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World Chess Team Championship 1989 Where: Lucerne, Switzerland When: 27th October - 9rd November 1989 MEN TEAM PERFORMANCE: No.--Team--------Code--Pts----WIN--DRAW--LOST 1.-Soviet Union--URS---27½-----8-----1----0 2.---Yugoslavia--YUG---22½-----6-----2----1 3.----England----ENG---21½-----5-----3----1 6 games, 1989 World Chess Team Championship 1993 Where: Lucerne, Switzerland When: 24th October - 3rd November 1993 MEN TEAM PERFORMANCE: No.--Team--------Code--Pts----WIN--DRAW--LOST 1.-United States-USA---22½-----5-----4----0 2.----Ukraine----UKR---21------5-----2----2 3.-----Russia----RUS---20½-----5-----2----2 7 games, 1993 World Chess Team Championship 1997 Where: Lucerne, Switzerland When: 25th October - 2nd November 1997 MEN TEAM PERFORMANCE: No.--Team--------Code--Pts----WIN--DRAW--LOST 1.-----Russia----RUS---23½-----4-----5----0 2.-United States-USA---23------6-----3----0 3.----Armenia----ARM---21------5-----4----0 3 games, 1997 World Chess Team Championship 2001 Where: Lucerne, Switzerland When: 12th - 20th October 2001 MEN TEAM PERFORMANCE: No.--Team--------Code--Pts----WIN--DRAW--LOST 1.----Ukraine----UKR---21½-----6-----2----0 2.-----Russia----RUS---21------5-----1----2 3.----Armenia----ARM---20------4-----1----3 7 games, 2001 World Chess Team Championship 2005 Where: Beer Sheva, Israel When: 31st October - 11th November 2005 MEN TEAM PERFORMANCE: No.--Team--------Code--Pts----WIN--DRAW--LOST 1.-----Russia----RUS---22------8-----0----0 2.-----China-----CHN---21½-----6-----0----2 3.----Armenia----ARM---18½-----4-----3----1 9 games, 2005 Year 2001 Puzzle Galore! 20 games, 2001 [Candidate Matches 2007]---Adams-Shirov Michael Adams strike first after 3 consecutive draws but the final game Alexey Shirov made a comeback and tortured Michael Adams in the rapids with a commanding 2.5-0.5 win and moves on to play Levon Aronian in the Semi-finals. 9 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]---Aronian-Carlsen Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlsen is considered a classic candidate match. In the classical matches Levon Aronian grab 2 wins and 2 draws against Magnus Carlsen but Magnus Carlsen match that total. So in the rapids, Levon Aronian won game 1 and drew game 2 and 3 respectively but Magnus Carlsen won the last rapid and went on the blitz match and Levon Aronian scored 2 straight wins and moves on to the Semi-finals against Alexey Shirov. Great games in the series: --♔ <Game 5> ♔-- <1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 a3> Advocated by Petrosian and Kasparov. <4…Bb7 5 Nc3 d5 6 cxd5 Nxd5> Livelier than 6…exd5, but White can regain control of e4. <7 Qc2 Be7 8 e4 Nxc3 9 bxc3 0-0 10 Bd3 c5 11 0-0 Qc7 12 Qe2> A standard position, slightly in White's favor. <12…Nd7 13 Bb2 c4?!> In his quest for Queenside counterplay, Aronian takes the pressure off White's center. <14 Bc2 b5 15 Bc1 a5 16 Rb1 Ba6 17 e5> With a secure center, White must attack! His target is h7. <17…b4?!> Consistent. Much safer, though, is 17…Rfc8, clearing f8 for his Knight. <18 axb4 axb4 19 Bg5!> Not bad is 19 cxb4 Rfb8 20 b5!, as 20…Bxb5? loses to 21 Rxb5 Rxb5 22 Qe4. But Carlsen wants more than a shaky extra Queenside pawn. <19…Nb6> Forced. Not 19…Bxg5 20 Nxg5 h6 because 21 Qe4 f5 (or 21…g6 22 Nxe6!) 