Stabroek News, Guyana
Chess with Errol Tiwari
Anand and Gelfand lead the World Chess Championship
Sunday, September 23rd 2007
‘It is a fact that chess games and chess positions
have a hold upon many, a hold strong enough to make
them burst into applause and cause these games and
positions to be preserved in books and to be fondly
remembered.’
– Dr Emanuel Lasker, world chess champion 1894-1921,
in his famous Manual of Chess
After six rounds, India’s Viswanathan Anand and
Israel’s Boris Gelfand lead the World Chess
Championship US$1.3M tournament currently being played
at the Sheraton Historico hotel in scenic Mexico City.
Anand is conforming to the expectations of a curious
world as the highest-ranked active player on the
planet with the staggering FIDE rating figure of 2790.
The Indian super-grandmaster has recorded two wins and
four draws from six games played so far, dismissing
one of my favourites to win the tournament, Armenia’s
Levon Aronian, with classical elegance and an
unlaboured naturalness.
In his mellifluous victory over Russia’s Peter
Svidler, Anand neutralized his opponent’s early
home-prepared initiative in the Marshall Attack of the
Ruy Lopez, then initiated a queenside diversion which
led to a winning attack on the opposite wing.
Undoubtedly, India’s superstar treated the chess world
to a smooth, perhaps puristic demonstration of
strategy in a board game. Anand has been tipped by
former world champion Garry Kasparov to win the
championship.
Gelfand, a naturalized Israeli citizen, is the
surprise of the tournament so far. Like Anand, he
boasts two wins and four draws from six games. His
last win against Alexander Morozevich surprised many,
including myself. Gelfand played with maturity and
expressed himself well in the opening and the
middle-game. He found the most accurate moves going
into the endgame when he drew with world champion
Vladimir Kramnik. Suddenly the world is watching
Gelfand and paying serious attention to his games.
Here at home, Suriname has invited Guyana to
participate in its open chess tournament at the end of
October, but we have to politely say no, because I do
not believe we are ready for international
competition. Added to that, October is going to be a
busy month for chess beginning with the preparations
for the establishment of the new Guyana Chess
Federation. Added to that, Dr Frank Anthony, MP, has
said he wants to begin the Chess-in-Schools programme
by the end of October, and the National Chess
Championship will begin around that time. The Minister
also noted that French Guiana has invited us to their
open tournament, but again we have to say no. Next
year perhaps.
To my knowledge, Guyana has never sent a team to play
chess in French Guiana. We played in Suriname over a
decade ago, and have enjoyed a number of amicable
exchanges with that country over the years.
Today, the final rounds of the qualification
tournament to determine who will participate in the
upcoming National Championship, would be played at the
Kei-Shar’s Staff Club in Hadfield and Camp Streets.
Shiv Nandalall is leading the tournament on three
points from three games played so far. Former national
junior player Kriskal Persaud from Rose Hall is in
second place with 2½ points.
Players wishing to become members of the new Guyana
Chess Federation can do so by visiting the Kei-Shar’s
Staff Club today. Persons can also contact Irshad
Mohamed on tel. 664-1650 and Shiv Nandalall on tel
225-8270 or 623-7723.
Anand v Svidler
Anand seems to be pulling away from the field in the
World Championship tournament currently being played
in Mexico City. He leads on points folowing two
victories after six games. Here he outplays Peter
Svidler in the Marshall Attack of the Ruy Lopez.
V Anand – P Svidler World Ch Mexico City 2007.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1
b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5
c6 12.Re1 Bd6 13.g3 Bf5 14.d4 Qd7 15.Be3 Rae8 16.Nd2
Bg4 17.Qc2 Bf5 18.Qc1 Re7?! 19.Nf3 Bg4 20.Nh4 Rfe8
21.Qd2 h6 22.Qd3 g6 23.Bd1 Bh3 24.Bf3 g5 25.Ng2 Bf5
26.Qd1 Nf6 27.a4 Ne4 28.axb5 axb5 29.Ra6 Qb7 30.Qa1
Bc8 31.Ra8 Bb8 32.Bc1! Nf6 33.Rxe7 Rxe7 34.Qa3 Rd7
35.Ra5 Ba7 36.Ne3 Qc7? 37.Nf5 c5? 38.Nxh6+ Kh7 39.Bxg5
Black Resigns!! 1-0
Svidler
Anand
Final position after 39.Bxg5.