Round 9 4th March 2002

SIESTA TIME

WAY back at the Dresden tournament of 1892, Theodor von Scheve started experimenting with an adventurous new line in the Ruy Lopez with 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Bc5 5 c3 f5!?.

Some years later, American master Frank Marshall (he of Marshall Attack fame), one of the first Grandmasters of the game, also used it to good effect. However, the line only really became popular when the great Jose Raul Capablanca played it at Budapest 1928, a tournament held at the Siesta sanatorium.

Kasparov, a fan of the Anti-Marshall

Despite the sleepy-image conjured up by being christened "The Siesta Variation", the system is anything but. And, since today is the official rest-day, I’d thought we’d also take a look at "another" variation on the Spanish siesta.

The siesta is undoubtedly the major Spanish obsession. Two hours’ sleep after lunch is so sacred that anyone seen on their feet between the hours of 3.00 and 5.00 p.m. is considered insane. According to Encarta, the word "siesta" comes from the Latin sixta which means "the sixth hour of the day". It designates any form of sleep, nap, or rest taken during daytime and especially at mid-day, the sixth hour of the day.

The good news here is that those crafty Spaniards - or TWIC columnists - aren’t as lazy as you might think. Sleep is back in fashion apparently. Did it ever go out, I ask myself? I remember once that the late, great Tony Miles was once asked in a magazine questionnaire what his favourite hobby was. Witty as ever, Tone replied "Sleeping!". Hopefully he’s resting peacefully now, wherever he may be.

But these days, experts claim that quality sleep, including an afternoon kip, is good for business (now these are my kind of experts!). For someone who, like me, loves an afternoon siesta, this comes as great news!

Mark Rosekind, a former NASA scientist and founder of Alertness Solutions, educates business people about the advantages of sanctioning naps. He says we're biologically programmed to get sleepy between 3pm and 5pm and 3am and 5am (I play it safe by also trying to sleep in-between those hours as well). Rosekind says our internal timekeeper - the circadian clock - operates on a 24-hour rotation and every 12 hours there's a dip. That's why, come mid-afternoon, many of us feel like plonking our head on the desk for a few minutes of shut-eye.

So, especially on the rest day, please excuse the length of this report - It’s fast approaching siesta time in Linares. I’ll leave you with another variation of the Ruy Lopez that Marshall championed - hopefully they’ll keep you awake!

Ponomariov,R (2727) - Adams,M (2742) [C89]

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0–0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 0–0 8 c3 d5 The Marshall Attack - one of the most revered gambits in the Ruy Lopez (and indeed chess), and Frank's lasting legacy to the game. The story goes that Marshall, believing he had discovered a winning line, avoided defending the Lopez for nine-years as he wanted to play his gambit against Capablanca. Unfortunately for Marshall, when he did uncork it at the 1918 Manhattan Chess Club International, Capa won in a sparkling game. Subsequently, Marshall's play was refined upon and the Marshall Attack as we know it today went on to become a firm favourite - especially among club and tournament players who enjoyed the sharp tactical positions arising from it. 9 exd5 Nxd5 10 Nxe5 Nxe5 11 Rxe5 c6 [For the record: 11 ..Nf6 12 Re1 Bd6 13 h3 Ng4 14 Qf3 Qh4 15 d4 Nxf2 16 Re2 Bg4 17 hxg4 Bh2+ 18 Kf1 Bg3 19 Rxf2 Qh1+ 20 Ke2 Bxf2 21 Bd2 Bh4 22 Qh3 Rae8+ 23 Kd3 Qf1+ 24 Kc2 Bf2 25 Qf3 Qg1 26 Bd5 c5 27 dxc5 Bxc5 28 b4 Bd6 29 a4 a5 30 axb5 axb4 31 Ra6 bxc3 32 Nxc3 Bb4 33 b6 Bxc3 34 Bxc3 h6 35 b7 Re3 36 Bxf7+ 1–0 Capablanca,J-Marshall,F/New York 1918/MainBase (36). ] 12 d4 Bd6 13 Re1 Qh4 14 g3 Qh3

