
Chess: The Game of Tension
By GM Lubomir Kavalek
On June 2, on his 39th birthday, Gata Kamsky defeated Russia's Alexander
Morozevich at the FIDE Grand Prix tournament in Thessaloniki, Greece. The
U.S. champion took a half point lead into the last round. But last games
are often full of tension, the pressure rises and blunders are made. Could
Kamsky hold onto his lead?
The game Kamsky-Dominguez attracted the attention
of FIDE officials and local dignitaries.
Things were looking up for Kamsky already in the first game when he defeated
Leinier Dominguez Perez. But the Cuban grandmaster didn't give up, chased
Kamsky throughout the event and was right behind him. In the last round
Dominguez beat Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria and won the first prize after
Kamsky faltered and lost to Fabiano Caruana, an American who plays for Italy.
This is a life-time achievement for Dominguez Perez.

Many grandmasters have played several events in a row and seemed tired.
Vassily Ivanchuk, Morozevich, Peter Svidler and Topalov lost considerable
amount of rating points. The top-rated American Hikaru Nakamura also struggled.
The Game of Tension
When two thinkers clash the tension is obvious. Dramatic moments increase
with higher stakes, nerves take over and players are doing things we don't
expect them to do. Poor decisions a mistakes creep in.
But there is also tension on the board, reflected in the interaction of
the pieces. According to the former world champion Mikhail Botvinnik, chess
is a game of exchanges. What is left on the chessboard is as important as
what is taken off. The more pieces on the board, the more difficult it becomes
to handle the tension.
Pawn play matters in the openings. Masters handle the pawn tension better
than the amateurs, knowing how to keep the pawns on the board longer, when
to block them and at what moment to get rid of them. Releasing the tension
too soon may create problems.
Morozevich does not pay much attention to these chess rules. He goes his
own way and we often find that he is on the right track. But surrendering
the center against Kamsky in the Main line of Spanish didn't work. The American
got space, lots of freedom, and was able to win a nice miniature.

Morozevich concentrates before the start of
the game against Kamsky.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 cxd4 11...Qc7 12.Nbd2 Kh8 13.Nf1 Ng8 11...Qc7 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.d5 Nd8 14.Nf1 Ne8 15.a4 Rb8 16.axb5 axb5 17.g4 17.b4 17...g6 18.Ng3 Ng7 19.Kh1 f6 20.Rg1 Nf7 21.Be3 Bd7 22.Qe2 Ra8 12.cxd4 exd4?! 13.Nxd4 Re8 14.Nc3 Bb7 15.Nf5 Rc8 15...Bf8 16.Bg5 16.Qf3 Re6 16...Nc4 17.Bg5 16...h6 17.Rd1 Nc4 18.Qg3 Kh8 19.b3 b4 20.bxc4 bxc3 21.Rxd6 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bh4 g5 19.Bg3 Nc4 20.Nd4 16...h6 17.Bh4 Rc8 18.Rc1 Nc4 19.Qd4 Re6 20.Bb3 g6 20...g5!? 21.Bg3 21.Qa7 Rc7-+ 21...d5= 21.Qa7 Rc7 22.Nd4 Re5 23.Bxc4 bxc4 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.Nd5 Bxd5 26.Qxc7 Bxe4 27.Rxc4 d5 28.Rc6 Qg5 29.g3 Qd2 30.Nf3 Bxf3 31.Qxe5 Bg7 32.Qe3 Qa5 33.Rc5 16.Bg5 16.Qd3 Nc4 17.Qg3 g6 16...Nc4 16...b4!? 17.Na4 17.Ba4!? bxc3 17...Rf8 18.Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.exd5 Qd8 21.Qd4 18.Bxe8 Qxe8 19.e5 c2 20.Nxe7+ Qxe7 21.Qxd6 Qxd6 22.exd6 17...Bf8 18.f3 16...h6? 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Nxd6+- 17.Qd4! Nxb2 17...Ne5 18.Bb3 Bf8 19.Rad1 17...h6 18.Bh4 Nxb2 19.Re3 18.Bb3 18.Nd5! Bxd5 18...Rxc2 19.Ndxe7+ Rxe7 20.Bxf6+- 19.exd5 Rxc2 19...h6 20.Rxe7 hxg5 21.Rae1 Qa5 22.R1e2 Nc4 23.Qxf6 gxf6 24.Nh6+ Kh8 24...Kg7 25.Rxf7+ Kxh6 26.Rh7# 25.Rxf7 20.Rxe7 Rxe7 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Qxf6 Re1+ 23.Rxe1 Qxf6 24.Re8# 18.g3 18...Nc4 19.Rad1 19.Nd5?! Bxd5! 20.exd5 Ne5 19...Qd7 19...h6 20.Bxh6!? gxh6 21.e5! Rc5!? 21...dxe5 22.Qh4 Qb6 23.Qg3+ Ng4 24.Nxe7+ Rxe7 25.Nd5 Bxd5 26.Qxg4++- 21...Nxe5 22.Rxe5 dxe5 23.Qh4+- 22.Nxh6+ Kf8 23.Qh4 Rxe5 24.Rxe5 Nxe5 25.Nf5 Ng8 26.Qh7 Bf6 27.Nxd6 20.Rd3 Bd8? 20...Ne5 21.Rg3 Nh5 22.Nxe7+ Rxe7 23.Bxe7 Nxg3 24.Bxd6 Nc4 25.Bc5 21.Nxg7! 21.Rg3 Qxf5 21...Nh5 22.Be7!? Ne5 23.Qxe5 dxe5 24.Nh6+ Kh8 25.Nxf7+ Kg8 26.Nh6+= 22.exf5 Rxe1+ 23.Kh2 Bb6 24.Qh4 Bxf2 25.Bxf6 Bg1+ 26.Kh1 Bf2+= 21...Re5 21...Kxg7 22.Bxf6+ Bxf6 23.Rg3+ Kf8 24.Qxf6+- 22.Nf5 Nxe4?! 22...Bb6 23.Bxf6! Bxd4 23...Qxf5 24.Rg3+ Kf8 25.Bg7+ Ke7 26.Qxe5+ Qxe5 27.Bxe5 dxe5 28.Nd5++- 24.Rg3+ Kf8 25.Bg7+ Ke8 26.Bxe5 Qxf5 27.exf5 dxe5 28.Ne2+- 22...h6 23.Bf4! Bb6 24.Qxb6! Nxb6 24...Rxf5 25.Bxc4 Rxf4 26.Bb3 Nxe4 27.Qd4!+- 25.Bxe5 Ne8 25...dxe5 26.Rxd7 Nfxd7 27.Ne7++- 26.Rg3+ Kh7 27.Nxd6!+- 23.Nh6+ Kf8 24.Bxd8 Rxd8 24...Qxd8 25.Nxe4 Qb6 26.Rf3!+- Qxd4 27.Rxf7+ Ke8 28.Nf6+ Kd8 29.Rd7# 25.f4! 25.f4! Re6 25...Ree8 26.Qh8+ Ke7 27.Qxh7 Rc8 28.Nxf7+- 25...Qe6 26.Nxf7 26.fxe5 Nxc3 27.Qh4 f6 28.Rxc3+- 26...Kxf7 27.fxe5+- 26.Qh8+ Ke7 27.Nf5# 1–0
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Kamsky,G | 2741 | Morozevich,A | 2760 | 1–0 | 2013 | C96 | FIDE Grand Prix | 10 |
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Pictures by Anastasiya Karlovich, FIDE Press Officer
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