LA TIMES: LINARES

by Jack Peters, IM

Alexander Grischuk of Russia and Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine tied for first place with scores of 8-6 in the chess world's most prestigious tournament, the annual double round-robin in Linares, Spain. The duo collected 175,000 Euros (about $220,000) of the tournament's lucrative prize fund of 314,000 Euros (about $400,000).

Third at 7 1/2 -6 1/2 was Magnus Carlsen of Norway, followed by world champion Viswanathan Anand of India at 7-7. Others: Levon Aronian of Armenia, Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan and Wang Yue of China, each 6 1/2 -7 1/2 ; and Leinier Dominguez Perez of Cuba, 6-8.

Nobody won more than three games, and only Aronian lost four; 67% of the games were drawn.

Ivanchuk has been a star for 20 years, but this is Grischuk's first triumph in an elite event. He belied his underdog status (ranked seventh of the eight competitors) with three wins in the first six rounds, then held the lead despite a 12th-round loss to Carlsen.

The two biggest favorites, Anand and Carlsen, each lost twice and struggled in several other games. Carlsen muffed his attempt at a comeback by drawing a winning position against Radjabov in the penultimate round. Anand seemed frustrated, drawing his last eight games.

All but Grischuk and Dominguez are competing in the 18th Amber tournament, which began Saturday in Nice, France. The unique tournament features blindfold and 25-minute games. To watch the moves, go to amberchess2009.com.

GM Alexander Grischuk (Russia)-GM Wang Yue (China), Linares 2009: 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 dxc4 5 a4 Bf5The Slav Defense. 6 Ne5 The main line begins 6 e3 e6 7 Bxc4 Bb4. Nbd7 7 Nxc4 Nb6 Not bad, but less popular than 7 . . . Qc7 and 7 . . . e6. 8 Ne5 a5 9 e3 g6 Perhaps fearing 9 . . . e6 10 g4!? Bg6 11 h4. 10 Bd3 Be6 11 0-0 Bg7 12 f4 Nfd7 13 Nf3 White has a small plus which 13 . . . 0-0 14 e4 would not disturb. Instead, Black seeks counterplay. c5!? 14 Ng5! cxd4 Not 14 . . . Bc4? because 15 Bxc4 Nxc4 16 Qb3 Nd6 17 Nce4! 0-0 18 Nxc5 gains a pawn. 15 Nxe6 fxe6 16 Ne4 0-0 Both 16 . . . dxe3 and 16 . . . Nd5 favor White after 17 Ng5. 17 Qg4 Rf5 18 Qh3 Setting up 19 Ng5. Nc5 19 Nxc5 Rxc5 20 Qxe6+ Kh8 21 e4 White has the better pawn structure and two useful Bishops. Grischuk correctly aims for an endgame. Rac8 22 e5 R8c6 23 Qf7 Nd5 24 Bd2 Qf8 25 Qxf8+ Bxf8 26 Rac1 e6 27 Kf2 b6 28 Kf3 Kg7 29 g3 Rxc1 30 Rxc1 Rxc1 31 Bxc1 Extraneous factors are gone. Black's position probably cannot be held. Kf7 32 Bc4 Ne3 33 b3! The opposite Bishops would save Black after 33 Bxe3? dxe3. Bc5 34 Ke2 h5 35 Bb2 g5 Nor does 35 . . . h4 36 Kf3 hxg3 37 hxg3 help, as the d-pawn will fall. 36 fxg5?! Giving Black hope. The ruthless 36 Kd3 gxf4 37 gxf4 Ng4 38 Bxd4 clinches the win against 38 . . . Nf2+ 39 Bxf2 Bxf2 40 f5 or 38 . . . Bxd4 39 Kxd4 Nxh2 40 Be2! Ng4 41 Ke4 Ke7 42 Kf3 Nh6 43 Bd3 Kf7 44 Kg3. Ng4 37 Bd3 Nxe5? Not so clear is 37 . . . Nxh2! 38 g6+ Kg7 39 Bc1 Ng4 40 Bf4 Ne3, thinking of 41 . . . Nf5. 38 Be4 Ng4 Tougher is 38 . . . Kg7 39 Bc1 Nf7, but White wins anyway with 40 h4 e5 41 Bf3 Kg6 42 g4! hxg4 43 Be4+! Kg7 44 h5. 39 h3 Ne3 40 Bc1 e5 After 40 . . . Nf5 41 Bf4, the d-pawn is doomed. 41 Bxe3! Now the opposite Bishops endgame is easy. dxe3 42 h4 Kg7 43 Kf3 Kf7 44 Bd3 Bd4 45 Be2 Kg7 46 Ke4 Kg6 47 Bd1Zugzwang.Bc3 Or 47 . . . Bc5 48 Kxe5 Bb4 49 Be2 Be1 50 Kf4 Bf2 51 g4!, obtaining connected passers. 48 Kxe3 Kf5 To restrain g3-g4. If 48 . . . Be1, White achieves this advance by 49 Bc2+ Kf7 50 Kf3 Kg7 51 Kg2 Kf7 52 Kh3. 49 Bxh5 Be1 50 Kf3 e4+ 51 Kg2 Bc3 Useless is 51 . . . e3 52 Be2 Ke4 53 Kh3. 52 Be2 Be1 53 Kh3 Bf2 54 Bb5! Be1 55 Bd7+ Ke5 56 Kg4 Preparing h4-h5-h6 and g5-g6-g7. e3 57 Bb5 Kd5, and Black Resigns.