22 Nxe6 gains material. <20 Qe4 g6 21 Qh4> Inviting 21…Bxg5 22 Nxg5 h5, when both 23 cxb4 and 23 g4 are strong. <21…Ra7 22 Bf6!?> Another aggressive choice. White could gain a pawn by 22 Bxe7 Qxe7 23 Qxe7 Rxe7 24 Rxb4 Nd5 25 Ra4 Bb7 26 Ra3, but Black's grip on d5 complicates the winning process. <22…Bxf6> White crushes 22…Nd5? with 23 Ng5 h5 24 Qxh5! (seeing 24…gxh5 25 Bh7 mate) Nxf6 25 Qh6! Rb8 26 Bxg6. <23 exf6 Nd5 24 Be4> Threatening 25 Bxd5 exd5 26 Qh6. <24…Qf4 25 Bxd5 Qxh4 26 Nxh4 exd5 27 Rxb4 Bc8 28 Rb6!> Preserving the valuable pawn at f6 that will decide the game. <28…Ra3 29 Rc1 Be6 30 Nf3 Rfa8 31 h4 h6 32 Ne5 Ra1 33 Rxa1!> Instead of passive defense with 33 Rbb1, White abandons the Queenside and concocts an economical mating attack. <33…Rxa1+ 34 Kh2 Ra3 35 Rb8+ Kh7 36 f4!> Preparing 37 h5. Black cannot stop it by 36…h5, as 37 Nf3 (threatening 38 Ng5+ Kh6 39 Rh8 mate) forces 37…g5 38 hxg5 Rxc3 39 Nh4 Rd3 40 Re8! Rxd4 41 g6+ fxg6 42 Nf3!, with ideas of 43 Ng5+ and 43 Nxd4. <36…Rxc3 37 h5 gxh5> White's dream is 37…g5 38 f5 Bxf5 39 Nxf7 and 40 Rh8 mate. And 37…Rb3 loses quickly to 38 hxg6+ fxg6 39 Re8. <38 Rf8! Ra3 39 f5 Bxf5 40 Rxf7+ Kg8> Or 40…Kh8 41 Rg7, setting up 42 Nf7 mate. <41 Rg7+ Kf8 42 Rb7 Ra8 43 Kg3!> One more attacker! White foresees 43…c3 44 Kf4 c2 45 Kxf5 c1Q 46 Ng6+ Kg8 47 Rg7 mate or 46…Ke8 47 f7+. <43…Rd8 44 Kf4 Be4 45 g3 c3 46 Rf7+ Kg8> Similar is 46…Ke8 47 Rg7. <47 Rg7+ Kf8 48 Nd7+ Rxd7 49 Rxd7, 1-0.> 12 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]---Bacrot-Kamsky Gata Kamsky of the United States dominated France's top GM Etienne Bacrot with a 3.5-0.5 pounding in a 6 games match. Will play Boris Gelfand of Israel in the Semi-finals of the Candidate Matches 2007. 4 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]---Gelfand-Kasimdzhanov Boris Gelfand and Rustam Kasimdzhanov drew ALL it's 6 classical games but Boris Gelfand proved he was a better rapid player and beat Rustam Kasimdzhanov in fashion with a 2.5-0.5 win and moves on to play Gata Kamsky in the Semi-finals. Good Games: click for larger view 45...? to DRAW! SOLUTION: 45...Ne2+ 46 Kf1 (not 2 Kh2?? Rh6 mate) Nc3 47 Rb7 Nxd5. 9 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]---Grischuk-Malakhov Russia's Alexander Grischuk calmly beats another Russian player Vladimir Malakhov in a 6-game match with a 3.5-1.5 score and Alexander Grischuk is moving on to the Semi-finals against Sergei Rublevsky. 5 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]---Leko-Gurevich Hungary's Peter Leko show no sympathy for Turkey's Mikhail Gurevich and crushed him 3.5-0.5. Moves on to the Semi-Finals against Evgeny Bareev. 4 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]---Polgar-Bareev Evgeny Bareev beat Judit Polgar with white when Evgeny Bareev opened up the Queen's Indian and needing a win, Judit Polgar strikes but drew the last game and put Evgeny Bareev to the Semis with Peter Leko. <Great games in this series>: ♔ <Game 5> ♔ : click for larger view 27.? ANSWER: 27.g6 hxg6 28. Qxg6+ Kh8 29. Kh1! (not clear is 3 Qxh5+? Kg7) Qxc3 30. Qh6+ Kg8 31. Rg1+ Kf7 32. Rg7+ Ke8 33 Qe6+. If 29 ... Rf4, then 30 Qxh5+ Kg7 31 Rg1+ Kf8 32 Qh8+ Kf7 33 Qg7+! Ke8 34 Qxe5+ leads to mate. Best is 29... Qb3, but 30 Qxh5+ Kg7 31 Rg1+ Kf6 32 Nd5+! Qxd5 33 Qh6+ Ke7 34 exd5 wins Black's Queen. 