Chess Championships
WCC Home GAME 15
Braingames World Chess Championships NO PEIN, NO PAIN
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results
WHATEVER happened to all that nice Seattle weather? Sorry, a bit jet-lagged, I didn't realise I was now in London watching a couple of Russians with the initial "K" becoming the world champion. After a frantic flight across the Atlantic (and, just to make you feel safer travelling by air, good old British Airways decided have a movie double-bill of U571 and Titanic!), I headed post haste, asap, pronto-like to the Riverside Studios in west London for the $2 million Brain Games Network shindig (www. braingames.net), where the organisers had arranged a warm welcome for me NOT! I now have it on good authority that they think I'm actually a fifth columnist for TWIC. Me? A fifth columnist? This came as something of a shock to the system: I was under the impression that since Mig turned his back on us to take up a lucrative job (the things that some people will do for money) with the opposition, I was the ONLY columnist for TWIC!
Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT Email
Mig: Turned his back on TWIC
Seems that whilst I was sunning myself in Seattle, the organisers had dispensed with the reliable services of a certain Malcolm Pein esq. (see resignation letter), their erstwhile Technical Director, to be replaced by the even more reliable services of Raymondo Keene and Eric Schiller - the Laurel & Hardy of chess organisation (or should that be Hardy & Hardy?). They were a tad over worried that I would end up being his "eyes and ears" (believe me, not a pretty sight) in the Press Room, and, on the Pain - or should that be Pein? - of death, or even banishment from the Lubyanka-styled Press Centre (whichever is the worst), I was firmly, but ever soooo politely warned that if they discovered me making contact with him whilst there, then I'd likewise be
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r1.html (1 of 4)17/07/05 10:08:15
Chess Championships
shown the door - and not just to admire its glossy new paint job!
No Pein ...
Schiller & Keene: On the trail of the lonesome Pein?
So, let me get this right: Whilst in the Press Room for the next month, I'm not allowed to make contact of any description or form (either in person, phone, fax, email, homing-pigeon, semaphore, jungle drums or whatever) with the man who for the last seven-years has been the bane of my life? Believe me, readers, that's not a threat. It's more of a dream come true! I was seriously thinking of asking them if they could perhaps extend this to maybe six or seven months. So, since I'm not allowed to make any contact with IM M Pein for the duration, I've left it for him to do all the work in annotating Kramnik's superb win in game two...
Game 2
Kramnik,V - Kasparov,G Grünfeld [D85] 1 d4 No cautious start, Kramnik invariably chooses this against Kasparov - and he has a plus score! He also plays 1.Nf3 against other opponents quite often. 1 .. Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 Kasparov also wants to fight, the Gruenfeld Defence is an aggressive choice. 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 e4 Nxc3 6 bxc3 Bg7 7 Nf3 The Modern Exchange Gruenfeld, Kramnik's favourite line and no surprise, yet. 7 ..c5 8 Be3 Kramnik departs from his favourite 8.Rb1 and the rare 8.h3 he played against Kasparov at Wijk aan Zee. He plays like Karpov who had good success with this plan against Kasparov in their 1990 match. I have to say that, as a Gruenfeld aficionado, I have to admit it has not scored well in WCC matches. 8 ..Qa5 9 Qd2 Bg4 All as per program, 9...Nc6 is the main alternative. 10 Rb1 A rare idea, Karpov had tried the same idea in a similar position. Interestingly Kramnik had played 10.Rc1 against Shirov on ICC but Kasparov had beaten Yermolinsky in a nice game in this line also at Wijk aan Zee 10 ..a6 To counter Rb5 11 Rxb7!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r1.html (2 of 4)17/07/05 10:08:15
Chess Championships
Criticised by Ivanchuk in New in Chess. Jan Timman played 11.Rb3 and was soon worse in a game from Linares 1992.This move was assumed to be bad. Somehow it is always the obvious moves that get to be played last! I had briefly looked at this but concluded that the d4 pawn would go, but so what? White still has the bishops and a rook sitting pretty on b7. Kramnik's team deserves great credit for - as they say in my favourite sci-fi program - boldly going where no man has gone before. I wonder how many novelties Kasparov will be hit with before he lands one of his own. 11 ..Bxf3 12 gxf3 Nc6 13 Bc4 0-0 [13 ..e6 14 Bxe6 Nd8 15 Bd5 Nxb7 16 Bxb7 Rb8 17 Bc6+ 13 ..cxd4 14 cxd4 Qxd2+ 15 Kxd2 Nxd4 16 f4 +=] 14 0-0 cxd4 15 cxd4 Bxd4 [15 ..Qxd2 16 Bxd2 Nxd4 17 Kg2 is just what white is after: two bishops, active rook, weak a6 pawn and f3-f4 in reserve. The only counter black has is - and see the note below - activity!] 16 Bd5 [16 Qxa5 Nxa5] 16 ..Bc3 The assessment of this depends on the conclusion below to 17...Rac8. It seems that Kasparov desperately wanted to avoid getting squeezed in a slightly inferior position after a queen exchange, but the cure proves worse than the disease. 16...Qxd2 looked quite playable to me. This leads to a bailout by Kasparov and combined with the time pressure he was under - an hour behind already! - leads to defeat. 16 ..Qxd2 17 Bxd2 Rfc8 would be the classical Grunfeld type continuation. If Black gets to play ...e6 he solves so many problems like e7, f7 and the pin on the Nc6. He has to tread carefully but I think I see a path to equality: A) 18 Rc1 Ne5 A1) 19 Rb3 Rxc1+ 20 Bxc1 Rc8 is active A2) 19 Rxe7 Nxf3+ 20 Kg2 Nxd2 21 Rd1 Bc3 22 Bxa8 Rxa8 Is good for Black A3) 19 Rbc7 Rxc7 20 Rxc7 Rb8 21 Bh6 (21 Kg2 Rb2 22 Bh6 Rxf2+ 23 Kh1 Rf1+ 24 Kg2 Rf2+ draw) 21 ..e6 22 Bb7 Bb6 23 Rc8+ Rxc8 24 Bxc8 Nxf3+ 25 Kg2 Ne1 + 26 Kf1 Nd3 is good for black A4) 19 Kg2 Rxc1 20 Bxc1 e6 A4a) 21 Rb4 Bc5 (21 ..Rc8! Is OK 22 Rxd4 Rxc1 23 Bb7 a5) 22 Bxa8 Bxb4 Might be dangerous for black A4b) 21 Bb3 Nd3 22 Be3 Bxe3 23 fxe3 Nc5= B) 18 Bxc6 Rxc6 19 Rxe7 Rc2 C) 18 f4 e6 - This is the answer to virtually everything D) 18 Bh6 e6 E) 18 Rd1 e6 E1) 19 Bb3 Rab8 (19 ..Na5?? 19 ..Ne5 20 Kg2 Nd3 21 Rd7 Rd8 22 Rxd8+ Rxd8 23 Ba5! wins) 20 Rxb8 Rxb8 21 Bf4, White is trying to prove an edge in this line E1a) 21 ..Rc8 22 Kg2 Kf8 23 Ba4 Be5 24 Be3! E1b) 21 ..Be5 22 Be3 (22 Bh6 Nd4 23 f4 Bxf4) 22 ..Na5= E2) 19 Bxc6 Rxc6 20 Be3 (20 Bh6 e5 21 Rdb1 Rac8) 20 ..Bxe3 21 fxe3 Rc2 22 Rdd7 Rf8!, and Black is better. There is also the Speelmanic 17 ..Ne5 18 Bb4 e6 19 Bxf8 exd5 20 Bh6 Nxf3+ 21 Kg2 dxe4 22 Rfb1 Be5 23 Rd1 Nh4+ 24 Kf1 Nf5 25 Ra7 Re8 26 Bc1 Re6 17 Qc1 After a huge 45 minute think! 17 ..Nd4 [17 ..Rac8, just keeping the pieces active was the suggestion from the Press and Analysis rooms at the venue, the GM team including Danny King, John Speelman and Chris Ward: A) 18 Bb6 Qb4 19 a3 Qb2 20 Qxb2 (20 f4 e6) 20 ..Bxb2 21 Be3 Bxa3= B) 18 Bxc6 Rxc6 19 Rxe7 Qxa2 with a big plus.] 18 Bxd4 Bxd4 19 Rxe7 Ra7 20 Rxa7 Bxa7 21 f4 [21 Qg5!? Qd8 22 f4!] 21 ..Qd8 This is seriously unpleasant but Kasparov said afterwards he felt he could hold. 22 Qc3 Bb8 23 Qf3 Qh4 24 e5
24 ..g5? Kasparov said he "relaxed" for a moment - now its serious 25 Re1! Qxf4 26 Qxf4 gxf4 27 e6 fxe6 28 Rxe6 Kg7 29 Rxa6 Rf5 30 Be4 Re5 31 f3 Re7 32 a4 Ra7? This is probably the losing move [32 ..Ba7+ 33 Kg2 Be3 34 a5 Re5 35 Ra8 h5 36 a6 Ra5 would certainly enable Kasparov to struggle for a long time] 33 Rb6 Be5 34 Rb4 Rd7 [34 ..Bd6 35 Rc4 Rc7 36 Bc6! Had been overlooked in time pressure] 35 Kg2 Rd2+ 36 Kh3 h5 37 Rb5 Kf6 38 a5 Ra2 39 Rb6+ Ke7? [39 ..Kg7] 40 Bd5
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r1.html (3 of 4)17/07/05 10:08:15
Chess Championships
After 40...Re2 41.a6 it's all over 1-0
LCC Home | TWIC | The Match | WAP | Fantasy Chess | Schedule | Reports | Results
| WCC Home
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r1.html (4 of 4)17/07/05 10:08:15
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home
Braingames World Chess Championships
GAME 15
BREAKING DOWN THE BERLIN WALL by John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT
IT seems that after my heavy-handed treatment on the first day in the Braingames press centre, it now looks as if there's been a "sudden" thaw in my icy relations with the organisers. Yes, there was definitely a spirit of glasnost about the place. Maybe it was my natural charm and personality that won them over? Then again, it could also have had something to do with the fact that they just discovered that CNN had signed me up for daily reports on the K-K match! It was a complete change. Rather than the shoot-first-ask-questions-later policy of day one, day two was more of a touchy-feely-lets-all-work-together sort of atmosphere. To be honest, I don't know what frightened me more! However, if "suddenly" during the course of this match these reports fail to appear, can someone out there urgently contact Amnesty International? Freedom of the press and all that. But, even under a nice, new cuddly dictatorship, rules simply have to be obeyed. And sure enough, on arrival at Checkpoint Charlie, we were all issued with a nice, new shiny set of them - printed in red-paper just to make sure it looked serious; instructing us exactly what was strictly verboten in and around our fourth-floor prison camp. To show you how bad the oppression is, a minion warned me yesterday, while taking a picture of Match Director Ray Keene OBE esq., that taking photographs in the Pressroom was a punishable offence! Even the great Raymondo, after a quick check of the rules just to be on the safe side, told him he was talking through a hole in his head and then had him taken out and shot.
Email
Ray Keene
I don't know about the other journalists, but the issuing of these rules certainly put my mind at ease - just about the right size for the bottom of the budgie's cage! Of course, that's my cavalier attitude to being issued with a set of rules. After all, what are rules for if not to be broken? Some old hands like Leontxo Garcia and Hans Ree just laughed them off. For others, like our erstwhile columnist Mig, it simply brought out the lawyer in them.
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r2.html (1 of 4)17/07/05 10:08:33
Braingames World Chess Championships
Leonxto Garcia
Hans Ree
"Hello? Amnesty International"
The editor-in-chief of KasparovChess.com eagerly devoured every word, full stop, comma, colon, semicolon, to find any loophole that could somehow let us get information on the game to the outside world. Guess what? He found one! However, that victory aside, the Kasparov team are starting to look a little bit apprehensive with the way things are going in the match so far. As yet again their boss fails to breakthrough Big Bad Vlad's Berlin Defence, you can see them franticly logging onto the internet in order to see if anyone has registered www.KramnikChess.com!
Mig and the Kasparov Chess Team
Not content with having problems on the board, Kasparov is now facing chess problems off the board with the news that the world number six, Alexei Shirov, has launched legal action against Kasparov and his former chess association, the World Chess Council (WCC). Responding to the charges after his game with Kramnik yesterday, Kasparov shrugged the legal challenge aside, claiming, "He had nothing to answer for and would easily deal with him [Shirov] in the courts." Shirov has raised the civil action in a court in Cazorla, Spain over the financial losses he incurred following an aborted title match with the world champion in 1997, after he had defeated Kramnik for the right to play the champ.
Shirov
Rentero
He's demanding the sum of $1,300,000. The original agreement between Shirov, Kasparov and match organizer Luis Rentero was that Shirov get $1,300,000 for winning against Kasparov and $600,000 for losing. However, both Rentero and Kasparov say that the cancellation of the match was not their responsibility because the local Andalusian government pulled out of
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r2.html (2 of 4)17/07/05 10:08:33
Braingames World Chess Championships
staging the match. Forget about the lawyers, Garry. Just put all the relevant papers in Mig's Intray!
G Kasparov - V Kramnik Berlin Defence [C67] 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 How long can it be before we see Kasparov lashing
out with a Scotch? However, the more interesting question is this: What exactly has Kramnik and his team prepared for it, and in return is this what Kasparov is afraid of? 3 ..Nf6 Once again the Berlin Defence! It was generally accepted that this would have been a one off for Kramnik, however his team obviously believe that the key to coping with Kasparov's legendary opening preparation is to exchange queens as quickly as possible. 4 0-0 Nxe4 5 d4
Nd6 6 Bxc6 dxc6 7 dxe5 Nf5 8 Qxd8+ Kxd8 9 Nc3 Bd7 10 b3 h6 11 Bb2 Kc8
Up to here we'd been following game one. Obviously looking for something a bit more adventurous than 12 h3 - which to be fair, Kramnik easily handled Kasparov follows up with a more aggressive idea that Alexei Shirov played recently. 12 Rad1 b6 [12 ..a5 13 h3 b6 14 a4 Bb4 15 Ne2 Re8 16 Nf4 g6 17 g4 Ng7 18 Rd3 Ne6 19 Nxe6 Bxe6 20 Nd4 Bd7 21 Ne2 Bd6 22 f4 f5 23 exd6 Rxe2 24 dxc7 Kxc7 25 Be5+ Kc8 26 Rfd1 Be6 27 Rd6 1-0 Shirov,A-Krasenkow, M/Polanica Zdroj POL 2000/The Week in Chess 303 (27)] 13 Ne2 c5 14 c4 Bc6 15 Nf4 Obviously White stands better, but the problem for Kasparov is
that, as is traditional in the notoriously tough Berlin Defence, Black has no weaknesses so its White who has to find a breakthrough. 15 ..Kb7 16 Nd5
Ne7 17 Rfe1 Rg8!
[It does look a bit strange but in fact it's a nice prophylactic move. In many other lines where Black tries to free himself, the rook on h8 becomes a liability: 17 ..Bxd5 18 cxd5 Rd8 19 e6 (19 d6? Nc6! 20 dxc7 Kxc7) 19 ..f6 20 Nh4 Rxd5 21 Rxd5 Nxd5 22 Ng6 Rg8 23 e7 Bxe7 24 Rd1! (24 Nxe7 Re8!) 24 .. c6 25 Nxe7 Re8 (25 ..Nxe7? 26 Rd7+!) 26 Nxd5 cxd5 27 Kf1 and White wins.]
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r2.html (3 of 4)17/07/05 10:08:33
Braingames World Chess Championships
18 Nf4 g5!? Not exactly in the spirit of the rock-solid Berlin but I suppose in
his defence, Kramnik didn't like the idea of letting Kasparov do all the running while his pieces were so passive. 19 Nh5 Rg6 20 Nf6 Bg7 21 Rd3 Bxf3 22 Rxf3 Bxf6 23 exf6 The little flurry of exchanges have made Kramnik's defensive task a little easier. 23 ..Nc6 [I think in essence
Kramnik's plan of centralising the knight is probably the correct idea, he could also have opted for the retreat 23 ..Ng8!? 24 Kf1 Rd8, and although Black's knight is stuck on g8, by the same token, White is similarly tied down to the defence of f6. But to be frank, Kramnik's choice looked the easier to make.] 24 Rd3 Rf8 25 Re4 Kc8 26 f4?! [26 h4!, was the suggestion of Kasparov after the game, with the idea of h5. And sure enough, his options do look better: 26 ..Nd4 (26 ..gxh4?! 27 Rxh4 and suddenly White has active rooks; 26 ..Rd8) 27 Bxd4 cxd4 28 Rdxd4 Rxf6 , and just look how much better the White rooks are.] 26 ..gxf4 27 Rxf4 Re8 28 Bc3 Re2 29 Rf2 Re4 30 Rh3 a5 31 Rh5 a4 32 bxa4! This came as something of a surprise in the
pressroom. After showing great control, Kasparov now suddenly destroys his pawn structure and allows the game to take a tactical swing. The only reason for this I assume is that, unless he did something "drastic", he had every confidence that Kramnik would easily defend the position. 32 ..Rxc4 33
Bd2 Rxa4 34 Rxh6 Rg8?
[Kramnik shows signs of cracking! Instead, he could claim an advantage by simply taking on h6: 34 ..Rxh6! 35 Bxh6 c4, with ..Nd4 and ..c3 posing problems for White.] 35 Rh7 Rxa2 36 Rxf7 Ne5 37 Rg7 Rf8 38 h3 The dust
has finally settled and Kasparov can lay claim to an advantage. He wants to play Re7 but can't due to ..Ng4. Also, 38 h4, trying to gain a tempo in the game, looks like it's ok for Black: 38 h4 c4 39 Bc3 (39 Re7? Ra1+ 40 Rf1 Rxf1 + 41 Kxf1 Rxf6+ 42 Ke2 Ng4!) 39 ..Rxf2 40 Kxf2 Rxf6+ 41 Ke3 Re6 42 Kd4 Nd7 43 g4 b5 44 Bb4 - White has to stop ..c5+ followed by ..b4 - 44 ..c5+! 45 Bxc5 Nxc5 46 Kxc5 c3! 47 Rf7 Re4 48 Kxb5 Rxg4 49 Rf3 draws. 38 ..c4 39 Re7 Nd3 40 f7 Nxf2 41 Re8+ Kd7 42 Rxf8 Ke7 43 Rc8 Kxf7 44 Rxc7+ Ke6 45 Be3 Nd1 46 Bxb6 c3 47 h4?!
