Game 28 Gelfand -Adams, FIDE Candidates Match (6), Wijk aan Zee 1994
Game 2 8 7 . . . � b6 8 ttlc3 e6 would have transposed
B o r i s G e lfa n d - M i ch a e l Ad a m s
F I D E Can d i d ates M at c h (6) ,
Wij k aan Zee 1 9 94
Pirc - Ufim tse v Defence [B0 7J
like this game, because on a n u m ber
of occasions the course cou ld have been
changed by a positional sacrifice of the ex­
change or the queen .
1 d4 d6 2 e4 �f6 3 f3
Black wants to play a Pirc-Ufimtsev Defence,
but I prefer to go into a King's I nd ian after
3 . . . g6 4 c4.
3 . . . d5!?
Black doesn't m ind losing a tem po, as the
pawn on f3 doesn 't help Wh ite. 3 . . . eS 4 dS
is a different story, and it occurred in another
game between us in the Fontys Tou rnament,
Tilburg 1 996.
4 e5 �fd7 5 f4 c5 6 �f3 �c6
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2
�------�--� �
7 Ae3! N
This idea was invented d u ring my prepa­
rations for the match together with Evgeny
Agrest, who is now a Swed ish g randmas­
ter. Previously the weaker 7 c3 cxd4 8 cxd4
etJ b6 was played , when Black activates his
light-square bishop, which would be more
problematic i n the game. 7 c4 is another
possibil ity.
7 . . . cxd4
125
ct:J
into a French Defence, but it has never been
part of Adams's repertoire. In modern chess
it q u ite often happens that the fig ht i n the
open ing is not for an advantage, but for the
obtain in g of a position that is fami l iar to a
player and less fami liar to his opponent.
8 �xd4 �xd4 9 Axd4 �b8!?
The kn ight is head ing for c6, where it will
attack t h e centre.
10 �c3 �c6
10 . . . e6.
11 Ab5
Trying to gain control of the dark squares. A
sl ight but lasting advantage could have been
ach ieved with the less ambitious 11 Af2 !? e6
1 2 Ad3 ;!;; , which was tried later in the game
Sadler- Hodgson, (Bundesl iga 1 998/99).
1 1 . . . e6
1 1 . . . AfS was i nteresting . However, at some
point the bishop cou ld have come under at­
tack by g2-g4.
1 2 a3!?
12 �d2 wou ld have led to double -edged
play : 1 2 . . . �aS 1 3 a3 Ad7 14 A x c6 bxc6
1 S 0-0 cS 1 6 b4 �c7 ! (16 . . . c x b4 1 7 a x b4
�xb4 18 E{fb1 +-) 17 bxcS AxcS 18 E{f3 00 . Or
1 2 0-0 Ad7 13 fS �h4!? 00 .
12 . . . Ad7
1 2 . . . A e7 13 �d2 0-0 14 A xc6 bxc6
1S ttla4 ± and the bishop at c8 is shut in.
13 Axc6
a b c d e
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
1"""--=-
""' ....,--
2 2
 My Most Memorable Games
1 3 . . . .txc6?
Now Wh ite's positional advantage is un­
q uestioned . Strong measures were cal led
for: 13 . . . bxc6 ! 14 �a4 (intending �cS)
14 . . . �aS+ 1S c3 cS 16 �xcS AxcS 17 b4
1 7 . . . A xd4 ! ! (17 . . . A x b4 1 8 ax b4 ± is hard ly
sufficient) 18 bxaS Axc3+ 1 9 �f2 O-O ! (Black
needs his dark-square bishop to d isturb
the opponent's king ; 19 . . . A xa1 20 �xa1 ± ;
1 9 . . . AxaS !?) 20 .Etc1 AxaS followed by . . . f7-
f6. Black has just two bishops and a pawn
for the queen , but Wh ite's king is misplaced
and may come under attack.
14 0-0
Threatening f4-fS .
14 . . . 96 1 S 1!fd2 ± 1!fc7 1 6 D13 b6
a b c d e f
a b c d e f 9 h
17 �d1 !
White regroups his pieces. The place for his
kn ight is on e3 , while h i s rooks will aim for
the queenside.
17 . . . hS
The bishop exchange favou rs Wh ite : 17 . . .
AcS 1 8 .Etc3 Axd4+ 1 9 �xd4 ± .
1 8 a4!
Starting to exert pressure agai nst a new
weakness - the b6 pawn . 18 .Eth3 !?
18 . . . .tcS
18 . . . as 19 �f2 or 18 . . . Ae7 19 as !? would not
have solved Black's problems.
1 9 Dc3 .te7
Bad is 1 9 . . . A b4 ? 20 .Etxc6 ! �xc6 21 �xb4.
20 b4! 1!fb7
20 . . . A x b4 21 .Etxc6 �xc6 22 �x b4 +-.
21 gb3 .td7 22 �e3 gc8
22 . . . a6 allows 23 fS ! .
8 8
7 7
6
4
3 3
2 2
'-----------""-
_
.....
�
23 as?!
White has rearranged his pieces and it is
time to begin a breakthrough . However, con­
fronted with a wide range of possibil ities,
I failed to choose the best contin uation. I
was unable to decide on the best move after
23 fS ! AgS (bad is 23 . . . g x fS 24 � xfS ! exf5
� 2S e6 .Etg8 26 exd7+ �xd7 27 .Etf1 +-) 24 fxg6
(24 f6 !? deserves attention, as it ham pers
Black even more) 24 . . .fxg6 2S lWd1 � f7 ±,
although the wh ite position is very menacing.
23 �d3!? is also possible, maintaining both
threats, 24 fS and 24 as.
126
 Game 28 Gelfand -Adams, FIDE Candidates Match (6), Wijk aan Zee 1994 ttJ

