Linares R10: Kasparov on the rampage

The XXII Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez "Ciudad de Linares", a category 20 double round robin, is being held in the Spanish town of Linares and from February 23 until March 10 2005. During each round one player rests, and in addition there are full rest days on March 1st and 7th. The games start at 15:30h local time (CET = GMT 14:30h = 9:30 a.m. NY) in the Hotel Anibal. Live coverage of the event is expected on the official web site and on Playchess.com. We will be reporting daily on our news page.

Round ten

The first game to end in round ten was Anand vs Leko. The world's number two, faced with Leko's trademark Sveshnikov, gained a tangible advantage, but also suffered from a misplaced knight on a3. The game ended in a draw on move 24.

The longest game of the day was Adams vs Kasimdzhanov, which ran to over 60 moves. It was the top British GM who did all the pressing, and the FIDE world champion who was, once again, the hanger-on.

Adams,Mi (2741) - Kasimdzhanov,R (2678) [C88]
XXII SuperGM Linares ESP (10), 05.03.2005
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.a3 Na5 11.Ba2 c5 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.Nf1 Bc8 14.c3 Be6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.b4 Nh5 17.N1h2 Nf4 18.Bxf4 Rxf4 19.Qb3 Qd7 20.a4 bxa4 21.Rxa4 cxb4 22.cxb4 Rb8 23.Rea1 Rb7 24.Rxa6 Nxb4 25.Ra8+ Rf8 26.Rxf8+ Bxf8 27.Rb1 Rb8 28.Qc4 d5 29.Qc3 Rc8 30.Qb3 Rc2 31.Ng4 Qa7 32.exd5 exd5 33.Ne3 Re2

Here Adams could pick up a pawn with 34.d4 exd4 35.Nxd5 Nxd5 36.Qxd5+ Qf7 37.Qxd4, but the resulting position could hold. 37...h6 38.Rb8 Re8 39.Ne5 Qe6 40.Rxe8 Qxe8. The extra pawn in this queen and minor piece ending is very difficult to convert. Adams tried for 21 more moves, but in vain. 41.Qd5+ Kh7 42.g3 g6 43.Kg2 Bg7 44.Nd3 h5 45.Nf4 Bf6 46.Ne6 Qe7 47.h4 Qe8 48.Kh2 Qe7 49.Kh3 Kg8 50.f4 Qf7 51.f5 Be7 52.Nf4 gxf5 53.Qd1 Kh7 54.Nxh5 Bf8 55.Nf4 Bh6 56.Nd5 Qe6 57.Qd3 Kg7 58.Kg2 Qe5 59.Kf3 Qe6 60.Kg2 Qe5 61.Qc4 Bd2 62.Qd3 ½-½

Certainly the most exciting game of the day was Kasparov vs Vallejo. Everyone expected a quick and decisive victory, especially since Garry Kasparov seems to be on a rampage at this event. But the Spanish talent held on bravely for a quite a while. Just when the Playchess visitors and GMs were contemplating a sensational draw with the black pieces by Vallejo, the technical mastery of Kasparov produced a decisive advantage almost out of nowhere.

Kasparov,G (2804) - Vallejo Pons,F (2686) [D12]
XXII SuperGM Linares ESP (10), 05.03.2005
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Bd2 Nbd7 9.Rc1 a6 10.Bd3 dxc4 11.Bxc4 b5 12.Be2 c5 13.Bf3 Rb8 14.Ne2 Bd6 15.g3 0-0 16.0-0 e5 17.dxc5 Nxc5 18.Bb4 Qb6 19.Nc3 Nb7 20.Bxd6 Nxd6 21.Nd5 Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Rbc8 23.Qg4 Nf5 24.Qe4 Qf6 25.Rfd1 Nd6 26.Qb4 Rfd8

Now watch Kasparov do his thing: 27.a4 bxa4 28.Qxa4 Rxc1 29.Rxc1 Nb5 30.Rd1 Nc7 31.Bc4 Rd6 32.Rxd6 Qxd6 33.Qb3 Ne6 34.h4 e4 35.Bd5 g5 36.h5 g4 37.Bxe4 Ng5

White is a pawn up, and can pick up the black g4 pawn (with 38.Bf5). However Kasparov goes after the a-pawn and an endgame he knows he can win. 38.Qd5 Nxe4 39.Qxe4 Qd1+ 40.Kg2 Kf8 41.Qa8+ Ke7 42.Qb7+ Ke8 43.Qxa6 Qd5+ 44.Kg1 Qxh5 45.Qc6+ Kd8 46.e4 Ke7 47.Qc7+ Ke6 48.Qc8+ Ke7 49.Qb7+ Ke8 50.b4 Qg5 51.Qc6+ Ke7 52.b5 Qd2 53.Qc5+ Qd6 54.Qg5+ 1-0.

With this victory Kasparov has a "plus four" score, having won four more games than he has lost (none so far). His nearest rivals, Anand and Topalov, have plus one, with a game in hand. Peter Leko, who is nominally second on the cross table, has an even score, having drawn all his games so far. It will be interesting to see if Anand and Topalov, who both have black on Sunday, will try to win and keep up a tenuous contact with the leading Kasparov.

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Current standing

Scores Kasparov +4 Anand +1 Topalov +1 Leko 0 Adams –1 Kasimdzhanov –2 Vallejo –3

• All games so far in PGN

Schedule

Links

• Official web site
• All ChessBase reports
• ChessBase reports on Linares 2004
• ChessBase reports on Linares 2003