[All pretty much forced up to here. But, just at the crucial moment, Kasparov takes his eye of the ball to allow an easy draw. Instead, 47 Kh2! and we could be in for a long haul with big possibilities of a Doc Nunn-type fantasy of R+B vs. R.] 47 ..Ra6 48 Bd4 Ra4 49 Bxc3 Nxc3 50 Rxc3 Rxh4 51 Rf3 Rh5 52 Kf2 Rg5 53 Rf8 Ke5 ½-½ and Kramnik has a book draw as he will easily
reach a Philidor position the White king cut off and his own in front of the pawn. Certainly an interesting game - but perhaps one that Kasparov could regret later that he didn't convert. However, for Kramnik, it goes down as a marvellous rear-guard action. He'll be happy that he can defend such positions against Kasparov. Any bets on another Berlin coming Kasparov's way? LCC Home | TWIC | The Match | WAP | Fantasy Chess | Schedule | Reports Results | WCC Home
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r2.html (4 of 4)17/07/05 10:08:33
|
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home
Braingames World Chess Championships
GAME 15
BRAINDEAD@BRAINGAMES by John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11
OH, chess correspondents can be such wags in the pressroom when we put our collective little minds to it! Guess what? We finally rebelled against the system by sabotaging a computer belonging to the match sponsors.
GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT Email
Instead of the screensaver proudly flashing across the screen “www. braingames.net”, some bright computer geek - I can barely turn on a computer (in the biblical sense), so that rules me out! - changed it to “www. braindeadgames.net”, which has proudly been flashing across the screen for the past two days without them realising! Cruel? Well, yes – they have put a lot of money into the project. But, hey, it’s kind of catchy, and not to mention on the spot for the people who put the dot in braingames.net! “The slogan is: We ain’t got the brains, but we got the dot!” One other nasty rumour that’s spreading round the pressroom now is that Braingames (Remember: We got the dot!) are now, allegedly, threatening to take legal action against the challenger, Vladimir Kramnik – As if he’s not got enough on his plate just now coping with Gazza! It seems they’ve taken offence to the fact that he’s done a deal with www.kasparov.com to contribute his notes to the games – and a pretty darned impressive piece of work they are, too! It was left to Match Director Raymondo Keene to break the bad news to the Editor-in-chief of Kasparov.com, Mig. Keene: “ I gather that Kramnik is publishing his notes on your site?” Mig: “Yes, what of it ?” Keene: “Take them down immediately! We have a contract with Kramnik not to publish notes to the game.” Mig: (putting on one of his famed puzzled expressions) “ So, why are you talking to me instead of Kramnik?”
Kramnik and contract
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r3.html (1 of 5)17/07/05 10:08:43
Braingames World Chess Championships
As you can imagine, this conversation went back and forth several times with the organisers not realising that the gist of the problem was that they had (supposedly) a water-tight contract with Big Bad Vlad (who says there’s no such thing written in his contract about supplying notes to the games), but no contract with KasparovChess.
Jeremy Hanley and Raymond Keene The penny finally dropped on the arrival of the Braingames Chairman, Sir Jeremy Hanley. Ever since Neville Chamberlain, I have always been wary of Tory politicians waving a piece of paper but in this case it was Kramnik’s contract. Sir Jeremy informed Kasparov Chess UK editor, GM Jon “Scoop” Levitt, that it was clearly stated that Kramnik could not contribute notes to www.kasparov.com.
Jon Levitt But seriously, folks, all this legal action going around in the chess world is alarming. We have Karpov and Polgar suing Fide for the return of their world titles, Shirov suing Garry and Rentero for his aborted match, and now Braingames allegedly threatening to sue Kramnik. We could end up with the worst possible scenario for chess: A lawyer ending up as world champion! So what about the games, I hear you ask? Well, game four was one of those classics that will go down in the annals of chess history. After the queens came off early, we thought we were going to be in for an early finish and started making arrangements for a cultural visit to some of the local bars and nightclubs around Soho in central London. This soon changed as Kramnik decided to put in some “overtime” at the office. It was a hectic day in the pressroom. We knew that things weren’t going good for Garry when Mig and the KasparovChess team, after first of all announcing a sudden delay in the company going public, started handing out black armbands. Staring down the barrel (doubled at that), Kasparov worked “miracles” to produce one of the saves of the 114-year history of world championship chess and avoid going 1-3 down. As the game had gone into extra-time with Kasparov in a hopeless position, most of the journalists had already written his obituary and filed the copy. Sitting back to be in at the death, you should have seen the stricken horror on the faces of the hacks as they realised that he’d produced a Hail-Mary save. There were screams of panic as they rushed towards the telephones to phone-in the chess equivalent of “Hold the Front-Page…” Kramnik,V - Kasparov,G [D27]
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r3.html (2 of 5)17/07/05 10:08:43
Braingames World Chess Championships
1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4!? This is a surprise from Kasparov! He doesn't play the Queen's Gambit Accepted. After Kramnik's comprehensive victory in game two, Kasparov's Gruenfeld looks to be still in the garage under repair. 3 Nf3 e6 4 e3 c5 5 Bxc4 a6 6 0–0 Nf6 7 dxc5 Kramnik wisely opts to avoid his new double-edged line with 11 h4, that he recently uncorked at Dortmund. Instead, he prefers for a quieter line with which he has had success with in the past. 7 Bb3 cxd4 8 exd4 Nc6 9 Nc3 Be7 10 Re1 0–0 11 h4 Na5 12 Bc2 b5 13 Qd3 Bb7 14 h5 Bxf3 15 Qxf3 Qxd4 16 Bf4 b4 17 Rad1 Qc4 18 Bd3 Qc6 19 Ne4 Nd5 20 Be5 f5 21 Qg3 Rf7 22 Nd2 Nb7 23 Nf3 Nc5 24 Nd4 Qb6 25 Nxf5 exf5 26 Bc4 Nf6 27 Bc7 1–0 Kramnik,V-Huebner,R/Dortmund GER 2000/The Week in Chess 297 (27) 7 ..Qxd1 8 Rxd1 Bxc5 9 Nbd2 Nbd7 10 Be2 b6 11 Nb3 Be7 12 Nfd4 Bb7 13 f3 0–0 14 e4 Rfc8 15 Be3 Kf8 16 Nd2!N
Going to c4. Kramnik departs from a game played by one of his seconds, Bareev: 16 Kf2 Ne5 17 Nd2 Rc7 18 N4b3 Rc6 19 Rac1 Rac8 20 Rxc6 Rxc6 21 h3 Ke8 22 Bd4 Nfd7 23 Rc1 Rxc1 24 Nxc1 f6 25 a3 Bd6 26 b4 a5 27 Bc3 axb4 28 axb4 Ke7 29 Ndb3 g5 30 Nd4 Nc6 31 Nc2 h6 32 Nb3 Nce5 33 Nbd4 h5 34 Bb5 h4 35 Ne3 Nf8 36 Bf1 Nfd7 37 Ke1 Bb8 38 Bb5 Nf8 39 Nc4 Nxc4 40 Bxc4 Be5 41 Kd2 Bxd4 42 Bxd4 Nd7 43 Bb5 e5 44 Be3 Kd6 45 Bc4 Kc7 ½–½ Bareev,E-Rublevsky,S/Elista 1996/CBM 56 (45) 16 ..Ne5 17 N4b3 Rc6 18 Rac1 Rac8 19 Rxc6 Rxc6 And that, we thought, was that! With the queens and a set of rooks coming off, the hacks in the pressroom were under the impression that today would be the "unofficial rest-day". Little did we know what was to come... 20 g4! Underestimated by Kasparov. Kramnik now makes the world champion squirm for the next four hours as he patiently exploits his space advantage. 20 ..h6 21 h4 Bc8 22 g5 hxg5 23 hxg5 Nfd7 24 f4 Ng6 25 Nf3
Kramnik's strategy has worked - White's much better. Now, rather than "dig in" to save the half point, Kasparov, as has been the case so far in this match, doesn't like the idea of being on the back-foot and attempts to "make something happen". 25 ..Rc2?! Just 25 ..Ke8 would have kept it all together. 26 Bxa6! Bxa6 27 Rxd7 Rxb2 27 ..Re2? 28 Bxb6 Nxf4 29 Ra7 Bb5 30 Nbd4! Nh3+ 31 Kh1 Nf2+ 32 Kg2 Rxb2 33 Nxb5 Nxe4+ 34 Kf1!, and Black's in a bad way. 28 Ra7 Bb5 29 f5 exf5 30 exf5 Re2 31 Nfd4!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r3.html (3 of 5)17/07/05 10:08:43
Braingames World Chess Championships
As subtle as a brick over the head - and stronger than the obvious capture on b6. Kramnik doesn't even offer Garry a glimmer of hope. 31 ..Re1+ 32 Kf2 Rf1+ 33 Kg2 Nh4+ 34 Kh3 Rh1+ 35 Kg4 Be8 36 Bf2 Ng2 37 Ra8! Rf1 38 Kf3 Nh4+
In the pressroom at the time, this was widely seen as one of the biggest blunders ever played in a world championship match, as Garry had to play 38 ..Nf4. However, it was subsequently shown that this also won for White: 38 ..Nf4 39 Nd2 Rd1 40 Nc4 Nd5 41 Nb5 Bxg5 42 Ke2! (42 Nbd6? Nc7 43 Rc8 b5=) 42 ..Rh1 43 Nbd6 Nc7 44 Rc8 b5 45 Nxe8 Nxe8 46 Bc5+ Be7 47 Nd6 Bxd6 48 Bxd6+ Kg8 49 Rxe8+ with no hope for Black. 39 Ke2 Rh1 40 Nb5 Bxg5 41 Nc7 Ke7 42 Nxe8 Nxf5 43 Bxb6 Kd7 44 a4 And, with the subtle plan
of a5-a6-a7 etc., and an earthquake striking central London being Black's only chance of saving the game, Kasparov went into a long, deep thought. This gave all the journalists some time to start going about writing Kasparov's obituary as we waited for him to resign. However, as Mark Twain once famously said: "Rumours of my death have been grossly exaggerated." And sure enough... 44 ..Rh3 45 Nc5+ Kc6 46 a5 Re3+ 47 Kd1 Re7 48 Rc8+
Kb5 49 Ne4! Rxe4
Vladimir - sorry Team – Kramnik, writing in Kasparov.com, thought that Black had better chances with: 49 ..Ne3+ 50 Kc1 (50 Ke2 Nc4 51 Nc7+ Ka4 52 Kf3 Rxe4!) 50 ..Nc4+ 51 Nxg5 Nxb6 52 axb6 Kxb6 and its not to clear how white wins. 50 Rc5+ Ka6 51 Nc7+ Kb7 52 Rxf5 Be3 52 ..f6? 53 Rb5 Kc6 54 a6 Ra4 55 a7 Bf4 56 Ra5! 53 Bxe3 Kramnik "suddenly" makes it all the more difficult for himself. He's still winning - but we've all been in the same position (although admittedly not against Kasparov!): We're waiting for our opponent to resign, and start to relax more and more. Instead, perhaps the best route to victory was: 53 Nb5! Ka6 (53 ..Kc6 54 Na7+ Kb7 55 Rxf7+ Ka6 56 Nc8) 54 Nd6 Re6 55 Nc4 Bxb6 56 axb6 Re4 57 Ra5+! Kb7 58 Ra7+ Kb8 59 Rc7 Re6 (59 ..g5 60 Na5) 60 Rxf7 g5 61 Rg7 Rc6 62 Rg8+ Rc8 63 Rxc8+ Kxc8 64 Na5! and, since Black can't get near the pawn, White marches his king up
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r3.html (4 of 5)17/07/05 10:08:43
Braingames World Chess Championships
the board to c6, via gobbling the g-pawn, to win. 53 ..Rxe3 54 Rxf7 Re5 55 a6 +?
Kramnik goes brain-dead at the braingames at the crucial moment. He was probably thinking about what he was going to say at the press conference afterwards, having taken a 2–0 lead, and allows Kasparov back with a miracle escape of Houdini proportions. Instead, the win could be found with [55 Nd5+! A) 55 ..Kc6 56 Nb4+ Kb5 57 Rf4 Rg5 (57 ..g5 58 Rg4 Rf5 59 a6) 58 a6; B) 55 ..Kb8 56 Nb4; C) 55 ..Ka8 56 Nb6+ Kb8 57 a6; D) 55 ..Ka6 56 Nb4+! Kb5 57 Rf4 g5 58 Rg4 Rf5 59 a6 55 ..Kb6 56 Rxg7 [56 Rf8 Ra5 57 Rc8 Kc6!=] 56 ..Ra5 57 Kd2 Ra1 58 Kc2 Rh1?? Now its Kasparov's turn to go brain-dead in this epic battle. As in the note above, the correct defensive plan is 58 .. Ra5! ] 59 Kb2 [59 Rg8! Ra1 60 Nd5+! wins. 59 ..Rh8!= 60 Kb3 Rc8 61 a7 Kxa7 Instead of being used as coasters for my mug of tea, I finally found a
use for the four-volume, ChessBase Endgame Rom CD's, sent to me by Freddie Friedel. Draw in all lines – so I can safely put my cup back on them! 62 Kb4 Kb6 63 Nd5+ So why play on in a theoretically drawn ending? Well, as Kasparov pointed out afterwards at the press conference, "He [Kramnik] had every right to do so! Remember, I managed to win this ending against Polgar after she put her king in the wrong place." 63 ..Ka6 64 Rg6+ Kb7 65
Kb5 Rc1 66 Rg2 Kc8 67 Rg7 Kd8 68 Nf6 Rc7 69 Rg5 Rf7 70 Nd5 Kd7 71 Rg6 Rf1 72 Kc5 ½–½
The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center. LCC Home | TWIC | The Match | WAP | Fantasy Chess | Schedule | Reports Results | WCC Home
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r3.html (5 of 5)17/07/05 10:08:43
|
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home
Braingames World Chess Championships
GAME 15
P-P-P-P-PICK UP A PENGUIN
GAME 14
By John Henderson
GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8
RAY KEENE AND ERIC SCHILLER: AN APOLOGY - It’s been brought to my attention by our legal firm of Dowey, Skrewum & Howe, that in my first report, entitled No Pein, No Pain, I erroneously described both Mr Keene and Mr Schiller as “the Hardy & Hardy of chess organisation”. I now realise that I was wrong to describe these two legends in their own lunch hours in such a way, and humbly apologise for any harm or offence caused.
GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT
Eric Schiller I now fully accepted that, in view of the fact that they need to climb four flights of stairs numerous times a day in order to get to the pressroom that doesn’t have any food or refreshments within it, coupled with the fact that they have both been seen eating regularly at a Vegetarian Restaurant (favourite food: seconds – see Tony Miles and Larry Christiansen), I should, in fact, have described them as “the Laurel & Laurel of chess organisation”.
Email
Ray Keene
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r4.html (1 of 5)17/07/05 10:08:57
Braingames World Chess Championships
I hope that in no way does this oversight on my part harm any future working relationship with Mr Keene and Mr Schiller, and I look forward to reviewing their “instant” book on the Braingames World Championship match between Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik – due for publication the week before the match finishes! I suppose the above is pretty tame for these two who over the years have been the butt (and a large one at that) of many jokes, scandals and malicious gossip in the chess world. However, one of them, Ray Keene, despite the jibes about his many bad books, has, in fact, authored several excellent titles in his early days that were well worth picking up. Opening classics such as Flank Openings, The Pirc Defence and The Modern Defence (in collaboration with George Botterill), and The Nimzo-Larsen Attack, all stand out as outstanding theoretical works. However, for me, Ray was at his best producing biographies such as Aaron Nimzowitsch: a Reappraisal (by far his best work), Leonid Stein: Master of Attack, Howard Staunton: the English world chess champion (in collaboration with Richard Coles), and last, but not least, his own recent autobiography to celebrate his big Five-O, Grandmaster Strategy.
Affectionately known in British chess circles as “The Penguin”, Ray, despite all his many faults, in fact has a keen (no pun intended) sense of history for the game that shines through in his weekly column in The Spectator magazine. Both players in this $2 million Braingames World Championship match are playing for a new trophy that has, as they would say in a Londonbased police thriller, Ray’s dabs all over it – The Staunton Memorial Trophy. No British journalist/author has done more to highlight the achievements of the great English player of the 19th centaury, Howard Staunton (18101874), regarded by many as the de facto world champion of his day. Staunton played a huge part in changing the face of the game from being a gentleman's pastime into a competitive sport. He was the mastermind behind the first international chess tournament in London in 1851, which launched the era of international chess competition long before most other sports had got themselves organised. He lent his name to the 'Staunton pattern' chessmen, thus establishing a design for chess pieces that remains standard to this day - highlighted by the fact that both Kasparov and Kramnik play this match with such a set. Although the title of world champion did not officially exist in the 1840s, Staunton was regarded as the “unofficial” world champion after he broke the 100-year French domination of world chess (Legall, Philidor, Deschapelles and La Bourdonnais). “In a match played in London,” jokingly commented Garry Kasparov at the press conference after game five, “there should be at least one English Opening!”. Kasparov wasn’t just paying homage to the venue for his match against Kramnik, he was, in his own little way, paying tribute to Staunton, of whom Bobby Fischer described as “...the most profound opening analyst of
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r4.html (2 of 5)17/07/05 10:08:57
Braingames World Chess Championships
all time.” The English Opening, 1 c4, was rarely tried until 1843; then became the centre of attention after Staunton played it six times in his match against Pierre de Saint-Amant. When both the Champions of England and France met in the Great Hall of the Café de la Regenge in a 21-game match (Staunton winning 13-8), it was universally dubbed as “The World Championship Match”, the first time a chess match had been such named. Staunton was the first British player to be honoured with a memorial tournament, and last year he became the first chess-player to be immortalised by English Heritage when a blue plaque was unveiled in his honour at his former dwelling, 117 Lansdowne Road, London.
