Misha Savinov

The equator-crossing fifth round looks somewhat like a “premature final” (to use this terrible journalistic cliche, borrowed from reports on knock-out tournaments): all four participants who were “in a plus” were fighting each other, Ponomariov played Svidler, and Aronian met Leko. The winner was to become the favorite of the race: it is always useful to defeat a competitor. The intrigue was still enhanced by the surprising ability of Ruslan to make trouble for the Russian grandmasters when playing in Moscow. Apart from the FIDE WCC and the starting rounds of the present Memorial, one also recalls the TV blitz tournament held at the Jazz Town Casino, where Ponomariov confidently came first, having defeated on the way the present World Blitz Champion Alexander Grischuk.

In the “Armenian” confrontation of players with entirely different styles but absolutely the same ratings, one was wondering on whose “territory” they would battle. The question was already answered in the opening, though. Aronian gave up a centre pawn to obtain the lively piece play and some prospects of an attack against the enemy King, and each of the players went about his business.

In one of the previous onlines, our commentator Vlad Tkachiev was indignant with Fischer’s prediction that the too much developed theory would kill chess. I am prepared to join my colleague and also to ask Shakhriyar Mamedyarov to give his testimony. His game with Grischuk followed the already conventional scenario: the Azeri player advocated an extremely suspicious-looking line in the Ruy Lopez, where White gives up a minor piece to get instead a dangerous attack. Dangerous or not dangerous, but neither Polgar nor Shirov, who are not the worst attackers in the world chess elite, have been able to refute Shakhriyar’s analysis. Grischuk decided to give it a try.

The novelty revealed by the Russian looked menacing enough. For Mamedyarov, the move 23.Qd3, of course, was not unexpected. However, after the game, Shakh, who is always outwardly sure of himself, suddenly admitted:

- I couldn’t remember how to continue there. I have so many analyses… I firmly remembered only one thing: with an extra piece, I should manage - it is a draw everywhere.

Everywhere? Today the question is still in the air. Having pondered over his 29th move for almost an hour, Grischuk, after the obvious reply of his opponent, suddenly relapsed into deep thought again and after another ten-minute meditation decided to take the perpetual. Meanwhile, he had at his disposal 30.Nxe4, getting a second pawn for the sacrificed piece and retaining various possibilities of continuing the fight. Mamedyarov, too, saw this and one cannot say he was not worried by it. Somewhere in the ensuing lines White could acquire a third pawn, somewhere he could create mating threats… However, to play this position having only ten minutes for ten moves unambiguously looked suicidal, so one can also understand Grischuk’s decision.

On the whole, the resulting draw has tickled the nerves of the fans, more or less satisfied both players and sank into history (alias megabases). The second course “placed on the table” for the journalists in the press room to taste was the draw in the Carlsen-Shirov game. This dish would, however, have been better with some ketchup or at least salt. The cosmetic novelty of Carlsen in the Petroff Defense did not pose any serious problems to the defending side. The Queens left the board even before the 20th move, the resulting endgame promising no surprises. Alexei Shirov has faithfully fulfilled one of the precepts of the Soviet school of chess in particular and of the Russian people in general - “don’t attempt to get your revenge after a loss”. The blow he received the previous day from Aronian has evidently affected his fighting mood. Let us hope that in the next round he will delight the spectators with more substantial play.

While Shirov and Carlsen were enthusiastically explaining to the subdued journalist the subtleties of the various pawn configurations of the Petroff, two most important games of the day came to an end. Leko and Aronian were the first to leave the skittles room. Peter came up to his farther-in-law and trainer Arshak Petrosian dismally to receive his portion of reproaches - “the position with good winning chances and whole 35 minutes to go…” Levon was not bouncing with joy, either. “Yes, I could have been skinned tonight” - he confided to our correspondent. “I completely overlooked 18…Rc8! I played 18. g4 and was sifting as happy as a woodpecker…but here such things started…” To the suggestion to come out to the public, Levon, tying his scarf, replied irresolutely: “I think I’ve already talked here enough…” When Leko just entered the press room, he dispelled all doubts concerning the final position in the game: “I let big winning chances slip”.

