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The sole exception to this rule hitherto was 1948 when Alekhine’s death as
incumbent caused an interregnum which necessitated a five-man match
tournament to decide the destination of the title. The Soviet iron-man
Mikhail Botvinnik won easily, ahead of Vassily Smyslov, Paul Keres, Sammy
Reshevsky and in last place the former world champion Dr Max Euwe.
Botvinnik raced away with the tournament making a clear plus score against
all his rivals. He considered the following to be his best game:
Botvinnik-Euwe
I have based these
notes on Kasparov's from his Great Predecessor series.
After this astonishing opening Kramnik went on to win a game where the material balance at any given moment might best be described as irrational.
Kramnik – Morozevich 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 d5 4 d4 dxc4 5 Bg2
Safer is 5 Qa4+, regaining the pawn at once.
5 ... a6
Black announces his intention of clinging to his booty on c4.
6 Ne5 Bb4+ 7 Nc3 Nd5 8 0-0
Entering terra incognita. The standard move here is 8 Bd2.
8 ... 0-0
Cowed by the possibility of stumbling into Kramnik’s preparation, Morozevich avoids the main test of White’s idea. This consists of 8...Nxc3 9 bxc3 Bxc3 10 Rb1 Qxd4 11 Qa4+ b5 12 Qc2 Qxe5 13 Bf4 Qf6 14 Bxa8 Ba5. In this position Black has three pawns for the exchange and must stand better.
An alternative idea for White is to try 8 ... Nxc3 9 bxc3 Bxc3 10.Ba3 when 10 ... Bxa1 11 Qxa1 grants White nebulous tactical chances. However, the simple 10 ... Qxd4 11 Qxd4 Bxd4 snuffs out White’s chances.
9 Qc2 b5 10 Nxd5 exd5 11 b3 c6 12 e4 f6
13 exd5
By now White is committed to this hazardous continuation.
13 ... fxe5
If 13 ... cxd5 then 14 bxc4 bxc4 15 Nxc4 and White emerges unscathed from the complications.
14 bxc4 exd4 15 dxc6 Be6
A natural enough move since Black is determined to neutralise possible White tactical trickery along the a2-g8 diagonal against the black king.
An alternative way of achieving this goal is by 15 ... Bc3 16 cxb5 Kh8 17 Ba3 Bf5 with complications.
It should be noted that Black has to be very careful about allowing White to play the move c7 which opens up a battery against the black rook on a8. This resource often constitutes White’s only saving grace.
16 cxb5 d3
Possibly superior is 16 ... Ra7.
17 c7 Qd4 18 Qa4
White has emerged from the complications with an advantage. In spite of the fact that the board is crowded with loose pieces, it is White’s armada of queenside pawns which is the key factor.
18 ... Nd7 19 Be3 Qd6 20 Bxa8 Rxa8 21 Bf4
21 ... Qf8
If 21 ... Qd5 22 Qxb4 Qf3 then White is helpless against a mating attack based on ... Bd5 or ... Bh3. However with 22 Rac1 White maintains the advantage, e.g. 22 ... Qf3 23 c8Q+ Rxc8 24 Rxc8+ Nf8 25 Qd1 and White beats off the attack.
22 b6 Ne5
A forlorn attempt to recreate the mating pattern with Black’s queen on f3 mentioned in my note to move 21. However, if 22 ... Nxb6 23 Qc6 wins.
23 Bxe5 Qf3 24 Qd1 Qe4 25 b7 Rf8 26 c8Q Bd5 27 f3
Black resigns, 1-0
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Traditionally,
the title of world champion is decided by a mano a mano battle
between the world’s two top players. This format was recognised even
in the early matches between Staunton and St Amant, and
At
this very moment eight grandmasters have assembled in Mexico City
In round two of the undisputed World
Championship tournament in Mexico City, reigning world champion
Vladimir Kramnik played what has so far been the most controversial game of
the tournament. He devised a gambit which looks very much like a queenside
version of the venerable King’s Gambit or even the Evans, both of which tend
to throw their weight, for the sake of a pawn, in the direction of the black
king.
