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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 1 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 1 15th January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is adding additional editorial comment and some analysis.

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Judit Polgar. Photo © Michiel Abeln Wijk aan Zee sees the return of Judit Polgar to competitive chess after the birth of her first child, Oliver. She hadn't played since the Hotel Bali tournament in Benidorm in November 2003. She got a nagging advantage in a simplified position and after just a few moves Svidler's position fell apart.

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Polgar,Ju (2728) - Svidler,P (2735) [C89] Corus A (1), 15.01.2005

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 00 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.g3 Bd6 13.Re1 Qd7 14.d3 Qh3 15.Re4 Nf6 16.Rh4 Qf5 17.Nd2 Re8N [The old move g5 has been experiencing some problems lately: 17...g5 18.Rh6 Ng4 19. Ne4 Nxh6 20.Nxd6 Qg6 21.Ne4. - 17. ...Qxd3 18.Rd4 wins Malcolm Pein] 18.Ne4 Nxe4 19.Rxe4 Rxe4 20.dxe4 Qxe4 21.Bc2 Qe7 [According to Svidler he should probably try 21. ...Qd5. 21...Qe6 It seems a bit illogical to put the queen here, but maybe black can survive after Bf8 followed by completing development.] 22.Bg5 According to Svider the position is already rather unpleasant. 22. ...f6 [22...Qxg5 23.Qxd6+/-; 22...Qc7 was an alternative hoping to avoid the weakening f6.] 23.Be3 Be6

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 1 Report

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White is slightly better here, but it is remarkable to see how quickly Judit converts this small advantage. 24.Qf3 Qd7?! [it was certainly better for black to play: 24...Rc8 25.Re1 c5; 24...Bd5? 25.Bb3+/-; 24...Qc7? 25. Qe4] 25.Rd1! Rd8 [25...Bg4 26.Rxd6] 26.Be4 Bxa2?

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[26...Rc8 27.Bc5 (27.Bf4 Bg4 28.Rxd6 Bxf3 29.Bxh7+ Kxh7 30.Rxd7 Re8) Bg4 28.Bxh7+ (28.Rxd6 Bxf3 29.Bxh7+ Kxh7 30.Rxd7) 28...Kxh7 29.Qd3 + g6 30.Qxd6 with some chances to hold.] 27.Bb6 Bb3 28.Rd4 c5 28. ... Re8 loses to 29.Bc5 Re6 30.Bf5 Re1+ 31.Kg2 Qf7 32.Rxd6 Bd5 33.Rxd5 Qxd5 34 Qxd5+ cxd5 35.Bc8 MP 29.Bxc5 Qe6 30.c4 1-0 Message Board

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Alexander Grischuk and Viswanathan Anand tested the pieces in round 1. Photo © Michiel Abeln Anand is the clear favourite for the event. He started with black against Alexander Grischuk and after they played 22 moves of theory in an Open Ruy Lopez peace was agreed. After the game Alexander Grischuk complained of a severe headache which is why he did not try (this whole

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 1 Report

line has been known to be a simple draw for black) Vishy commented with humour "it was really rough today" he added that he was happy because "first rounds are always difficult, you have to get used to the environment, which is very different than the study room". Also he said that in this line he had tried to figure out the difference between Be7 and Bg7, which took him about 5 hours, and the next day he saw it all explained in a magazine. As he said, what a waste of time, he could have watched a nice movie! Grischuk,A (2710) - Anand,V (2786) [C80] Corus A (1), 15.01.2005

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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 d4 11. Ng5 Qxg5 12. Qf3 OO-O 13. Bxe6+ fxe6 14. Qxc6 Qxe5 15. b4 Qd5 16. Qxd5 exd5 17. bxc5 dxc3 18. Nb3 d4 19. Ba3 g6 20. Bb4 Bg7 21. a4 d3 22. axb5 1/2-1/2

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Lazaro Bruzon vs Vladimir Kramnik Photo © Michiel Abeln Vladimir Kramnik got a very comfortable position straight out of the opening with a reverse Zuckertort Colle setup. His Kingside demonstration looked dangerous but in the end there was nothing clear and the game was quickly drawn. Bruzon,L (2652) - Kramnik,V (2754) [E14] Corus A (1), 15.01.2005 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.d4 e6 4.e3 Bb7 5.Bd3 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.0-0 Bd6 8.Nc3 0-0 9.b3 a6 10.Bb2 Nbd7 11.Rc1 Qe7 12.Ne2 Ne4 13.Ng3 f5 [13...g6 14.Rc2 Rfc8 15.Qe2 f5 16.Rfc1 c6 17.Nf1 a5 18.a4 Bb4 19.Ne1 Bd6 20.Qd1 Rf8 21.f3 Ng5 22.f4 Ne4 23.Nf3 Nb8 24.Ne5 Bxe5 25.dxe5 Qe6 26.Bxe4 fxe4 27.g4 Nd7 28.Ng3 Qe7 29.Rxc6 Bxc6 30.Rxc6 Rad8 31. Qxd5+ Kh8 32.Rd6 1-0 Harikrishna,P-Hoeksema,E/Wijk aan Zee NED 2001/ The Week in Chess 324] 14.Rc2 Rf7 15.Re1 g5 16.Nd2 [16.Nf1 g4 17. N3d2 Qh4 with the attack according to notes in ChessBase Megabase.] 16...Raf8 17.Qe2 I like black here (MC) but black's next doesn't seem like a winning try. 17...g4 18.Bxe4!

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 1 Report

White needs to play this before black really gets going. 18...fxe4 19.Qxg4 + Kh8 20.f4= white has no problems now 20. ...Bc8 21.Qg5 Qxg5 22. fxg5 Rg7 23.Rec1 Kg8 [23...Rxg5 24.Ndxe4 dxe4 25.Nxe4 Rgg8 26.d5+ Be5 27.Bxe5+ Nxe5 28.Rxc7 () with not much in it.] 24.Nb1 [24.Ndxe4 dxe4 25.Nxe4 Bb7 26.Nxd6 (26.d5 Re7) 26...cxd6 27.Ba3 (27.Rc7) ] 24... b5 25.Nc3 Nb6 26.Nce2 Rxg5 1/2-1/2 Alexander Morozevich is the crowd favourite. He got into a bit of trouble against Van Wely but managed to escape. Morozevich,A - Van Wely,L [A34] Corus A (1), 15.01.2005 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.g3 e6 4.Nf3 b6 5.e4 Bb7 6.d3 Nc6 7.Bg2 d6 [7... Be7 8.0-0 0-0 (8...d6 9.d4 (9.a3 0-0 10.Rb1 d5 11.Bg5 d4 12.Ne2 Nd7 13. Bd2 a5 14.h3 a4 15.Ne1 e5 16.f4 f6 17.Nf3 Ncb8 18.g4 Bc6 19.g5 fxg5 20. fxe5 Rxf3 21.Bxf3 Nxe5 22.Ng3 Nxd3 23.Bg4 Nd7 24.Be6+ Kh8 25.Qh5 Nf6 26.Rxf6 Bxf6 27.Bf5 Qg8 28.Bxg5 Be8 29.Qh4 Ne5 30.Rf1 Ng6 31. Bxg6 Bxg5 32.Qxg5 Bxg6 33.Nf5 Bxf5 34.exf5 Rf8 35.Kh1 Qxc4 36.Re1 Qd5+ 37.Kg1 h6 38.Qg3 Qxf5 39.Rd1 Rf6 0-1 Timon Piote,S-Gallego Jimenez,V/Palencia ESP 1999) 9...cxd4 10.Nxd4 Rc8 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.Bf4 0-0 13.Qe2 Qc7 14.Rac1 Qb7 15.Rfe1 Rfe8 16.Rcd1 Rcd8 17.h3 h6 18.Qf1 a6 19.a4 Qb8 20.Be3 Nd7 21.f4 Nc5 22.Qf2 Nxa4 23.Nxa4 Bxa4 24.Bxb6 Bxd1 25.Bxd8 Bxd8 0-1 Skalkotas,N-Nikolaidis,I/Athens GRE 2004/The Week in Chess 524) 9.h3 a6 10.b3 Qc7 11.Bb2 Rfd8 12.Qe2 d5 13.e5 Ne8 14.cxd5 exd5 15.Rae1 f6 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Qe6+ Qf7 18.Qxf7+ Kxf7 19.g4 Nb4 20.Rd1 Bxc3 21.Bxc3 Nxa2 22.Be5 Kg8 23.Ng5 Rd7 24.f4 d4 25.Ne4 Bd5 26.f5 Nb4 27.g5 Bxb3 28.Nxc5 bxc5 29.Bxa8 Bxd1 30.Rxd1 Nc7 31. Be4 Ncd5 32.f6 g6 33.Bf3 Ne3 34.Rd2 c4 35.dxc4 Nxc4 36.Bf4 Nxd2 37. Bxd2 Nd5 38.Bg4 Rd6 39.Bc1 a5 40.Ba3 Nb4 41.Bc1 d3 42.Bf4 Rd4 43.Be6 + Kf8 0-1 Sperdokli,E-Gesos,P/Ano Liosia GRE 2001/The Week in Chess 322] 8.0-0 a6 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Rc8 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.Qe2 Be7 13. Rd1 Qc7 14.Bf4 Nd7 15.Rac1 Bb7 16.Na4 Qc6 17.b3 0-0 18.Qf1 Qc7 19.b4 Ne5 20.Bxe5 dxe5 21.c5 bxc5 22.Nxc5 Bg5 23.Rc3 [It seems that white had here the better: 23.f4 exf4 24.Rd7 (24.Nd7 Bc6 25.Nxf8 f3 26.Bxf3 Qa7+ 27.Kh1 Bxc1 28.Nxe6 Bb2) 24...f3 (24...Qxd7 25.Nxd7 f3 26.Rc4 Be3+ 27.Kh1 fxg2+ 28.Kxg2) 25.Rxc7 Be3+ 26.Kh1 fxg2+ 27. Kxg2 Rxc7 28.Rc4 Bxc5 29.Rxc5 Bxe4+ and the big question is whether black has enough compensation] 23...Rfd8 24.h4 Bd2 25.Rc4 Qb6 26. a3 Bc6 27.Nd3 Bh6 28.Nxe5 Bb5 29.Rxc8 Rxc8 30.Qe1 Ba4 31.Rb1 Bc2 32.Ra1 Qd4 33.Nf3 Qxe4 34.Ng5 Qxe1+ 35.Rxe1 g6 36.Bf1 Rc3 37.Bxa6 Rxa3 38.Rc1 Ra2 39.Bc4 Rb2 40.b5 Ba4 [

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 1 Report

With about 40 seconds left Van Wely had to make a difficult decision. The conclusion seems to be that white can hold in all lines. 40...f6 41.b6 (41. Bxe6+ Kf8) 41...fxg5 42.Bxe6+ Kf8 43.b7 Be4 (43...Ke7 44.Bd5=) 44.Rc8 + Ke7 45.b8Q Rxb8 46.Rxb8 Kxe6 47.Rh8 gxh4 48.Rxh7 Bg5 49.gxh4 Bf4 50.h5] 41.Ra1 Rb4 42.Bd3 Bf8 43.b6 h6 44.Ne4 Bc6 45.Rb1 Rxb1+ 46.Bxb1 f5 47.Nd2 Bc5 48.Ba2 Kf7 49.Nc4 Ke7 50.Ne5 1/2-1/2

Ivan Sokolov vs Peter Leko. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Peter Leko got the advantage but Ivan Sokolov managed to hold on even in time trouble. Sokolov,I (2685) - Leko,P (2749) [D47] Corus A (1), 15.01.2005. [Notes: Abeln,Michiel] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bd6 9.0-0 0-0 10.h3 A new move at the top level, and in this game not a great success. [10.Bd2 Bb7 11.Rc1 Rc8 12.Ne2 b4 13.e4 c5 14. e5 Bxf3 15.exd6 Bd5 16.Ba6 Rb8 17.dxc5 Qa5 18.Bd3 Nxc5 19.Bc4 Nce4 20.a3 Nxd2 21.Qxd2 Qd8 22.Bxd5 Qxd6 23.Qd4 Nxd5 24.Qxa7 Ra8 25. Qc5 Qxc5 26.Rxc5 bxa3 27.bxa3 Rxa3 28.Rfc1 g6 29.Nc3 Nf4 30.Rc7 e5 31.Re1 Rfa8 32.g3 Ra1 33.Kf1 Rxe1+ 34.Kxe1 Ra1+ 35.Kd2 Ne6 36.Rb7 g5 37.Ne4 Ra4 38.Nc3 Ra1 39.Ne4 Ra4 40.Nc3 Ra6 41.Rb5 Nd4 42.Rd5 g4 43.Ke3 Re6 44.Nb5 Nf5+ 45.Ke4 Ne7 46.Rd7 f5+ 47.Ke3 Kf7 48.Nd6+ Kg6 49.Kd3 Ng8 50.Rd8 Nf6 51.Ke3 Re7 52.Rf8 Rd7 53.Nc4 f4+ 54.Ke2 f3 + 55.Ke3 Kg7 56.Ra8 Rd4 57.Ra7+ Kh6 58.Nb6 Rb4 59.Ra6 Kg5 0-1 Lautier,J-Zvjaginsev,V/Tilburg NED 1998] 10...b4 [10...a6 Less precise because of 11.e4 e5 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 Bxe5 14.Be3 and white's pieces work nicely together 14...Bb7 15.Qc2 Re8 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.Ne2 Nxe4 18.Bxe4 1-0 Mensch,E-Lassabe,N/France 2002/EXT 2003] 11.Na4 [11.Ne4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Bb7 13.Bd2 Only leads to equality] 11...c5 12. dxc5 Bxc5! A normal response for experienced Meran players [Less good is 12...Nxc5 13.Nxc5 Bxc5 14.e4 and white has a clear edge] Normally white would now take on c5 and play Bb5+, but here black has already castled! Leko expected white to play b3 here with a normal position. 13. Qc2 Be7 14.e4 Qa5!

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 1 Report

A move with which Leko was quite happy after the game 15.a3? A mistake after which black gets an advantage. Sokolov had seen the normal b3, but wanted to do something about his knight on a4 immediately, which is why he played the "terrible" a3. [15.b3 Ba6 16.Qe2 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 In the post mortem Leko tried to show an advantage for black here as well, but he failed: 17...Rfd8 18.Qe2 Nb6 19.Nxb6 axb6 20.Bb2 Qa6 21.Rfe1 Qxe2 22. Rxe2 Bc5 23.Ne5=] 15...Ba6 Now black is better 16.Bxa6 Qxa6 17.axb4 Rfc8 18.Qb1 Qb7 19.e5 Nd5 20.Nc5 [20.Bd2 Bxb4 21.Ng5 After the game both players looked at some wild variations, thoug Sokolov stated that Leko would never have allowed a white queen on h7 in a real game, but would simply play Nf8 21...Bxd2 (21...Nf8) 22.Qxh7+ Kf8 23.Ne4 Bh6 24.Nd6] 20...Nxc5 21.bxc5 Rxc5 22.Bd2 Leko had the feeling that although he had the advantage, Sokolov made no more mistakes and the game was always just in balance. 22...Rb8 23.Ra2 Rc7 24.Rc1 h6 25. Rxc7 Qxc7 26.Ra4 Threatening Rg4 with a dangerous attack 26...Bb4 27.Bxb4 Nxb4 28.Ra3 Nd5 29.Qa1 Qc2

Leko played this because he wanted to complicate matters for Sokolov who was down to his last minutes. Sokolov was quite happy to see Qc2, because now play was all forced and he didn't have to think about alternatives. [29...Rb7 30.b3 and it is not clear how black can improve his position] 30.b3 Nf4 31.Rxa7 Rxb3 32.Qa4 Only move 32...Nxh3+? Leko should have played 32...Qc1+.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 1 Report

He did see this move but missed something further down the line. 33.Kh2 Rb1 34.Ra8+ Kh7 35.Qe4+ g6 36.Nd2 [36.Ne1 Nxg2 37.Kxg2 Qxe1 38. Qxe1 Rxe1] 36...Qg1+ 37.Kg3 Nh5+ 38.Kf3 Rb5 39.Rd8 Qd1+ 40.Qe2 Qxe2+ 41.Kxe2 Rxe5+

33.Kh2 Nxf2 34.Qe8+ Kh7 35.Qxf7 Qg6 [35...Ng4+ 36.Kh3 and black has nothing better than to return to f2] 36.Qxg6+ Kxg6 37.Re7 Rb6 38. Nd4 Ng4+ 39.Kh3 Nxe5 40.Rxe6+ Rxe6 41.Nxe6 Kf6 42.Nd4 h5 43. Kh4 g6 [Leko had an alternative idea that also leads to a draw: 43...Kg6 44.Ne6 Kh6 45.g4 Nxg4 (45...hxg4 46.Kg3=) 46.Nxg7=] 44.Ne2 Kg7 45. Kg5 Nf7+ 46.Kh4 Kh6 47.g4 g5+ 48.Kh3 h4 49.Nd4 Nd6 50.Nf3 Ne4 51.Nxh4 1/2-1/2

Nigel Short said a number of years ago he was giving up playing the elite events and this is the strongest tournament he has participated in since 2000 when he played Wijk aan Zee and in Sarajevo. He had white against

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 1 Report

fellow Brit Michael Adams and the two players repeated position as soon as they left theory.

Vesselin Topalov vs Ruslan Ponomariov. Photo © Michiel Abeln Vesselin Topalov obtained a big advantage but was forced to work hard by Ruslan Ponomariov for the win in the last game to finish. Topalov,V (2757) - Ponomariov,R (2700) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (1), 2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.0-0-0 Bb4 9.f3 Ne5 10.Nb3 b5 11.Kb1 Nc4 12.Bxc4 bxc4 13. Nc1 Qb7 14.N1e2 0-0 [Topalov had previous experience with this line: 14...Rb8 15.b3 0-0 16.Bf4 Ra8 17.Bd6+/- Topalov-Lutz, Sparkassen GP 2002 17...Bxd6 18.Qxd6 cxb3 19.axb3 a5 20.Rd4 Ra6 21.Qa3 d5 22.exd5 exd5 23.Nf4 Be6 24.Rhd1 h6 25.Ncxd5 Nxd5 26.Nxd5 Rb8 27.Nf6+ gxf6 28.Rd8+ Rxd8 29.Rxd8+ Kh7 30.Qf8 Kg6 31.Qg8+ Kh5 32.Qg7 f5 33.Rd4 Bc8 34.g3 1-0 Topalov,V-Lutz,C/Dortmund GER 2002/The Week in Chess 400] 15.Qd4 Rb8 16.Bc1

16...d6 [After the game Ponomariov proposed 16...Ba3 17.b3 Bxc1 18. Rxc1 cxb3 19.cxb3 Rd8 20.e5 Ne8 21.Ne4 but also here white is clearly better] 17.Qxc4 Bd7 18.b3 Rfc8 19.Qd3 a5 20.a3 Bc5 21.a4 Be8 22. Bb2 Bb4 23.Na2 [During the game Topalov felt he should have played 23. Nd4 d5 but after this move in the post mortem all lines were very messy] 23...Bc5 24.Bxf6 gxf6 25.Nec3 Bc6 26.Rhe1 Qb6 27.f4 Kh8 28.Re2 Rg8 29.g3 Rbd8 30.Qc4 Rd7 31.Red2 Bb7 32.Qe2 Qc6 33.Qh5 Qb6 34.Qh4 Qd8 35.f5 exf5 36.exf5 Rg5 37.Qf4 Re7 38.Nd5 Re5 39.g4 Bxd5 40.Rxd5 Rxd5 41.Rxd5 Qe7 42.Qf3 Qe1+ 43.Rd1 Qh4 44.h3 h5 45.Nc3 hxg4 46.hxg4 Rxg4 47.Nd5 [After the game Topalov indicated the following winning line: 47.Ne2 Kg7 48.Rh1 Qg5 49.Qh3 Kf8 50.Qh8+ Ke7 51.Qc8] 47...Kg7 48.Rh1 Rg3 49.Qd1 Qd4 50.Qxd4 Bxd4 51.Kc1 Rg5?

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 1 Report

The losing move, black should have played: [51...Rf3 52.Rh5 Bc5 53.c3 and black has some chances of survival] 52.Rf1 Rg2 53.c3 Be5 54.Rd1 Kf8 55.Rd2 Rg1+ 56.Kc2 Ke8 57.b4 Kd7 58.bxa5 Kc8 59.Nb4 Rg5 60.Rd5 Rxf5 61.Rb5 Rf2+ 62.Kb3 Rf3 63.Nd5 Rd3 64.Kc4 1-0

Magnus Carlsen was promoted to the B event after demolishing last years C tournament he drew with black against Alejandro Ramirez.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 2 Report

Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 TWIC Coverage

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Wijk aan Zee Round 2 16th January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is adding additional editorial comment and some analysis.

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Vladimir Kramnik was demolished by Vesselin Topalov. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

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The first game to finish in round 2 was a shocking demolition of Vladimir Kramnik by Vesselin Topalov in only 20 moves. There have been questions about Kramnik's form in recent times, the annointed successor to Kasparov has sometimes not quite lived up to his talent. Although Kramnik pulled out the stops to draw his match with Leko, he lost rating points and allowed Vesselin Topalov to take his number three FIDE ranking. Just as for Kasparov at the Russian Championship, there will be a lot of scrutiny of Kramnik's result here. Round two was an unmitigated disaster for Kramnik. Faced with a novelty by Topalov (11...Ne5) Kramnik played the most principled line. Usually this also means the most dangerous line and after two inaccuracies Kramnik resigned in a position where he was going two pawns down. Topalov explained after the game that he was not feeling very happy. He compared it to his loss last year at Corus against Bareev where he had not put up any resistance at all. So he knew all too well how Kramnik felt and stated that this will not happen again to Kramnik in the next ten years!

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The game produces a quiz question. Has a reigning world chess champion ever lost in less than 20 moves? The answer appears to be at least once. See the end.

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Kramnik,V (2754) - Topalov,V (2757) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (2), 2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Topalov has had this postion before and with not very good results against Kramnik. This time Topalov went for e6 where in previous games against Kramnik he played e5. 6...e6 [6...e5 7.Nf3 (7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Nbd7 9.Qd2 b5 10.0-00 h5 11.Nd5 Bxd5 12.exd5 g6 13.Kb1 Nb6 14.Qc3 Be7 15.Qc6+ Nbd7 16. Bb6 Qxb6 17.Qxa8+ Nb8 18.Na5 Nfd7 19.Nc6 Bg5 20.Qa7 Nxc6 21.Qxb6 Nxb6 22.dxc6 Ke7 23.Rd3 Rc8 24.Ra3 Na4 25.c4 Rxc6 26.Be2 Rb6 27. cxb5 axb5 28.Bxb5 Rxb5 29.Rxa4 f5 30.Rd1 Be3 31.a3 d5 32.b4 d4 33. Ra5 Rxa5 34.bxa5 Kd6 35.Kc2 e4 36.fxe4 fxe4 37.Re1 1-0 Kramnik,VTopalov,V/Linares ESP 2004/The Week in Chess 486 (37)) 7...Be7 8.Bc4 00 9.0-0 Be6 10.Bb3 b5 11.Qe2 h6 12.a3 Nbd7 13.Nh4 Re8 14.Nf5 Bf8 15.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 2 Report

Rfd1 Qc7 16.Qf3 Kh7 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Bxd5 Nxd5 19.Rxd5 Nf6 20.Rd2 Re6 21.g4 Qb7 22.Ng3 Rc8 23.h4 g6 24.g5 Ne8 25.h5 Ng7 26.hxg6+ fxg6 27. gxh6 Nh5 28.Nxh5 gxh5 29.Qf5+ Rg6+ 30.Kh1 Qe7 31.f3 Qf6 32.Qxh5 Rg3 33.Rf2 d5 34.Rg1 Rxg1+ 35.Kxg1 d4 36.Bg5 Qg6 37.Qxg6+ Kxg6 38. Rg2 Kh7 39.Bf6 Bd6 40.Bg7 a5 41.Kf1 a4 42.Ke1 Rb8 43.Kd1 b4 44.axb4 Rxb4 45.Kc1 Rb7 46.Rg5 a3 47.bxa3 Bxa3+ 48.Kd2 Bb2 49.Rxe5 d3 50. Rg5 dxc2 51.Kxc2 1-0 Kramnik,V-Topalov,V/GpA, Cap D'Agde FRA 2003 (51)] 7.f3 b5 8.g4 h6 9.Qd2 The main move is Nbd7 here for black, but Topalov had prepared something special. 9...b4 10.Na4 This is stronger than Nce2 10...Nbd7 11.0-0-0 [11.Nc6? Qc7 12.Nxb4 d5 13.exd5 Qa5] 11...Ne5N

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This is Topalov's novelty that he analysed with his second Danailov. They looked at many possibilities for white in this position. 11...Qa5 12.b3 d5 13. e5 Nxe5? 14.Nc6 Nxc6 15.Bb6. 12.Qxb4 The most principled reply. An alternative indicated by Kramnik and Topalov is 12.b3 Bd7 13.Nb2 d5 with complicated play. 12...Bd7 13.Nb3? Rb8 Game Over: Region 2 DVD.

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14.Qa3 [Kramnik intended to play 14.Nb6 but only here found out that this would lead to a clear advantage for black 14...Nc6 15.Qa4 Rxb6 16.Bxb6 Qxb6 17.Qxa6 Qe3+] 14...Nxf3 15.h3? [According to Topalov white had here one final chance to complicate matters 15.Bxa6 Nxg4; 15.Bg2? Ne5 with the winning threat Nc4] 15...Nxe4 Now black is a pawn up with a nice position and the white queen is still in a lot of trouble 16.Be2 Ne5 17. Rhe1 Qc7 18.Bd4 Nc6 19.Bc3 d5 20.Nbc5 Qa7 0-1

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 2 Report

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Anand was defeated by Leko in round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln. After their drawn match in Brissago Vladimir Kramnik said that Peter Leko was one of the toughest players in the world and he would prove it in his future events. Today Leko had black against Viswanathan Anand and he proved very troublesome to the world number two. 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 f4N [21...Kh8 has been played before.] 22.Nc2

Anand has taken up the challenge to find something against Leko's Svesnikov. This variation probably looks good at home with a computer. White is a pawn up and Fritz can find all kind of resources. In practical play white's position is very difficult. Black has a very dangerous initiative and Leko felt that he was already better on move 22 when he found the idea of putting his queen on d6, the bishop on c8 and follow up with d4. 22...Bc8 23.Ra8 Qd6 24.Nb4 Bb7 25.Ra7 d4 26.Ba6 Anand thought for a long time on this move trying to find a safe way to a draw. If there was one, Leko admitted after the game that he had not seen it and instead Anand missed a simple trick. 26...Bxg2!

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The game is basically over. 27.Bc4+ [Anand had planned to play: 27.Qb3 + Bd5 28.Nxd5 Rxa7 missing that there is no good discovered check.] 27... Kh8 28.Ra6 Qc5 29.Kxg2 f3+ 30.Kh1 Qxc4 31.Rc6 Qb5 32.Rd6 e4 33.Rxd4 Bxd4 34.Qxd4+ Qe5 35.Qxe5+ Rxe5 36.Nc2 Rb8 37.Ne3 Rc5 38.h3 Rxb2 39.c4 Rg5 40.Kh2 Kg8 41.h4 Rg6 42.Kh3 Kf7 43. Nf5 Rc2 44.Ne3 Rd2 45.c5 Ke6 46.c6 Rg8 47.c7 Rc8 48.Kg3 Rxc7 49.Kf4 Rd4 50.Ra1 Rf7+ 51.Kg3 Rd8 52.Ra6+ Ke5 53.Ng4+ Kd5 54. Nf6+ Rxf6 55.Rxf6 Ke5 56.Rh6 Rg8+ 57.Kh3 e3 0-1

Michael Adams beat Alexander Morozevich. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Michael Adams was just half a point behind the winner Viswanathan Anand last year. Adams loses very few games and is ruthless against unsound play. Alexander Morozevich is a very tricky customer and often finds unusual tactics. First Adams got a pleasant position from the opening and then increased the pressure without allowing any chance for Morozevich's famous tactical shots. In the end Morozevich even blundered a pawn with 28…,g5?? But it would not have been an easy task to draw that position anyway. Adams,M (2741) - Morozevich,A (2741) [C42] Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 16.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.0-0 00 8.Re1 Bf5 9.c4 c6 10.Qb3 Qd7 11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.Bxf5 Qxf5 13.bxc3 b6 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.Qb5 Qd7 16.a4 Rd8 17.g3 Bc7 18.Bg5 f6 19. Bd2 Nc6 20.c4 Ne7 21.Rac1 a6 22.Qxd7 Rxd7 23.c5 Kf7 24.Bb4 bxc5 25.Bxc5 Nf5 26.Rb1 Ba5 27.Re2 h5 28.Rb3 g5 29.Nxg5+ fxg5 30.Rf3 Bd8 31.Rxf5+ Bf6 32.h3 a5 33.Rb2 Ra6 34.Rb5 Ke6 35.Rf3 g4 36.hxg4 hxg4 37.Rf4 Rg7 38.Rb2 Rg5 39.Kg2 Rc6 40.Rb7 Rg6 41.Ra7 Bd8 42.Rf8 Bc7 43.Re8+ Kd7 44.Re7+ Kc8 45.Ra8+ Kb7 46. Rxa5 Rgf6 47.Ra7+ Kc8 48.Rg7 Rfe6 49.Rg8+ 1-0

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 2 Report

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Lazaro Bruzon. Photo © Michiel Abeln. One of the nice things about Wijk aan Zee is the possibility of qualifying to play in the main event by winning the B event. Lazaro Bruzon of Cuba is their second strongest player and has made it into the top 50 in the world. This is his first elite event although as second board in the Olympiad he met Ponomariov and Svidler. He's had a solid start, drawing against Kramnik yesterday, and here Van Wely had to give perpetual or end up with an inferior position.

