GM Michael Adams smashes Morovic in six-game match

By Kristianus Liem

JAKARTA (JP): Grandmaster Michael Adams, the second best player in Britain after Nigel Short, smashed Chilean Grandmaster Ivan Fernandez Morovic 4.5-1.5 in a six-game match in Santiago, Chile, between Jan. 16 and Jan 22.

Adams, who has a 2,665 Elo rating, started well by winning the first round after Morovic horribly misplaced a rook in taking Adams' a-file pawn. This was followed by three draws. Adams who has competed in several grueling World Championship Candidates events is an experienced match player and he just bided his time.

Morovic, Chile's best player with a 2,580 Elo rating, is also an experienced match player. He has had similar clashes in Chile with two-time world chess challenger Viktor Korchnoi and former world champion Boris Spassky.

Morovic has a dangerous style but Adams kept the tactics under control and won a fine positional game five. The sixth game saw Morovic being dramatically punished for an overambitious opening.

Below is an analysis of the fifth game, the crucial game of the match.

White: GM Michael Adams Black: GM Ivan Fernandez Morovic Sicilian Najdorf Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bd3!?

A rare system. In the first round, Adams played 6.f4!? and won after thirty-five move.

6...e5 7.Nde2 h6?! 8.0-0 Be7 9.a4 0-0 10.f4 Nc6 11.Kh1 Bd7 12.Be3 Rc8 13.Qe1 Nb4 14.a5 Bc6?!

Morovic is preparing the thematic central break ... d5, but in this position it is better to play 14 ... Be6 15.f5 Bc4 with the balance position.

15.Ng3 d5 16.fxe5 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 dxe4 18.Nf5 Bd7 19.Rd1 Rc6 20.Bb6?!

A dubious move. 20.Qe2! is very strong, as White threatens the well-known maneuver Rxd7 followed by Qg4. After 20... Kh8 21.Nxe4 Rxc2 22.Qh5 Black will surely meet a sticky end on the kingside.

20... Qe8 21.Nxe7+ Qxe7 22.Qxe4 Re8!

Because of the dubious twentieth move, now even though Black is still a pawn down there is still a fighting chances.

23.Rd4

Trying to win the perilously placed knight on b4 for nothing. If 23.Rf4 then Black saves himself with 23 ... g5.

23... f5 24.exf6 Rxf6 25.Rg1 Qf8 26.Qh4 g5 27.Qh5 Bc6 28.Rd2 Kh7 29.Qd1 Qf7 30.Bc5 Qc4 See diagram

31.Rd7+

Maybe 31.Bxb4!? Qxb4 32.Nd5 Bxd5 33.Rxd5 is the safe way to keep an edge for White.

31...Kg8 32.Bxb4 Rf2!

Suddenly Black has a counterplay. If 32 ... Qxb4 33.Nd5 Bxd5 34.Qxd5+ Kh8 35.Rxb7 and White wins.

33.Rd4 Bxg2+ 34.Rxg2 Rf1+ 35.Rg1 Qc6+ 36.Rd5 Rxd1 37.Rgxd1 Qc4 38.R5d4 Qf7?

A weak move. 38 ... Re1+ 39.Rxe1 Qxd4 was best, as if 40.Re8+ Kf7 41.Re7+ Kg6 42.Rxb7 Qf2 43.Rb6+ Kh5 then sadly White has to continue 44.h3 allowing a draw by perpetual check.

39.Kg2 Qf5 40.Rf1 Qxc2+ 41.Rf2

White's position is now rosy again.

41... Qg6

Also not brilliant 41...Qb3 42.Ne4 Rc8 43.Rd7 Qxb4 44.Nf6+ Kf8 (If 44 ... Kh8 45.Rh7# checkmate) 45.Nd5+ Ke8 46.Nxb4 White wins.

42.Nd5 Qc6 43.Kg1 Qc1+

White going for perpetual check, but...

44.Rf1 Qc8 45.Nf6+

White also wins the Exchange after 45.Ne7+.

45... Kg7 46.Nxe8+ Qxe8 47.Re1 Qc8 48.Bc3 Kg6 49.Rd6+

Here Black resigned, because after 49 ... Kh5 50.Ree6 Qf8 51.Kg2 Kg4 52.Rf6 and Black cannot escape from mate without sacrificing his queen. 1-0