Chess

STILL A talking-point at the Elista Olympiad is the Russian disaster

in round seven. Their team had lost to Bulgaria 3-1!

On top board, Peter Svidler (Russia) vs Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) opened 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 e6 7 g4 h6 8 f4 e5 9 Nf5 h5 10 Nd5 Nxd5 11 Qxd5 g6. New.

Topalov had instead played 11... Nc6 in a game with Shirov in Monaco earlier in the year. After 11... g6, Svidler's first reaction was 12 Bc4!, but after 12... Be6 13 Qxb7 Bxc4, he did not see the killer 14 Bb6!

Therefore Peter opted for 12 0-0-0; but after 12... gxf5 13 exf5 Nc6 14 Bc4 Qf6 15 fxe5 Nxe5 16 g5 Qxf5 17 Bb3 Qf3 18 Qd2 Qc6 19 Rhf1 Be6 20 Bxe6 fxe6 21 Rf6 0-0-0 22 Rxe6 Bg7, with never enough compensation for the sacrificed piece, he resigned.

The Fide world congress is proceeding alongside the Olympiad. Prominent among them is the Fide world champion, Anatoly Karpov.

Karpov argues that his seeding in the Knockout World Championship, at Las Vegas in December, should be upgraded from just into the second round to directly into the final. Is he that outstanding, in a likely field of 70-plus grandmasters?

Elista, round seven

White: Eduardas Rozentalis

(Lithuania)

Black: Michael Adams

Scotch Game

Micky Adams's Lithuanian opponent seemed intent on achieving a draw by repetition, but bit by bit Black's position improved.

Rozentalis' dream of a draw after 30 Bxf5 was rudely shattered by 30... Qxe1+!!; after 31 Rxe1 Nxf5, he has to return the queen or be mated.

jspeelman@compuserve.com

1 e4 Nf6

2 Nc3 e5

3 Nf3 Nc6

4 d4 exd4

5 Nxd4 Bb4

6 Nxc6 bxc6

7 Bd3 d5

8 exd5 cxd5

9 Qe2+ Be7

10 0-0 0-0

11 Bg5 h6

12 Bh4 Bg4!

13 f3 Be6

14 f4?! Re8

15 Qf3 c6

16 Kh1 Bg4

17 Qg3 Bd7

18 Qf3 Bg4

19 Qg3 Bd7

20 Qf3 Rb8

21 b3 Bg4

22 Qg3 Bd7

23 Qf3 Ng4

24 Bxe7 Qxe7

25 Qg3 Ne3

26 Rfe1 d4

27 Ne4 Bf5

28 Nf2 Qb4

29 a3 Qc3 (see diagram)

30 Bxf5??

Qxe1+ 0-1