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LCC's "The Week In Chess," (TWIC, Issue # 490); has reported on the results of the 5th Karpov Tournament. This was a VERY strong tournament ... a Category XVIII. (Category Eighteen, {# 18} the average rating of the participants was a whopping 2676!! Incredible!)
The tournament was held in a village or a small town called Poikovsky, the dates were the 17th through the 26th of March, 2004. (Poikovsky is in the Nefteyugansky region, and is located west of Siberia.) {Or in the western region of Siberia?}
GM Alexander Grischuk, (RUS - 2719); started fast ... with 3 wins out of the first four games, but then he seemed to fade. (A long string of draws, with a loss thrown in as well.) But a very exciting win in the last round - over China's GM, Zhang Zhong - gave him first place on tiebreak over GM Sergei Rublevsky, (RUS). All the games should be {eventually} available from London Chess Centre's TWIC.
I
asked around on several chess servers ... no one had ever even heard of GM
Vladimir Malakhov, (2700). [info]
And few people had heard of GM Vadim Zvjaginsev, (2654);
[info] as
well. (Although - I believe - that I remember reading about Malakov as a junior
player, and there was no way that I could forget Zviagintsev's many brilliant
combinations - see the game introduction for more info.) I doubt if there are
many players in the U.S. who were familiar with both players. Neither player is
especially all that well known, especially not in the West. (Although I am sure
both are really excellent players!)
{If you are curious as to what either player looks like, there are several
pictures on the ChessBase web site.
---> Go the CB player database and search
for either player - and make sure you use their last name and also
insure that
you spell it correctly.}
REPLAY this game on the "Chess Games" web site. (This is NOT my web page or site!)
***********************************************************************************************************
I saw this game in the most recent issue of "The Week In Chess," (Issue # 490); and I just knew that I had to have this game for one of my websites. (It is ... without question ... one of the most amazing chess games I have seen in the last 20-30 years. The combination is simply one of the finest and the most amazing that I have ever seen. Period, end of story ... and bar none.)
The players are not well known outside
of Russia. I know Malakov ... I think
I remember seeing his name connected
with some Russian Junior Tournament
a number of years back. (I went on ICC
this morning. No one I could find had
ever even heard of the player playing the White pieces here. And most were
not familiar with the fellow playing the
Black pieces
as well.) Additionally, I
sent out an e-mail to a bunch of people,
friends, Internet students, general
chess contacts, etc. Of those who
responded, most did not know who
these players were as well. (The
player of the Black pieces I know
well. When he was very young, I went over quite a few of his games in many
{and various} chess magazines.) Zvjaginsev played some of the most
amazing combinations that I had ever
seen up until
that time.
Just to give you a taste of some of the
games I remember by Zvjaginsev, (also
formerly spelled Zviagintsev); here are
a few games I recall ... just from pure
memory. When this player was only
about 15, he played a game that was
printed in many chess magazines. He
sacrificed a slew of pieces (as White)
on the King-side to end in mate. I
also recall seeing about a dozen of
his games in the "INFORMANT," in
many of these he sacrificed very
brilliantly to win. In 1993 or 1994,
(Pamplona, Spain?); he beat the
great Vicktor Korchnoi in a game as
White - in under 25 moves. (The
game was really over before
move
fifteen!) In the Hoogovens / Wijk aan
Zee / Steel Tournament, (Open,
Masters Section); one year (1995?);
he defeated the player, GM Roberto Cifuentes-Parada, (as Black); ... in a
virtual cascade of sacrifices ... that
ended in a Queen sack ... to set up
an unstoppable mating net.
{This combination can already be
found in several books. Like the
book: "Chess Puzzles," by GM David
Norwood. Henry Holt books, 1995.}
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
The ratings are those of FIDE, and are completely unchanged and also accurate. (TWIC generally gives the players, along with their ratings, as long as this information is available.)
{The game starts off in a relatively
normal fashion ... there is no hint of
brilliance here ...
at least, not in the
opening phase of this game.}
***********************************************************************************************************
1.Nf3,
(flexibility) {Diagram?}
The Reti Opening ... although this
opening can easily transpose
to
almost any line under the sun!
[ I prefer: 1.e4!?, as a first move. (Most masters like 1.d4, instead.) ]
1...Nf6;
2.c4, {Diagram?}
Now it is an English Opening ...
[ After the simple moves:
2.d4!? d5!?;
{Diagram?}
we have transposed into a QP
game ... which could become
a Queen's Gambit
here if White
decides to play c4 on the next
move from this position. ]
2...g6;
3.Nc3 Bg7; {Diagram?}
Of course - the fianchetto is perfectly
acceptable for Black in this position.
