The event is being
held from January 14 to 30 (first and last rounds) at the De Moriaan Community
Centre in Wijk
aan Zee, Holland. There are three main tournaments, all 14-player round
robins, starting at 13.30 Central European Time. The rest days are on Jan.
19, 24 and 27. The rate of play is 40/2, 20/1 and 30 minutes to finish
the game (group C 40/2 plus 1 hour for the rest). The games can be watched
on the official live coverage
site or watched and discussed with other chess fans on the Playchess.com
server. |
Round four
![](/portals/all/_for_legal_reasons.jpg)
On of the most-watched games on the Playchess.com server was the encounter
between Britian's Nigel Short (above) and Russian Super-GM
Alexander Morozvitch, one of the most mercurial player in top-level chess.
Morozevich can go through tournaments like a knife through butter, or he can
set himself up as, well, the butter. This is what he is doing in Wijk aan Zee.
Against the 39-year-old Short, veteran of a world championship challenge (in
1993 against Garry Kasparov) "Moro" decided to try the ancient Philidor
Defence. Did we mention that Morozevich is also one of the most diverse players
in the opening? Nigel Short, confronted with a novelty on move eight, and a
suprising ...d5 break on move 15, kept his wits about him in this "Morozevich
position" (Short). He gave up the bishop pair, won an exchange and pinned
the black king down on the h8 square.
Short,N (2674) - Morozevich,A (2741) [C41]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (4), 18.01.2005
![](/portals/all/_for_legal_reasons.jpg)
Black has just played 41...Rf8-g8 after White had moved his queen from g4-f4.
Now there was an agonizing five-minute wait on the server. Over five hundred
people, all armed with Fritz, wondered whether Nigel had not seen the killer
combination that immediately ends the game. He had and Morozevich resigned
two moves later – 1-0. We leave you to ponder what White
must play in the above position, and to check in the replay and download section
if you fail to spot the move.
![](/portals/all/_for_legal_reasons.jpg)
In the typical style of an "English Attack" in the Najdorf Michael
Adams (photo above by Siep Korteling) castled queenside and threw
everything he had at the uncastled black king. Take a look at the position
after White's 13th move and claim you would not be intimidated by the forces
gathering for the attack. However the world's number three from Bulgaria stood
up to the pressure pretty well, until he lost the thread in time touble.
Adams,Mi (2741) - Topalov,V (2757) [B90]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (4), 18.01.2005
![](/portals/all/_for_legal_reasons.jpg)
In severe time trouble Topalov gave up the exchange and then a pawn and the
game: 31...Rxd4 [31...Bxd4 32.Rxd4 Rxd4 was an obvious alternative]
32.Rxd4 Bxd4 33.Qxd4 e5 34.Qf2+ Ke8 [loses a pawn –
34...Qf7 would have been better] 35.Nf6+ Kd8 36.Qf5 Bc8 37.Qxg5 Be6
38.Qh6 Kc7 39.g5 Kc6 40.Qh8 Kb7 41.g6 1-0. This game won the public
prize for the day.
![](/portals/all/_for_legal_reasons.jpg)
Vladimir Kramnik (above) played what many described as a
flawless game against Dutch import Ivan Sokolov. After the game he appeared
in the press room and answered questions by the journalists. He admitted that
he had a problem with his slow start, seeing virtually nothing in his game
against Topalov in round two. That was most likely due to his inactivity after
the classical chess world championship match in Brissago. Kramnik said he had
not prepared for this tournament, relying on the work he had done for Brissago.
In retrospect he should have at least played a few rapid chess games to get
the calculating parts of his mind going.
Kramnik,V (2754) - Sokolov,I (2685) [C96]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (4), 18.01.2005
![](/portals/all/_for_legal_reasons.jpg)
Watching the game in realtime on the server Garry Kasparov was initially very
impressed by Kramnik's next move: 28.a4!? But then Kasparov
spotted 28...Rxf3! 29.axb5 axb5, after which Black does not seem to be in any
serious trouble. So Sokolov's 28...Rxb3? was the decisive
mistake. After 29.axb5 axb5 30.Kh2 Kg7 31.Rg1+ Kh6 32.Rg4 Nc6 33.Rag1
Kh5 a pretty mating drama unfolded.
34.Rg7 (threat: Rxh7#) 34...h6 (leads to
a forced mate – only 34...Kh6 would have extended Black's life) 35.Ne4
(threatens Ng3+ and Rg4#) 35...Rxf3 36.R1g4 1-0.