And, likewise at the Braingames World Championship match, he’s being honoured by the chess fraternity with both Kasparov and Kramnik competing not just for the prize-money, but more importantly for ownership of the trophy, specially commissioned and designed by the royal jewellers, Aspreys, which will be awarded to the winner.
Kasparov,G (2849) - Kramnik,V (2770) [A34] 1 c4 Perhaps feeling the strain after his exertions (incidentally, Word 2000 offered me the choice of “excretions” here on its spellchecker, which I thought would have been more appropriate!) of the day before, Kasparov plays the English; an opening he rarely plays these days. Although he used it most of the time during his Seville match against Karpov in 1987, he last used it against Deep Blue in 1997. 1 ..c5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 g3 d5 The Rubinstein Variation. 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 Bg2 Nc6 6 Nc3 g6 6 ..e5?? 7 Nxe5! Nxc3 8 Nxc6 wins material. 7 0–0 Bg7 8 Qa4 Nb6 9 Qb5 Nd7!?N
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r4.html (3 of 5)17/07/05 10:08:57
Braingames World Chess Championships
A novelty from Kramnik, though admittedly it does transpose later into a known line. He doesn't like giving up the c4-pawn despite the fact that he gets more than adequate piece-play for it: 9 ..c4 10 Ne5 (10 Na4 0–0 11 Nxb6 axb6 12 Qxc4 Be6 13 Qh4 Bxa2 14 d3 e5 15 Bg5 Qd7 16 Be3 Nd4 17 Nxd4 exd4 18 Bd2 Bd5 19 Bb4 Rxa1 20 Rxa1 draw Myreng,S-Catalan,T/ Gausdal 1982/MCL (61)) 10 ..Bxe5 11 Bxc6+ bxc6 12 Qxe5 f6 13 Qe4 Qd6 14 Rd1 Bf5 15 Qf3 Qe6 16 Re1 Kf7 17 b3 Rhd8 18 Qe3 cxb3 19 axb3 Qxb3 20 Ba3 Qe6 21 Qxe6+ Bxe6 22 d3 a5 23 Bc5 Nd7 24 Be3 Rdb8 draw Lobejko,RSchmidt,W/Koszalin 1998/CBM 65 10 d3 0–0 11 Be3 Nd4 12 Bxd4 12 Qc4!? Nxf3+ (12 ..b5 13 Nxb5! Nxe2+ 14 Kh1 and White's doing well.) 13 exf3! (13 Bxf3 Ne5! and Black has the bishop pair and a nice game. As played, White will always be able to use f4 to take the e5-square from Black.) 13 ..Ne5 14 Qxc5 Nxd3 15 Qb5 and, after easy developing moves like f4, Rfd1 and Rac1, White has a big plus. 12 ..cxd4 13 Ne4 Qb6!
This looks like Kramnik's “big idea” to playing Garry in this match. Whenever practically possible, he seeks to exchange queens to frustrate the champion. 14 a4 a6! 14 ..Qxb5 15 axb5 Nb6 16 Ra5!, and White has good hopes with active queenside play. 15 Qxb6 Nxb6 16 a5 Nd5 17 Nc5 Rd8 18 Nd2 Rb8 19 Nc4 e6 20 Rfc1 Bh6!
Kramnik doesn't want Kasparov to have control of the c-file, hence 20 ..Bh6. 21 Rcb1 Bf8 22 Nb3 Bg7 23 Bxd5 Rxd5 It doesn't take a genius to work out that taking with the pawn is bad: 23 ..exd5 24 Nb6 Re8 25 Rc1! 24 Nbd2 24 Nb6?! Rb5 25 Nd2 e5 26 b4 Bf8 27 Ra4 Bg4 28 f3 Be6 29 Ndc4 Bc5! and Black's better. 24 ..e5 ½–½ The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center.
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r4.html (4 of 5)17/07/05 10:08:57
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home GAME 15
Braingames World Chess Championships FREE THE HENDERSON ONE! By John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT
John receiving advice on how to pack up his computer WELL, John Henderson has most definitely left the building! And believe me, as you can see from the picture above featuring laugh-a-minute Knuckles and myself, it wasn’t exactly voluntary! Sit back and allow me to tell you a tale of democracy BrainGames style Sitting comfortably? Kids safely tucked-up in bed? Doors and windows firmly locked? Ok, let’s begin… I arrived at the press centre on the day of game six, unpacked all my usual essential equipment; radio, newspapers, sandwiches and thermos flask – oh, and of course, my laptop and trusty camera, and headed downstairs to take the photographs of the players for the start of play. Once there, I discovered another silly new rule from BrainGames in place – they had drawn a yellowline on the floor, which was strictly verboten to go over to take a photograph.
Email
A picture of a yellow line
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r5.html (1 of 6)17/07/05 10:09:08
Braingames World Chess Championships
Now, after game five, I had a very constructive discussion with Eric Schiller on why we good people of the press should be allowed a little closer to the action for the mug shots (though I was disappointed that he immediately ruled out my usual preference of two inches from their nose). To be fair, Eric could see our problem and promised to discuss the matter further with the BrainGames CEO, Suzanne Martin. Well, I don’t know what took place in that discussion, Eric, but hey, somebody must have got the wrong end of the stick! We found ourselves further than usual from the action, with this new yellow-line at least five-feet from the stage, the players being a further 3-4 feet from that.
Hubble Telescope: Houston, we've got a picture of the players! In reality, I would have needed the services of the Hubble Space Telescope to get a suitable picture of Big Bad Vlad and Gazza for you to ogle and dribble over! Ok, call me irresponsible (“John, you’re simply irresponsible”), but I decided to mention this, in the politest possible way, to Ms Martin. Oh, little did I know what was coming next... Returning to the sanctuary of the press room, Ms Martin asked to see me for a “moment”. I was so naive here - I stupidly thought to myself, “maybe BrainGames finally wants to get my advice on how to actually run this exciting chess match and make it newsworthy!” Well, they certainly discovered a way to get some free publicity. Now, I suppose I should really have twigged when she had two heavies in tow, specially hired for the occasion from THUGS-R-US, but I didn’t. She then (now remember, I’ve now got a couple of extras from the Sopranos on either side of me at this stage) decided to inform me that, after reading some of my articles (I presume the ones on this site), it was obvious “I wasn’t happy” with being here among us, so my press accreditation was being removed and these two upstanding, respectable gentlemen were here to “help” me pack up my belongings and leave quietly, Capite? Sorry, did I miss something while having a wonderful time in Seattle? Did the government decide to outlaw anything that smacked of Freedom of the Press? Was there a military coup while I was sunning myself, and that nice Mr Blair replaced by a dictatorship? I immediately informed Match Director Raymundo Keene that it was an affront for a journalist to be “asked” to leave simply because an organisation didn’t like what he was writing. Ever the guardian of journalistic rights, the great Raymundo told me to “leave for now and I’ll soon clear up this silly mess.” Ok, I thought, and having a sudden flashback to my good old Socialist days, I decided to organise an urgent branch meeting of my fellow journalists in the press room. Guess what? Yes, that’s right – ever so strictly verboten! “Oh, no you’re not,” said Ms Martin letting her Pit Bull Terriers off the leash, “you’re leaving the building now!” It was at this moment, with Knuckles moving up close and personal (nice guy, really, he’s coming round for tea next week), that I spotted Raymundo racing towards the scene to sort this ugly mess out and restore the democratic rights of a fellow journalist, and the sanctity of the press room.
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r5.html (2 of 6)17/07/05 10:09:08
Braingames World Chess Championships
John discusses things over with Raymond Keene “Get out of here. Get out now. You can’t write that crap from this building!” He bellowed at the top of his voice. Well, I suppose with his record in writing crap, he should be able to recognise it when he sees it!. So there we were: mano a mano – except that he had a couple of threatening hired gorillas ready to pounce. Now, forgive me here, but don’t you think BrainGames are being totally, well, brainless or even braindead in their jackbooted approach because they: “didn’t like what I was writing”? Also, in full view of a room full of shocked journalists (thankfully not too shocked to remember to take pictures and even video footage – available to any news outlet all rights and charges waived!), they decide to remove someone just because they didn’t (or perhaps couldn’t?) understand satire. However, the story doesn’t end there. Realising that they couldn’t justify removing a nationally accredited journalist (just in case you’re wondering, the Scotsman and CNN are the day jobs) because they didn’t like what he was writing, BrainGames decided to reassure the few “lucky” journalists left in the gulag – sorry, press centre – that my reason for being removed had nothing at all to do with my writing. Oh, far from it. Like you, dear readers, they just can’t wait for another rib-tickling (or should that be rib-breaking?) issue of Henderson’s wacky adventures in BrainGames Land. No, no. I had to be ejected because of some other “undisclosed misdemeanour”. So, Ray and Suzanne: we have a room full of journalists, who have all kindly written to my employers expressing their outrage at what happened and quoting verbatim your squawks. We have someone who was kind enough to leave his tape recorder on throughout the incident, and they all tell a different story. As for the “undisclosed misdemeanour”, well, according to letters faxed from Braingames to the Scotsman and CNN, I had to be ejected because I was “constantly abusive towards their staff”. Fully supportive, my newspaper’s inhouse legal department are still awaiting a reply from BrainGames to be specific about that so-called abuse towards their staff. So, where do we go from here? Well, how about doing something radical for a change by supporting The Free Henderson One campaign? You can try and help me to get back my press accreditation and back into the press centre, by emailing me your support and by showing your displeasure at the harsh treatment of a journalist at
[email protected] (remember to add “Free The Henderson One” to your header), telling BrainGames to allow yours truly back in – You know it makes sense!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r5.html (3 of 6)17/07/05 10:09:08
Braingames World Chess Championships
Oh yes, and game six was pretty exciting Kramnik,V - Kasparov,G [D27] 1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3 Nf3 e6 4 e3 c5 5 Bxc4 a6 6 0–0 Nf6 7 a4 7 Bb3 cxd4 8 exd4 Nc6 9 Nc3 Be7 10 Re1 0–0 11 h4 Na5 12 Bc2 b5 13 Qd3 Bb7 14 h5 Bxf3 15 Qxf3 Qxd4 16 Bf4 b4 17 Rad1 Qc4 18 Bd3 Qc6 19 Ne4 Nd5 20 Be5 f5 21 Qg3 Rf7 22 Nd2 Nb7 23 Nf3 Nc5 24 Nd4 Qb6 25 Nxf5 exf5 26 Bc4 Nf6 27 Bc7 1–0 Kramnik,V-Huebner,R/Dortmund GER 2000/The Week in Chess 297 (27); 7 dxc5 was seen in game four. 7 ..Nc6 8 Qe2 cxd4 9 Rd1 Be7 10 exd4 0–0 11 Nc3 Nd5 12 Bb3 Re8 13 h4N
A TN from Kramnik - and one that the Danish GM, Bent Larsen would be proud of with both rooks pawns advanced after just 13 moves. Note that the TN also closely resembles Kramnik's recent h4 improvement in a similar line of the QGA he had against Huebner in Dortmund. 13 ..Ncb4! Superb play from Kasparov - he didn't even blink an eyelid about taking on h4, which of course is dangerous for Black: 13 ..Bxh4? 14 Nxh4 Nxc3 (14 ..Qxh4?? 15 Bxd5 Nxd4 16 Qe4) 15 bxc3 Qxh4 16 Rd3! and Black has problems defending the kingside with moves like Rh3 and Rg3 in the offing. 14 h5 Just as the game gets interesting, Ray Keene and his thugs now move in to evict me. 14 ..b6 15 Ne5 Bb7 16 a5 b5 (16…Rc8! ) 17 h6 g6 18 Ne4 Nc7 19 Nc5 Bd5 20 Ra3!
A truly nice rook lift from Kramnik. The rook has so much scope from a3: c3e3 or kingside attack with Rf3-g3 or -h3. 20 ..Nc6 21 Bxd5 Qxd5 22 Ncd7
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r5.html (4 of 6)17/07/05 10:09:08
Braingames World Chess Championships
Rad8! 23 Nxc6 Rxd7 24 Nxe7+ Rexe7 25 Rc3 f6 26 Be3 26 Bf4 e5! is good for Black. 26 ..Kf7 27 Rdc1 Qb7 28 Rc5 Nd5 29 Qf3 Nb4 30 Qe2 Rc7 31 Bf4 Rxc5 32 dxc5 e5 33 Qd2!
During the press conference after the game, Kasparov readily admitted that overlooked this strong move in mutual time trouble. 33 ..Nc6 34 Qd5+ Kf8 35 Be3 Qd7 36 Qf3 Kf7? Kasparov misses his chance for an easily life: 36 ..Qe6! 37 Rd1 e4 38 Qf4 g5 39 Qd6 Kf7!, with advantage. 37 Rd1 e4 38 Qe2 Qf5 39 Rd6 Re6 40 Rd7+ Re7 41 Rd6 Re6 42 Qd1 g5?
42 ..Rxd6 was the best way to equalize. This drawing plan was also suggested
during the game by GM Mickey Adams who made a special appearance in the commentary box for this game. 43 Qxd6 (43 cxd6 Ke6 44 d7 Ke7 black advantage) 43 ..Qe6 44 Qc7+ Ne7 45 Bd4 Qd5=, with the simple threat of a perpetual check between d1 and h5!] 43 Qh5+ Ke7 44 Qd1 Kf7 45 Rd7+ Kg6 46 Rg7+ Kxh6 47 Qd7 Re5 48 Qf7 Rd5 49 Kh1! An amazing concept from Kramnik: Stopping any idea of ..Ne5 and, if Qxd5, ..Nf3+ winning - He's literally got Kasparov in Zugzwang. 49 ..Nd8 50 Rxh7+ Qxh7 51 Qxd5 Kg6+ 52
Kg1 Qc7 53 Qg8+ Kf5 54 Qd5+ Kg6 55 Qxe4+ Kg7 56 Qa8 Qd7 57 Kh2 Qd3!
The Houdini of Hammersmith strikes again! Garry's saving move was simply missed by Kramnik. 58 g3 What else? Trying to run with the king isn't the solution: 58 Qxa6 Qh7+ 59 Kg3 Qh4+ 60 Kf3 Qh5+ A) 61 Ke4 Qh7+ 62 Kd4? (62 Kf3=) 62 ..Qc2 63 Qxb5 Ne6+ 64 Kd5 Nc7+; B) 61 g4 61 ..Qh3+ 62 Ke2 Qxg4+ 63 f3 Qc4+ 64 Kf2 Qc2+ 65 Kg3 Qe2 66 Bd4 Qe1+ 67 Bf2 58 ..Nf7 59 Qb7 Kg6 60 Qxa6 Ne5 61 Qa8 Ng4+ 62 Kh3 Qf5 63 Qg8+ Kh6 64 Qh8+ Kg6 65 Qe8+ Kh6 66 Qh8+ ½–½ Dr Fritz informed us that if 66.Kg2 Qd5+ 67.f3 Ne5 and there is perpetual if white trys to run his king away after …Nxe3 and …Qb1+ etc
The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC,
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r5.html (5 of 6)17/07/05 10:09:08
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home GAME 15
Braingames World Chess Championships REBEL WITH A CAUSE By John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT Email
Riverside Studios GUESS WHAT? Well, as you can observe from today’s picture, I’m still banned from the press centre at the Riverside Studios – this is as close as I get to the action! Despite all your valiant efforts (for which I humbly thank my loyal readership – all two of them!), the BrainGames organisers still can’t see the error of their ways as they search in vain to find the word “satire” in the Webster’s Dictionary. While you’re at it, Ray and Suzanne, see if you can also find the words: “democratic society”, “freedom of the press” and “journalistic rights”. For the life of me I still can’t believe what the organisers did. It’s enough to give you the heebie-jeebies. Ok, you don’t like what a journalist is writing, so do you a) Just ignore him and work on the principle that all news is good news, or do you b) In a room full of journalists who had cameras, tape recorders and video cameras easily at hand, arrive with a couple of Sopranolike heavies and forcibly remove him? Hmm, tough call there! Well, after deciding not to phone–a-friend (if they could find one) and opting for “b”, BrainGames seemed to have turned me into the James Dean of the chess world – Rebel With A Cause. I’m now, as they saying goes, something of a minor celebrity. So much so, that I’m getting emails from all around the world - even the Chinese government are appalled at what’s happened and are considering making an appeal on my behalf to the United Nations! One email from a brave comrade showed his solidarity by asking me – and I’m not making this up here – “which Railway Bridges I wanted the slogan painted across in London to highlight the cause?” Believe it or not, the “Free The Henderson One” campaign seems to have touched a raw nerve in the free chess world – we’re even thinking of making up T-shirts!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r6.html (1 of 4)17/07/05 10:09:17
Braingames World Chess Championships
Ray Keene I actually considered organising my own protest by going up to the Riverside Studios with every “crap” Ray Keene title I could lay my hands on to stage a book burning session. Unfortunately, this had to be ruled out when the Fire Chief for London told me he didn’t have the manpower to deal with such a blaze should it get out of control! However, while holed-up in a safe London house (Chess & Bridge, 369 Euston Road – but don’t tell anyone!) watching game seven (Why don’t you do what I do as a boycott? Don’t go to the official site to watch the games – Oh, I’m such a rebel!), for one glorious moment I thought that the campaign had just signed-up Garry Kasparov! Since the “great sandwich stealing incident” at Wijk aan Zee – where Gazza caught me sneaking into the player’s room to steal the food – I know for a fact that he always fondly looks out for me at tournaments. Well, I wasn’t there for game seven – and look what happened! According to the messages that my fellow journalists managed to smuggling out of the gulag to me, something was definitely bothering numero uno after his short, eleven-move draw. “I'm not very happy with what happened today but the reasons are entirely mine," said Kasparov after the game. Hey, maybe the boys are going to half out the rest of the match with short draws until my pass has been restored! Ok, boys, when the T-shirts come in, you’ll be the first to get one! So, what’s next? Well, since its impossible to continue doing my job from my safe house in London, I could go to a couple of big chess tournaments in countries which have a better record in maintaining a free press: Istanbul in Turkey for the Olympiad, and then afterwards Tehran for the final of the Fide World Championship! Alternatively, I could just head back home to Edinburgh to watch the Subway World Series between the Mets and the Yankees (my monies on the Mets). So, if you don’t hear from me again during this match, feel free to just start the revolution without me! Alternatively, you can continue to show your displeasure at the harsh treatment of a journalist, by emailing us your support to the London Chess Center at
[email protected] (remember to add “Free The Henderson One” to your header). And, if you’re interested in purchasing a “Free The Henderson One” T-shirt, I’m sure Malcolm Pein will only be to pleased to help the cause by taking your credit card number!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r6.html (2 of 4)17/07/05 10:09:17
Braingames World Chess Championships
Kasparov,G - Kramnik,V [A32] Game 7 1 c4 c5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 a6 5 Nc3 e6 6 g3?!