[ After the moves:
3...d5!?; 4.d4!,
"/\" {Diagram?}
we have reached a position from
the well-known
Gruenfeld
Defense. ]
4.e4!? d6;
5.Be2 0-0; 6.0-0 e5; 7.d4 Nc6; 8.d5 Ne7; {Diagram?}
Now through a somewhat unusual move order ...
we have reached a
very well-known opening <tabiya.>
(The King's Indian Defense, ...
"The Mar del Plata Variation."
This system was a favorite of Bobby Fischer ... who was the first
"big name"
player to adopt this line
on a regular basis.)
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Now the
main lines for White are 9.Ne1,
9.Nd2, and ... of course ...
the move 9.b4!? (Which is by far the most
popular move in this position
at the GM level now-a-days.)
{See MCO-14; beginning on pg. #580.}
9.Nd2!?,
{Diagram?}
An older line ... The "Bayonet
Variation" (9.b4!) is more common today.
*************************
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I {actually} have already annotated many games in this line. [ more, (See entry #8.) ]
In fact, at one time ... I had an entire
web site devoted to the games played
with the King's Indian Defense. (But
this <free> site was closed when the
'Excite' {business} group folded.)
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
The reason
for this move is that with a Pawn on d5, White's play is on the
left-hand side of the chess board. Thus White transfers his pieces to the
side of the board where he can expect play to develop.
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
[ Today, most masters
normally use the move: 9.b4!?,
{Diagram?}
in this particular position. {See
any good book - or any well
known
reference manual - for more
on this particular line. Also please
consult MCO-14; beginning on
page # 588 for more analysis.} ]
Now I would
consider playing ...c5; here. [
more
]
9...a5!?; ('!')
{Diagram?}
A very good move for Black.
But what is the exact point of this
play in this position?
*************************
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One of the main ideas for Black is
to simply try to slow down ... if not
prevent altogether ...
White's very
standard Queen-side Pawn advance
from this position. If White does follow
through with this plan, then the
second player hopes to exchange
enough material to take
most of the 'sting' out of White's initiative.
[ Or Black can play the older ...Ne8:
9...Ne8!?; ('!?')
10.b4 f5;
11.c5!?, (Maybe - '!')
{Diagram?}
The most energetic move for
White here, I believe.
( Also interesting here is: 11.f3!?; "+/=" {Diagram?}
with a solid game for White. )
11...Nf6;
12.f3 f4; 13.Nc4,
"+/=" (Maybe - '±') {Diagram?}
and experience has shown that
White's Q-side attack is much
quicker than Black's Pawn storm,
followed by a piece assault
on the
King-side; for the second player.
A. Lesiege - A. Luksza;
The Quebec Open (1-0, 45.)
Montreal, CAN; 2000.
[ See also MCO-14, page # 593; col.'s 22-24, and also note # (i.). ] ]
--->
Since - in most games that arise
from this opening - White plays on
one side
of the board, (the Q-side);
and Black plays on the other ... White next move is
very logical
and prepares the ... "Pawn-storm."
10.a3 Bd7!?;
{Diagram?}
One idea of this move is to play ...a5-a4; freezing White out on the
Queen-side; and making it harder to (favorably) open lines on the
Queen's-side.
Black can also play ...Nd7; in
this particular position.
[ See MCO-14, page # 592; column # 24, and all notes. ]
[
Interesting was: 10...Nd7!?;
{Diagram?} as has been played in
a number
of key games in this line. (See
any good book for more info.) ]
11.b3!?,
(space) {Diagram?}
A standard idea to gain room and
possibly prepare the development
of White's QB
onto the b2-square
here. The other point is that if Black
{now} plays ...a4!? here,
that White
can respond b4! with just a slight
advantage.
[
Less effective is: (</=)
11.Rb1!? a4; 12.b4 axb3; 13.Nxb3 b6;
14.Ra1
Qe8; ('!')
{Diagram?}
and this position is equal according
to GM Nick de Firmian and MCO-14.
]
11...c6!?;
(Q-side) {Diagram?}
The idea of this move ... is to
(obviously) open some lines and
generate some
counterplay on
the right-hand side of the board
for the second player here.
[ Another idea is for Black to play
the move: 11...Ne8!?;
"+/=" {Diagram?}
in this position ... preparing the
quick King-side action that begins
with
the pawn advance, ...f7-f5.
