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One of the surprises of the Corvus 2001 tournament was that a striking number of
victories were won with Black. Just think - 19 victories against 22 defeats! It stands to
reason that at a tournament of such a high standing, the right to make the first move is a
very important factor. Superplayers rarely blunder, and therefore an extra tempo for
developing pieces considerably influences the outcome of the struggle. But this time those
who played with Black nearly achieved absolute parity. I can suggest two explanations to
account for this situation.

1. The players simply have a better feel for the positions that arise in the openings
which they play with Black. Why? The point is that, given little time for preparation
between tournaments, chess players pay more attention to their "black openings". It is
obvious that if you play with White and slip in the opening, all you lose is the advantage,
later in the game you can play with no trouble. But if you slip up when playing with Black,
the consequences are much more serious! In some openings, for example in the Sicilian
Defense, you can be simply checkmated, and in some other openings you can be slowly
dying, unable to exercise any counterplay. So chess players choose to perfect their black
repertory, and they often lack the time to get around to their white play..

2. The tournament drew lots of go-ahead chess players who were determined to play
with White for a win against - as they thought - weaker participants, and in doing so
they often risked right to the edge of the abyss. In this respect, we can recall the following
games: Timman - Tiviakov, Adams - Fedorov, and Kramnik - Morozevich.

And as far as Alexander Morozevich is concerned, this is a very peculiar story! He
played eight effective games at the tournament, and seven of them were won with Black. I
analyzed his games carefully and came to the conclusion that most often Black had the
upper hand in the opening! The Muscovite always invents something new at the initial
stage of the game, and his opponents just have no time to put two and two together on the
spot. At first I wanted to mention only Morozevich’s games as the best games of the week,
but ultimately I managed to resist the temptation. The point is that the other chess players
supported his "black" rush!

So let’s look at the best games. Black begins and wins.

Alexei Shirov (Spain) - Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) [B12]

1.e4 c6

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A surprise on the very first move! The champion has never played the Caro-Kann Defense
before.

2.d4 d5 3.e5

Usually Alexei successfully plays in this fashion.

3...c5!?

Here the basic variation is 3...Bf5.

4.dxc5 e6 5.Bf4?!

Alexei was afraid to clear up what the opponent had prepared in response to 5.Be3.

5...Bxc5 6.Bd3 Nc6

As a matter of fact, the pawn could have been captured: 6...Qb6 7.Bg3 (7.Nh3 Qxb2 8.Nd2
Nc6) 7...Qxb2 8.Nd2 Nc6 9.Ngf3 f6, but Vladimir must have decided not to give Shirov the
initiative.

7.Nf3 f6!

Nimzovich would have been pleased! Vladimir is attacking the e5 square, which is now the
most important point on the chessboard. In this position bad is 7...Qb6, because White can
protect the f2 pawn by castling.

8.Nbd2

This is a novelty. White did not last long after 8.0-0 g5! 9.b4 (9.Bg3 f5!) 9...gxf4 10.bxc5
fxe5 11.Bb5 Qf6 12.c4 e4 13.cxd5 (13.Nd4!?) 13...exd5 14.Qxd5 exf3 15.Re1+ Nge7 16.
Bxc6+ bxc6 17.Qh5+ Kf8-+ 0-1 Henris,L-Khenkin,I/NED 1998/EXT 99 (28)

8...fxe5! 9.Bxe5

Natural capturing with the knight doesn’t work here: 9.Nxe5 Qf6! 10.Nxc6 Bxf2+ 11.Kxf2
Qxf4+, and Black is a pawn up.

9...Nf6

There has appeared the Nimzovich System of the French Defense. White strives to block d4
and e5. If Black’s play is correct, White won’t make it. Surely Black shouldn’t capture the
pawns at the cost of his development: 9...Nxe5 10.Nxe5 Qg5 11.Qe2 Qxg2 12.0-0-0!

10.Qe2

This is an introduction to an aggressive plan, which includes queenside castling. It would
be safer to employ kingside castling, with the chances being roughly even: 10.0-0 0-0 and
then 11.Nb3 Bd6 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.c4! or simply 11.c3

10...0-0 11.0-0-0 a5!

