Polanica Zdroj 1998
White: T.Markowski
Black: A.Shirov
Opening: Reti
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Bg4 3.Bg2 Nd7 4.c4 e6 5.cxd5!? exd5 6.O-O Ngf6 7.d3 c6 8.Qc2 Bc5 9.e4 O-O 10.h3 Bh5 11.Nbd2 dxe4 12.dxe4 Re8 13.b3 Qe7 14.Bb2 Markowski is forced to allow Shirov to grab the hot e pawn since on 14.Re1 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Qe5 hits both a1 and g3. 14...Nxe4!? 15.Rae1 Bg6 16.Nh4 This looks good, but Shirov, as usual, has a tactical trick up his sleeve. 16...Bxf2+! 17.Rxf2 Nxf2 18.Rxe7 Bxc2 19.Rxd7 Rad8! 20.Rxd8 Rxd8 Material is roughly equal but Black's active pieces give him the edge. Now 21.Nf1 looks necessary but Markowski walks into trouble. 21.Nc4? Nd3 22.Ba3? b5! 23.Na5 b4! 24.Nxc6

24...bxa3! 25.Nxd8 Nb4 Even stronger than 25...Bxb3. Shirov wants to preserve the b3 pawn to make his 'a' pawn harder to stop. 26.Nf3 Nxa2 27.Nc6 Be4! 28.Nfd4 Bxc6 29.Nxc6 If 29.Bxc6, Nb4 wins. 29...a5! 30.b4 axb4
0-1
After 31.Bd5 Nc3 32.Nxb4 Nxd5 wins.

Spanish Teams Championship
Salamanca 1998
White: I.Rogers
Black: W.Arencibia
Opening: Sicilian Defence
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.f4 a6 7.Qf3 Qb6 8.Nb3 Nc6 9.Be3 Qc7 10.g4 b5 11.g5 Nd7 11...b4 is most accurate. 12.O-O-O Bb7 13.Kb1 Rc8?! 14.Bd3 Nc5 15.Qh3! Threatening 16.g6!. 15...b4 16.Ne2 Na5? 16...g6 was forced. 17.Bxc5 Nxb3 Too late, Black realises that his intended 17...dxc5 loses to 18.Nxa5 Qxa5 19.Bc4! Bxe4 20.Bxe6!. 18.Bxb4 Nc5 19.Bxc5 Qxc5

20.g6! Be7 21.Nd4! Bf6 22.gxf7+ Kxf7 23.Qxe6+ Kf8 24.Qxf6+!
1-0

Prague 1998
White: G.Kasparov
Black: J.Timman
Opening: Nimzo-Indian Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 7.Bg5 c5 8.e3 d6!? Timman's preparation for this match was generally good but here he pushes his luck too far. He was hoping for 9.dxc5 (normally played a move earlier) 9...bxc5 10.0-0-0!? Ne4 11.Qd3, the Kasparov specialty which was in fact played in game 5, when Timman was ready with 11...Nxf2 12.Bxd8 Nxd3+ 13.Bxd3 Rxd8 14.Be4 d5 15.exd5 Bb7 16.Ne2 exd5 17.Nc3 Nc6! 18.Bxd5 Na5 when a draw followed soon. 9.Bd3 cxd4?! 10.exd4 d5 11.cxd5 Qxd5? 12.Bxf6!

12...gxf6 Timman had clearly intended to capture the pawn on g2 but, far too late, realised that White could reply 13.0-0-0!, meeting 13...Qxh1 with 14.Nf3! and 13...Bb7 with 14.Ne2! Rc8 15.Qxc8+! Bxc8 16.Rhg1 Qc6+ (On 16...Qxf2 17.Bxg7 wins) 17.Nc3 when White has too many threats. 13.Ne2 Rd8 14.Ng3! Qxd4 This leads to a hopeless endgame which Kasparov wins with panache. However 14...f5 would have failed to 15.Be2! Bb7 16.Bf3 Qd7 17.Nh5 Qe7 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.d5!. 15.Be4! Qxc3+ 16.bxc3 Rd5 17.Rd1! Bb7 18.Bxd5 Bxd5 19.Nh5 Nd7 20.c4! Bc6 21.Rxd7 Bxd7 22.Nxf6+ Kg7 23.Nxd7 f6 24.Ke2 Rc8 25.Rc1 Rc7 26.Nb8
1-0