Ruslan Ponomariov refuted Judit Polgar's attack in round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln. I was a big fan of Ruslan Ponomariov. In 2002 he won the FIDE World Championship and followed it up with an impressive debut at Linares where he finished second behind Garry Kasparov. Since then he lost his trainer, suffered some ill health, had some controversial negotiations for a match against Garry Kasparov and has made some very strange and paranoid statements. His form suffered and the straight line of improvement he had on the run up to his most successful period stopped and in fact his play went backwards. In spite of all these problems he still has a pretty high rating although its down to 2700 in the last list he's still a formidable opponent and he's only 21 years of age. Judit got off to a good start with her win in round one but had a bit of a dispiriting game in the second round. The game was unbalanced for a long time but Ponomariov outplayed Polgar in time trouble in a very tense Sicilian struggle. Ponomariov,R (2700) - Polgar,Ju (2728) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (2), 2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Nbd7 9.Qd2 Be7 10.0-0-0 Rc8 11.g4 Nb6 12.Kb1 0-0 13.h4 a5 A very interesting idea that was not part of the preparation for this game. [13...Qc7 14.h5 h6 15.g5 hxg5 16.Bxg5 d5 17.Rg1 Rfd8 18.Bd3 d4

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 2 Report

19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.exd5 Nbxd5 21.Bh6 Ne8 22.Bxg7 Nxg7 23.h6 Bf6 24.hxg7 Bxg7 25.Qh6 f6 26.Nc5 Rd6 27.Qh7+ Kf8 28.Bc4 Re8 29.Ne4 Re7 30.Bxd5 1-0 Grischuk,A-Ftacnik,L/Calvia ESP 2004/The Week in Chess 520 (30)] 14.g5 Nh5 15.Nxa5 Ra8 16.Nb3 Ng3 17.Bxb6 Forced, much worse is: [17.Rg1 Nxf1 18.Rgxf1 Nc4] 17...Qxb6 18.Rh2 Nxf1 19.Rxf1 Qa6 20. Rd1 b5 [20...Rfc8? 21.a3 b5 22.Na2 and black has no compensation] 21. Nc1 Bc4 22.b3 Here black would like to play 22...,d5 because if white takes on c4 black gets a very serious attack The problem is that white can just snatch the pawn on d5. 22...Rfb8 23.Nd5 Bxd5 24.Qxd5 b4 Black has compensation fo the pawn, but it is not clear how much compensation. 25.Rhd2 Rc8 26.Qd3 Qa3 27.Qb5 Qa7 28.Qe2 Rc6 29.Rd5 g6 A good move, now the white pawns on h4 and g5 are vulnerable and sometimes black has ideas like h6 (not immediately because white will react with h5!). 30.Rb5 Ra6 31.a4 bxa3 32.Na2 Bd8 33.Qc4 Ra5 34.Nc3 a2+ 35.Ka1

35...Bb6 [Judit's second Marin thought that black should play 35...,Qf2, but that runs into 36. Rb7] 36.Rxa5 Bxa5 37.Nd5 Qf2 38.Qc6 Rf8 39. Kxa2

39...Qxh4 It is not so simple here for black, but after this move white clearly gets the upper hand. Probably Bd8 would have saved the game. 40. Qxd6 Bd8 [40...Qxg5 41.Nf6+ Kg7 42.Qxf8+ Kxf8 43.Nxh7++-] 41.Nf6+ Bxf6 42.gxf6 Ra8+ 43.Kb2 h5 44.Qe7 Qf2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 2 Report

Here Ponomariov misses a direct win with Rd7. Fortunately it is still a win for white. 45.Rd8+ Rxd8 46.Qxd8+ Kh7 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 1-0

Alexander Grischuk drew against Nigel Short. Photo © Michiel Abeln. After his headache yesterday Grischuk played a longer game today. Grischuk and Short fought out a fluctuating draw, where despite a miserable bishop Grischuk got a nice advantage after Short took back with the wrong pawn. A few moves later Grischuk returned the favor after which the game quickly ended in a draw. Grischuk,A (2710) - Short,N (2674) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (2), 2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 [7...0-0 During the game Short tried to remember a game by Shirov with the same structure. Shirov had said in his notes to a nice win over Bacrot that although Tal thought black was better in this position, Shirov disagreed! 8.c3 d5 9.d4 exd4 10.e5 Ne4 11.cxd4 Bg4 12.Nc3 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Nxc3 14.bxc3 f5 Although this looks very similar to the Grischuk game, here white has extra tempi and is therefore much quicker with his attack. 15.Kh1 Na5 16.Rg1 Qd7 17.Qe2 Qe6 18.Bg5 c6 19.Bc2 Ra7 20.f4 Kh8 21. Qh5 Ba3 22.Rg3 Nc4 23.Rag1 Qf7 24.Qh4 Nd2 25.Rh3 Qg8 26.f3 Nc4 27. Bd3 Nb2 28.Bb1 Nc4 29.Bf6 Nd6 30.Be7 Rxe7 31.Qxe7 1-0 Shirov,ABacrot,E/Bundesliga 2003 (31)] 8.c3 0-0 9.d4 Bg4 10.Be3 exd4 11. cxd4 d5 12.e5 Ne4 13.Nc3 Nxc3 14.bxc3 f5 Suat Atalik is during this tournement Short's second and explained that this was still preparation. 15.Qc1 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Na5 17.Bd1 Nc4 18.f4 Here Atalik was quite happy because the white bishop on e3 is terrible. 18...Ba3 19.Qc2 Qh4 20.Bf3 c6 21.Kh1 Rae8 22.Rg1 Re6 23.Rg2 Rh6

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 2 Report

Black seems to be quite active, but Grischuk stated after the game that he was playing for a win here. 24.Rag1 Rf7 [During the game Atalik and Marin (second of Judit polgar) analysed 24...Qh3 25.Qe2 Kh8 with the idea of Bb2 and white might be in trouble.] 25.Be2 Exchanging the strong knight on c4 25...Qh3 [25...Nb6 26.Bd3 Qh3 27.Qe2 Na4 28.Bd2 and white is better] 26.Bxc4

26. ...bxc4? A mistake that was not punished. [26...dxc4! 27.Qd1 Qh5 28.d5 Qxd1 29. Rxd1 cxd5 30.Rxd5 Rc6 and black is definately not worse here, he might even have some winning chances by playing Rb7 and a5-b4 at some point.] 27.Rb1 Bf8

28.Kg1? [Here white had better 28.Qe2 Qh5 29.f3 and Short was worried that at some point he would lose his a-pawn with a hopeless position.] 28...Re7 29.Rb8 Ree6 30.Qb2 Reg6 31.Rxf8+ Kxf8 32.Qb8+ Ke7 33.Qc7+ Ke8 34.Qc8+ Ke7 1/2-1/2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 2 Report

Peter Svidler managed some pressure against Ivan Sokolov. His position probably looked a little more impressive than it actually was and there were several lines that Sokolov saves himself by one tempo. The game ended in a draw without any clear lines that were winning for Svidler.

Magnus at the start of round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln. After his draw in round one Magnus Carlsen got off the mark with a win in the B group against Alexandra Kosteniuk. Quiz question answer (or at least one answer) Garry Kasparov lost to Deep Blue in 19 moves. (my thanks to Timothy M Newman) New York man vs machine New York 1997.05.11 Round "6 White Deep Blue - Black Kasparov,Garry Eco "B17" 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ngf6 6.Bd3 e6 7.N1f3 h6 8.Nxe6 Qe7 9.0-0 fxe6 10.Bg6+ Kd8 11.Bf4 b5 12.a4 Bb7 13.Re1 Nd5 14.Bg3 Kc8 15.axb5 cxb5 16.Qd3 Bc6 17.Bf5 exf5 18.Rxe7 Bxe7 19.c4 1-0

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 3 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 3 17th January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment.

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Peter Leko against Peter Svidler. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

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Peter Leko seems in good form at Wijk aan Zee whilst Peter Svidler will be left hoping he has easier days ahead. Svidler lost a theoretical battle and although he fought hard, Leko's technique was enough. Anand with black is Svidler's next task. Leko,P (2749) - Svidler,P (2735) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (3), 2005 1.e4 After this move Svidler started to think. In his match against Kramnik Leko had also played 1.d4 and maybe Svidler was expecting that. 1...c5 2. Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Be3 Be7 [In a previous encounter Svidler choose another topical line. 8...Nbd7 9.g4 Nb6 10.g5 Nh5 11.Qd2 Rc8 12.0-0-0 Be7 13.Kb1 0-0 14.Rg1 Qc7 15.Qf2 Nc4 16.Bxc4 Bxc4 17.Na4 b5 18.Nb6 Rb8 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.Rxd5 f5 21.gxf6 Nxf6 22.Rd3 b4 23.Qg2 Rf7 24.Qh3 a5 25.Nd2 a4 26.Qe6 Bf8 27.b3 Re8 28.Qc4 Qa5 29.bxa4 Qxa4 30.Rd1 Ra8 31.Qb3 Ne8 32.Qxa4 Rxa4 33.Kb2 1/2-1/2 Leko,P-Svidler,P/Dortmund GER 2004/The Week in Chess 508 (33)] 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.g4 Qc7 12.Kb1 b5 13.g5 Nh5 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15.exd5 Nb6 Leko had studied this position about three years ago, but at the board he could not remember much. 16.Rg1 [The normal move is 16.Na5 Nxd5 17.Qxd5 Qxa5 but according to Leko this position is nothing special for white, so he wanted to create something new. 18.Rg1 g6 19.Bd3 Rfe8 20.c4 Rab8 21.cxb5 axb5 22.Rg4 Ng7 23.f4 Bf8 24.Rf1 e4 25.Bxe4 Nf5 26.Bd2 Qc7 27.Rc1 Qd7 28.Rgg1 b4 29.Rge1 Ne7 30.Qd3 d5 31.Bg2 Bg7 32.Bh3 Qd6 33.Re2 Red8 34.Be3 d4 35.Bd2 Nd5 36.Ka1 Nxf4 37.Bxf4 Qxf4 38.Rg1 Re8 39.Kb1 Re3 40.Rxe3 dxe3 41.Qc2 Re8 42.Bd7 Qf2 43.Rc1 Rd8 44.Qxf2 exf2 45.Bb5 Rd5 46.Bf1 Rxg5 47.Rd1 Rg1 48.a4 bxa3 49.bxa3 Rg4 50.Kc2 Be5 51.Kb3 Bxh2 52.a4 Re4 53.a5 Re1 54.Kc2 Rxd1 55.Kxd1 Bc7 56.a6 Bb6 57.Ke2 Kg7 58.Kf3 h5 59.Kf4 Ba7 60.Kg5 f6 + 61.Kf4 Kh6 62.Bd3 f5 63.Bf1 h4 64.Bh3 Kh5 65.Bf1 Bb6 66.Bh3 Ba7 67. Bf1 Kh6 68.Bh3 Kg7 69.Kg5 Be3+ 70.Kxh4 Kf6 71.Kg3 g5 72.Bf1 g4 73. Bd3 Kg5 74.Kg2 f4 75.Be4 Ba7 76.Kf1 Kh4 77.Bb7 f3 78.Bxf3 1/2-1/2 Grischuk,A-Sadvakasov,D/Mainz GER 2004/The Week in Chess 509 (78)] 16...Rab8

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Leko had seen this position in round 1 and figured that it was an interesting idea. Only his follow-up is much stronger! 17.Rg4 Na5 is still not bringing anything special, so basically both parties are trying to improve their position hoping for/preventing a favorable moment for Na5. [17.h4 g6 18.f4 Nxf4 19.Bxf4 exf4 20.Qxf4 Rfe8 Nijboer-Mamedyarov, Corus B-group 2005 round 1] 17...g6 For the average player this is a position full of life, but Leko stated that it was very hard to come up with a reasonable move and that it is almost a case of mutual zugzwang! [17... Nc4? 18.Bxc4 bxc4 19.Qc3] 18.h4 [18.Rb4 here this move does not work yet as white can not yet win a tempo with an attack on f7 as is possible on the next move. 18...Rfc8 19.Na5 Nxd5 20.Qxd5 Qxa5] 18...Ng7 [18...Rfc8 19.Na5 Nxd5 20.Qxd5 Qxa5 21.Bc4 Rf8 22.Bb3 Qc7 23.Qe4 and white is in time to put his bishop safely on d5 with a nice advantage.; 18...f5 19.Rb4 Nc4 20.Bxc4 (20.Qc3? Na3+) 20...bxc4 21.Na5! and white is clearly better because 21...Qxa5 fails to 22.Rxb8 Qxd2 23.Rxf8+ Kxf8 24.Rxd2; 18...Bd8 19.Na5 Nxd5 20.Qxd5 Qxa5 favors white] 19.Bxb6 Qxb6 20.Na5 So white has won the theoretical battle, black is too late with Nf5-d4 to counter the knight on c6. 20...Rfc8 21.Nc6

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Leko saw the exchange sac coming but thought let him, it must be better for white. [The alternative 21.Bd3 Nh5 is not so clear because the knight reaches f4.] 21...Rxc6 22.dxc6 Nf5 [22...Qxc6 23.Qd5 Qxd5 24.Rxd5 Nf5 25.Rd3+/-] 23.Re4 Qxc6 24.Bg2 Leko called this already the decisive move. Bh3 is less clear because black can transfer his knight with Ng3-Nh5 reaching f4 again. 24...Rd8 25.f4 Qc5 [25...Qc7 is answered by 26.h5 and white is both positionally and in material better. 26...exf4 27.hxg6 hxg6 28.Qxf4] 26.Qe1 Rc8 27.c3 [27.Rd2 was the alternative. Leko saw all the knight jumps in the game but was not afraid at all. 27...exf4? 28. Bh3+-] 27...b4 28.Rxb4 Ne3 29.Rd2 and still the pawn on f4 is protected by the rook on b4 29...a5 30.Re4 [Leko first thought he had here a direct win with: 30.Rb7 Nxg2 31.Rxg2 Qc6 32.Rxe7 Qxg2 33.fxe5 Rb8 34.b3 a4 35.exd6+- but then realized that it is a different story because black can play after 30.Rb7 the intermediate Bxg5! and it is not so clear anymore.] 30...Nc4 31.Rxc4 [Of course white can play 31.Rde2 but after 31...a4 black is still playing, the solution in the game is much simpler, especially in time trouble.] 31...Qxc4 32.fxe5 Qe6 [Also losing is 32...dxe5 33.Qxe5 Bf8 34.Bd5 Qxh4 (34...Qf1+ 35.Kc2 and black has run

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out of checks) 35.Bxf7+ Kxf7 36.Qd5+ Kg7 37.Qd7++-] 33.Re2 d5 34. Qf1 Qa6 35.Rd2 Qc4 A last good move by black, now there are still some problems for white 36.Rd4 Qxf1+ 37.Bxf1 Rd8 38.b4 axb4 39.cxb4

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39...Bf8 [The alternative 39...Rb8 40.a3 Bc5 41.Rxd5 Bxb4 42.axb4 Rxb4 + 43.Kc2 Rxh4 may not be so simple to win, but it is much easier to answer 39..,Rb8 with 40.b5 and white wins.] 40.Bg2 [The alternative 40. a3 Bg7 41.Bg2 Bxe5 42.Rxd5 Rxd5 43.Bxd5 Kf8 might also be winning, but at least black is able to get his king over, which is in the game not allowed.] 40...Re8 41.Bxd5 [Initially Leko looked at the following crazy line: 41.a4 Rxe5 42.a5 Re1+ 43.Kc2 Re2+ 44.Kb3 Rxg2 45.a6 Rg1 46.Rd2 Rb1+ 47.Rb2 Rxb2+ 48.Kxb2 Bg7+ 49.Kb3 Bd4-+ But there is really no need to make life difficult.] 41...Rxe5 42.a4 Leko thought for a long time about this move because he did not know what to do with himself if he would not win this game! 42...Kg7 [This is the line Leko thought about for so long: 42...Bxb4 43.Bxf7+ Kxf7 44.Rxb4 Ke6 It took awhile before Leko found 45.Rd4! (This was Leko's initial line with which he was not satisfied 45.Rb6+ Kd7 (45...Kf5? 46.Rb5+-) 46.Rb7+ Kc6 47.Rxh7 Re4 48.Rh6 Kc5 is not so simple to win for white) 45...h6 46.gxh6 Rh5 47.Kc2 Rxh6 48.a5 Rh5 49.Ra4 Rh7 50.a6 Ra7 is an easy win for white] 43.Bb3 h6 [After 43...f6 44.a5 wins] 44.gxh6+ Kxh6 45.Bxf7 g5 46.h5 With this pawn on the board black can never sac his bishop to save the game. 46...Re7 47. Bg6 Ra7 48.b5 Bc5 49.Rc4 Bf2 50.Kc2 Re7 51.Kb3 Re5 52.Re4 Rc5 53.Kb4 Rc1 54.Ka5 Rg1 55.b6 g4 56.b7 Rb1 57.Re2 1-0

Peter Leko talking about his win against Svidler. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Leko said at the press conference that his match against Kramnik was a very tough match but that he was not very disappointed with the result. However, he was very exhausted! He considers 7-7 against the world champion not to be such a bad result and was very happy with the impact the match had in Hungary. This country (of about 10 million people ) followed with 4 million people the match and after the match Leko received a very warm welcome and this gave him a good feeling. After spending two weeks holiday in Mexico he used December for a tough training camp

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 3 Report

as preparation for this tournament. After that training camp he was really looking forward to play here. Also he is quite happy with the level of play he demonstrated in the match against Kramnik. For Leko it was his first real match and he was not used to this kind of tension. Because of nerves he lost the first and the last game, it had nothing to do with his chess. He is looking forward to future matches as he is now used to this kind of tension and knows what to expect. So far he is quite happy with the way the tournament is going, although he missed a win in the first round against Sokolov. His game against Kramnik on Thursday is not that special and definitely not a case of revenge as the match ended in 7-7. Of course he tries not think back of the last match game, but focuses on the overall result.

Ivan Sokolov against Ruslan Ponomariov. Photo © Michiel Abeln. At his best Ruslan Ponomariov is a very tough player. There is an incredibly useful German word "sitzfleisch", which literally means "Sitting Meat" and this describes many of his games. What it means is he has a lot of patience. Ponomariov won a pawn when Sokolov played Qc2 instead of Qd3 in a fashionable but risky line. This changed to a rook for two minor pieces. Ponomariov slowly managed to rearrange his unwieldy minor pieces and create a passed h-pawn which won him the game.

Judit Polgar against Vladimir Kramnik. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Vladimir Kramnik played the dynamic Sicilian rather than the various 1.e4 e5 drawing variations he has in his kit bag with black against Judit Polgar. 22 moves of theory and 14 moves of trading led to a position where Kramnik had two Rooks against Polgar's Queen but in spite of his best efforts he couldn't convert this minor advantage against strong defence even after winning Polgar's last pawn. Polgar,Ju (2728) - Kramnik,V (2754) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (3), 2005

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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.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 Bg5 12.Nc2 0-0 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.b3 Kh8 17.Qe2 f5 18.h4 Bf6 19. exf5 Bxf5 20.Nce3 Bd7 21.Bd3 Ne7 22.Nxe7 Qxe7 23.Nd5 Qf7 24. Rxa5 Bd8 25.Ra7 Qxd5 26.Rxd7 Polgar had already used more than an hour to 15 minutes by Kramnik, but even for Polgar this position may not have been completely new. 26...Rxb3 27.Qg4 [The alternative 27.Be4 Qe6 28.Qh5 h6 29.0-0 Rxc3 does not seem to bring anything] 27...Bf6 28. Qf5 Qg8 29.0-0 [Unfortunately 29.h5 fails to 29...e4 and the white queen is in trouble] 29...Rxc3 30.Rxd6 [30.h5 Bh4 31.Qe4 Rf4 32.Qe2 and again it is not clear that white has achieved anything] 30...Bxh4 About here Kramnik started to really think for the first time. It is likely that this position or something very similar was already in his Svesnikov book. 31. Qxe5 Bxf2+ 32.Rxf2 Rc1+ 33.Kh2 [33.Rf1 Rfxf1+ 34.Bxf1 Qf8 35.Re6 (35.Qf4 Rxf1+ 36.Qxf1 Qxd6) 35...Rxf1+ 36.Kh2] 33...Rxf2 34.Rh6 Rcf1

There are many ways black can make a draw, but this is actually a nice try to put some pressure on white. 35.Rxh7+ Qxh7+ 36.Bxh7 Kxh7 This endgame is an easy draw. 37.Qh5+ Kg8 38.Qe8+ Rf8 39.Qe6+ R1f7 40.Kg3 Rd8 41.Kg4 Kf8 42.Kg5 Rf6 43.Qb3 Rdd6 44.Qb8+ Kf7 45. Qb3+ Rde6 46.g4 Kg8 47.Kh4 Kh7 48.Qd3+ Rg6 49.Qf5 Ref6 50. Qe4 Rc6 51.Kg3 Rc3+ 52.Kh4 Rc5 53.Kg3 Rh5 54.Qb1 Ra5 55.Qe4 Ra1 56.Qf5 Rg1+ 57.Kf2 Rh1 58.Kg3 Rg1+ 59.Kf2 R1xg4 1/2-1/2

Morozvich against Grischuk. Photo © Michiel Abeln. When Morozevich is on form he produces exciting games full of content. When he's misfiring its sometimes not so interesting. The players were quickly on their own in a 2.f4 Sicilian. The early phase saw both players use a lot of time and then it became clear Morozevich was just busted. Morozevich,A (2741) - Grischuk,A (2710) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (3), 2005 1.e4 c5 2.f4 This was a surprise but Grischuk was not surprised to be

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 3 Report

surprised! 2...e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.d3 [More common is: 4.Bb5+ Bd7 (4...Nd7 5. e5 a6 6.Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.d4 Nh6 8.Be3 Nf5 9.Bf2 Qb6 10.b3 Rc8 11.c3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bc5 14.0-0 0-0 15.a4 Bxd4+ 16.cxd4 Rc2 17.Na3 Rc3 18.Rb1 Rfc8 19.Qd2 Qb4 20.Nc2 Qb6 21.Na3 R3c6 22.Rb2 Qc7 23.h3 Qd8 24.Nc2 Qh4 25.Kh2 Rc3 26.Ne3 b5 27.Rf3 Qd8 28.Rg3 Kh8 29.Qe2 Qh4 30.Rg4 Qe7 31.Rg3 Qa3 32.Qd2 Qa1 33.Ra2 Qb1 34.Rb2 Qe4 35. axb5 Rd3 36.Qf2 axb5 37.Nc2 Rxg3 38.Kxg3 Qd3+ 39.Kh2 Qc3 40.Ne1 b4 41.Rc2 Qxb3 42.Rxc8+ Bxc8 43.Qh4 h6 44.Qd8+ Kh7 45.Qxc8 Qc4 46. Qb7 b3 47.Nf3 Qc2 48.Qxf7 b2 49.f5 b1Q 50.Qg6+ Kh8 51.Qe8+ Kh7 52. Ng5+ hxg5 53.Qg6+ 1/2-1/2 Minasian,A-Sutovsky,E/Istanbul TUR 2003/ The Week in Chess 449 (53)) 5.Bxd7+ Nxd7 6.d3 Bd6 7.0-0 Ne7 8.c4 0-0 9.Nc3 Bc7 10.Qe2 dxc4 11.dxc4 Ba5 12.Nd1 Nc6 13.Nf2 Qe7 14.Be3 Rad8 15.e5 f6 16.Ne4 fxe5 17.Nxe5 Ncxe5 18.fxe5 Rxf1+ 19.Rxf1 Rf8 20.Rxf8+ Qxf8 21.Qg4 Qe7 22.Ng5 Nf8 23.h3 Bc7 24.Qe4 Bd8 25.Nf3 Qc7 26.a3 Be7 27.h4 Qb6 28.Qc2 1/2-1/2 Balashov,Y-Sveshnikov,E/Leningrad 1977/ URS-ch (28)] 4...Nc6 5.c3 Be7 Grischuk was using massive amounts of time already here 6.Be2 Nh6

And now Grischuk surprises Morozevich back! 7.Ne5 Nxe5 8.fxe5 Bh4+ 9.g3 Bg5 This is a strange position, but still ok for white, but his next move seriously weakens his position. 10.h4? Bxc1 11.Qxc1 0-0 12.Na3 In the pressroom 12..,d4 was here analysed but Grischuk's approach seems be stronger. 12...Bd7 13.Qg5 Morozevich was starting to take long thinks as well. 13...dxe4 14.dxe4 Bc6 15.0-0 Bxe4 And black is clearly better 16.g4 f5 17.exf6 Rxf6 18.Nc4 Bd5 19.Rxf6 Qxf6

20.Ne5 [Morozevich's last chance was: 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.Ne3 but who wants to play an endgame a clear pawn down?] 20...Qxg5 21.hxg5 Nf7 22.Nxf7 Kxf7 Basically now it is game over, the only interesting aspect was that both players were already down to their last minutes. 23.Bd3 Ke7 24.Re1 g6 25.Re3 Rf8 26.Be2 Bxa2 27.c4 Rf4 28.b3 Kd6 This position could be resigned if it were not for the clocks: white 45 seconds, black 40 seconds left 29.Rh3 a5 30.Kg2 b6 31.Kg3 Rf7 32.Bd1 a4 33. bxa4 Bxc4 34.Rh2 Bd5 35.Rb2 Kc6 36.Be2 c4 37.Rb4 c3 38.Rb1 Kc5 39.Rb5+ Kd4 40.Bd1 Rf1 41.Bc2 Rg1+ 42.Kh4 Rg2 0-1

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 3 Report

Lazaro Bruzon has another draw, this time against Michael Adams. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Lazaro Bruzon had white against Michael Adams, the pair played 21 moves of Ruy Lopez theory and the thought was that somewhere Adams should be in trouble but no definitive improvement to the game which finished on move 30 was found.

Nigel Short against Viswanathan Anand. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Nigel Short is the veteran of the Wijk aan Zee tournament. Today he faced Viswanathan Anand who lost as white yesterday to Peter Leko. Short got a slight advantage with the white pieces but the game soon ended in a repetition. Short,N (2674) - Anand,V (2786) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (3), 2005 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.cxd5 cxd5 8. Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Nc6 10.Nf3 Rc8 [After the game Anand said that Karpov can lose such a position by looking for subtleties that are really not there and then end up in time trouble. 10...Nb4 11.Qe2 Rc8 12.0-0 Nc6 13. g3 Qd7 14.Bd2 Nh6 15.Bxh6 Rxh6 16.Rac1 Kf8 17.Na4 Rc7 18.Rc3 Rg6 19. Rfc1 Rg4 20.Qd3 Kg8 21.a3 f6 22.Nc5 Bxc5 23.Rxc5 Qf7 24.b4 a6 25.Qc3 Rd7 26.a4 Ne7 27.Nh2 Rg6 28.Qd3 Nf5 29.Rc8+ Kh7 30.Kh1 Nh6 31.R1c2 Nf5 32.b5 axb5 33.axb5 Qe7 34.R2c5 b6 35.R5c6 Ra7 36.Nf3 Ra3 37.Qd1 Rg4 38.exf6 Qxf6 39.Ng5+ Rxg5 40.hxg5 Qxg5 41.Rxe6 h4 42.Ree8 hxg3 43.Rh8+ Kg6 44.f4 Ne3 45.Rc6+ Kf7 46.fxg5 Nxd1 47.g6+ Ke7 48.Kg2 Ne3+ 49.Kxg3 Nf5+ 50.Kf4 Nxd4 51.Rxb6 Ne6+ 52.Ke5 Re3+ 53.Kxd5 Re1 54.Rxe6+ 1-0 Gulko,B-Karpov,A/Dos Hermanas 1994] 11.g3 Bb4 12. Bd2 [12.0-0 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nge7 14.a4 Nf5 15.Ba3 Qd7 16.Qb5 f6! 17.exf6 gxf6 18.Rfe1 Kf7 19.Re2 Rhg8 20.Rae1 Qc7 21.Kf1 Nd8 22.Bb4 a6 23.Qd3 Qc4 24.Qb1 Rg4 25.Ba5 b6 26.Qxb6 Kg6 27.Kg2 Re4 28.Rxe4 dxe4 29. Rxe4 Qd5 30.Re1 Nc6 31.Bb4 Rg8 32.Rh1 Qe4! 33.Qxa6 Nxb4 0-1 Bischoff,

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 3 Report

K-Epishin,V/Brno 1994] 12...Nge7 13.a3 Bxc3 [13...Ba5 14.b4 Bb6 is a bit passive for black] 14.Bxc3 Nf5 15.0-0 Qb6 16.Rfd1

simply protecting d4 and waiting for black to show his cards 16...a6 17. Kg2 Rc7 and black is also waiting! If black would move his king to c8 white could think about b4 and b5.Maybe white should have played here another waiting move like Kg1. 18.Qd2 Kd7 19.a4 a5 20.Rdb1 Rhc8 21. Qg5 Rh8 22.Qd2 Rhc8 23.Qg5 Rh8 1/2-1/2

Vesselin Topalov against Loek van Wely. Photo © Michiel Abeln. After winning his first two rounds Vesselin Topalov was held very easily by Loek van Wely. 12.a4 seemed like a novelty but van Wely managed to set up a pretty sterile position by move 19 when the draw was agreed.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 4 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 4 18th January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment.

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Vladimir Kramnik at the start of play against Ivan Sokolov (who arrived a little late). His best game of the event so far. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Vladimir Kramnik was in a good mood when he came into the press room to demonstrate his win against Ivan Sokolov. He admitted he saw virtually nothing and made mistake after mistake in losing to Vesselin Topalov in round 2. He said he would have to do something about his weakness for losing games in the early rounds of this event which has definitely become a pattern. He hadn't done any preparation this year and had rested completely after his match against Leko, he thought the work he did for that match was enough. He did say he should probably have played some rapid or practice chess to get his calculation ability going. He said he was in no physical condition to play the Russian Championship and although not perfect now he was here to play. Against Sokolov he saw a lot and took advantage of some small errors to win a fine victory.