6 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]---Ponomariov-Rublevsky After Sergei Rublevsky 's win against Ruslan Ponomariov in game 3, Ruslan Ponomariov didn't feel like winning and drew his remaining three games and let Sergei Rublevsky a free pass with Alexander Grischuk in the Semis. 6 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]--Aronian-Shirov After Levon Aronian took game one from Latvia-born but represents Spain, Alexey Shirov, Alexey Shirov couldn't figure out Levon Aronian and drew all his remaining five games and put Levon Aronian through to Mexico with Kramnik, Anand, Svidler, and Morozevich waiting. 6 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]--Bareev-Leko Peter Leko took care of Evgeny Bareev with 3.5-1.5 score and is heading to Mexico with Kramnik, Anand, Svidler, and Morozevich waiting. Good Games: --<GAME 3>-- <1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 5 Ng5 Ngf6> Here and next move, ... h7-h6 permits Ng5-e6. <6 Bd3 e6 7 N1f3 Bd6 8 Qe2 h6 9 Ne4 Nxe4 10 Qxe4 Qc7> The direct 10 ... Nf6 11 Qe2 Qc7 12 Bd2 lets White castle long and plant his Knight on e5. <11 0-0 b6 12 Qg4> White wants to create threats before Black completes development. <12…Kf8 13 Qh4> Many games have tested 13 b3 and 13 Bd2. <13…Bb7 14 Re1 Kg8> New. Black may intend ... g7-g5. <15 Qh3 Re8> Not 15 ... c5? 16 Rxe6! fxe6? because 17 Qxe6+ Kf8 18 Nh4 g5 19 Bc4 wins. <16 c4 Nf6 17 Bd2 c5> Otherwise White takes command with 18 Bc3 and 19 Ne5. <18 d5!?> An adventurous choice from the ultra-cautious Leko. Another pawn sacrifice, 18 dxc5 bxc5 19 Bc3 Bxf3 20 Qxf3 Bxh2+ 21 Kh1, also appears promising. <18…e5> White has no immediate crusher after 18 ... exd5 19 Rxe8+ Nxe8 20 Re1 Nf6 21 cxd5 Bxd5 22 Bc3, but Black's position is uncomfortable because he cannot activate his Rook. <19 Bc3 g6 20 Qh4 Kg7> The passed d-pawn is securely blockaded and Black has connected his Rooks. But White's reply, menacing f2-f4, shows that Black has not solved all of his problems. <21 Nd2! Qd8 22 Bc2 Bc8 23 Ba4 g5> Almost forced, as Black cannot stand 23 ... Bd7 24 f4! Bxa4 25 fxe5. For example, 25 ... Be7 26 exf6+ Bxf6 27 Bxf6+ Qxf6 28 Qxf6+ Kxf6 won't work because 29 Ne4+ Kg7 30 b3 Bd7 31 Nd6 sets up an invasion by the Rook at e7. <24 Qg3 Nh5 25 Qf3 g4 26 Qd1 Re7 27 h3!> The second wave begins. <27…Nf6 28 hxg4 Bxg4 29 f3 Bc8> Tougher is 29 ... Bh5, staying near the King. <30 Re3 Nh5 31 Qe1 f6> Black has bolstered the a1-h8 diagonal, but White's attack rolls on. <32 Qh4 Nf4 33 Ne4 Rf7 34 g3 Ng6 35 Qh5 Bb8 36 Bc2 f5> If 36 ... Nf8, White breaks through by 37 f4! exf4 38 gxf4 Bxf4 39 Rf3, eyeing f6. <37 f4!> Anyway. White refutes 37 ... fxe4 38 fxe5 Kh7 by 39 e6 Rg7 40 Rxe4 Qg5 41 Qxg5 hxg5 42 Rg4. <37…Re8 38 Nf2 Rf6> Or 38 ... Kh7 39 Ng4. <39 Rae1 e4 40 Bxe4! fxe4 41 Nxe4, 1-0.> After 41 ... Rxe4 42 Rxe4 Bd7, White recovers material by 43 Re6! Bxe6 44 Rxe6. 5 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]--Grischuk-Rublevsky 9 games, 2007 [Candidate Matches 2007]--Kamsky-Gelfand Israel's own Boris Gelfand take Gata Kamsky to school with a impressive 3.5-1.5 score and a near game 5 mate and launch Boris Gelfand to the Mexico tournament with Kramnik, Anand, Svidler, and Morozevich. 5 games, 2007

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