Previewing the world championship match

April 18, 2010

Position No. 6103: Black to play and win. From the game Darwin Yang-Irina Krush, Lubbock 2010.

Solution to Position No. 6102: Not convincing is 1 . . . Rh6? 2 Rd1, but Black wins with 1 . . . Re3!, threatening mate with 2 . . . Rxg3+ 3 fxg3 Qf1+. If 2 Rxe3 dxe3 3 Re2, then 3 . . . Qf3+ 4 Kg1 Rh6 mates. If 2 Rd3, then 2 . . . Qe4+ 3 f3 Rexf3 4 Rgxf3 Rxf3 5 Rf3 Qxc2+ wins. And if 2 Qd1, Black leaves White helpless by 2 . . . Rxg3+ 3 fxg3 Qe4+ 4 Kg1 Qe3+ 5 Kg2 d3. For example, 6 a3 permits 6 . . . Qe4+ 7 Kg1 Rh6 8 Rg2 Qe3+ 9 Rf2 Rf6 10 Qd2 Rxf2 11 Qxf2 d2.

The world championship match between champion Viswanathan Anand of India and Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria begins Friday in Sofia, Bulgaria. The schedule calls for a rest day after every two days of play except that there will be an additional rest day May 9, between the 11th and 12th games. If the score reaches 6-6, the players will break the tie with a series of faster games May 12.

Topalov, ranked second in the world at 2805, deserves to be considered a slight favorite over Anand, fourth at 2787. However, one can imagine almost any outcome.

Anand has more experience in matches and he plays more soundly, with better judgment, but Topalov is more determined and much more daring. He should benefit from playing in his home city. The very short match (only 12 games, half the traditional distance) favors Anand, who is more likely to tire and who should have the advantage in faster tiebreak games if necessary. Finally, Topalov and his manager, who were scolded by the World Chess Federation for dirty tricks during his 2006 loss to Vladimir Kramnik, will undoubtedly try to upset Anand with off-the-board maneuvers. Topalov has already announced that he will not speak directly to Anand during games and that any draw offers must be transmitted through the arbiter.

Send your prediction of the final score to jack.peters@latimes.com. Include the number of wins for each player. The best guesser will win a prize.

Local news

The eighth annual Western Pacific Open takes place next weekend at the Hilton Hotel, 5711 W. Century Blvd. in Los Angeles. The five-round main event offers a guaranteed prize fund of $5,000. Entrants may begin play Friday evening or Saturday morning.

The two side events (a five-round scholastic tournament and three-round Hexes) will be held Sunday only. For details and online entry, see westernchess.com.

The Spring Chess Festival, organized by the Adams Square Merchants Assn. and the AAA Chess Club, attracted 105 chess players and many spectators to Glendale on April 10 for a day of chess on a blocked-off city street. Alec Baghdasarian and Alex Chakmakian tied for first in the grades K-3 section, and Gor Mirzoyan and John Quin shared top honors in the grades K-7 section. Aghvan Ghahramanyan won an Open section that included kids and adults. Harry Keshishian directed.

Today’s games

We continue our tribute to the late Vassily Smyslov.

GM Vassily Smyslov (U.S.S.R.)-GM Mikhail Botvinnik (U.S.S.R.), Game No. 9, World Championship, Moscow 1954: 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 The Winawer variation of the French Defense, an appropriate battleground for two pioneers of the system. 4 e5 c5 5 a3 Ba5 Even then, a seldom-seen alternative to 5 . . . Bxc3+. 6 b4 cxd4 Too greedy is 6 . . . cxb4?! 7 Nb5. 7 Qg4 Ne7 8 bxa5 dxc3 9 Qxg7 Rg8 10 Qxh7 Still considered a critical position. However, Botvinnik’s next move is regarded as inferior to 10 . . . Nbc6. Nd7 11 Nf3 Nf8 12 Qd3 Qxa5 13 h4 Black must generate counterplay before this valuable passed pawn decides the game. Bd7 14 Bg5 Rc8 What else? If Black threatens . . . Bd7-b5 with 14 . . . a6, simply 15 Nd4 Nc6 16 Nxc6 Bxc6 17 Rh3 secures White’s advantage. 15 Nd4 Nf5 Inviting 16 Nxf5 exf5 17 Rd1 Ne6 18 Qxd5 Qxd5 19 Rxd5 Nxg5 20 hxg5 f4, when Black has good chances to draw. 16 Rb1 Rc4? Overlooking a devastating tactic. Smyslov claimed “an undisputed advantage” for White after 16 . . . b6 17 g4 Nxd4 18 Qxd4 Qxa3 19 Bd3, but Black had to risk it. 17 Nxf5 exf5 18 Rxb7 Re4+?! Still oblivious, but 18 . . . Rc8 19 Be2 Ng6 20 0-0 Bc6?! 21 Rxf7! wouldn’t help. 19 Qxe4! dxe4 20 Rb8+ Bc8 21 Bb5+ Qxb5 22 Rxb5 Ne6 23 Bf6 Rxg2 24 h5 Ba6 25 h6, Black Resigns.