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Kramnik,V (2754) - Sokolov,I (2685) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (4), 2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 Bb7 This line has recently become popular 13.d5 [The alternative is 13.Nbd2 but Kramnik considers d5 to be more critical.] 13...Rc8 14.Nbd2 [Kramnik remembered that Sokolov had also played this position against Grischuk. He thought black's position was in that game rather suspicious but still thought Nbd2 is even more critical. 14.b3 Qc7 15.Bd3 Nh5 16.a4 (16.Bd2 Nf4 17.Bxf4 exf4 18.Nbd2 Bf6 19.Rb1 Qb6 20.Qe2 b4 21.e5 dxe5 22.Nxe5 Qd8 23.Ndf3 Bxe5 24.Qxe5 Qxd5 25.Bxa6 Qxe5 26.Rxe5 Bxa6 27.Rxa5 Ra8 28.Ne5 Be2 29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.Rb2 Bb5 31.Rd2 f6 32.Nf3 Bc6 33.Nd4 Rd8 34.f3 Bb5 35.Kf2 Ba6 36.h4 Kf7 37.g3 fxg3+ 38.Kxg3 g5 39.hxg5 fxg5 40.f4 gxf4+ 41.Kxf4 Kf6 42.Ke3 Re8+ 43.Kf2 Rd8 44.Ke3 Re8+ 45. Kf2 Re4 46.Nf3 Kf5 47.Rd6 Re2+ 48.Kg3 1/2-1/2 Shirov,A-Sokolov,I/ Sarajevo BIH 2004/The Week in Chess 498 (48)) 16...b4 17.Bd2 f5 18. Bxb4 Nf4 19.Nc3 Nxb3 20.Rb1 Nc5 21.Bxc5 Qxc5 22.Rxb7 Qxc3 23.Bxa6 Qa5 24.Rxe7 Qxa6 25.Nh4 fxe4 26.Qg4 Rf7 27.Nf5 h5 28.Qg5 e3 29.Rxf7 exf2+ 30.Kh2 1-0, Grischuk-Sokolov, 5th Karpov Poikovsky, RUS 2004] 14...Qc7 15.Bd3 Again Kramnik chooses the most principled line [15.Bb1 Nd7 ( Nh5 is an alternative) 16.Nf1 Nc4 17.b3 Ncb6+/=] 15...Nd7 16.Nf1

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16...Nc5 Mihail Marin is Judit Polgar's second for this tournament, but also a great expert on this line if black plays f5 directly. He was quick to point out that Sokolov's Nc5 is inferior. [16...f5 17.Ne3 f4 18.Nc2 Nc5 19.Nb4 Bd8 20.b3 g5 21.Bf1 Qg7 22.Nc2 Qg6 23.Nd2 h5 24.Be2 g4 25.hxg4 hxg4 26.Bxg4 Nd3 27.Qf3 Rc3 28.Rf1 Bb6 29.Bf5 Qg5 30.Nb1 Ne1 31.Nxe1 Rxf3 32.Nxf3 Qh5 33.Nc3 Bc8 34.Bxc8 Rxc8 35.Bd2 Kf7 36.Rfd1 Rh8 37.Kf1 Qh1 + 38.Ke2 Qxg2 39.Be1 Rh3 40.Rd3 Be3 0-1, Nijboer-Marin Tch-ESP 2004] 17.b3! Now the knight on a5 is out of play. 17...f5 More or less forced. [17...Nxd3 does not work: 18.Qxd3 Ba8 19.Bd2 Nb7 20.b4 and white has a great position.] 18.exf5 [18.Ng3 fxe4 19.Bxe4 Nxe4 20.Nxe4 Ba8 and the black knight can start with a long journey to f7. White is slightly better and it is much less complicated than the game, but Kramnik felt that exf5 was again much more critical.] 18...Bf6 [18...Bxd5? 19.Be2 Bxf3 20.Bxf3 Nc6 21.Ne3+/-] 19.Be4 Qf7 [if black first swaps with 19...Nxe4 20.Rxe4 Qf7 white has the nice possibility of 21.Ne3] 20.Ng3 Threatening Bd2 20... Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Qxd5

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22.Bd2 [Kramnik saw some lines with favorable endgames, but he thought he could do better. 22.Ba3 Qxd1 23.Raxd1 Bxe4 24.Rxe4 Nb7 25. Re2 a5 26.Red2 (26.Bxd6 Nxd6 27.Rxd6 Rc1+ 28.Kh2 e4-+) 26...b4 27. Bb2 and black is still holding on.] 22...Nc6 23.Bg5 Nb4 [After the game Kramnik stated that he had trouble with calculating long lines but then he had already showed all these lines that he saw during the game! 23...Nd4 24.Bxf6 gxf6 (24...Nxf3+ 25.Qxf3 gxf6 26.Rad1) 25.Nxd4 exd4 26.Qd2 Rce8 27.f3 (27.Nxf6+? does not work: 27...Rxf6 28.Qg5+ Kf7 and black wins) 27...Re5 28.Rad1 and white is somewhat better; 23...Qxd1 24. Raxd1 Bxg5 25.Nfxg5 Rxf5 26.Ne6! (26.g4? Rxg5 27.Nxg5 Nd4 with compensation; 26.Nxd6? Rxg5) 26...d5 27.Nd6 Rf6 28.Nxc8 Rxe6 29.Nb6 Ne7 30.Nd7 and white wins] 24.Bxf6 gxf6 25.Nxd6 Qxd1 [25...Rcd8 26. Nxb7 Qxb7 27.Qe2 Nd3 28.Red1 Nf4 29.Qe3+/-] 26.Rexd1 Not only is the pawn on a2 now still covered, even more important is that white can use a2-a4 to open an extra file for his rook. 26...Bxf3 27.gxf3 Rc3 Black is forced to seek counterplay immediately [27...Rc7 28.Kf1 and white will put his knight on e4 and win without trouble] 28.a4!

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[At first Kramnik thought that 28.Ne4 was winning but then found 28... Rxf3 29.Rac1 (29.Rd6 Rxf5 30.Ng3 Rf4 31.Rc1 and white is suddenly a pawn down) 29...Rf4! (29...Rxf5 30.a3+-; 29...Nxa2 30.Rc7 Rxh3 31.Rdd7 Nb4+/- and white has a fantastic postion.) 30.Ng3 Rd4 and black might be able to hold.; 28.Kg2 Nd3 29.Ne4 Nf4+ 30.Kg3 Rc7 and black gets counterplay] 28...Rxb3? Not only might this be the decisive mistake, it may very well be the only mistake. Kramnik stated afterwards that the evaluation of this whole line depends on the evaluation of this position! [28...bxa4? 29.Rxa4 Rxb3 30.Ne4 and with Rd6 coming white wins.; 28... Rxf3! 29.axb5 axb5 30.Kg2 Rxb3 31.Kh2 Kg7 (31...Rd8 32.Ra7 and black will be mated) 32.Rg1+ (32.Ra7+ Kh6 33.Nf7+ Kh5 34.Rd6 Rf3 35.Rxf6 Rxf7 should be winning for white) 32...Kh6 33.Rg4 and the same position as in the game arises but without a white f-pawn. Still white's attack is very dangerous and if black does not survie than this whole line might be in danger according to Kramnik.] 29.axb5 axb5 30.Kh2 Kg7 31.Rg1+ Kh6 32.Rg4 Nc6 [32...Nd5 33.Ra7 Nf4 34.Rh4+ Kg5 35.Raxh7+-] 33. Rag1 [33.Rh4+ Kg7 34.Rg1+ Kh8 35.Rhg4 Nd8 36.Ne4 Rb4 and black is just in time] 33...Kh5 34.Rg7 h6 [34...Rh8 35.Ne4 Nd4 36.Nxf6+ Kh6 37. R1g6+ hxg6 38.Rxg6#] 35.Ne4 Rxf3 36.R1g4 [Kramnik hoped he would be allow to make the following mate: 36.R1g4 Nd4 37.Ng3+ Rxg3 38.fxg3 Nxf5 39.Rh4+ Nxh4 40.g4#

1-0

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Michael Adams took the joint lead from Vesselin Topalov by defeating him in round 4. Photo © Michiel Abeln Adams - Topalov was a big fight in an unusual najdorf. After Topalov played 7..Nbd7 Adams went for his throat with 8.g4! A typical Sicilian struggle was on the board with long term perspectives for black, but always his king was in danger. In severe time trouble (20 seconds for 10 moves) Topalov became nervous, sacrificed an exchange and soon had to realize that he had no compensation.

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Nigel Short added to Morozevich's misery in round 4. Photo © Michiel Abeln. A typical Moro-game was Nigel Short's conclusion after this game. Morozevich created confusion on the board but his position was objectively bad and Short brought home the full point after first time control to relegate Morozevich to dead last. Short,N (2674) - Morozevich,A (2741) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (4), 2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Bf4 So it is a philidor and from here on at every move Short was calculating whether black could play d6-d5 in some way. 6...0-0 7.Be2 This is a very clever move. If white plays the standard Qd2 and 0-0-0 black knows precisely what to do. Short decides to play a waiting move and to keep both sides open for his king basically saying that black does not have any useful waiting moves and has to make some concessions. 7...Re8 8.Qd2 Nc6 After this move Short felt already a little more relaxed because it is much harder for black to achieve d5 now. 9.0-0 Bf8 After the game Short stated that it is not clear at all that the bishop is here better placed. Sometimes it is better on e7 to protect the knight on f6. 10.f3 a6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12. Rad1 Be6 13.Na4 a5 14.b3 White has achieved a comfortable edge out of the opening and Morozevich now starts to look for counterplay. 14...

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 4 Report

Qb8 And now white definately rules out a future d6-d5. 15.c4

15...d5!? And at the exact moment when Short thought he need not to worry about d5 anymore Morozevich immediately flashed out with the breakthrough! 16.cxd5 cxd5 17.Bg5 dxe4 18.Bxf6 O would it not be handy if black would now have his bishop on e7. 18...gxf6 19.fxe4 Qb4 Black has a terrible structure does not htreaten much yet and still it is a typical Morozevich position. When he is in good shape he always wins these positions, but when things are not going well for him in a tournement..... 20.Qf4 f5 21.Bd3 Qd4+ 22.Kh1 Bd6 23.Qh4 f4

Morozevich decided to sac the exchange, but there was not much choice anyway. 24.Bb5 Qe5 25.Bxe8 Rxe8 So white is materially speaking winning, but to bring the point he needs to bring back the knight. 26.Qf2 f5 27.exf5 Qxf5 28.Nb2 Bd5 29.Nc4 now that the knight has joined there are just afew more tricks to watch out for in time trouble. 29...f3 30. gxf3 Bc5 31.Qg3+ Kh8 32.Rd2 a4 33.Rg2 Bd4 34.Qg4 [In time trouble Short saw all kinds of tricks, even tricks that do not work: 34.Qg5 Qxf3 and now 35.Ne3 wins] 34...Qd3 35.Nd2 Rg8 36.Qh3 Rf8 37.Qh6 Re8 38.Qh5 Re5 39.Qg4 Rf5 40.Re1 Rf8 Timetrouble is over and after some relaxation it is time for a few blows: 41.Qf4! Rg8 42.Rxg8+ Bxg8 43.Re5! and Morozevich disappeared quickly. 1-0

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 4 Report

Anand obtained a winning position but Svidler fought back to draw. Photo © Michiel Abeln Anand – Svidler was a game between two players who don’t seem to have found their best form yet. After a Spanish opening Svidler found himself in trouble and decided to play the tricky 21…Bd8. Anand used lots of time to find a clear way to an advantage. On move 23 for example he had a difficult choice between Ba5 (played), e5 or Qc6. In the end he chose to liquidate to a favorable endgame, but somehow Svidler managed to get some counterplay. Although Svidler had the feeling that he was lost during almost the entire game, he escaped to a position where he had found a positional draw. Afterwards Anand admitted that there were also other ways to a draw. Anand,V (2786) - Svidler,P (2735) [C99] Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (4), 18.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 00 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.a3 exd4 15.Nb3 d3 16.Bxd3 Ne5 17.Bf4 Nxd3 18.Qxd3 Re8 19. Rac1 Qb6 20.Be3 Qb7 21.Bd2 Bd8 22.Qxd6 Bb6

23.Ba5 Bxf2+ 24.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 25.Rxe4 Qxe4 26.Qd2 Qg6 27.Nc5 Bf5 28.Qg5 Qxg5 29.Nxg5 Re5 30.Nf3 Rd5 31.Rc3 h5 32.Kg3 f6 33. Kh2 Kf7 34.Nh4 Bh7 35.Nb3 Re8 36.Bb4 g5 37.Nf3 Be4 38.Rc7+ Kg6 39.Nfd4 Rde5 40.Nc5 Bd5 41.Bc3 h4 42.Nxa6 Re2 43.Nxe2 Rxe2 44.Kg1 Bxg2 45.Nc5 Bxh3 46.Rc6 Rg2+ 47.Kh1 Rf2 48.Rd6 g4 49.Ne4 Rf4 50.Rxf6+ Rxf6 51.Nxf6 g3 52.Nd5 Bd7 53.Kg1 h3 54. Be5 h2+ 55.Kg2 Bc6 1/2-1/2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 4 Report

Ruslan Ponomariov and Peter Leko drew. Photo © Michiel Abeln Ponomariov - Leko was a slow English opening where it seemed that Leko equalised comfortably. With 23.g4 Pono wanted to exchange on f5 and after exf5 put his knight on d5. So Leko went for b6-b5 and seemed to have a small advantage, but after a couple of exchanges Ponomariov had just enough counterplay to hold the draw. Ponomariov,R (2700) - Leko,P (2749) [A36] Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (4), 18.01.2005 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.a3 d6 6.e3 e6 7.Nge2 Nge7 8.Nf4 Rb8 9.0-0 0-0 10.Rb1 b6 11.d3 Bb7 12.Bd2 Ne5 13.e4 N7c6 14.Be1 Nd4 15.Nh3 f5 16.f4 Ng4 17.Bd2 Qd7 18.Nf2 Nxf2 19.Rxf2 a6 20.a4 Ba8 21.Ra1 Bc6 22.Kh1 Qb7 23.g4

23...b5 24.axb5 axb5 25.cxb5 Nxb5 26.gxf5 exf5 27.Nxb5 Qxb5 28. Bc3 Bxc3 29.bxc3 fxe4 30.dxe4 Qc4 31.Qxd6 Bxe4 32.Bxe4 Qxe4+ 33.Kg1 Rb1+ 34.Rxb1 Qxb1+ 35.Rf1 Qf5 36.Qc6 Kg7 37.Qf3 Rd8 38. Re1 Rd3 39.Re3 Rd2 40.Re2 Rxe2 41.Qxe2 Kf6 42.Qa6+ Qe6 43. Qxe6+ Kxe6 44.Kf2 Kf5 1/2-1/2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 4 Report

Van Wely vs Judit Polgar. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Van Wely – Polgar went immediately from the opening to an endgame that was slightly more pleasant for white. Van Wely enjoys playing these kind of positions while it is not exactly Judit’s cup of tea. There were several points that it seemed that Van Wely was going to win, but maybe the game always stayed in balance.

Lazaro Bruzon at the start of round 4 where he held Alexander Grischuk. Photo © Michiel Abeln The game Grischuk-Bruzon started in a special way. Grischuk opened with 1.d4! Bruzon played a slightly inferior variation of the queens gambit. Soon it became clear that Grischuk was not aware of all the subtleties and they agreed to a draw in 22 moves.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 4 Report

Future rivals?

Sergey Karjakin and Magnus Carlsen fought out a draw in the B Group. Photo © Michiel Abeln

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 5 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 5 20th January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment.

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Peter Leko vs Vladimir Kramnik. Photo © Mark Crowther

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The game Peter Leko against Vladimir Kramnik was a continuation of one of the battles they had in their match in Brissago. This game ended in a quick draw. Leko prepared the novelty 12.Qb4 and it took Kramnik a lot of thinking time but he always kept his position ok. Leko,P (2749) - Kramnik,V (2754) [E15] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (5), 2005 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qa4 Bb7 6.Bg2 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nc3 Be7 10.Bf4 a6 11.Rfd1 d6 12.Qb4 [12.Qc2 Qc7 13.Rac1 Rd8 14.Qd2 Nh5 15.Bg5 Nf6 16.Bf4 Nh5 (16...Ne4 17. Nxe4 Bxe4 18.Bg5 Nc6 19.Bxe7 Nxe7 20.Qf4 Bxf3 21.Qxf3 Rac8 22. Qb7 a5 23.e3 Qxb7 24.Bxb7 Rc7 25.Bf3 Kf8 26.Rc3 Nc8 27.Be2 Ke7 28.Kf1 Na7 29.Rb3 Rb8 30.Rbd3 Rd8 31.Rb3 Rb8 32.Rbd3 1/2-1/2 Timman,J-Kramnik,V/GMA, Wijk aan Zee NED 2004 (32)) 17.Bg5 Nf6 1/2-1/2 Leko,P-Kramnik,V/Brissago SUI 2004/The Week in Chess 519 (17)] 12...Nc6 [12...Ne8 13.c5 d5 14.Qxb6 Qc8 15.Na4 Bc6 16.Qa5] 13.Qa3 d5 [13...e5 14.Bg5 d5 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Qb3; 13...Ne8 14. Rac1 and at some point g5, but white has pressure.] 14.Qa4 Qc8 [14...b5 15.cxb5 axb5 16.Qxb5 Na5 (16...Qc8 17.Rac1 Ba6 18.Qb6 and white has Nxd5 ideas) 17.Ne5 Ba6 18.Qa4 Rb8 19.Qc2 and e4 is coming] 15.cxd5 b5 16.Qc2 [16.dxc6 bxa4 17.cxb7 Qxb7 18.Ne5 Qxb2] 16...Nb4 17.Qd2 Nbxd5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Rac1 Qe8 [19... Qd8 20.Bg5 f6] 20.Nd4

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20...Rd8 [20...h6 21.Nf5 Nxf4 (21...exf5 22.Bxd5 Rd8 23.Bxb7 Rxd2 24.Rxd2 Bb4 25.Rdc2 Qe6 26.a3 Be7 and black doesn't need to worry, also g5 might come at a certain point in time.) 22.Bxb7 Nh3+ 23.Kg2 Rd8 24.Nxe7+ Qxe7 25.Qxd8 Qxb7+ 26.Kxh3 Rxd8 27.Rxd8+ Kh7; 20...Rc8 21.Bg5 Bxg5 22.Qxg5] 21.Bg5 h6 [21...f6 22.Nxe6 Bb4 23.Nxd8 Bxd2 24.Nxb7 Bxg5 25.Bxd5+ Kh8+/-; 21...Bxg5 22. Qxg5 Rc8 23.Nb3] 22.Bxe7 Qxe7 23.Qa5 Rc8

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24.Nb3 [Absolutely not forced but a very funny line that Kramnik saw during the game: 24.a3 Rxc1 a) 24...Rfd8 25.Nb3 (25.e3) 25...Qf6 (25...Rxc1 26.Rxc1) 26.e4+/- (26.Nc5) ; b) 24...Qd8; c) 24...Qf6 25. e3 Rfd8 26.b4 e5 (26...Nxe3 27.fxe3 Rxc1 28.Rxc1 Rxd4 29.Bxb7 Rd2 30.Rf1+-) 27.Nb3; 25.Rxc1 Rd8 26.Nc6 Bxc6 27.Rxc6 Nf4 28. gxf4 Rd1+ 29.Bf1 Qh4 30.Rc3 Qg4+ 31.Rg3 Qxe2 32.Qd8+ Kh7 33. Qd3+; 24.Bxd5 Bxd5 25.Qxa6 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Qb4= (26...Ra8 27.Rc8+ (27.Qxb5? Rxa2) ) ; 24.Rxc8 Rxc8 25.Bxd5 Bxd5 26.Qxa6 Qc5 27. Nb3 (27.Nf3 Qc2 28.Rf1) 27...Qc2; 24.e3 Qg5] 24...Nf6

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[24...Rfd8 25.e3 Nf6 (25...Rc4) 26.Qb6 Nd5 27.Qa7] 25.Bxb7 [25. Rxc8 Rxc8 26.Qb6 Bxg2 27.Kxg2 Rc2 (27...Nd5 28.Qxa6 Rc2 29.Qxb5

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 5 Report

Rxb2 30.Rd2 Rxd2 31.Nxd2 Nc3 is risky) 28.Qd8+ a) 28.Nd4 Rxb2 (28...Qd7) 29.Nc6 Qa3 30.Rd8+ Kh7 31.Qb8 Rxe2 32.Rh8+ Kg6 33. Qf4 (33.Ne5+ Kf5) 33...Qc5; b) 28.Rd8+ Kh7 29.Nd4 Rxb2; 28... Qxd8 29.Rxd8+ Kh7 30.Rd2=] 25...Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Qxb7 27.Qd2 [27.Nc5 Qd5 28.Qxa6 (28.Nd3 Qh5 (28...Qe4 29.Rc2 Ra8 (29... Nd5) ) 29.Nf4 Qe5 30.Qc3) 28...Qd2 (28...Ra8) ] 27...Rc8 28.Rxc8+ 1/2-1/2 i

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Michiel Abeln working hard on notes to the Leko-Kramnik game based on their post-mortem. Photo © Mark Crowther

Morozevich-Anand Round 5. Photo © Michel Abeln. Morozevich's bad form continued into round 5. He was probably lost after he sacrificed a piece. However, if he had not played b4 but instead 0-0 he may have developed a very dangerous attack. Anand said that he was not offended that Morozevich played on in a clearly lost position as he understood he was having a bad tournament. As to his own bad form he stated he was happy to get back to 50% but was non-commital beyond that. See the annotated game below based in part on Anand's demonstration of the game in the press conference. Morozevich,A (2741) - Anand,V (2786) [A46] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (5), 2005 1.d4 This was a surprise for Anand, but he soon figured that he would get the Torre attack, as he has experienced some problems in that line lately. 1...Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 As expected. 3...c5 4.e3 h6 5. Bh4 cxd4 6.exd4 b6 7.Bxf6 A strange move, as you can expect

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 5 Report

from Morozevich [7.Bd3 Bb7 and black will follow up with Be7, Nc6 and Nd5 at some point, swapping the bishops.] 7...Qxf6 8.g3 Nc6 Now white can not yet play Bg2 because of Ba6 9.c3 g5 the idea of this move is that after a future Ne4 the black queen does not necessarily have to go to d8 but has also the alternative square g6. 10.Nbd2 Bb7 11.Bg2

Viswanathan Anand demonstrating his win against Morozevich. Photo © Mark Crowther

Vishy figured he was already better here because of the pair of bishops. This thought led to the following mistake. 11...0-0-0? Too ambitious [11...d5 and Anand admitted that he is not better, white has a pretty solid position.] 12.a4 And now Anand suddenly realised that the white king is not yet on g1. White can start his attack immediately while his king is still ok on e1. If white had been forced to play 0-0 than black's last move would not have been so bad. 12... h5 Black really has to get h4 in at some point, because after g4 the white knight jumps convenietly to h4 and there is no black attack. 13. a5 Nxa5 14.b4? This move is too hasty. It was much better for white to keep his options open by playing 14.0-0 and after either Nc6 or h4 white has the nice 15.Ne5 with a very serious attack. 14...Nc6 15.Nc4? Another mistake, allowing black to play b5. Castling would have been better. Then it would still have been a very complicated game, but it may be that white is already lost after this. 15...b5

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ƒ

A forced and very good move, after other responses black will find it hard to survive white's attack. [15...d5 16.Nce5; 15...Kb8 16.b5] 16.0-0 [16.Nce5 g4 a) 16...Nxe5 17.dxe5+-; b) 16...a6 17.Nxc6 dxc6 18.Ne5 Rd6 (18...Qxe5+ 19.dxe5 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 and white is clearly better) 19.Nd3+/-; 17.Nxc6 gxf3 (17...Bxc6? 18.Rxa7 gxf3 19. Qa1 Bd6 20.Qa6+ Kb8 21.Qb6+ Kc8 and white should hold perpetual check because 22.0-0 fxg2 23.Rfa1 Qf3 wins for black) 18.Nxa7+ Kb8 19.Bf1 h4 (19...e5) 20.Nxb5 e5 (20...hxg3 21.Qa4 threatening Qa5 and mate on c7 21...gxf2+ 22.Kd1+- (22.Kxf2? Qf4) ) 21.Qa4 Qb6 and it's a big mess] 16...bxc4 17.b5 Nb8 [17...Nxd4 18.cxd4 and black's counterplay seems to slow (18.Nxd4? Bc5) ] 18.Rxa7

18...d5 The strongest move. At first Anand wanted to play 18...Bxf3 but then Vishy figured that taking bakc on f3 is just the tempo that white needs for his attack, so 19.b6 a) 19.Bxf3 this was his initiall calculated line 19...d5 20.Qa4 Bd6 21.b6 with the idea Qb5-Qc5 and mate on c7 with the rook. 21...Qxf3 22.Qb5 Rd7 23.Rxd7 Nxd7 24.Qc6 + Kd8 25.Qxd6 Threatening Ra1-a8 25...Qxc3 and was not sure whether black can hold, but afterwards he admitted that 26.Rb1 is very strong, black is lost; b) Instead of b6 white can also try 19.Qa4 Bxg2 (19...Re8 20.Qxc4+ (20.Qa5 Bd6 21.Qb6) 20...Kd8 21.Qc7+ Ke7 22.Qc5+=) 20.Qxc4+ Bc6-+; 19...Bd6 20.b7+ (20.Qa4 Rdf8) 20...Kc7 21.Qa4 and Vishy had no idea what was happening! 19.Ne5 Rd7 20.Qa4 Qd8

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 5 Report

Now black's idea is to play Qd6 and everything would be safe. 21. Nxc4 White has only two ways do something about Qb6, play b6 himself or sacrifice another piece on c4! [21.b6 Qxb6 22.Nxd7 Nxd7 23.Qa1 Qc6 (23...Bc5 24.dxc5 Nxc5 25.Ra8+ Bxa8 26.Qxa8+ Qb8 27. Qc6+ Qc7=) 24.Rb1 Nb6 25.Qa5 Kc7 26.Rb5 Bd6-/+

The "sumo-lock" This position Vishy called the "sumolock" At the least black can always go to a queen/bishop ending a pawn up with Ra8 (after which white takes on b6) but maybe black can improve his position before doing that, although white has the idea of moving his bishop to take part in the action.; 21.Ra1 fails to 21...Qb6 and white's attack is stopped] 21...dxc4 22.Qxc4+ Qc7 23.Bxb7+ Kd8 24.Qe2? [Maybe white should have played 24.Qxc7+ Rxc7 25.Rc1 Rc4 26.Be4 with compensation] 24...Bd6 25.Rfa1 [white would like to play 25.c4 but then follows 25...Qb6] 25...Qxc3 26.d5 Anand was a little surprised because he thought this was not possible and then he had t othink again what the reason was. 26...Rxb7! and game over 27.dxe6 Rxa7 28.Rxa7 fxe6 29.Qxe6 Qe5 30.Re7 Qa1+ 31.Qe1 Qxe1+ 32.Rxe1 Nd7 33.Kg2 Nc5 34.Rd1 Kd7 35.Rd5 Ne6 36.Kf3 Rf8+ 37.Ke2 Ke7 38.h4 g4 39.Rxh5 Bc5 40.Re5 Rxf2+ 41.Kd3 Kf6 01

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 5 Report

Anand at the start of play against Morozevich. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Judit Polgar blundered away an extra pawn against Adams for an inferior position but held on to a draw in the last game to finish. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Judit Polgar against Michael Adams was a Ruy Lopez in which Polgar soon won a pawn, but instead of converting this to a full point she blundered the pawn back and had to work hard to make a draw. Polgar,Ju (2728) - Adams,Mi (2741) Corus A (5), 20.01.2005

Position before white's 35th move. Polgar had won a pawn in a Ruy Lopez opening and was trying to convert this when in this position she blundered her pawn: 35.Ba2?

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 5 Report

Simply Bf2 and white keeps hers extra pawn. 35...Bxc3 36.bxc3 Rxe4 37.Bxe6 Rxe6 38.Bf2 Rxe1+ 39.Bxe1 and suddenly Polgar had to fight to make a draw.

Nigel Short used up a lot of time in the opening against Lazaro Bruzon, time he needed later in the game. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Lazaro Bruzon against Nigel Short started as a very solid Queens Gambit, but still Bruzon managed to put Short under pressure and after some inaccuracies Short was forced to sacrifice an exchange. He did have compensation for this, but whether it was enough did not become clear during the analysis. In time trouble Short made a mistake and soon he had to resign.

.

Peter Svidler vs. Ruslan Ponomariov. Photo © Mark Crowther Peter Svidler against Ruslan Ponomariov was a strange Sicilian that led to a well known position in which black had the extra move h6. At some point it seemed that Svidler had a dangerous initiative, but Ponomariov immediately neutralized this and a draw was agreed to. Svidler,P (2735) - Ponomariov,R (2700) [B90] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (5), 2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7. Bg5 h6 8.Bc1 Nf6 9.Bc4 e6 10.Bb3 Nc6 11.Be3 Black has ended up in a Bc4 sicilian with the extra tempo h6. Therefore it might be interesting to postpone Be7 and to go for Qc7 and Na5 immediately. 11...Be7 12.f4 0-0 13.Qf3 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 b5 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.e5 Bh4+ 17.g3 Rb8 18.0-0-0

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 5 Report

This postion looks fantastic for white, but there is one good move for black. 18...Be7! [18...Bb7 19.Qg4 Bxh1 20.gxh4 Bb7 21.Rg1 g6 22. h5 with dangerous initiative. (22.Bxe6) ] 19.exd6 Bxd6 20.Ne4 Bb7 21.Qe3 Bxe4 22.Qxe4 Rb6 23.h4 1/2-1/2

Ivan Sokolov and Loek van Wely. Photo © Michiel Abeln Ivan Sokolov against Loek Van Wely was a Qc2 Nimzo Indian in which Van Wely had prepared a specific line that he had witnessed during a recent Dutch club match. The preparation delivered a quick draw.

Vesselin Topalov waiting for Alexander Grischuk. Photo © Michiel Ablen Vesselin Topalov put Alexander Grischuk under a lot of pressure in round 5. Grischuk ended up in terrible time trouble (20 seconds for 10

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 5 Report

moves) but somehow he held his position together and after first time control it was clear the position was drawn.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 6 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 6 21st January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment.

