Games: chess

The Fide World Championship has got off to a brisk start with 34 players already on their way home after the first round matches, including both the youngest and oldest participants. the world's youngest grandmaster, Etienne Bacrot, tied his first-round match with the 50-year-old Georgian Tamaz Georgadze, but was hustled out of the competition after quick-play tie-breaks at ever quickening rates. Peter Leko, the second-youngest grandmaster, lost by 1/2-11/2 to the Yugoslav Slobodjan.

At the other end of the age spectrum, the 76-year-old Vassily Smyslov was beaten 2-0 by Alexander Morozhevic, but Viktor Korchnoi, 66, won through by 11/2-1/2 against the Cuban Hernandez. He will now be the opponent for Nigel Short, who received a bye into round two.

Two other English grandmasters also begin their efforts in the second round: Michael Adams faces Bacrot's conqueror, Georgadze, while Matthew Sadler faces the Estonian Jaan Ehlvest. The final British entrant, Peter Wells, came unstuck against Bruno Alterman, losing the first game and drawing the second.

Wells can blame his 25th move in the first game for his exit from the tournament. It gave White the chance to sacrifice the exchange for two pawns, including a monster at b7. Eventually Black had nothing better than to give up his rook for pawn and bishop, leaving himself in an endgame a pawn behind which offered no hope of salvation.

White: B Alterman

Black: P Wells

Nimzo-Indian Defence

1 d4 Nf6 24 dxc6 Bxd1

2 c4 e6 25 cxb7 Rb8

3 Nc3 Bb4 26 Rxd1 Qe7

4 e3 0-0 27 Ba6 Qe6

5 Bd3 d5 28 Rd6 Qe1+

6 Ne2 dxc4 29 Kh2 Qe7

7 Bxc4 e5 30 Nd5 Nxd5

8 0-0 exd4 31 Rxd5 Qe6

9 exd4 Nc6 32 Rd6 Qe7

10 h3 Bf5 33 b4 Kg8

11 a3 Bd6 34 Rc6 Rxb7

12 Bg5 h6 35 b5 Qb6

13 Bh4 Be7 36 Rc5 Rc8

14 Re1 Ne4 37 Rxc8+ Qxc8

15 Bxe7 Nxe7 38 a4 Qa6

16 Nf4 Nf6 39 b5 Qb6

17 Nh5 Nxh5 40 Qe3 Qc7+

18 Qxh5 Bg6 41 g3 h5

19 Qg4 Kh8 42 Qe8+ Kh7

20 Rad1 c6 43 Qe4+ g6

21 Qh4 Ng8 44 Qf4 Qb7

22 Qf4 Nf6 45 a5 Kg8

23 d5 Bh5 46 Qb4 resigns

The most impressive game of the first round was Viktor Korchnoi's win. Some 20 years ago, we were used to Korchnoi putting massive strategic plans into operation and gradually squeezing the life out of his opponents. Some things never change. White's 36.Nc6! - when 36...bxc6 37.dxc6 leaves his passed pawns unstoppable - left Black feeling too squashed to continue.

White: V Korchnoi

Black: J Hernandez

Nimzo-Indian Defence

1 Nf3 d6 20 Kg2 Rec8

2 d4 Bg4 21 Ra4 Nc5

3 e3 Nf6 22 Rc4 Ncd7

4 c4 Nbd7 23 Rb4 Nc5

5 Nc3 e5 24 Ra1 Rf8

6 Be2 Be7 25 Rc4 Rfc8

7 e4 c6 26 Ra3 h5

8 Be3 0-0 27 f3 g6

9 0-0 a6 28 b4 Ncd7

10 a3 Re8 29 b5 Rxc4

11 d5 cxd5 30 Nxc4 axb5

12 cxd5 Rc8 31 Nxb5 Kg7

13 Nd2 Bxe2 32 Na7 Rc7

14 Qxe2 Qc7 33 Qa2 Qf8

15 Rfc1 Qb8 34 Nb6 Nxb6

16 a4 Rc7 35 axb6 Rd7

17 a5 h6 36 Nc6 Ne8

18 g3 Nh7 37 Ra7 resigns

19 h4 Nhf6