by Aviv Friedman

Yesterday the open tournament of Linares started. 129 players from 36 countries (if I counted correctly) are playing. It is a very strong open with 20 GMs and scores of IMs and FMs, all in all, 43 players are rated 2400 FIDE or above. There is something for everyone in such an event: The top GMs and IMs are of course in a hunt for a nice payday - first prize is 10,000 Euros, roughly $8650 minus 25% taken out for taxes (very high by European standards.) Other IMs and FMs are hoping to achieve GM and IM norms that are very possible for those who score well enough. There are also many lower rated youngsters who are here for some experience and 'free lessons' by playing much tougher competition than what they are usually used to.

The top seeded player in the open is not a new face in Linares, as a matter of fact he had played in the main group here before: Alexander Beliavsky (FIDE 2649) from Slovenia. His rating hasn't changed much since the times he used to play in the 'Super torneo' but the younger generation's rating zoomed up! Still, seeing him visiting the pressroom brings up some memories of his great games. Allow me to share with you my personal favorite of his, against the late Tony Miles. The analysis are based on the bulletin's:

(339328) Miles,A (2610) - Beliavsky,A (2565) [D37]
Hoogovens Wijk aan Zee (5), 1984
[Bulletin]

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.a3 Qa5 10.Rd1 Be7 11.Rd2 Ne4 ! Chandler,M 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Qxe4 Rd8!? [ 13...f5] 14.Qc2?? [ 14.c5! Qxc5 ( 14...Bxc5? 15.b4+-; 14...f5 15.Qc4+/=) 15.Bd3 f5 16.Qc4+/=] 14...e5 15.Bg3 e4! 16.Qxe4 [ 16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.exd4 Bg5 Troeger,P] 16...Bf5-+ 17.Qf4[] Rxd2 18.Nxd2 Rd8 19.e4

Typically to a first round of an open with many strong players, there were a few upsets on high boards, most noticeably Lithuanian GM Rozentalis (FIDE 2598) lost to a 2270 player. After his game he asked me if I wasn't playing in the open. My answer that this time around I am 'playing journalist' he (half) jokingly commented that after such losses he sometimes wonders if he shouldn't retire from playing to journalism. It's not easy to be a professional chess player, much less when you lose round 1 in a 10 round event.

The games:

Where Are You Alexey?

Kasparov - Shirov:   Standing at this board surrounded by other journalists and spectators, one could feel the tension in the air before the players arrive at the board. It is little secret that there is no love lost between the two. The big question was once again: "will there be a handshake"? Sadly, the answer was once again negative. Both players were late, with Kasparov arriving first, taking off his watch, filling in his scoresheet, then playing 1.e4. A minute or two later, Shirov has emerged from behind the curtain, sat down, filled his own score sheet, and calmly answered 1…c5. The game entered the topical lines of the Rossolimo, with white innovating with 12.Bxc6. Alexey sank into deep thought, perhaps he was considering if interpolating 12…Nxc3 was better than the immediate recapture. At the end, he decided to just recapture. In retrospect, since white was somewhat better, maybe it wasn't best. The c3 knight hopped to a4 and eventually to c5, Kasparov was playing very aggressively. After all, this is one game where the stakes are high for both players. At a critical point of the game, I think he made a suspect decision, 21.Nd7 was odd to me. Why trade the N for the B, and not go 21.Bd4 to trade the dark squared B? After either 21…Bxd4 22.Rd4 or 21..Bd6 22.Nxe4, white looks really good with black's groggy pawn structure. In the game, white had lots of play for the material deficit. Kasparov started taking some back, but with Shirov challenging the white rook on the 7th again and again, a repetition was the result. Garry was seen writing something on his score sheet, probably his 26th move, and showed it to Shirov, then played it. Draw was agreed immediately thereafter. After the game, Alexey came to the pressroom. When asked about the game, he admitted was happy to "just finish it", since playing with Kasparov is an unpleasant time for him.

Ivanchuk - Adams:   Today, Adams returned to playing the Ruy again as black, once more inviting a Marshall, and once again seeing the Anti Marshall with 8.a4. It seems no one wants to argue this line with Mickey nowadays. Indeed, why wave a red flag in front of the bull, when other lines at least keep any attacking chances at bay? That is not to say of course, that the hard-to-anticipate Ukrainian isn't willing to fight, but this tournament started badly for him, and he had yet to show his best. Today he played 14.Bc1, maybe with the hope of another 'free day' after either 14…Nd5 15.Bb2 repeating, or like the game 14…Nxg2!? 15.Ng5 (played immediately). After the forced 15…Nxe1 16.Qh5, I expected a draw quickly with 16…h6 17.Nxf7 Qf6 18.Ng5+ Kh8 19.Nf7+ etc. Fritz concurs. Adams surprised with 16…Qd7 (?) and Ivanchuk rose to the occasion. Suddenly it was Vassili at his best! Contrary to what any analysis engine might opine, he forged ahead with a forced line that was quickly played by both, but instead of the anticipated 21.Bxe8 which would leave him on the worse side of a draw, he played 21.Bc5+! After the smoke cleared white had a Q and 5 pawns versus a R,B,N and 4. With the sea of possibilities that involves such an imbalance it is tough to say if Mickey defended optimally. But white was better as the Q was very agile, and kept taking pawns (Shirov: "The queen takes on g7 and then eats the whole board") When the white 'c' and 'd' pawns started their run up the board, Adams tried giving a piece for the pair, but it was too little, too late. A great second half effort from Chuky!

Anand - Ponomariov:   It seems to me that Pono prepared a little surprised to his experienced opponent by playing the Kalashnikov Sicilian for the first time (?) in tournament play. Vishy chose the principled line with 6.c4, neither player showing much new. When Anand went 12.Nf3 it became obvious that he didn't come to fight today. After the trades black is left with a weak backwards pawn on d6 but it is very easy to defend. After a few more obligatory moves white proposed a draw that was accepted. After the game Ljubo tells Aruna, Vishy's wife: "Good, he needs to recover from yesterday's game" True enough.