Hoogovens Group A 1999

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Hoogovens Group A 1999
Compiled by Tabanus

The 61st Wijk aan Zee (Beverwijk from 1938 until 1967) chess festival took place in the De Moriaan community centre, Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands from January 16 (Round 1) to January 31 (Round 13), with rest days on January 18, 22 and 27. Not much resting on January 18, however, because of the blitz tournament that day, in which all the Group A players participated. Except Shirov, who was drugged by the local dentist. For the last time, the main sponsor was the steel company Hoogovens, which would merge into British Steel later in the year and become Corus. Fourteen GMs competed in the very prestigious A event. They were World Champion Garry Kasparov (Elo ranked as world #1), Viswanathan Anand (#2), Vladimir Kramnik (#3), Alexey Shirov (#4), Vassily Ivanchuk (#8), Peter Svidler (#9), Veselin Topalov (#11), Jan Timman (#20), Loek van Wely (#42), Ivan Sokolov (#47), Jeroen Piket (#51), Rustam Kasimdzhanov (#71), Alex Yermolinsky (#87), and Dimitri Reinderman (#238). According to the newspapers, the world champion was paid an appearance fee of 100,000 Dutch guilders. The prize for winning the tournament was 20,000 Dutch guilders (about $10,290 or $15,613 in 2019 value). Games started at 1:30 pm, except the last round which started 10:30 am.

Kasparov had played only blitz, rapid and exhibition games since Linares (1998) where he ended 4th. The rating difference between him and Anand had narrowed down to 31 points, and this had altered the perceptions of the relative strength of the world's two strongest players. There was a feeling that Anand might have matured enough to renew the challenge to Kaspy's number one status. The 1000-player poll conducted in advance of the tournament indicated that for every one chess player inclined to pick Kasparov as the victor, two picked Anand. Anand rewarded their faith by winning his first two games to take a half-point lead. Kasparov soon took over, however, when he won seven consecutive games (rounds 2-8). He still had to fight off the challenge of Anand in the closing rounds because he stumbled with a loss to Sokolov in Round 9. He made that up with a splendid victory over Svidler in Round 12, and held on to first place by a careful draw with Kramnik in Round 13. The tournament is best remembered for Kasparov's immortal win over Topalov in Round 4:

click for larger view

24.Rxd4!! cxd4 (24...Kb6 was better) 25.Re7+! Kb6 26.Qxd4+ Kxa5 27.b4+ Ka4 28.Qc3 Qxd5 29.Ra7, etc.

Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands, 16-31 January 1999

Age Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 1 Kasparov 35 2812 * ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 2 Anand 29 2781 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 9½ 3 Kramnik 23 2751 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 8 =4 Sokolov 30 2624 1 ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 7 =4 Piket 30 2619 0 0 ½ ½ * ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 7 =4 Shirov 26 2726 0 ½ 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 7 =4 Timman 47 2670 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 1 7 =8 Ivanchuk 29 2714 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 0 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 6½ =8 Svidler 22 2713 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 6½ 10 Topalov 23 2700 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 1 6 11 Kasimdzhanov 19 2606 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ 5 12 Van Wely 26 2632 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 * 1 1 4½ 13 Yermolinsky 40 2597 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 * ½ 4 14 Reinderman 26 2541 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * 3

Category: XVIII (2678). https://web.archive.org/web/1999050...

Sources

Wikipedia article: Tata Steel Chess Tournament#1999
TWIC #220 (http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic...)
TWIC #221 (http://theweekinchess.com/html/twic...)
John Hurley in The Sunday Tribune (Dublin), 24 January 1999, p. 29
FIDE rating list January 1999 (http://www.olimpbase.org/Elo/Elo199...)
Tidskrift för Schack, 2/1999, pp. 66-76 (http://www.schack.se/tfsarkiv/histo...)
Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant, 25 January 1999, p. 22 (https://krantenbankzeeland.nl/issue...)
Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant, 27 January 1999, p. 16 (https://krantenbankzeeland.nl/issue...)
Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant, 1 February 1999, p. 22 (https://krantenbankzeeland.nl/issue...)
Lost Boys reports archived by the Wayback Machine (https://web.archive.org/web/1999050...)
Robert Byrne in New York Times, 7 February 1999 (https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nyt...)
Garry Kasparov on Garry Kasparov. Part III: 1995-2005. Everyman Chess, London 2014, pp. 222-243 (https://www.scribd.com/document/386...)

Previous edition: Hoogovens Group A (1998). Next: Corus Group A (2000). See also Hoogovens Group B (1999) and Hoogovens Blitz (1999).

Original collections: Game Collection: Wijk aan Zee Hoogovens 1999 by User: suenteus po 147 and Game Collection: Hoogovens Group A 1999 by User: Tabanus.

