Polgar faced the reigning Russian champ, Svidler, in the quarterfinals, and drew the first game as black. She declined another draw in the next game, overreached and, alas, lost. Ponomariov bested Gashimov — who was considered one of the favorites — while Ivanchuk and Grischuk dispatched Radjabov and Navara in the rapid tie-breaks.
And so there were four: Svidler, the ninth seed; Ponomariov, fourth; Ivanchuk, second; and Grischuk, sixth. Two Russians and two Ukrainians — offspring of the mighty Soviet school.
Russian WIM Maria Fominykh notes: “It is strange but the decisive stage of this World Cup 2011 reminds us of the semifinals of the FIDE World Championship 2001-2002. At that time the semifinalists were: Svidler, Ivanchuk, Ponomariov and Anand. It has been 10 years since then and there has been only one change — Anand is replaced by Grischuk. In the World Championship 2001-2002 the spectators witnessed the Ukrainian final match and the winner was Ponomariov. We are only to guess whether we will face another déjà vu.”
The semis are underway as I write this: Svidler vs Ponomariov, and Ivanchuk vs Grischuk. To borrow a metaphor from another sport, it’s anyone’s ballgame.
Game of the week. IM Malcolm Pein, who annotates our featured partie, says “Russian champion Peter Svidler advanced to the last eight of the FIDE World Cup in style with a 2-0 win over the U.S. champion Gata Kamsky. Svidler won the first game in positional style with white in a Ruy Lopez but made light of defending himself against the same opening and won with lightning counterattack that overwhelmed Kamsky’s king. The winning blow was quite spectacular.”
White: G. Kamsky (2741)
Black: P. Svidler (2739)
Ruy Lopez
World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 Rb8 8.axb5 axb5 9.c3 d6 10.d4 Bb6 11.Be3 (Kamsky often avoids the sharper lines. Here, they begin 11.Na3 0-0 12.Nxb5 Bg4) 11…0-0 12.Nbd2 h6 13.h3 Re8 14.Qc2 exd4 15.cxd4 Na5 16.Ba2 Bb7 17.e5 Nd5 18.Bb1 g6 19.Bxh6 (White appears to have a big advantage but Svidler calmly improves his worst piece and White’s center cannot be held but he has an extra pawn and the game is unclear) 19…Nc6! 20.exd6 (20.Qe4 Nxd4 21.Nxd4 Rxe5 22.Qg4 was also possible) 20…Qxd6 21.Ne4 Qb4 22.Ba2 Nxd4 23.Nf6+ Kh8 24.Nxd4 (Kamsky could not go for 24.Nxd5 Nxf3+ 25.gxf3 Bxd5 26.Bxd5 Qh427.Bd2 Qg3+ 28.Kh1 Qxh3+ with a draw) 24…Nxf6! 25.Nc6 Qh4 (Rather unexpectedly, Black is better) 26.Nxb8 Re2!! 26…Qg3 27.Nc6 Re2 28.Qc3 Rxf2?? 29.Qxg3 or 28…Qxc3 29.bxc3 Bxc6 30.Bxf7) 27.Qc3(27.Qxe2 Qg3 mates) 27…Rxf2 28.Nc6 Rxf1+ 0-1. 28…Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 Qf2#
Puzzler.
White: Ka5, Nb5, Qc1, Bd3, pawn on d4
Black: Kd5, Ne5, pawns on a6 and f3
White to play and mate in three moves.
Send your answers to “64” c/o Marianas Variety, P.O. Box 500231, Saipan MP 96950. Our fax no. is 670-234-9271. You can also e-mail [email protected].