Melbourne Interclub 1998
White: D.Hamilton
Black: C.Depasquale
Opening: Sicilian Defence
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 The well-named Kalashnikov variation, much favoured by chess-board fighters like Depasquale. 5.Nb5 d6 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 b5 8.Nd5 Nge7!? 9.c4 Nxd5 10.exd5 Nd4 11.cxb5 Be7 12.Nc2? It is hard to be too critical of Hamilton for following a move which had enjoyed success against no less a player than GM Josef Klinger. Unfortunately, as Depasquale proves, 12.Nc2 loses on the spot, so White should prefer 12.Bd3.

12...Bg4! Klinger had played the meek 12...Nxb5? and struggled to draw. 13.Qd2 Both 13.f3 Bh4+ and 13.Qxg4 Nxc2+ also lead to a rapid defeat. 13...Bg5! 14.Ne3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Qh4+ 16.g3 Nf3+ 17.Kf2 Qf6 18.Qb4 Rc8! The finishing touch, utilising the fact that on 19.Qxg4, Nxh2+ wins Black's queen. 19.Bd3 Rc2+! 20.Bxc2 Nd4+
0-1

Elista Olympiad
White: S.Solomon
Black: N.Short
Opening: Ruy Lopez
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O Qd6 6.Na3 b5 7.c3 Ne7!? A new idea, but one unlikely to be repeated. 8.Nc2 Bb7 9.d4 exd4 10.cxd4 c5 11.Qe2 Ng6 12.a4! bxa4 13.d5 Qd7 14.Rd1 Be7 15.Qc4 O-O 16.Ne3 Rfe8 17.Rxa4 c6 18.b3 cxd5 19.Nxd5 Qc6 20.Bb2 h6 21.Nd2? Up to here Solomon has played impeccably but this knight manoeuvre is weak. 21.h3 would have left Black struggling for a good plan. 21...Bf8 22.Nf1 Qb5! 23.Nfe3 23.Nc7 Qxc4 24.Rxc4 Red8 is nothing for White. 23...Qxc4 24.Rxc4 Rab8! 25.Ba3 Bxd5 26.exd5 Rxb3 27.Bxc5 Ne5 28.Rc2 Rc8 29.Bxf8 Rxc2 30.Bd6 Nc4 31.Nxc2 Nxd6 32.Nd4 This endgame should be an easy draw but Solomon starts drifting and is soon in trouble. 32...Ra3 33.h4 Kh7 34.g3 a5 35.Kg2 a4 36.Rb1 Rd3 37.Rb4 a3 38.Ra4 f5 39.Nc2 Rd2! 40.Nxa3 Ne4?! 40...Ra2 was a better chance. 41.Kg1! Rxd5 41...Nxf2 42.Nc4 is fine for White. Now Short manages to maintain some pressure but Solomon defends well. 42.Nc4 Rd4 43.Kg2 Nc5 44.Rb4 h5 45.Kf3 Re4 46.Kg2 Rd4 47.Kf3 Rg4 48.Kg2 f4 49.Kf3 fxg3 50.fxg3 g6 51.Kg2 Kh6 52.Kf3 Re4 53.Kg2 Rd4 54.Kf3 Rg4 55.Kg2 Nd3 56.Rb3! Nc1 57.Rc3 Ne2 58.Re3 Nxg3 59.Ne5! Re4 60.Rxg3 Rxe5 61.Ra3 Re4 62.Kg3 Kg7 63.Ra6 Re3+ 64.Kg2 Kf7 65.Rb6 Re6 66.Rxe6!? Any normal person would leave the rooks on the board with an easy draw, but Solomon has seen that the pawn ending can, with perfect play, also be held. 66...Kxe6 67.Kf2! Kf6 68.Ke2! Kf5 69.Kf3 g5 70.hxg5
Draw Agreed