Round 1 January 16 (Saturday)
Yermolinsky vs Svidler, 1999
(D85) Grunfeld, 23 moves, 1/2-1/2
Van Wely vs Kramnik, 1999
(D17) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 26 moves, 1/2-1/2
D Reinderman vs Anand, 1999
(B87) Sicilian, Fischer-Sozin with ...a6 and ...b5, 37 moves, 0-1
Kasparov vs Ivanchuk, 1999
(D36) Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange, Positional line, 6.Qc2, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2
Topalov vs Timman, 1999
(A20) English, 36 moves, 1-0
Shirov vs Kasimdzhanov, 1999
(B47) Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov) Variation, 24 moves, 1/2-1/2
Piket vs I Sokolov, 1999
(D97) Grunfeld, Russian, 20 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 2 January 17 (Sunday)
Ivanchuk vs Kasimdzhanov, 1999
(B47) Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov) Variation, 28 moves, 1/2-1/2
I Sokolov vs Shirov, 1999
(D82) Grunfeld, 4.Bf4, 52 moves, 0-1
Anand vs Piket, 1999
(C96) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 41 moves, 1-0
Timman vs D Reinderman, 1999
(B31) Sicilian, Rossolimo Variation, 70 moves, 1-0
Svidler vs Topalov, 1999
(B23) Sicilian, Closed, 37 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kramnik vs Yermolinsky, 1999
(E32) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 40 moves, 1-0
Kasparov vs Van Wely, 1999
(B33) Sicilian, 44 moves, 1-0
Round 3 January 19 (Tuesday)
Van Wely vs Ivanchuk, 1999
(E97) King's Indian, 39 moves, 1/2-1/2
Topalov vs Kramnik, 1999
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 35 moves, 1/2-1/2
Shirov vs Anand, 1999
(B49) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 40 moves, 1/2-1/2
D Reinderman vs Svidler, 1999
(B57) Sicilian, 26 moves, 1/2-1/2
Piket vs Timman, 1999
(A10) English, 31 moves, 1-0
Kasimdzhanov vs I Sokolov, 1999
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 31 moves, 1/2-1/2
Yermolinsky vs Kasparov, 1999
(A34) English, Symmetrical, 47 moves, 0-1
Round 4 January 20 (Wednesday)
Van Wely vs Yermolinsky, 1999
(E11) Bogo-Indian Defense, 31 moves, 1-0
Timman vs Shirov, 1999
(D85) Grunfeld, 40 moves, 1/2-1/2
Svidler vs Piket, 1999
(C95) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer, 37 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kramnik vs D Reinderman, 1999
(A42) Modern Defense, Averbakh System, 34 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kasparov vs Topalov, 1999
(B07) Pirc, 44 moves, 1-0
Ivanchuk vs I Sokolov, 1999
(A33) English, Symmetrical, 31 moves, 1-0
Anand vs Kasimdzhanov, 1999
(B47) Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov) Variation, 39 moves, 1-0
Round 5 January 21 (Thursday)
Yermolinsky vs Ivanchuk, 1999
(E94) King's Indian, Orthodox, 55 moves, 1/2-1/2
Topalov vs Van Wely, 1999
(B33) Sicilian, 32 moves, 1-0
I Sokolov vs Anand, 1999
(D27) Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical, 23 moves, 1/2-1/2
Shirov vs Svidler, 1999
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
D Reinderman vs Kasparov, 1999
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 48 moves, 0-1
Piket vs Kramnik, 1999
(D58) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst, 26 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kasimdzhanov vs Timman, 1999
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 43 moves, 0-1
Round 6 January 23 (Saturday)
Ivanchuk vs Anand, 1999
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 24 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kramnik vs Shirov, 1999
(A34) English, Symmetrical, 41 moves, 1-0
Van Wely vs D Reinderman, 1999
(E91) King's Indian, 57 moves, 1-0
Svidler vs Kasimdzhanov, 1999
(B43) Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3, 32 moves, 1-0
Timman vs I Sokolov, 1999
(A04) Reti Opening, 44 moves, 1/2-1/2
Yermolinsky vs Topalov, 1999
(E97) King's Indian, 47 moves, 1-0
Kasparov vs Piket, 1999
(C43) Petrov, Modern Attack, 41 moves, 1-0
Round 7 January 24 (Sunday)
Topalov vs Ivanchuk, 1999
(B46) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 45 moves, 1/2-1/2
I Sokolov vs Svidler, 1999
(D91) Grunfeld, 5.Bg5, 33 moves, 1/2-1/2
Shirov vs Kasparov, 1999
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 49 moves, 0-1
D Reinderman vs Yermolinsky, 1999