A decisive moment: Kasparov could have opted instead to transpose into a Sicilian Maroczy Bind with 6 e4. Despite starting with 1 e4, look how the position transposes after six moves in the following game: 1 e4 e6 2 d4 c5 3 Nf3 cxd4 4 Nxd4 a6 5 c4 Nf6 6 Nc3 d6 7 Be2 Be7 8 0–0 0–0 9 Be3 b6 10 Qd2 Bb7 11 f3 Nbd7 12 Rfd1 Qc7 13 Rac1 Rac8 14 Kh1 Qb8 15 Bf1 Rfe8 16 a3 Ne5 17 Na4 Bd8 18 b4 Bc7 19 Bg1 Rcd8 20 Qc2 Rc8 21 Qf2 Ba8 22 Be2 Rcd8 23 Nb3 Ned7 24 Nc3 Kh8 25 Qh4 Bb7 26 Rc2 Ne5 27 Rcd2 Rc8 28 Qf2 Ba8 29 Qd4 Qb7 30 h3 h6 31 Qe3 Qc6 32 b5 axb5 33 Nxb5 Nxc4 34 Bxc4 Qxc4 35 Nxc7 Rxc7 36 Rc1 Qxc1 37 Nxc1 Rxc1 38 Rxd6 Ra1 39 Qc3 Rb1 40 Rxb6 Rxb6 41 Bxb6 Rb8 42 Qc7 Rb7 43 Qd8+ Kh7 44 a4 h5 45 a5 h4 46 e5 Rd7 47 Qxa8 Nh5 48 Qe4+ 1–0 Almasi,I-Fang,J/Budapest HUN 1996 6 ..Qc7 7 Qd3 Another double-edged option was: 7 Bg5!? Bb4 (7 ..Qxc4 8 Rc1 Qb4 9 a3 Qa5 10 Bxf6 gxf6 11 Bg2) 8 Bxf6 gxf6 9 Rc1 b6 10 Bg2 Bb7 11 Bxb7 Qxb7 12 0–0 Nc6 13 Nxc6 Qxc6 14 Qd4 Bxc3 15 Rxc3 Ke7 16 Rd1 Rhd8 17 Qh4± Rashkovsky,NVaganian,R/URS(ch)1976/1:0 (39) 7 ..Nc6 8 Nxc6 dxc6 8 ..Qxc6!? 9 e4 Bb4 10 f3 is unclear. 9 Bg2 e5! Black has easily equalised. 10 0–0 Be6 11 Na4N
TN - and a draw offer on the same move! Other options include: 11 b3 A) 11 .. Rd8 12 Qc2 Be7 13 Bb2 0–0 14 Rad1 ½–½ Ribli,Z-Ljubojevic,L/Linares 1981; B) 11 ..Be7 12 Bb2 h5 13 Ne4 Rd8 14 Qc2 Nd7 15 Rad1 f5 16 Nd2 h4 17 Nf3 hxg3 18 hxg3 c5 19 Rxd7 Qxd7 20 Nxe5 Qd2 21 Qb1 Qh6 22 f4 Qh2+ 23 Kf2 Rh3 24 Nf3 Qxg3+ 25 Kg1 Bd6 26 Ng5 Qh2+ 27 Kf2 Qxf4+ 28 Nf3 Qg3+ 29
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r6.html (3 of 4)17/07/05 10:09:17
Braingames World Chess Championships
Kg1 Ke7 30 Qe1 Rdh8 31 Qxg3 Rxg3 32 Be5 f4 33 Bxd6+ Kxd6 34 Rd1+ Kc7 35 Kf2 Bg4 36 Rd5 Bxf3 37 Bxf3 b6 38 Rf5 g5 39 Bd5 Rh7 40 Rf6 Rh2+ 41 Kf1 Rc3 42 Ke1 Re3 43 Bf3 Rxf3 44 exf3 Rxa2 45 Rg6 Rb2 46 Rg7+ Kd6 47 Rg6+ Ke5 48 Rxb6 Kd4 0–1 Weneny,J-Mattick,L/Berlin 1994/EXT 97 (48); 11 Ne4 Nxe4 12 Bxe4 g6 13 Be3 f5 14 Bg2 Bg7 15 Bc5 e4 16 Qe3 Kf7 17 Rad1 Bxc4 18 g4 Rhe8 19 gxf5 gxf5 20 Qg5 Be6 21 f3 exf3 22 Bxf3 Kg8 23 e4 fxe4 24 Bxe4 Qe5 25 Qxe5 Bxe5 26 b3 Kh8 27 Rde1 Bg7 28 Bf3 Bh3 29 Bg2 Bxg2 30 Kxg2 Kg8 31 Kf3 Rxe1 32 Rxe1 Rd8 33 Re2 Rd5 34 Bb4 c5 35 Be1 Kf7 36 Bg3 b5 37 Ke4 Rd4 + 38 Kf5 c4 39 bxc4 bxc4 40 Rc2 h5 41 Bf2 Rd6 42 Be3 c3 43 Bf4 Rb6 44 Ke4 Rb2 45 Kd3 Ke6 46 Bg3 Kf5 47 Be1 Kg4 48 Bg3 h4 49 Bc7 Kf3 50 Bd8 Rb4 51 Bc7 Rb2 52 Bd8 h3 53 Bc7 Rxc2 54 Kxc2 Bd4 55 Kd3 Bg1 56 Kxc3 Kg2 0–1 Sapis,W-Ivanchuk,V/Lvov 1988/CBM 07 (56) Vladimir Kramnik accepted the draw. ½–½
For the record, this isn't the shortest game in a world title match. A brief search found two ten move draws in the Botvinnik-Petrosian match 1963 (games 21 and 22 - there it was the final game of a match that could no longer be saved) but it is the shortest game of Kasparov's career. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center. LCC Home | TWIC | The Match | WAP | Fantasy Chess | Schedule | Reports | Results WCC Home
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r6.html (4 of 4)17/07/05 10:09:17
|
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home GAME 15
Braingames World Chess Championships BUSY DOING NOTHING By John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik
John in his new home WITH nothing much to do as I’m still banned sin die from the Riverside Studios, you may wonder how I’m filling my time in London, apart from lazing around doing nothing as per usual? Well, the truth of the matter is, that except for watching the chess on show via the internet (anything apart from the official site!), much of my day is preoccupied by reading newspapers, eating, drinking...reading more newspapers, even more eating, and more drinking – and so the cycle continues as I overtake Ray Keene and Eric Schiller in the weight stakes. Believe me, boys, I really miss our daily exercise routine on those four flights of stairs.
Tickets Venue CHAT Email
Leontxo Garcia and Hans Ree However, I do have some onerous tasks to perform now that I’ve become a cult figure (I can’t help feeling that there’s some at the Riverside Studios who would question my spelling of “cult”) – I get to read all your many emails of support that’s come flooding in! Believe me, apart from being encouraging, they are a great support for the basic rights for all journalist’s. I would also
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r7.html (1 of 5)17/07/05 10:09:28
Braingames World Chess Championships
like to thank at this stage the public support shown by Hans Ree and Leontxo Garcia in their letters on the Twic front-page, and Lubosh Kavalek for his support in his Washington Post column, which can be found at: http://www. washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/style/columns/chess/A59450-2000Oct23.html .
Lubosh Kavalek So, with nothing much else to write about today, I thought I’d give you a sample of some of the email support that has entertained me. A Mr BCM Welchman from Kensington, writes: “Come on, John, call yourself a Glaswegian? You could have taken that big Jessie of a security guard, surely?” Well, in a word, Mr Welchman: NO! Of course, I was flattered (if not flattened) by the fact that the organisers felt I deserved the presence of “Knuckles” to be removed from the press room. But, in reality, I’m such a coward that the six-stone weakling in those Charles Atlas adverts even used to kick sand in my face! If they had shown up with Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, I would have been quaking in my Hush Puppies. Much more brutal and to the point, a tax exile named Ivor Lott from Bermuda, writes: “I don't know what the Scottish twit is complaining about. If this were a FIDE event he would have been found dead in a ditch.” Well, Mr Lott (by the way, Nick, any chance of a freebie to the next Bermuda tournament?), I suppose indeed I should be grateful that the great Raymundo only metaphorically stabbed me in the back. However, it’s funny that you mention this, as, on the day I was shown the glossy exterior of the doors at the Riverside Studios, I had a discussion via email with Hans Ree on this delicate little matter. Laughing it off, I commented to Hans that, “It could have been worse – I could have been writing in Elista!” (For more information on the tragic case of Larissa Yudina, you should head for Tim Krabbe’s excellent website at http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/chess2/diary.htm, where on number 68 of his Open Chess Diary, there’s information on a new Dutch book on her assassination). But meanwhile, back at the Gulag Riverside press room, my Chess Informants (all 78 of them – available at a good price from Chess & Bridge) tell me that a whole load of Russian journalist’s have now arrived there and are wondering, indeed, what exactly all the fuss is about? In between translating the offending Braindead@Braingames and Free The Henderson One articles into Russian for publication in liberal Moscow, they’ve been muttering (in Russian, obviously), that “this used to happen to us all the time!” Somehow though I don’t think the Russians have arrived just to translate my columns for publication in Pravda. Nope, I think it’s more to do with the chess on offer from those two well-known Russians, Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik. So, without more ado, let’s actually have some chess in this column for a change as we look at the weekend double-header!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r7.html (2 of 5)17/07/05 10:09:28
Braingames World Chess Championships
Kramnik and Kasparov Kramnik,V (2770) - Kasparov,G (2849) [E32] Game 8 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4! A recent article by Jeff Sonas, the chief number
cruncher at Kasparov's own website (www.kasparovchess.com), highlighted that the one defence the champion had a good percentage record with against 1 d4, was the solid Nimzo-Indian Defence, which he has now adopted. In comparison, Kramnik's best record as white, with a strike rate approaching 90 per cent, was with the Queen's Gambit Accepted - a line that Kasparov dabbled with to near disaster in games four and six. 4 Qc2 0–0 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6
Qxc3 b6 7 Bg5 Bb7 8 f3 h6 9 Bh4 d5 10 e3 Nbd7 11 cxd5 Nxd5!
This is a line both players have played twice before - albeit in a blitz match with colours reversed! 12 Bxd8 Nxc3 13 Bh4 Nd5 14 Bf2 c5 14 ..f5 15 Bb5 c6 16 Bd3 c5 17 Ne2 Rac8 18 0–0 cxd4 19 Nxd4 Ne5 20 Be2 Nc4 21 Rfc1 Ncxe3 22 Nxe6 Rfe8 23 Rxc8 Bxc8 24 Nd4 Bd7 25 Bxe3 Nxe3 26 Rc1 Rd8 27 Kf2 f4 28 g3 Nf5 29 Nxf5 Bxf5 30 Ke1 fxg3 31 hxg3 Rd7 32 b4 Kf7 33 Rc4 g5 34 f4 Be6 35 Rc6 Re7 36 Kf2 gxf4 37 gxf4 Kg7 38 Bd3 Bd5 39 Rd6 Bb3 40 f5 Rf7 41 Rg6+ Kf8 42 Rxh6 Ke7 43 Ke3 Rf6 44 Rh7+ Rf7 45 Rh4 Kd6 46 Kd4 Rf6 47 Rg4 Bf7 48 Rg7 a5 49 b5 a4 50 Be4 Be8 51 Rb7 Rf8 52 Rxb6+ Kc7 53 Re6 Bxb5 54 Ke5 Bd7 55 Re7 Kd8 56 f6 Re8 57 Kd6 Bb5 58 Bf5 Rf8 59 f7 Rh8 60 Be6 Ba6 61 Ra7 Bc8 62 Bxc8 1–0 Kasparov,G-Kramnik,V/Moscow 1998/CBM 67 ext (62) 15 Bb5 Rfd8 16 e4 Nc7!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r7.html (3 of 5)17/07/05 10:09:28
Braingames World Chess Championships
Kasparov improves over Kramnik's play: 16 ..Ne7 17 Ne2 Bc6 18 Ba6 b5 19 a4 bxa4 20 dxc5 Ne5 21 Nd4 Rab8 22 Bg3 f6 23 0–0–0 Kf7 24 f4 Ng4 25 f5 e5 26 Bc4+ Ke8 27 Nxc6 Nxc6 28 Rxd8+ Kxd8 29 Re1 h5 30 h3 Nh6 31 Rd1+ Kc7 32 Rd6 Na5 33 Bd5 Nb3+ 34 Kd1 Nd4 35 Ra6 Rxb2 36 Rxa7+ Kb8 37 Rxa4 Rxg2 38 Rxd4 Rxg3 39 Rb4+ Kc8 40 c6 Nxf5 41 Be6+ Kc7 42 exf5 Kxc6 43 h4 Kc5 44 Rb7 Rg4 45 Ke2 Kc6 46 Ra7 Kb6 47 Rd7 Kc5 48 Ke3 Kc6 49 Rf7 e4 50 Kd4 Kb6 51 Bd5 Rxh4 52 Rxg7 Rh2 53 Bxe4 Rd2+ 54 Ke3 Rd6 55 Rh7 Kc5 56 Rxh5 Ra6 57 Rh2 Ra3+ 58 Kf4 Ra4 59 Rc2+ Kd6 60 Rd2+ Ke7 61 Rd5 1–0 Kasparov, G-Kramnik,V/Moscow 1998/CBM 67ext. 17 Bxd7 Rxd7 18 dxc5 f5! Now we see Kasparov's plan: he wants to breakdown the White centre, to let his rooks take advantage of the open files around the White King. 19 cxb6 axb6 20 Ne2 Taking the pawn gives no advantage: 20 Bxb6?! fxe4 21 Be3 (21 fxe4 Bxe4 22 Nf3 Nd5 23 Bc5 Rb7 24 b4 Nxb4!) 21 ..Rd3 gives Black lots of play. 20 ..fxe4 21 fxe4 Bxe4 22 0–0 Rd2 23 Nc3 Bb7 24 b4 Rf8 25 Ra2!
To ease the pressure, White must remove the Black rook from the seventh. 25 ..Rxa2 [25 ..Rd6 26 Re1 is easier for White as the Black pawns on b6 and e6 are a hindrance. With the text, Kasparov consigns White's knight to a bad square. 26 Nxa2 Nd5 27 Bd4 Ra8 28 Nc3 Nxc3 29 Bxc3 Rxa3 30 Bd4 Black may be a pawn ahead, but the opposite coloured bishops secure the draw for Kramnik. 30 ..b5 31 Rf4 Rd3 32 Rg4 g5 In reflection of the guidelines given below by Ruben Fine, maybe Kasparov could have put Kramnik under more pressure with 32 ..Rd1+! 33 Kf2 Rd2+ 34 Ke3 Rxg2 35 Rxg2 Bxg2 36 Be5 Kf7 37 h4 g5 38 hxg5 h5 39 Kf2, with a very, very difficult defence 33 h4! Kf7 34 hxg5 hxg5 35 Kf2! Rd2+? This throws away any chances Kasparov may have had. It was interesting the way that Kramnik contradicted the champ over his assessment of this position in the press conference to game 9. Kasparov claimed that 35…Kg6 36.Be3 Rd5 led to a position where Black had excellent chances, an assessment shared by Nigel Short. However when Kasparov mentioned it, Kramnik, quick as a flash hit back with 35…Kg6 36.Ke2! Rb3 37. Be3 Kf6!? 38.Bd2 with a safe position. 36 Ke3 Rxg2 37 Rxg2 Bxg2 38 Be5 Reading from the opposite coloured Bishop ending section with disconnected passed Pawns in Reuben Fine's classic: Basic Chess Endings, he states: ".. there is a general rule which is applicable to all cases: If the Pawns are two or more files apart, they win; if they are only one file apart they draw. The reason is simple: if the Pawns are far apart, the Bishop must blockade one, while the King stops the other, so that the White King can support the Pawn held by the Bishop and win that piece. But if the Pawns are close together the Black King can cover the advance of both." ½–½ Kasparov,G - Kramnik,V [C67] Game 9 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Again Garry tries to breakdown the Berlin Wall. How long will it take before he presses the panic button and turns to the Scotch; despite whatever TN Kramnik has? Alternatively, he could start cramming on some Weaver Adams books and play the Vienna - or how about a King's Gambit to liven affairs up! 3 ..Nf6 4 0–0 Nxe4 5 d4 Nd6 6 Bxc6 dxc6 7 dxe5 Nf5 8 Qxd8+ Kxd8 9 Nc3 h6
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r7.html (4 of 5)17/07/05 10:09:28
Braingames World Chess Championships
Smart! Kramnik doesn't give Garry a chance to improve on game 3, where Garry came close to winning, and diverges with 9 ..h6 instead of 9 ..Bd7. 10 Rd1+ Ke8 11 h3 a5 12 Bf4 Be6 13 g4 Ne7 14 Nd4 Nd5 15 Nce2 Bc5 Up to here, the game had been following the plan of another rising Russian star, Alexander Galkin: 15 ..h5 16 Nxe6 fxe6 17 c4 Nb6 18 b3 hxg4 19 hxg4 a4 20 Kg2 Be7 21 Nc3 Bb4 22 Ne4 Ba3 23 Rd3 Rd8 24 Rad1 Rxd3 25 Rxd3 axb3 26 axb3 Nd7 27 Bg5 Rf8 28 f4 Bc1 29 Kg3 Ba3 30 Rd1 Bb4 31 Ra1 Kf7 32 Rd1 Ke8 33 Bh4 Be7 34 Bxe7 Kxe7 35 Ra1 Rb8 36 Ra7 c5 37 Kh4 c6 38 Kg5 b6 39 Kg6 Rg8 40 Kh7 Rf8 41 Kxg7 1–0 Galkin,A-Yarovik,Y/Novgorod 1999/CBM 69ext. 16 Nxe6 fxe6 17 c4 Nb6 18 b3 a4! White has an advantage - but nothing
devastating. With this move, Kramnik makes his life a little easier as he prepares to take pieces off. 19 Bd2 Heading for c3, and at the same time vacating the f4-square for the knight or, possible later, for the pawn. 19 ..Kf7 20 Bc3 Rhd8 21 Rxd8 Rxd8 22 Kg2 Bad would have been b4, moving the bishop: 22 b4? Be7 23 c5 Nd5 and, with the White pawns now fixed, Black can claim an advantage. 22 ..Rd3!
