Eleven players from this Interzonal, which formed part of the 1990-93 World Championship cycle, would qualify for a series of Candidates matches to determine a challenger for the winner of the Kasparov - Karpov World Championship Match (1990) (who was Garry Kasparov). In recent years, the Interzonal had swelled from a single event to two, then three parallel tournaments. Such expansion had caused headaches for organizers, not least in securing the participation of the world's best players who had their commitments and preferences, but also in attempting to avoid clashes with other events and obtain suitable venues and prize funds. It was considered that one Swiss format tournament was a better solution. The GMA (Grandmasters Association, founded in 1987 by Kasparov) had planned to take the Interzonal over and run it in Murcia, Spain, where Kasparov was spending part of the summer. FIDE stepped in with a declaration that it would be held in Baguio City, Philippines. This was later changed to a split venue arrangement (Baguio and Manila) and then finally, a determination was made that Manila, Philippines would be the sole venue. Sixty-four participants played in a Swiss-format tournament of 13 rounds from June 29 until July 14 in the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. (1) Chief arbiter was Kok Ann Lim. (2)
Qualifying from the zonal tournaments were Chandler and Adams from Blackpool (1990), Illescas from Los Yebenes (1990), Lautier from Lyon (1990), Rechlis and Lobron from Bern (1990), Ftacnik and Georgiev from Stara Zagora A (1990), Marin and Stohl from Stara Zagora B (1990), Dreev, Yudasin, Lputian, Shirov and Khalifman from Lvov (1990), Damljanovic, Popovic, Cabrilo and Ivanovic from Mati (1990), Dzindzichashvili, Rachels, DeFirmian and Miles from US Championship (1989), Piasetski from Canadian Championship (1989), Zapata, Juarez and Arencibia from Cali (1990), Sunye and van Riemsdijk from Sao Paulo (1989), Anand and Thipsay from Doha (1990), Rongguang Ye, Ta Lin and Rogers from Shah Alam (1990), and Agdestein and Petursson from Espoo (1989) (= 36 players). (3) Short, Hjartarson, Spraggett and Portisch qualified by having reached the Candidates quarterfinals in the previous cycle. Ivanchuk, Salov, Korchnoi, Gurevich, Gulko, Ljubojevic, Ehlvest, Sokolov, Nikolic, Hübner, Tal, Dolmatov, Seirawan and Gelfand qualified by rating (based on a weighted average of the 1989 January and July rating lists). The latter three were rating reserves for Alexander Beliavsky, Zoltan Ribli and Ulf Andersson, who declined to participate. Spasov qualified as World Junior Champion. Torre and Mascarinas were nominees from the home country. Wildcard nominations from FIDE officials and chosen regional delegates resulted in the additional selection of Vaganian and Sax (who also had been rating reserves), plus Smyslov, Kamsky, Hmadi, Afifi and El Taher. (4)
It was uncertain who would play in Manila. Would Andersson participate? Beliavsky and Ribli declared that they would not. John Nunn could have claimed a place when they dropped out, but he was dissuaded by the constant changing of venue and other niggles. There was news that Beliavsky was replacing Iossif Dorfman as one of Kasparov's seconds, and this might have explained his surprising withdrawal. (5) The East Mediterranean zonal had concluded just ten days earlier, leaving players from that part of the world little time to prepare or rest. A number of players arrived early, in order to acclimatise to the tropical summer conditions. The Soviets chose Malaysia, with its similar climate, to prepare with their seconds. Representing the BCF, Nigel Short was accompanied by his assistant Lubomir Kavalek, and Adams and Chandler shared the services of William Watson. The rules stipulated that world ranking would be used to establish the Round 1 pairings. Using the not yet published July 1990 rating list, there were several changes at the top, and Gelfand emerged as the number one seed, pushing Ivanchuk down to number two. There followed Ehlvest, Salov, Kamsky, Gurevich, Seirawan, etc. (1) Games were played in a basketball stadium and at times it resembled an aviary, as birds could be seen flying low over the tables. It did, however, provide ample space for the hundreds of daily spectators. (5)
The Elo favorites Gelfand and Ivanchuk secured the first two places with nine points. The next six highest rated players did not qualify. Anand and Short tied for third, half a point behind the winners. Another half a point back, in the seven-way tie for fifth place, the remaining qualifiers were Sax, Korchnoi, Hübner, Nikolic, Yudasin, Dolmatov and Dreev. A "tragic" case was Gurevich. After eleven rounds he shared the first place with Gelfand and Ivanchuk, but then he lost both the remaining games and only managed to share twelfth place. Another tragedy happened in the final round between Damljanovic and Ljubojevic: the winner would qualify, but the game ended drawn. (6) In the last round, Short "had to win in order to reach the charmed circle of the eleven qualifiers for the Candidates matches. His opponent, on the other hand, required just a draw to guarantee his own qualification." (7) Using "techniques reminiscent of Emanuel Lasker, Nigel rose magnificently to the occasion and won a game which most grandmasters would have abandoned as drawn" (M Gurevich vs Short, 1990). (7) The game was the beginning of a winning streak that would lead Short all the way to the Kasparov - Short PCA World Championship Match (1993). Anand entered the WC cycle for the first time. He was later knocked out in the quarterfinal (by Anatoly Karpov). The 16-year-old Kamsky had moved to the USA in 1989 and had achieved a sensational 2650 rating, but the competition was too strong this time. The event could be described as a success for the Soviet camp, since five of their players qualified.
