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Michael Adams vs Rustam Kasimdzhanov
FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2004)  ·  Sicilian Defense: Kan. Polugaevsky Variation (B42)  ·  1/2-1/2
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Kibitzer's Corner
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Jul-06-04  arifattar: <Larsker><Maybe they're not allowed to drink beer there> I am not sure about that. I think VIPs may be allowed. But I would be happy if it is the case.
Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  notyetagm: Go Kasimdzhanov! It would be an accomplishment worthy of the Chess Oscar if he could <single-handedly> knockout the top 4 seeds of this tournament. He has already knocked out Ivanchuk, Grischuk, and Topalov. Now only Adams stands between him and a match with Kasparov.
Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gypsy: < Rama: What is wrong with 18. ... Qb6, 19. Qc3 Rac8 or Rfc8. ...> But 18...Qb6 19.Bb5 is not in Black's favor, I think. For instance, 19...Nd4 20.Nxd4 Qxd4 21.Bf2 lets White back into the driver's seat.
Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  suenteus po 147: A draw?!? This is a shame. Adams has decided to play Kasimdzhanov's game.
Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  acirce: You think he didn't fight for an advantage with White? He didn't succeed but that's different, in the final position it makes little sense playing on anyway.
Jul-06-04  Franz the Stampede: < Well, a common false assumption about draws under 20 moves is that they are "non-games" and the players just didn't feel like playing or whatever. But they aren't, surely here White did fight for an advantage, but he didn't succeed very well and they agreed to draw in a position clearly very drawish, it had made little sense playing on just for the sake of it really.>

yes, many early draws are "violent" draws (I can remember a fantastic fischer-spassky from a tournament, a French maybe, not sure it's in the database) but it didnt seem to be the case of today's game... the only excuse I can think of is that they were both tired because of yesterday games... since lousy fide couldnt afford a resting day between semifinals and final match, the players took it by themselves :-)

Jul-06-04  ughaibu: Fischer-Tal, not Spassky.
Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  suenteus po 147: <acirce> I agree that Adams is fighting for an advantage with White and he didn't succeed, but I don't see how playing on in the final position doesn't make sense. My concern for Adams is that Kasimdzhanov has shown himself to be a merciless and capable rapid/blitz player. Adams does not want to test him there if he knows what's good for himself. <Franz the Stampede> I hope you are right and it was just a rest day for the both of them :)
Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  acirce: <Franz> Adams didn't play yesterday. No, I just think Adams played below his capacity, and Black was not unhappy with a draw, normal match strategy. <suenteus> To me the final position looks VERY drawish especially after 18..Nd4. Not just equal.
Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sneaky: I remember hearing somebody brag on the internet about how they improved their chess database by removing all draws under 20 moves. I told him that in that case he must have deleted one the most amazing games in the annals of chess history, Hamppe vs Meitner, 1872, the aptly titled "Immortal Draw"? (a 19 mover of sheer chess beauty)
Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  acirce: <I remember hearing somebody brag on the internet about how they improved their chess database by removing all draws under 20 moves.> LOL.
Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gypsy: I think this all boils down to one simple fact: Adams lost the opening duel and had to be careful not to get realy behind.

The root of Adam's difficulties was, it seems, his 11.f4(?)--and that was an opening move as fighting as they come. Here, unfortunately, it just overextended White position as Black minor piecess were better coordinated for an immediate grappling match. Some Sicilian expert can give us a more in-depth analysis.

Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  Hanzo Steel: <The root of Adam's difficulties was, it seems, his 11.f4(?)--and that was an opening move as fighting as they come.> I totally agree. Playing f4 in just about any opening is very aggressive, but it's hard to believe that Adams couldn't see that this would allow Kasimdzhanov to put his knight on the e5 square and--with the help of the dark square bishop on a great diagonal--shut down any kingside possibilities.

I think the thing that we don't see is the psychological battle, which I thought was kind of BS until I read End Game: Short vs. Kasparov. Whether or not psychological factors can influence the outcome of a match, players still consider them, because they MIGHT turn out ot be pivotal.

In other words, it is possible that Adams was testing the waters or sending some kind of psychological message, perhaps tempting Kasimdzhanov to try a a riskier line. Think of the highly psychological battle in Fischer's first game against Spassky in 1972. Out of context, it would be impossible to realize that Spassky was trying to show he could comfortably draw with White and Fischer sent a message with Bxh2.

I think that this is one of the problems with chess's popularity. (Don't worry, I'm almost done. Sorry to lecture.) There are often interesting and exciting psychological battles going on that we can't see and can only learn about after the the fact, if ever. Indeed, the psychological battle in chess is well hidden, if one only sees the moves and not the players or even the time each player spends on a particular move. Making the common comparison to tennis, it often feels as if we're only seeing the score and not the ups and downs of the actual play.

Jul-06-04  whithaw: I am curious to see how adams my have continued. If the Nc6 moves, would he play Be5? There still seems to be a lot of game left here to play.
Jul-06-04  Dionyseus: Just noticed that according to Chessbase's database, Adams has never defeated Kasim.
Jul-06-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  RayFchess: Match play is a different style. Here you don't play to win, you play not to lose. It sounds like a mistake to play this way, and it probably is in a swiss style tournament, it is the correct play in a championship match. Also, you don't push as black to win, only to draw, and to win as white in match play.
Jul-06-04  iron maiden: I was very surprised to see an early draw from Mickey. This marks only the second time in seven rounds that he's failed to win the first game.
Jul-06-04  underrated: How bout this...why not elimate draws by aggrement alltogether? Make them play to a draw. You can still resign but you cant offer a draw...
Jul-06-04  iron maiden: Nice idea <underrated> but I think the players would just repeat moves three times and claim draws that way. Or they might just swap immediately to a drawn ending.
Jul-07-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  acirce: <underrated> What do you mean "play to a draw"? When is it a "real" draw? Do they have to play until stalemate or until only kings remain?? Who is going to judge when they should have the right to draw? Gee, how bout this instead, let the players play how they want.
Jul-07-04  ruylopez900: There is an interesting chessbase article on this game. Unfortunately I seem to have misplaced the link, but its near the top at www.chessbase.com
Jul-08-04  underrated: Exactly...play to a stalemate or something. No more sissy 18 move draws, if their so sure it will be a draw play it out. I have seen too much slop in the end games to justifiy these early draws, especially when your playing final matches like this...
Jul-08-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  acirce: That's totally insane, let me guess that you are not a regular OTB tournament player.
Jul-08-04  ruylopez900: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail...

Found the link. I'd have to side with <acirce> here.

Apr-24-05  LIFE Master AJ: If you go to my website for "downloads" (http://www.angelfire.com/games3/AJs...), you can get a free "e-book" on this match. I have deeply annotated all the games. (You MUST have a current CB product - like Fritz - to read these files!)
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