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A PROUD DAY FOR ARMENIA
By Malcolm Pein
The Daily Telegraph, UK
May 8 2007
Levon Aronian won both games against the world champion Levon Aronian
on day two of Rapid Chess Match at the Yerevan Opera House. Aronian
leads 3-1 with two to play after winning with both colours.
Armenia has a fine chess tradition being the homeland of the former
World Champion Tigran Petrosian. This match is of such importance in
Armenia that the Prime Minister is the patron of the event. The rise
of Aronian to world number five and the country's success at the Chess
Olympiads and World Team Championships has made the whole nation proud.
In the words of the Armenian Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan:
'Armenia has a true passion for chess - it is the land of Tigran
Petrosian and of Olympic Champions. Chess is part and parcel of
Armenia's daily life, and it is hard to find a household in Armenia
where this venerated game is not played. Indeed, we glorify our beloved
famous grandmasters, likewise holding the legendary greats from around
the world in the highest regard and extending to them our sincere
hospitality.' Now close your eyes for a moment and try and imagine such
words from a British Prime Minister or indeed any western politician.
Aronian's win in the third game
L Aronian (2759) - V Kramnik (2772) Rapid Match Yerevan (4) Semi Slav
25' + 10"
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 (The
Shabalov Attack, if Black takes on g4 then White plays Rg1 and takes
back on g7) 7...dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nd5 9.Ne4 Be7 10.Bd2 b6 11.Ng3! 0-0 12.e4
Nb4 13.Qb3 c5 (Kramnik must have prepared this but it gives White
the centre and a simple plan of charging down the kingside. Having an
obvious plan is very helpful in 25 minute games) 14.Bxb4 cxb4 15.0-0
a6 16.Qe3 b5 17.Bd3 Bb7 18.g5 Rc8 19.Rad1 Qb6 (19...Nb6 20.b3 Rc3!?)
20.Bb1 Rfd8 21.h4 Nf8 22.h5 (Because White controls the centre he
can afford to weaken his kingside. Black is drifting) 22...Rc7 23.Qf4
Bd6 24.e5 Be7 25.Be4 Bc8 26.Bb1 Bb7 27.Be4 Bc8 28.Kh2 Rcd7 (28...Bb7
29.h6 Ng6 30.Qe3 and a white knight might find its way to f6) 29.Bb1
Bb7 30.Ne4 Bxe4 31.Bxe4 (White intends Rg1 and g5-g6) 31...g6 32.hxg6
Nxg6 33.Qe3 Bf8 34.Kg2 (h7 is an obvious target) 34...Bg7 35.Rh1
Qb8 36.Rc1 Qa7 37.Rh3 Rxd4 (Already desperate) 38.Rd1! (A nasty pin
38.Nxd4 Qxd4 39.Rc8 Qd7 40.Rxd8+ Qxd8 41.f4 is also good) 38...Nf4+
(38...Bxe5 39.Nxe5 Nxe5 40.Rxh7 Ng6 41.Rdh1) 39.Kh2 Ne2 40.Rd2 (Winning
the knight or the rook) 40...Bxe5+ 41.Nxe5 Qc7 42.Bxh7+ Kf8 43.Rxe2 1-0
By Malcolm Pein
The Daily Telegraph, UK
May 8 2007
Levon Aronian won both games against the world champion Levon Aronian
on day two of Rapid Chess Match at the Yerevan Opera House. Aronian
leads 3-1 with two to play after winning with both colours.
Armenia has a fine chess tradition being the homeland of the former
World Champion Tigran Petrosian. This match is of such importance in
Armenia that the Prime Minister is the patron of the event. The rise
of Aronian to world number five and the country's success at the Chess
Olympiads and World Team Championships has made the whole nation proud.
In the words of the Armenian Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan:
'Armenia has a true passion for chess - it is the land of Tigran
Petrosian and of Olympic Champions. Chess is part and parcel of
Armenia's daily life, and it is hard to find a household in Armenia
where this venerated game is not played. Indeed, we glorify our beloved
famous grandmasters, likewise holding the legendary greats from around
the world in the highest regard and extending to them our sincere
hospitality.' Now close your eyes for a moment and try and imagine such
words from a British Prime Minister or indeed any western politician.
Aronian's win in the third game
L Aronian (2759) - V Kramnik (2772) Rapid Match Yerevan (4) Semi Slav
25' + 10"
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 (The
Shabalov Attack, if Black takes on g4 then White plays Rg1 and takes
back on g7) 7...dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nd5 9.Ne4 Be7 10.Bd2 b6 11.Ng3! 0-0 12.e4
Nb4 13.Qb3 c5 (Kramnik must have prepared this but it gives White
the centre and a simple plan of charging down the kingside. Having an
obvious plan is very helpful in 25 minute games) 14.Bxb4 cxb4 15.0-0
a6 16.Qe3 b5 17.Bd3 Bb7 18.g5 Rc8 19.Rad1 Qb6 (19...Nb6 20.b3 Rc3!?)
20.Bb1 Rfd8 21.h4 Nf8 22.h5 (Because White controls the centre he
can afford to weaken his kingside. Black is drifting) 22...Rc7 23.Qf4
Bd6 24.e5 Be7 25.Be4 Bc8 26.Bb1 Bb7 27.Be4 Bc8 28.Kh2 Rcd7 (28...Bb7
29.h6 Ng6 30.Qe3 and a white knight might find its way to f6) 29.Bb1
Bb7 30.Ne4 Bxe4 31.Bxe4 (White intends Rg1 and g5-g6) 31...g6 32.hxg6
Nxg6 33.Qe3 Bf8 34.Kg2 (h7 is an obvious target) 34...Bg7 35.Rh1
Qb8 36.Rc1 Qa7 37.Rh3 Rxd4 (Already desperate) 38.Rd1! (A nasty pin
38.Nxd4 Qxd4 39.Rc8 Qd7 40.Rxd8+ Qxd8 41.f4 is also good) 38...Nf4+
(38...Bxe5 39.Nxe5 Nxe5 40.Rxh7 Ng6 41.Rdh1) 39.Kh2 Ne2 40.Rd2 (Winning
the knight or the rook) 40...Bxe5+ 41.Nxe5 Qc7 42.Bxh7+ Kf8 43.Rxe2 1-0