Hoogeveen 1998
White: J.Timman
Black: J.Polgar
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 O-O 5.Bg5 c5 6.d5 d6 7.Rc1?! Timman seeks to avoid the blocked pawn structure arising after 7.e3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 e5, yet after Polgar's simple reply, the rook on c1 is poorly placed. 7...exd5 8.cxd5 Nbd7 9.e3 h6 10.Bh4 Qa5 11.Nd2 b5! 12.Be2 Bb7 13.e4 Rae8 14.f3 Nh5 15.O-O Nf4 16.Nb3?! 16.Bg3 would have kept Black's initiative within limits. 16...Nxe2+ 17.Qxe2 Qa6 18.Rfd1 Bxc3 19.bxc3 f5! 20.Nd2 Qa4 21.c4 Ba6 22.Bg3 22.cxb5 Bxb5 23.Qe1 Ne5 is even less palatable for White. 22...f4 23.Be1 Ne5 24.Rc3 Rb8 25.Ra1 bxc4 26.Nb1 Beginning a series of contortions which merely lead to a losing endgame. 26...Nd3 27.Na3 Rb2 28.Qd1 Qxd1 29.Rxd1 Rfb8 30.Nxc4 Bxc4 31.Rxc4 Nxe1 32.Rxe1 Rxa2 33.g3 fxg3 34.hxg3 Rb3! 35.e5 dxe5 36.Rd1 Rxf3 37.d6 Rxg3+ 38.Kh1

38...Rgg2! 39.Rcc1 On 39.d7 Rh2+ 40.Kg1 Rag2+ 41.Kf1 Rh1+ 42.Kxg2 Rxd1 wins. 39...Rh2+ 40.Kg1 Rag2+ 41.Kf1 Rd2! 42.Kg1 Kf7!
0-1

Hoogeveen 1998
White: J.Polgar
Black: T.Shaked
Opening: French Defence
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 O-O 8.Bd3 f5 9.Qh3!? Qa5 10.Bd2 Nbc6 11.Nf3 Qa4 12.Rg1!? A speculative double pawn sacrifice which Polgar had prepared two years earlier; White banks everything on her kingside attack. 12...c4 13.Be2 Qxc2 14.Rc1 Qb2 15.g4 Na5 16.Bd1 Nb3 17.Rc2 Qxa3 18.Bh6! Ng6! On 18...gxh6 19.Qxh6 is very strong. 19.gxf5 Rxf5 20.Be3!? Instead of continuing the attack with 20.Nh4, Polgar strangely gives Shaked a chance to force a draw with 20...Na1 21.Rc1 Nb3. The young American, however, decides to play for his first win of the tournament. 20...Bd7 21.Ng5 Nf8 22.f4 Na1 23.Rcg2 Qxc3+ 24.Kf2 g6? This was Black's last chance for 24...Rxg5! 25.Rxg5 g6 with rough equality.

25.Nxh7!! Rxf4+ On 25...Nxh7 26.Rxg6+ Kh8 27.Qg4 Rf8 28.Rg7 wins. 26.Bf3! Qc2+ 27.Kg3 Rxf3+ 28.Kxf3 Qe4+ 29.Kf2 1-0
After 29...Nxh7 30.Rxg6+ Kh8 31.Qxh7+! Kxh7 32.Rh6, Black is checkmated, while 29...Qc2+ 30.Kg3 Qd3 31.Nf6+ Kf7 32.Qh6 should also be winning for White.

1998 World U/12 Ch.
White: Z-Y.Zhao
Black: J.Borisek
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.c3 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.h3 Nb6 9.Bb3 h6!? 10.Re1 Bd6 11.a4 Bf5?