Kramnik's saving grace is the fact that he has the active rook, controlling the d-file, compared to Kasparov's inactive rook. In reality, Kasparov would love to exchange the rooks as he has the better pawn structure and minor pieces. 23 Rc1 g5 Stopping Nf4. 24 Rc2 axb3! Right on time! Kramnik chooses the right moment to release the tension. 25 axb3 Nd7 26 Ra2 26 Rd2? Nxe5! 26 .. Be7! An interesting option was 26 ..b5!? 27 b4 Rxc3 28 Nxc3 Bxb4 29 Ne4 bxc4 and, with e5 also falling, White can never realistically win this position. However, Kramnik has no need for such speculative moves. 27 Ra7
[Critizised by Kasparov after the game. However, what does White play? 27 f3? b5! 28 cxb5 (28 Ra7 Re3) 28 ..cxb5 29 Rc2 (29 b4 Nb6!) 29 ..c5 30 Nc1 Rd5 and Black's much better; Also 27 b4 Nb6! 28 Ra7 (28 c5 Nd5!) 28 ..Nxc4 29 Rxb7 Rd7 is equal. 27 ..Nc5 28 f3 28 b4 Ne4 29 Ba1 Bxb4 30 Rxb7 Ba5! 28 .. Nxb3! 29 Rxb7 Nc1 30 Nxc1 Unbelievably, when calculating 27 Ra7, Kasparov missed 31 ..Nf4+ in the following position! 30 Rxc7 Nxe2 31 Bb4 Nf4+! 30 .. Rxc3 ½–½ The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center. LCC Home | TWIC | The Match | WAP | Fantasy Chess | Schedule | Reports | Results WCC Home
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r7.html (5 of 5)17/07/05 10:09:28
|
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home GAME 15
Braingames World Chess Championships THE GREAT BRAIN ROBBERY By John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10
“STRAIGHT UP, guv! It wasn’t me – I had an alibi! I’ve been banned from the Riverside Studios – at least during office hours anyway.” The scene of all the action at the Braingames match is still the pressroom as yet another crime against humanity was perpetrated - the ‘Gulag’ was burgled, with three computers stolen!
GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT Email
I leave it to our former columnist Mig to describe what happened, in his inimitable style, on Chesswire - Take it away, Mig (The inside info that is, not the computers!): “The real excitement happened before game 10 even started. The last time there was excitement in the pressroom was when journalist John Henderson was kicked out of the building(!) for writing a satirical article critical of the BrainGames organizers. Today it was that some of the computers had been stolen from the pressroom during the night! So the pressroom was off limits for the first hour of the match while the police were called in to poke around and look for fingerprints. There are dozens of security personnel to make sure people don't enter the venue with cellphones or other electronic devices, there are burly goons to keep the chess journalists in line, but someone takes a few boxes full of computer equipment en passant?!” And while we’re on the subject, the thief is believed to have also committed another heinous crime on the chess world. Overnight, the Hardy Boys, Ray Keene and Eric Schiller, had left behind a large collection of their books in the pressroom. Sadly, as the police raced to the scene of the crime, (where were they when I needed them?) the books could still be found untouched. This proved to be a crucial piece of evidence: Police have now narrowed the field down to a chess player! But seriously, folks, breaking and entering is no laughing matter - no matter how bad the organisation is. So, in an effort to help the police with their enquiries, we have placed a picture of one of the stolen computers above. Should you be offered one at a big discount while in a pub in the Hammersmith area, can you please contact your local police station immediately?
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r8.html (1 of 4)17/07/05 10:09:37
Braingames World Chess Championships
David Levy Coincidently, one of Raymundo’s former associates and former brother-in-law, Scottish IM and computer chess expert David Levy, popped in to see me yesterday. Now the CEO of the rival organisation to Braingames, Mind Sports Organisation Worldwide Ltd. (http://www.msoworld.com), David had a wellpublicised spat with Keene over the legality of the formation of Braingames. So in a remarkable coincidence, David has rubbed shoulders with some of the protagonists in the Great Brain Robbery and the Great Train Robbery - He also wrote the biography of the escaped Great Train Robber and upstanding citizen of Rio, Ronnie Biggs! Ronnie Biggs: My Own Story, was published in 1981 and, despite getting around £20,000 for writing the book, David ended up having to squander all of his fee to rescue Biggs from an illegal kidnapping-come-extradition charge from Barbados in 1981 – which he won!
Own up, where is Garry's Brain? And, while we’re on the subject of “the great brain robbery”, can someone tell me who has stolen Garry’s brain? I don’t know about you, but I get this feeling that this is not the Kasparov sitting at the chess board we’ve come to love and know over the years. Like Superman up against Kryptonite, Garry seems to have lost his cerebral powers at the hands of Kramnik. The world no.1 is now a shadow of his former self as his 15-year reign as world champion looks as if it’s drawing to a close following the shortest defeat of his illustrious career. Surprisingly, Kramnik didn't even have to play particularly well to win - – all
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r8.html (2 of 4)17/07/05 10:09:37
Braingames World Chess Championships
that was required was to remember some analysis published both in ChessBase (Hazai v Danielsen Valby 1994) and New in Chess Yearbook no 44 in 1997 by Lazlo Hazai and Peter Lukacs. The position after 21 Nd6 was already known to be clearly favourable to White. From here on in, Kasparov has to gamble all in a do-or-die effort to hold onto the world crown he so covets. For the next few games he’s going to have to employ a risky strategy (probably playing the Scotch in game 11) in an effort to somehow pull back the 2-0 deficit which will allow him to hold onto his title should the match be tied at 8-8.
Kramnik,V - Kasparov,G [E54] Game 10 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 Instead of 4 Qc2 as game eight, Kramnik now heads for the Rubinstein Variation - a line that for 50 years was the mainstay for White before Kasparov "reinvented" the Capablanca system with 4 Qc2. 4 ..0–0 5 Bd3 d5 6 Nf3 c5 7 0–0 cxd4 8 exd4 dxc4 9 Bxc4 b6 The Karpov line from Kasparov! The typical isolated QP from this position can also arise from the Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik variation. 10 Bg5 Bb7 11 Re1 Nbd7 12 Rc1 Rc8 13 Qb3! Be7
13 ..Bxc3! 14 Rxc3 h6 15 Bh4 Bd5! 16 Bxd5 Rxc3! 17 Qxc3 Nxd5! 18 Bxd8 Nxc3 19 Bxb6 Nxa2 20 Bxa7 Ra8 21 Bc5 Nxc5 22 dxc5 Rc8 23 Re5 (23 Ra1 Nb4 24 g3 (24 Rc1 Nd3 25 Rc3 Rxc5 26 Rxc5 Nxc5 27 b4 Nd7=) 24 ..Rxc5=) 23 ..Nb4 was soon drawn as in Lukacs-Macieja, Budapest 1996.; 13 ..Qe7? 14 Bd5!! Ba6 (14 ..Bxc3 15 Bxb7 Rb8 16 Rxc3 Rxb7 17 d5!) 15 Qa4! Bxc3 16 bxc3 Nb8 17 Bb3 with a decisive advantage, Browne-Ljubojevic, Tilburg 1978. 14 Bxf6 Nxf6 Of course, 14 ..gxf6? 15 d5! crashes through. However, this was the
point of no return for Kasparov. He spent so much time thinking here that Nigel Short suggested the obvious: the Champion was unfamiliar with the line. He had to swallow his pride and retake on f6 with the Bishop, even although it gave Kramnik a big beast of a Knight on d6: 14 ..Bxf6! 15 Nb5! Ra8 16 Nd6 Bxf3 17 Qxf3 with an advantage to White - but crucially no forced win! 15 Bxe6 Remember Kasparov's infamous game six against Deep Blue from 1997? In many ways this game resembles that, as Kasparov gets caught like a rabbit in the headlights of an oncoming juggernaut. 15 ..fxe6 16 Qxe6+
Kh8 17 Qxe7 Bxf3 18 gxf3 Qxd4 19 Nb5!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r8.html (3 of 4)17/07/05 10:09:37
Braingames World Chess Championships
19 Qxa7? Ng4!, gets Black out of a hole. 19 ..Qxb2 19 ..Qf4? 20 Rxc8! (20 Nd6? Ng4!=) 20 ..Rxc8 21 Nd6 Ra8 22 Ne8 Nxe8 23 Qxe8+ Qf8 24 Qxf8+ Rxf8 25 Re7 Ra8 26 Rb7 with a big endgame advantage. 20 Rxc8 Rxc8 21 Nd6 Rb8 22 Nf7+ Kg8 23 Qe6 Rf8??
Incredible, Kasparov only thought for one minute. Black is threatened with the famous Philidor Legacy checkmate - if it was White to move he plays 24 Nh6+ Kh8 25 Qg8+!! followed by Nf7 mate. Kasparov's move guards against Nf7, but loses trivially. His only hope - slim though it was - is 23 ..h5 24 Ng5 +! (24 Ne5+? Kh8 25 Ng6+ Kh7 survives.) 24 ..Kh8 25 Qf5!! intending Re6, xf6, and if necessary Qg6 and Re7 will eventually crash through for White. 24 Nd8+ Kh8 25 Qe7 1–0
The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center. LCC Home | TWIC | The Match | WAP | Fantasy Chess | Schedule | Reports | Results WCC Home
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r8.html (4 of 4)17/07/05 10:09:37
|
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home GAME 15
Braingames World Chess Championships FREDDIE FRIEDEL 8 MY CHESSBASE! By John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11
IT’S finally arrived! And in the last 24-hours my computer has had more crashes than a dotcom company on the Nasdaq! Bugs? I’ve seen more than a family picnic on a hot, summer’s day! Error messages? Hell, I’ve read more than Jim Lovell on Apollo 13! Yes, ChessBase 8 has finally arrived!
GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities
For all you ChessBase aficionados eagerly waiting to install it onto your computer, how can I put it? Well, as Bette Davies once famously said in All About Eve: “Fasten your seatbelt, it’s going to be a bumpy night.” Well, ok, as you’re probably well aware by now, your columnist here is totally hopeless with computers – it’s probably not the responsibility of the boys from ChessBase. I can’t tell if all the problems with the good old ThinkPad has been caused by installing ChessBase 8 or my hasty decision yesterday to spend some of my hard-earned cash on upgrading the operating system from Windows 98 to Windows ME - solely on the grounds that Bill Gates sent me a personal email. Mr Squillionaire’s message, warning of doom and damnation if I didn’t give him the upgrade cash pronto, was kinda clear and made sense at the time: “...this will make your computer even quicker than before…your tasks will be done in half the time…you’ll also be helping to pay our recent legal fees...this will also keep Melinda and me in the life we’ve been accustomed to…it will contribute largely to keeping me at the top of the money-earners list...” - I’m convinced that all this constantly paying for an upgrade malarkey is all a con (a dotcon – ha! ha!).
Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT Email
Freddie Friedel That’s the great thing about being a chess journalist, you don’t pay for all the exciting new products and upgrades from the wonderful world of ChessBase Land. No, sir-ee! You just phone-up Freddie Friedel at ChessBase in Germany with some yarn about wanting to review their latest products and, believe it or not, he’s more than happy to just send it to you for free, no charge, zippo, zilch. He’s only interested in an honest and frank opinion about his products – as long as they’re favourable! Well, the latest has arrived, Freddie. And, much like ChessBase’s 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7, I don’t like it! Nothing at all to do with the product. Far from it. My main gripe is, just as I get used to one version of the darned programme without having to consult the manual every 5-minutes, those terribly efficient Germans decide to change it! FREDDIE, IT’S NOT LIKE MY PREVIOUS CHESSBASE 7! WHAT’S THE HELP-LINE NUMBER? And here’s another thing: I’ve always tried to suggest some useful changes to ChessBase. If like me you’re a big user, you’ll have no doubt seen
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r9.html (1 of 5)17/07/05 10:09:47
Braingames World Chess Championships
messages on your screen such as: “Congratulations: 250 ChessBase starts!”, “Congratulations: 500 ChessBase starts!”, “Congratulations: 750 ChessBase starts!”, “Congratulations: 1000 ChessBase starts!”. I’ve always felt that these should be changed, to: “So, what kind of anorak are you wearing?”, “Hey! You should be getting out more!”, “Yo! Get a life!”, “Try meeting people!”. But does Freddie and the boffins at ChessBase listen? Do they heck as like.
Matthius Wüllenweber And they should be listening because ChessBase – in case you didn’t realise – like the best things in life, actually originated in Scotland. Honest, it’s true! The chief geek at ChessBase, Matthius Wüllenweber, actually created the programme we’ve come to love and know (and also curse!) at Edinburgh University in Scotland. Studying there in the early 1980s, he devised a simple little computer programme to store his best game collection (It wouldn’t have been a big programme you had in mind then, eh Matthias?), which he felt would be more useful than the system he and the rest of the world had come to get used to: a shoebox under the bed full of scoresheets (Now that’s a system I could relate to!). Once refined and put into production by the late 1980s, it took off as Garry Kasparov made the bold statement in 1985 that, “this was the greatest chess invention since William Caxton invented the printing press”. The rest, as the old saying goes, is history. Of course, ChessBases representative on Earth, Freddie Friedel, is supposed to be here in London for the match, but he’s not arrived yet. We think he’s coming tomorrow. His delay has been caused because he’s been laid low by a bug – probably from ChessBase 8! Hey! Maybe that’s what’s wrong with Garry? Perhaps he’s been rendered powerless because he can’t quite work ChessBase 8 and Kramnik and his team can? Any day now I’m expecting Garry to demand Kramnik’s printouts a la Deep Blue as he goes down in style. However, rather than having another attempt at breaking down the Berlin Wall, Kramnik has given him something else to look up on his database - the New Archangel! The Archangel Variation proper (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0– 0 b5 6 Bb3 Bb7) has been known since 1950, when the first game KotovKeres was played. Then, such is chess nomenclature, a group of masters from Arkhangelsk, a town in the north of Russia by the White Sea, made a thorough study of this line which was subsequently published in some unpronounceable and unspellable Russian magazine (Ok, something like Shaakmaty Bulletin). The system soon caught on with leading theoreticians, including Stein, Bagirov, Gipslis and Dorfman. Of the leading players today, Shirov, Anand, Malaniuk, Onischuk, Smirin, Tkachev, Georgiev, Piket and Bacrot have a fondness for it due to its aggressive nature.
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r9.html (2 of 5)17/07/05 10:09:47
Braingames World Chess Championships
Miguel Illescas one of Kramnik's three seconds for this match There’s also been a large English influence in the line with Flear, Adams, Short, Chandler and Emms. The new form of the Archangel (6 ..Bc5) has its roots in England. The first known game was played in London in 1859 between Löwenthal and Morphy. However, it had been out of vogue for many years, and has been extensively analysed and redeveloped over the years, giving it its unique characteristics of the “New Archangel”, a close relation to the Dentist’s favourite: the Møller Variation! Will this allow Garry be able to do some deep-root canal work on Big Bad Vlad?