As the players awaited their return flight, an earthquake struck the Philippines (on 16 July). The island of Luzon and, in particular, Baguio City were among the worst affected areas. The Terraces Hotel, used for the Karpov - Korchnoi World Championship Match (1978) was the scene of considerable structural damage and loss of life. (8) The English contingent had been scheduled to stay in one of the Baguio hotels damaged in the earthquake, but the last minute switch to Manila had averted a potential disaster. (5) There was also a wave of political unrest in Manila at the time of the tournament. A bomb exploded in the car park of the hotel in which the players were staying. The principal casualty was Torre's Toyota Corolla. (8) Another upsetting incident involved Gelfand's second Albert Kapengut, who was robbed in Kuala Lumpur during a transfer of flights. (9)
Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Manila, Philippines, 29 June - 14 July 1990
Age Elo* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 Pts
1 GM Gelfand 22 2680 =26 +42 +03 =14 +29 =05 =02 =11 +08 =12 =06 =09 +16 9
2 GM Ivanchuk 21 2680 -54 +41 +43 +21 +08 +48 =01 =06 =12 =10 =05 +17 =03 9
3 GM Anand 20 2610 =32 +44 -01 +49 -13 =54 +47 =18 =14 +29 +37 +12 =02 8.5
4 GM Short 25 2610 +20 -21 -13 =46 +33 +24 +07 -08 +30 +18 =11 =06 +12 8.5
5 GM Sax 39 2600 =22 +64 +51 +08 =48 =01 =12 =09 =13 =11 =02 =10 =07 8
6 GM Korchnoi 59 2630 =31 +33 =07 =15 +28 =30 +29 =02 =11 =13 =01 =04 =10 8
7 GM Hübner 41 2585 =38 +62 =06 =16 =17 =18 -04 +19 +48 +21 =10 =11 =05 8
8 GM Nikolic 29 2600 +13 +58 +12 -05 -02 =19 +40 +04 -01 =17 =21 =14 +25 8
9 GM Yudasin 30 2615 =45 +49 -29 +55 +25 =14 +48 =05 -21 +16 =12 =01 =11 8
10 GM Dolmatov 31 2615 =24 =23 +27 =11 +39 =29 +30 -12 +15 =02 =07 =05 =06 8
11 GM Dreev 21 2615 =44 =32 +22 =10 =21 +13 +14 =01 =06 =05 =04 =07 =09 8
12 GM Gurevich 31 2640 +43 +36 -08 +37 =14 +34 =05 +10 =02 =01 =09 -03 -04 7.5
13 GM Damljanovic 29 2515 -08 +53 +04 =51 +03 -11 +34 +16 =05 =06 -17 =19 =15 7.5
14 GM Georgiev 24 2580 +57 =16 +17 =01 =12 =09 -11 =31 =03 =15 +28 =08 =20 7.5
15 GM Ljubojevic 29 2600 +40 =29 =16 =06 =18 =17 =21 +22 -10 =14 +36 =25 =13 7.5
16 GM Ehlvest 27 2655 +56 =14 =15 =07 =30 =23 +19 -13 +31 -09 +22 +21 -01 7.5
17 GM Khalifman 24 2615 =33 +31 -14 +24 =07 =15 +23 =21 =29 =08 +13 -02 =19 7.5
18 GM Seirawan 30 2635 =42 =26 =30 +56 =15 =07 =31 =03 +40 -04 =27 =24 +22 7.5
19 GM Shirov 17 2580 =55 =35 =23 =33 +42 =08 -16 -07 +32 +50 +29 =13 =17 7.5
20 GM Hjartarson 27 2520 -04 +61 -37 -40 +38 -36 +45 =47 +54 =39 +42 +34 =14 7.5
21 GM DeFirmian 32 2560 +61 +04 =48 -02 =11 +37 =15 =17 +09 -07 =08 -16 =28 7
22 GM Rechlis 23 2505 =05 =28 -11 +27 =47 =25 +46 -15 +41 +48 -16 +37 -18 7
23 IM Spasov 19 2495 =34 =10 =19 +36 =51 =16 -17 =44 -39 +43 =35 =26 +49 7
24 IM Stohl 25 2525 =10 -34 +45 -17 +58 -04 +43 +39 =50 -37 +44 =18 =27 7
25 GM Adams 18 2590 +46 =63 +50 -29 -09 =22 =39 =49 +44 =27 +30 =15 -08 7
26 GM Dzindzichashvili 46 2560 =01 =18 +38 -30 =31 =46 =63 =34 =36 =42 =39 =23 +41 7
