41 Bc4 Kd6 42 a5 Be3 43 b6 axb6 44 a6 Kc7 45 Bb5 1–0 Ivanov,S-Maki Uuro,M/Stockholm 2001/CBM 79 ext (45). ] 13 Qxf5 Ne4+ 14 Nc3! [The big difference between this line and the note above where Black castle. Now if Black takes on c3 with the knight, White has Qc8+ winning the house.] 14 ..0–0 15 Bd3 [With a massive plus for White - all this was part of the analysis from game 9 of Kasparov-Short 1993, where Short correctly played 0–0 first!] 15 ..Nc6 16 0–0 Rfe8 [ 16 ..Nxe5 17 Bxe4! dxe4 18 Nxe4 Ng6 19 a3 Bxc5 20 Nxc5 b6 21 b4 Qb5 22 Qd7! with the position and the extra pawn!] 17 Nxe4 dxe4 18 Bxe4 Rxe5 19 Qh7+ Kf8 20 Qxh6+ [ And Black's dropping a whole rook. 20 Qxh6+ Ke7 ( 20 ..Ke8 21 Bxc6+ bxc6 22 Qh8+) 21 Bxc6 bxc6 22 Qd6+] 1–0

Kramnik,V (2809) - Hracek,Z (2596) [E15]

Eurotel Trophy Prague CZE (1.2), 29.04.2002

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 5 b3 Bb7 6 Bg2 Bb4+ 7 Bd2 c5 8 0–0 0–0 9 Bxb4 cxb4 10 Qd3 d5 [ Oleg Romanishin prefers Be4 here: 10 ..Be4 11 Qe3 Nc6 12 Nbd2 d5 13 Nxe4 Nxe4 14 Nd2 Nc3 15 Nb1 Nxd4 16 Nxc3 Nc2 17 Qc1 Nxa1 18 Nb5 a6 19 Nd4 Nxb3 20 axb3 Rc8 21 Rd1 Qf6 22 e4 Rfd8 23 Qb1 dxc4 24 Nc6 Rxd1+ 25 Qxd1 e5 26 Nxb4 cxb3 27 Nd5 Qd6 28 Qxb3 Rc1+ 29 Bf1 b5 30 Kg2 Qc5 31 Bd3 Qd6 32 Bc2 Qc5 33 Bd3 Qd6 34 Bc2 Qc5 ½–½ Dokhoian,Y-Romanishin,O/Yerevan 1989/CBM 14 (34). ] 11 Nbd2 Qe7 12 Rfc1 Nbd7 13 Ne5N [Kramnik's novelty intends to reach a similar position to the game below, except without wasting a move by taking the queen off the d-file: 13 Qe3 Rac8 14 Ne5 Nxe5 15 dxe5 Nd7 16 cxd5 Bxd5 17 Bxd5 exd5 18 Nf3 Rc5 19 Qd4 Re8 ½–½ (59) Nikolic,P-Arnason,J/Moscow 1990/TD.] 13 ..Nxe5 14 dxe5 Nd7 15 cxd5 exd5 [ In the above game, Arnason removed a lot of the pressure by taking first on d5 with the bishop - this option is not available to Hracek as Kramnik's motive for not moving the queen comes into play: 15 ..Bxd5 16 e4! Nc5 ( 16 ..Bb7 17 Rc7!) 17 Rxc5 Qxc5 18 exd5 exd5 19 Rd1 with a big white advantage.] 16 f4 Nc5 17 Qd4 Ne6 18 Qf2 Rfc8 19 f5

{A typical sort off Kramnik position: two connected pawns charging up the board in the middlegame creating space for his pieces.] 19 ..Nf8 20 Qd4 Rc5 21 Nf3 Rac8 22 Re1 Rc3 23 Kh1! Re8 [ 23 ..Qc5 24 Qg4! with an attack brewing on the kingside.] 24 f6 gxf6 25 exf6 Qe4 [The position looks innocuous - but Kramnik squeezing as much as he can from his slender advantage.] 26 Rad1 Re6 27 Rf1 Ba6 28 Qxe4 Rxe4 29 Nd4 Re5 [ 29 ..Rxe2?! 30 Rfe1! Rxe1+ 31 Rxe1 Bb7 ( 31 ..Ne6? 32 Bxd5!) 32 Nf5 Ne6 33 Ne7+ Kf8 34 Bxd5 Bxd5+ 35 Nxd5 Rc2 36 Nxb4 and White wins.] 30 Nf5 Ng6 [ 30 ..Bxe2? 31 Nh6+ Kh8 32 Nxf7+ Kg8 33 Nxe5 Bxd1 34 Bxd5+ Kh8 35 Rxd1 is simple enough.] 31 Rxd5 Rxd5 32 Bxd5 Ne5 33 Nh6+ Kf8 34 Rf5 Re3 35 Rg5 Ng6 36 Bxf7 Rxe2 37 Bxg6 Bb7+ 38 Kg1 Rg2+ 39 Kf1 Rxh2 40 Bh5 with mate to follow. 1–0