(E54) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System, 35 moves, 1/2-1/2
Piket vs Van Wely, 1999
(E81) King's Indian, Samisch, 18 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kasimdzhanov vs Kramnik, 1999
(D58) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst, 17 moves, 1/2-1/2
Anand vs Timman, 1999
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 40 moves, 1-0
Round 8 January 25 (Monday)
Yermolinsky vs Piket, 1999
(E52) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with ...b6, 19 moves, 1/2-1/2
Van Wely vs Shirov, 1999
(D85) Grunfeld, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2
Topalov vs D Reinderman, 1999
(E91) King's Indian, 59 moves, 1-0
Svidler vs Anand, 1999
(B18) Caro-Kann, Classical, 25 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kramnik vs I Sokolov, 1999
(D87) Grunfeld, Exchange, 18 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kasparov vs Kasimdzhanov, 1999
(D72) Neo-Grunfeld, 5.cd, Main line, 36 moves, 1-0
Ivanchuk vs Timman, 1999
(C89) Ruy Lopez, Marshall, 51 moves, 0-1
Round 9 January 26 (Tuesday)
Timman vs Svidler, 1999
(D91) Grunfeld, 5.Bg5, 30 moves, 1/2-1/2
I Sokolov vs Kasparov, 1999
(E58) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with 8...Bxc3, 28 moves, 1-0
Shirov vs Yermolinsky, 1999
(B12) Caro-Kann Defense, 24 moves, 1-0
D Reinderman vs Ivanchuk, 1999
(B46) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 38 moves, 0-1
Piket vs Topalov, 1999
(A58) Benko Gambit, 44 moves, 1-0
Kasimdzhanov vs Van Wely, 1999
(D47) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 43 moves, 1-0
Anand vs Kramnik, 1999
(C42) Petrov Defense, 27 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 10 January 28 (Thursday)
Yermolinsky vs Kasimdzhanov, 1999
(E71) King's Indian, Makagonov System (5.h3), 70 moves, 1/2-1/2
Van Wely vs I Sokolov, 1999
(A17) English, 34 moves, 0-1
Topalov vs Shirov, 1999
(C11) French, 58 moves, 1/2-1/2
D Reinderman vs Piket, 1999
(C69) Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Gligoric Variation, 36 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kramnik vs Timman, 1999
(A35) English, Symmetrical, 41 moves, 1-0
Kasparov vs Anand, 1999
(D27) Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2
Ivanchuk vs Svidler, 1999
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 16 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 11 January 29 (Friday)
Timman vs Kasparov, 1999
(B81) Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres Attack, 16 moves, 1/2-1/2
Svidler vs Kramnik, 1999
(B33) Sicilian, 27 moves, 1/2-1/2
I Sokolov vs Yermolinsky, 1999
(D53) Queen's Gambit Declined, 32 moves, 1-0
Piket vs Ivanchuk, 1999
(E99) King's Indian, Orthodox, Taimanov, 38 moves, 1-0
Kasimdzhanov vs Topalov, 1999
(B53) Sicilian, 27 moves, 1/2-1/2
Shirov vs D Reinderman, 1999
(B46) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 44 moves, 1-0
Anand vs Van Wely, 1999
(B25) Sicilian, Closed, 60 moves, 1-0
Round 12 January 30 (Saturday)
Yermolinsky vs Anand, 1999
(D27) Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical, 19 moves, 1/2-1/2
Van Wely vs Timman, 1999
(A18) English, Mikenas-Carls, 29 moves, 0-1
Topalov vs I Sokolov, 1999
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 28 moves, 1/2-1/2
Piket vs Shirov, 1999
(A34) English, Symmetrical, 37 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kasparov vs Svidler, 1999
(D97) Grunfeld, Russian, 31 moves, 1-0
Ivanchuk vs Kramnik, 1999
(C42) Petrov Defense, 12 moves, 1/2-1/2
D Reinderman vs Kasimdzhanov, 1999
(C42) Petrov Defense, 45 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 13 January 31 (Sunday)
Timman vs Yermolinsky, 1999
(B40) Sicilian, 39 moves, 1-0
Svidler vs Van Wely, 1999
(B30) Sicilian, 29 moves, 1/2-1/2
Shirov vs Ivanchuk, 1999
(B30) Sicilian, 45 moves, 1/2-1/2
Kramnik vs Kasparov, 1999
(D49) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran, 28 moves, 1/2-1/2
Anand vs Topalov, 1999
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 41 moves, 1-0
Kasimdzhanov vs Piket, 1999
(C53) Giuoco Piano, 24 moves, 1/2-1/2
I Sokolov vs D Reinderman, 1999
(E76) King's Indian, Four Pawns Attack, 47 moves, 1/2-1/2
91 games

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