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Vladimir Kramnik added to Peter Svidler's misery. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Vladimir Kramnik had to play today against his good friend Peter Svidler (who was also his second in the match in Brissago). In a variation of the Sicilian Paulsen that Kramnik had well prepared Svidler blundered into a position which Kramnik had already analysed at home. Instead Svidler could have made a draw by playing Kd7. After the game Kramnik said he felt sorry for his friend who is playing so much below his normal level. Kramnik,V (2754) - Svidler,P (2735) [B41] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (6), 21.01.2005 This whole game was preparation by Kramnik... 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 d6 This move is a bit unusual. Normally black goes first Qc7 and if white prevents Ne5 with f4 black has knight a5 leading to a sharp position. 10.0-0 Ne5 11.f4N [11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 g5 13.Bg3 Qa5 14.Re1 Qxc3 15.Bxe5 dxe5 16.Nb3 Bd7 17.Qb1 Ba4 18.Nc5 1/21/2 Lehmann,H-Visier Segovia,F/Las Palmas 1972/MCD] 11...Nxd3 12.Qxd3 e5 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 exd4 16.e5 dxc3 17.Qxd8+ Kxd8 18.exf6 g5 19.Bg3 Be6 20.Rac1

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20...Bxc4?? A terrible blunder by Svidler who is really not in his best form here. [20...Kd7 and black should be able to make a draw.] 21. Rfe1 Kd7 22.Re7+ Kc6 23.Rc7+ Kd5 24.Rd1+ Ke6 25.Rxc4 Rac8 26.Bc7 Kxf6 27.Rxc3 Rhe8 28.Rf3+ 1-0

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Michael Adams waits for Ivan Sokolov at the start of round 6. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Michael Adams against Ivan Sokolov was a normal Ruy Lopez in which the balance was never broken. Adams,Mi (2741) - Sokolov,I (2728) [C91] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (6), 21.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.d4 Bg4 10.Be3 exd4 11.cxd4 Na5 12.Bc2 Nc4 13.Bc1 c5 14.b3 Nb6 15.Nbd2 Nfd7 16.h3 Bh5 17.Bb2 Re8 18.Qb1 This seems to be a novelty. White threatens to play e5, so black has really only one move. [18.a4 Rc8 19.dxc5 dxc5 20.e5 bxa4 21.bxa4 c4 22.Bd4 Bc5 23.Re4 a5 24.Rb1 Bb4 25.Qe2 Bg6 26.Rd1 Bxe4 27.Nxe4 Nf8 28.Nfg5 Rc6 29.Qh5 Rg6 30.e6 f5 31.Nxh7 Rexe6 32.Bxb6 Qxb6 33.Nxf8 Bxf8 34.Qxf5 Qc6 35.Rd8 Re8 36.Rxe8 Qxe8 37.Qxa5 Re6 38.Qd5 Qc6 39.Qf5 Qe8 40.Qg4 Qe7 41.Qf5 Re5 42.Qg6 Qf7 43.Qh7+ Kxh7 44.Ng5+ Kg8 45.Bh7+ Kh8 46.Nxf7+ Kxh7 47. Nxe5 c3 48.Kf1 1-0 Granda Zuniga,J-Ibragimov,I/US Open, Los Angeles USA 2003 (48)] 18...Bg6 19.a4

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 6 Report

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19...d5 [In general black doesn't want to open the position, he will just wait for white's actions and respond to that. 19...bxa4 20.bxa4 Rb8 21.Qa2 d5] 20.axb5 axb5 21.Rxa8 Qxa8 22.dxc5 Nxc5 23. e5 Ne6 24.Nd4 Bb4 25.Rd1 Nxd4 26.Bxd4 Nd7 27.f4 Qc6 28. Bxg6 hxg6 29.Nf3 Nf8 30.Kh2 Ne6 31.f5 1/2-1/2

Viswanathan Anand reading the bulletin before the start of round 6 where he beat Ruslan Ponomariov. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Viswanathan Anand won against Ruslan Ponomariov in a slightly unusual variation of the English Attack of the Sicilian. Ponomariov was already lost after 20 moves and waited for a long time before resigning in a hopeless endgame. Anand,V (2786) - Ponomariov,R (2700) [B90] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (6), 21.01.2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 Qb6 This was a surprise for Anand. He expected Pono would follow the way topalov had played earlier in this tournement. 7.Nb3 e6 8.Bf4 A new move, but quite logical. [8.g4 Nc6 9.Qe2 Qc7 10.Be3 b5 11.0-0-0 Nd7 12.Kb1 Nb6 13.Qf2 Rb8 14.f4 b4 15.Ne2 e5 16.f5 a5 17.Ng3 a4 18. Nd2 a3 19.Bxb6 Rxb6 20.Nc4 Rb8 21.b3 Be7 22.Nh5 g6 23.Ng7+ Kf8 24.Ne6+ Bxe6 25.fxe6 Nd8 26.exf7 Ne6 27.Ne3 Qc3 28.Nc4 Nf4 29. Qg3 Kxf7 30.Qxc3 bxc3 31.Rg1 h5 32.g5 h4 33.Re1 Kg7 34.Re3 d5 35.exd5 Bc5 36.Rg4 Bxe3 37.Nxe3 Rhf8 38.Bc4 Rbd8 39.Rg1 Nh3 40. Rd1 Nf2 41.Re1 Ne4 42.Kc1 Nd6 43.Be2 Rf2 44.Ng4 Rf5 45.Bd1 e4 46.Ne3 Rxg5 47.Bg4 Nf5 48.h3 Nxe3 49.Rxe3 Rxg4 50.hxg4 Rh8 51. Kd1 Kf6 52.Rxe4 h3 53.Re1 Kg5 54.Rh1 Kxg4 55.Ke2 g5 56.d6 h2 57. Kf2 Kh3 0-1 Anand,V-Polgar,J/Rapid Match, Mainz GER 2003 (57); 8. Qe2 Qc7 9.g4 b5 10.Be3 b4 11.Na4 Nbd7 12.Qc4 Qxc4 13.Bxc4 d5 14. exd5 Ne5 15.Be2 Nxd5 16.Bd4 Bd6 17.Bc5 Be7 18.a3 a5 19.Bd4 f6 20.Nac5 0-0 21.0-0 bxa3 22.Rxa3 Nf4 23.Bb5 Rb8 24.Bxe5 Nh3+ 25. Kg2 Rxb5 26.Bg3 Ng5 27.Bf2 Bb7 28.Bg1 Rc8 29.h4 Bxf3+ 30.Rxf3 Nxf3 31.Kxf3 Bxc5 32.Nxc5 Rbxc5 33.Bxc5 Rxc5 34.c3 h5 35.gxh5 Rxh5 36.b4 axb4 37.cxb4 Rxh4 0-1 Grischuk,A-Kasparov,G/SuperGM,

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 6 Report

Linares ESP 2001 (37)] 8...Nbd7 9.g4 Be7 10.Qe2 with the idea of playing 11.g5, Nh5 12.Be3. 10...h6 Now black might play g5 himself, so white first plays h4 and then completes development. 11.h4 Qc7 12.0-0-0 b5 13.a3 Rb8 14.Qg2 Here black has many options, he could go for a plan with Nb6, or a plan involving a5 and b4, but the game continuation is also quite reasonable. 14...Nc5 15.g5 Nh5 16. Be3

16...Na4 A surprising move, now it is very hard for black to play a5 and b4. [16...Nxb3+ 17.cxb3 b4 18.axb4 Rxb4 19.Bc4 Followed by Kb1 and Rc1 and white is better on both sides of the board.] 17.Rd3 g6 18.Kb1 Vishy: "When you don't see anything clear you move your king." 18...Bb7 19.Be2 e5 20.Qf2 Bc6? [20...Nc5 was the correct move and the position remains very complicated.] 21.gxh6 Nb6 Black is one tempo short, if he could get Nc4 in, swap on e3 and put a knight on f4 he would have a wonderful position. 22.f4 [Anand also considered 22.Nd5 Bxd5 23.exd5 and white is better, but he felt that f4 was simply stronger.] 22...Nf6 [22...Nxf4 23.Bxf4 exf4 24.Qxf4 Nc4 25.Nd5 Bxd5 26.exd5 Ne5 (26...Bf8 loses to 27.Rc3) 27.Nd4 Nxd3 28.Bxd3 and with Nc6 coming white has a great initiative.] 23. fxe5 dxe5 24.Rf1

ƒ

and according to Vishy it is "game over", black is just a pawn down with no compensation. 24...0-0 25.Nc5 Bb7 26.Ne6 fxe6 27.Bxb6 Qc6 28.Qg1 Kh7 29.Rdf3 Qe8 30.Bc5 Bxc5 31.Qxc5 Nd7 32.Qe3 Qe7 33.Qg5 Qxg5

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 6 Report

and now white has a nice intermediate move 34.Rf7+ Rxf7 35.Rxf7 + Kh8 36.hxg5 Bc6 37.b4 Nf8 38.Rf6 Kg8 39.Bg4 Bd7 now black is completley tied up and Vishy was trying to find whether there was an even slower way to win than he did in the game. 40.Kb2 Re8 41. Nd1 Re7 42.Nf2 Be8 43.Rf3 Rf7 44.Rxf7 Kxf7 During this phase Anand was reminded of some comments Alekhine made about one of his games: Now I first move my knight to the kingside to play this, and then I move my king back to the queenside to do that and so on. 45.Kc3 Nh7 46.Nh3 Bc6 47.Kd3 Ke7 48.Ke3 Kd6 49.Be2 Ke7 50. Bd3 Kd6 51.Kf3 Ke7 52.Kg4 Nf8 53.Ng1 Nh7 54.Nf3 Kd6 55. Kg3 Be8 56.Kf2 Bc6 57.Ke3 Bd7 58.c4 bxc4 59.Bxc4 Bc8 60.a4 Bb7 61.a5 Bc8 62.Bd3

As Anand explained, at some point you have to resign these position's white can just move his king back to g4 and then play his knight to c5 win pawn a6, move his knight back to f3 and then his king to c4 and play b5. 1-0

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 6 Report

Alexander Morozevich blundered horribly against Lazaro Bruzon. Photo © Mark Crowther The last game of the day to finish was Alexander Morozevich against Lazaro Bruzon. Morozevich, just like Svidler is in terrible form. For a long time he played very solidly today. He tried to make something out of nothing only to make a terrible blunder and lose again. Morozevich,A (2741) - Bruzon,L (2652) [C42] Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (6), 21.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Be7 7.00 Bf5 8.Re1 Nc6 9.c4 Nb4 10.Bf1 0-0 11.a3 Nc6 12.cxd5 Qxd5 13.Nc3 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Bf6 15.Bf4 Qd7 16.Nd2 Ne7 17.Qf3 c6 18. Nc4 Ng6 19.Bg3 Bg4 20.Qd3 Bf5 21.Qd2 Be6 22.a4 Rfd8 23. Rab1 b6 24.Bd3 Bf5 25.Nd6 Bxd3 26.Qxd3 Be7 27.Nf5 Bf8 28. Re3 Ne7 29.Nxe7+ Bxe7 30.Rbe1 Bf8 31.Be5 Re8 32.h3 Rad8 33.Bg3 Rxe3 34.fxe3 Bd6 35.Bh4 Be7 36.Bf2 f5 37.Bg3 Bf6 38. Rf1 g6 39.e4 fxe4 40.Qxe4 Bg7 41.Re1 Qd5 42.Qe7 Rf8 43. Qxa7 Qc4 44.Qxb6 Qxc3 45.Kh2 Bxd4 46.Qc7 Rf7 47.Re8+ Kg7 48.Re7 Rxe7 49.Qxe7+ Kg8 50.Qd8+ Kf7 51.Qc7+ Ke6 52.a5 h5 53.a6 h4 54.Qd6+ Kf7 55.Qf4+ Kg7

Morozevich has been trying hard to generate some winning chances in a drawish position. But now he blunders horribly, he still had five minutes on the clock. 56.Qxh4?? [56.Qc7+ would probably have left him even pressing. ; 56.Be1 Qa1=] 56...Qe3! Suddenly white has to part with a piece and the game. 57.Bf2 Qxf2 58.Qxf2 Bxf2 59.g3 Kf6 60.Kg2 Ba7 61.Kf3 Ke5 62.Ke2 Ke4 63.h4 Bb6 64.g4 Kf4 65.h5 gxh5 66.gxh5 Kg5 67.Kd3 Kxh5 68.Ke4 c5 69.Kd5 Ba7 01

Short against Topalov. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Nigel Short against Vesselin Topalov was a Svesnikov Sicilian in which black comfortably equalized. Short did not play precisely enough in

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 6 Report

the middlegame and ended up in difficult double rook endgame that he lost.

Loek van Wely is having a solid tournament. Unbeaten, he drew with Peter Leko in Round 6. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Loek Van Wely was today on the white side of a Qc2 Nimzo Indian (yesterday he had it with black against Ivan Sokolov) and today he made his sixth consecutive draw, this time with Peter Leko. Again he was well prepared, unfortunately for him the preaparation ended with an equal evaluation.

Alexander Grischuk pressed against Judit Polgar but the game was drawn. Photo © Mark Crowther Judit Polgar was outplayed today by Alexander Grischuk, but then she was suddenly saved by a miracle. Grischuk made two mistakes in time trouble and after 40 moves that there was nothing more than a draw left. Grischuk,A (2710) - Polgar,Ju (2728) [E05] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (6), 21.01.2005 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 h6 A relative new idea [10...Ra7 11.Rd1 Be4 12.Qc1 Nbd7 13.Be3 Nd5 14.Nc3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 c6 16.Bd2 Qb6 17.e4 Nxc3 18.Qxc3 e5 19.dxe5 b4 20.Qb3 Nxe5 21.Be2 Bc5 22. Be1 a5 23.Kg2 g5 24.a3 Re8 25.axb4 axb4 26.f3 h6 27.Rac1 Rb7 28. Rc2 Bd4 29.Ra1 Kg7 30.Ra6 Qc7 31.Bf2 Bxf2 32.Kxf2 Qd6 33.Qe3 Rd7 34.b3 1/2-1/2 Bruzon,L-Vaganian,R/Pamplona ESP 2004/The Week in Chess 529 (34)] 11.a3 Ra7 12.Rc1 [12.Bc3 a5 13.Nbd2 a4 14.b4 axb3 15.Qxb3 Bd5 16.Qxb5 Rxa3 17.Rxa3 Bxa3 18.Ba5 Nc6 19. Qd3 Be7 20.Bc3 Nb8 21.Rc1 Bb7 22.Nb3 Bd5 23.Bd2 Ba3 24.Ra1 Bd6 25.Ne1 Bxg2 26.Nxg2 Nbd7 27.e4 Be7 28.Rc1 c5 29.dxc5 Nxc5 30. Nxc5 Bxc5 31.Qxd8 Rxd8 32.Rxc5 Rxd2 33.f3 g5 34.h3 Kg7 35.Ne3 Re2 36.Nf1 Nd7 37.Rb5 Kf6 38.Nh2 Kg6 39.Ng4 h5 40.Ne5+ Nxe5 41. Rxe5 Kf6 42.Ra5 Rb2 1/2-1/2 Johannessen,L-Holst,A/Copenhagen

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 6 Report

DEN 2004/The Week in Chess 508 (42)] 12...Be4 13.Qb3 Bd5 14. Qe3 This was played before in a similar position but without the moves a3 and h6 inserted. 14...Nbd7 [14...Nc6? 15.Rxc6 Bxc6 16.d5 and white wins although Landa did not resign immediately against Nielsen when he missed this trick] 15.Ba5 Qb8 16.Nbd2 Bd6 Black is dreaming of getting c5 in or otherwise e5. 17.Rc2 Re8 18.Qd3 Qa8 You simply have to prevent e4. 19.Rac1 Rc8 20.b4 Qb7 21. Nh4 Bxg2 22.Nxg2 e5 23.e4 exd4 24.f4 Bf8 25.Qxd4

Grischuk is putting Polgar under a lot of pressure. 25...c5 26.bxc5 Rxc5 27.Rxc5 Nxc5 28.Rxc5 Qd7 [28...Bxc5 29.Qxc5 Ra8 is also clearly better for white.] 29.Rd5! A very important move. 29...Nxd5 30.exd5 Bxa3 31.Ne3 Ra8 32.Ne4

32...b4! Black is fighting for her last chance. 33.d6 Qb5 White has reached a completely winning position and now 34.Nc4 would have been much easier for Grischuk. 34.Qd5 Ra7 35.Qxb5 axb5 36.Bb6 Rd7 37.Bc5 Bc1 38.Nd5 b3 39.Bb4? And a last mistake by Grischuk, although he was again in severe time trouble. Afterwards he stated that Kf2 would still have won. 39...b2 40.Nec3 Bd2 41. Kf2 b1Q 42.Nxb1 Bxb4 43.Nxb4 Rxd6 44.Ke3 1/2-1/2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 7 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 7 22nd January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment.

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Peter Svidler (left) enjoys a joke with Michael Adams before the start of play. Svidler scored his first win today. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Round 7 was a very exciting round with many long games in the Agroup. However, there was one game to finish very early. Peter Svidler against Loek Van Wely. Van Wely has prepared excellently for this tournament, but today something went horribly wrong. Svidler surprised him with a new move, not an extremely dangerous one, but definitely with some poison. Van Wely mixed up two variations and soon he found himself in a hopeless position. Svidler,P (2735) - Van Wely,L (2679) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (7), 2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Bc4 Be7 5.d3 d6 6.Nd2 Bg5 7.h4 Bxd2+ 8.Bxd2 Nf6 9.0-0 Bg4 10.Qe1N This is a novelty by Svidler. A previous game by Svidler went: [10.f3 Be6 11.f4 Bxc4 12. dxc4 h5 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Bg5 Qxd1 15.Raxd1 Ng4 16.Nb5 0-0 17.c3 f6 18.Bc1 a6 19.Nd6 b6 20.Nf5 Rad8 21.Rd5 Kf7 22.Rfd1 Rxd5 23. cxd5 Rd8 24.Kf1 Ne7 25.Nxe7 1/2-1/2 Svidler,P-Leko,P/Dortmund GER 2004/The Week in Chess 508 (25)] 10...Be6 11.f4 Bxc4 12. dxc4 h5 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Bg5

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 7 Report

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So far the game looks similar to the game Svidler played against Leko, but now because of 10.Qe1 there is no queen swap. 14... Ne7?? A terrible move by Van Wely, probably because of mixing up with soem other variation where Ne7 is the right move. [14...Qd4+ 15.Kh1 Qxc4 This is what Van Wely should have played once he realized that he could not go Ng4. (15...Ng4 This was probably Van Wely's initial intention, but it fails to 16.Nb5 Qd7 17.Rd1+-) 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Rxf6 0-0-0 18.Qf1 Qxf1+ (18...Qb4 19.Rxf7 Qxb2 20.Rb1+-) 19.Raxf1] 15.Rd1 Qb6 16.Qg3 Ng6 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Nd5 Qxb2 19.Nxf6+ Kf8 20.Nxh5 1-0

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Lazaro Bruzon joined the leaders yesterday but lost it immediately when Anand beat him to take his place in the group in first. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Viswanathan Anand won an interesting game from Lazaro Bruzon, the surprise joint leader before today. Bruzon was tricked into an opening line he did not really want to play, and Anand got some nice pressure. Although Anand did not make the maximum of his position, his practical chances were quite high because Bruzon was in severe time trouble. Indeed Bruzon blundered and after move 40 he had a lost knight ending.

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Bruzon,L (2652) - Anand,V (2786) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (7), 2005 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ c6 6.Qxc4 b5 7. Qc2 Bb7 8.d4 Nbd7 9.a4 c5 10.0-0 b4 11.Bg5 Rc8 12.Nbd2 Be7 13.Rfc1 [13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Rfd1 0-0 15.Nb3 Bd5 16.Nxc5 Bxc5 17. Qd3 h6 18.Be3 Qa5 19.Nd4 Bxg2 20.Nb3 Be4 21.Nxa5 Bxd3 22.exd3 Bxe3 23.fxe3 Rc2 24.Nc4 Rd8 25.Rac1 Rxd3 26.Rxc2 Rxd1+ 27.Kg2 Ne4 28.Ne5 f5 29.Nc6 b3 30.Re2 a6 31.Nd4 Nc5 32.a5 Kf7 33.h3 Kf6 34.g4 f4 35.Nf3 Nd3 36.Kh2 g5 37.exf4 gxf4 38.Nd4 Nc5 39.Nf3 Rd5 40.h4 e5 41.g5+ hxg5 42.hxg5+ Kf5 43.g6 Ne6 44.Rg2 Ng7 45.Nd2 Rd3 46.Kg1 e4 47.Kf1 Rh3 48.Nc4 Rh1+ 49.Rg1 Rxg1+ 50.Kxg1 e3 51.Kg2 Ne6 52.Nxe3+ fxe3 53.Kf3 Kxg6 54.Kxe3 Kf5 0-1 Miton,K-

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 7 Report

Markowski,T/60th ch-POL, Warsaw POL 2003 (54)] 13...0-0 14.Qd3 h6 15.Bxf6 [15.Be3 is an alternative] 15...Bxf6 16.e3 Rc7 17.Qe2 [17.Ne4!?] 17...Qc8 18.Qb5 a6 19.Qf1 [19.Qa5? Rc6 with the threat of Bd8] 19...a5

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Books 2000/1/2/3

20.b3? Vishy felt that this was a mistake, giving away square c3. 20...Rd8 21.Qb5 Bc6?! Afterwards Vishy said he forgot that it might be possible to take on a5 here, because in all previous lines white could not go to a5. 22.Qe2?! [22.Qxa5! and an unclear position will arise. 22...Qb7 (22...Qb8 23.Qa6) 23.Ne1 Bxg2 24.Nxg2 Ra8 25.Qb5 Qxb5 26.axb5 Rxa1 27.Rxa1 cxd4 28.Ne4~~] 22...Qb7 Now black's pieces coordinate better and the c3 square is a potential square for his pieces. [22...Nb6 23.Rxc5 Bxf3 24.Bxf3 Rxc5 25.dxc5 Bxa1 26. cxb6 Qc1+ 27.Nf1 Qc5 28.b7 and white has a sort of fortress in the queenside and it is not clear how black can make progress here.] 23. Nc4 Qa8 Vishy felt that somewhere in the middlegame he should have made more of his chances, but it's not exactly clear how and where. 24.Ra2 cxd4 25.exd4 Bd5 26.Rac2 Rdc8 [26...Be4] 27. Qd1 [27.Nfe5 Bxg2 28.Nxd7 Bxd4 29.Ncb6 Bxb6 30.Nxb6 Rxc2 31. Rxc2 Rxc2 32.Qxc2 Qb7-+] 27...Qa6

28.Nfe5?! Now white gets into more trouble, which is not really a surprise since Bruzon had about 3 minutes left here. [28.Bf1 Qa7 29. Be2 and black has pressure, but it's not yet clear how to make progress.] 28...Bxe5 29.Bxd5 This loses a pawn, but the alternative was not very attractive either. [29.dxe5 Bxc4 30.Qd6 (30.Rxc4 Rxc4 31.Rxc4 Nxe5) 30...Qxd6 31.exd6 Rc5 32.Rxc4 Rxc4 33.bxc4] 29... Bxg3 [29...Bf4? 30.gxf4 exd5 31.Ne5 Rc3 32.Rxc3 bxc3 33.Nxd7 Qg6 + 34.Kh1] 30.hxg3 exd5 31.Ne3 Rxc2 32.Rxc2 Nf6 33.Rc5 Rxc5 34.dxc5 Qc6 35.Qd4 g6 36.Qe5 Nd7

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 7 Report

37.Qd6? Now white is lost, a draw was still possible. Of course it is not easy for white to decide in this position if you have only 20 seconds to make it to move 40. [37.Qe8+ Kg7 38.Ng4 and things are not so clear, for example (38.Nc2 Qxc5 39.Qxd7 Qxc2 40.Qxd5 is what the players analysed) 38...h5 39.Ne5 Nxe5 40.Qxe5+] 37... Qxd6 38.cxd6 Kf8 now it's game over 39.Nxd5 Nc5 40.Kf1 Ke8 41.Nb6 Nxb3 42.Ke2 Nc5 43.f3 h5 44.Ke3 b3 0-1

Ruslan Ponomariov and Vladimir Kramnik played an exciting round 7 game. Photo © Michiel Abeln. The game of the day was beyond any doubt Ruslan Ponomariov against Vladimir Kramnik. Ponomariov had prepared a pawn sacrifice against the so solid Svesnikov and soon he had a razor sharp attack. Kramnik invested a lot of time and with precise play he managed to keep the balance. There were many opportunities for a perpetual check, but Kramnik decided to try to play for a win, which almost cost him the game. In the end Ponomariov chickened out and forced perpetual on himself. Ponomariov,R (2700) - Kramnik,V (2754) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (7), 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.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 Bg5 12.Nc2 0-0 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.Ra2 [16.b3 was played by Polgar earlier in this tournement] 16...Kh8 17.Nce3 g6 18.h4 Bxh4 Taking is the most principled answer 19.g3 Bf6 20.b3 Bg7 21.f4 exf4 22.gxf4 Re8

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 7 Report

[22...f5 23.Rah2 h6 24.Qf3 fxe4 25.Qg3 Qe8 26.Rxh6+ Bxh6 27.Rxh6 + Kg7 28.Qh4 and white wins.] 23.Qf3 [Ponomariov had an interesting alternative here: 23.Rah2 Rxe4 (23...h6 24.Qf3 and with a change in move order Ponomariov would have gotten the chance to show his home preparation, which in the game was not possible.) 24. Rxh7+ Kg8 25.Qc2 Bf5 26.Qh2 Rxe3+ 27.Nxe3 Qf6 28.Nd5 and white wins] 23...Kg8 [23...h6 24.Rah2 Ne7 25.Rxh6+ Bxh6 26.Rxh6+ Kg7 27.Qh1 Rh8 28.Rxh8 Qxh8 29.Qxh8+ Kxh8 30.Nxe7 Bb7 31.N7d5 Re8 32.Nf6 Re7 33.Bd3 Kg7 34.Nfd5 Re8 35.Kd2 Rh8 36.Nc4 Ba6 37. Ke3 f6 38.Nc7 Bxc4 39.Bxc4 Rc8 40.Ne6+ Kf7 41.f5 Ke7 42.Kd4 g5 43.Bb5 Rb8 44.Ba4 Rb7 45.Kc4 Rb8 46.Kd3 Rh8 47.Nc7 Rh3+ 48.Ke2 Kf7 49.Nd5 Rh2+ 50.Kf3 Rh3+ 51.Kg2 Rh4 52.Bc6 Rxe4 53.b4 Re5 54.b5 a4 55.b6 a3 56.b7 a2 57.b8Q a1Q 58.Qc7+ 1-0 Maki,VHolmsten,A/Vammala 1999/EXT 2000 (58); 23...a4 24.Rah2 axb3 25. Rxh7+ Kg8 26.f5 b2 27.f6 b1Q+ 28.Kf2 Rb2+ 29.Kg3 Qg1+!! (29... Qxh1 this is the move that Kramnik saw during the game 30.Rxg7+ ƒ Kf8 31.Qxh1 and white mates) ] 24.Rah2 h5

[An important alternative for black is 24...h6 25.Qg2 Kf8 26.0-0 with a messy position.] 25.Rxh5 [25.Rg2; Of course white doesn't have to sac on h5, but Ponomariov could not resist the temptation. This had also to do with the fact that his home preperation only included variations with h6. 25.Qg2 Kf8] 25...gxh5 26.Qxh5 Re6 [26...Ne5 27.fxe5 Rxe5 28.Qh7+ Kf8 29.Qh8+ Bxh8 30.Rxh8+ Kg7 31.Rxd8 Rxe4 32.Kd2 and white will win.; 26...Kf8 immediately was also possible. 27.Rg1 Re6 (27...Ne7 28.Nf6 and it's a mess.) 28.Rxg7 Kxg7 29.Nf5+ Kg8 30.Nh6+ Kg7 31.Nf5+ with a perpetual] 27.Qh7+ Kf8 28.Rg1 Rg6 29.Rxg6 fxg6 30.f5 [30.Nc7 Ne7 (30...d5 31. Ncxd5~~) 31.f5 d5 32.Nexd5 gxf5 and it looks good for black; A funny variation is: 30.Nb4 Ne7 31.Nc6 Qb6-+] 30...Qg5 31.Nf4 Ne7 32.Nxg6+ Ke8 [32...Nxg6 33.Qg8+ Ke7 34.Nd5+ Kd7 35.Qxg7+ and white wins] 33.Nd5

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 7 Report

[33.Qxg7 Qxe3+ 34.Kd1 Nxg6] 33...Qg1+ [33...Nxd5 34.Qg8+ Kd7 35.Qxg7+ Kd8 (35...Ne7 36.Nf8++-) 36.Qg8+ Kc7 37.Qxd5 Qc1+ with a perpetual; 33...Bf6 34.Ngxe7 Qh4+ 35.Kd1 Bxe7 (35...Qxh7 36.Nxf6+ Kxe7 37.Nxh7 with good chances for white) 36.Qg6+ Kd8 (36...Kf8 37.Ne3+-) 37.Qg8+ Kd7 38.Qe6+=] 34.Kd2 Qg5+ 35.Ke1 Bf6 36.Ngxe7 Bxe7 37.Qh8+ Kd7 38.f6

38...Qg3+ [38...Qg1+ 39.Kd2 Qf2+ 40.Be2 (40.Kc1 Bd8 41.Bb5+! (41.Qg7+ Kc6 42.f7 Be6 might be good for black) 41...Rxb5 42.Qh3+ Ke8 43.Qh8+=) 40...Qxe2+ 41.Kxe2 Ba6+-+] 39.Ke2 [39.Kd2 Qf2+ 40.Kd3 Bd8 41.Bb5+ Rxb5 42.Qh3+=] 39...Qg2+ 40.Ke3 Qg3+ 41. Ke2 Here Pono offered a draw, but now Kramnik tried to win! 41... Qg4+ 42.Kf2 Bd8

Maybe Kramnik went too far with this move and should have kept the perpetual. Future analysis will tell. 43.Bf1 [This might be winning, but it is so complicated that now so short after the game nothing is for sure yet. 43.Be2 Qg5 a) 43...Qxe4 44.Bf3 (44.Qg7+ Kc6 45.Bf3 Qh4+) 44...Qc2+ 45.Kg3 Qg6+ 46.Kh2 Bb7 (46...Bxf6 47.Nxf6+ Ke6 48.Bg4++-; 46...Rxb3 47.Qg7++-; 46...Qf7 47.Qg7 Ke8 48.Nc7+

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 7 Report

Bxc7 49.Bc6+ Bd7 50.Bxd7+ Qxd7 51.Qg8#) 47.Qh3+ Kc6 48.Ne7+ +-; b) 43...Qe6 44.Bf1 Bxf6 45.Qh7+ Kd8 46.Qc7+ (46.Bh3) 46... Ke8 47.Qxb8 Bh4+ 48.Ke3 Qg4 49.Be2; 44.Qg7+ (44.Bb5+ Rxb5 45. Qg7+) 44...Qxg7 45.fxg7 Bh4+ 46.Ke3 Bb7 47.Bg4+ Kc6 48.Be6+/-; 43.Qg7+ Kc6 44.Qxg4 Bxg4 45.f7 Bh4+-+; 43.Bb5+ Rxb5 44.Qg7+ Kc6 45.Qxg4 Bxg4 46.f7 Bh4+ 47.Kg2 Rb8-+] 43...Kc6 44.Qxd8 Qh4+ 45.Kg1 Qg3+ 1/2-1/2

Morozevich held Vesselin Topalov with black. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Vesselin Topalov against Alexander Morozevich was a bit boring. Morozevich badly needed to score at least half a point today and he played quite solidly. When, early in the middlegame, Topalov just lost two tempi, the position became level and a draw was unavoidable.