23 . . . .tb5!

23 . . . bS 24 fS ! +-

24 axb6 a6!

8
7 7
6

4 A} 28 . . . � e8 29 g4 ! (29 c4 ? d xc4 30 tLl xc4

3
2 gg1-g8 ;
L...-_______ ---""
__ --' 'If
Ioverlooked this reply. At the cost of a pawn ,
Black stabilises the position on the q ueen­
side, and if he should manage to win it
back (the pawn on b6 is hard to defend) , his
position will be defensible. After 24 . . . a x b6
25 gba3 White seizes the a-file.
25 flc3 �d7?
a b c d e
8 8
7 7
6 27 A x cS ! +- fol lowed by 28 c4 was even
5 stronger.
I-�::'
4 4
I--�""",-"=-F''''"","",,,,�
3 3
2 2
L--_______--=-_---I 'If
Too frivolous. Black should have calculated
a l engt hy variation : 2S . . . gxc3 ! 26 tfxc3 c!> d7
(not, of cou rse, 26 . . . 0-0 27 g4 ! with a mat­
ing attack) 27 AcS (27 tfd2 gc8 and if 28 c4
dxc4 with counterplay) 27 . . . gc8 (27 . . . g b8
28 �d4 Ad8 29 c4 Ac6 30 bS +-) 28 tfd4
and now :
127
A x c4 31 tf xc4 tf x b6 ! =) 29 . . . Ad8 (29 . . . h4
30 fS) 30 g x hS g x h S 31 c!> f2 +- followed by
B} 28 . . . gxcS !! (a fine resource) 29 bxcS tfc6
30 c!> h1 (Wh ite is u nsuccessful with 30 b7
c!> c7 ! (30 . . . A xcS ? 31 b8tLl +) , or 30 c4 A xc4
31 b7 c!> c7 32 tf b2 A bS} 30 . . . AxcS 31 tfd2
tfxb6 ;t with chances of defend ing success­
fu l ly.
26 flc5!
Having created an outpost on cS, White can
open up the game with help of his c -pawn.
26 . . . flxc5
After 26 . . . AxcS both 27 bxcS !? and 27 AxcS
are strong .
27 bxc5
27 . . . flc8 28 c4 dxc4
28 . . . A xc4 29 tLl x c4 d x c4 30 Af2+ c!> e8
(30 . . . tfdS 31 tfc2 c!> e8 32 tfa4+ +-) 31 tf b4
and White should win easily.
29 flc1 �e8 30 �xc4 Od5
30 . . . gxcS 31 tLl d6+ A xd6 32 A xcS A x cS+
33 gxcS tf x b6 was hardly enough for sur­
vival .
31 �a5
31 tLl d6+ A xd6 32 exd6 seems obvious,
but the position after 32 . . . Ac6 ± fol lowed
by . . . a6-aS was not completely clear to me.
 My Most Memorable Games

