Kasparov draws in Round 1 at Linares

[Jack Rabbit]

Former world champion Garry Kasparov drew in 25 moves against Hungarian Peter Leko in the opening round of the 22nd Ciudad de Linares chess tournament today in Spain.



Many observers were stunned at the draw agreement. It was felt that Kasparov, playing Black, had a better position.

Kasparov is the favorite to win the tournament, rated as a category 20. Five of the top seven ranked players in the world are competing in Linares. In spite of losing the world title to fellow Russian Vladimir Kramnik four and a half years ago, Kasparov remains the world's top ranked player.

In other results today, Bulgarian grandmaster Veselin Topalov defeated Michael Adams of Britain and Rustam Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan drew against Spaniard Francisco Vallejo. A seventh competitor in the tournament, Viswanathan Anand of India, had a bye.

Tomorrow Kasparov will have White against Kasimdzhanov, Adams will have White against Leko, Anand will have White against Topalov and Vallejo will have the day off.

For more analysis, see the report on the English language edition of the German website ChessBase.

Photo from ChessBase

[TomClash]

1. Black is up a pawn

but with the weak pawn on d6 it is hard to see him making any headway - the Be7 is not available to pressure b8 wihtout dropping the d6 pawn and allowing white counterplay. The d5 break does not look like it will be available for some time. One idea is a5!? with the idea of a4, a3 and then if Qa3 then the d5 break is good because the Be7 hits the Qa3 - and if Qxa5 immediately then ra8 and Qa4 with attack. Then again after a5, white has f4 and who knows?

Maybe K thought it's game 1, it's Leko, I'm black, it's a long tournament, I'll take 1/2-1/2.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. I remember when he was playing Karpov for the title in 1985

It was covered on American TV (a dreadful medium for chess) on PBS. All the commentators were impressed at Kasparov's energetic play. He was then 22 year old. Said Edmar Mednis: "I wonder if he'll still play like this when he's 40."

Kasparov is now 42. He's still an aggressive player, but he doesn't play like that any more.

I was following the game this morning on ChessGames.com through 13 moves (ah, shucks, I had to go to work). It looked like it was going to be an interesting game. Both Kings were caught in the center. It looked like it was developing into real knock-down drag-out fight, a la Anderssen and Morphy. I would have liked to seen it played out.

[nickgutierrez]

3. Right - the e7 bishop wasn't going anywhere.

The line I was looking at (as a not-so-good amateur) if black plays a5 and the queen captures is c3 -- it seems to me like it could cause all kinds of problems. Rc3 is almost forced, at which point your Ra8/Qa4 combination (with maybe a b2 pawn capture in between) looks even better.

I do think a5 is the best option straight away, though.

[TomClash]

4. That's interesting

After 26. a5 Qa5 27. c3 Rd3 then I think if 28. cb2 Qa2 and if Ra8 then Qc3. I don't know if I see a follow up but black certainly has open lines for the pawn.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Hmm

25 -- a5 26. Qa5 c3 27. Rd3 (27. bxc3 Rxc3 looks good for Black) 27 -- cxb2 28. Qa2+ Kh8 29. Qxb2 Ra8 followed by -- Rfb8.

Black's problems are still how to free the Bishop at e7 and what to do with White's passed pawn on the sixth rank. That fellow can get menacing fast.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. The advantage looks to be difficult to exploit

Black to move
Draw agreed

Black stands better, but that only means something if he can bring his pieces into play. One would think Black would try to sacrifice his extra pawn to do that and the natural candidate is the d-pawn. However, with White's doubled Rooks opposing the Black Queen on the d-file, that looks too risky.

Diagram from ChessBase

[TomClash]

7. If d5 here, then exd5 with the threat of d6

I still like a5 for black

[Jack Rabbit]

8. I agree (see post 6)

But I still don't think he gets enough for it unless he can find a way to sacrifice the d-pawn.

[TomClash]

9. That may be right

But it's unclear to me

[nickgutierrez]

11. What about Rc6 followed by a5?

Activating the f8 rook can't be a bad thing, and a 'bum's rush' with the a-pawn does seem like the best option at this point.

Also, if the queen captures on a3, d5 can be played without consequence because of the revealed attack on the queen, followed by d4 and then the rook captures on b6.

Looking at the position a bit more, black does have an advantage, but I do definitely agree that it is a very tough one to exploit. A draw isn't a bad result.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. For the record, while Kasparov is the betting favorite

. . . were I a gambling man, I'd put my money on either Anand or Leko in this tournament. They're the hot players right now.

Linares is a tough tournament. Most games will end in draws. Kramnik won last year's tournament with two wins, no losses and ten draws.