Michael Adams vs Peter Leko Round 7. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Peter Leko and Michael Adams played a strategical Ruy Lopez in which white obtained a fantastic outpost for his knight. As Leko put it after the game, Adams needed several miracles to save the game. Leko was quite upset that, in every variation he calculated, Adams was just by one tempo in time. "Quite unbelievable for such a nice position I had. I am sure there must be something for white." Leko,P (2749) - Adams,Mi (2741) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (7), 2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 d6 7.c3 Bg4 8.d3 Nd7 9.Be3 h6 10.h3 Bh5 11.Nbd2 Bg5 12.Qe2 Bxe3 13.Qxe3 0-0 14.b4 Re8 15.a3 Nb6 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Nb3 d5 18. Nc5 Nd7 19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.Nd2 Qe6 21.Reb1 Rad8 22.Nb3 [22. f3] 22...dxe4 23.Nc5 [23.dxe4 Rd6 24.f3 f6 25.Kh2 Bf7] 23...Qd5 24.dxe4 Qc4 25.f3 [25.b5 a5; 25.Nb7 Rd3 26.Qc5 Qb5! (26...Qxc5

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 7 Report

27.Nxc5 Rxc3 28.Rc1+/-) ] 25...Rd6 26.Re1 f6 27.Rac1 Rb8 [27... Qa2] 28.Qe2 Bf7 29.Kf2 Qxe2+ 30.Rxe2 Bc4 31.Rb2 Kf7 32.h4 h5 33.Ke3 [33.Ke1 g5 (33...Ke7?! 34.Rd1) 34.hxg5 (34.g3 gxh4 35. gxh4 Rg8) 34...fxg5] 33...Rbd8

34.Rcc2 just missing one tempo, if it were white to move here it would be quite a different story after Rd2. 34...Rd1 35.Rd2 R8xd2 36.Rxd2 Re1+ 37.Kf2 Rc1 38.Rd7+ Kg8 39.Rxc7 Rxc3 40.Rxc6 Rxa3 41.Rc8+ 1/2-1/2

Judit Polgar vs Nigel Short Round 7. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Judit Polgar came very close to winning today against Short. During the whole game she was pressing and in the end she went for a favorable rook ending where Short escaped with a draw. The last game to finish was between Ivan Sokolov and Alexander Grischuk. Sokolov got a position that he has had twice before, about ten years ago. He won both games then, and today he also got a nice advantage. After time trouble he had converted this into an extra pawn with good winning chances. Then he made several mistakes and ended up in a lost position. Grischuk could have won the rook ending in a very nice way, instead went for a check after which the draw was soon agreed. Sokolov,I (2685) - Grischuk,A (2710) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (7), 2005 1.d4 This move was made by Sokolov after about 10 minutes, which according to Vishy was Sokolov's first mistake. Vishy says that Grischuk simply uses too much time and gets into serious time trouble after always starting the game late. So this time when Grischuk showed up after 15 minutes, he had actually only lost 5 minutes! 1...Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.Nc3 Bb7 5.a3 d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Bd2 Be7 8.Qc2 0-0 9.e4 Nxc3 10.Bxc3 c5 11.dxc5 bxc5 12.Rd1 Qc7 13.Bd3 Nd7 14.0-0 Rfd8 15.Rfe1 h6 16.Bb5 Nf6 17.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 7 Report

Rxd8+ Rxd8 18.Qa4

Sokolov has reached this position twice before, although quite some time ago. 18...Qb8N [18...a6 19.Bf1 Qf4 20.Be5 Qg4 21.h3 Qg6 22. Bc7 Rc8 23.Bh2 Bxe4 24.Ne5 Qf5 25.Qxa6 Ra8 26.Qb6 Bd5 27.Qc7 Kf8 28.Nc6 Bxc6 29.Qxc6 Qd5 30.Bb5 Rd8 31.a4 Qd2 32.Rf1 Nd5 33. b3 Kg8 34.Bc4 h5 35.Qb5 Nc3 36.Qb7 Ne2+ 37.Kh1 Qc2 38.Qxe7 Rd1 39.Bxe2 1-0 Sokolov,I-Hansen,C/Groningen 1993/CBM 39 (39); 18...Ra8 19.Ba5 Qc8 20.Ne5 Bd6 21.Nxf7 Kxf7 22.e5 Bxe5 23.Rxe5 Bd5 24.Bf1 Qb7 25.Bc3 Kg8 26.f3 Qb6 27.Qh4 Rf8 28.Re1 Rf7 29.Kh1 Nh7 30.Qg3 Qb7 31.h4 Nf6 32.Qg6 c4 33.Bd4 Qc7 34.Be3 Qe5 35. Re2 Nh5 36.Bf2 Qf5 37.Qxf5 Rxf5 38.Rc2 Rf4 39.Kg1 Kf7 40.Be2 a5 41.g4 Nf6 42.Be3 Rxf3 43.Bxf3 Bxf3 44.Rxc4 Bd1 45.Rc7+ Kg8 46.b4 axb4 47.axb4 Nd5 48.Rc8+ Kf7 49.b5 1-0 Sokolov,I-Van der Wiel,J/ Wijk aan Zee 1994/CBM 40 (49)] 19.Bc6 Rc8 20.Ne5 Qa8 21.Bxb7 Qxb7 22.f3 a6 White has a small advantage, his pieces are a bit more active and he has a bit more space. 23.Rd1 Qb5 24.Qc4 Kf8 25.a4 Qb6 26.a5 Qb7 27.g4 g5 28.Kg2 Ke8 29.Qa4+ Qb5 30. Qxb5+ axb5 31.a6 Ra8 32.Ra1 b4 33.Be1 Nd7 34.Nc4 e5 35.a7 Kd8 36.Ra6 Kc7 37.Rxh6 Rxa7 38.Rh7 Ra1 39.Bg3 Rc1 40. Nxe5 Rc2+ 41.Kh3 Nxe5 42.Bxe5+ Kd7 43.Rxf7 Ke6 44.Rf5 c4 Time trouble is over and Sokolov is a pawn up, not winning yet, but good chances. 45.f4 c3 46.bxc3 b3 47.Bd4 Bd6

48.Rf6+ [48.Kg3 is the move that the players analysed afterwards as a winning attempt for white. 48...gxf4+ (48...Bxf4+ 49.Kf3 Rxh2 50. Rf6+ Kd7 51.Rb6 b2 52.e5 also looks good for white) 49.Kf3 Rxh2 50. Rb5 b2 51.e5 Ba3 52.c4 and white has some chances] 48...Kd7 49. e5 Bc7 Now a very difficult ending arises with chances for both sides to win. 50.c4 Rxc4 51.e6+ Ke8 52.Rf7 [52.f5 Rc2 53.Bg1 b2-+] 52...Bxf4 53.Bf2 Rc7 54.Rf5 Ke7 [54...Rh7+? 55.Kg2 Rxh2+ 56. Kf3 and white is winning] 55.Rb5 Rc3+ 56.Kg2 Kxe6 57.Bg3? Now black can win! But it was already not so easy for white anymore. 57... Bxg3 58.hxg3 Rc2+? [58...Kd6!! 59.Rxg5 Rc5! 60.Rg6+ Kc7 61.Rg7 + Kc6 62.Rg6+ Kb7 and black wins.] 59.Kf3 b2 60.Ke4 Kd6 61.Kd3 Rg2 62.Kd4 Kc6 63.Rb8 Rd2+ 64.Kc3 Rg2 1/2-1/2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 7 Report

In the B Group Shakhriyar Mamedyarov is a point clear of Sergey Karjakin who is also having a fine tournament, but not 6/7 kind of fine. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 8 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 8 23rd January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment.

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Vesselin Topalov scored a fine win to take the lead alone in Round 8. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Lazaro Bruzon against Vesselin Topalov was a nice attacking game by the Bulgarian player. Bruzon, who played so solidly earlier in the tournament, desperately seems to need the rest day (tomorrow, Monday) to recover from recent rounds. Today he made several inaccuracies after which his king was slaughtered by Topalov's knights. This game took Topalov to first place alone going into the second rest day. Bruzon,L (2652) - Topalov,V (2757) [A04] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (8), 2005

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9.Na3? According to Topalov a clear mistake. [9.a3 d6 10.b4 This is a more normal plan for white with a complicated position. 10...Qc7 11. Bb2 b6 12.Nbd2 Bb7 13.Qb3 Kh8 14.d4 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 exd4 17.Rac1 Qd7 18.Nf3 d5 19.Bxd4 dxe4 20.Bxg7+ Kxg7 21.Qb2+

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 8 Report

f6 22.Ng5 Rac8 23.Rcd1 Qg4 24.h4 Kh6 25.Bh3 Qh5 26.Bxc8 Bxc8 27. Nxe4 1-0 Damljanovic,B-Navara,D/EuTCh, Plovdiv BUL 2003 (27)] 9... d6 10.Be3 b6 11.Qd2 [The idea of b6 is seen if white plays d4: 11. d4 exd4 12.cxd4 Bg4 13.Nc2 Qd7 with the idea of d5 and black is ok.; Of course 11.h3 is a move but then after 11...f5 white's bishop should not be on e3 in these type of positions.] 11...Bg4 12.h3 Bxf3 13. Bxf3 Qd7 [13...f5 14.Bg2 Qd7 -game continuation] 14.Bg2 f5 [14... d5 is not so precise because after 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Bh6 white has some initiative.] 15.exf5 [15.f4 d5 just increasing the tension and black has absolutely no problem] 15...gxf5 [15...Nxf5 and if black could now play d5 it would be ideal, but white is first to move: 16.c4 Nfd4] 16.f4 Rad8 17.Re2?! [It was probably better to play 17.Rad1 Qe6 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 Qxa2 (19...cxd4 20.Bf2 Qxa2 21.Nb5 and the situation is not clear.) 20.Nb5=/+] 17...Qe6

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18.Qc2?! Again a dubious move, because white now weakens his control of square f4, which is basically the square this whole game is about. 18...Qg6 19.Kh2 Kh8? A mistake by Topalov, he had missed that the white queen can go to a4. [19...d5 immediately would have been the right approach 20.fxe5 Bxe5 21.Bf4 Bxf4 22.gxf4 and black has a big advantage.] 20.Qa4 now white has some control over f4 again, the question is can black break through? 20...d5 21.fxe5?! Bxe5 22.Bf4 Qf6 23.Bxe5?! [Again white had better alternatives: 23.Rae1 Ng6 24.Bxe5 Ncxe5 25.d4 Nd3~~; 23.Rf1 Bxf4 (23...Ng6 24. Bxe5 Ncxe5 25.d4 is also quite unclear.) 24.Qxf4 Ng6 25.Qh6~~] 23...Nxe5 24.d4

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24...N5g6 Now black can play this knight to g6, which is a big difference because the other knight can join the attack from f5. It would have been much harder for balck to attack with one knight on g6 and one on c6. 25.dxc5 bxc5 [25...f4 26.gxf4 d4 27.Rf1 Nf5 28. Qc6 Qh4 29.Qf3 Ne3 and it's a mess, which is unneccessary because in the game black has a nice advantage.] 26.Rf1 [26.Qxa7 f4 27. Qxc5 Nf5! (27...fxg3+ 28.Kh1) 28.gxf4 Nxf4 29.Rf2 Qh4 30.Raf1 (30. Rxf4 Qxf4+ 31.Kg1 d4-/+) 30...Nxh3-+] 26...f4 27.gxf4 Nf5 28. Qxa7 Qh4 [28...Nxf4?? does not work yet 29.Rxf4 Qd6 30.Ref2 Ne3 31.Nb5 Qe5 32.Qc7] 29.Qxc5?! [Again Bruzon could have played

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 8 Report

better: 29.Rf3 Nxf4 30.Ref2 Ne3 31.Qxc5 Ng4+ 32.Kg1 Nxf2 33.Qxf2 and Topalov felt he should win this position, but it will take some effort.] 29...Nxf4 30.Rd2 [30.Ref2 Nxh3 31.Rxf5 Nf4+ 32.Kg1 Ne2#; Again the exchange sac would have been the lesser evil: 30. Rxf4 Qxf4+ 31.Kg1] 30...Nxh3 Probably missed by Bruzon in time trouble. 31.Qc7 Rd6 32.Nc2 [32.Rxf5 Nf4+ 33.Kg1 Qe1+ and whatever white plays, the rook on d6 will deliver mate.] 32...Qg3+ 33.Kh1 Rh6

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Finally Morozvich manages to win a game, he defeated Judit Polgar in round 8. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Judit Polgar lost today to Alexander Morozevich. She missed something in the opening after which she had a terrible position. However, Morozevich made several inaccuracies and Polgar could have made a draw in time trouble. After that she missed that opportunity she got another chance which was again missed and then she lost. Morozevich,A (2741) - Polgar,Ju (2728) [D02] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (8), 2005 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 cxd4 5.Nxd4 d5 6.0-0 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8.Bg5 Nbd7 9.Nc3 h6?! [9...Be7 as pointed out by Marin seems a better option.] 10.Bxf6 Nxf6 11.Qd3 Qd7 12.Rad1 d4 [Polgar's inital intention was to play 12...Rd8 but this loses directly to 13.Qe3] 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 and now black is in serious trouble. 14...Bd6 15.f4 [Polgar was much more afraid of 15.c3! and black's position collapses.] 15...Bxb3 16.axb3 Qe7 17.Qxb7?! [17.fxe5 would have been stronger] 17...Qxb7 18.Bxb7 Rd8 19.Bc6+ Ke7 20.fxe5 Bxe5 21.Ra1 Bb8 22.Ra4?! [again Morozevich's play could have been improved: 22.Rf5 to involve the rook is much better.] 22... h5 23.Rb4 Rc8 24.Be4 Bd6 25.Rc4 Rxc4 26.bxc4 g6 27.Bd5 Rf8 28.Ra1 Bc5 29.Kf1 f5 30.Ra5 Bb6 31.Ra6 f4 32.Ke1 fxg3 33.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 8 Report

hxg3 Rf6 34.Kd2 Bc5 35.Ra4 a5 36.Kd3

36...Bb6 [Now Polgar misses her big chance: 36...Ra6 37.Ra1 she thought that she was here more or less stalemated, but actually moving the a-pawn is a simple way to make a draw. 37...a4] 37.c5 Bxc5 38.Rxa5 Bb6 39.Rb5 Bc7 40.Rb7 Kd8 41.Kxd4 Bxg3 42.c4 h4

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43.e4?! [43.Rh7 would have been much better.] 43...Rf1? [43...Bc7! cutting off the bishop makes life a lot harder for white because if white goes Rb3 black simply starts running with her g-pawn.] 44.Rh7 Rb1 45.e5 Rd1+ 46.Kc5 Bxe5 47.b4 Bg3 48.b5 Rb1 49.Kc6 Bf2 50.Rd7+ Ke8 51.Bf7+ Kf8 52.Bxg6 Rb2 53.Rf7+ Kg8 54.Rxf2 Rxf2 55.b6 Kg7 56.b7 Rb2 57.Be4 Kf6 58.c5 Rb4 59.Bh1 1-0

Anand and Kramnik played out a draw in Round 8. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 8 Report

The elite fight Viswanathan Anand against Vladimir Kramnik was something of a disappointment. A short draw was already expected because Vishy had lost earlier in the tournament against Leko in a Sveshnikov Sicilian and it was unlikely that he would already have prepared something special. Straight out of the opening Kramnik sacrificed a piece to make a draw and after nearly two hours of play they left the building.

Van Wely and Ponomariov drew in round 8. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Van Wely was back to his normal pattern for the event against Ponomariov rather than the aberration he had in losing to Svidler yesterday: good preparation followed by an unexciting position in which they agreed a draw.

Peter Svidler held Michael Adams with black in Round 8. Michael Adams against Peter Svidler was only slightly more exciting, and that was because at least the end position was quite interesting. After analyzing some crazy lines with surprise arrival Ivanchuk, the conclusion was that Adams should have played on. Adams,Mi (2741) - Svidler,P (2735) [B85] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (8), 2005 Before the game both players were very relaxed: Adams asked to the great cricket expert Peter Svidler what the present situation was in the England cricket match. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0-0 Nc6 9.a4 0-0 10.f4 Qc7 11.Kh1 Re8 12.Bf3 Bf8 13.Nde2 Rb8 A new but quite logical move. Adams made a quick draw against Anand here in Wijk aan Zee last year. [13...b6 14.Qe1 Bb7 15.Qf2 Nd7 16.Rad1 Rab8 17.Ng3 g6 18.Bg4 1/2-1/2 Adams,M-Anand,V/GMA, Wijk aan Zee NED 2004

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 8 Report

(18)] 14.Qe1 Nd7 [14...b5 Here Svidler had an alternative: 15.axb5 axb5 16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 e5] 15.Qf2 b5 16.axb5 axb5 17.e5 dxe5 [Analysing together with surprise guest Ivanchuk some wild variations were blitzed out in no time: 17...b4 18.exd6 Bxd6 19.Ne4 Bf8 20.Nd4 Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Qxf4 22.Qe2 Qc7 23.Bh5 g6 24.Rxf7 Kxf7 25.Qf2+ Kg8 26.Rf1 Re7 27.Bg4 e5; 17...d5 18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.Bxd4 b4 might also be playable for black] 18.Bxc6 Qxc6 19.fxe5 Nxe5 20. Bd4 Ng6 21.Qxf7+

[The end position of this game was actually the most interesting part. Together with Ivanchuk both players analysed quite a few lines and it seems that Adams should have played on: 21.Qxf7+ Kh8 22.Nf4 Nxf4 (22...e5 23.Nxg6+ hxg6 24.Rae1 Be6 a) 24...Bb7 25.Re4; b) 24... Rb7 25.Qf2+/=; c) 24...Bh3 25.Rf3 (25.Re4 Bxg2+ 26.Kxg2 exd4 27. Rff4 g5 28.Qh5+ Kg8 (28...Qh6 29.Rxe8+-) ) 25...Bxg2+ (25...Bg4 26.Bxe5 (26.Re4 Bxf3 27.Rh4+ Bh5) 26...Bxf3 27.gxf3 Qc4 (27...Qb7 28.Qxb7 Rxb7 29.Bxg7++/-; 27...Rxe5 28.Rxe5 Qc4 29.Qxg6+/- Qf1 + 30.Qg1 Qxf3+ 31.Qg2 Qxg2+ 32.Kxg2 b4 33.Nd5+/-) 28.Qxg6 Kg8~~) 26.Kxg2 exd4 27.Kf2~~; 25.Qxg6 exd4 26.Re4+-) 23.Rxf4 (23.Qxf4 Bb7 24.Rf2 Bd6 25.Bxg7+ Kxg7 26.Qg5+ Kh8 27.Rf7 Bf8 28. Qf6+ Kg8 29.Qg5+=) 23...Bb7 24.Rg1 e5 (24...h6 25.Be5 Rbd8 26. Rf6+-) 25.Bxe5 Rbd8 26.Ne4+/- h6? 27.Rf6+- And both players concentrated on cricket again!] 1/2-1/2

Grischuk against Leko was the last game to finish in Round 8. It was drawn. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Alexander Grischuk against Peter Leko was a typical Qc2 Nimzo Indian: White had a pair of bishops and more space, Black was very solid. As Leko said afterwards: "We returned to the eighties, it was Ulfie (Andersson) maneuvering. The position was difficult because he does nothing and I have to look out, be careful. He had this plan to sacrifice on e5 and if it's coming it's winning. I could prevent it by putting my knight on f7 but then he has this plan of f5 and g4 and g4g5 at some point. So I put my knight on f8 to have g6 and was just

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very careful that he could not sac on e5. But all in all it was torture today." Nigel Short against Ivan Sokolov was a Ruy Lopez in which Sokolov went for the Berlin Wall. It seemed that Sokolov was not aware of all nuances and soon he ended up in a hopeless endgame. Short,N (2674) - Sokolov,I (2685) [C67] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (8), 2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 h6 10.h3 Bd7 11.Bf4 Kc8 [11... b6 12.a4 a5 13.Rad1 Kc8 14.b3 Bb4 15.Ne4 Be6 16.c4 c5 17.g4 Ne7 18.Ne1 Bd7 19.Ng3 g5 20.Be3 Ng6 21.Nd3 Bc6 22.f4 gxf4 23.Nxf4 Bc3 24.Nfe2 Bxe5 25.Rxf7 Kb7 26.Rff1 Rae8 27.Rd3 Re6 28.Rf2 Rhe8 29.Bd2 Nh4 30.Kf1 Bd6 31.Nc3 Bxg3 32.Rxg3 Rd8 33.Bc1 Rde8 34. Bd2 Rd8 35.Bc1 Rd7 36.Bf4 Rde7 37.Bd2 Rd7 38.Bc1 Rde7 39.Bd2 Rd7 40.Bc1 Rde7 1/2-1/2 Shirov,A-Almasi,Z/Polanica Zdroj 2000/ CBM 79 no vc (40)] 12.Rad1 Bb4 13.Ne4 Be6 14.c3 [14.g4 Bd5 15. gxf5 Bxe4 16.Nd4 Bd5 17.Kh2 g5 18.Bg3 b6 19.b3 c5 20.c3 Ba5 21. b4 cxb4 22.cxb4 Bxb4 23.Nc2 Bc4 24.Nxb4 Bxf1 25.Rxf1 Rd8 26.e6 fxe6 27.fxe6 Kb7 28.Re1 Rd2 29.Re5 Re8 30.Nd5 Rxa2 31.Nxc7 Kxc7 32.Re2+ Kb7 33.Rxa2 Rxe6 34.h4 a5 35.h5 Kc6 36.Kh3 Kc5 37.Kg4 Kb4 38.Kf5 Rc6 39.Rd2 b5 40.Rd6 Rc5+ 41.Kg6 Kc4 42.Kxh6 b4 43. Kg6 b3 44.h6 b2 45.Rd1 Kb3 46.h7 Rc1 47.Rd3+ Kc4 48.h8Q b1Q 49. Qd4+ Kb5 50.Qd5+ Ka6 51.Qa8+ Kb5 52.Qb7+ Kc4 53.Qd5+ Kb4 54. Qe4+ Kb5 55.Rd5+ Kb6 56.Qxb1+ Rxb1 57.Kxg5 a4 58.Be5 a3 59. Rd3 1-0 Nijboer,F-Narciso Dublan,M/Mondariz 2000/CBM 79 no vc (59)] 14...Be7 15.b3 b6 16.g4 Nh4 17.Nxh4 Bxh4 18.Bg3 Be7 19.f4 h5 20.f5 Bd5 21.Rd4 hxg4 22.hxg4 Ba3 23.Kf2

23...a5 [23...g6 was afterwards indicated by Short as a possible improvement.; If 23...Bb2 than 24.Rb1 Bxe4 25.Rxe4 Bxc3 26.Rc4] 24.c4 Bxe4 [The alternative is also not very attractive for Sokolov: 24...Bb2 25.Rd2 Bxe4 26.Rxb2 c5 27.Re1 Bc6 28.e6] 25.Rxe4 a4 26. Kg2 axb3 27.axb3 Bc5 28.Re2 Ra3 29.e6 Re8 30.Rf3 Ra1 31. Bf2 fxe6 32.Bxc5 bxc5 33.fxe6 Rd1 34.Rf7 Rd6 35.Rxg7 Rdxe6 36.Rxe6 Rxe6 37.Rf7 Kd8 38.Kg3 Re1 39.g5 Rg1+ 40.Kh4 Rh1 + 41.Kg4 Rg1+ 42.Kf5 Rg3 43.g6 Rf3+ 44.Ke6 Re3+ 45.Kf6 Rf3 + 46.Kg7 Rxb3 47.Kf8 Re3 48.Rf4 1-0

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 9 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 9 25th January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment.

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Vesselin Topalov and Viswanathan were the first to finish after halving their game in round 9. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

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Vesselin Topalov against Viswanathan Anand was the first game to finish today. Vishy wanted to play solidly after some bad results against the Bulgarian recently and Topalov saw no reason to risk everything. A sideline of the Petroff was played (14.Be3) and Vishy soon found the right antidote to make a draw after less than two hours of play. Topalov,V (2757) - Anand,V (2786) [C42] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (9), 25.01.2005

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 Vishy wanted to play solidly today because last year he lost to Topalov here and also in Monaco he lost to him. 3. Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9. Be2 0-0 10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14. Be3 New Software

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This was a surprise for Vishy. 14...Bf6 [14...a6 15.cxd5 Qxd5 16.c4 Qe4 17.Ra2 Bf6 18.Rd2 Rad8 19.h3 Qe7 20.g4 Qd7 21.d5 Ne5 22.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 9 Report

Qb3 Be4 23.Nxe5 Rxe5 24.Qxb7 Bxd5 25.Red1 Qe6 26.Bf3 Bxb7 27. Rxd8+ Bxd8 28.Rxd8+ Qe8 29.Rxe8+ Rxe8 30.Bxb7 Rd8 31.Bf4 Rd1 + 32.Kg2 Ra1 33.Bxc7 Rxa3 1-0 Rizouk,A-Angulo Martinez,J/Erandio ESP 2004/The Week in Chess 530 (33); Vishy pointed out that he was aware of a trick that white can play in these kind of positions: 14... Na5 15.cxd5 Qxd5 16.Ne5 Qb3 17.Bc4] 15.Nd2 Na5 [There is a way to lose immediately with black: 15...Ne7? 16.g4 Bg6 17.g5] 16.cxd5 Qxd5 17.Qa4 Bd7 [17...c6 is an alternative, but Vishy wanted his knight to play a more active role in the game.] 18.Qb4 Be7 19.Qb2 Bc6 20.Bf3 [Of course if white wants to play he has to try 20.Bf1 b5 21.a4 a6 but here black has no worries.] 20...Qd7 Now the position is dead equal. 21.Qa2 Rad8 22.a4 b6 23.h3 Bxf3 24.Nxf3 Qd5 25. Qxd5 1/2-1/2

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Peter Leko defeated Nigel Short in round 9. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Peter Leko won in a rather simple way against Nigel Short. After a normal Chigorin line of the Ruy Lopez, Leko played the novelty 23. Bd3. Short did not react in the most precise way and was soon in a hopeless endgame.

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Leko,P (2749) - Short,N (2674) [C95] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (9), 25.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 15.b3 Bg7 16.d5 Qe7 17.c4 c6 18.Be3 Rec8 19.Rc1 a5 20.Qd2 bxc4 [20...Nc5 21.Bxc5 dxc5 22.dxc6 Bxc6 23.cxb5 Bxb5 24.a4 Bc6 25.Bd3 Nd7 26.Nf1 Rcb8 27.Rc3 Rb4 28.Ne3 Kh8 29.Nc4 Nf8 30.Bc2 f6 31.Qd6 Qxd6 32.Nxd6 Ne6 33.Bd3 Bf8 34. Bb5 Bxb5 35.Nxb5 Nd4 36.Nfxd4 cxd4 37.Rf3 Rc8 38.Rxf6 Rxb3 39. Re6 d3 40.Rd1 Bb4 41.Nd6 Rc2 42.Nf7+ Kg7 43.Nxe5 d2 44.Rc6 Rxc6 45.Nxc6 Rc3 0-1 Efimenko,Z-Socko,B/Hastings ENG 2005/The Week in Chess 530 (45)] 21.bxc4 cxd5 22.cxd5 Nc5

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23.Bd3 This is a new idea found by Leko's coach Petrosian some time

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ago. The move order is actually quite important here and it's not so easy for black. 23...h5 [23...Nxd3 24.Rxc8+! (Automatically taking back was not Leko's intention: 24.Qxd3 Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Bxd5 26.exd5 e4 and black equalizes) 24...Bxc8 25.Qxd3 Ba6 26.Qa3 and with pressure on black's both weaknesses white is clearly better; 23...Nfd7 24.Bb5+/=] 24.Bxc5 dxc5 Chess Assistant

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25.Qg5 Short had probably seen this move but underestimated it. White's idea is not to take on e5 (black has alsways Nxd5) but to paralyze black's position and to prevent Ne8-d6. 25...Rc7 26.Nf1 Rac8 27.N1d2! [Less precise is 27.Ne3 c4 28.Rxc4 Qa3 29.Rxc7 Rxc7 30.Qxe5 Rc8 and black has some counterplay] 27...Ne8 Again it was probably black's best chance to sacrifice his pawn to obtain some counterplay. 28.Qxe7 Rxe7 29.Nc4 Ba6 30.Nfxe5 Bxe5 31.Nxe5 c4 32.Bxc4 Rxe5 33.Bxa6 Rxc1 34.Rxc1 Rxe4 35.f3 Re5 36. Rc5! A nice killer 36...h4 37.d6 1-0

Ruslan Ponomariov at the start of his game against Michael Adams. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Michael Adams made a draw with black against Ponomariov with the Petroff. This, however, was not a boring game at all! After some logical opening moves Adams made a strong sacrifice to get a winning a position only to let Ponomariov escape with a three-fold repetition in a winning endgame Ponomariov,R (2700) - Adams,Mi (2741) [C42] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (9), 25.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.00 Be7 8.Re1 Bg4 9.c3 f5 10.Qb3 0-0 11.Nbd2 Na5 12.Qc2 Nc6 13.b4 a6 14.a4 Bd6 15.Ba3 Kh8 [15...Rf6 16.b5 Nxd2 17.Qxd2 Bxf3 18.bxc6 Rg6 19.g3 bxc6 20.Bxd6 cxd6 21.Bxf5 Rf6 22.Qd3 g6 23.Qxf3 Rxf5 24.Qe2 Rf7 25.a5 Kg7 26.Reb1 Rb8 27.Qxa6 Qf6 28.Qf1 Rxb1 29.Rxb1 c5 30.a6 cxd4 31.Rb7 dxc3 32.Rxf7+ Kxf7 33.a7 Qd8 34.Qb1 c2 35.Qb7+ Ke6 36.Qc6 Qa5 37.a8Q Qxa8 38.Qxa8 c1Q+ 39.

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Kg2 Qc7 40.h4 Qf7 41.f4 h5 42.Kf3 Qe7 43.Qc8+ Kf7 44.Kf2 Qe6 45. Qb7+ Kf6 46.Qb2+ Kf5 47.Qb6 Kg4 48.Qd4 Qe4 49.Qd1+ Kf5 50.Qb3 Qd4+ 51.Kf3 Qc4 52.Qb8 Qf1+ 53.Ke3 Kg4 54.Qxd6 Qe1+ 55.Kd4 Qe4+ 56.Kc5 Qf5 57.Qe7 Kxg3 58.Qe1+ Kxf4 59.Qg1 Qe4 60.Qg5+ Kf3 61.Qf6+ Ke2 62.Qb2+ Ke3 63.Qf6 d4 64.Qg5+ Ke2 65.Kb4 d3+ 66.Kc3 Qf5 67.Qg2+ Ke3 68.Qg3+ Ke2 69.Qg2+ Qf2 70.Qe4+ Qe3 71.Qg2+ Ke1 72.Qh1+ Kf2 73.Qh2+ Kf3 74.Qh3+ Kf4 75.Qh2+ Kg4 76.Qg2+ Kxh4 77.Qxg6 Qf3 78.Qd6 Kh3 79.Qe6+ Kg2 80.Qg6+ Kf1 81.Qg5 Kf2 82.Qh4+ Kg2 83.Qg5+ Kh3 84.Qg6 h4 85.Qg1 Qe2 86. Qh1+ Kg3 87.Qg1+ Qg2 88.Qe3+ Qf3 89.Qg1+ Kh3 90.Qg5 Qg3 91. Qf5+ Kh2 92.Kd2 h3 93.Qe6 Kg2 94.Qe4+ Qf3 95.Qg6+ Kf1 96.Qd6 h2 97.Qxh2 Qe2+ 0-1 Morozevich,A-Karpov,A/Eurotel Trophy, Prague CZE (3.1) 2002 (97)] 16.b5 axb5 17.Bxd6 cxd6 18.axb5 Na5 19. h3 Bh5 20.Nh2 Rc8 21.Ra3 b6 22.Ndf1 f4 23.f3 Qh4 24.Re2 Ng3 25.Nxg3 fxg3

26.Nf1 Ponomariov saw the sacrifice, but did not spend a lot of time on it. He figured that black does not have any direct threats and that his knight is way off so there should be a good defence for white. 26... Bxf3 27.gxf3 Rxf3 And now Ponomariov sank into deep thought because he saw no defence! In the end he played something that at least does not lose immediately. 28.Nd2 [28.Qd1 Rcf8] 28...Rf2 29. Rxf2 gxf2+ 30.Kg2 Qg5+ Adams has here a winning advantage but also was in time trouble 31.Kxf2 Rf8+ 32.Nf3 Qf4 33.Qe2 Qh2+ 34.Ke1 Qg3+ 35.Qf2 Rxf3 36.Qxg3 Rxg3 37.Bf1 h5 38.Kd2

38...Rf3? [Here Adams misses a direct blow: 38...Rxh3 39.Rxa5 (39. Bxh3 Nc4+ 40.Kd3 Nxa3) 39...Rh2+ 40.Be2 bxa5 41.b6 Rf2 42.b7 Rf8 game over] 39.Ke2 Rg3 40.Kd2 Rf3 [Here there are several possibilities to make it to the time control in a safe way, e.g. 40... Rg1 ] 41.Ke2 but now Adams has again all the time in the world to realize that he has nothing better than to go for the three fold repitition in a winning position.... 41...Rg3 [If you want to avoid the repitition you get a position you really don't want to have: 41...Rf8 42. Bg2 and Ra1 is coming] 1/2-1/2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 9 Report

ƒ

Vladimir Kramnik took on Loek van Wely in round 9. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Vladimir Kramnik and Loek Van Wely put another Svesnikov on the board. This time it was a variation in which black's pawn structure was severely comprised in exchange for activity. During the whole game Kramnik tried to make something of the structural weaknesses in black's camp, but Van Wely was always just in time to keep the balance.

