East-bloc players dominate early jockeying for '87 world match. Cycle begins even as title for 1984 awaits rematch
The first of three Interzonals (the second step in the two-year cycle to qualify a challenger for the world championship next year) ended May 20 in Tunis. The results follow, with the first four qualifying for the Candidates' tournament, the next step in the cycle, which means a playoff match for the last position is necessary: GM Artur Yusupov, Soviet Union, 111/2-41/2; GM Alexander Beliavsky, Soviet Union, 11-5; GM Lajos Portisch, Hungary, 10-6; GM Viktor Gavrikov, Soviet Union, 91/2-61/2; IM Alexander Chernin, Soviet Union, 91/2-61/2; GM Vlastimil Hort, Czechoslovakia, 9-7; IM Maxim Dlugy, United States, 9-7; GM Gennadi Sosonko, Netherlands, 9-7; IM Nick deFirmian, United States, 81/2-71/2; GM Mihai Suba, Romania, 8-8; GM Predrag Nikolic, Yugoslavia, 8-8; GM Anthony Miles, United Kingdom, 8-8; IM Ivan Morovic, Chile, 71/2-81/2; GM Alonso Zapata, Colombia, 61/2-91/2; GM Evgeny Ermenkov, Bulgaria, 61/2-91/2; FM Asim-Abdel Afifi, Egypt, 31/2-121/2; and IM S. Hmadi, Tunisia, 1-15.
(IM Slim Bouaziz of Tunisia withdrew because of illness; since he had played less than half the schedule, his score was canceled.)
It is ironic that this cycle is starting while the chess world awaits the world championship rematch between champion Anatoly Karpov and challenger Gary Kasparov, scheduled to begin in September. The original match was annulled by World Chess Federation president Florencio Campomanes last February after five months of play.
Today's game features tournament winner Yusupov annihilating Miles with an opening theoretical innovation in the Panov-Botvinnik attack. Miles, who was not in his best form, had earned a reputation as a Russian-beater. In this event the Soviets seemed to be well prepared for him. Caro-Kann Miles Yusupov
1. P-QB4 P-QB3
2. P-K4 P-Q4
3. KPxP PxP
4. P-Q4 N-KB3
5. N-QB3 N-B3
6. B-N5 B-K3 (a)
7. BxN NPxB (b)
8. Q-Q2 Q-R4
9. P-B5 O-O-O 10. B-N5 R-N1 11. P-B4 B-R3 12. Q-KB2 (c) N-N5 (d) 13. R-Q1 B-B4 14. P-QR3 N-B7 ch 15. K-Q2 B-K5 (e) 16. N-K2 RxP 17. Q-R4 NxQP 18. Q-R3 ch P-B4 19. B-Q3 NxN 20. BxN BxP ch 21. K-K1 P-Q5 22. B-B3 PxN 23. RxR ch KxR 24. QxR PxP dis ch 25. Resigns
A. Unusual but not bad. Now 7. N-B3, N-K5! (not 7. . . . PxP; 8. BxN and 9. P-Q5) gives equal chances.
B. This is a new move which seems promising. Black has possibilities of using the KN file for his rook and deploying his KB effectively at R3 (White's next prevents this).
C. This move, which aims at developing the KN at K2, is entirely too ambitious and costs a valuable tempo. White has better chances for counterplay with 12. NB3 or first 12. BxN, PxB; 13. N-B3, aiming for 14. O-O and then a queenside pawn storm against the castled king. Chances would be about even.
D. White may have overlooked this strong move, which incidentally threatens 13. . . . QxB; 14. NxQ; N-Q6 ch; 15. K-K2, NxQ; 16. KxN, P-QR3; 17. N-B3, BxP, winning a key pawn.
E. Actually White could resign after this move, for which there is no effective reply, since 16. P-QN4, QxRP; 17. NxB, PxN; 18. KxN, Q-R7 ch costs the queen. The rest is carnage.
International Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier is a former US champion and has won or shared the US Open title five times.