15 Re4 [15 Be3 is basically the big main-line. The text, with the idea of sacrificing the exchange, was first played in 1947 by Tigran Petrosian, is probably the line that gives Black players the most grief in the Marshall.] 15 ..g5 [Aggressive, but very committal. Perhaps a redeployment of the black pieces is a better idea with the alternative variation: 15 ..Qd7 16 Nd2 f5 17 Re1 f4 18 Ne4 Qh3 19 Qe2 Bg4 20 Qf1 Qh5 21 Bd1 Bxd1 22 Rxd1 fxg3 23 hxg3 Rxf2 24 Kxf2 Rf8+ 25 Kg2 Rxf1 26 Rxf1 Qe2+ 27 Nf2 Bxg3 28 a4 b4 29 cxb4 Bxf2 30 Rxf2 Qg4+ 31 Kh2 Qxd4 32 Kg2 Nxb4 33 Bd2 Nd3 34 Rff1 Qg4+ 35 Kh1 h5 36 Bc3 h4 37 Rad1 Nf2+ 38 Rxf2 Qxd1+ 39 Kh2 Qxa4 40 Rg2 Qf4+ 0–1 Adams,M-Sokolov,I/Wijk aan Zee 1991/CBM 22. ] 16 Qe2 [16 Qf3 Bf5 17 Bxd5 cxd5 18 Re3 Rad8 19 Nd2 Rfe8 20 b3 Kg7 21 Bb2 Bg4 22 Qg2 Qxg2+ 23 Kxg2 Rxe3 24 fxe3 Re8 25 Re1 Bf5 26 Kf2 Bd3 27 Rd1 ½–½ Leko,P-Adams,M/Wijk aan Zee 2001/CBM 81. ] 16 ..Nf6 [It's easy to go very wrong very quickly in the Marshall - Illya Smirin, a player just outside the top-ten, paid the price for not knowing the theory last year against Alexander Grischuk: 16 ..f5 17 Re6 Bxe6 18 Qxe6+ Kh8 19 Qxd6 Rae8 20 Bd2 f4 21 Bxd5 cxd5 22 f3 g4 0–1 Smirin,I-Grischuk,A/Panormo 2001/CBM 84 ext . ] 17 Nd2 [17 Bxg5? Bg4! and White's in trouble:] 17 ..Bf5 18 f3!? [A move that was introduced into tournament praxis by Judit Polgar only a few years ago against Onischuk (both agreeing a draw after 18 ..Nxe4) - up till then, Petrosian-Averbakh from Moscow 1947 was still the key game in this line. 18 Re5 Bxe5 19 dxe5 Ng4 20 Nf3 Rae8 21 Qf1 Qxf1+ 22 Kxf1 h6 23 h4 Be4 24 Ne1 Rxe5 25 f4 gxh4 26 gxh4 Re7 27 Bd1 Bf5 28 Nf3 Rd8 29 Be2 Rde8 30 Bd1 Bd3+ 31 Kg2 Be2 32 Bxe2 Rxe2+ 33 Kg3 h5 34 f5 Rf2 35 a4 Rf1 36 axb5 cxb5 37 b3 f6 38 Nd4 Ree1 39 Rxa6 Rxc1 40 Nxb5 Rxf5 0–1 Petrosian,T-Averbakh,Y/Moscow 1947/EXT 99.] 18 ..c5N [A novelty from Mickey - but its probably a bad try to squeeze something that isn't there out of the Black position. 18 ..Nxe4 (The Polgar-Onischuk game ended here with a draw - however, White looks to have the better of the position) 19 Nxe4 Bxe4 20 fxe4 Be7 (20 ..Bxg3 21 hxg3 Qxg3+ 22 Kf1) 21 Be3 Kh8 22 Rf1 f5 23 Be6 Qg4 24 Qxg4 fxg4 25 Bd7 Rxf1+ 26 Kxf1 b4 27 Bxc6 bxc3 28 bxc3 Rb8 29 e5 Rb2 30 d5 Kg7 31 d6 1–0 Sax,G-Atalik,S/Bled 2000/CBM 79. ] 19 Qf2 c4 [19 ..cxd4!? 20 Rxd4 Bc5 21 Ne4 (21 Nf1?! Bxd4 22 Qxd4 Rae8! 23 Be3 (23 Ne3?! Nh5! 24 Qd6 Be6 25 Bc2 f5 with good attacking prospects.) 23 ..g4 and white has problems.) 21 ..Bxe4 22 Bxg5! Bxd4 (22 ..Bxf3 23 Bxf6 Qf5 24 Bh4 Bxd4 25 cxd4 Bg4 26 Qxf5 Bxf5 27 d5 with an unclear game.) 23 cxd4 Bd5 24 Bxf6 Bxb3 25 axb3 Qe6 26 Bh4 and White has compensation for the exchange.] 20 Bc2 h6 21 b3

21 ..cxb3? [Mickey indicated to me this morning that he just played into a bad line - and it all started to go pear-shaped around here. Taking on b3 releases all the tension in the position and gives White what he wants. Instead 21 ..Rfc8! and Black's doing ok: 22 bxc4 (22 Bb2 a5! with the idea of b4; 22 b4 a5!) 22 ..bxc4 23 Rb1 (23 Qe2 Rab8 24 Nxc4? Bxg3! 25 hxg3 Bxe4 26 Bxe4 Nxe4 27 fxe4 Qxg3+ winning.) 23 ..Rab8 24 Rxb8 Bxb8 25 Nf1 Nxe4 26 fxe4 Bg6 27 Ne3 with chances on both sides.] 22 axb3 Rfc8 23 Bb2 Bb4?! (Black was in a difficult situation - however this makes it even worse.) 24 Re5! Bxc2 25 cxb4 Bg6 26 Rc5 [Opening up the a1–h8 diagonal may have been better: 26 d5! Qd7 27 Qd4 Qa7 28 Qxa7 Rxa7 29 Bd4 Rd7 30 Ne4! Bxe4 (30 ..Nxd5? 31 Rxd5 Rxd5 32 Nf6+) 31 fxe4 Ng4 32 Rf5 Re7 33 Re1 Rce8 34 e5 winning.] 26 ..Re8 27 Nf1 Rad8 28 d5! Nd7 [28 ..Nxd5? 29 Qd4 Kf8 30 Qh8+ Ke7 31 Re1+ wins.] 29 Ne3!