A brilliant positional resource. Black is driving the pawn to a3.

12.Nb3?!

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Moving the knight to d4 does not make things any better for White. It is not so easy for
White to defend the queenside. For instance, 12.Kb1 a4 13.a3 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qb6, and he
suffers losses.

In fact, the sharp series 12.g4 Nxg4 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Rdg1 would suit Shirov’s style more.
On the face of it, White’s attack looks a bit rash. But if you look at Black’s position closely,
you won’t easily find a way of making it advantageous.

For example, 14...e5 (14...Kh8 15.Rxg4 e5 16.Rg5 Qe7 17.Rhg1 e4 18.Nh4!) 15.h3 e4 16.
hxg4 Qe7 (16...exf3 17.Rxh7+ Kg8 18.Nxf3 Qf6 19.Rgh1) 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.Bxe4 Rh8 19.
Rh5! or 14...Kh8 15.Rxg4 e5 16.Rg5 Qe7 17.Rhg1 e4 18.Nh4!, with White having the
initiative in both these cases. I think this is just how Alexei should play. This is his style!

12...Bd6!

The e5 point is of utmost importance!

13.Kb1 Bxe5! 14.Nxe5 a4

Now the white knight cannot move to d4.

15.Nc1?

This is a very unhappy square for the knight. Sure enough, the immediate blow-up of the
"b"-file does the white king harm: 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Nd4 Qb6 -/+. But there is an
opportunity of playing 15.Nd2 a3, followed by 16.Nxc6! bxc6 17.b3 (with the moves a4-a3
and b2-b3 included, there is no great danger in this), and the knight moves to the
comfortable f3 square. In response to 17...c5 (with the idea of playing c5-c4), there is 18.
c4!, followed by Nd2-f3.

15...a3 16.b3

After 16.b3

16...Qa5!

The checkmating series Qa5-c3-b2 is
threatening. The black pawn’s presence on a3
is highly undesirable for White.

17.c4 dxc4!

Vladimir resisted the temptation of winning
the pawn: 17...Nxe5 18.Qxe5 dxc4 19.Qxa5
Rxa5 20.Bxc4 (20.bxc4 Ng4) 20...Ne4 21.
Rd4! Nxf2. And he was right in doing so.
With the queens being present, White has
more complications.

18.Nxc4 Qc7 19.Rhe1 Nd5

Disaster is coming to White along the weakened dark squares.

20.Qd2 Ncb4

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There is a threat of b7-b5 and the intrusion on c3. Black already has a winning position.

21.Ne2 Rxf2 22.Be4 b5 23.Qd4

The series 23.Qg5 h6! 24.Qg6 (24.Qh4 Rxe2 25.Rxe2 bxc4) 24...bxc4 25.Qh7+ Kf8 26.Rf1
Qb6!, etc. provides no real counterplay.

23...Rxe2 24.Rxe2 bxc4

Black has an attack and s material advantage. The white pieces are well centralized, though.

25.Bxd5

From this moment on, Vladimir began to lose control of his opponent. Well, apparently
time trouble was to blame. Besides, Vladimir’s position was so advantageous that he
could’t help relaxing.

25...Nxd5

Winning is 25...exd5 26.Re8+ Kf7 27.Re5 Qd8! 28.Rf1+ (or 28.bxc4 Qf6 29.Re2 Bf5+ 30.
Kc1 Rc8-+) 28...Kg8 29.Qf2 Ba6 30.Qf7+ Kh8 31.Re7 Qg8, but surely Vladimir didn’t
want his king to be checked.

26.bxc4 Ba6 27.Rc1 Nf4?

This is a serious concession. 27...Rc8! 28.Rxe6 Bxc4 29.Ka1 Qxh2! 30.Re2 Qh6 31.Rec2
Qe6! should have been played instead. The first rank’s weakness always lets White down.