Alexander Morozevich seemed to have found some form in round 9 but there were a lot of mistakes from his opponent. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Alexander Morozevich won against Ivan Sokolov with the Albins Countergambit. If you go over the game quickly it looks like a typical Morozevich victory, but as he explained himself, Sokolov made quite a few mistakes and this is still not the real Morozevich. Sokolov,I (2685) - Morozevich,A (2741) [D08] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (9), 25.01.2005 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 Nge7 6.Nb3 Nf5 7. a3 Be7 [7...Be6 8.h3 h5 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Qd3 0-0-0 12. h4 a5 13.g3 a4 14.Bh3 g6 15.Nbd2 Qc5 16.0-0 Kb8 17.Bg2 Nxe5 18. Nxe5 Qxe5 19.b3 Bc8 20.bxa4 c6 21.Rab1 Kc7 22.Nf3 Qe7 23.Rfd1 c5 24.Qd2 Kd7 25.e3 Ke8 26.exd4 Nxd4 27.Nxd4 Rxd4 28.Qa5 Rxd1+ 29.Rxd1 Kf8 30.Qd8+ Qxd8 31.Rxd8+ Kg7 32.Rxh8 Kxh8 33.a5 Kg7 34.Kf1 Kf6 35.Ke2 Ke5 36.Ke3 Kd6 37.Bd5 Be6 38.Bxe6 Kxe6 39.Kf4 f5 40.f3 Kf6 41.g4 fxg4 42.fxg4 hxg4 43.Kxg4 Kf7 44.Kg5 Kg7 45.a4 1/2-1/2 Napier,W-Tarrasch,S/Monte Carlo 1902/EXT 2000 (45)] 8.g3 a5 9.Qd3 [White could immediately have gone for 9.Bh3 d3 10.Qxd3 Qxd3 11.exd3 Nh4 12.gxh4 Bxh3~~] 9...a4 10.Nbd2 h5 With the simple idea to prevent white's g4. 11.Bh3 [11.h4 Nh6 to put the

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 9 Report

bishop on f5 and the knight on g4] 11...g6 12.Ne4 h4 13.Bf4? A very serious mistake by Sokolov, now the initiavie switches to black and that's laway very dangerous when you're playing Morozevich! [13. g4 Ng7 14.Bd2 Ne6 15.0-0-0 with the idea e3 and probably white has a big advantage] 13...hxg3 14.hxg3 Ng7 [14...Nxg3 15.Bd7+ Kxd7 16.Rxh8 Qxh8 17.Nxg3 and white is better] 15.Bg2 [Morozevich pointed out that Sokolov should have tried to attack: 15.Nf6+ Kf8] 15...Rxh1+ 16.Bxh1 Bf5 17.Nfg5?! [There was an interesting alternative 17.0-0-0 Ne6 18.Bg2 Nc5 19.Nxc5 Bxd3 20.Nxd3 Qd7 21. Rh1 Bf8 and things are not so clear] 17...Na5 [17...Nh5 also comes into consideration] 18.Qf3 Ne6

19.Nh7? A very strange move by Sokolov, the question is what the knight is looking for on h7. [Better was 19.Nxe6 Bxe6 20.0-0-0 with very complicated play] 19...Bxe4 20.Qxe4 c6 21.e3?! [Sokolov refuses to castle in this game, but here he was already in time trouble. 21.0-0-0 ] 21...Nb3 22.Rd1 Qa5+ 23.Ke2 Nec5 At several points Moro looked at Qxc6 but there was never a mate. 24.Qg2 Qa6 and suddenly black's pieces are so active that he really doesnot need his rook on a8. 25.Kf1 Qxc4+ 26.Kg1 Qc2 [Less precise would have been 26...d3 27.Qh3 and now after Qc2 white can protect his rook with Bf3] 27.Qf3 d3 28.Bg5 Ne4 29.Bxe7 Nxf2! [29...Kxe7 30.Rf1 Nbd2 31.Qg4 and things are not as clear as in the game] 30.Qxf2 [30.Bb4 Qxd1+ 31.Kxf2 Qc2+ 32.Kg1 d2 also wins because after 33. Nf6+ Kd8 white has no more checks] 30...Qxd1+ 31.Kg2 Qc2 32. Bd6 0-0-0 33.Kg1 Qxf2+ 34.Kxf2 Rh8 And Morozevich added: "I don't wanna look back at this tournement, only forward!" 0-1

Lazaro Bruzon against Judit Polgar in their game in round 9. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Judit Polgar played against Lazaro Bruzon who surprised her by playing the Berlin Wall or Berlin Defence to the Ruy Lopez for the first time in his life. After Judit made an inaccuracy just after the opening after which she could no longer hope for an advantage. After another

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 9 Report

mistake she was even slightly worse, but Bruzon still had the feeling that he never had a real chance for a victory. Nevertheless, it was a nice game for him after the two losses in the previous rounds.

Peter Svidler at the start of round 9 where he defeated Alexander Grischuk. Photo © Michiel Abeln. The last game to finish was between Peter Svidler and Alexander Grischuk. Soon after the opening Svidler obtained an overwhelming position, but he had trouble in converting this to a full point. In the endgame Grischuk probably missed a chance for a draw after which Svidler finally took the full point. Svidler,P (2735) - Grischuk,A (2710) [B31] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (9), 25.01.2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Nd7 8.Be3 e5 9.Qd2 h6 10.0-0 Qe7 11.Nh2 Nf8 12.f4 exf4 13.Rxf4 Be6 14.Rf2 0-0-0 15.Raf1 Nd7 16.Ne2 f6 17.Qa5 [17. Nf3 b6 18.Bf4 h5 19.Bh2 Bh6 20.Nf4 Bf7 21.Nh4 Rdg8 22.Qc3 Kb7 23. Kh1 Rh7 24.a3 Qd8 25.Ne2 Bg5 26.g3 Be6 27.Kg2 f5 28.Nf3 Bf6 29. Qd2 g5 30.Ne1 h4 31.exf5 Bd5+ 32.Nf3 g4 33.hxg4 Rxg4 34.c4 hxg3 35.Bxg3 Bxf3+ 36.Kxf3 Qg8 37.Rg2 Ne5+ 38.Kf2 Rd7 39.d4 cxd4 40. Rfg1 Nxc4 41.Qd3 Ne3 42.Rh2 Rd5 43.Rh5 Bg5 44.Rgh1 Rxf5+ 45. Ke1 Ng2+ 46.Kd1 Ne3+ 47.Ke1 Qc4 48.Rh7+ Ka6 49.Qxc4+ Nxc4 50. Rd7 Ne3 51.Bb8 c5 52.a4 Ka5 53.Rxa7+ Kb4 54.Rhh7 Kb3 55.Ng3 Rf6 56.Rh2 Bh6 57.Rxh6 Rxh6 58.a5 Kc2 59.Be5 Ng2+ 0-1 Rublevsky, S-McShane,L/Istanbul TUR 2003/The Week in Chess 449 (59)] 17... Kb8 18.b4 f5 19.bxc5 fxe4 20.d4

20...Bc4? A first mistake by Grischuk [Grischuk should have played 20...g5! and it's totally unclear who is better 21.Ng3 Nf6 22.Nf5 (22. c4 Bxc4 23.Nf5 Qf7 24.Rb1 Bd3 25.Rb3 Rd7 26.Nd6 Qe7 27.Rfb2 Nd5 28.Rxb7+ Rxb7 29.Rxb7+ Qxb7 30.Nxb7 Kxb7) 22...Bxf5 23.Rxf5 Qe6; 20...Ka8 21.Nf4 Bf7] 21.Qa4 Bxe2? Followed by second mistake. [The only reasonable move was 21...b5 22.cxb6 Nxb6 23.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 9 Report

Qxc6 with very complicated play 23...g5 24.Ng4 (24.Rb1 Rc8 25.Qg6 Rhg8) 24...Rd6 25.Qc5 Rc8 26.Qa3 Bxe2 27.Rxe2 Nc4 28.Qb4+] 22. Rxe2 Qe6 23.c4 Ka8 24.Rb1 Nb8

25.Rd2 After Grischuk's two mistakes white has a fantastic position, but Peter Svidler admitted afterwards that he could probably have played better in this phase. 25...Qf7 26.Ng4 Rd7 27.Qb3 Rhd8 28. Rbd1 g5 29.Nf2 Qf5 30.d5 h5 31.dxc6 Nxc6 32.Rd5 Be5 33.Qb1 g4 34.hxg4 hxg4 35.Qxe4 Qf7 36.Nxg4 Bb8 37.Bg5 Re8 38. Rxd7 Qxd7 39.Rxd7 Rxe4 40.Ne3 a5 Time trouble is over, white has a very promising endgame, but there still some technical problems to overcome. 41.Kf1 Re8 42.a4 Ka7 43.g4 [43.Nd5 Re4 44.Nb6; 43.Kf2 Rf8+ 44.Ke2 Rg8 45.Bh6 Rg6 46.Rh7] 43...Rg8 44. Bh6 Rg6 45.Rh7 Be5 46.Kg2 Bd4 47.Kh3

47...Bxc5? And here Grischuk misses what seems to be his final chance. [47...Ne5 makes it very hard for white to achieve victory: 48. Nc2 is probably whiote's best chance a) 48.Bf4 Nd3 49.Nd5 Nf2+ 50. Kg3 Nxg4; b) 48.Bg7 Nf3 49.Bxd4 Ng5+ 50.Kg3 Nxh7 51.c6+ Ka6 b1) 51...Kb8 52.Be5+; b2) 51...b6 52.c7 Kb7 53.Nd5 Rc6 54.Bxb6 Rxc4 55.Bxa5 (55.Ne7) ; 52.c7; 48...Bxc5 49.Be3 Bxe3 (49...Kb6) 50. Nxe3 Rf6 51.Kg2 Rf4 (51...Rf3 52.Rh3) 52.g5 Nxc4 53.Kg3 Re4 54. Nxc4 Rxc4 55.Rf7 (55.g6 Rc6) ] 48.Bf4 Re6 49.Nd5 Re4 50.g5

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 9 Report

50...Ne7 [50...Nb4 51.Rh4! (51.g6 Nxd5 52.cxd5 Rxf4 53.g7 Rf1) ; 50...Rxc4 51.g6 Nb4 (51...Bd4 52.g7 (52.Be3 Bxe3 53.g7 Rc1 54. Nxe3 Ne7) 52...Bxg7 53.Rxg7 Ka6 54.Nc7+ (54.Be3 b6) 54...Ka7 55. Nb5+ Ka6 56.Be3 b6 57.Nc7+ Kb7 58.Nd5+ Ka6 59.Nxb6+-) 52.g7 Nxd5 53.Bb8++/-] 51.Kg4 Nxd5 52.cxd5 Rxa4 53.g6 Bd6 54.Rf7 Be5 55.Kg5 Bb2 56.d6 Rd4 57.Be3 1-0

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 10 26th January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment. In the tenth round today very strange things happened. Anand did not win a position with three extra pawns, Topalov just blundered a whole piece and Morozevich played a normal game!

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The first game to finish in round 10 saw Michael Adams and Vladimir Kramnik draw in 22 moves. Photo © Michiel Abeln. The first game to finish was between Michael Adams and Vladimir Kramnik. Neither player had any intention of making life hard for the other and they soon agreed to a draw.

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Nigel Short and Peter Svidler drew in round 10. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Nigel Short and Peter Svidler played a Najdorf in which there was not much excitement. At some point it seemed that the endgame was maybe slightly better for black, but Short was never in any real danger. Short,N (2674) - Svidler,P (2735) [B92]

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

Corus A Wijk aan Zee (10), 26.01.2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Kh1 Nc6 10.f3 Be6 11.Nd5 a5 12.Nxe7+ [12.c3 a4 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Nd2 Ne7 15.a3 h6 16.Bc4 d5 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Ne4 Be7 19.Qe2 Qc8 20.Ba2 Nb6 21.Bxe6 Qxe6 22.Be3 Qc4 23.Qf2 Nd7 24.Rfd1 Rfd8 25.Nd6 Qe6 26.Nb5 Nf6 27.Re1 Qc4 28.Qf1 Rd3 29.f4 Qxb5 30.fxe5 Ng4 31.Bd4 Qd5 32.Qf5 Rxd4 33.cxd4 Qxd4 34.h3 Nf2+ 35.Kh2 g6 36.Qf3 Nd3 37.Qxb7 Re8 38.Re4 Qc5 39.Qd7 Rd8 40.Qxa4 Nxe5 41.Rf1 Kg7 42.Re2 h5 43.Qf4 Rd4 44.Qe3 Qd5 45. Kh1 Bd6 46.Qg5 f5 47.Rfe1 Nf7 48.Qc1 f4 49.Rf2 Rd3 50.Qc8 f3 51. Rxf3 Rxf3 52.gxf3 Qxf3+ 53.Kg1 Bh2+ 0-1 Tseshkovsky,V-Svidler,P/ Moscow RUS 2004/The Week in Chess 523 (53)] 12...Qxe7 13.Bg5 h6 [13...Rfd8 14.f4 h6 15.fxe5 hxg5 16.exf6 gxf6 17.Nd4 Kg7 18. Nxc6 bxc6 19.Qd4 Rh8 20.Rad1 d5 21.exd5 Bxd5 22.Rf5 Rad8 23.Bf3 Be4 24.Rxg5+ Bg6 25.Bd5 Rxd5 26.Rxd5 cxd5 27.Qxd5 Qc7 0-1 Jakovenko,D-Vallejo Pons,F/Izmir TUR 2004/The Week in Chess 518 (27)] 14.Bh4 a4 15.Nd2 d5 16.exd5 Bxd5 17.Bd3 a3 18.b3 Nb4 19.Qe2

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19...Qe6 [Here black had an alternative 19...Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Bc6 21. Ne4 g5 22.Nxf6+ Qxf6 and the position is about equal] 20.Bxf6 Qxf6 21.Be4 Bxe4 22.Nxe4 Qb6 23.c3 Nd5 24.c4 Nf4 25.Qf2 Qxf2 26. Rxf2 Rfd8 27.g3 Nd3 28.Re2 f6 29.Kg2 Nb4 30.Nc3 Rd3 31.Nb5 Nc6 [If black doubles on the d-file white can double on the second rank if necessary 31...Rad8 32.Rf1] 32.Rae1 Nd4 33.Nxd4 Rxd4 34.Kf2 Rad8 35.Rc1 Kf7 36.Rc3 1/2-1/2

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Viswanathan Anand will be disappointed with only drawing against Loek van Wely in round 10. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Viswanathan Anand strated with clear intentions of winning against Van Wely today. He has a very good score against the Dutchman and especially for today he had prepared a line against the Svesnikov he had never played before. Van Wely could not remember his home analysis and started to sacrifice one pawn after another. Vishy

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

controlled the board and was totally winning. At that moment he started to play a whole set of inaccurate moves. Van Wely was back in the game and maybe he was even better at some point, but as he said afterwards he didn't want to push his luck any further. Anand,V (2786) - Van Wely,L (2679) [B33] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (10), 26.01.2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 The Svesnikov again, and of course no surprise for Van Wely. 7... a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 11.Bd3 Be6 12.0-0 Bxd5 13. exd5 Ne7 14.Re1 Vishy has never played this line before, and Van Wely had to think hard what he had studied at home. 14...Bg7 15. Rb1 0-0 16.c4

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16...f4 Van Wely's prepared improvement over an older game in which he ran into problems. [16...e4 17.Bf1 Qb6 18.Qh5 Rfc8 19.b4 Qd4 20.Rb3 bxc4 21.Nxc4 Rxc4 22.Rd1 Rac8 23.Rxd4 Rxd4 24.Rb1 Rc2 25.b5 axb5 26.Bxb5 Rxd5 27.Ba4 Rxa2 28.Bb3 Raa5 29.Bxd5 Rxd5 30.Rb8+ Bf8 31.Qg5+ Ng6 32.h4 h5 33.Qxh5 Kg7 34.g4 Rd1+ 35.Kh2 fxg4 36.Qxg4 Rd2 37.Kg1 Be7 38.h5 Rd5 39.Kf1 Rg5 40.Qxe4 Rxh5 41.Qa8 Rg5 42.Rb3 Bf6 43.Rf3 Rc5 44.Qb7 Rc1+ 45.Ke2 Rc2+ 46.Kd1 Rc5 47.Qd7 Rd5+ 48.Kc2 Rc5+ 49.Kb3 Rd5 50.Ka3 Ra5+ 51. Kb4 Re5 52.Ka4 Be7 53.Rg3 Bh4 54.Rg2 Rd5 55.Kb3 Bg5 56.Qc6 Rd3 + 57.Ka4 Bf6 58.Rg4 d5 59.Qc2 Rf3 60.Qe2 Rf5 61.Rg3 d4 62.Kb3 Re5 63.Qd3 Bh4 64.Rg2 Bxf2 65.Rxf2 Re3 66.Kc2 Rxd3 67.Kxd3 Kf8 1/2-1/2 Luther,T-Van Wely,L/ECC, Halkidiki GRE 2002 (67)] 17.cxb5 axb5 18.Bxb5 f5 Somewhere around here Van Wely could no longer remember what he was supposed to play and had to use his own creativity. 19.Nc4 e4 [19...Rxa2? 20.Na3 and the rook is trapped] 20.a4 Here Van Wely realized that Ng6 would be followed by f2-f3 after which black has insufficient compensation. So he decided to sacrifice a second pawn. 20...f3

21.gxf3 Ng6 22.fxe4 And that is number three! 22...Qh4 If black plays for example f4 white will put his queen on g4 and black has no attack. 23.Qf3 Here Van Wely woke up and realized that his position

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

is pretty hopeless. Not thinking too long about his irresponsible decisions he just tried to coordinate his pieces. 23...fxe4 [If black plays some preparatory move like 23...Ra7 white simply continues 24. Qg3 Qh6 25.e5 winning] 24.Qg3 Qh6 25.Rxe4 Nf4 26.Kh1 Kh8 [if 26...Rf6 27.Ne3 wins] 27.Rbe1 Rf6

28.Be8? [Here white has many ways to win, but just to point out one clear way: 28.Ne3 Rff8] 28...Ra7 29.Nb6?! This knight is not really going in the right direction 29...Rf5

Creating threats like Bxb2 or Be5 30.Qg4?! The real question is what Vishy was thinking here, probably he cannot recall himself. 30...Rf8 Now black is back in the game threatening Nd3 31.Rf1 Be5 32.Bd7 Now the question is: can black win? 32...Nxd5 [Van Wely could not find anything better: 32...Rg8 33.Qf3 Rg5 (33...Rg2 34.h3) 34.Rxf4] 33.Rxe5 dxe5 34.Nxd5 Qd6 35.Be6 Re8 [Van Wely really wanted to play here 35...Rg7 wit the idea Qh3 Re8 and black is on top, but white plays 36.Qb4 and the trick Rd8 doesn't work because of Qa5] 36.Rc1 Qxe6 [It would be nice for black to start attacking along the g-file: 36...Rg7 37.Qf5 Rxe6 38.Rc8+ Rg8 39.Rxg8+ Kxg8 40.Qe4 Rg6 but white is just in time to prevent the black queen from harrasing the white king and then things might be dangerous with the two connected pawns 41.b4 and if Rg5 just h4.] 37.Qxe6 Rxe6 38. b3 Rf7 And here Van Wely decided to make a draw and not push his luck further 39.Kg2 Rg6+ 40.Kf1 Rh6 41.Kg2 Rg6+ 42.Kf1 Rh6 1/2-1/2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

Judit Polgar inflicted an important defeat on the leader Vesselin Topalov. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Judit Polgar explained Vishy's mistakes by stating that the tournament is simply too long with the extreme tension at this level of play. Today she was finally on the receiving end of some luck herself after not having much so far. In a more or less equal position Topalov executed a very creative plan only to find out three moves later that he had dropped a piece. Topalov,V (2757) - Polgar,Ju (2728) [E15] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (10), 26.01.2005 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Nc3 0-0 This variation used to be fashionable, but of course after awhile black found sufficient counterplay and the variation disappeared again. [7...d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 Same idea as in the Polgar game 9.Bg2 00 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.0-0 Nd7 12.Rc1 Re8 13.Re1 c5 (13...Bd6 14.Rc2 Nf6 15.Bf4 Bxf4 16.gxf4 Qd6 17.Qc1! c5 18.Qa3 Bb7 19.dxc5 bxc5 20. Ne5 Nd7! 21.Rec1 (21.Nxd7 Qxd7 22.Rxc5 d4©) 21...Nxe5 22.fxe5 Qg6 23.Qxc5 d4 (23...Rxe5?? 24.Qb5! Rg5 25.Rc8++-) 24.f3 d3 25. exd3 Qxd3 26.Rc3 Qf5 27.Qb5 Rab8 28.Re1 h6 29.Qd3+/= Rxe5 30. Qxf5 Rxf5 31.Re7 a5 32.Kf2 g5 33.Kg3 Kf8 34.Rec7 Kg7 35.R3c5 Rxc5 36.Rxc5 Ra8 37.Bf1 a4 38.Bc4 axb3 39.Bxb3 Rd8 40.Rc3 Kg6 41.Bxf7+ Kxf7 42.Rc7+ 1/2-1/2 Karpov,A-Sokolov,A/Linares 1987/ Candidates/[ChessBase] (42)) 14.Be3 Bb7 15.Bh3 cxd4 16.Bxd4 Nf6 17.Rc2 Bb4 18.Rf1 Ba6 19.Bb2 (19.Nh4 Bf8 20.Nf5 Ne4 21.Ne3 Qd6 22.Qc1 Rad8 23.Rd1 Qh6 24.Bg2 Ng5 25.Qb2 Nh3+ 26.Kf1 Ng5 27. Kg1 Nh3+ 28.Kf1 Ng5 29.h4 Ne4 30.Ng4 Qe6 31.Bh3 Ba3 32.Qxa3 Bxe2+ 33.Rxe2 Nxg3+ 34.Kg2 Qxe2 35.Qc1 Nh5 36.Kh2 Rd6 37.Qd2 Qf3 38.Ne5 Qf4+ 39.Qxf4 Nxf4 40.Bd7 Rd8 41.Bb5 Ne6 42.Bb2 a6 43. Bf1 Rc8 44.Rd2 d4 45.Bg2 Nf4 46.Bf3 d3 47.Nc4 Rh6 48.Kg3 Ne2+ 49.Bxe2 dxe2 50.Rxe2 b5 51.Ne3 Re6 52.Rd2 h5 53.Kf4 Rc7 54.Rd5 f6 55.Ba3 g6 56.Bc5 Kf7 57.b4 Ke8 58.Rd1 Rd7 59.Ra1 Rd2 60.Kf3 Kf7 61.a4 bxa4 62.Rxa4 g5 63.Ra3 Kg6 64.Kg2 gxh4 65.Nf1 Rc2 66. Nh2 Rc4 67.Nf3 Kf7 68.Kh2 Rf4 69.Kg2 Ree4 70.Nd2 Re6 71.Nf1 Rg4 + 72.Kh3 Rf4 73.Ra2 Rf3+ 74.Kg2 Rd3 75.Ne3 Kg6 76.Ra1 f5 77.Kh2 f4 78.Rg1+ Kf7 79.Ng2 Rc6 80.Nxf4 Rf3 81.Nh3 Kf6 82.Re1 Rf5 83. Re4 a5 84.Be3 axb4 85.Rxb4 Ra6 86.Rxh4 Raa5 87.Rc4 Rfb5 88.Kg3 Ra8 89.Kh4 Rg8 1-0 Karpov,A-Sokolov,A/Linares 1987/Candidates (89)) 19...Bf8 20.Nd4 Ne4 21.Qc1 Bc5 22.Rd1 Qf6 23.Qf4 Qxf4 24. gxf4 Bc8 25.Bg2 Bd7 26.e3 Rac8 27.Rdc1 f6 28.Bf1 Bxd4 29.Bxd4 Rxc2 30.Rxc2 Rc8 31.Rxc8+ Bxc8 32.Be2 Bf5 33.Kf1 Kf7 34.Ke1 Ke6 35.f3 Nd6 36.Kd2 Kd7 37.a4 Bh3 38.Ba6 Kc7 39.Bc3 Bc8 40.Bd3 Bf5 41.Bxf5 Nxf5 42.e4 dxe4 43.fxe4 Nd6 44.Kd3 Nb7 45.b4 a5 46.Kc4 axb4 47.Bxb4 Kc6 48.Bf8 g6 49.Be7 Na5+ 50.Kb4 Nb7 51.Kc4 Na5+ 52.Kc3 Nb7 53.Kd4 Kd7 54.Bxf6 Ke6 55.Bg7 Nc5 56.Kc4 Nxe4 57.Kb5 Nc5 58.Bf8 Nd7 59.Ba3 Kd5 60.Be7 Kd4 61.Bd8 1-0 Karpov,ASokolov,A/Linares 1987/Candidates (61)] 8.Rc1 [And here Sokolov did not even wanted to play d5 anymore 8.e4 d5 9.cxd5 Bxf1 10.Kxf1 exd5 11.e5 Ne4 12.Qe2 Nxc3 13.Bxc3 Qd7 14.Kg2 Nc6 15.Rhe1 Nd8 16.Ng1 c5 17.f4 cxd4 18.Bxd4 Qf5 19.Rad1 Bb4 20.Rf1 Ne6 21.Qd3 Qxd3 22.Rxd3 Rac8 23.Nf3 Rc2+ 24.Rf2 Rfc8 25.f5 Nxd4 26.Nxd4 Rxf2+ 27.Kxf2 Rc1 28.g4 Kf8 29.Kf3 Rf1+ 30.Kg3 Rc1 31.Kf4 h6 32. h4 Ke8 33.Nf3 Rc2 34.a4 Rb2 35.Nd4 Be7 36.h5 a6 37.Kf3 Bc5 38.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

Ne2 d4 39.Nf4 Kd7 40.e6+ Ke8 41.Ke4 a5 42.Rf3 Rb1 43.Nd5 Rg1 44. Kd3 Rxg4 45.f6 Bd6 46.Nxb6 Rg5 47.fxg7 Rxg7 48.Nc4 Bb4 49.exf7+ Rxf7 50.Rxf7 Kxf7 51.Ne5+ Kf6 52.Nc6 Be1 53.Nxd4 Bb4 54.Nc6 Be1 55.Ke2 Bc3 56.Kd3 Be1 57.Kc4 Kg5 58.Nxa5 Bxa5 59.b4 Bd8 60.a5 Kxh5 61.Kb5 Bg5 62.a6 Be3 63.Kc6 1-0 Karpov,A-Sokolov,A/Linares 1987/Candidates (63)] 8...d5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Bg2 Re8 12.Rc2 Bd6 13.Bg5 This is a remarkable move. After 0-0 the game would be similar to the above mentioned Karpov games. 13... Bb4+ Of course 14.Kf1 f6 15.Bf4 Nd7 [15...Bd6 was an alternative, maybe a bit safer than the game continuation.] 16.Ne1 Despite the rook on h1 white seems to get an edge. 16...c6 17.Nd3 Bxd3 18. Qxd3 Rc8 19.Bh3 g6 20.a3 Bf8

ƒ

And how to continue here with white? After b3-b4 black has the plan of b6-b5 and Nb6. If white plays the natural Kg2 black can play f6-f5 and Nf6. If white wants to attack f5 with g3-g4 black has the resource g6-g5 attacking the bishop and then playing f5-f4 21.e3?? But this is simply a horrible blunder, locking in his own bishop 21...Qe7 22.Bg4 g5 23.Qf5 Of course when Topalov played e2-e3 he was aware of g6g5, but he figured that here black was forced to play Red8 after which he gets a lot of material for his piece with Rxc6! 23...gxf4 [23...Red8 24.Rxc6 Rxc6 25.Qxd5+ Kh8 26.Qxc6 gxf4 27.gxf4] 24.gxf4 [And here is what Topalov missed in his calculations: 24.Qxd7 Qe4!] 24... Kh8 Now it's game over 25.Rg1 Rc7 26.Bf3 Nb8 27.Rg3 Qd6 28. b4 b5 29.Rc1 a5 30.bxa5 Qxa3 31.Rc5 Rg7 32.Bh5 Rd8 33.Qxf6 Qxa5 34.Rc2 b4 35.Ra2 Qc7 36.Be2 Qe7 37.Qf5 Qe4 38.Qxe4 dxe4 39.Ra8 b3 40.Bc4 b2 41.Ba2 c5 42.dxc5 b1Q+ 43.Bxb1 Rd1+ 44.Kg2 Rxb1 45.Ra4 Re7 46.Rg5 Nc6 47.Ra6 Re6 48.h4 Be7 49.f5 Rf6 50.Rg4 Rb4 51.Ra8+ Rf8 52.Rxf8+ Bxf8 53.f6 Ne5 0-1

Alexander Grischuk inflicted a drastic defeat on Ruslan Ponomariov in round 10. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Alexander Grischuk won a rather easy game against Ruslan Ponomariov. Again Ponomariov had to face an English attack and again he went astray very soon. Grischuk thought that he had such a big advantage that he even rejected a variation in which he would be