After 11...a5 Black would have little to fear. 12.a5! Nd7 13.a6 bxa6 14.Bd5! Ndb8 15.Qa4 Bd7 16.Qb3 Qc8 17.Nbd2 Be6?! 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Nc4 Rf5 20.Bd2 a5 21.d4! exd4 22.Nxd6 cxd6 23.Rxe6 Kf8 24.Rae1 Nd7 25.Nxd4 Nc5 26.Re8+ Qxe8 27.Rxe8+ Kxe8 27...Rxe8 28.Qb5 also loses. 28.Qb5
1-0

White: V.Topalov
Black: V.Zvjaginsev
Tilburg 1998
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 d6 6.g4!? a6 7.Be3 Bd7 Original; 7...Nge7 is more common. 8.Qd2 b5 9.g5 Nge7 10.O-O-O Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Nc6 12.Qd2 Be7 13.f4 O-O?! 14.Kb1 Na5 15.Qf2! Rb8 16.h4 b4 17.Ne2 Nc4 18.Nd4 Nxe3 19.Qxe3 Qb6 20.Qd2 a5 21.f5 e5 22.Nf3 Rfc8 Black is hoping for 22.Nxe5 dxe5 23.Qxd7 Rd8 but Topalov simply pushes forward, with dramatic success. 23.f6! Bf8 24.fxg7 Bxg7 25.Bh3! Bxh3 26.Rxh3 Rc4 27.g6! hxg6 28.h5 Rbc8 29.Rc1 a4 30.hxg6 b3 31.Qd5! R4c7 32.gxf7+ Kf8 33.Nh4! bxc2+ 34.Ka1 Qg1! A clever defence, but it would have come to nought had Topalov replied 35.Rh1! (35...Qxh1 36.Ng6 mate). 35.Qxd6+? Kxf7 36.Qd5+ Ke7 37.Nf5+ Kf8 38.Qd6+ Kf7 39.Qd2?

Apparently crushing (39.Nh6+! Bxh6 40.Qxh6 was correct) but Topalov had overlooked Zviaginsev's sensational reply. 39...Qd1!! 40.Qg5 Bf6 41.Rh7+ Ke6 42.Nd4+?! Allowing Black's elusive king to escape once and for all. 42.Rh6 was best. 42...Qxd4 43.Qf5+ Kd6 44.Qxf6+ Kc5 45.Rxc2+ Kb4 46.a3+
- After 46...Kb3 47.Qf3+ Kxc2 48.Rh2+ Qd2 White must take a perpetual check.

Ostrava 1998
White: A.Shirov
Black: Z.Hracek
Opening: Caro-Kann Defence
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3 Qb6!? 5.Nf3 Having seen Hracek avoid the sharp 4...e6 5.g4 lines, Shirov decides to keep the game in quiet channels (5.g4 Bd7 now yields little for White). 5...e6 6.Be2 Nd7 7.O-O Ne7 8.b3 c5 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Nd4 a6 11.Be3 Qd8 12.g4!? Bg6 13.f4 Ne4 14.Na4! h5 15.f5 hxg4! 16.fxe6! 16.fxg6? Nxg6 would give Black outstanding compensation for the piece; Shirov, as always, plays to keep the initiative. 16...g3 17.exf7+ Bxf7 18.h3 g2? Up to here Hracek has defended well but the text move is too optimistic. Had Black played 18...g5! 19.Bg4 Bg7 20.Ne6 Bxe6 21.Bxe6 Bxe5 then his survival chances were excellent.

19.Rxf7!! Kxf7 20.Bg4 Suddenly Black is helpless against an assault on the light squares. 20...Qc7 21.Qf3+ Ke8 22.Be6 Nc6 23.Bxd5 Nxd4 24.Qxe4
1-0
After 24...Ne2+ 25.Kxg2 Rc8 26.Qg6+ Kd8 27.Bc4!, Black is dead.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5

Black sacrifices a pawn, in order to gain positional advantage.

3. dxe5 Ne4 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Qc2 d5 6. exd6ep Bf5 7. Qb3 Nc6 8. Nf3 Qxd6 9. e3 O-O-O 10. Be2 Qg6 11. Nh4 Qf6 12. Nxf5 Qxf5 13. O-O Nc5

... and White resigns!

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