Mate in six is unavoidable: 36...Nd4 37.Ng3+ Rxg3 38.fxg3 Nf3+ (38...Nxf5 39.Rh4+
Nxh4 40.g4#) 39.Kh1 b4 40.Rh4+ Nxh4 41.g4 mate. The other fun alternative is
36...Rxf2+ 37.Nxf2 (or 37.Kg1 Rf3 38.R7g6 Rxh3 39.Ng3+ Rxg3+ 40.Rxg3 Kh4 41.Kh2
Nd4 42.Rh3#) 37...Ra8 38.Ne4 Ra2+ 39.Rg2 Rxg2+ 40.Kxg2 Nd4 41.Nxf6+ Kh4 42.Rg4#.
We advise you to play through these lines on our JavaScript board. The link
is given below.
Against Vishy Anand the off-form Peter Svidler came out of a Chigorin on crutches,
but found an imaginative and confusing defence:
Anand,V (2786) - Svidler,P (2735) [C99]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (4), 18.01.2005
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.h3
Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.a3 exd4 15.Nb3 d3 16.Bxd3
Ne5 17.Bf4 Nxd3 18.Qxd3 Re8 19.Rac1 Qb6 20.Be3 Qb7 21.Bd2
21...Bd8?! "It's crazy, but what could I do?" said
Peter afterwards. The move gives up a pawn. 22.Qxd6 Bb6 23.Ba5.
Garry Kasparov did not understand this move, played after due consideration
by Anand. "Why not 23.e5 and keep the damn pawn?" Kasparov said.
An alternative was 23.Be3 Bxe3 24.Rxe3 Nxe4 25.Qf4 Qd5 26.Nc5 Nf6 27.Rxe8+
Nxe8 with a clear positional advantage. After Vishy's move Peter Svidler managed
to get some counterplay and hold on to half a point.
Drawing statistics
The percentage of draws in this tournament has been pleasantly low. just 58%
of the games were drawn, with 28% white and 14% black wins. There has been
only one game which was drawn in 20 moves or less (Topalov-van Wely in round
three) and six in 30 or less moves. Two players have drawn all their games
(van Wely and Bruzon). The players who have played three decisive games each
are Topalov, Morozevich and Ponomariov. And most of the draws have been very
well fought out. Gentlemen (and the lady): this is an exciting tournament.
Round four – Tues. 18.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
½-½ |
Peter Svidler |
C99: Closed Ruy / Chigorin |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
½-½ |
Peter Leko |
A36: Symmetrical English |
Vladimir Kramnik |
1-0 |
Ivan Sokolov |
C99: Closed Ruy Lopez |
Loek van Wely |
½-½ |
Judit Polgar |
D41: Queen's Gambit |
Michael Adams |
1-0 |
Veselin Topalov |
B84: Sicilian Najdorf |
Alexander Grischuk |
½-½ |
Lazaro Bruzon |
D35: Queen's Gambit |
Nigel Short |
1-0 |
Alexander Morozevich |
C41: Philidor Defence |
Current standings
![](/portals/all/_for_legal_reasons.jpg)
Wednesday is a free day.
Groups B and C
Yesterday, in round three, all six games in the C Group were decided. Today
all six games in the B Group were drawn. That made for 62% drawn games, up
from 49% after three rounds.
In the C Group there were three decided game, all won by Black. Here the drawing
average is just 37%, with 28% black wins.
Group B Round four
– Tues. 18.01.2005 |
Daniel Stellwagen |
½-½ |
Antoaneta Stefanova |
Alexander Onischuk |
½-½ |
Sipke Ernst |
Magnus Carlsen |
½-½ |
Sergey Karjakin |
S. Mamedyarov |
½-½ |
Peter .H. Nielsen |
Ivan Cheparinov |
½-½ |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
Predrag Nikolic |
½-½ |
Alejandro Ramirez |
Jan Smeets |
½-½ |
Friso Nijboer |
|
|
Group C Round four
– Tues. 18.01.2005 |
Leon Pliester |
½-½ |
Parimarjan Negi |
Manuel Bosboom |
½-½ |
Erwin L’Ami |
Bianca Muhren |
0-1 |
Tea Lanchava |
Zeinab Mamedjarova |
0-1 |
Evgeny Alekseev |
Alexey Korotylev |
½-½ |
Vladimir Georgiev |
Wouter Spoelman |
½-½ |
Natalia Zhukova |
Joost Wempe |
0-1 |
Harmen Jonkman |
|
Standings
All results and schedule
Round one – Sat.
15.01.2005 |
Alexander Grischuk |
½-½ |
Viswanathan Anand |
Nigel Short |
½-½ |
Michael Adams |
Alexander Morozevich |
½-½ |
Loek van Wely |
Lazaro Bruzon |
½-½ |
Vladimir Kramnik |
Veselin Topalov |
1-0 |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Judit Polgar |
1-0 |
Peter Svidler |
Ivan Sokolov |
½-½ |
Peter Leko |
Games
|
|
Report
|
|
|
Round two – Sun.