White probably has a slight edge in
this position and has won the
majority
of the games arising from
this line. But occasionally Black
gets a little lucky
and wins one, ...
for example: GM W. Browne - GM John Nunn;
ICT / Masters (Mechanics Institute?)
San Francisco, CA; (USA) 1995.
(Black won, {0-1}; a nice game
that ended in a R+P ending - and
lasted all
of 58 moves.)
****************************************************************************************
Several different books give the
move ...c5; in this position as
being the
main line here. For example:
(>/=) =
11...c5!?; 12.Rb1 Ne8; 13.b4 axb4;
14.axb4 b6;
15.bxc5 bxc5; 16.Nb3!? f5; 17.f3 Nf6;
{Diagram?}
The end of the column here.
18.Bd2 f4; 19.Nb5 Nc8!?;
"<=>" {Diagram?}
Interesting ... but maybe just a little
better was ...Ra6!? ("=/+") here?
20.Ra1 Rxa1;
21.Qxa1 g5; 22.Qa6 Qe7; 23.Na5 g4!;
"~" {Diagram?}
Black has very good play in this
position which GM N. de Firmian
assesses as being 'unclear.' ("=")
GM Rafael A. Vaganian
(2616) -
GM Boris Gelfand (2620);
The 56th National {URS} Championship
Tournament
Odessa, U.S.S.R; 1989. (Black won, 0-1 in 52 moves.)
[ See MCO-14, page # 592; column # 23, and also note # (s.). ] ]
12.Bb2 Qb6!?;
{Diagram?}
Black has several playable moves
in this position ... I guess the main
idea of this
sortie is to try and
discourage White from playing b4.
[ Black has also {previously}
- in this position - played:
12...c5;
"~" {Diagram?} with a pretty good game.
And also:
12...Ne8!?, ('?!') {Diagram?}
in this position as well.
[ See Nunn's books on the KID.] ]
13.dxc6 bxc6;
14.Na4 Qc7; {Diagram?}
This looks relatively forced.
Now f4!? looks interesting, but
White follows established theory.
15.c5!?, ('!') 15...d5;
16.Nb6 Rad8!; (TN?)
(centralization?)
{Diagram?}
As far as I was able to determine,
this move was/is brand-new to
opening theory
in this position.
The problem with this move is Black
is now pretty much obligated to go
ahead
and sacrifice his QRP.
[ Black had previously played:
(</=) 16...Ra7!?; 17.Qc2 Be6;
18.b4 Nd7!?;
19.exd5!? Nxd5;
20.Nxd5 cxd5!?; 21.Nb3 d4!?; (?!)
22.Rfc1 Bxb3!?;
23.Qxb3 axb4!?;
24.axb4 Rxa1; 25.Bxa1 e4!?; 26.Bc4 Qf4; 27.Qd1!?,
{D?}
This could be inferior, and
appears to forfeit most of the
first player's advantage.
( Better was: 27.Rd1!, "+/=" )
27...Ne5; 28.h3 Nf3+?!; ('?')
{Diagram?}
This is wrong. (Time trouble?
An oversight of some kind?)
( Much better was: >/= 28...Rb8;
"~" {Diagram?}
when Black looks to be OK. ("=/+") )
29.gxf3 exf3; 30.Kh1 Qh6??;
{Diagram?}
A gross, total blunder.
( Black had to play: >/= 30...Be5[]; {Diagram?} here ...
in this position ... which
might have been good enough
to even draw. )
It is (now) all downhill for Black ... from this particular position.
31.Qf1 Qf4;
32.Re1 Ra8; 33.Bb2 d3; 34.Bxg7 d2?!; ('?')
35.Ra1,
('!?') {Diagram?} This is nice, but ...
( After a move like: >/= 35.Re7!, ("+/-") {Diagram?}
Black could quit. )
The rest is very unevenly played,
but really requires no comment.
35...Rxa1;
36.Bxa1!? Qxc4; 37.Qxc4 d1Q+; 38.Kh2 Qxa1;
39.Qf4 Qc3;
40.Kg3 Kg7; 41.Qe4 f5; 42.Qe7+ Kg8; 43.Qe6+,
43...Kg7;
44.c6 Qxb4; 45.Qe5+ Kf7; 46.c7 f4+;
{Diagram?}
Now QxP/f4+, would cause most
players to throw in the towel.