Vladimir Kramnik Kasparov,G (2849) - Kramnik,V (2770) [C78] 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0–0 b5 6 Bb3 Bc5 7 a4 Bb7 8 d3 0–0 8 ..d6 9 Nc3 b4 10 Nd5 Na5 11 Nxf6+ Qxf6 12 Ba2 h6 13 c3 bxc3 14 bxc3 0–0 15 Be3 Rad8 16 Rb1 Bc8 17 Qe2 Be6 18 h3 Bxa2 19 Qxa2 Bxe3 20 fxe3 Qe6 21 Qxe6 fxe6 22 Rb4 Rb8 23 Rfb1 Nc6 24 Rb7 Rbc8 25 Kf2 Rf7 26 Ke2 Rcf8 27 d4 g5 28 Kd3 Rg7 29 d5 exd5 30 exd5 g4 31 dxc6 e4+ 32 Kxe4 gxf3 33 gxf3 Re7+ 34 Kd4 Rxf3 35 e4 Rxh3 36 Rxc7 Rxc7 37 Rb8+ Kf7 38 Rb7 Re7 39 c7 Rxc7 40 Rxc7+ Ke6 41 Ra7 h5 42 Rxa6 Rh1 43 Ra8 h4 ½–½ Kasparov,GAnand,V/New York 1995/CBM 49 9 Nc3 Na5
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r9.html (3 of 5)17/07/05 10:09:47
Braingames World Chess Championships
Black sacrifices a pawn for active play 10 axb5 Nxb3 11 cxb3 axb5 12 Rxa8 Bxa8 13 Nxe5 d5 14 Bg5 14 Ng4 dxe4 15 Nxf6+ Qxf6 16 dxe4 Rd8 (16 ..Qe5!) 17 Qc2 Qg6 18 Be3 Bxe3 19 fxe3 b4?! (19 ..Re8!) 20 Nd5!² 1–0 Ivanchuk,VAnand,V/Monaco rapid 1995/EXP 46 14 ..dxe4 14 ..Be7 15 Nxb5 dxe4 16 dxe4 Bxe4 17 Re1 Qxd1 18 Rxd1 Rb8 19 Nc3 Bc2 20 Rc1 Bxb3 21 Nc6 Re8 22 Nb5 Bc5 23 Bxf6 gxf6 24 Ncd4 Ba4 25 Kf1 Re5 26 Rc4 Bxb5 27 Nxb5 Bxf2 28 Nxc7 Bb6 29 b4 Rf5+ 30 Ke1 Bf2+ 31 Ke2 Bg1 32 h3 Rf2+ 33 Kd3 Rxg2 34 Rg4+ Rxg4 35 hxg4 Kg7 36 Nd5 Kh6 37 Nxf6 Kg5 38 Nxh7+ Kxg4 39 Nf6+ Kf5 40 Ne4 Kg4 41 Nd6 f5 42 Nxf5 Kxf5 43 b5 Ke5 44 b6 Bxb6 ½–½ Anand,VShirov,A/Linares 1998/CBM 64. 15 dxe4 Qxd1 16 Rxd1 b4 17 Bxf6!?N
The alternative leads to a well-known drawing line: 17 Nd5 Bxf2+ 18 Kxf2 Nxe4+ 19 Kg1 Nxg5 20 Nd7 Rd8 21 Nxc7 Kh8 22 Nxa8 Rxa8 23 Rd4 Ra1+ 24 Kf2 Rb1 25 Rxb4 Rxb2+ 26 Ke3 h5 27 h4 Ne6 28 g3 Rg2 29 Kf3 Rb2 30 Ke3 Rg2 31 Kf3 Rb2 32 Ke3 ½–½ Topalov,V-Shirov,A/Monte Carlo 1997/CBM 57 ext. 17 ..bxc3 18 bxc3 gxf6 19 Nd7 Bd6 20 Nxf8 Kxf8 21 f3 You can't help
feeling that somehow White has to be able to win this position? But, by the speed and confidence in which Kramnik rattled out the first 20 moves (not even blinking for Gazza's TN at move 17), he must have thoroughly researched the ensuing ending, rating it as a draw. 21 ..h5 The speed in which both players played this game was phenomenal - we got to this position after just 30 minutes! 22 h4 Ke7 23 Kf2 A move that became a bone of contention with Kasparov after the game. During the post-game press conference, he thought that 23 Ra1!? was winning - ominously, Kramnik disagreed. However, it could be White's best route as it saves a tempo over the game: 23 Ra1 Bb7 24 Ra5 Be5 25 Kf2!, and Black can't take on c3 as after Rxh5, White has a decisive advantage due to the passed h-pawn. 23 ..
Bb7 24 c4 Be5 25 Rd2?!
Again Kasparov is not decisive enough. The one thing he tries to avoid is the fixing of his pawns. However, realistically, he's the only one that can play for the win - but he has to start mobilising the pawns: 25 b4! Bc3 (25 ..Bc8 26 b5 Be6 27 c5!) 26 b5 Bb4 27 Ke3 Bc5+ 28 Ke2 and from here - despite it being difficult - he has to try and engineer something.] 25 ..Bc8 26 Rd5 Be6 27 Ra5 c5! This firmly locks the pawns and guarantees the draw. 28 Ke3 Bd4 + 29 Kd3 f5 30 b4 fxe4+ 31 Kxe4 Bf2 32 bxc5 Bxh4 33 c6 Kd6 34 Rxh5 Bf2 35 g4 Kxc6 36 Rh2 Bc5 37 Rc2 f6 38 Rh2 Bxc4 39 Rh6 Bd5+ 40 Kf5 Bxf3 41 g5 Kd5 It all leads to a text-book draw: 41 ..Kd5 42 g6 (42 Kxf6 Bd4+ 43 Kf7 Bg4 44 Ra6) 42 ..Be4+ 43 Kxf6 Bd4+ 44 Kf7 Kd6 45 g7+ Kd7 46 Rh5 (46 g8Q Bd5+ 47 Kf8 Bc5+ 48 Kg7 Bxg8 49 Kxg8=) 46 ..Bxg7 47 Kxg7 Ke6= ½–½
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r9.html (4 of 5)17/07/05 10:09:47
Braingames World Chess Championships
Archangel and New Archangel: two dynamic systems to counter the Ruy Lopez - Panczyk & Emms £12.99.$18.95 160 pages. The first book devoted to these dynamic opening variations (which are played by Shirov). Latest theory (includes games from 2000) with full index of variations. You can order this from the London Chess Centre. Just contact us at
[email protected]
Read all about ChessBase 8 The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center. LCC Home | TWIC | The Match | WAP | Fantasy Chess | Schedule | Reports Results | WCC Home
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r9.html (5 of 5)17/07/05 10:09:47
|
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home GAME 15
Braingames World Chess Championships KASPAROV MELTDOWN By John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10 GAME 9
IT’S always a bad sign for the other party when the bookie’s stop taking bets on someone to win – and they’ve more or less stopped taking any more money on Vladimir Kramnik to become the fourteenth world champion! The truth of the matter is that you can just about get better odds on a group of Japanese tourists capturing the Loch Ness Monster than Garry Kasparov regaining his title.
GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT Email
Meltdown More ominous, however, is the reaction of one of London’s leading tourist attractions, Madame Tussaud’s. Finding myself at a lose end since there’s still no sign of Braingames allowing back into the press centre at the Riverside Studios, I idled away some of my free time among another group of dummies at the waxwork museum. With a little bit of help from the staff, I soon discovered Gazza’s image hidden away in a poky little recess – this was as close I was now going to get to him while in London. It was then that I started to wonder (always a bad sign!): What would happen to his image should he lose his world title and then “suddenly” announce his retirement from the game? Seeking out their highly efficient Managing Director, Prof. Henry Jarrod, he informed me that, should this indeed come to pass, then poor old Gazza's head would be destined for the furnace to be melted down in the timehonoured fashion - much like other has-been's in the past. Admittedly a sad way to go - but hey, that's life in the waxwork business! One day you're famous, the next you're a blob of molten wax! It sort of puts the whole thing in perspective, doesn't it? So, as we head for the big Kasparov meltdown, what’s going to happen in the chess world? Well, Mig and myself have been speculating into the wee small hours that, after the match, Garry just might take-off for New Delhi in India, where FIDE have conveniently invited him as the No.1 seed in their Knockout World Championship that’s due to start in late November. You can see FIDE’s wisdom with regard to this. Much like Beavis & Butthead, they were probably sniggering to themselves: “Hee! Hee! Let’s do as we’ve done in the past and give our No.1 enemy the top seed spot. Hee! Hee! And, like before, he’ll never accept the invitation. Hee! Hee!” Can you picture their faces if he did show up? Well, lets speculate that Garry did indeed go!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r10.html (1 of 6)17/07/05 10:09:57
Braingames World Chess Championships
GK: “What do you mean I can’t play? I have here a special initiation from Kirsan! Who do I play in the first round? Who’s this sitting opposite me? Surely this can’t be my opponent? What, with that Panama hat and flowery shirt, he looks more like a tourist!” FIDE: “Aaagh! Don’t mention the word ‘tourist’ again, Garry!” And, like a bear with the mother of all sore heads after his Braingames mauling by Kramnik, he just might take it out on the opposition to once again be World Champion: “What’s the big problem? I’m World Champion again!” I know it’s fanciful scenario and just not realistic. However, FIDE now find themselves for once in a strong position to ACTUALLY do something positive in the chess world – they could start making arrangements for a reconciliation match with Kramnik!
Willy Iclicki I received an email today from FIDE Executive board member and leading World Championship committee member, Willy Iclicki. He wrote back to me after he received my latest Scotsman column following game 13, that stated: “…the chess world is getting ready for the coronation of the fourteenth world champion…”. In the email, Willy asks: “Are you sure about the number 14th World Champion? That means you don't recognize FIDE and Khalifman as 14th World Champion?” Yo! Willy! Got news for you here: Nobody does apart from FIDE – Not even Alexander Khalifman!
Alexander Khalifman The fact of the matter is that, since the Kasparov-Short breakaway in 1993, the chess world has done a pretty darn good job at making the boxing world look a model of efficiency. Believe me, Don King (apart from the stupid hair cut) is looked at in a much better light compared to our own dictator, Kirsan
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r10.html (2 of 6)17/07/05 10:09:57
Braingames World Chess Championships
Iljumzhinov!
Stewart Reuben However, now is the time for FIDE to strike. Before heading off to the Olympiad in Istanbul, Stewart Reuben, another member of the FIDE World Championship committee, and chairman of the Organisers committee, came round to see me in my exiled home at the London Chess Centre. Now Stewart and I go way, way back, and he’s a nice guy (despite that fact that he claimed that I was the sort of person that would be likely to ruffle-up more feathers than Bernard Matthews a month before Christmas!). On the record, Stewart informed me that, the minute Kramnik is declared World Champion, he would be making arrangements in Istanbul for specially convened meeting of the World Championship committee. Once called, he would recommend that FIDE would make overtures towards the new champion for such reconciliation match. With Kramnik able to dictate quite a lot of the terms, Stewart said the most likely date for such a match would be December 2001, between Kramnik and the winner in Tehran.
Viswanathan Anand However, for FIDE to mount such a creditable reconciliation match (and not forgetting the restoration of a proper challenger cycle!), I suppose they are praying that someone like Vishy Anand, Alexei Shirov or even Mickey Adams emerges from the dust after the final in Tehran. Of course, let’s not rule out that it could also be Garry Kasparov…!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r10.html (3 of 6)17/07/05 10:09:57
Braingames World Chess Championships
Alexei Shirov Kramnik,V (2770) - Kasparov,G (2834) [E55] Game 12 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 0–0 5 Bd3 d5 6 Nf3 c5 7 0–0 dxc4 8 Bxc4 Nbd7 The Parma Variation: named after the Slovenian GM, Bruno Parma. 9 a3 cxd4 10 axb4 dxc3 11 bxc3 Qc7 12 Be2 Qxc3!
Kasparov has to take on c3 if he's looking for a win. Ignoring the pawn allows White to play c4 with advantage. 12 ..e5 13 c4 b6 14 Bb2 Bb7 15 Qb3 Rfe8 16 Rfd1 a5 17 c5 axb4 18 cxb6 Nxb6 19 Rxa8 Bxa8 20 Bxe5 Qc6 21 Bf1 Nfd5 22 Bd4 Qa4 23 Rb1 Qxb3 24 Rxb3 Na4 25 Ne5 f6 26 Nd3 Kf8 27 g4 Bc6 28 Bg2 Nac3 29 Bc5+ Kf7 30 Nxb4 Nxb4 31 Rxb4 Rc8 32 Bxc6 Rxc6 33 Rb7+ Kg8 34 Ba3 Ra6 35 Bb2 Ne4 36 Kg2 Ra5 37 Re7 Nd6 38 h4 h6 39 Rd7 Nc4 40 Bd4 Ne5 41 Rd8+ Kf7 42 Kg3 Ke7 43 Rg8 Kf7 44 Rc8 Nd7 45 Rc7 Ke7 46 f4 Rb5 47 Kf3 Kd6 48 Ra7 Ke6 49 Ke4 Kd6 50 Kd3 Rb1 51 Ra6+ Ke7 52 Kc4 Rg1 53 Kd5 Rxg4 54 Ra7 Rg1 55 Bc5+ Ke8 56 Bd6 Re1 57 Ra8+ Kf7 58 Kc6 Ne5+ 59 fxe5 Rxe3 60 Kd5 fxe5 61 Bxe5 Kg6 62 Ra7 Kh5 63 Rxg7 Kxh4 64 Bf4 Re2 65 Bxh6 Kh3 66 Bf4 Rg2 67 Rh7+ Kg4 68 Ke4 Rc2 69 Be3 Rg2 70 Rh1 Kg3 71 Bf4+ Kf2 72 Rc1 Ke2 73 Rc3 Kf2 74 Ra3 Ke2 75 Bg3 Kf1 76 Rf3+ Ke2 77 Re3+ Kd2 78 Kd4 Kd1 79 Ra3 Ke2 80 Ke4 Kf1 81 Kf3 Rf2+ 82 Kg4 Rc2 83 Re3 Re2 84 Rf3+ Kg2 85 Rf4 Ra2 86 Re4 Rc2 87 Bd6 Kf1 88 Bb4 Rg2+ 89 Kh3 Rc2 90 Ba5 Ra2 91 Bb6 Ra3+ 92 Kg4 Rg3+ 93 Kf4 Rf3+ 94 Ke5 Kg2 95 Re2+ Kg3 ½– ½ Garcia Gonzales,G-Balashov,Y/Leningrad 1977 13 Ba3 13 Bd2 Qc7 14 Qb1,
with compensation for the pawn, is a suggestion of the Russian maestro, Mark Taimanov. 13 ..Nd5 14 Qb1 Qf6 15 Bd3 h6 16 b5 Rd8 17 Bb2 Qe7 18 Ra4 The rook lift to a4 may be speculative. Kramnik would have been better with 18 Ba3!? Qe8 (18 ..Nc5? 19 Bh7+ Kh8 20 Ne5 Qc7 21 Nxf7+ Qxf7 22 Bxc5 Nc3 23 Qb2 Nxb5 24 Be4) 19 Rc1 with again compensation. 18 ..Nc5 19 Bh7+ It's imperative that Kramnik keep's the Bishop pair - after all, this is his compensation for the pawn. 19 ..Kh8 20 Rh4 f6 21 Rc4 Despite the ideal hole for the White Knight on g6, Kramnik can't play for it: 21 Rg4 e5 22 Nh4 Qc7 23 Bf5 Ne7!; 21 Rh5 e5 22 Nh4 Qe8! 23 Bg6 (23 Ng6+ Kxh7 24 Nxe5+ Kg8) 23 ..Qxb5! 21 ..Bd7 22 Ba3 b6 23 Be4 a6!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r10.html (4 of 6)17/07/05 10:09:57
Braingames World Chess Championships
The worst is over for Kasparov - he can now look forward to trying to take advantage of his extra pawn. 24 bxa6 Rxa6 25 Bxc5 bxc5 26 Rfc1 Ra5 27 Qb2 Rb5 28 Qa3 Nb6 29 R4c3 Rb4 30 Nd2! f5? Time trouble - Kasparov had great chances of converting for the full point with either of 30 ..Bc6!? 31 Rxc5 Rxe4! 32 Qa5 (32 Nxe4 Bxe4 33 Qa5 Qd6 (33 ..Rd6) ) 32 ..Ra4 (32 .. Rxd2 33 Qxd2 Bd5) or 30 ..Be8 31 Rxc5 Rb5! 31 Bf3 Na4?
Too clever by half! Kasparov fails to notice Kramnik's retort. Instead, he could have claimed winning chances after: 31 ..Rc8! 32 Rb3 (32 Bb7? Rb8 33 Rxc5 Ra4! 34 Qc3 Rxb7) 32 ..Bb5 33 Rxb4 cxb4 34 Rxc8+ Nxc8 35 Qa5 Na7 with excellent converting chances. 32 Rxc5! Rb2 33 Nc4 Qxc5 ½–½ Kasparov,G (2849) - Kramnik,V (2770) [C67] Game 13 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Nf6 Kramnik: "Ich bin ein Berliner!" 4 0–0 Nxe4 5 d4 Nd6 6 Bxc6 dxc6 7 dxe5 Nf5 8 Qxd8+ Kxd8 9 Nc3 h6 10 h3 Ke8 11 Ne4
After nearly 35 minutes thought, Kasparov come up with Ne4. Surely he had analysed this position with in-depth with his team? It's almost as if the most prepared chess player the world has ever seen is now just making it up at the board. 11 ..c5 Played in under one minute, Kramnik left the stage to Kasparov vigerously shaking his head. This is an improvement over 11 ...b6 12 b3 c5 13 Re1 Be6 14 Bb2 Be7 15 c4 Rd8 16 Rad1 Rd7 17 g4 Nh4 18 Nh4 Bh4 19 Rd7 Kd7 1/2–1/2 Unzicker, Wolfgang-Troianescu, Octav. Venice 1969. 12 c3 b6 13 Re1 Be6 14 g4 And with this, a draw offer from Kasparov. It now looks as if he's abdicated his title. A sad day for the chess world. ½– ½
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r10.html (5 of 6)17/07/05 10:09:57
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home GAME 15
Braingames World Chess Championships TRICK OR TREAT? By John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6
GARRY KASPAROV without his world crown - Spooky, huh? Who’d have thought it: the “Beast of Baku” finally meeting the chess equivalent of Professor Van Helsing, Vladimir Kramnik (I knew there was a reason for his nickname of “Vlad the Impaler”!).
GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT Email
Kasparov without a crown? With just two games to go and 8-6 down in this match, I still don’t believe that the monster is dead yet – not even if they shot him with a silver bullet, stuffed a garlic-flavoured crucifix down his throat, put a stake through his heart, cut off his head and burn the body. However, as the witching hour draws closer, the chess Grim Reaper is hovering over Garry’s shoulder with intent – despite him giving Kramnik a Halloween frightener.