Piket,J (2659) - Svidler,P (2688) [D82]

Eurotel Trophy Prague CZE (1.1), 29.04.2002

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 [Next to his wife (whom I'm happy to say is heavy with twins - due in three months time), Peter's only true love is the Grunfeld Defence.] 4 Bf4 Bg7 5 e3 c5 6 dxc5 Qa5 7 Rc1 Ne4 8 cxd5 Nxc3 9 Qd2 Qxa2 10 Rxc3!? [ All the heavy action in this line originated with Petrosian-Fischer 1971, and 10 bxc3 - Piket choice is very obscure sideline indeed (only one game in the trusty old ChessBase MegaBase 2002): 10 bxc3 Qa5 11 Bc4 Nd7 12 Ne2 Ne5 13 Ba2 Bf5 14 Bxe5 Bxe5 15 Nd4 Qxc5 16 Nxf5 gxf5 17 0–0 Qa5 18 Qc2 f4 19 c4 fxe3 20 c5 Qd2 21 Qa4+ Kf8 22 Rcd1 Qe2 23 d6 Qh5 24 f4 e2 25 fxe5 exd1Q 26 Rxd1 Qxe5 27 Rf1 f6 28 Qb3 Kg7 29 Qf7+ Kh6 30 dxe7 f5 31 Rxf5 Qd4+ 32 Kh1 1–0 Petrosian,T-Fischer,R/Buenos Aires 1971/Candidates (32). ] 10 ..0–0 [ Taking on c3 is just what White wants: 10 ..Bxc3 11 Qxc3 Qa1+ 12 Kd2 0–0 13 Bh6 f6 14 Nf3 Rf7 15 Rg1 Qa4 16 Bc4 Na6 17 d6 e6 18 Bxa6 Qxa6 19 e4 e5 20 g4 Qc6 21 Qc4 b5 22 Qd5 Bb7 23 Qxc6 Bxc6 24 Ke3 a5 25 g5 f5 26 Nxe5 Bxe4 27 f3 Bb7 28 Kd4 Rc8 29 Rc1 Rd8 30 f4 Be4 31 Re1 Rb7 32 Ra1 a4 33 Kc3 b4+ 34 Kc4 a3 35 b3 Rc8 36 d7 Rd8 37 c6 Bxc6 38 Nxc6 Rdxd7 39 Re1 Rd2 40 Re8+ Kf7 41 Rf8+ Ke6 42 Nd8+ Rxd8 43 Rxd8 Ra7 44 Rd1 1–0 Cherepkov,A-Zdrojewski,W/Leningrad 1990/EXT 97 (44). ] 11 Bc4 Qa1+ 12 Rc1 Qxb2 13 Nf3 [I much preferred the idea of 13 Qxb2 Bxb2 14 Rb1 Bc3+ 15 Ke2 with the threat of c6 hanging in the air] 13 ..a5 14 Nd4 Qxd2+ 15 Kxd2 Na6 16 Bxa6? [More to the point was 16 c6! Nc5 ( 16 ..bxc6?! 17 Nxc6 Bf6 18 e4!) 17 f3 bxc6 18 Nxc6 Re8 19 d6 exd6 20 Bxd6 and White has realistic winning chances.] 16 ..Rxa6 17 Bc7 a4 18 Rc3 Bf5!