The gambit variation that occurred in their game had been analyzed by both players. However, Leko’s analysis has turned out to be more precise. Black succeeded in extinguishing the activity of his opponent and, in perspective, he could hope to wring the initiative. The game has entered the critical phase when Aronian advanced the pawn from his King – a move so anti-positional that it should have led either to a quick win or to an equally quick loss. At first Peter was seriously frightened, but in a few minutes found a strong riposte, based on the idea of trapping his opponent’s Queen. As it usual happens, he borrowed his inspiration from classics: “I just remembered my match with Kramnik, where in one of the games a similar idea had occurred”.

In the brain-racking complications that have arisen, it was simpler for White to play, whereas Leko continually had to choose from a multitude of choose from a multitude of tempting continuations. Possibly, the non-obvious 18…Rc2 could lead to Black’s win. He also had other possibilities. However, Levon, having found himself in a critical situation, was able to discover an excellent chance - 23. Nd5! As Peter admitted, it was played so fast and confidently that he started to have doubts about the outcome of the game.

In short, having explored a mass of variations, the Hungarian grandmaster found several promising ways of transforming his initiative to something tangible, but… preferred to give the perpetual, lest he overlooked a single-move blow.

– Oh! I should have just screwed up my eyes and played 25…f4 - and be what might! – Peter summed up to the applause of those present. By his mastery of the Russian language the Hungarian has already outstripped Mr. Peterzela, the former coach of Zenit St. Petersburg, and if he plays a couple of games like today’s, he would be able to claim to be the main attraction of the Memorial. But where can we find a manager who would forbid him to play for a draw?..

Ruslan Ponomariov failed to rise to the ‘plus three’ level, unattainable for the other players. Having achieved a tangible advantage against Peter Svidler (the powerful pawn on d6, together with the supporting Bishop on c7, seriously confined the Black pieces), the Ukrainian suddenly slowed his pace and enabled the rating favorite to free himself from the bind. The move 26.Qa6 turned out ineffectual and in what followed, too, he could play with more concentration. In the final position, White still had an edge, but Ponomariov decided against expending his energy, especially after his yesterday’s marathon race against Mamedyarov. Svidler had no reason to object to the peaceful outcome.

For me it is, in principle, strange to see Ponomariov who, first, does not finish off his opponent gripped in a powerful positional bind and, secondly, does not strive, without slightest risk, to press one of his principal competitors for another 50 moves. Somehow in the Tal Memorial, unlike other supertournaments, there are no “sweet” opponents. Therefore, one should try to exploit every chance that might come one’s way. Nevertheless, the schedule of the remaining four rounds seems sufficiently convenient for Ruslan: he has White against both Aronian and Leko. So, it is likely that Moscow will again prove to be his “own” city for the Ukrainian, who deprived Tal of the privilege of being the youngest ever former World Chess Champion.

Gelfand and Morozevich were the last to finish their individual encounter. The drawish outcome could obviously be read over the last four hours of the fight, which, stopped so suddenly that the Director of the Press Centre Alexander Roshal failed to intercept Boris Gelfand, before he could leave. But Morozevich let those present know that his opponent adopted against him a variation having the reputation of a dead-drawish one, without showing any improvement, so all the questions should be addressed to Gelfand. Perhaps, Gelfand, like Shirov, needed a respite after his loss in the fourth round.

And one more thing. Tonight the white-coloured Bishops took a time-out – only one out of ten being able to survive till the final position, and even that one stayed on its initial c8 square throughout the game. Perhaps, due to the fact that the equator has been crossed, the role of their black-coloured brothers should increase. Whether my forecast would be fulfilled we will know in the next series.