28.Rd2 e5 29.Qe3

29.Qd6 Qxd6 30.Rxd6 Ne2 31.Rc2 Rb8+ 32.Ka1 Rf8 33.Rb6 Rf1+ 34.Rb1 Nd4 35.Rc3
Rf2 36.Rbc1 Bb7-+

29...Bxc4

Otherwise this pawn will move ahead.

30.Ka1 Qf7 31.g3 Nd3?

This move is made in vain! The pieces should have been saved: 31...Ng6 32.h4 h5 33.Qe4
(or 33.g4 hxg4 34.Qe4 Rf8 35.h5 Nh4) 33...Rf8 34.g4 Qf4 35.Qxf4 Rxf4 36.gxh5 Nxh4

32.Rxd3 Bxd3 33.Qxd3 h6

The queens could have been saved: 33...Kh8!? and yet the white king is not happily
positioned.

34.Qb3! Qxb3 35.axb3 Kf7 36.Rc6 a2 37.h4?

This is too witty for the time trouble! In my opinion, White can be saved with 37.b4 e4 38.
b5 (38.Rc4 Re8!) 38...e3 39.Rc1! Rb8 (39...Re8 40.Kxa2 Kf6 41.b6 Ke5 42.b7 Rb8 43.
Rc7=) 40.Re1 Rxb5 41.Rxe3 (41.Kxa2? Rh5! 42.h4 Re5-+) 41...Ra5, and it is still unclear
whether Black will manage to come out on top. The white rook does not let the black king
approach the white pawns, and if the opportunity presents itself, this rook itself
counterattacks the black pawns.

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37...Ra3 38.b4 e4 39.Rc4

Now that the tempo is lost, White has no time to move his own passed pawn. So he has to
defend.

39...e3 40.Re4

More stubborn is 40.b5!? Ke6 41.b6 Kd5 42.b7 e2! (42...Rb3 43.Rc3!) 43.Rc1 Rb3 44.Re1
Rxb7 45.Rxe2 Rb3 46.Kxa2 (46.g4 Rb4) 46...Rxg3 47.Kb2 (47.h5 Rh3 48.Re7 Rxh5 49.
Rxg7 Rg5-+) 47...h5 48.Kc2 Rg4 49.Rh2 Ke4 50.Rh3 Kf4 51.Kd2 Rg1-+, though it does
not provide salvation.

40...Kf6 41.g4

A timid attempt to protect the f5 square. 41.b5 Kf5 42.Re8 Kg4-+ is losing.

After 41.g4

41...h5!

The black king is drawn into the struggle, and
this settles the whole thing.

42.gxh5 Kf5 43.Re7 Kf4 44.b5 Rb3 45.Rf7+
Ke4 46.Re7+ Kd3 47.Rd7+ Kc2 48.Rc7+
Kd2 49.Kxa2 Rxb5 50.Rxg7 e2 51.Rd7+
Kc2 52.Rc7+ Kd3 53.Re7 Rxh5 0-1

V. Kramnik (2772) - A. Morozevich [D17]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4
Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4

7...Nd5!?

This is the Misailovic Variation. Only this Yugoslavian chess player had successfully
employed such a continuation before the game we are now analyzing was played.

8.g3N

A novelty! The game which the 7...Nd5 variation originates from didn’t last long: [8.f3 e5!
9.Nxd5?! (9.e4) 9...cxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.dxe5 Rc8! 12.e3 Bb4+ 13.Bd2 0-0! 14.a5? (14.
g3 Qe7 -/+) 14...Rc2 15.Bc3 Rxb2 16.Qd4 Qe7 17.Rd1 Qh4+! 18.Qxh4 Bxc3+ 19.Rd2
Rxd2 0-1 Jovanovski - Misailovic / Nic,1994

In the second game White played in a safer fashion, but that did not save him either: 8.e3 e6
9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Bb4 11.0-0 0-0 = Milovanovic - Misailovic/YUG/1995/0-1(45)

8...e5!

This illustrates Black’s main idea.