27 GM Ftacnik 32 2550 -51 +59 -10 -22 +64 =32 +57 =37 +34 =25 =18 =36 =24 7
28 GM Gulko 43 2600 =64 =22 =32 +58 -06 =47 =41 =36 =33 +31 -14 +45 =21 7
29 GM Lautier 17 2570 +60 =15 +09 +25 -01 =10 -06 +50 =17 -03 -19 =39 =35 6.5
30 GM Lputian 32 2575 +59 =51 =18 +26 =16 =06 -10 =48 -04 +33 -25 =41 =36 6.5
31 GM Illescas Cordoba 24 2535 =06 -17 =64 +38 =26 +51 =18 =14 -16 -28 =32 +44 =37 6.5
32 GM Ivanovic 40 2520 =03 =11 =28 -50 =36 =27 =53 =54 -19 +55 =31 =48 +56 6.5
33 GM Torre 38 2530 =17 -06 +62 =19 -04 =49 =42 +46 =28 -30 -45 +51 +48 6.5
34 GM Agdestein 23 2600 =23 +24 +63 -48 +50 -12 -13 =26 -27 +52 +40 -20 =39 6.5
35 IM Marin 25 2485 =37 =19 =36 -39 =49 =42 -56 +55 +47 =40 =23 =50 =29 6.5
36 GM Tal 53 2580 +52 -12 =35 -23 =32 +20 =37 =28 =26 +56 -15 =27 =30 6.5
37 GM Miles 35 2595 =35 =55 +20 -12 +43 -21 =36 =27 +49 +24 -03 -22 =31 6.5
38 GM Sunye Neto 33 2465 =07 =39 -26 -31 -20 =60 =59 +58 =53 +47 =48 =42 +50 6.5
39 GM Sokolov 27 2570 =62 =38 =54 +35 -10 =41 =25 -24 +23 =20 =26 =29 =34 6.5
40 GM Popovic 31 2520 -15 =60 =42 +20 +63 =50 -08 +56 -18 =35 -34 =49 =45 6
41 IM Cabrilo 32 2485 -48 -02 =59 +60 +56 =39 =28 =42 -22 +49 =50 =30 -26 6
42 GM Spraggett 35 2540 =18 -01 =40 +64 -19 =35 =33 =41 +51 =26 -20 =38 =46 6
43 GM Zapata 31 2545 -12 +52 -02 +53 -37 =57 -24 -51 +61 -23 +58 =54 +55 6
44 GM Rongguang Ye 26 2525 =11 -03 -49 +62 -55 +58 +51 =23 -25 +57 -24 -31 +54 6
45 GM Lobron 30 2535 =09 -50 -24 =59 +52 -56 -20 =57 +60 +54 +33 -28 =40 6
46 IM Rachels 20 2475 -25 +47 =58 =04 =54 =26 -22 -33 -57 +62 =56 +52 =42 6
47 GM Petursson 30 2550 -63 -46 +57 +52 =22 =28 -03 =20 -35 -38 +60 =56 +59 6
48 GM Portisch 53 2590 +41 +54 =21 +34 =05 -02 -09 =30 -07 -22 =38 =32 -33 5.5
49 GM Rogers 30 2535 =50 -09 +44 -03 =35 =33 +55 =25 -37 -41 +53 =40 -23 5.5
50 GM Vaganian 38 2630 =49 +45 -25 +32 -34 =40 +54 -29 =24 -19 =41 =35 -38 5.5
51 Kamsky 16 2650 +27 =30 -05 =13 =23 -31 -44 +43 -42 =53 =52 -33 +60 5.5
52 IM Ta Lin 27 2435 -36 -43 +61 -47 -45 +64 +62 =53 =56 -34 =51 -46 +58 5.5
53 GM Smyslov 69 2570 -58 -13 +60 -43 -57 +59 =32 =52 =38 =51 -49 =62 +61 5.5
54 GM Chandler 30 2560 +02 -48 =39 =63 =46 =03 -50 =32 -20 -45 +61 =43 -44 5
55 IM Mascarinas 37 2465 =19 =37 =56 -09 +44 -63 -49 -35 +59 -32 +62 =61 -43 5
56 IM Arencibia 22 2555 -16 +57 =55 -18 -41 +45 +35 -40 =52 -36 =46 =47 -32 5
57 IM van Riemsdijk 41 2440 -14 -56 -47 +61 +53 =43 -27 =45 +46 -44 =59 -60 =62 5
58 IM El Taher 25 2375 +53 -08 =46 -28 -24 -44 =60 -38 =62 =61 -43 +59 -52 4
59 IM Juarez Flores 24 2425 -30 -27 =41 =45 =62 -53 =38 =61 -55 +60 =57 -58 -47 4
60 IM Piasetski 38 2410 -29 =40 -53 -41 =61 =38 =58 =62 -45 -59 -47 +57 -51 3.5
61 IM Hmadi 2335 -21 -20 -52 -57 =60 =62 +64 =59 -43 =58 -54 =55 -53 3.5
62 IM Afifi 43 2400 =39 -07 -33 -44 =59 =61 -52 =60 =58 -46 -55 =53 =57 3.5
63 GM Salov 26 2655 +47 =25 -34 =54 -40 +55 =26 3.5
64 IM Thipsay 30 2490 =28 -05 =31 -42 -27 -52 -61 1