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

a piece up just to continue his devastating attack. Grischuk,A (2710) - Ponomariov,R (2700) [B90] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (10), 26.01.2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7. Bc1 Nf6 8.f3 Qb6 9.g4 Nc6 10.Nb3 e6 11.Qe2 Qc7 12.Be3 b5 13.0-0-0 Nd7 14.Qf2 Be7 [Grischuk has previous experience with this position and despite the fact that Kasparov won this tournement in a superb way, he was actually worse in this game: 14...Rb8 15.f4 Na5 16.Ba7 Ra8 17.Bd4 Bb7 18.Nxa5 Qxa5 19.Kb1 Rc8 20.Bg2 b4 21. Ne2 Nf6 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.Ng3 Qc5 24.Qe2 Be7 25.h4 h6 26.Nh5 Rc7 27.g5 fxg5 28.hxg5 Kd7 29.e5 Kc8 30.exd6 Bxd6 31.Nf6 Bxg2 32. Qxg2 Qc6 33.Qf2 h5 34.Rxh5 Rxh5 35.Nxh5 Kb7 36.Rf1 a5 37.Qf3 Qxf3 38.Rxf3 Rc5 39.c3 1/2-1/2 Grischuk,A-Kasparov,G/Moscow RUS 2004/The Week in Chess 525 (39)] 15.g5 Nce5 16.a3 Rb8 17.Rg1

17...Nb6? [17...0-0 would be a much more natural move] 18.f4 Nec4 19.Bxc4 Nxc4 20.Bd4 [20.Ba7 is a common move in these kind of positions, but Grischuk was not convinced that winning the exchange would give white a clear edge.] 20...0-0

[On Rg8 white attacks with f5 and black can never play e6-e5 because of Nd5 and on 20...a5 21.Bxg7 Rg8 22.Bf6 wins for white 22...b4 23.axb4 axb4 24.Nb1] 21.Bf6 [21.Qh4 This wins a piece, but for Grischuk that was not enough! 21...e5 (21...Ne5 22.fxe5 dxe5 23. Be3 Bxa3) 22.Nd5 and Nf6+ wins] 21...Bb7 22.Rd3 [22.Qh4 with two ideas, Qh6 and g5-g6 fails to 22...Rfc8 and the position is unclear] 22...Rfc8 23.Rh3 Kf8 [23...gxf6 24.Rxh7 (24.gxf6+ Kf8 25. fxe7+ Qxe7 26.Rxh7 Qf6 27.Rgg7 Qxg7 28.Rxg7 Kxg7 29.Qg3+ Kf8 30.Nd4 with a winning position) 24...fxg5 25.Qh4 Bf6 26.Qh6 wins for white as well] 24.Rxh7 Ke8 25.Bxg7 Kd7 26.g6 a5 27.gxf7 Bf8 28.Bxf8 [There are also other ways to win: 28.Rd1 Nxb2 29.Bxf8 Nxd1 30.Bxd6] 28...Rxf8 29.Rd1 Bc8 30.f5 e5 31.Nd5 1-0

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

Alexander Morozevich seems to be back to something like his normal level, a little late to retrieve the situation however. He was a tiny bit better against Peter Leko. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Alexander Morozevich and Peter Leko drew a long game with a few inaccuracies, but in which the overall balance was never really broken. Leko, however was severely tortured for a greater part of the game. Morozevich,A (2741) - Leko,P (2749) [D10] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (10), 26.01.2005 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Bf4 Nc6 6.e3 a6 7.Rc1 Bg4 8.f3 Bd7 Leko said that this was a bit strange move 9.Nge2 and Morozevich replied that his move was also a bit strange! [9.g4 e6 10. Bd3 Be7 11.Nge2 Rc8 12.Kf2 Na5 13.h4 b5 14.b3 Ba3 15.Rc2 Nc6 16. Nb1 Be7 17.a3 0-0 18.h5 Ne8 19.Qg1 f6 20.Qg3 e5 21.dxe5 fxe5 22. Bxe5 Nxe5 23.Qxe5 Rxc2 24.Bxc2 Bxg4 25.Nf4 Nf6 26.h6 Bd6 27. Bxh7+ Kxh7 28.hxg7+ Kxg7 29.Qg5+ Kf7 30.Qg6+ Ke7 31.fxg4 Qc8 32.g5 Ne4+ 33.Kf3 Kd8 34.Qg7 Qc2 35.Rf1 Rxf4+ 36.exf4 Qd3+ 0-1 Gustafsson,J-Mastrovasilis,D/Aghia Pelagia GRE 2004/The Week in Chess 505 (36)] 9...e6 10.Bg3 Rc8 11.Nf4 Na5

12.Be2 [Both players analysed after the game 12.Kf2 but felt that this was a bit too much 12...Bd6 13.Nd3 with the idea to play on Nc4 b2-b3] 12...Nc4?! [Leko was so happy with his position that he missed here a very important move 12...Qb6 and white never gets the chance to play Qb3] 13.Bxc4 Rxc4 [Very risky would be: 13... dxc4 14.e4 b5 15.0-0 (less precise is 15.e5 Ng8 16.d5 Bc5) ] 14. Nd3! this move was missed by Leko 14...Be7 and now it's not so easy for black anymore [Maybe black should go for 14...Rc8 15.Qb3 Bc6 which is very passive but also very solid] 15.Qb3 b5 [An alternative is 15...b6 16.0-0 0-0 17.Ne5 Rc8 18.Nxd7 Nxd7 19.Qa4 Ra8 20.Qc6 and white is clearly better] 16.0-0 0-0 17.Ne5 Rc8 18. Ne2 Qb6 19.Bh4 Qd6 20.Nf4 [on 20.a3 there follows 20...b4] 20... a5 It took for Leko some time to realize that he needs to push his

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

queenside pawns in the hope that some day his bishop on d7 will come alive. 21.Nfd3 a4 22.Qd1 Rxc1 23.Qxc1 Rc8 24.Qd2 [24. Qb1 Be8 25.Rc1 Qb8 26.Rc2 Bd6 27.Qc1 is not really better than the game] 24...Be8 25.Rc1 Qb8 26.Qe1 h6 27.Rxc8 Qxc8 28.Ng4 Nxg4?! [Afterwards Leko quickly pointed put he should have played 28...Qc2 29.Bxf6 gxf6 30.Ngf2 (30.Nf4 f5 and there is no mate) 30... b4] 29.Bxe7 Qc7 30.fxg4 Qxe7 31.Qc1

31...Qg5?! Again a suspicious move, just f7-f6 and black is solid enough, endgames after Qc5 are ok for black. 32.h3 f6 33.Nf4 Bf7 34.Qc8+ [Here white can try to trap black's queen 34.g3 The disadvantage is that this weakens white's kingside 34...f5 (34...h5 35. Qc8+ Kh7 36.Qd7 Bg8 is clearly better for white; 34...e5 35.Qc8+ Kh7 36.h4) 35.Qd1 (35.Qc8+ Kh7 36.Qc7 Kg8= (36...Bg8) ) 35...h5 and black is ok] 34...Kh7 35.Qc2+ Kg8 36.Qc5 e5 37.Nxd5 exd4 38.Ne7+ Kh7 39.Qxd4 f5 40.Qc5 [40.Nxf5 Bxa2 41.Nd6 white would like to play e4 at some point, but black has Qc1-f4+ (41.Kf2 Qf6 42.Qxf6 gxf6 43.Nd4 b4 and black threatens a3, bxa3 b3!; 41. Qe4 Bf7 42.h4 Qf6 43.h5 Kh8 and black is solid) 41...b4 (41...Bb3? 42.Qd3+; 41...Kg8 42.Kf2 but it's not clear how to make progress) 42. h4 Qe7 (42...Qxh4 43.Qxb4) ] 40...fxg4 41.Qxg5 hxg5 42.a3 gxh3 43.gxh3 Be6 44.Kh2

44...g4 [Leko saw another way for a draw but felt that the game continuation was much more secure. 44...g6 45.e4 Kg7 46.e5 Bd7 47. Nd5 Kf7 48.Nc7 Ke7 49.Kg3 and maybe white can play for a win with h4] 45.h4 Kh6 46.Kg3 g5 47.Nc6 Kh5 48.hxg5 Kxg5 49.Nd4 Bd7 50.e4 Be8 51.Ne6+ Kf6 52.Nc7 Bd7 53.Kf4 g3 54.Kxg3 Ke5 55.Kf3 Kd4 56.Kf4 Kd3 57.Ke5 Kc2 58.Kd6 Kxb2 59.Kxd7 b4 60.axb4 a3 61.e5 a2 62.e6 a1Q 63.e7 Qd1+ 64.Kc6 Qf3+ 1/2-1/2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

Lazaro Bruzon at the start of the game against Ivan Sokolov. Photo © Michiel Abeln. The last game to finish was the encounter between Lazaro Bruzon and Ivan Sokolov. A Ruy Lopez was played and after the opening black had no problems. In time trouble Sokolov misplayed the position and ended up in a difficult ending where he made his last mistake. Bruzon is back on track for achieving a great and rather unexpected performance here in Wijk aan Zee. Bruzon,L (2652) - Sokolov,I (2685) [C96] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (10), 26.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 Bb7 13.d5 Rc8 14.Nbd2 Nd7 15.Nf1 Nc4 16.b3 [White should have played 16.a4 with a normal position] 16...Ncb6 17.Ne3 [17.Ng3 g6 18.Bh6 Re8 19.Rc1 Nc5 20.Qd2 Bf8 21.h4 Bxh6 22.Qxh6 Re7 23.h5 Qf8 24.Qd2 Rec7 25.Bb1 Qe7 26.Rcd1 Nbd7 27.Qh6 b4 28.Nd2 a5 29. Re3 Kh8 30.Nc4 a4 31.Rf3 Nf8 32.Nf5 gxf5 33.Nxd6 Ncd7 34.Nxf5 Qf6 35.Qd2 Rc3 36.Bd3 Ba6 37.Bxa6 Qxa6 38.Ne7 Rxf3 39.Nxc8 Rf4 40.Ne7 axb3 41.axb3 Qf6 42.Qxb4 Rxf2 43.Nf5 Rb2 44.Rd3 Qg5 45. Rg3 Rb1+ 46.Kf2 Qc1 47.Ne3 Qg1+ 48.Kf3 Rf1+ 49.Nxf1 Qxf1+ 50. Kg4 Nf6+ 51.Kh4 Qf4+ 52.Kh3 Qh6 53.Kh2 Nxh5 54.Rh3 Ng6 55.g3 Qg5 56.Qe1 Nf6 0-1 Mikhalchishin,A-Vogt,L/Dortmund 1991/CBM 23 (56)] 17...g6 18.Bd2 Qc7 19.Ba5 Qb8 20.Qd2 Bd8 21.Rec1 Nf6

22.Qb4?! This is really dubious [White had here two more promising alternatives: 22.Bb4 ; or 22.Nf5 and it's a big mess because 22...gxf5 fails to 23.Bxb6 Bxb6 24.Qg5+] 22...Nbd7 23.Bxd8 Rfxd8 Now black is probably slightly better 24.Qe1 [When Bruzon went for the exchange of bishops he had the following idea in mind: 24.a4 bxa4 25. Rxa4 but this fails to 25...Nc5 26.Raa1 a5 27.Qxa5 (27.Rxa5 Nd3) 27...Ncxe4 and so he had to return with his queen] 24...Rc7 25.b4 Rdc8 26.Bd3 Nb6 27.Nd2 Rc3 28.Rxc3 Rxc3 29.Qe2 Nh5 30.g3 Qd8 31.Kh2 Bc8 32.Nf3 Na4 33.Qd2 Bd7 34.Ne1 Qc8 35.h4 Rc7

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 10 Report

36.Be2 Ng7 37.N1g2 f5 38.exf5 Bxf5 39.f4

39...Qe8 It was severe time trouble, but even then this move is really strange, why to give up the c-file? 40.Rc1 Rxc1 41.Qxc1 Bd7 42.Qc7 time trouble is over and suddenly white has the initiative 42... exf4 43.gxf4 Nf5 44.Nxf5 Bxf5 45.Bf3 Qd7 46.Qc6 Maybe black can save himself by exchanging queens here, Bruzon was not sure. 46...Nb2 47.Qxa6 Nd3 48.a3 Bh3 49.Qc6 Qf5 50.Qe8+ Kg7 51. Qe7+ Kg8

52.Qe4 [Here Bruzon misses a direct and beautiful win: 52.Be4! Qg4 53.Qg5 Qxg5 54.hxg5 Bxg2 55.Bxd3 Bxd5 56.Bxb5+-] 52...Bxg2 53. Qxf5 gxf5 54.Kxg2 Ne1+ 55.Kf2 Nc2 56.Be2 Nxa3 57.Bd3 Kg7 58.Ke3 Kg6 59.Kd4 Kh5 60.Kc3 Kxh4 61.Kb2 Nb1 62.Kxb1 Kg4 63.Bxb5 Kxf4 64.Bf1 Ke5 65.Bg2 Kd4 66.Kb2 1-0

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 11 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 11 28th January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment.

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Judit Polgar against Viswanathan Anand finished in a quick draw. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

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The 11th round was full of fighting chess. Remarkably Judit Polgar was the first to finish, playing less than 40 moves, which is probably below her move average in this tournament. Today she played against Viswanathan Anand and tried to improve on a game LekoAnand. However, Anand's Petroff was once again rock solid and he equalized the endgame comfortably. Polgar,Ju (2728) - Anand,V (2786) [C42] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (11), 28.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 Anand also considered other opening choices against Judit, but against everything she has something solid. Besides he had the feeling that if he doesn't win the tournement it's not because of this game but because of the game against Van Wely. 3. Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9. Be2 0-0 10.a3 Nc6 11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Bf5 13.Re1 Re8 14. cxd5 Qxd5 15.Bf4 Rac8 16.Bd3 Qd7 17.Rb1 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 b6 19.d5 Bf6 20.c4 h6 21.h4 A new move and Vishy saw som lines in which the white queen becomes now more active than in his game with Leko. [21.h3 Re7 22.Rbd1 Rd8 23.Rxe7 Nxe7 24.Ne5 Bxe5 25. Bxe5 Re8 26.Bg3 Nf5 27.Bxc7 Qxc7 28.Qxf5 Qxc4 29.d6 Rd8 30.d7 Qc6 31.g3 a6 32.h4 b5 33.Rd5 a5 34.Rxb5 g6 35.Qd5 Qxd7 36.Qxd7 Rxd7 37.Rxa5 Kg7 38.a4 Rd1+ 39.Kg2 Ra1 40.g4 Kf6 41.Kg3 Rc1 42. Rb5 g5 43.Rf5+ Kg6 44.h5+ Kg7 45.a5 Ra1 46.Kg2 Re1 47.f3 Re6 48. Kf2 Kf8 49.Rb5 Kg7 50.Rf5 Kf8 51.Rc5 Kg7 52.Rb5 Kf8 53.Rb6 Re5 54.a6 Kg7 55.a7 Ra5 56.Rb7 Ra3 57.Ke2 Kf6 58.Kd2 Ke6 59.Kc2 f6 60.Kb2 Ra4 61.Kb3 Ra1 62.Kb4 Kd6 63.Rh7 Ke5 64.Kb5 Ra2 65.Kb6 Kd5 1-0 Leko,P-Anand,V/XX SuperGM, Linares ESP 2003 (65)] 21... Ne7 According to Anand this is much more precise than exchanging on e1. 22.Rbd1 Ng6 23.Bg3 h5 24.Rc1 Bb2 Polgar thought this was a bit strange, black loses two tempi and as a result white gets the chance to play c5, which is her aim anyway. 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26. Rc2 Bf6 27.c5 bxc5 28.Rxc5 So white has achieved c5, but still it's nothing solid, the Petroff is rock solid! 28...Ne5

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 11 Report

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29.Qb5 [29.Qb3 Nxf3+ 30.Qxf3 Bxh4 This was the move that Polgar saw (30...Be5 and this was the move that Vishy actually calculated. 31.Qxh5 Bxg3 32.fxg3 Qd6 33.Rc3 Re5) 31.Bxc7] 29...Qxb5 30. Rxb5 Nxf3+ 31.gxf3 Be5 32.Ra5 Bd6 33.Rxa7 Re1+ 34.Kg2 Rd1 35.Ra5 Kh7 36.a4 Rd4 37.Kf1 f5 38.Bxd6 1/2-1/2

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Loek van Wely drew again, this time against Michael Adams. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Loek Van Wely played another draw, this time against Michael Adams. During the game the evaluation was always between equal and slightly better for white. Van wely said afterwards that he should have played 24.a5 to have a real advantage.

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Vladimir Kramnik against Alexander Grischuk round 11. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 11 Report

Vladimir Kramnik and Alexander Grischuk played a very interesting game today. Grischuk sacrificed an exchange, something that had escaped Kramnik's notice in his preparation. A position full of wild complications led to a very interesting rook endgame that the two of them analysed for more than an hour. Kramnik,V (2754) - Grischuk,A (2710) [B09] Corus Chess 2005 Wijk aan Zee (11), 28.01.2005 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 c5 6.e5 Nfd7 7.exd6 cxd4 8.Nb5 Kramnik did not prepare this because he thought this was simply winning for white. 8...0-0 9.Nc7 Nc5 10.Nxa8 [10.Nxd4 exd6 (10...Qxd6 11.Ndb5 Qxd1+ 12.Kxd1 a6 13.Nxa8 axb5) 11.Nxa8 Re8+ 12.Be2 Bg4 13.Nf3 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Qh4+ 15.Kf1 Nc6] 10...Qxd6 11.Bd3 Nc6 12.0-0 Be6 [12...Nxd3 13.cxd3 Bf5 (13...Bd7 14.Ng5 e6 (14...Rxa8 15.Qb3 e6 16.Bd2) 15.f5 gxf5) 14.Nh4 Rxa8 15.Nxf5 gxf5; 12...Nb4 13.a3 Nbxd3 14.cxd3 Bf5 15.b4 Nxd3 16.g4 Be4 17. Ng5 f5 18.Qb3+] 13.Ng5 Bd5 14.f5 Rxa8

15.fxg6 [15.Qg4 h6 16.Ne4 Bxe4 17.Bxe4 g5 18.h4 Ne5 19.Qe2 Bf6] 15...hxg6 16.Qg4 Nxd3 17.cxd3 f6 18.Nf3 [18.Ne4 f5 19.Nxd6 fxg4 20.Nxb7 Nb4 21.Nc5] 18...Bf7 19.Nh4 Ne5 [19...Nb4 20.Nxg6 f5 21.Rxf5 Qxg6 22.Rg5 Qh7] 20.Qg3 Qd7 [20...Qe6 21.Bd2 Ng4 22. Rae1] 21.Bf4 g5 22.Bxg5 fxg5 23.Nf5 Bg6 24.Nxg7 Nf7 25.Rxf7 Kxf7 26.Qe5 Bxd3 27.Rd1 Rg8 28.Rxd3 Rxg7 29.Rxd4 Qe6 30. Qxe6+ Kxe6 31.Rb4 b6 32.Ra4 a5 33.b4 axb4 [33...Kf5 34.bxa5 bxa5 35.Rxa5+ e5] 34.Rxb4 Kf5 35.Rxb6 e5 36.a4 Ke4 37.Rb3 Ra7 38.Ra3 Ra5 39.h3 Kf4 40.Kf2 Ke4 41.g3 g4

42.hxg4 [42.h4 Kd4 43.h5 Ra6 44.a5 e4 45.h6 e3+ (45...Rxh6 46.a6 Rh8 47.a7 Ra8) 46.Rxe3 Rxa5] 42...Kd4 43.g5 [43.Ke2] 43...Kd5 44.Ke3 Ke6 45.Ke4 Kf7 46.Kd3 Kg6 47.Kc4 Kxg5 48.Kb4 Ra6 49.a5 e4 50.Kc4 Rd6 51.a6 e3 52.a7 e2 53.a8Q e1Q 54.Ra5+ [54.Qg8+ Rg6 55.Qd8+ Rf6 56.Ra5+ Kg4] 54...Kg4 55.Qg8+ Kf3 56.Qf7+ Kg2 57.Ra2+ Kg1 58.Qa7+ Kf1 59.Qf7+ Kg1 60.Qa7+ Kf1 61.Ra1 Rd1 62.Qf7+ Kg1 63.Qa7+ Kf1 64.Rxd1 Qxd1 65. Qd4 Qa4+ 66.Kd3 Qb3+ 67.Qc3 Qd5+ 1/2-1/2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 11 Report

Leader Peter Leko put further pressure on by winning in round 11 against Lazaro Bruzon. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Peter Leko explained today how he won a rather easy game against Lazaro Bruzon after the game (see below). With this win Leko has taken a big step towards taking the title here this year. So far he deserves it as his games have been rather impressive. In all his white games he has had the advantage and sometimes, like today, things were really easy. Bruzon thought for about an hour only to play an almost directly losing move. Leko,P (2749) - Bruzon,L (2652) [C99] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (11), 28.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Leko: all my opponents play Ruy Lopez in this tournement and I was ready for another long game to torture my opponent. Mickey played d6 but he also got a very unpleasant position. 4...Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 00 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Leko: Nobody has played Nc6 here so far, a move that I prepared for before the tournement. 13...Bd7 14.Nf1 Rac8 15.Re2 A little strange idea to put the rook here, but Leko played this before against Korchnoi. [More normal is 15.Ne3 Nc6 16.d5 Nb4 Leko called this ancient theory 17.Bb1 a5 18.a3 Na6 19.b4 axb4 20.axb4 followed by Bd2 and white has a clear edge.] 15...Nc6 Quite an interesting move and not necessarily worse than Rfe8 [15...Rfe8 16.Ng3 Nc6 (16...Bd8 17.b3 Nc6 18.Ba3 Qb8 19.Rd2 exd4 20.Nxd4 Nxd4 21.Rxd4 d5 22.exd5 Bb6 23.Rd3 Nxd5 24.Ne4 Bf5 25.Rxd5 Bxe4 26.Bxe4 Rxe4 27.Bd6 Qa7 28. Bg3 Rce8 29.Qf3 h6 30.Rad1 R4e7 31.h4 Bc7 32.Bxc7 Qxc7 33.g3 Qc6 34.Kg2 Re6 35.Rd8 Qxf3+ 36.Kxf3 Kf8 37.R1d6 Rxd8 38.Rxd8+ Ke7 39.Ra8 h5 40.Ra7+ Kf6 41.Kf4 g6 42.f3 Kg7 43.g4 hxg4 44.fxg4 Kf6 45.Ra8 Kg7 46.Ra7 Kf6 47.Rb7 Kg7 1/2-1/2 Leko,P-Korchnoi,V/It, Budapest HUN 2003 (47)) 17.Be3 exd4 18.Nxd4 d5 19.Nxc6 Bxc6 20. e5 Ne4 21.Bf4 Qb7 22.Kh2 g6 23.f3 Ng5 24.Bb3 a5 25.a3 Rcd8 26. Bxg5 Bxg5 27.Qd4 Be7 28.f4 a4 29.Bc2 Bf8 30.f5 Bg7 31.Rae1 Qb8 32.Kh1 Ba8 33.Nh5 gxh5 34.f6 Bxf6 35.exf6 Rxe2 36.Rxe2 Qg3 37. Re3 Qg5 38.h4 Qh6 39.Kh2 Kh8 40.Re7 Kg8 41.Qe5 Bc6 42.Rxf7 1-0 Korneev,O-Tissir,M/6th Open, Malaga ESP 2003 (42)] 16.a3

ƒ

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 11 Report

A new position for the always well prepared Leko, the idea is simply to cover square b4 so that white is threatening to play d4-d5 now that Nb4 is out. 16...exd4 17.Nxd4 Rfe8 A logical move. [17...d5 This doesn't seem to work here: 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Nxb5 axb5 20. Qxd5 Be6 21.Rxe6 fxe6 22.Qxe6+ Kh8 23.Qe4 g6 24.Bh6 is practically winning for white.; Playable is 17...Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Be6 normally it is not in black's favor to exchange on d4 because he looses dynamic possibilities with this exchange, but on the other hand you can say I just play a move with black now it's white turn again and what will you do?] 18.Ng3 d5 Not completely correct, but at least it is in the spirit of the position. 19.Nxc6 Bxc6 20.e5 Ne4

21.Bf4 [21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Bxe4 Leko said afterwards that this move only gives trouble. (Leko also calculated 22.Bf4 Qb7 23.Qe1 f5 24. exf6 Bxf6 with an unclear position) 22...Red8 23.Qf1 Bxe4 24.Rxe4 Qc2 25.Re2 Rd1 26.Rxc2 Rxf1+ 27.Kxf1 Rxc2 28.b4 f6 29.Bf4 Rc4 30. Bg3 Kf7 31.exf6 Bxf6 32.Ra2 Rc1+ 33.Ke2 Rg1 34.Rd2 Ra1 35.Rd3 Bb2 36.Rd7+ Ke8 37.Ra7 Rxa3 38.Bd6 Bd4 39.Re7+ Kd8 40.f4 Rg3 41.Kf1 Rg6 0-1 Martin Gonzalez,A-Hjartarson,J/Linares 1996/CBM 51 ext (41)] 21...g5 Bruzon thought here for a full hour [21...g6 22. Nxe4 dxe4 23.Bb3 and this position Leko quite liked for white, maybe he will get a future chance to show why? (23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Rxe4 Qc2 25.Re2 Qf5 and black has some drawing chances) ; 21...Nxg3 22. Bxg3 Qd7 23.f4 and Leko wondered where black's counterplay is] 22. Nf5 [Also good is 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Bg3 h5 24.e6! (24.Bxe4?! Bxe4 25.Rxe4 h4 26.Bh2 Red8 27.Qe2? (27.Qe1) 27...Qc1+ and white has to make a draw) ] 22...gxf4 23.Rxe4

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 11 Report

23...Kh8 [23...Bf8 24.Rxf4 (24.Re1?! Bd7 25.Rc1 Bxf5 26.Bxf5 Qxc1 27.Qg4+ Kh8 28.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 29.Kh2 Rxe5 30.Qxf4 Bd6 and Leko asked himself why he would do something like this?) 24...Qxe5 25. Qg4+ Kh8 26.Nd4 with a clear advantage for white according to Leko] 24.Re1 Bd7 25.e6 [25.e6 fxe6 26.Qd4+ e5 27.Rxe5 Qc5 28.Rxe7+ Qxd4 29.Rxe8+ Bxe8 30.Nxd4 Rc4 31.Rd1+-] 1-0

Nigel Short made a bad blunder against Ruslan Ponomariov in Round 11 throwing away an advantage to a draw. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Nigel Short outplayed Ruslan Ponomariov after a risky opening setup just to give back the advantage with one lousy move. After that a draw was inescapable. Ponomariov,R (2700) - Short,N (2674) [C73] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (11), 28.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.Bxc6+ bxc6 6.d4 exd4 [6...f6 is an interesting alternative] 7.Qxd4 Nf6 8.0-0 Be7 9.e5 c5 10.Qd3 dxe5 11.Qxd8+ Bxd8 12.Nxe5 And despite that the queens are off it is quite a sharp position, a bishop pair in exchange for doubled pawns. 12...Be7 13.Re1 Be6 14.Bg5 [14.c4 This is an important alternative, combining c4 with bg5 might not be the best.] 14...0-0 15.c4 [15.Nc6 Rfe8 16.Nxe7+ Rxe7 17.Bxf6 gxf6; 15.Nc3 Rfe8 16.Nd3 c4 17.Nf4 Bf5 and black might be better.] 15...Rfe8 16. Nc3 h6 17.Bh4 Bd6 18.b3 g5 19.Bg3 Nh5 Short felt he was here clearly better 20.Nf3 Nxg3 21.hxg3 Kg7 22.Rad1

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 11 Report

22...Bf5?! To paraphrase Short: "I messed up here." Except he used a stronger term. [This was the moment for Short to get a very dangerous initiative with his pair of bishops: 22...g4! 23.Nd2 f5 24. Ne2 h5 25.Nf4 Bf7 26.Nf1 Kf6 27.Ne3 Kg5 28.Nfd5 Rad8 and black will continue with Rh8 and h5-h4.] 23.Kf1 g4 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 That is already a difference for white, without a pair of rooks the bishops are less harmful here. 25.Ne1 h5 [25...Re7 26.Na4 Bd7] 26.Na4 Re5 27.Nd3 Bxd3+ and Short offered a draw which to his surprise was declined 28.Rxd3 Kf6 29.Nc3 Kg6 30.Ne2 Rf5 31.f3 Re5 32.Kf2 f5 33.Nf4+ Kg5 34.Rd1 Re8 35.Nd3 Re6 36.a3 a5 37.f4+ Kf6 38.Rh1 Re4 39.Nb2 [Very risky in time trouble was 39.Rxh5 a4 40. Rh1 axb3 41.Rc1 Be7 and white could be worse here] 39...Kg6 40. Re1 Rxe1 41.Kxe1 Kf7 42.Nd3 1/2-1/2

Ivan Sokolov against Vesselin Topalov Photo © Michiel Abeln. Ivan Sokolov was today in big trouble for much of his game against Vesselin Topalov. Topalov sacrificed an exchange for ample compensation, but eventually he started making mistakes and almost lost the endgame. Sokolov,I (2685) - Topalov,V (2757) [E70] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (11), 28.01.2005 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 0-0 6.Nge2 c5 7.d5 e6 8.0-0 Ng4 9.Bc2 Ne5 10.b3 exd5 11.exd5 Re8 12.Bf4 Na6 13.a3 f5 14.Qd2 Bd7 15.Rae1 Nf7 16.Qc1 Nc7 17.a4 Na6 18. Nb5 Be5 19.Bd2 Nb4 20.Bxb4 cxb4 21.Qd2 a6 22.Nbd4 Qb6 23. Rd1 Re7 24.h4 Rae8 25.Nf4 a5 26.g3 Bg7 27.Kg2 Bh6 28.Rh1 Bg7 29.Bb1 Qxd4 30.Qxd4 Bxd4 31.Rxd4 b6 32.Rdd1 Nd8 33. Nd3 Nb7 34.Rd2 Kg7 35.Bc2 h6 36.Bd1 Re4 37.Nf4 Nc5 38.Bc2 R4e7 39.Nd3 Na6 40.Nf4 Kf6 41.Bd1 Re4 42.Bf3 Nc5 43.Bxe4 fxe4 44.Rb1 Bg4 45.Ne2 Bf5 46.Rbb2 e3 47.Rd4 exf2 48.Kxf2 g5 49.Nc1 Ke5 50.Rd1 gxh4 51.gxh4 Rg8 52.Rh1 Ne4+ 53.Ke1 Rg3 54.h5 Bg4 55.Kf1 Rc3 56.Ne2 Re3 57.Ng1 Nc5 58.Rh4 Bf5 59.Kf2 Rxb3 60.Rxb3 Nxb3 61.Nf3+ Kf6 62.Ke3 Bd7 63.Rf4+

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 11 Report

Kg7 64.Nd4 Nc5 65.Kd2 Kg8 66.Ne6 [66.Nb5 Bxb5 67.cxb5] 66... Nxe6 67.dxe6 Bxe6 68.Rd4 Kf7 69.Rxd6 Bxc4 70.Rxh6

70...b5 [70...Bb3 71.Rg6 Bxa4 72.Rg5 (72.Rg4 Bd7) 72...Bc6 73.h6 Be4 74.Rg7+ Kf8] 71.axb5 [71.Rc6 b3 72.Kc3 Be2] 71...Bxb5 72. Rg6 Be8 73.Rg1 Kf6 74.h6 Bg6 75.Rf1+ Kg5 76.Ra1 1/2-1/2

Peter Svidler against Alexander Morozevich. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Alexander Morozevich uncorked one of his special opening ideas. It all looked very dubious and for a long time Peter Svidler thought he was winning, but after they agreed to a draw they could not find anything forced for white. Svidler,P (2735) - Morozevich,A (2741) [C67] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (11), 28.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 dxc6 8.dxe5 Nf5 9.Rd1 Bd7 10.e6 fxe6 11.Ne5 Bd6 12.Qh5 + g6 13.Nxg6 Ng7 14.Qh6 Nf5 15.Qh3 Rg8 16.Qxh7 Rg7 17. Qh5 Qf6 18.Ne5+ Ke7 19.Ng4 Qg6 [19...Qh4 20.Qxh4+ Nxh4 21. h3 e5 22.f3 Bc5+ 23.Kf1 Bf5 24.Be3 Bd6 25.Rd2 e4 26.Bf2 Ng6 27. Ne3 Be6 28.fxe4 Rf8 29.Nc3 Nf4 30.Bh4+ Ke8 31.Rf2 Bc5 32.Ncd1 Nxg2 33.Rxf8+ Kxf8 34.Nxg2 Bc4+ 35.Ke1 Rxg2 36.b3 Bb4+ 37.c3 Re2+ 38.Kf1 Rxa2+ 39.bxc4 Rxa1 40.Ke2 Bc5 41.Bf6 a5 42.Kd2 a4 43.Kc2 a3 44.Bd4 Bxd4 45.cxd4 Rxd1 0-1 Taubenhaus,J-Pollock,W/ New York 1893/HCL (45)] 20.Qxg6 Rxg6 21.h3 e5 22.Nd2 Nd4 23. c3

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 11 Report

23...Nc2 [Afterwards both players felt that black should have played 23...Ne2+ 24.Kf1 Nf4 25.Ne4 Bxg4 26.hxg4 Rxg4 27.g3 Nh5 28.Re1 Rag8] 24.Rb1 Bxg4 25.hxg4 Rxg4 26.Nf1 Rf8 [Maybe Morozevich should have played 26...Rag8 27.g3 Bc5 28.b4 Bb6 29.Rb2 Na3 (29... Rxg3+ 30.Nxg3 Rxg3+ 31.Kf1 Rxc3 32.Bg5++- Svidler had not seen that this move is check!) 30.Kg2 Nc4] 27.b4 a5 28.Rb2 Na3 29. Ne3 Rgf4 30.bxa5 Ra4 Only here Svidler felt that he had lost control and was not winning anymore 31.Rxb7 Ke6 32.Rd2 Ra8 33. Bxa3 Rxa3 34.Rb3 R3xa5 35.Rbb2 Rc5 36.Rbc2 Ra3 37.Nd1 Rd5 38.g3 Be7 39.c4 1/2-1/2

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 12 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 12 29th January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment.