GM Vassily Smyslov (U.S.S.R.)-GM Miroslav Filip (Czechoslovakia), European Team Championship, Vienna 1957: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e6 4 Nc3 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 The Modern Benoni, virtually unexplored in 1957. 6 e4 g6 7 Nf3 Bg7 8 Be2 The main line for decades, although many now prefer 8 h3 0-0 9 Bd3. 0-0 9 0-0 Bg4 Logical, but White gets an edge. Black has also tried 9 . . . Re8 and 9 . . . Na6. 10 h3 Bxf3 11 Bxf3 a6 More active is 11 . . . Nbd7 12 Bf4 Qe7. 12 Bf4 Ne8 13 a4 Nd7 14 Be2 Qc7 15 Rc1 Rb8 16 b3 White eliminates Queenside worries by preventing both . . . b7-b5 and . . . c5-c4. Nef6 17 Qc2 Rfe8 18 Bh2 h6 19 Kh1 Nh7 20 f4!? Not fearing 20 . . . Bxc3 21 Qxc3 Rxe4, as 22 Bd3 Re3 23 Bg1 Ree8 24 b4 obtains fair compensation. f5? A worse method of accepting the pawn sacrifice. Black gains false assurance from the possibility of 21 exf5? Bxc3 22 Qxc3 Rxe2. Smyslov recommended 20 . . . Qa5 21 Nd1 b5. 21 Bf3! Bxc3 22 Qxc3 fxe4 He cannot back out with 22 . . . Nhf6 because White opens the g-file by 23 exf5 gxf5 24 Qc2 Ne4 25 g4! Ndf6 26 gxf5, with a winning attack. For example, Black cannot stand 26 . . . Qd7 27 Rg1+ Kf7 28 Rce1 Qxf5 29 Qg2! Qh7 (as 29 . . . Rg8? 30 Bxe4 costs a piece) 30 f5 Ng5 31 Bxd6. 23 Bg4 Nhf6 If 23 . . . Nhf8, White surges ahead with 24 f5 g5 25 f6. 24 Be6+ Crushing. Kh7 25 h4! Too hasty is 25 f5?! g5. Rg8 26 g4! h5 27 g5 Ng4 28 f5 Single-minded. The King is the target, and the Rook at g8 and loose pawn at e4 mere distractions. Rgf8 29 fxg6+ Kxg6 30 Bxg4 hxg4 31 h5+! Kxh5 A one-way journey, but White refutes 31 . . . Kh7 32 Qe3 Rbe8 very persuasively by 33 g6+ Kg7 34 Rf7+! Rxf7 35 gxf7 Kxf7 36 Rf1+. 32 Qg7 g3 33 Bxg3 Kg4 34 Rg1 Rh8+ 35 Bh2+ Kh4 36 Rcf1 Rbg8 Or 36 . . . Rbf8 37 Rf4+ Kh5 38 Rg3!, forcing mate. 37 Rf4+ Kh5 38 Qf7+ Rg6 39 Qf5, Black Resigns.

GM Tigran Petrosian (U.S.S.R.)-GM Vassily Smyslov (U.S.S.R.), Moscow 1961: 1 c4 Nf6 2 Nf3 b6 3 d3 c5 4 Nc3 Nc6 5 Bg5 A novel position in the English Opening. e6 6 e3 Be7 7 d4 h6 8 Bf4 cxd4 9 exd4 Bb4 The natural 9 . . . d5 permits 10 Ne5 Bb7 11 Qa4 Rc8 12 cxd5 Nxd5 13 Bb5. 10 Bd3 0-0 11 0-0 d5 12 cxd5 Nxd5 Now we have a “normal” position with the isolated d-pawn. White could keep an edge with 13 Nxd5 Qxd5 14 Rc1. 13 Qc1?! Bxc3!? Enterprising. Black could level the game by 13 . . . Nxf4 14 Qxf4 Bb7. Even 13 . . . Bb7 14 Bxh6! Rc8! is acceptable. 14 bxc3 Qf6 15 Bd2 Bb7 16 Re1 White must refrain from 16 c4?? Nxd4! 17 cxd5 Nxf3+ 18 gxf3 Qxf3, as Black will recover a Bishop. Rac8 17 Re4? How ironic! The ultra-cautious Petrosian plays too boldly and loses to the concept he popularized, an exchange sacrifice. Also 17 Ng5? fails, to 17 . . . Nxd4! 18 Nh7 Nf3+! 19 gxf3 Qxf3 20 Be4 Qg4+ 21 Kh1 f5 22 Nxf8 fxe4, threatening 23 . . . e3. But 17 Qa3 Rfd8 18 Rad1 maintains equality. Ncb4 18 Bb1 Rxc3! 19 Bxc3 Rc8 Black foresees 20 Re3 Nxe3 21 fxe3 Bxf3 22 gxf3 Nd5. 20 Qe1?! A little better is 20 Qd2. Nxc3 21 Re3 Nbd5 22 Be4 Acquiescing to a lost endgame. Instead, White could lose in the middlegame by 22 Rd3 Nf4! 23 Re3 (or 23 Rxc3 Rxc3 24 Qxc3? Ne2+) Nce2+! 24 Rxe2 Nxg2! 25 Qf1 Bxf3. Nxe4 23 Rxe4 Nb4 24 Rxe6 fxe6 25 Qxb4 Bxf3 26 gxf3 Qxf3 Black has won “only” a pawn, but that’s plenty for Smyslov. 27 Qd6 Qg4+ 28 Kf1 Rc4 29 Re1 Rxd4 30 Qxe6+ Qxe6 31 Rxe6 Ra4! The first rule of technique: force your opponent to defend. 32 Re2 Kf7 33 f3 b5 34 Kf2 Kf6 35 Kg3 g5 36 h3 h5 37 Kg2 h4 38 Kf2 Ra3 39 Kg2 b4 40 Kf2 a5 40 Kg2 Rc3!, White Resigns. The Rook belongs at b5, behind the passed pawn Black will create by . . . a5-a4 and . . . b4-b3.