47.Kh4? Qb6; 48.Qd5+ Kf6; 49.Qg5+ Kf7;
50.Qxf4+ Kg7;
51.Qe5+ Kf7;
52.Qe7+ Kxe7; 53.c8N+, ("+/-") {Diagram?}
M. Tosic (2375) -
(GM) I. Sokolov (2550);
ICT / Masters Section (Open?)
(Rd. #11) / Vrnjacka Banja, Yugoslavia; 1990.
]
I
only lightly annotate the rest
of the game ... because it may be
beyond the
comprehension of most
of us regular chess players!
17.Bc3 Nxe4!?;
18.Nxe4 dxe4; 19.Bxa5 Nf5!?; (Maybe - '!!')
{Diagram?}
Instead of passively sitting back
and accepting defeat, Black gives
up an
exchange for an attack. (But is it all sound?)
[ The computer gives:
19...Qb7;
20.Nc4 Rb8; 21.b4,
"±" {Diagram?}
and White is clearly much better. ]
20.Nc4 Qb8;
21.Bxd8 Rxd8; 22.b4 Be6; 23.Qe1, ('!?')
{Diagram?}
This move is not pretty to behold,
yet it may very well be forced.
[ </= 23.Qb3? Nd4; <=>" ]
23...Nd4;
"<=>"
{Diagram?}
Now Black has considerable "comp" ...
the Knight on d4 is
probably worth more than a Rook.
*************************
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White needs to come up with a good,
overall, coherent plan for this position.
(He seems to be wandering ... and
choosing his moves almost randomly.)
Now Nd6 could be best ... But White decides to attack the
c-pawn ... which
Black protects.
24.Na5 Qc8!;
25.Rd1!? Bh6!; 26.Kh1!? Bf4; 27.a4!? Bd5!; {Diagram?}
Pointing another piece at White's
King ... and doing something else
very positive as well.
(Clearing an
important line ... the why of this
will become apparent shortly.)
28.Bc4,
("+/=") {Diagram?}
Bc4 looks best ... and the boxes
all agree with me here.
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White should be better ... the Q-side pawns will be deadly in any endgame.
[ Playable was: 28.Nc4!?, "+/=" ]
Now comes a truly astounding shot.
28...Nf3!!; (Maybe,
probably - '!!!') {Diagram?}
Maybe one of the most amazing shots ever played on a chess board.
Fischer or Tal never played a better
or more imaginative or a more wildly,
aggressive, and stunning move.
White's reply looks nearly forced. (Qc3 might also be playable.)
29.Qe2!?, {Box?}
{Diagram?}
White looks to be hanging on
in this position ...
*************************
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The only question is how does Black proceed from here?
[
Not </=
29.gxf3??, as
29...Qh3;
"-/+" {Diagram?}
and mate next
move. (Now we
see why it was important
that the
diagonal from c8-to-h3 be clear or unobstructed.) ]
One would think that Black has
already emptied his bag of tricks ...
but such is not the case.
29...Nxh2!!;
30.Bxd5!?, {Diagram?}
White is wisely following the rule
that one should try and exchange
pieces when under attack. And it
almost works ...
[ 30.Rxd5!? ]
30...cxd5;
31.f3!?, {Diagram?}
White is forced to return some
of the material here.
[
Of course not: </=
31.Rfe1? Nf3!; 32.gxf3?? Qh3+;
33.Kg1 Qh2+;
34.Kf1 Qh1# ]
31...Nxf1;
32.Rxf1, {Diagram?}
This looks forced, Qxf1, Qf5; looks
a whole lot worse for White.
[ Of course not:
32.c6?? Ng3+;
etc. {Diagram?}
(White drops the Queen.)
]
32...e3;
{Diagram?}
Black - having regained almost all
of his material - is probably
quite happy here.
Now Kg1 might not be a bad idea ...
but maybe White has already given
up on this little party. ('?')
33.c6!? d4; 34.Rd1!?, {Box.}
{Diagram?}
If White allows Black to play the
move, ...d4-d3; it would be time
to throw in the towel.
[
Not: 34.Qd3!? Qe6!; "/+"
("-/+") {Diagram?}
and Black is on the move. ]
34...Bg3!?;
(Possibly - '!!!')
{Diagram?}
Here all the computers choose other
moves for Black here.
One good try
was: 34...Qf5!; 35.g4, Qf6;
'/+' when
the second player has
an extremely
good, (no) - a possibly winning
attack.
But it is highly probable that the idea
behind this move is beyond the
average PC's "event horizon."