16.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
0-1 |
Peter Leko |
Peter Svidler |
½-½ |
Ivan Sokolov |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
1-0 |
Judit Polgar |
Vladimir Kramnik |
0-1 |
Veselin Topalov |
Loek van Wely |
½-½ |
Lazaro Bruzon |
Michael Adams |
1-0 |
Alexander Morozevich |
Alexander Grischuk |
½-½ |
Nigel Short |
Games
|
|
Report
|
|
Round three – Mon.
17.01.2005 |
Nigel Short |
½-½ |
Viswanathan Anand |
Alexander Morozevich |
0-1 |
Alexander Grischuk |
Lazaro Bruzon |
½-½ |
Michael Adams |
Veselin Topalov |
½-½ |
Loek van Wely |
Judit Polgar |
½-½ |
Vladimir Kramnik |
Ivan Sokolov |
0-1 |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Peter Leko |
1-0 |
Peter Svidler |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
Round four – Tues.
18.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
½-½ |
Peter Svidler |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
½-½ |
Peter Leko |
Vladimir Kramnik |
1-0 |
Ivan Sokolov |
Loek van Wely |
½-½ |
Judit Polgar |
Michael Adams |
1-0 |
Veselin Topalov |
Alexander Grischuk |
½-½ |
Lazaro Bruzon |
Nigel Short |
1-0 |
Alexander Morozevich |
Games |
|
Report |
|
Round
five – Thurs. 20.01.2005 |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Nigel Short |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Judit Polgar |
|
Michael Adams |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Loek van Wely |
Peter Leko |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Peter Svidler |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
Round
six – Fri. 21.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Peter Svidler |
Loek van Wely |
|
Peter Leko |
Michael Adams |
|
Ivan Sokolov |
Alexander Grischuk |
|
Judit Polgar |
Nigel Short |
|
Veselin Topalov |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Lazaro Bruzon |
Games |
|
Report |
|
Round
seven – Sat. 22.01.2005 |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Alexander Morozevich |
Judit Polgar |
|
Nigel Short |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Peter Leko |
|
Michael Adams |
Peter Svidler |
|
Loek van Wely |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
Round
eight – Sun. 23.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Loek van Wely |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Michael Adams |
|
Peter Svidler |
Alexander Grischuk |
|
Peter Leko |
Nigel Short |
|
Ivan Sokolov |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Judit Polgar |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Veselin Topalov |
Games |
|
Report |
|
Round
nine – Tues. 25.01.2005 |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Judit Polgar |
|
Lazaro Bruzon |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Alexander Morozevich |
Peter Leko |
|
Nigel Short |
Peter Svidler |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Michael Adams |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Loek van Wely |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
Round
ten – Wed 26.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Loek van Wely |
Michael Adams |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Alexander Grischuk |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Nigel Short |
|
Peter Svidler |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Peter Leko |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Ivan Sokolov |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Judit Polgar |
Games |
|
Report |
|
Round
eleven – Fri. 28.01.2005 |
Judit Polgar |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Veselin Topalov |
Peter Leko |
|
Lazaro Bruzon |
Peter Svidler |
|
Alexander Morozevich |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Nigel Short |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Loek van Wely |
|
Michael Adams |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
Round
twelve – Sat. 29.01.2005 |
Viswanathan Anand |
|
Michael Adams |
Alexander Grischuk |
|
Loek van Wely |
