Americans close in on Russia after Spanish win
By Malcolm Pein

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON)
October 26, 2004, Tuesday

THE USA moved into third place with a surprise 3.5-0.5 victory over
Spain in round nine but Ukraine remain two and half points clear with
five rounds to play of the 36th Chess Olympiad being held at Calvia on
the island of Majorca. China are dominating the Women’s Olympiad and
lead by six points.

Ukraine struggled to a 2-2 draw with Armenia as former Fide champion
Ruslan Ponomariov lost to Rafael Vaganian, but Andrei Volokitin
defeated Smbat Lputian who was playing the Armenian’s favourite line in
the French Winawer, which goes 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3
Ba5!? – Bxc3+ is more common.

There were signs of stress in this match, the board four game was a
comedy of errors that ended in a draw.

The Russians also look under pressure and Alexey Dreev could have
resigned against Pentyala Harikrishna had the Indian found a fairly
simple win – see below. In the big game of the day, Vishy Anand played
superbly to tame the attacking intent of Alexander Morozevich. Anand
gradually undermined Morozevich’s Hedgehog structure and Russia won on
the bottom boards to clinch the match 2.5-1.5

England could make no progress and drew 2-2 with Iceland. The team will
be bolstered by the arrival of Nigel Short. Team captain Allan
Beardsworth, a tax partner in professional services firm Deloitte,
spent eight months raising funds for the team and for the first time he
will have a full squad to choose from. Short will probably play all
five games now.

Scotland rested British champion Jonathan Rowson who had lost two games
but went down to a heavy 0.5-3.5 defeat against Bosnia-

Hercegovina and thus lost the chance to go ahead of England.

Leading scores:

1 Ukraine 27/36

2 Russia 24.5

3 USA 24

4-5 Armenia, Israel 23

6-12 India, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Switzerland, France,

Slovenia 22.5

35 England 20

56 Scotland 18.5

68 Ireland 18

71 Wales 18

108 Jersey 14.5

126 Guernsey 11.5

129 teams

Women:

1 China 23.5/27

2-5 Russia, Hungary, USA,

India 17.5

13 England 16

67 Wales 11.5

76 Ireland 11

87 teams

A Shirov – A Onischuk

36th Chess Olympiad Calvia (9)

Ruy Lopez

1 e4e52Nf3Nc6

3 Bb5a64Ba4Nf6

5 0-0Be76Re1b5

7 Bb30-08a4Bb7

9 d3Re810Nbd2Bf8

11 c3Na512Bc2c5

13 d4exd414cxd4d5!

15 e5Ne416Nxe4dxe4

17 Rxe4Nb3!!18Bg5Be7

19 Bxe7Qxe720Rb1Nxd4

21 Nxd4Bxe422Bxe4Rad8!

23 Bxh7+Kf8!24Qf3Rxd4

25 Re1Qg526h4Qd2

27 Rf1Rxh40-1

Analysis: a) 8.c3 allows the Marshall Attack with 8… d5 b) 12 Ba2 was
played in Shirov – Ivanchuk, Linares 2002 c) 14…d5! by avoiding the
move d6 Black has saved a tempo for this advance d) 17.Rxe4 fails,
17.Ng5!? or even 17.e6!? Rxe6 18.Rxe6 fxe6 19.axb5 with an edge to
White, if 17.e6!? Qxe4 18.exf7+! with a fork on g5 e) Shirov’s idea was
17…Bxe4? 18.Bxe4 Rb8 19.Bxh7+! Kxh7 20.Ng5+ Kg8 21.Qh5 Bd6 22.Qxf7+
Kh8 23.Qh5+ Kg8 24.Qh7+ Kf8 25.Qh8+ Ke7 26.Qxg7 mate f) 20.Bxb3 Bxe4
21.d5 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 Qxe5 wins

Onischuk

Shirov

Final position after 27…Rxh4

Craig Brown is away