[Suddenly White has problems due to a-pawn.] 19 f3 [ Taking on f5 got a bit complicated: 19 Nxf5 gxf5 20 Ra3 Bb2 21 Ra2 a3 22 Rd1 Rc8 23 d6 Rxc7! 24 dxc7 Rc6 25 Ke2 Rxc7 26 Rd8+ Kg7 27 Rb8 Rxc5 28 Rxb7 Rc2+ 29 Kf3 e5 and White is going to have a tricky time of it securing the draw.] 19 ..Rc8 20 Bb6 Bd7 21 Ra3 Be5 22 Rc1 e6! 23 dxe6 [ 23 d6? Bxd6!] 23 ..fxe6 24 Rb1 Bf6 25 Nb5 Be7 [Black's successfully ganged-up on the c-pawn.] 26 Nd6 Rc6 27 Nc4 Be8 28 Kd3 Bxc5 29 Bxc5 Rxc5 30 Nd2 [ 30 Rxb7? Bb5!] 30 ..Rd6+ 31 Ke2 Bb5+ 32 Ke1 Rd3 33 Rxb5 Rc1+ 34 Ke2 Rxa3 35 Ne4 Rc2+ 36 Kd1 Rxg2 0–1

Bareev,E (2724) - Jussupow,A (2618) [A84]

Eurotel Trophy Prague CZE (1.2), 29.04.2002

1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 e6 4 e3 f5 [This is a nice way to play the Stonewall Dutch - as long as you are willing to play the Slav, also! This is a particular ploy of the talented young Russian (aren't they all?) Alexander Galkin. The major benefit of playing this way is e3 is a minor concession as normally white would want to play g3 and Bg2.] 5 Bd3 Nf6 6 0–0 Bd6 7 b3 Qe7 8 Bb2 0–0 9 Qc1 Ne4 [ 9 ..b6 10 Ba3 Bb7 11 Bxd6 Qxd6 12 Qa3 c5 13 Nbd2 Na6 14 Rad1 Nb4 15 Bb1 a5 16 Qb2 Ba6 17 a3 Nc6 18 Rfe1 Rad8 19 h3 cxd4 20 exd4 Ne4 21 Bd3 Ra8 22 cxd5 exd5 23 Bxa6 Rxa6 24 Ne5 b5 25 Ndf3 b4 26 a4 Nd8 27 Rc1 Ne6 28 Qe2 Nc3 29 Qe3 Raa8 30 Nd3 Rae8 31 Kf1 Qb6 32 Nde5 Qd6 33 Kg1 Rc8 34 Nd3 Ne4 35 Rxc8 Rxc8 36 Nfe5 Rc3 37 f3 f4 38 Qe2 Ng3 39 Qb2 Qb6 40 Kh2 Qxd4 0–1 Peng,Z-Galkin,A/Hoogeveen 2001/CBM 84 ext. ] 10 Ba3 Nd7 11 Bxd6 Qxd6 12 Qa3 c5N [ 12 ..b6 followed by c5 is almost standard here. Jussepow believes he can dispense with b6 - the evidence seems to suggest he's right.] 13 cxd5 exd5 14 dxc5 Ndxc5 15 Be2 f4! 16 exf4 Qxf4 17 b4 Qf6 18 Nbd2 Qc3! 19 Qxc3 Nxc3 20 Rfe1 N5a4 21 Bf1 a5 22 a3 Bd7 23 Nd4 axb4 24 axb4 Rfe8 25 f3 Kf7

[Jussupow has got the superior endgame in this position: better pieces, active king and white tied down to the weak b-pawn.] 26 N2b3 b6 27 Rxe8 Rxe8 28 Rc1 Kf6 29 Bd3 g6 30 Bf1 Re7 31 Na1 Na2 32 Rb1 N4c3 33 Rb2 Re1 34 Nac2 Rd1 [The Black pieces are swarming over the White position: something has to give. 35 b5 Ke5 [Heading for d6-c5 and xb5. White can't hang on.] 36 Nc6+ Kd6 37 N2d4 Kc5 38 Nb3+ Kd6 39 Nbd4 Bxc6 40 Nxc6 Nxb5 41 Kf2 Kxc6 42 Bxb5+ Kc5 43 Be2 Ra1 44 Rc2+ Kd6 45 Rb2 Kc6 46 Rc2+ Kb7 47 Rd2 Nc3 48 Ke3 Re1 [After a mass exchange on e2, the king and pawn ending is easily won for Black.] 0–1

You can contact John Henderson at: jbhthescots@blueyonder.co.uk

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center.