36 �xg2 gxd1 + 37 Ag1 A xg2+ 38 c;!? xg2

8 1_"'-'-- 8 g b1 39 A a7 Ad 8 ! 40 b8 � gx b8 41 A xb8
Axa5) 35 . . . �xc6 36 gb1 gb8 37 �b2 +- fol­
7 7
lowed by 38 A a7 ;
6
B2) 32 . . . A a4 !? 33 b7 gb5 34 gc1 A b4
35 � b2 !? (probably even stronger than
35 �f2 A x a5 36 gc8+ c;!? d7 37 b8 f#
3 gx b8 38 gx b8 with good winning chances)
35 . . . c;!? d7 (35 . . . A x a5 36 b8 � + Ad8 37
2 � 2 x b5+ �x b5 38 �d6 +-) 36 � c6 Ad6
(36 . . . �x c6 37 gxc6 c;!? x c6 38 �a1 c;!? xb7
39 �x a4) 37 b8� + ! ? (or 37 �a1 ) 37 . . . c;!? e8
(37 . . . gx b8 38 � x b8+ A x b8 39 Ae3)
31 . . . Acs
38 exd6! +- gx b2 39 d7+ c;!? f8 40 d8 � +
31 . . . A xc5 32 gxc5 gxc5 33 b7 +-, or �xd8 41 � xd8.
31 . . . gd8 32 b7 Ac6 33 �b2 Ax b7 34 � x b7
32 .te3 Oe4 33 �xcS OxcS 34 h3?1
�xd4+ 35 �xd4 gxd4 36 c6 +-.
34 �e2 fol lowed by � f3 was s impler (the
From the practical point of view 31 . . . gxc5 !? same manoeuvre was also possible a little
was stronger: later), but, being slightly short of time, I over­
A) 32 b7 ? looks to be easily winning. H ow­ looked this possibil ity.
ever, Black has an incred i ble defensive re ­ 34 . . . 0b5 35 Oc2 OcS 3S �h2
source - 32 . . . gxc1 + 33 �xc1 �xd4+ 34 c;!? h1
36 �e2 ! .
..
3S . . . a5 37 ga1
37 �e2 ! .
37 . . . gaS 38 ga4 h4 39 Oa2 Ob5 40 Oc4
OcS 41 Oa2 Ob5
a b c d e f 9 h
8 X 8
7 7
6
34 . . . � b6 !! 35 �c8+ A d8 36 b8 � (36 � c6
5
A xc6 37 b8 � �x b8 38 �x b8 as ±) 4
36 . . . �xa5 00 with good chances of surviving.
Despite his extra q ueen , White h as no tar­
gets to attack. An analogy with the position
exami ned i n the com ment on Black's 1 3 t h
move inevitably comes to mi nd ! ; �------�--� �

B) 32 gd1 ! i s stronger: 42 cSI

B 1 ) 32 . . . gc8 (passive) 33 b7 gd8 34 c;!? h1
Ac6 (34 . . . A a4 35 A b6 A xd1 (35 . . . �xd2
36 gxd2) 36 �xd5 exd5 37 Axd8) 35 � xc6
(avoiding the trap 35 A b6 ?? �xg2+ !
128
By exchanging one of his passed pawns,
White activates his pieces and this, together
with the b-pawn , decides the outcome of the
game.
 Game 29 Gelfand - Topalov, Dos Hermanas 1 994
42 •xe6 43 Hxa5 Hb8 44 Ha7 .e4
. . .
44 . . . Ad8 45 �a3 ! , and Wh ite controls the
a3-f8 d iagonal .
45 .b3 �8 46 Hd7
Activating the rook and threatening b6-b7.
46 ... g5 47 Hd4!
Now Black's kingside is weakened as wel l ,
cutting short his resistance.
47 . . . •f5
47 . . . �b7 48 .E!c4 g xf4 49 .E!xf4 +-.
48 He4! Hb7
48 . . . gxf4 49 A xf4 +-.
49 He8+ �g7 50 He7 g xf4
50 . �e4 51 .E!x b7 gxf4 52 Af2 (52 .E!xe7 fxe3
. .
is far from clear) 52 . . . �x b7 53 �f3.
***
Game 2 9
B o r i s G e l fa n d - Ve s e l i n To p a l ov
Dos H e r m a n as 1 9 94
Du tch Defence [A 89]
Although I have a negative score with
Veselin, I have won number of games against
him as wel l , and of these this is the one that
I like most. It enabled me to take the lead in
this prestigious event, which I was able to
maintain right to the end. Vesel i n was already
a dangerous opponent and it was clear that
he was going to keep on improving. And for
already ten years now he has almost per­
manently been ranked among the best 5- 1 0
players i n the world. H e never hesitates to
play as riski ly as possible, an � this is excel­
lently combi ned with a deep understanding
of both dynamic and strateg ic positions.
1 d4 f5 2 g3 �f6 3 Ag2 g6 4 e4 Ag7
5 �e3 0-0 6 �f3 d6 7 0-0 �e6 8 d5
�a5
129
CD
a b c d e 9 h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3
2 2
a b c d e 9 h 'lJ
51 Ad4! .e4 52 .f3 Black resigns
In view of 52 . . . �xd4 53 .E!x b7 (53 �x b7 ? !
�x e5 !) 5 3 . . . Ac5 5 4 �g4+ a n d mate, Black
resigned .
8
7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2
a b c d e 9 h 'lJ
M y opponent has chosen the sharpest l i n e
i n t h e m a i n system o f t h e Len ingrad Vari­
ation . That is Veselin - he always goes for the
sharpest possibilities. Here Black's plans are
similar to the Yugoslav Variation of the King's
I ndian Defence, but the position of the pawn
on f5 (compared to f7) is in White's favour, in
my opin ion , as it seriously weakens Black's
position (the plus, on other han d , is control
of the e4 sq uare) . However, as Tigran Pet­
rosian once joked : ' If you r opponent wants