9.Bg2

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Vladimir Kramnik doesn’t capture the sacrificed pawn, refusing to play basic variations,
and this is understandable. However, at first sight Black is OK in all of those possible
variations. For instance, 9.dxe5 Nc5 10.Nxd5 cxd5 11.Nd2 (worse is 11.Ne3 Be6 12.Bg2
d4 13.Nc2 d3 14.exd3 Nxd3+ 15.Kf1 Qc7 16.Ne3 Nxe5, with Black gaining the upper
hand), and here Black has a number of interesting opportunities which compensate him for
the pawn: 11...Rc8, 11...Bg4, 11...d4 or 11...Na6

9...Nxc3?!

Morozevich creates problems for himself. Much simpler is 9...exd4 10.Qxd4 Qf6, with the
equality being quite obvious.

10.bxc3 exd4 11.Qxd4 Nc5

On the face of it, Black is OK, and his pawn structure is better. However chess is a concrete
game, and Kramnik knows how to capture the initiative and to make use of the fact that
Black is behind with development.

12.Qe3+!

This resource is very unpleasant for Black.

12...Ne6

Quite bad is 12...Be7 13.Ba3. On the contrary, interesting is 12...Be6 13.Ba3 Qe7 14.Na5,
though White has an advantage here as well.

After 12...Ne6

13.a5!

A typical anti-Slav move. White presses
Black’s queenside.

13...Bc2!?

This is a forced move. Black intends to
develop his bishop on v5, but in response to
13...Bc5 White would drive the queen to e5,
thus winning a tempo.

14.Ba3!

A strong move! Castling would have a weaker
effect here: 14.0-0 Bc5 15.Qe5 0-0! 16.a6 b6

17.Bxc6 Rc8, and Black has excellent play for the pawn.

14...Bxa3 15.Nxa3 Bb3 16.a6

Kramnik has achieved a considerable advantage, but starting from this moment he begins to
lose it, and 16.a6 is his first slip. Much stronger is 16.0-0. The idea consists in catching the
black bishop: 16...0-0 17.Rfb1 Bd5 18.f3! c5 19.Rd1+-

16...Bd5 17.axb7 Rb8 18.f3 c5 19.0-0?!

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Here comes his second slip. The continuation 19.Bh3 Rxb7 20.c4 would pose serious
problems for Black.

19...Rxb7 20.Rfd1 Rd7 21.c4

White could win a pawn by playing 21.Bh3 0-0 22.Bxe6 Bxe6 23.Rxd7 Qxd7 24.Qxc5
Qd2, but Black would have sufficient compensation.

21...Bc6 22.Rxd7 Bxd7 23.Nc2 Bc8!=

Kramnik must have overlooked this move.

24.Qd3

In the series 24.f4 0-0 25.f5 Nd4 26.Nxd4 cxd4 27.Qf4 Re8 28.Rxa7 Rxe2 29.Bd5 Black
has an interesting tactical resource: 29...d3!

24...Qxd3 25.exd3 a6 26.f4 Ke7

Now there is no point in castling: In the end-game it is more important that the king be
positioned in the center.

27.f5 Nc7 28.Ra5 Kd6 29.d4 cxd4 30.Nxd4 Re8 31.Kf2?

With this move White lets the opponent trade rooks and force a better ending. 31.f6!? g6
deserved attention (after 31...gxf6 32.c5+, Black doesn¡¦t feel comfortable on f6) 32.Nb3,
thus preparing c4-c5, with the play being roughly even.

31...Re5! 32.Rxe5

The f5 pawn doesn’t let the rook go back.

32...Kxe5 33.Ke3 Kd6

Sure enough, the f5 pawn is venomous at the present moment: 33...Bxf5 34.Nxf5 Kxf5 35.
Kd4!, with Black having problems, because the white king successfully supports his passed
pawn.

34.Kd3 a5

Black obviously has the upper hand thanks to his distant passed pawn and the white pieces’
vulnerability. Morozevich’s play was impeccable at the ensuing stages of the game, and it
is hard to say where Kramnik slipped up...