{Beyond the average computer's ability to calculate
ahead, at least
in 5-10 minutes.}
[
Very interesting was: 34...Rd5!?;
"/+" ('!!') (Maybe "-/+")
{Diagram?}
with clearly the better game
for Black here. ]
35.f4!? e4!?; ('!')
{Diagram?}
This works ... almost everything
does for Zvjaginsev in this position!
[ Interesting was: 35...Bxf4; {Diag?} which probably wins as well. ]
The rest is basically a mop-up
operation here ... but an extremely
well-coordinated and a beautiful one,
to say the least.
36.Nb3!? d3!;
37.Qxe3[] Qg4!; 38.Rb1!? Qh4+; 39.Kg1 Qh2+;
40.Kf1 Qh1+;
41.Qg1, {Diagram?}
This was obviously forced ... in fact it was the only legal move
that White could play here.
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The only question now is ... what is
Black's follow-up? Careless play
might allow
White to make something
of his mass of Q-side Pawns.
{One <former> student suggested ...Qh4; here as
winning. But after Qe3, all I
can readily see is a repetition of moves.}
41...e3!!;
(Incredible!!) {Diagram?}
Black has given up everything else,
it is only fitting that this game will end
with a Queen sacrifice!
42.Qxh1 e2+;
43.Kg1 d2!; ("-/+") {Diagram?}
White resigns ... all the boxes say
it is a forced mate in four moves.
A SUPER game ... and one full of
crazy moves ...
and psychedelic, wild
and unbelievable tactics.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2004 and 2005. All rights reserved.
(All games - Code initially generated with the program, ChessBase 8.0.)
(All diagrams on this page were generated with the program, Chess Captor, 2.25.)
I thought I would try to locate one of these players ... and ask their opinion of this game, and the actual combination. So I tracked down both of the players - via the Internet - and sent them an e-mail. (I am not sure if Zvjaginsev speaks any English.) Here is one response.
**********************************************
Subject:
Re: One of your games
Date: 4/6/2004; 4:41:50 AM Central
Daylight Time
From: *****************@*****.ru (V. Malakhov)
To: ******************@cs.com
Dear
Sir,
Just a few remarks I can give to this game. 16...Rad8; is a mistake, better was
16...Ra7. Then, 19...Nf5; was the best chance. If 19...Be6; then 20. Nd5!,
winning, or 19...Bg4; 20. Qe1 Be2; 21. Nd5!, (is)
also winning. After (my move) 22.b4, which was a
mistake, better was - 22. Nd6! Be6; 23. Bc4, (which)
led to an almost winning position for White. Then, instead of 24.Na5?
Better was 24.Ne3. 27.a4? - (was a) mistake,
I should play 27.Nc4 - now probably 27...Qa8; 28.Na5 Qc8; with a draw. After
31...Nf1; 32.Rf1 e3; the position was totally winning for Black; but, of
course, the final combination was very beautiful.
Vladimir. (The words in brackets or parenthesis are mine, all I did was clean up the English.)
*************************************************************************************************************
Of course I am not going to comment (too much) on this. {And I am certainly not going to go back and re-analyze this game!} I did spend somewhere between 10-20 hours of (computer-assisted) analysis on this game ... nothing really jumped off the page at me. It would be interesting to see what Zvjaginsev's opinion is of all this. Maybe someone who knows him can contact him and ask him?
Thursday; September 15th, 2005: A new brilliancy by the incredible tactician Zvjaginsev?
Possibly. I don't analyze this game ... here. At least, not yet. (Nonetheless, it is an astounding chess game.)
White's 24th move ... might be a triple exclam. ('!!!') (Source: TWIC, # 566.)
********************************************
1.e4 c5;
2.Nf3 Nc6; 3.c3 Nf6; 4.e5 Nd5; 5.Bc4 Nb6; 6.Bb3 d5;
7.exd6 c4; 8.Bc2 Qxd6; 9.0-0 Bg4;
10.Re1 e6; 11.b3 Be7; 12.Na3 cxb3; 13.axb3 Nd5; 14.Nb5 Qd7;
15.Ra4 Ncb4; 16.Nbd4 Bf6;
17.h3 Nxc2; 18.Qxc2 Bh5; 19.Ba3 b5; 20.Ra5 Bxf3; 21.Nxf3 Bd8;
22.Ra6 Qb7; 23.Raxe6+ fxe6;
24.Rxe6+ Ne7; 25.Qf5 Rf8; 26.Qh5+ Rf7; 27.Nd4 g6; 28.Qe5 a6;
29.Qh8+ Rf8; 30.Qxh7 Qd5;
31.Rxe7+, Black Resigns.
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