CHESS

Walter Polhill
Sunday 23 February 1997 00:02 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

There is no sight on earth that upsets me more than that of a top grandmaster off-form. Like a wounded lion, such a beast may lumber through the tournament jungle, desperately trying to assert himself. Yet, more often than not, his stumbling efforts only make matters worse. Here is a sad example from the recent event in Linares, at which grandmaster Ivanchuk - one of the most magnificent players I have ever set eyes upon - was reduced to a pathetic shadow of his normal self by some early losses.

White: Vassily Ivanchuk

Black: Judit Polgar

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d5 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Nc3

Until this moment in the tournament, Ivanchuk had scored but a single half-point in three games. He feels the need to assert himself, yet he would have done better to play his normal game rather than indulge in this dubious gambit.

7...dxc4 8.d5 Nb4!

Had White perhaps been expecting the knight to go to a5, defending Black's extra pawn? It is far superior on b4, ready to gallop to d3 when White plays - as he must - e4 to defend d5.

9.e4 e6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Be3 Nd3

Cutting out any nonsense with Bc5.

12.dxe6 Bxe6 13.h3

Feeble. He must play 13.Nd4 if he wishes to put up a fight.

13...Qd7 14.Qd2

From excessive caution, White lurches into over-aggression. It pains me to see such moves from so fine a player.

14...Bxh3 15.Bxh6 Rae8 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Ng5

A defensive advance! White must provide protection to his e-pawn.

17...Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Nh5

Black is moving in for the kill. The threat is 19...Ndf4+ winning the queen.

19.Qe3 (see diagram)

White is a pawn down for nothing, yet his game is even worse than that might suggest, as Black's next move proves.

19...Ndf4+!

Now 20.gxf3 Qg4+ 21.Kh2 Nxf4 threatens both Qg2 mate and Rh8+ while 20.Kh2 Qg4 is equally fatal. Finally 20.Kf3 f6 21.gxf4 fxg5 22.f5 Rxf5+ is no fun at all.

White resigned.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in