29 ..h5 [29 ..Nxc5? 30 bxc5 and White has so many ways to win: either let the pawns roll, taking advantage of the a1–h8 diagonal with a Qd4, or a simple Rxa6 - Black can't stop everything.] 30 f4 h4 31 f5 hxg3 32 hxg3 Bh5 33 d6 Re4 34 Rac1 Nxc5 35 bxc5 Kh7 36 Bf6 Rg8 37 d7 Rh4 38 Qg2 Bf3 39 Qxh3 Rxh3 40 Kf2 g4 41 Nf1 Rh5 42 d8Q Rxd8 43 Bxd8 Rxf5 44 Ne3 Rh5 45 Bh4 1–0

Shirov,A (2715) - Ivanchuk,V (2717) [C88]

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0–0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 0–0 8 a4 (The Anti-Marshall - first played by Romanovsky against Torre in the great Moscow tournament of 1925) 8 ..Bb7 9 d3 Re8 10 Nbd2 (This is the system that was advocated by Soviet opening guru Efim Geller to Garry Kasparov for his 1993 London title defence against Nigel Short, who didn't fancy facing Short's Marshall Attack. It worked well enough for Kasparov - he scored 2/2 with it) 10 ..Bf8 11 c3 Na5 12 Ba2 c5 13 d4 d6 (Already we're in unknown territory - it's a sort of Zaitsev Variation with the big difference being the white bishop on a2 rather than c2.) 14 b4

14 ..exd4!? (After a very long think-in by Big Chucky. That, and a couple of other big thinks is what finally does him - he ends up in a frantic time-scramble.) 15 bxa5 dxc3 (For the piece Black is going to get three pawns - however the Spanish armada of pawns storming down the queenside should be enough to win.) 16 Nf1 Nxe4 17 axb5 axb5 18 a6 Bc6 [18 ..Rxa6? 19 Bxf7+ Kxf7 20 Rxa6 Bxa6 21 Qd5+ Kg6 22 Ng3! Nxg3 23 Rxe8 Bb7 (23 ..Qxe8 24 Nh4+ Kf6 25 Bg5#) 24 Ne5+ dxe5 25 Qxd8] 19 Rxe4 (White's only hope.) 19 ..Bxe4

20 Bxf7+ Kxf7 21 Ng5+ Kg8 22 Nxe4 Qc8 23 Nxc3 Rxa6 24 Rb1 b4 25 Nd5 Ra7 26 Rb3 [26 Nfe3 followed by Qb3 and Bb2 was a good way of trying to save the game.] 26 ..Ra1! 27 h3 [Also worth a try is 27 Rh3!? Re5 (27 ..Re4 28 Qh5 h6 29 Nf6+! gxf6 30 Rg3+ Kh8 31 Qf7 Rg4 32 Rxg4 Qxg4 33 Qxf8+ Kh7 (33 ..Qg8? 34 Qxh6+ Qh7 35 Qxf6+ Qg7 36 Qxg7+ Kxg7 37 Bb2+ wins) 34 Qxh6+=) 28 f4 Rf5 and black's got a good edge due to the queenside pawns. However, due to Chucky's precarious time situation, Shirov decides to make some non-committal moves to make him think. ] 27 ..Re5 28 Nf4 Qe8 29 Rf3 c4 30 Kh2 b3 31 Qd2

31 ..d5 [With Chucky's digital clock metaphorically ticking down to the last seconds, he misses the best route to the point: 31 ..Rc5! 32 Qc3 (otherwise c3 wins quickly) 32 ..Qe5! 33 Ng3 Qxc3 34 Rxc3 d5 wins the house.] 32 Ne3 Bd6 33 g3 Qc6 34 Ng4 d4? [Tragedy! With just three-seconds left on his clock, Chucky overlooks that the a1 rook is hanging. A pity, really. Up to here Chucky had simply outplayed Shirov after his imaginative piece sacrifice in the opening. Instead, he could have simply opted for 34 ..Rf5 35 Qc3 (35 Bb2 Ra2 36 Qd4 Rxb2! 37 Qxb2 Qb7 and the pawns soon pass)) 35 ..Rxc1 36 Qxc1 Qb7 winning.] 35 Qxd4 Re4 36 Qxa1 1–0

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

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