Nigel Short |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Alexander Morozevich |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Lazaro Bruzon |
|
Peter Svidler |
Veselin Topalov |
|
Peter Leko |
Judit Polgar |
|
Ivan Sokolov |
Games |
|
Report |
|
Round
thirteen – Sun. 30.01.2005 |
Ivan Sokolov |
|
Viswanathan Anand |
Peter Leko |
|
Judit Polgar |
Peter Svidler |
|
Veselin Topalov |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Lazaro Bruzon |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Alexander Morozevich |
Loek van Wely |
|
Nigel Short |
Michael Adams |
|
Alexander Grischuk |
Games |
|
Report |
|
|
|
Groups B + C
Group B Round one
– Sat. 15.01.2005 |
Predrag Nikolic |
0-1 |
Daniel Stellwagen |
Jan Smeets |
½-½ |
Ivan Cheparinov |
Friso Nijboer |
0-1 |
S. Mamedyarov |
Alejandro Ramirez |
½-½ |
Magnus Carlsen |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
1-0 |
Alexander Onischuk |
Peter .H. Nielsen |
½-½ |
Antoaneta Stefanova |
Sergey Karjakin |
1-0 |
Sipke Ernst |
|
|
Group C Round one
– Sat. 15.01.2005 |
Wouter Spoelman |
½-½ |
Leon Pliester |
Joost Wempe |
0-1 |
Alexey Korotylev |
Harmen Jonkman |
½-½ |
Zeinab Mamedjarova |
Natalia Zhukova |
1-0 |
Bianca Muhren |
Vladimir Georgiev |
1-0 |
Manuel Bosboom |
Evgeny Alekseev |
1-0 |
Parimarjan Negi |
Tea Lanchava |
0-1 |
Erwin L’Ami |
|
Group B Round two
– Sun. 16.01.2005 |
Ivan Cheparinov |
1-0 |
Friso Nijboer |
Alexander Onischuk |
½-½ |
Peter .H. Nielsen |
Magnus Carlsen |
1-0 |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
Antoaneta Stefanova |
½-½ |
Sergey Karjakin |
Daniel Stellwagen |
1-0 |
Sipke Ernst |
S. Mamedyarov |
1-0 |
Alejandro Ramirez |
Predrag Nikolic |
½-½ |
Jan Smeets |
|
|
Group C Round two
– Sun. 16.01.2005 |
Parimarjan Negi |
1-0 |
Tea Lanchava |
Alexey Korotylev |
½-½ |
Harmen Jonkman |
Wouter Spoelman |
1-0 |
Joost Wempe |
Zeinab Mamedjarova |
0-1 |
Natalia Zhukova |
Bianca Muhren |
½-½ |
Vladimir Georgiev |
Manuel Bosboom |
½-½ |
Evgeny Alekseev |
Leon Pliester |
½-½ |
Erwin L’Ami |
|
Group B Round three
– Mon. 17.01.2005 |
Jan Smeets |
½-½ |
Daniel Stellwagen |
Friso Nijboer |
0-1 |
Predrag Nikolic |
Alejandro Ramirez |
½-½ |
Ivan Cheparinov |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
0-1 |
S. Mamedyarov |
Peter .H. Nielsen |
½-½ |
Magnus Carlsen |
Sergey Karjakin |
½-½ |
Alexander Onischuk |
Sipke Ernst |
0-1 |
Antoaneta Stefanova |
|
|
Group C Round three
– Mon. 17.01.2005 |
Joost Wempe |
1-0 |
Leon Pliester |
Harmen Jonkman |
0-1 |
Wouter Spoelman |
Natalia Zhukova |
0-1 |
Alexey Korotylev |
Vladimir Georgiev |
1-0 |
Zeinab Mamedjarova |
Evgeny Alekseev |
1-0 |
Bianca Muhren |
Tea Lanchava |
1-0 |
Manuel Bosboom |
Erwin L’Ami |
1-0 |
Parimarjan Negi |
|
Group B Round four
– Tues. 18.01.2005 |
Daniel Stellwagen |
½-½ |
Antoaneta Stefanova |
Alexander Onischuk |
½-½ |
Sipke Ernst |
Magnus Carlsen |
½-½ |
Sergey Karjakin |
S. Mamedyarov |
½-½ |
Peter .H. Nielsen |
Ivan Cheparinov |
½-½ |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
Predrag Nikolic |
½-½ |
Alejandro Ramirez |
Jan Smeets |
½-½ |
Friso Nijboer |
|
|
Group C Round four
– Tues. 18.01.2005 |
Leon Pliester |
½-½ |
Parimarjan Negi |
Manuel Bosboom |
½-½ |
Erwin L’Ami |
Bianca Muhren |
0-1 |
Tea Lanchava |
Zeinab Mamedjarova |
0-1 |
Evgeny Alekseev |
Alexey Korotylev |
½-½ |
Vladimir Georgiev |
Wouter Spoelman |
½-½ |
Natalia Zhukova |
Joost Wempe |
0-1 |
Harmen Jonkman |
|
Group
B Round five – Thurs. 20.01.2005 |
Friso Nijboer |
|
Daniel Stellwagen |
Alejandro Ramirez |
|
Jan Smeets |
Alexandra Kosteniuk |
|
Predrag Nikolic |
Peter .H. Nielsen |
|
Ivan Cheparinov |
Sergey Karjakin |
|
S. Mamedyarov |
Sipke Ernst |
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Antoaneta Stefanova |
|
Alexander Onischuk |
|
|
Group
C Round five – Thurs. 20.01.2005 |
Harmen Jonkman |
|
Leon Pliester |
Natalia Zhukova |
|
Joost Wempe |
Vladimir Georgiev |
|
Wouter Spoelman |
Evgeny Alekseev |
|
Alexey Korotylev |
Tea Lanchava |
|
Zeinab Mamedjarova |
Erwin L’Ami |
|
Bianca Muhren |
Parimarjan Negi |
|
Manuel Bosboom |
|
|
|
|