35.Kc3 Bd7 36.Bb7 f6 37.g4 Ba4 38.h3 Bd7 39.Nb3 a4 40.c5+ Ke5 41.Nd2 Nd5+! 42.
Kc4 Ne7 43.Nf3+ Kf4 44.Nd4 Kg3 45.c6 Nxc6!

By sacrificing the knight, Black deprives the opponent of the counterplay.

46.Nxc6 Kxh3

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After 46...Kxh3

A nice ending would arise after 47.Nb8 Be8
48.Bf3 Kg3 49.Bd1 a3! 50.Kc3 (50.Kb3 Ba4
+!-+) 50...Bb5!, and White is in zugzwang.

47. Nd4 Kxg4 48.Be4 Kf4! 49.Bc2 a3 50.Kc3
h5 51.Ne6+ Ke5 52.Nxg7 h4 53.Bd1 h3 54.
Bf3 Bxf5 55.Nh5 Bg6 56.Kb3 Bxh5 57.Bxh5
h2 58.Bf3 Kf4 59.Bh1 Ke3 60.Kxa3 f5 61.
Kb3 f4

0-1

M. Adams (2746) - A. Fedorov (2575) [B76]

The Dragon Variation has many times been

given up for lost, but he will outlive all of his ill-wishers...

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0
d5

This is the main theoretical branch at present.

10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Nxd5 cxd5

After 12...cxd5

13.Qxd5

Earlier, capturing this pawn was considered
extremely dangerous, and White used to resist
the temptation. Now that powerful computers
have appeared, the term "dangerous" is
abolished in evaluating positions. The
computer sees no danger here: There is an
extra pawn, and there is no risk of being
checkmated within ten more moves.

13...Qc7 14.Qc5 Qb8!

A sly move. The black queen presses the a8
rook. But on one hand, this rook can be

developed by moving the a7 pawn. And on the other hand, the queen can move to e5, and
this is exactly what happened in the game.
Weaker is 14...Qb7, as Alexei played in his games against Ivanchuk and Movsesian at the
Rubinstein Memorial 2000. And he lost there! Here’s how the game unfolded for Vassily:
15.Qa3 Bf5 16.Bd3 Rab8 17.b3 Rfc8 18.Bxf5 gxf5 19.Rd3 Qc6 20.c4 Qf6 21.Rhd1!, and
Black could do the white king no harm.

15.Qa3

In response to 15.b3, strong is 15...a5!

15...Be6 16.Ba6 Qe5 17.g3 Rad8 18.Bf4N

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What a good novelty, one could say! Now White’s death is inhibited. Earlier he didn’t last
more than two moves: 18.Bc5 Bxa2 19.Bxe7 Bh6+, and the game ended in view of the
inevitable checkmate (Neels,I-Hautot,S/Vielsalm 1997/0-1 (19))

18...Qf6 19.Rhe1 Bf5

The black pieces fire at the white king’s fortifications from afar. And it is not easy to
restrain them.

20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.c3?

A serious mistake. Michael protects the b2 point, but simultaneously exposes the king.
Stronger is 21.Bc4 Qd4 22.Bb3, with White having good chances to stand his ground. For
example, 22...Rd7 23.Be3 Qe5 24.Bd2 Qd4 25.Be3 Qe5 is a good way of drawing the
game.

After this blunder, Black proved his attack’s strength with the help of some powerful
blows.

21...Qb6!

The invasion on f2 is threatening.

22.Be3 Bh6! 23.f4

In response to 23.Qxe7, there is the decisive move 23...Rb8!

23...Qc6!

Now the black queen is moving to e4 and b1.

24.Bd2 Qd5 25.Re2 e5!

The Dragon’s main power consists in the dark-square bishop. Now it is drawn into the
attack again.

26.Qa4 exf4 27.gxf4

After 27.gxf4

Bxf4!

It is not for nothing that this very bishop
inflicts a decisive blow.

28.Re8+ Kg7 29.Qxf4 Rxe8 30.Bc4 Qh1+ 31.
Bf1 Kg8

What a brilliant achievement by the
Byelorussian Grandmaster!

0-1

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