CHESS
The chess Olympics in Manila turned out to be an effortless parade for the Russian team, doubtless inspired by the superb performance on top board of Kas- parov. With a round to go, the Russians had already assured themselves of the gold medals, well ahead of an assorted medley of teams from the former USSR, plus the USA, England, Iceland and Israel. Eng- land, after a wretched patch in the middle
when they lost to Uzbekistan, Georgia, Iceland and India, picked up towards the
end with overwhelming wins against Chile and Australia. So, as I write, with one round to go, England could theoretically still be within striking distance of a medal,
though things will have to go very right for them in the last round.
As I predicted before the event started, one of the most prominent features of Manila was the impact of the different segments of the fragmented Soviet empire. All 12 teams were dangerous opponents. For example, in the following game Nigel Short's rival in the world championship candidates final was dismissed with con- temptuous ease by a young Armenian.
Timman (Holland) — Akopian (Armenia): Man- ila Olympiad (Round 9), 1992; Sicilian Defence. 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 A slightly unusual system. The normal 3 d4 might have been better. 3 . . . d6 4 0-0 And here 4 d4 certainly makes more sense. 4 . . . Bd7 5 c3 Nf6 6 Rel a6 7 Bfl Bg4 8 d3 White's passive opening has left him with no clear plan while Black's position is relatively easy to handle. 8 . . . e6 9 h3 Bh5 10 Bf4 Bel 11 Nbd2 0.0 12 Qe2 b5 13 a3 Re8 14 g4 Bg6 15 Bg2 Rc8 16 Radl h6 17 Bg3 Nd7 18 Nfl Bh7 19 Nei Nf8 20 Nh2 What we have seen so far of the middle game exhibits planless meandering by White while Black has steadily built up a cohesive formation. Akopian's next move lays a firm claim to control of the central dark squares. 20 . . . e5 21 f4?? Having indulged so far in a strategy of inactivity Timman chooses precisely the wrong moment to lash out. This move is, in
Russian empire
Raymond Keene
fact, so had that it might he attributed to the activity of sunspots along with some other astounding grandmaster blunders which I have Position after 22 . . . Bh4 catalogued in recent weeks. 21 . . . exf4 22 Bxf4 Bh4 (Diagram) White's position is now almost resignable and the only way to offer further resistance would have been to leave his rook where it is and seek salvation for his queen's bishop. Instead of that, Timman plunges head- long into the trap. 23 Rfl? g5 Of course now White loses his bishop for no compensation at all. 24 Qf3 gxf4 25 Qxf4 Ne5 26 Nd5 Qg5 White resigns.
Kasparov (Russia) — Loginov (Uzbekistan): Manila Olympiad (Round 6), 1992; King's Indi- an Defence. 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 It is interesting to see Kasparov on the white side combating his own favourite defence. 5 f3 Interestingly Kas- parov chooses the aggressive Saemisch Varia- tion, so named after the German grandmaster of the 1920s. Karpov also used this to effect against Kasparov in their most recent world cham- pionship match. 5 . . . 0-0 6 Be3 a6 7 Qd2 Nc6 8 Nge2 Rh8 9 h4 There are many alternative plans, some involving artificial manoeuvres such as Ncl–b3. As might be expected, Kasparov goes directly for an attack against the black king. 9 . . . b5 10 h5 e5 10 . . . Nxh5 11 g4 Nf6 12 Bh6 is clearly too dangerous for Black. He cannot go pawn-snatching; he must get counterplay in the centre. 11 d5 Na5 12 Ng3 bxc4 So Black has won a pawn after all but on the other wing. Neverthe- less, the existence of this pawn rather impedes Black's attacking plans, so it is something of a double-edged bonus. 13 0.0-0 Rb4 14 Bh6 Bxh6 15 Qxh6 The tone of the game is now set: it is a contest between White's attack in the 'h' file and Black's corresponding pressure in the 'b' file. 15 . . . Qe7 16 Be2 Bd7 17 Nfl Rfb8 18 Rd2 This move defends the pawn on b2 and also prepares to transfer the rook via the second rank to h2, in order to intensify White's assault against h7. 18 . . . c519 Bd1 Again facilitating the switch of the Position after 23 . . . Ng7
white rook to h2. 19 . . . NeS 20 hxg6 fxg6 21 g4 Qg7 22 g5 Qxh6 23 Rxh6 Ng7 (Diagram) It might appear that with the exchange of queens White's offensive would abate, but in this case appear- ances are somewhat deceptive. 24 f4!! Without this move White would have nothing. The point of this rupture of the centre is firstly to prevent Black blocking White's avenue of attack with . . . Nh5 (now refuted by BxhS) and secondly to unblock White's `e' pawn which may later advance to free White's columns in the rear. 24 . . . exf4 25 Rdh2 Re8 26 Nd2 Reb8 Hoping to distract White from his primary goal by setting up counterthreats against White's pawn on b2, but Kasparov refuses to be deflected. 27 Rxh7 Rxb2 28 R2h4 A very fine and subtle idea, the point of which is revealed on move 30. 28 . . . R2b7 29 Rh8+ K17 30 Rxf4+ Ke7 31 Rh7 Rg8 32 Rf6 Be8 Black is now tied in knots and Kasparov finishes with a flourish. 33 e5! If in response to this 33 dxe5 34 Rxa6 wins material. 33 . . . Rb6 34 Nde4 Nb7 35 exd6+ Nxd6 36 Re6+ Kd7 Black resigns 37 Nf6+ will be terminal. A• game that proves that even after the exchange of queens violent attacks can still occur.
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