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Lazaro Bruzon and Peter Svidler were the first to finish in round 12, a draw. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

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The 12th round in Wijk aan Zee was full of exciting chess. There was only one boring game, Lazaro Bruzon against Peter Svidler. Bruzon is now pretty tired being unused to encountering this level of opposition round after round. Today he looked for a solid and preferably short game. Svidler's Sicilian was encountered by a g3 setup and soon all the excitement was gone. New Books and DVDs

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Alexander Grischuk was held by Loek van Wely in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 12 Report

Loek Van Wely played another well prepared line, this time against Alexander Grischuk. In the past he has won with white in this line, in only 23 moves against Ribli, now he managed to equalize comfortably. There was even one point where Van Wely thought he had a chance. Chess DVD

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Grischuk,A (2710) - Van Wely,L (2679) Corus A Wijk aan Zee (12), 29.01.2005 Here Van Wely played 18. ...Ke7 and a few moves later a draw was agreed. Afterwards he at first thought he had missed a chance, but soon realized that after 18...0-0 19.Rfb1 Rfb8 20.axb5 axb5 21. Rxa8 Qxa8 22.Nf3 the position is also completley equal.

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Judit Polgar added to Ivan Sokolov's misery by beating him in round 12. Polgar will increase her rating on her return to chess after a year. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Judit Polgar had to face another Ruy Lopez, this time played by Ivan Sokolov, who chose the Breyer defence. After some initial maneuvering Polgar started to play on the kingside, whilst Ivan's pieces were all on the queenside. Polgar's attack looked devastating, but it seems that at several points black was OK. However, the out of form Sokolov did not manage to find a good defence and lost again. Polgar,Ju (2728) - Sokolov,I (2685) [C95] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (12), 29.01.2005 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 c5 Sokolov plays this more often and so it was not a total surprise for Polgar. 13.d5 g6 14.Nf1

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 12 Report

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14...a5 A novelty by Sokolov in a position that is know to be somewhat better for white, and black usually awaits a long torture. [14...Nh5 15.Bh6 Re8 16.a4 Nb6 17.a5 Nc4 18.b3 Nxa5 19.Ra2 Qc7 20.Qa1 Bd8 21.N1d2 Bc8 22.Rc1 Nf4 23.Bxf4 exf4 24.b4 cxb4 25. cxb4 Nc4 26.Bd3 Qb8 27.Bxc4 bxc4 28.Nxc4 Rxe4 29.Na5 Bxa5 30. bxa5 Qb5 31.Rd2 Bb7 32.h4 Bxd5 33.h5 Ra4 34.Qf6 Bxf3 35.Rdc2 Re8 36.h6 Qe5 37.Rc8 Bc6 38.Qxe5 dxe5 39.R1xc6 Kf8 40.R8c7 Ra1 + 41.Kh2 Re6 42.Rb6 e4 43.Rb8+ Re8 44.Rbb7 Re5 45.Rxf7+ Ke8 46. g4 fxg3+ 47.Kxg3 Rg5+ 48.Kf4 Rf5+ 49.Rxf5 gxf5 50.Rxh7 Rf1 51. Rb7 Rxf2+ 52.Kg3 1-0 Bologan,V-Atalik,S/Sarajevo BIH 2004/The Week in Chess 499 (52)] 15.a4 b4 16.Bd3 Qc7 17.Ne3 To prevent c5-c4. [The normal move 17.Bh6 might be countered by 17...c4 18. Bxf8 Bxf8 19.Be2 After Bb1 black is trategically winning with the extra pieces 19...Nxe4 and black has compensation] 17...bxc3 Here white has the alternative b2-b3. [17...Nh5; 17...c4 18.Nxc4 bxc3 (18...Nxe4 19.Rxe4 Bxd5 20.Ne3+-) 19.b3!] 18.bxc3 c4 19.Bc2 Ba6 Black starts bringing his pieces to the queenside. 20.Nd2 Rfc8 21.Ba3 Bf8 Here g2-g4 is an alternative for white but maybe black can then play h7-h5. 22.Qf3 Bg7 23.g3 Rab8 24.Kg2 Nb6 25.g4 Nfd7 More pieces to the queenside, only one bishop left to protect the king 26.h4 Nc5 27.Bxc5 Qxc5 28.h5 Now white has a very dangerous initiative 28...Nd7 [28...Bh6 At least this move prevents a direct g5. Of course white can continue the attack with either Rh1 or the sacrifice g4-g5.] 29.Rh1 Nf8

30.g5 This is a very nice move for white to play. 30...Rb2 31.Ng4 [31.Rac1 was a good alternative.] 31...gxh5 [31...Rxc2 32.h6 and on Bh8 Nf6 wins 32...f5 33.gxf6 Bxf6 34.Nxf6+ Kh8 and it's not clear whether white can win.] 32.Nf6+ [32.Nh6+ Bxh6 33.gxh6 Ng6 34. Qf6 Kf8] 32...Bxf6 [32...Kh8 33.Qxh5 threatening mate on h7] 33. gxf6 Ng6 [33...Rxc2 34.Qxh5 Rxd2 35.Qg5+ Ng6 36.Qxd2 Nf4+] 34. Kf1 h4 35.Qh5 Kh8 36.Nf3 Rxc2 37.Rh2 Rxf2+ 38.Rxf2 Nf4

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 12 Report

39.Qxh4 [39.Qh6 Rg8 40.Ng5 Rxg5 41.Qxg5 Qxf2+ 42.Kxf2 Nh3+ 43.Kg2 Nxg5 44.Rb1 h6 45.Rb6 Bc8 46.Rb8 Nxe4 47.Rxc8+ Kh7 48. Rxc4 Nxf6] 39...Rg8 [39...Qe3 40.Ng5] 40.Rh2 1-0

Vesselin Topalov needed to beat Peter Leko to catch him in round 12. The game was a hard fought draw where Leko missed a chance to play for a win. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Before play started Vesselin Topalov against Peter Leko was clearly the game of the round. Topalov had to win to have a good chance at tournament victory and at first he emerged with a clear edge out of the opening. Then, quite unnecessarily, he allowed Leko to sacrifice a piece for a big attack and probably Leko was winning. Short of time he did not find the right move and had to agree to a draw. Topalov,V (2757) - Leko,P (2749) [E32] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (12), 29.01.2005 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5 Bb7 8.Nf3 d6 9.Nd2 Nbd7 10.e3 Rc8 11.f3 c5 12.dxc5 Rxc5 13.Bh4 d5 14.b4 Rc8 15.Qb2 Qc7 16.Bg3 e5 17.Bd3 This was still preparation from the Topalov team [17.Be2 Ba6 18.b5 Bb7 19.00 Rfe8 20.Rac1 Qc5 21.Bf2 e4 22.cxd5 Qxd5 23.Nxe4 Nxe4 24.fxe4 Qe6 25.Rxc8 Rxc8 26.Rc1 Re8 27.Rc7 Nc5 28.Qd4 Qg6 29.Bc4 Rf8 30. Rxf7 Qxf7 31.Bxf7+ Rxf7 32.Qd8+ Rf8 33.Qc7 h6 34.h3 Rf7 35.Qb8+ 1-0 Socko,M-Zatonskih,A/EuTChw, Leon ESP 2001 (35)] 17...Ba6 18. b5 Bb7 19.0-0 Qc5 Probably not the best move but Leko had missed the Nb3 ideas. [Leko should have played 19...Rfe8 20.Rac1 Nc5 21. Bf5 Rcd8 22.cxd5 Nxd5 23.Nc4 f6 and black is ok] 20.Rfe1 e4 21. fxe4 dxe4 [21...Nxe4 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Bf1 is also better for white.] 22.Nb3 Qg5 [22...Qf5 23.Be2 Rfe8 24.Rf1 Qg5 25.Bf4 Qg6 26.a4 Nh5 27.Bxh5 Qxh5 28.a5 and white develops a dangerous initiative.] 23.Bf4 Qg6 24.Bf1 Rfe8 25.Rad1 Nf8 26.a4 Ne6 27.Bg3 Nh5 28. Bh4 Ng5

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 12 Report

29.Kh1 White is clearly better but he should not have allowed black's Nf3. Topalov thought that with Leko in time trouble and not seeing anything concrete he could go for it, but actually he ends up in a worse position. 29...Nf6 30.a5 Nf3! 31.gxf3 exf3 32.Bf2 Rxc4 33. e4 Rcxe4 34.Rxe4 Bxe4 35.Nd2 Bd5 36.h3 Re2 37.Rc1

37...h5?! [Here Leko misses his chance for a fantastic tournament performance. If he had played 37...h6 38.Qd4 Nh5 he would have obtained excellent winning chances.] 38.Qd4 Qg5 39.axb6 axb6 40. Rd1 Qg6 [In time trouble Leko did not dare to play his original idea 40...Ng4 41.hxg4 hxg4 42.Ne4! and white would be on top again!] 41. Kh2 Qg5 42.Kh1 1/2-1/2

Anand at the start of his game against Adams in round 12, Polgar looks on. Anand won to put a late bid in to win three in a row. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Viswanathan Anand won rather easily against Michael Adams today. It

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 12 Report

has been a while since Anand played 1.d4, but today he was wellprepared for Mickey's Queens Indian. He flashed out some home preparation based on a game Kramnik - Leko in Dortmund last year to reach an equal ending in which Adams made two mistakes. Anand,V (2786) - Adams,Mi (2741) [E15] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (12), 29.01.2005 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Bg2 c6 8.Bc3 d5 9.Ne5 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.0-0 Nf6 13.e4 b5 14.exd5 cxd5 [The normal move is 14...exd5 but of course Anand and probably quite a few other top players had analysed at home what would happen after the other recapture. 15. Re1 Rb8 16.c5 Bc8 17.Nf3 Ne4 18.Ne5 Nxc3 19.Qd3 Qc7 20.Qxc3 Re8 21.a4 b4 22.Qf3 Bf8 23.Re3 f6 24.Nd3 Rxe3 25.fxe3 a5 26.e4 Be6 27.Qf4 Qd8 28.e5 Rb7 29.exf6 Qxf6 30.Qxf6 1/2-1/2 Kramnik,VLeko,P/Dortmund GER 2004/The Week in Chess 507 (30)] 15.c5 White is forced to sacrifice the exchange, otherwise he would be worse. 15...b4 16.Bxb4 Bxf1 17.Bxf1 [17.Nxf1 This recapture is a worthy alternative and Anand could not decide before the game which of the two he would chose.] 17...e5 18.Bc3 a5 19.a3 Ne4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.b4 axb4 22.axb4 Rxa1 23.Qxa1 Qd5 [23...exd4 24.Bxd4 would be really good for white] 24.dxe5 Ra8 [24...e3 25.fxe3 Ra8 26. Qb1 Ra2 27.e4 Qe6] 25.Qc1 Ra2 Now if the white bishop would be on e3 white would be clearly better, but now the position is more or less equal. [25...Bxc5 26.bxc5 Qxc5 27.Qe3 Qxe3 28.fxe3 Ra3 29.Bd4 wins for white] 26.Qe3 Rc2 27.Qd4 Qxd4 [27...Qb3 28.Bd2 and the bishop goes to the ideal square e3.] 28.Bxd4 Kf8 29.h4

29...Ke8?! A first mistake by Adams. [Here he should have played 29...g6 30.Bb5 and although white's position looks very nice, it's really not clear how to make progress. If white manages to get c5-c6 in there is always Bd8.] 30.e6 As Vishy explained afterwards, a bit of a gamble, although his risk is not too high. 30...fxe6? [30...f6 Although psychologically it might be difficult to have to look at another advanced pawn, this is what Mickey should have played. Of course white is better, but not winning. In fact white has to be careful because if he takes too many risks, he might end up losing, his position is not completely safe.] 31.Bxg7 Now it's game over, white has now the advantage on two sides of the board. 31...Rc1 32.Bd4 Kd7 The only trick white can fall for is an opposite bishop ending if black gets the chance to take with his rook on e3 and then with the bishop on c5. However, this is easy to avoid with white. 33.Be3 Rc3 34.Bd4 Rc1 35.Kg2 Kc6 36.Be3 Rc2 37.Ba6 Kc7 38.Kh3 Rc3 39. Bd4 Rb3 40.b5 Rd3 41.b6+ Kc6 42.Bb5+ 1-0

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 12 Report

Vladimir Kramnik couldn't generate a win against Nigel Short in round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Nigel Short played the closed-Sicilian against Vladimir Kramnik and afterwards Kramnik stated that he felt in danger for almost the whole game. Short was not convinced that he had a winning advantage anywhere, but at least he pushed hard. Short,N (2674) - Kramnik,V (2754) [B26] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (12), 29.01.2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.Be3 Rb8 7.Qd2 b5 8.f4 b4 9.Nd1 Qb6 After the game Kramnik stated that he had not looked this position for about 15 years! The idea is to stop d4 and to protect the knight on c6 so that after Nh6 black can play f5. 10. Nf3 Nh6 11.a3

[11.h3 f5 12.0-0 Nf7 13.Nh2 0-0 14.g4 e6 15.Kh1 Bd7 16.h4 Ne7 17. Rg1 Bc6 18.Qf2 Qb7 19.gxf5 exf5 20.e5 dxe5 21.Bxc5 exf4 22.Qxf4 Bxg2+ 23.Rxg2 Nd5 24.Qf2 Rfe8 25.Ne3 Re6 26.Nxd5 Qxd5 27.Bxa7 Rbe8 28.Qf3 Qd8 29.h5 Ne5 30.Qf4 Qd5 31.Rf1 Qxa2 32.Bd4 Qd5 33. Bf2 b3 34.d4 Nc4 35.cxb3 Nd6 36.Nf3 Ne4 37.hxg6 hxg6 38.Bg1 Qxb3 39.Bh2 Qd5 40.Rc1 Qb5 41.Ne5 Qd5 42.Nf3 Rf8 43.Rc7 Rc6 44. Rxc6 Qxc6 45.d5 Qa6 46.d6 Qf1+ 47.Bg1 Rd8 48.d7 Rxd7 49.Qb8+ Kf7 50.Qf4 Qb5 51.Nh4 Rd6 52.Nxg6 Qd5 53.Ne7 1/2-1/2 David,ABrunner,L/Budapest 1992/EXT 97 (53)] 11...a5?! [Kramnik felt he could have played better here: 11...f5 12.axb4 Qxb4 13.Qxb4 (13.c3 Qb6 and black's knight can jump to a5) 13...Nxb4 14.Kd2 fxe4 15. dxe4 Ng4 16.Bg1 Bb7 and now white's knight starts to jump! 17.Ng5] 12.axb4 axb4 13.h3 f5 14.0-0 0-0 15.Bf2 e6?! [An alternative was 15...Qb5 Kramnik complained about his position here, but Short simply stated: "You cannot complain, you put your knight on h6!"] 16. Ne3 Nf7 [16...Bxb2? 17.Nc4 Bxa1 18.Nxb6 Bc3 19.Qe2 Rxb6 20.e5 winning for white] 17.Nc4 [17.exf5 exf5 (17...gxf5 18.g4 fxg4 19. hxg4 d5 and Kramnik felt that his position is quite vulnerable) 18.Nd5

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 12 Report

Qd8 19.c3] 17...Qc7 18.Rfe1 Rd8?! [More precise was 18...fxe4 19. dxe4 Rd8] 19.exf5 exf5

[19...gxf5 20.Re2 d5 21.Nce5 Ncxe5 22.Nxe5 Nxe5 23.fxe5 d4 (23... Bxe5 24.Rxe5) 24.Qg5 Bb7 25.Ra7 Rd7] 20.c3 [Here Short had an important choice to make: 20.Re2 d5 21.Nce5 Nfxe5 22.Nxe5 Nxe5 23.fxe5 Bxe5 24.Qg5 (24.Rae1 Bf6 and black is safe) 24...Bb7 25. Rae1 Bg7 26.Re7 Rd7 27.Rxd7 Qxd7 28.Bxc5 Re8] 20...bxc3 21. bxc3 d5 22.Nce5 Nfxe5 23.fxe5 Nxe5 24.Nxe5 Bxe5 25.Qg5 Bb7 26.Ra7 Rd7 [26...Bg7 27.Re7 Rd7 28.Bxd5++-] 27.c4 Qd6 [27...dxc4 28.Rxb7 Rxb7 29.Bxb7 Qxb7 30.Rxe5 cxd3 31.Qf6+-] 28. cxd5 [28.Rb1 This is the move Kramnik was afraid of during the game, but it's not clear that white really achieves anything. 28...dxc4 29.dxc4] 28...Bf6 [28...Ra8 29.Rxa8+ Bxa8 30.Qe3 Re7] 29.Qf4 Qxf4 30.gxf4 Rbd8 31.Re6 Bxd5 32.Rxd7 Bxe6 33.Rxd8+ Bxd8 34.Bxc5 1/2-1/2

Alexander Morozevich never hit top form in this event and he went down to another defeat, to Ruslan Ponomariov in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Ruslan Ponomariov had to face another attack on his Sicilian Defence. Earlier in the tournament he lost to both Anand and Grischuk without a real fight, but today against Alexander Morozevich he was able to dish out some punishment. Soon after the opening it was clear that Morozevich was not very comfortable in such a main line and his creativity only worsened his position. After the time trouble running up to move 40 was over he was completely lost. Morozevich,A (2741) - Ponomariov,R (2700) [B63] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (12), 29.01.2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Qb6 8.Nb3 Be7 9.0-0-0 0-0 10.f3 a6 [An important other line is: 10...Rd8 11.Nb5 Rd7] 11.g4 Rd8

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 12 Report

12.Bf4 This is a very strange move, but it is also strange to see Morozevich play such a main line as the Rauzer. 12...d5 Black wants to play this anyway and now he is forced to! 13.e5 Nd7 14.Be3 Qc7 15.f4 b5 A typical French structure has arisen in a favorable form for black. 16.Qf2 Rb8 17.Nd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Nc5 19.Kb1 b4 Here it is clear that white's openign experiment with Bf4 has failed, black's attack is quicker and he has square e4 for his knight. 20.Ne2 a5 21. Ng3 a4 22.Bd3 b3 23.cxb3 axb3 24.a3 Qa5 25.Nh5 Ne4 26. Bxe4 dxe4 27.Bc3 Qc7 28.f5 Ba6 29.Nf4

29...Bg5 Both players were now in time trouble and afterwards Ponomariov said that with little time black's position is much easier to play. 30.h4 Bxf4 31.Qxf4 Bd3+ 32.Ka1 Ra8 Threatening terrible things with the combination of Qe7 and Rxa3. 33.Bb4 Rd4 34.Qd2 Qxe5 Game over 35.Qc3 Qd5 36.fxe6 fxe6 37.Qc5 Rc4 38.Qe7 Rac8 39.h5 R4c7 40.Qd6 e3 41.Qxd5 exd5 42.Bc3 Be2 43.Rd4 Rc4 44.Rxc4 Bxc4 45.g5 d4 46.Bxd4 e2 47.h6 Rd8 48.g6 Rxd4 0-1

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 13 Report

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Wijk aan Zee Round 13 30th January 2005 Michiel Abeln is on the spot in Wijk aan Zee. He is sending photos, analysis and some comments. The report is compiled by Mark Crowther who is making additional editorial comment.

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Vladimir Kramnik had a quick draw against Alexander Morozevich in the final round. Photo © Michiel Abeln. The last round of a super tournament is usually not the most exciting. Still it was a bit of a surprise to see that Vladimir Kramnik had no energy left to take on Alexander Morozevich and within 45 minutes a draw was agreed on.

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Michael Adams before his game against Alexander Grischuk. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Michael Adams and Alexander Grischuk also played a typical last round game, no excitement.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 13 Report

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Peter Svidler and Vesselin Topalov before round 13. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

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Peter Svidler against Vesselin Topalov was a similar story where the Petroff once again was solid enough for an easy draw.

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Peter Leko had to wait a while to see if his draw against Judit Polgar was enough to win the event alone. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Peter Leko also drew rather quickly with Judit Polgar. He chose a rather timid setup that did not come as a surprise for Polgar. She was never in any danger and after some exchanges both players agreed a draw. This result proved enough, after a long wait, to take clear first for Leko.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 13 Report

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Winner Peter Leko. Photo © Michiel Abeln. After the game Leko gave a press conference in which he made the following remarks: “I was actually quite lucky with the drawing of lots. This may sound weird with 7 blacks, but at least I was 200% concentrated and you have to get the maximum out of all your whites. I am very happy with this victory because it was the only grand slam I was missing, I have already won Dortmund and Linares and also I feel I played very well. I mean there is only one way to win here in Wijk aan Zee, you have to beat Vishy. He will win 4 or 5 games so you have to win against him if you want to win here. I started here with a good game against Sokolov where I was pressing and missed a win in time trouble. But actually I consider my game against Svidler to be the best. Over the board I found all kind of subtleties in an important line of the Najdorf and refuted his play. Against Ponomariov and Vlad and Mickey I was also pressing but they both played very precisely. There were only two games in which I was in danger, against Grischuk and Morozevich who both played very solidly according to the Russian chess school. The both had some slight pressure, but I was never in danger of losing. Yesterdays game against Topalov was not that difficult. Topalov played quite fast and I equalized, but then I played e5 and he gets all the dynamic chances that he likes. Then I found the plan of transferring the knight to f3 as d3 was not possible for the knight. This knight transfer was a long term plan and when I launched the knight on f3 I knew I was safe. In time trouble I missed a win, but he defended well so I think the draw was a correct result. The end position is equal I think. Maybe I can play on for 100 moves or so, but objectively I think it’s a draw. I did not surprise myself here. I made 7-7 in the match and from a chess point of view I was completely even with the World Champion and his monster preparation. Already in the last few years I feel I belong to the top group of players in classical chess. Of course Vishy wins a lot of tournaments, but some of these are rapid chess, but in classical chess I don’t think he is better. I have had good results for quite some time except for Dortmund last year, but there I was preparing for the match and I could only see Kramnik opposite to me, I had no creativity. I am happy to play again. I play against strong opposition but they don’t have this monster preparation, so there is room for some creativity, let’s just play chess. This tournament is very special. It’s the start of the new year while Linares is after this and here everybody wants to start the new year well and has been preparing for this.”

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 13 Report

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Van Wely had to wait a long time but he finally won a game in the last round against Nigel Short. With the win Van Wely got back to 50% and an excellent result. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Loek Van Wely has had an incredibly solid tournament drawing all but one game which was an aberration against Peter Svidler. In the final round he took on Nigel Short's Queen's Gambit. He got a nice position which Short allowed to become a winning advantage fairly quickly. Van Wely,L (2679) - Short,N (2674) [D35] Corus A Wijk aan Zee (13), 30.01.2005 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 Bf5 7.Qf3 Bg6 8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.Qxf6 gxf6 10.Nf3 Nd7 11.Nh4 Be7 12.g3 Nb6 13.f3 a5 14.Kf2 a4 15.Rc1 [15.Be2 Nc8 16.e4 a3 17.b3 dxe4 18.fxe4 0-0 19.Rac1 Bb4 20.Bd3 Rd8 21.Nxg6 hxg6 22.Ke3 Nd6 23. Rhd1 Re8 24.Kf3 Re7 25.Rd2 Rd8 26.Rdc2 Bxc3 27.Rxc3 Rde8 28.d5 cxd5 29.exd5 Re3+ 30.Kg2 R8e5 31.Bc4 Nxc4 32.bxc4 Re2+ 33.Kf3 Rxa2 34.R3c2 Rxc2 35.Rxc2 b5 36.cxb5 Rxd5 37.Ra2 Rd3+ 38.Kf4 Kg7 39.b6 f5 40.b7 Rb3 41.Rxa3 Rxb7 42.h4 Kh6 43.Kf3 Kh5 44.Ra8 Rb3+ 45.Kf4 Kh6 46.Ra7 Kg7 47.Rc7 Rb1 48.Kf3 Rf1+ 49.Kg2 Rd1 50. Kf3 Kf6 51.Ra7 Ke6 52.Rb7 Rd7 53.Rb5 f6 54.Ra5 Rd3+ 55.Kf4 g5+ 56.hxg5 Rd4+ 57.Ke3 Re4+ 58.Kf3 fxg5 59.Ra6+ Ke5 60.Ra5+ Kf6 61.Ra6+ Re6 62.Ra3 Rd6 63.Ra2 Rd3+ 64.Kf2 Ke5 65.Ra8 g4 66.Re8 + Kd4 67.Rd8+ Kc3 68.Rf8 Rf3+ 69.Kg2 Kd2 70.Ra8 Ke2 1/2-1/2 Gustafsson,J-Sokolov,I/Lost Boys Open, Amsterdam NED 2001 (70)] 15...Nc8 16.Be2 Nd6 17.Rhd1 0-0 18.Bd3

White would like to change these bishops because then black's kingside weaknesses will tell. 18...Rfe8? [Short makes a big mistake here, he should have played 18...Bxd3 19.Rxd3 f5 and white will start to torture black, but it's not a win yet.] 19.g4 Now that white gets this for free he has a large advantage. 19...Bf8 20.Ne2 Bh6 21.f4 Now black is forced to exchange and it's clear that white has a bog advantage. 21...Bxd3 22.Rxd3 Bf8 23.Ng3 Ra5 24.Rc2 Rb5 Van Wely also considered here a setup with the pawn on b2 and rooks on c2 and e2, but after lengthy thought he decided in favor of the game

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 13 Report

continuation. 25.Nhf5 Nc4 26.b3

26...axb3 [Short should have played 26...Nd6 27.Nxd6 Bxd6 28.bxa4 Ra5 and white has the advantage but at least it's not so clear as in the game.] 27.Rxb3 Rxb3 28.axb3 Na5 29.Nh5 Re6 30.Ra2 b6 31.Ra4 1-0

Viswanathan Anand had a huge time advantage against Ivan Sokolov but it didn't translate into winning chances over the board. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Anand tried for a long time to win against Sokolov, but he never had a real chance of gaining the full point. Sokolov sacrificed a pawn but in compensation his bishop was much stronger than the bishop on b7. In Sokolov’s time trouble Vishy tried some things, but Sokolov played solidly and on move 48 a draw was agreed. Vishy said that he missed too many chances in this tournament especially against Van Wely and against Svidler in round 4. He thought Leko deserved to win here because he made the least mistakes. Today he had an outside chance to win the tournament if he would beat Sokolov, but this is very hard as Ivan doesn’t lose often with white, although here in Wijk aan Zee it happened twice. His best games were against Mickey and Ponomariov, the game against Morozevich was not so good because at some point black was worse.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 13 Report

Two of the hardest workers in the event were the last to finish. Ruslan Ponomariov never had enough to win against Lazaro Bruzon as their game finally finished in a draw. Photo © Michiel Abeln. The last game to finish was between Ruslan Ponomariov and Lazaro Bruzon. But even this long game was not that exciting. The game always a tiny bit better for white, but Bruzon said he was never in danger of losing.

Dolf Vos, President of the organising committee. Photo © Michiel Abeln. The closing ceremony was started with the traditional pea soup for all the participants. The tournament was a great success with more visitors than ever and also over 40,000 unique visitors each day on the website. After the pea soup was finished the C-group was called to stage and Vladimir Georgiev received first prize. A very good performance of him considering that he was also coaching Stefanova during the tournament. In the final standings highest Dutchman L’Ami was also promoted to the B-group next year.

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Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005 Round 13 Report

Sergey Karjakin makes the A group next year. Photo © Michiel Abeln. After that some chocolate deserts were served, then the ceremony for the A- and B- Groups started. First Sergey Karjakin was called to the stage to receive both a special prize and first prize for the B-Group. Karjakin said during the tournament that he was not happy with his performance, having too many bad positions and twice missing a win in one, so let’s see what he is capable of when he is in form!

Peter Leko thanks the organisers. Photo © Michiel Abeln. Then the players of the A-group received their prizes. Peter Leko received first prize and thanked the organization. He pointed out that this is a tournament full of fighting chess where in principle there are never discussions on short draws, simply because it is not needed! The last announcement were the dates for next year’s tournament, January 14th-29th 2006.

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