The Zurich Legends match between Viktor Korchnoi and Wolfgang Uhlmann was locked at 1:1 after the first two games. Today the masters played the remaining two games and exchanged blows in them. Korchnoi won the third game with the black pieces and it seemed as if he would win the match. But in the fourth game Uhlmann struck back as Korchnoi blundered a piece. This unique four-game match was thus drawn with a score of 2:2.
Uhlmann came to the board today in a chequered suit
On the surface Korchnoi looks quite frail….
… but when the clocks are started he is nothing but a picture of determination
Before we analyse the games three and four of the match, here is a small piece of statistic for the reader. Apart from being in their eighties, there is something else that binds these two great players: both are such firm adherents of the French Defence, and at some point they were both considered the world’s leading experts in this opening. Out of 862 games in which Korchnoi’s opponents went 1.e4, Viktor Lvovich played the French in no less than 373 games.
Wolfgang Uhlmann’s love for this opening was even deeper: he played the move 1.e6 on as many as 642 occasions out of the 667 games in which his opponents began with 1.e4.
Wolfgang Uhlmann: according to Mega Database a French fanatic!
It’s such a tragedy that we cannot witness this opening being played when the two play each other as neither of them opens the game with 1.e4.
Uhlmann once again played the English with 1.c4 and built up a nice position out of the opening. Korchnoi managed to equalize after an inaccuracy of his opponent. In the complex middlegame the following position was reached:
Korchnoi’s last move, 25…Be6-g4, was a mistake as Uhlmann could have just snapped off the bishop with 26.Qxg4. After 26…Qxc5 the move 27.Bb2 would have finished off the game. Instead Uhlmann continued with 26. Qg5 and that gave Korchnoi the opportunity to fight back into the game.
After his opponent left him off the hook, Korchnoi played well and without making any further mistakes won the game in 44 moves.
A lead of one point with just one game to go and having the white pieces, Korchnoi definitely was the favourite to win the match. But Uhlmann had some other plans.
The final game also began with 1.c4 just like the previous three. Soon it transposed into the Maroczy Bind variation of the Accelerated Dragon. With the bishops strongly posted on long diagonals and the weakness of the b5 square, Korchnoi had a firm grip on the position.
Maybe it was tiredness or sheer carelessness which resulted in him incarcerating his bishop on a6 with his move 22.Nb5.
Uhlmann took advantage of this fact and with his powerful move 22…Nb4 and snatched the advantage. Korchnoi did not notice that his bishop was hanging on a6 and dropped the piece after which he promptly resigned.
One win each with white and black for both the players the match ended with a score of 2:2.
Relaxing after the match: Wolfgang Uhlmann and wife Christine (foreground), Petra and Viktor Korchnoi
At the final reception we saw the octogenarian grandmaster play an informal game
against an eleven-year-old lad named Anatol who was clearly a very enthusiastic chess fan.
After the game, which Uhlmann won (but not effortlessly), the two analysed for half an hour
together, with the GM explaining strategic principles to the boy, who was clearly eager to learn.
Late the same evening we spotted Anatol keenly following the postmortem of
the round three game between Vladimir Kramnik and Levon Aronian
Anatol, by the way, is a fairly strong amateur, but purely a "hobby" chess player. Here's a little puzzle for our readers: what do you think the lad really excels in? We will tell you the solution in a subsequent report. Be prepared for a big surprise. Hint: some creative googling can reveal his field of brilliance.
The organizers of Zurich must be commended for bringing these two legends of the game back to the chess board. Such matches help us to remember the rich history of chess and also the great heroes of the past.
Pictures by Frederic Friedel and Eteri Kublashvili
Both the legendary players have recorded DVDs for ChessBase.
LinksThe games will be broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 13 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs. |
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