The Tal Memorial took place from Aug. 17 to 31 in the exhibition hall of GUM mall, located directly on the Red Square in Moscow. Time controls were two hours for the first 40 moves, one hour for the next 20 moves and 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move after move 61.
Ivanchuk beat Morozevich, Leko and Kamsky and drew six games to finish with 6 points. A point behind and tied for second to fifth places were Morozevich, Gelfand, Ponomariov and Kramnik.
Game of the week. Perhaps the tournament’s most memorable game was the third round duel between former world champ Kramnik against his fellow Russian, Moro.
“It was a stunner,” ChessBase reported. “Kramnik played a new move in a Semi-Slav, saw some promising moments and then went down with flying colors in 31 moves to…Morozevich.”
In an interview later, Kramnik said: “I should not have lost this game against Morozevich. Basically I just lost it in one move. I played an inaccurate move Be6 and after Ra3 I could resign completely, there is no defense. It is a very unpleasant way to lose, basically making just one inaccuracy.”
Here then is the partie as annotated by IM Jack Peters.
White: GM Alexander Morozevich (2788)
Black: GM Vladimir Kramnik (2788)
Semi-Slav Defense
Tal Memorial, Moscow 2008
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e3 e6 5 Nf3 Nbd7 The extremely popular Semi-Slav Defense. 6 Qc2 Bd6 7 g4!? Shirov’s outrageous gambit. Nxg4 Many grandmasters decline, with 7…dxc4. 8 Rg1 Nxh2 9 Nxh2 Bxh2 10 Rxg7 Nf8 With the point that 11 f4?? does not win the Bishop because of 11…Qh4+ 12 Qf2 Qxf2+ 13 Kxf2 Ng6 14 Kg2 Kf8 15 Rxg6 hxg6 16 Be2 g5! 17 Bd2 (intending 18 Rh1) g4! 18 Bxg4 Rg8 19 Kh3 Bd7 20 Rh1 f5 21 Bf3 Bg1. 11 Rg2 Bd6 Several games have shown that 11…Bc7 12 e4 dxc4 13 Be3 gives White ample compensation. 12 e4 Ng6 13 Bg5 Be7 The former world champion chooses sensible moves that keep the position rational. Wild man Morozevich would love 13…f6 14 Bh6 Nh4 15 0-0-0! Nxg2 16 Bxg2, with a tremendous lead in development. 14 Bxe7 Qxe7 15 0-0-0 dxe4 16 Nxe4 f5 Else 17 c5 sets up 18 Nd6+. 17 Nd2 c5! 18 dxc5 Bd7 Rushing to castle. Another critical line begins 18…Qxc5 19 Qc3 Qe5 20 Qa3, stranding Black’s King in the center. Instead of 19…Qe5, too uncomfortable are 19…0-0 20 Nf3 Qe7 21 Ne5 and 19…Rf8 20 Rh2 Rf7 21 Nf3. 19 b4 0-0-0 20 Rg3 e5 Material is even, but Black’s pawns control more of the center. 21 Rd3 The immediate 21 Ra3 Kb8 does not worry Black. If 22 Nb1!? e4 23 Nc3 Bc6 24 Nd5 Qe5, Black has the edge. Be6?? Kramnik blamed his loss on “basically making just one inaccuracy,” and he’s right. Correct is 21…e4 22 Rd6 Ne5, and it’s doubtful if White’s activity makes up for his inferior pawn structure. 22 Ra3! Suddenly White’s attack is unstoppable. a6 Similar is 22…Kb8 23 Qa4 a6 24 c6. Black cannot survive 24…bxc6 25 Qxa6 Qb7 26 Qa5 (threatening Nd2-b3-c5) or 24… Bc8 25 c5 Rd4 26 cxb7 Qxb7 27 Nc4! Rhd8 28 Nd6. 23 c6 bxc6 After 23…Qxb4 24 cxb7+, Black’s King has no shelter. Neither 24…Qxb7 25 c5 nor 24…Kc7 25 Rxa6 Bd7 26 a3! Qxb7 27 c5 survives. The latter variation might continue 27…Ra8 28 Rb6 Qd5 29 Nc4 Qxc5, when 30 Rb7+! Kxb7 31 Rxd7+ Kc6 32 Qxf5 soon mates. 24 c5 Qg5 25 Rxa6 Kd7 26 Bc4 Bxc4 27 Qxc4 Ne7 28 Kc2 Also decisive is 28 Qf7 Ra8 29 Kc2. Ke8 29 Nf3 Qf630 Rd6! Rxd6 Black cannot prevent mate after 30…Qg7 31 Qe6. 31 cxd6, Black Resigns. Black must yield a Rook by 31 . . . Qxd6 32 Ra8+ or allow the finish 31…Ng6 32 Ra8+ Kd7 33 Ra7+ Kd8 34 Qxc6.
Puzzler.
White — pawns on b3, b4, h2; Qa8, Ke1, Be4, Ne7
Black — pawns on a5, b5, e5, g5; Na7, Bb6, Ke3
White to play and mate in three moves.
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