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r11.html (1 of 5)17/07/05 10:10:06
Braingames World Chess Championships
The pretender had a fright on Halloween Now Halloween is traditionally that day of the year when everyone dressesup, there are strange happenings and things go bump in the night. It was no different down at the Riverside Studios. Still banned from the press centre, I seriously considered stuffing a cushion down the front of a tuxedo in a vain effort to gain entry by trying to pass myself off at the door as a stuffed Penguin.
Nathan Divinsky Still, I decided against it - Braingames had more than enough to worry about than me on Halloween with their very own “strange happenings”. Well, first of all the stormy weather seriously affected the VIP hospitality tent, which by all accounts was nearly blown away in the gales. Luckily though for Braingames, it was saved by the fact that they had the redoubtable services of Nathan Divinsky in the tent acting as the anchor (Hmm, is that the correct spelling, I wonder?). Keeping in the “spirit” of things for the occasion, Braingames even decided to dress-up and pretend to be a live website for the day. The match started 30 minutes later than scheduled as they tried to their best to show all the journalists in the press centre just how bad the website really is. Rather than the highly-efficient and very reliable move feed via the Lost Boys electronic boards that we’ve come to love and know, it was decided instead to “treat” the journalists by replacing this with a projected image of the BGN website on the wall and in the bar - enough to frighten anyone on Halloween. According to my sources, the poor journalists were thus deprived of the only little pleasure they had in the pressroom – an accurate and up-to-date Lost Boys feed of the game. What joy it was for the hacks then as instead they merrily took pictures all afternoon, not of the stunning website relaying the moves at www.braingames.net as if by magic into your home, but that of the Windows Explorer error message, courtesy of an outfit that seem to have the same “computing experts” as in the strip cartoon Dilbert. And, when it did eventually work, did anyone notice that, instead of showing game 14, it kept on going to – horror of horrors - game 13? Spooky, huh?
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r11.html (2 of 5)17/07/05 10:10:06
Braingames World Chess Championships
Of course, this didn’t stop the journalists from doing their duty by sending out the moves to the free world. Undeterred, and with no moves coming up on the supposedly official website that seems to go down more times than Linda Lovelace, a very fit mole, under the very noses of Braingames, was up to his old tricks by relaying the moves to me, the world, and the pressroom, by running up and down the four flights of stairs to the gulag every 5 minutes. Kramnik,V - Kasparov,G [A30] 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 b6 3 g3 c5 4 Bg2 Bb7 5 0–0 g6 6 Nc3 Bg7 7 d4 cxd4 8 Qxd4 d6 9 Rd1 Nbd7 A position has been reached similar to the well known
Hedgehog, except Black has fianchettoed his king's bishop rather than played e7-e6 and Be7. White has a space advantage, but Black's pieces are well-entrenched and ready to spring into action if White loses control of the position. 10 Be3 10 b3 0–0 11 Bb2 Rc8 12 Rac1 a6 13 Qd2 Rc7 14 Ne1 Bxg2
15 Nxg2 Qa8 16 Ne3 Re8 17 Ncd5 Rc6 18 a4 Qb7 19 Bd4 Rcc8 20 Nxf6+ Bxf6 21 Nd5 Bxd4 22 Qxd4 Qc6 23 Qh4 f6 24 Rc3 with a big advantage to White, Kramnik-Polgar, Dos Hermanas 1999. 10 ..Rc8 10 ..0–0 11 Qh4 Rc8 ‹12 Bh3? Bxf3 13 exf3 Ne5 14 Kg2 Rxc4 15 Rd4 Rxc3 16 bxc3 Qa8 17 Kf1 Nxf3 18 Bg2 Nxh4 19 Bxa8 Nf5 20 Bb7 Nxd4 21 cxd4 Rb8 22 Ba6 Nd5 23 Rc1 h5 24 Ke2 e6 25 a3 b5 26 Rc8+ Rxc8 27 Bxc8 Nxe3 28 fxe3 d5 29 Ba6 Bf8–+ Topalov,VKasparov,G/Wijk aan Zee 5'/1999/; 10 ..a6 11 Rac1 Rc8 12 b3 0–0 13 Qh4 Rc7 14 Ne1 Bxg2 15 Nxg2 Re8 16 Nf4 Qb8 17 Nfd5 Rcc8 18 Bg5 Qb7 19 a4 Kh8 20 g4 Nxd5 21 Nxd5 e6 22 Nf6 Nxf6 23 Bxf6 d5 24 Rc3 Bxf6 25 Qxf6+ Kg8 26 Rcd3 Qe7 27 Qxe7 Rxe7 28 cxd5 exd5 29 Rxd5 Rxe2 30 Rd8+ Rxd8 31 Rxd8+ Kg7 32 Rd6 Re4 33 Rxb6 Rxg4+ 34 Kf1 Rh4 35 a5 Rh3 36 b4 Rb3 37 Ke2 g5 38 Kf1 h5 39 Rxa6 Rxb4 40 Rb6 Ra4 41 a6 ½–½ Illescas Cordoba, M-Gelfand,B/Pamplona 1999/CBM 75 11 Rac1 0–0 12 Qh4 a6 13 Ne1
A system that seems to be a specialty of two players: Kramnik (see his game above with Polgar), and his second, Miguel Illescas, who used this idea to draw last year with Boris Gelfand! The idea behind it is simple: Unlike the Hedgehog where Black has e6 covering d5, White intends establishing an outpost on d5 for the knight via g2, f4 or e3. 13 ..Bxg2 14 Nxg2 Re8 Kasparov wants to play 15...Qc7 without being bothered by 16 Nd5, as 16... Qb7 would leave the e7 pawn hanging. 15 b3 Qc7! Compare this position to Illescas's game against Gelfand - Note how Kasparov doesn't give Kramnik the opportunity of playing a4 to stop b5. 16 Bg5 Qb7
A typical Hedgehog manoeuvre - Black's aiming for b5 to breakdown White's position. 17 Ne3 b5! 18 Ned5 bxc4 19 bxc4 h5 20 Qf4 Qc6 21 Bxf6 Nxf6 22 Nxf6+ Bxf6 23 Nd5 Bb2 24 Rb1 Bg7 25 Qg5 Kf8 26 Rdc1 e6! 27 Nf6
Realistically the only move. A retreat by the Knight would leave Black with the better minor piece in the Bishop. 27 ..Red8 28 h4 Qa8! The big threat is 29 ..Rc5! 29 c5!!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r11.html (3 of 5)17/07/05 10:10:06
Braingames World Chess Championships
The two “!!” is for courage - and the moment that perhaps gave Kramnik the world title! This is the sort of trick move (which rocked Kasparov at the board) that a computer would never have considered in a million years. Realising that the c-pawn was a goner, Kramnik, rather than allow Kasparov to patiently build up his position with ..Rc5, ..Qc6 and ..Rc8, decides to sacrifice the pawn now as he sees a clear route to a saveable rook and pawn ending. 29 ..Rxc5 30 Rxc5 Bxf6 Despite it being Halloween, I suppose 30 .. dxc5?? 31 Qxc5+ Rd6 32 Qxd6# was too much to ask for? 31 Qxf6 dxc5 32 Kh2 Kg8 33 Rb6! With the subtle threat of 34 Rxe6! fxe6 35 Qxg6+, and a draw by repetition. 33 ..Re8 34 Qf3! Qxf3 35 exf3 The active White Rook saves the day for Kramnik. 35 ..Rc8 36 Rxa6 c4 37 Rd6 c3 38 Rd1 Ra8 38 .. c2? 39 Rc1 and the White King shuffles along to d2 and wins the pawn. 39 Rc1 Rxa2 40 Rxc3 Rxf2+ 41 Kg1 It was this sort of position that Kramnik was aiming for when he rocked Kasparov to his foundations with 29 c5! 4 vs. 3 on the same side in a rook ending is basically a draw according to Reuben Fine's endgame bible, Basic Chess Endings – unbelievably, despite being written in the space of just 6 weeks in 1943, to this day it is still the acknowledged reference source on endgames! 41 ..Ra2 42 Rc7 Kf8 43 Rb7 Ke8 44 Rb8+ Ke7 45 Rb7+ Kf6 46 Kf1?
46 f4!, according to Kramnik’s second Joel Lautier in the pressroom, is a "book" draw. 46 ..e5 47 Rb6+ Kf5 48 Rb7 Ke6 49 Rb6+ Kf5 50 Rb7 f6 51 Rg7! g5 52 hxg5 fxg5 53 Rg8! g4 54 Rf8+ Ke6 55 Re8+ Kf5?
According to Team Kasparov’s own analysis at http://www.kasparovchess. com Garry could have looked for a win here with 55...Kf6! 56 Rf8+ Ke7 57 Rf5 Ke6 58 fxg4 hxg4 59 Rg5 Ra4 60 Kf2 Kf6 61 Rg8 Kf5 62 Rg7 Ra2+ 63 Kg1 Rd2 64 Rg8 Ke4 65 Rxg4+ Kf3 66 Rg8 e4 67 Rf8+ Ke2 68 Kg2 e3 69 g4 Rd4 70 Kg3 Kd2 71 Re8 e2 72 Kh4 e1Q+ 73 Rxe1 Kxe1 74 Kh5 Kf2 75 g5 Kf3 76 g6 Rg4 77 Kh6 Kf4 78 g7 Kf5 79 Kh7 Rh4+ (79 Kf6?? 80 g8N+! Kf7 81 Nh6 +=) 80 Kg8 Kg6 81 Kf8 Rf4+ 82 Kg8 Rf1! (82 ..Rf7?? 83 Kh8 Rxg7 Stalemate!) 83 Kh8 Rh1+ 84 Kg8 Rh7, winning!! 56 Rf8+ Kg6 57 Rg8+ Kf5
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r11.html (4 of 5)17/07/05 10:10:06
Braingames World Chess Championships
½–½
LCC Home | TWIC | The Match | WAP | Fantasy Chess | Schedule | Reports Results | WCC Home
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r11.html (5 of 5)17/07/05 10:10:06
|
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home GAME 15
Braingames World Chess Championships END OF AN ERROR By John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money
Vladimir Kramnik IN the chess world there are some things that we’ve come to expect as certain in life: Death, taxes and Garry Kasparov as world champion. Not any more: We’ve reached the end of an era.
Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue CHAT Email
Kramnik's prize, the Staunton Trophy After more years than I care to remember, the crown has finally been wrested from Garry Kasparov head by a young, dynamic, entertaining, cosmopolitan, new world champion, Vladimir Kramnik. Believe me, as a seasoned chess journalist, I’m sure that for months to come, every time I write “Garry Kasparov”, I’ll also continue to add “the world champion”. Likewise, when I write “Vladimir Kramnik”, I’ll no doubt still be adding “heir to the Kasparov throne”. I wonder if in 1921 at Havana, all the chess journalists had the same problem after Capablanca wrested the crown from Lasker after his 27-year reign?
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r12.html (1 of 5)17/07/05 10:10:18
Braingames World Chess Championships
Mig But taking nothing away from a superb performance from Kramnik, the big question, however, is: What exactly was wrong with Garry Kasparov? Well, the best answer to this came – jokingly, I hasten to add – from the KasparovChess Online Editor-in-chief, Mig. Fed up with everyone (including me) badgering him for the inside gossip and low-down on what exactly was wrong with the world champion (see, told you so!), one day in the pressroom when Freddie Friedel was filming, he, as most of us do when Freddie is filming, decided to have a bit of “fun”, and replied: "Aliens have stolen his brain and are going to transplant it into Elvis's body somewhere near Neptune."
Fred Friedel Yes, a bit of harmless fun. We can all laugh about that in the pressroom if Knuckles isn’t around. It’s the sort of thing you’d expect to see in something like the National Enquirer, Fortean Times or even the New York Post. However, on overhearing this witty retort to Herr Friedel, the AP News' man on the scene, Rob “Accident Waiting To Happen” Huntington, made a serious error of literally thinking that this WAS an official statement from the Kasparov camp, and so decided to quote poor old Mig verbatim! Now, it was bad enough for Kasparov to lose his crown, but imagine also waking up the next morning to discover this quote on the front-page of some of the highbrow publications and news outlets like the New York Times, International Herald Tribune, and not to mention several prime time TV news programs like CNN! Suffice it to say that Mig, rather than hope that Gazza wouldn’t read the papers that day, decided to do the proper thing and thought it would be a lot better to get his letter of explanation in first! Unbelievably, Kasparov apparently had a good laugh at it all – he must be mellowing since losing the crown! And another thing, surely the match sponsors Brain Games Network will never, ever make the serious error again of treating the journalists in a pressroom in such a disgraceful manner as they did during this match? We can only hope so – maybe next time they can use a professional PR company! Incidentally, I’ve had a number of requests for more details about Knuckles, the security goon from THUGS-R-US, who was kind enough to escort me out of the Gulag at the Riverside Studios. Well, “Knuckles” is actually Roy Snell, who runs the security service P.P.P., Personal, Private Protection. Apart from scaring the bejesus out of the journalists, Roy’s firm was also in charge of making sure that both players arrived safely at the venue with a couple of
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r12.html (2 of 5)17/07/05 10:10:18
Braingames World Chess Championships
reliable fast cars. I’ve been told that I should have felt honoured to be escorted out by Roy “Knuckles” Snell. In the past he’s been shot and stabbed in the call of duty, and apparently he’s been the bodyguard of such stars as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand and Brad Pitt! So I suppose he can now add the name of “John Henderson” to that exclusive list! ChessBase 8, an apology: Remember my article entitled FREDDIE FRIEDEL 8 MY CHESSBASE? Well, it seems that just about my entire bug problem and crashes were, as I suspiciously suspected and hinted at in the article, caused by that nice Mr Bill Gates and his Windows 98 upgrade, Windows Me. Having now taken off (more like thrown across the room) Windows Me, to be replaced once again with the more reliable crashes I’m come to love and know on Windows 98, my ChessBase 8 now seems to have stabilised enormously. I wonder if Mr Gates and Microsoft realise that the viral infection Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is more commonly known in this country as M.E., Myalgic Encephalopathy? So, any blame I may have inadvertently laid at the door of Freddie Friedel and the boys from Hamburg was totally unjustified and an error on my part (the things I’ll do to continue receiving free goodies from ChessBase!). And while we’re on the subject of ChessBase, remember that nice piece of analysis from Team Kasparov on the ending from game 14? Remember the one, where it was thought that Gazza had missed a very difficult win in a rook and pawn ending? Well the boys from Hamburg have put the ultimate authority on the case – none other than the all-singing, all-dancing, and not to mention all-powerful silicon beastie, Deep Fritz! On their website at http://www.chessbase.com, they seem to have found a flaw in the analysis to prove that it was, after all, a draw. Well thanks very much, boys, that’s certainly put my mind at ease. I’ll be able to sleep more comfortably tonight!
55 ..Kf6 56 Rf8+ Ke7 57 Rf5 Ke6 58 fxg4 hxg4 59 Rg5 Ra4 60 Kf2 Kf6 61 Rg8 Kf5 62 Rg7 Ra2+ 63 Kg1 Rd2 64 Rg8 Ke4 65 Rxg4+ Kf3 66 Rg6! (Team Kasparov’s analysis ran: 66 Rg8? e4 67 Rf8+ Ke2 68 Kg2 e3 69 g4 Rd4 70 Kg3 Kd2 71 Re8 (71 Ra8 e2 72 Ra2+ Ke3 73 Ra3+ Rd3 74 Ra1 Rd1 75 Ra3+ Kd4 76 Ra4+ Kc5 77 Ra5+ Kb6) 71 ..e2 72 Kh4 e1Q+ 73 Rxe1 Kxe1 74 Kh5 Kf2 75 g5 Kf3 76 g6 Rg4 77 Kh6 Kf4 78 g7 Kf5 79 Kh7 Rh4+ 80 Kg8 Kg6 81 Kf8 Rf4+ 82 Kg8 Rf1 83 Kh8 Rh1+ 84 Kg8 Rh7) 66 ..e4 67 Rf6+ Ke2 68 g4 e3 (68 ..Rd5 69 Re6 e3 70 Kg2 Kd2 71 Kf3=) 69 g5 Rd5 70 g6 Rg5+ 71 Kh2 Ke1 72 Rd6 e2 73 Re6 Kf2 74 Rf6+ Ke3 75 Re6+ Kf3 76 Rf6+ Ke4 77 Re6+= Kasparov,G - Kramnik,V [E05] 1 d4! At long last! Why on earth Garry doesn't play this opening move more often puzzles me. After all, it's the move he's got his best results as White with! 1 ..Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 The Catalan - another Kasparov favourite! If the champion is going to go out, he's going to go in style. 3 ..d5 4 Bg2 Be7 5 Nf3 0–0 6 0–0 dxc4 7 Qc2 a6 8 Qxc4 b5 9 Qc2 Bb7 10 Bd2 Be4 11 Qc1 Bb7 Best by test. The main alternative can prove to be problematic: 11 ..Nbd7 12 Ba5 Rc8 13 Nbd2 Bb7 14 Qc2, with pressure on c7. 12 Bf4 Bd6 13 Nbd2 Nbd7 14 Nb3 Bd5 15 Rd1 Qe7!?N
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r12.html (3 of 5)17/07/05 10:10:18
Braingames World Chess Championships
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Kasparov has been following a game of one of Kramnik's seconds, Evgeny Bareev, until Kramnik produced this TN. 15 .. Qb8 16 Be5 Qb6 17 Qf4 Ne4 18 Bxd6 cxd6 19 Ne1 Nef6 20 e4 e5 21 Qe3 Bb7 22 Rd3 Rac8 23 d5 Nc5 24 Nxc5 Qxc5 25 f3 Rc7 26 Qxc5 Rxc5 27 Rb3 Bc8 28 Nd3 Rc4 29 Bf1 Nd7 30 Nb4 Rc7 31 Ra3 f5 32 exf5 Rxf5 33 Nxa6 Bxa6 34 Rxa6 Rxf3 35 Bxb5 Nf6 36 Rc6 Rb7 37 a4 Rb3 38 Rxd6 Rxb2 39 Re6 e4 40 Rf1 Rc7 41 Rc6 Rb7 1–0 Bareev,E-Lalic,B/Sochi 1987/TD. 16 Ne5 Bxg2 17 Kxg2 Nd5 18 Nc6 Nxf4+ 19 Qxf4 Qe8 Kasparov is going to make Kramnik
work to get the crucial half point. For the first time in the match, it's actually Kasparov who's dictating the play. He must be regretting all those Berlin Defence's that he allowed Kramnik to play. Now, with the Catalan, his firmly in control. A case of too little too late! 20 Qf3 e5! 21 dxe5 Nxe5 22 Nxe5
Qxe5 23 Rd2 Rae8 24 e3 Re6 25 Rad1?!