Salov and Thipsay retired due to illness after seven rounds. (8) The brilliancy prize went to DeFirmian for Miles vs de Firmian, 1990. (10)A playoff was not necessary: the top eleven finishers (with 8 or more points) joined Jan Timman, Artur Yusupov and Jonathan Speelman (who were Candidates quarterfinal winners in the previous cycle) for the seven 1/8-final matches in 1991. The pairings for these matches were announced soon after the tournament: (11)
Yusupov - Dolmatov Candidates Eighthfinal (1991)
Ivanchuk - Yudasin Candidates Eighthfinal (1991)
Short - Speelman Candidates Eighthfinal (1991)
Timman - Huebner Candidates Eighthfinal (1991)
Gelfand - Nikolic Candidates Eighthfinal (1991)
Korchnoi - Sax Candidates Eighthfinal (1991)
Anand - Dreev Candidates Eighthfinal (1991)
The seven winners of these matches were in turn joined by Anatoly Karpov (the Candidates final winner in the previous cycle) for the quarterfinal matches: Timman - Korchnoi Candidates Quarterfinal (1991), Yusupov - Ivanchuk Candidates Quarterfinal (1991), Short - Gelfand Candidates Quarterfinal (1991) and Karpov - Anand Candidates Quarterfinal (1991) (all four in Brussels in August). Next followed the Timman - Yusupov Candidates Semifinal (1992) and Short - Karpov Candidates Semifinal (1992), and finally the
Short - Timman Candidates Final (1993). Then in February 1993, Kasparov and Short announced the creation of the PCA (Professional Chess Association) and refused to play the Kasparov - Short PCA World Championship Match (1993) under the jurisdiction of FIDE. Kasparov was stripped of his FIDE title in March 1993, whereas Karpov and Timman agreed to play the Karpov - Timman FIDE World Championship Match (1993). (12)
Tournament book: MANILA izt 1990 by Lubomir Ftacnik & Igor Stohl (Prager Schachagentur, 1990. 159 pp.). Source not seen: Manila 1990 Interzonal - Fighting for the world championship swiss style by Yevgeniy Vladimirov (New in Chess no. 6, 1990, pp. 8 ff.).
*FIDE Rating List July 1990 (https://web.archive.org/web/2022100...).
Notes
(1) British Chess Magazine, August 1990, pp. 342-344.
(2) Lim Kok Ann's autobiography at http://limkokann.blogspot.no/2009/0...
(3) Mark Weeks at http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/zon...
(4) Sahovski Informator, vol. 48, 1989, p. 466.
(5) William Watson in CHESS, October 1990, pp. 24-29.
(6) MANILA izt 1990 by Ftacnik and Stohl (1990).
(7) Raymond Keene in The Spectator, 20 July 1990, p. 44.
(8) British Chess Magazine, September 1990, pp. 370-377.
(9) A chess coach who brought up three grandmasters, by Abram Gelfand in Mishpoha, no. 21 (http://mishpoha.org/n21/21a31.php).
(10) Nick de Firmian in Kingpin, 19 September 2013 (http://www.kingpinchess.net/2013/09...).
(11) Tidskrift för Schack, October 1990, p. 339.
(12) Mark Weeks at http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/wcc...
The original game collection by User: thomastonk has been deleted. The introduction was made with contributions from User: zanzibar, User: Chessical, User: OhioChessFan, User: Retireborn, User: Annie K., User: crawfb5, User: Tabanus and User: Paint My Dragon.
Kibitzing
