Chess: Excitement in the Netherlands

THE opening games in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands, produced great excitement, with Jan Timman only drawing two pawns up against Joel Lautier, and Paul van der Sterren blundering when a pawn ahead against Gata Kamsky.

Michael Adams calmly built up his attack against Boris Gelfand.

White: Adams

Black: Gelfand

1 e4 c5 24 Bxd4 Qe6 2 Nf3 d6 25 Qd2 Kb8 3 d4 cxd4 26 Qb4 Qc6 4 Nxd4 Nf6 27 Rd1 Rc8 5 Nc3 a6 28 Rd2 Qb5 6 Bg5 e6 29 Qd6+ Ka8 7 f4 Nbd7 30 Be3 Bc6 8 Qf3 Qc7 31 Qd4 Qb7 9 0-0-0 b5 32 c4 Qc7 10 Bd3 Bb7 33 Ka1 Qb7 11 Rhe1 0-0-0 34 g3 h5 12 a3 Be7 35 h3 Qc7 13 Qe2 h6 36 Qc5 Bd7 14 Bh4 Nc5 37 Qb4 Be6 15 Bf2 d5 38 c5 Qc6 16 e5 Nfe4 39 Rd6 Qb5 17 Bxe4 dxe4 40 Qxe4+ Ka7 18 Kb1 Na4 41 c6+ Kb8 19 Nxa4 bxa4 42 Qh1 Qc4 20 f5 Bc5 43 Qb1 Rxc6 21 fxe6 Bxd4 44 Rd4 Qc2 22 e7 Qxe7 45 h4 Qxb1+ 23 Rxd4 Rxd4 Draw agreed

He delicately created threats to overload his opponent's defences, and won a pawn at move 40. Then, just when most players would have wilted, Gelfand showed what a tough opponent he is. Taking advantage of a hasty check by Adams at move 41, he created a sudden counter-attack to force the draw. The best finish of the day, meanwhile, came from Vladimir Kramnik.

CH18OUT-Harts-nws

Black against Leonid Yudasin in the diagram position, he attacked with 1 . . . Qf4] Now 2. Re2 Nf3] leaves White in trouble, so Yudasin played 2. Qxd6 and Kramnik continued with 2 . . . e3] when 3. fxe3 Ng3+] 4. hxg3 Qh6 is mate. The game continued 3. Rxe3, hoping to buy off the attack with 3 . . . Nxe3 4. fxe3, but Kramnik played the killing 3 . . .Qxe3] when 4. fxe3 Ng3+] 5. hxg3 Rh5 is mate.