If White has any winning ideas, then he has to look at something like 25 Rc1 , with the text, Kasparov wastes a crucial tempo. 25 ..Rf6 26 Qd5 Qe8! And also in the match, for the first time it’s Kasparov who also dictates when the Queen's come off! However, Kramnik isn't interested in this position, as White would have the upper hand in the ending. 27 Rc1 g6 28 Rdc2 h5 29 Nd2 Rf5 30 Qe4? 30 Qc6! was more to the point, as it prevents.. 30 ..c5! 31 Qxe8 Rxe8 32 e4 Rfe5 33 f4 R5e6 34 e5 Be7 35 b3
And that, Kasparov must have thought, is that as the c-pawn must surely fall. However, it looks as if he missed Kramnik's next move. 35 ..f6! 36 Nf3 36 exf6? Bxf6 37 Nf3 c4! 38 bxc4 bxc4 39 Rxc4 Re2+ 40 Kf1 (40 Kh3 Rxa2 41 Rc7 Rf8! 42 R1c6 Rf7³) 40 ..Rxa2 41 R4c2 Rxc2 42 Rxc2 a5³ 36 ..fxe5 37 Nxe5 Rd8 38 h4 Rd5 ½–½
The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center.
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/r12.html (4 of 5)17/07/05 10:10:18
Braingames World Chess Championships
WCC Home GAME 15
Braingames World Chess Championships BOY FROM THE BLACK SEA Vladimir Kramnik in interview with John Henderson
GAME 14 GAME 13 GAME 12 GAME 11 GAME 10 GAME 9 GAME 8 GAME 7 GAME 6 GAME 5 GAME 4 GAME 3 GAME 2 GAME 1 Reports WAP Chess Fantasy Chess Activities Schedules Rules Prize Money Results Gallery Kasparov Kramnik Tickets Venue
Born in the quiet, sleepy town of Tuapse, one of the most southerly towns in the Black Sea coast of the former Soviet Union, Vladimir Kramnik, from the early age of four, showed great promise at chess despite no one in his house able to teach him. At the early age of five, he was already attending the town’s House of Pioneers. By the age of seven, he had already won the adult championship of his town and had become something of a local celebrity. By the age of eleven, he had made it to the famous school of Mikhail Botvinnik, where he stood by the demonstration board his head already reached the eighth rank; his height, like his play was becoming extraordinary… He first burst onto the world stage at Manila in 1992 – at the behest of the then world champion Garry Kasparov – when he displayed maturity of play far beyond his early years, as he became the youngest player to represent Russia in the Chess Olympiad. After winning the gold medal for the overall board prize with a phenomenal score of 8.5/9 on the day of his 17th birthday, Kramnik was tipped to be the natural heir to Kasparov’s world crown. Now, as we fast-forward some eight years, that early promise has been fulfilled: he’s just beaten Kasparov to become the fourteenth world chess champion.
CHAT Email
Lord Rennell of Rodd I arrive at his plush rented Thames side retreat in Chiswick some 24 hours after he won the title. Warmly greeted by his main second, Miguel Illescas, I’m taken into the kitchen-cum reception area, where I’m equally welcomed, and made to feel at home by his manager, Lord Rennell of Rodd, a 65-yearold peer of the realm who not only once played rugby for Scotland, but also used to be the rugby correspondent for my newspaper, The Scotsman!
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/kramint.html (1 of 7)17/07/05 10:10:30
Braingames World Chess Championships
Miguel Illescas and his uncle Antonio who acted as cook during the match. It was explained to me that this was the first time since the match started that anyone had been let near the house – not even family, wives, girlfriends or close friends. It was part of their grand plan for victory. The house was strictly off limits to anyone other than “team Kramnik”: Kramnik; his main seconds, Miguel Illescas, Joel Lautier and Evgeny Bareev; manager Lord Rennell; Kramnik’s personal trainer, and his cook, Miguel’s uncle, Antonio. The big joke within the camp was that the house sort of took on the appearance and feel of the cult TV show Big Brother – they were all stuck in it and did everything together. The big question was: Who would Garry Kasparov liked to have voted out first! As I sat enjoying their convivial hospitality (Incidentally, the first time in seven weeks that alcohol had been allowed in the house), in casually walked the man who now followed in a long and illustrious line stretching back to Willhelm Steinitz in 1886 – Vladimir Kramnik!
Bareev and Lautier Vladimir had only managed to get to bed at 9.00am that day after winning the world crown from Kasparov. While some, anticipating this as a night of drunken celebration after a historic victory, in reality, the reason for getting to bed at such an hour couldn’t have been further from the truth: He’d been up all night analysing the final game all night with his seconds! Still, he looked fresh despite that fact that he’d been doing the “media shift” for most of the afternoon and early evening as the world came to grips with his historic victory over Kasparov. Of course, I couldn’t just arrive for an audience with the fourteenth world champion without a gift, so I decided to offer my congratulations in the traditional Scottish way with the gift of a celebratory bottle of 12-year-old single Scottish Malt Whisky. “But John,” he joked with such a straight face. “Don’t you know that I’ve given up alcohol now that I’m the world champion!”
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/kramint.html (2 of 7)17/07/05 10:10:30
Braingames World Chess Championships
Kramnik with his prize Escorted into the plush “War Room” where all the critical decisions in the match were taken, he sat down on one of the comfy sofas and casually drank a cup of lemon tea while eating a ham sandwich. Kramnik had by now begun to relax and opened himself up for questioning from your reporter.
First of all, Vladimir, congratulations on a superb match! At what point in your mind did you think you could really become the World Champion? Believe me, it was always in my mind to be World Champion! But, for sure, it had to be after game 10. That was the moment for certain. Then I knew it must…it must happen. Certainly in the middle of the match I knew there was a chance it may never happen, but in reality [after Kasparov went 2-0 down] I couldn’t see how he could comeback. At Wijk aan Zee you admitted you were tired and lacked energy. When you came to London it was clear that you had lost a lot of weight and looked much fitter. What did you do to achieve this? Did you have a personal physical trainer? Yes, I’m much fitter now than I have ever been! I gave up smoking a few months back. For the last six months I’ve also been using the services of a
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/kramint.html (3 of 7)17/07/05 10:10:30
Braingames World Chess Championships
top sports trainer: Valeriy Krylov [who also used to work with Anatoly Karpov], who in the past has been a trainer to the Russian Basketball team. He has worked out an exercise regime for me and has also looked at what and when I eat. I did a lot of physical training along with Miguel [Illescas] in Majorca in the weeks running up to arriving in London for the match – swimming, weight training and volleyball. Here in London, before the match started [Kramnik and his team have been in London three-weeks before the match started], we played some tennis – but not when the match started! That would have been just too much – even for a super-fit me! It made a big difference to my match stamina. I couldn’t imagine I would have been so energetic during the match – it really gave me a welcomed extra boost! There were some people around that couldn’t work out how I could have played some of those tough games, yet comeback looking lean and fit and ready for another game with Kasparov. For them, even sitting in the audience looking at the games, it was tiring. So it baffled them how I had so much energy. Nobody else in the world can handle Kasparov like you – why do you think Kasparov can’t play against you as he does against others? Don’t get me wrong here – Kasparov is a great player, fantastic player. But most of the players tend to be afraid of him when they shouldn’t. I can see it in their eyes when they come to the board to play him. They just want to make some moves and stop the clock. I tell you, this isn’t the way to play against Garry! He can literally sense the fear. He “feels” it and this gives him additional powers at the board. So basically it’s very simple: to start with, if you want to win the match, you shouldn’t be afraid of him. There are still many, many things to do, but above all this is the most important: Don’t be scared of him! Many people feel that this was a match that Alexei Shirov should have played rather than you, since he beat you to win through to play Kasparov in 1997. What’s your view on this? I personally don’t feel any guilt or any responsibility for the situation that Shirov finds himself in. Remember, I was also a victim of it. Also, many people forget that Kasparov was also a sad victim of what happened in this incident with the World Chess Council, Luis Rentero and the Andalusian government. Now, two years have passed and the situation is completely different: no one wants to organise this match. The moment has gone. We cannot hold everything up for him so it can be organised. Yes, it’s a pity for him what has happened, but it’s life. I don’t think that his complaints are justified especially after everything he said: they were simply rude. Not rude to me, but rude to chess because he was making all these statements that this match was going to be pre-arranged and I was going to lose. Okay, this isn’t bad for me but it’s definitely bad for chess – He continues to write these statements in chess magazines across the world and chess amateurs read them and the first thing they think is “there’s trouble in the chess world, this top player say’s so.” He should stop and stop now. He’s doing damage not only to himself by what he says but also to the chess world at large. You seem so calm at the board – much like the great Boris Spassky. Are you nervous inside, as Spassky later admitted he was? No – I’m quite calm inside during the game for most of the time - not 100%, but generally very calm. I don’t like to show my emotions at the board, not because they might give something away to an opponent, but because that’s my style: I like to keep it to myself. In this respect I suppose I’m the total opposite of Garry. With his very emotive body language at the board he shows and displays all his emotions. I don’t. There’s been a lot of speculation that, now with you as world champion, that behind the scenes Fide have already started work on a possible unification match. Many chess fans would very much like to see this happen. What’s your reaction? And would you talk to
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/kramint.html (4 of 7)17/07/05 10:10:30
Braingames World Chess Championships
Kirsan Iljumzhinov about such a possibility? At the moment there’s nothing I can tell you about it. It is something that may be considered but at the moment I have a contract with Braingames. If they [Braingames] want to do something with Fide – great! It will be very interesting and I would certainly consider it. If Braingames don’t, they have fulfilled an obligation to me. I’ll certainly make sure that I fulfil any obligation I have to them. I don’t mind to talk to Kirsan, but I’ll not do anything that would ever endanger my obligations to Braingames. There’s been much talk in the past – and in particular in the run-up to this match – about Kasparov teaching you at the legendary Kasparov\Botvinnik Chess School in Russia. Did you really receive much personal tuition from Kasparov, or did mostly other trainers do it? It wasn’t personal. Not really. At the school we were in groups of twelve – Garry would spend maybe three days at a time when he would be giving lectures and doing simuls. This tale about him being “my teacher” was simply a journalist’s story – Botvinnik himself mainly did all of our training. Garry would simply give what precious time he could to the school as he could. You could say he was my teacher as he was Shirov’s and Akopian’s. Where he did help me though was in his insisting that I should be included in the Russian squad for the Manila Olympiad in 1992. He put his neck on the line here in this respect. He basically saw the raw talent that I had and helped to nurture it along. He really didn’t need to do this. It must have been obvious at the time to him that he saw me as being a “threat” to his crown. But in all fairness to him, despite this potential threat in the future, this never stopped him from giving help. Now this brings me neatly to another topic of interest with your past workings with Kasparov. Do you think that it was a sort of world championship suicide on his part to allow you to be his second against Anand in 1995? You know this is a question that can be looked at in two ways: Not only did I get to know him better, but he also got to know me better! Both of us could have taken an advantage from this from seeing how each other worked. But it was not basically to someone’s advantage – it was who would make the better use of this information. I know I certainly did! I basically got to know and understand him much, much better – he didn’t with me. So yes, in a way, he contributed to his own downfall. But not such a major contribution as a lot of people have made it out to be. How is your relationship with Kasparov now? And how did he react to the defeat? I feel that my relationship with Kasparov now is much the same as it had been before the match – good. As for his reaction, well it can’t be nice to lose your title after so long, but he was very generous. It was a very gentlemanly behaviour on his part. He congratulated me on my victory and admitted that I should have won. He accepted me as the new world champion. No one can have any complaints about what must have been a sad moment for him – he accepted his defeat with good grace. Preparation appears to have won you this match. It seems that your backroom team of Lautier, Illescas and Bareev were much better than Kasparov’s. Do you think that this was a major reason for your victory? And in comparison, why do you think that Kasparov’s own team here were often criticised? I don’t know anything about Kasparov’s team, but from what I know they are a very serious and hard working group of players. I believe they were doing their job – I’m sure they didn’t just sit around all day drinking wine! But it’s clear that my team were definitely working better – very clear! I made a better decision in choosing my team. Sure, I had a bigger choice of players to choose from – but I couldn’t have asked for a harder working group of players who did an incredible job. They had simply one aim: Helping me to become World Champion, which I thank them for.
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/kramint.html (5 of 7)17/07/05 10:10:30
Braingames World Chess Championships
They are very hard workers in their own right and I’m more than satisfied with what they did. Even if I hadn’t have won the match I couldn’t have thanked them enough for what they did – especially their efforts in the final week. Most of them hardly slept during this period. It was work, work, work and more work. I think the only rest they got was when I actually played the games! After the match Garry Kasparov said that you had “out-prepared” him and after game two all his opening preparation went right out of the window. Is this true? No, but this is very subjective…very subjective. We both had some sort of strategy before the match - and mine won through. Of course it was obvious for all to see that Kasparov had worked hard for this match. But, because of my own strategy winning through, he couldn’t realise his own. And, you know, this is crucial in match-play situations. Okay, we both had openings that we both had advantages from. But take this Archangel ending from game 11. Yes, this ending favoured White – I knew it favoured White. But the point was that I knew he wouldn’t like this sort of position. I wanted to find a way to play against him by finding some positions that he didn’t feel all that confident with – and it was evident he didn’t feel comfortable with this position. How did you hit upon the idea of the Berlin Defence as a way to neutralise Kasparov – was it your own idea to play it? No! It was just one of the many candidates I looked at with my team. Don’t think for one minute I arrived in London with this as my only defence! Certainly I prepared it for the match – but it certainly wasn’t the only thing I had prepared! But it simply went well, as I suspiciously thought it would. The Berlin Defence suited my strategy for the match. I had a defensive strategy – Actually, I had in my pocket some other sharper stuff to fall back on – but first I wanted to try the defensive strategy with Black and it worked so well. This was all new to Kasparov – he probably expected me to fight for equality with Black. Okay, when you start to fight for equality, like Anand did in 1995, you could end up losing game 10, like he did, without putting up any kind of fight. With the Berlin you get a “feel” for the positions. I accepted that the endgame was better for White, but he has to win over the board, not with his legendary home preparation – that’s crucial! With the Berlin I was able to set up a fortress that he could come near but not breach. When others play against Kasparov they want to keep him distant. I let him in close but I knew where the limit was. I think this surprised him because normally when you fight, you don’t want your opponent to have some advantage, but I gave some advantage from the beginning. Close enough to touch my wall, closer, closer, but not break it. Someone even compared it to Ali’s “rope-a-dope” trick against George Foreman – this was a very good analogy! Okay, I suffered a little, but with some defences Black commits his forces leaving behind openings into his camp. But with the Berlin, I was able to allow him to get near, but not quite near enough, and I knew where to draw the line with the fortresses I had set up. At some point he seemed to lose all confidence trying to break down the Berlin Wall. He was still fighting as only Kasparov can, but I could see it in his eyes that he knew he wasn’t going to win one of these games. For him it was always a case of “Better, better, better…draw!” This is what broke him down psychologically. It was all very difficult for him as he’s used to winning ever second tournament game. This was my strategy and it worked very well. Did it surprise you that Kasparov didn’t attempt a do-or-die comeback towards the end with something like the Scotch, Evans Gambit or even the King’s Gambit? No. This didn’t cross my mind at all. For a start the match was too short for this sort of policy. If it had been a 24-game match then yes, he could have perhaps experimented earlier on to try and probe for weaknesses – but not in a 16 game match. He understood that I would be very well prepared for the Scotch and things
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/kramint.html (6 of 7)17/07/05 10:10:30
Braingames World Chess Championships
like the Evans. Once he had selected the path he was going down he really had to stick with it in a 16 game match. He had to try and hit in the one direction but unfortunately for him – though fortunately for me! – he hit in the wrong direction. After the match, Kasparov appeared to challenge you to a rematch. He said that the new champion should follow his example and defend the title against the strongest candidate. Will you play a rematch with Kasparov? Please, give me a chance; I’ve only just won the title! I haven’t thought about it. After such a tough match you need time to recuperate. You can’t play such a match in the same year; you need at least a couple of years. It’s nothing to do with me keeping my title – far from it. It’s because it is so tough both physically and psychologically. A rematch is a possibility, but I would say at the moment it is just an idea of his [Kasparov’s]. It doesn’t mean that this is going to happen. Now that you’ve taken Kasparov’s crown, will you know also be looking to replace him as the world number one? Of course! You know, our ratings after this match will be very close – I think I can also become the world number one in the not too distant future. However, I’m sure that Garry will also have something to say about this! Will you now be taking a rest, or perhaps a holiday following this match? And when will you be next playing? Yes, for sure! I’ll probably be spending some time holidaying in Europe for a period. No chess, just friends and some books! I think after what I’ve been through in the last six months or so I deserve this break from chess. As for my return, I’ll be playing Peter Leko in early January in a speed chess match in Germany. After that, it is, of course, the delights of Wijk aan Zee. Thank you very much world champion Vladimir Kramnik! On behalf of our readers, I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on their behalf after winning the title, and to once again thank you for this interview. LCC Home | TWIC | The Match | WAP | Fantasy Chess | Schedule | Reports Results | WCC Home
http://www.chesscenter.com/wcc2000/kramint.html (7 of 7)17/07/05 10:10:30
|
