Hangin take on some Interesting Questions
Here are some Interesting questions that came out of the Chess Fm broadcast
of the Chess World Championship with Tony Rook and IM Dr. Danny Kopec.
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- Why isn't Kramnik Playing 1 d4 ?
- How has the world championship matches changed
from the old days... ?
- Why ... ?
- Who is ... ?
- What is ... ?
- When is ... ?
[ Kramnik has been a 1.d4 player with white through out most of his
career. He hasn’t opened any of the 2004 world championship games with 1.d4.
At the time of this writing only 4 games have been played. It
pays to prepare different openings to surprise your opponent. You know that your
opponent will prepare deeply to handle your favorite openings and strong points.
In 1972, Bobby Fischer used this strategy to great effect during his successful
world championship match with Boris Spassky in 1972.
The soviet chess machine was called together to put a plan together to
defeat Fischer. Of all the soviet experts, only Kortchnoi suggested that Bobby
would play other openings. Bobby was known only to play 1 e4. Now Bobby did play
other openings on occasion. I recall him defeating Henrique Mecking with 1.b3. Bobby always said, 1. E4 is best by test.
Bobby had a great record with this first move. So the soviets felt he
would not divert from it. Well Kortchnoi was right, Bobby opened games with
1.E4, 1. D4, 1.C4. Bobby played a great Queens Gambit from the white side of the
board in game 6 of the match. It was a great win. At the end of the game, the
audience game Fischer a standing ovation, which Spassky joined in. Bobby played
openings he rarely played or never played. With white he played 3 Queen’s
Gambits, winning two and drawing the other. He also won with the English.
From the black side Bobby played openings he rarely played or never
played. Bobby played the Alekhine defense in two games where he scored 1.5
points. Bobby also played drew with the Pirc. Bobby had broadened his opening
repertoire and it was an effect weapon against Spassky. During the 2000 Brain
Games Championship, Kramnik did this as well from the Black side of the board.
He played the Berlin Defense to neutralize Kasparov’s white game. Kramnik only
used this defense a few times prior to the world championship match. Kasparov
was obviously not prepared to attack it. Kramnik did an interesting thing during
Dortmund 2004. Kramnik didn’t use
the Berlin Defense in 2003. He did dust it off during Dortmund 2004 and played a
few games with it. Leko saw it and did not try to attack it. Maybe Leko didn’t
want to tip his preparation against it. Kramnik has not used this defense
against Leko yet. Maybe Kramnik feels that the Berlin Defense is better suited
for Kasparov than Leko. No doubt
Leko has prepared for it. Maybe Leko put too much time into it. Kramnik has used
the Petrov Defense to counter Leko’s white game. Now Kramnik has used this
defense before, but not much recently. Well He dusted it off for this match.
It’s work quite well. Kramnik’s scored 1.5 out of two. Kramnik has also
experimented with the White side as well. Kramnik has just recently started
playing the Closed Ruy Lopez. In two games, Kramnik’s done well with this
opening. Two draws in two games. However in the last game, Kramnik got good
chances while risking nothing. Kramnik’s
done the better preparation so far in this match with Leko.
There no question Kramnik is a great strategist.
]
[
Well
as Dr Kopec said, adjournments are no longer part of chess matches. An
interesting point is that Kramnik had the right for an adjournment during the
Beast in Bahrain computer match, which ended in a draw. I think this is a good
development. I always thought adjournments were a strange process to begin with.
It seems to me that it was against the spirit of the game. I didn’t see the
fairness of stopping play and allowing the players to get help from other
players to analyze the game and find winning or saving plans. Bobby Fischer fell
victim to this adjournment analysis in his game against Mikhail Botvinnik, who
was world champion. It was during the 1962 Olympiad, Bobby, from the black
side, got the better of Botvinnik in a Grunfeld defense. The position was
adjourned with bobby having the advantage. However during the night, a team of
top soviet players, led by Efim Geller, found the saving moves. They set a trap
for Bobby. When play resumed, poor Bobby fell into the trap and lost his winning
advantage and the game was drawn. In 1990 World champion match between Kasparov
and Karpov there were accusations of illegal computer use during an adjournment
of game 16. The accusation was made that Kasparov had access to Deep Thought's
analysis of the endgame. Deep Thought achieved GM strength during a 1988
Software Tools works tournament. Deep Thought finished tied for first with Tony
Miles ahead of Tal, Larsen, Reshevsky and Walter Browne.
Bobby
Fischer ended the adjourned concept all together in his 1992 comeback match
against Boris Spassky. The 1992 match stipulated that all games must be finished
during a single playing sessions. Adjournments were doomed to end any way as
computer gained in strength. Today computers are top GM strength. They also have
6 piece table bases that have perfect knowledge and 100% accuracy playing in
such an endgame.
Opening
Novelties is another area in which world championship matches have
changed. Prior to GM strength computer software, novelties in a lot of
cases backfired. They were sometimes refuted at the board. Novelties today are a lot more sounder. Computers can
find holds in new ideas quickly. In fact may GMs rely solely on computers
for their novelties and new ideas. In
the past it could take an opponent days to come up with a refutation to a new
move. If refutations couldn’t be found, then the player was forced to choose
another opening or variation. Today world championship teams have a computer GM
helping them prepare for a match. This allows them to find refutations to new
ideas easily. Chess has become more scientific.
Kasparov said it best, when he said that prior to strong computer chess
programs, players were searching in the dark. This is no longer the case. Computers can quickly find the secrets to
a position in a few minutes.
.]
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Copyright © 2004 [Hangin ]. All rights reserved.
Revised: November 16, 2018
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