Rdbeq
The Ultimate Islay Malt.
CRdbN www.ardbeg.com
CHESS
Alexander the Great
Raymond Keene
IN 1994 a 17-year-old Russian created a tremendous stir when he won the Lloyds Bank Masters tournament in London with the extraordinary score of 9.5. points from 10 possible. The young man in question was Alexander Morozevich and among his illus- trious victims at the time were the respected grandmasters Miles, Hebden, Gurevich and Petursson. There is a tendency to dismiss such a performance in an open tournament as a flash in the pan. However, Morozevich has gone on to establish himself in the top five of the world ranking list and now regu- larly obtains invitations to elite tourna- ments. Here, he delights spectators with his unabashed adherence to the principles of 19th-century Romanticism. His games recall the violence of an Adolf Anderssen in the unrelenting fashion in which he hunts the opposing king. This week's games and puz- zle depict recent Morozevich exploits.
Morozevich–Van Wely: Corus International Wijk aan Zee 2000; Sicilian Defence
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 e6 7 f3 b5 8 g4 h6 9 Qd2 Nbd7 10 0-0-0 Bbl 11 Bd3 Varying from the game Kasparov—Van Wely as given in last week's column where 11 h4 was played. 11 ... Ne5 12 Rhe1 In distinction to Kasparov, who hurled forward his kingside pawns, Morozevich stores up an impressive quantity of latent energy in the centre of the board, which the black king has not yet had time to vacate. 12 ... Rc8 13 Kbl Nfd7 Typical of the rocket science which pervades Black's play in these modern lines. I must say, had I been Black in this position, I would have developed a piece by means of 13 ... Be7 and given myself the chance of castling kingside if affairs got too heat- ed in the middle of the board. 14 f4 Nc4 After 14 Nxg4 15 f5 is dangerous. 15 Qe2 Nxe3 16 Qxe3 g5 Strategically quite appropriate, since he is striking at the weakened dark squares, further enfeebled by the absence of White's queen's bishop. Nevertheless, it does seem to me that Black is playing with fire, indulging in hyper- sophisticated moves when his king is still facing the massed army of White's centrally based forces. 17 e5 gxf4 18 Qxf4 dxe5 19 Nxe6 The storm bursts and White unleashes the full fury of his centralised legions. If now 19 ... exf4 White has a choice of spectacular double mates by playing his knight either to c7 or g7. Meanwhile 19 ... fxe6 fails in comparatively banal fashion to 20 Bg6+ Ke7 21 Qf7 mate. 19 Qe7 20 Qd2 fxe6 If 20 ... Qxe6 21 Bf5 wins at once. 21 Bg6+ Kd8 22 Rfl Rxc3 23 Qxc3 Qc5 24 Rf7 Bc8 25 Qd2 Qa7 26 g5 The material balance, White having rook against bishop and knight, is approximately level. However, White's enduring pin both frontal and lateral against Black's knight is virtually decisive, quite apart from the extraordinary lack of development which afflicts the entire Black camp. 26 ... b4 27 gxh6 Bxh6 28 Qxb4 Bg5 29 Qg4 Black resigns Not a moment too soon. Black has no defence against the twin threats of 30 Qxg5 and 30 Qxe6.
I continue with an elegant finish by Morozevich from the same tournament. Morozevich—Nikolic: (see Diagram) 38 Bxg7+ If now 38 ...Rxg7 39 Qxf8 + Nxf8 40 b8/Q and wins. 38 ...Nxg7 39 QxfS
lixf8 40 Rd8 Ne6 41 Rxf8+ Nxf8 42 h8Q Kg7 43 Qa7+ Kh6 44 Qf7 Black resigns
Ardbeg Malt Whisky Puzzle No. 15 White to play and win — first move only required. This position is a variation from the game Morozevich–Xie Jun, Pamplona 1998. Here Morozevich scored a quick win. Can you see how?
Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 15 February or via e-mail to vanessa@spectator.co.ak or by fax on 020 7242 0603. The winner will be the first cor- rect answer drawn out of a hat, and each week I shall be offering a prize of a bottle of Ardbeg Malt Whisky.
Last week's solution: Bf7+ Last week's winner: David Hutt.
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