Loek van Wely advances to 5th round

By Kristianus Liem

This is the fifth in series of six articles on the World Chess Championships held in Groningen, the Netherlands, in December last year.

JAKARTA (JP): Grandmaster Loek van Wely became the only Dutch player to advance to round five (in the best of eight) of the FIDE World Championship knock-out tournament in Groningen, the Netherlands, Dec. 8 to Dec. 30, 1997, after he beat GM Kiril Georgiev of Bulgaria in less than thirty moves in the first game and held his opponent to a draw in the second.

The performance of the 25-year-old Loek was surprising considering that a few years ago he was just one among many young players trying to challenge Dutch stars such as Jan Timman and Jeoren Piket.

But "Lucky Loek" (as he was nicknamed after the famous European cartoon character Lucky Luke) proved to be made of the right stuff with his tactical skills and willingness to try and beat even the best.

In his match against the more experienced Georgiev, Loek easily won game one, possibly after using the knowledge he gained from being Gata Kamsky's second during his world chess championship match against Anatoly Karpov two years ago. OK, Georgiev got a chance to even the score in game two, but he didn't, having to settle for a draw.

White: GM Loek van Wely

Black: GM Kiril Georgiev

Queen's Indian Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Nbd2 c6

This move may look unusual, but it actually prepares ...d7-d5 or even ...b6-b5, while avoiding Qd1-a4+. Other continuations are 5...Bb4 6.Qb3 Nc6 or 5...Bb7 as well as 5...c5 or even 5...d5.

6.Bg2 d5 7.0-0 Be7

Black correctly declined the offered pawn. After 7...dxc4 8.Ne5 Qxd4 9.Nxc6 followed by the Knight jump, Black has some problems.

8.Ne5 0-0 9.b3!?

Since d5 is protected many times, Black is not afraid of e2-e4. White develops his dark Bishop first. Also now 9...Nfd7 can be met by 10.Nd3!

9...Bb7 10.Bb2 Na6 11.e4

Usually in such a position Black's counter-play is to exchange on e4 and then break with ...c6-c5. Since the Bishop on b7 is not protected, this play is impossible here. White has an edge now.

11...Rc8 12.Re1 Bb4

Here 12...dxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 leads to more problems in a view of threats like Qd1-h5. Black tries to force the exchange on d5. This maneuver, however, gives White the advantage of two Bishops.

13.exd5 cxd5 14.a3! Bxd2

This move is more or less forced. If 14...Be7 then 15.b4! underscoring the poor position of the a6-Knight and threatening c4-c5.

15.Qxd2 Qc7?!

Black defends his Bishop and prepares ...dxc4, but now the Queen becomes a target for the White Rook. In case of 15...Qe7 16.a4! dxc4 17.Ba3 c3 18.Qe2 Qc7 19.Bxf8 White wins an exchange, but the pawn on c3 is strong and the outpost on d5 is great for a Knight.

16.Rac1 dxc4?

This move gives White a chance for a great attack along the a1-a8 diagonal. The only move to avoid it was 16...Qb8 although after 17.cxd5! exd5 (if 17...Bxd5 18.Bxd5 exd5? 19.Nc6! wins the exchange) 18.Bh3! Rxc1 19.Rxc1 White has a better game.

17.Rxc4! Qe7 18.d5!

White breaks through at the most defended place on the board! Black is now in terrible trouble. The x-ray against the Queen on e7 by White Rook on e1 makes ...exd5 impossible.

18...Nxd5

Also bad 18...Rfd8? 19.Rxc8 Rxc8 20.d6 or; 18...Rxc4 19.d6! Qd8 20.Bxb7 Nc5 21.Nxc4 Nxb7 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.Ne5 White has a big advantage. Here 18...Bxd5 19.Ng4!! Bxc4 (for 19...Nxg4 20.Rxg4 g6 21.Qxd5 White wins a piece; 19...Rxc4 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.bxc4 Bxg2 22.Qh6 f5 23.Nf6+ and White wins) 20.Bxf6! gxf6 21.Qh6 Bd3 22.Nxf6+ Kh8 23.Be4 Bxe4 24.Rxe4 Rc1+ 25.Kg2 and Black can't escape from mate on h7.

19.Ng4!!

The key move of the combination. Now the threat of Bxd5 combined with Bxg7 decides the game. White now wins by force.

19...h5

See diagram. It looked desperate but Black would have been facing a decisive attack after 19...Rfd8 20.Nh6+! (also wins 20.Rxc8 Rxc8 21.Bxd5 Bxd5 22.Qxd5) 20...gxh6 (if 20...Kf8 21.Nf5) 21.Qxh6 f5 22.Rxe6 Qf7 23.Bxd5 Bxd5 24.Rxc8 Rxc8 25.Qg5+ Kf8 26.Rf6. Alternatively 19...Rxc4 20.bxc4 f5 21.Nh6+ gxh6 22.cxd5 with a winning advantage for White, and 19...f5 20.Bxd5 Bxd5 21.Qxd5 fxg4 22.Qxe6+ wins even faster.

20.Bxg7! Kxg7

Or 20...hxg4 21.Rxg4 f5 22.Bf6+ fxg4 23.Bxe7 and Black doesn't have a chance.

21.Qh6+ Kg8 22.Bxd5 Bxd5 23.Nf6+ Qxf6 24.Qxf6 Bxc4 25.Qg5+ Kh8 26.Qxh5+ Kg8 27.Qg5+ Kh8 28.Re4! 1-0

A final touch, Black will be mate in one move, so Black resigned.