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K & K line up again
Clash of the giants between Kasparov and Karpov in Frankfurt
by Hartmut Metz
At the beginning of this decade the hackneyed 'old firm' matches between Gary Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov were starting to make the chess world a dull place. Again and again the 2 champions met in successive matches; by 1993 according to the statistics in ChessBase's MegaBase, they had produced a massive output of 164 games. However, after Gary Kasparov's departure from FIDE's world championship cycle, and the re-instatement of Anatoly Karpov as champion of the official chess world association, both arch-rivals have been avoiding one another like the plague; only twice since then have they met in tournaments.
In Linares in 1994, they drew their individual game but Karpov finally emerged as conquering hero with a phenomenal score of 11 to 2 points - which equals a rating performance of nearly 3,000 ELO - and moreover, achieved by the huge margin of two and a half over runner-up Kasparov! It was not until the Las Palmas tournament in 1996 that this humiliating performance was wiped off the slate: Gary Kasparov convincingly won the double round robin tournament between the world's six best players with a score of 6.5 points, and, in fifth place, Karpov not only fall behind his rival with the same margin of two and a half points, but also lost their direct mini-match which ended 1.5 : 0.5.But since then silence has fallen. Often the protagonists seemed to have arranged their tournament contracts in order to avoid participating in the same event - in particular Karpov has acquired this reputation. Moreover, as for a reunification match for the world championship, both parties came up with unacceptable demands.
Further activity was therefore limited to verbal skirmishes: when Karpov recently drew a match against the Dutch GM Jeroen Piket scoring 4:4, Kasparov came out with the following comment: "This is how he defends his title!" Statements such as this and the absence of their fierce rivalry at the chess board have fuelled a burning interest in a new duel of the two giants.
Hans-Walter Schmitt seems to have made the impossible reality: from 29 June to 2 July both Russians will be sitting face to face behind their chess pieces at the Siemens Giants' meeting.
Each day from 6.30 to 9.30 P.M. a rapid chess contest will take place in a famous venue, the Ballsporthalle in the Höchst district of Frankfurt, which was previously chosen for sporting events such as boxing world championship fights or recently as venue for the Davis Cup tennis match between Germany and Russia.Nevertheless, an overall budget of half a million deutsche marks does not necessarily guarantee to bring together the two big Ks.
What is it that makes the difference between Schmitt and other chess organisers who had hoped in vain that Kasparov and Karpov would appear at their event? The Bad Soden resident pointed to two crucial factors in his successful bid to organise this ultimate tournament as part of the diamond jubilee celebrations of his chess club, Frankfurt-West.
On the one hand, he had been able to 'catch' both 'big guys' in 1998. However, Karpov slipped out of the net at short notice.
This ctime, the world's most successful ever tournament player, with an unbeaten record of more than 150 victories in matches and tournaments, was in debt to this tournament, which he can now clear.
On the other hand, an ever-ambitious Kasparov has something else driving him back to Frankfurt.
"I do not like to finish in fourth place," he once jokingly remarked, when he was informed that a German racehorse named after him finished outside the prizes. Admittedly, last year he did better than this, when the world number one ranked player took third prize, but as an eminent authority he does not like this outcome either.
Known throughout the world as a grandmaster who is avid for success, he is now aiming to make good this poor performance, especially since it was only with luck that he managed to overcome Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in the play-off for 3rd place, scoring 2.5 : 1.5. "Negotiations with Karparov's manager were fairly easy this time," according to a happy Hans-Walter Schmitt.
The president of Frankfurt-West Chess Club seems well satisfied with the turn-out for the tournament: in addition to the two world champions, number two in the world ratings Viswanathan Anand will play, as well as Vladimir Kramnik, who holds the position of number three.
In 1998, both these top players had already demonstrated that they are not prepared to play only bit parts in a tournament graced with the most prominent actors in their field.
In a superior manner the Indian and the Russian players reached the final, which was only decided with a 4:3 result in favour of the 'Tiger of Madras' after several extra games.
Anand, who won nearly all the high-class tournaments last year, thereby confirmed his reputation as the world's best rapid chess player.
This year he will also face another challenge when he meets the "Fritz on Primergy" computer in a match scheduled for 3 + 4 July (further background information in an extra report on the strong Master rapid chess tournament and the Ordix Open).
Compared with last year's tournament, the Siemens Giants' event will only be a category 21 tournament instead of 22.
The simple reason is the rating of FIDE world champion Anatoly Karpov, who is currently number nine in the chess world ratings with 2,710 ELO, whereas last year Vassily Ivanchuk had a rating of 2,740 ELO. The ELO average rating of the 5th Frankfurt Chess Classic tournament has therefore dropped from 2,781 to 2,764, although the top seeded players have the following ratings: Kasparov 2,812 ELO, Anand 2,781 ELO and Kramnik 2,751 ELO.
Only playing about with numbers in Schmitt's opinion: "This time the Siemens Giants rapid chess tournament is even more spectacular as both world champions will be involved. Everybody wants to see Karpov versus Kasparov, don't they?" adds the 47 year old Siemens marketing manager rhetorically and answers himself: "In fact, this tournament is the rapid chess world championship!"
The Crown Princes in action
Top class Masters' Tournament will be overshadowed / Fritz achieves promotion from Ordix Open to master class
by Hartmut Metz
All over the world chess organisers would cheer if they managed to organise a category 18 chess tournament with an ELO average of 2,678.
In particular, if the top six seeded players, comprising an ELO average of 2,704, and including the world number five Alexander Morosevich, the rising star from Russia, Britain's Michael Adams, Peter Svidler, another hero from Russia, the Bulgarian top player Vesselin Topalov, Peter Leko and the world's best women player Judit Polgar, the last 2 both from Hungary, are involved.
The field is completed by the German number three Christopher Lutz (SG Cologne-Porz) and the current computer world champion Fritz which has achieved a rating level of 2,589.
However, as part of the Frankfurt Chess Classic event this outstanding line-up pales into insignificance beside the powerful field for the Siemens Giants' meeting, which will bring together Gary Kasparov, Viswananthan Anand, Vladimir Kramnik and Anatoly Karpov (cp. next item).
Nevertheless, the supporting events in the attractive four-headed top grouping are equally important for organiser Hans-Walter Schmitt.
The president of Frankfurt-West Chess Club explains his philosophy thus: "On the one hand we want to open up to new chess enthusiasts, especially young people, who so far have shown little or no interest into the game. On the other hand we want to look after our regular customers as they return to Frankfurt year after year."
Listening to the explanation from the Siemens marketing manager, the message is clear: a high standard of
spectator services is an important feature of the chess week taking place from 28 June to 4 July 1999.
Excellent build-up for major players, big screen displays and live commentary via headphones by well-known grand masters are standard services available to spectators.
Well-priced all-in packages, which include hotel accommodation at bargain level, are designed to attract chess fans from all over the world.But the latest technical equipment would be not worth the cost if the 'product' does not appeal. Last year the crowd paid the same attention to the games in the 'nostalgia tournament' (which included former world championship candidate Robert Hübner) as they did to the Siemens Giants' event.
Legendary players such as Victor Korchnoi and Jan Timman fought their games as intensively as ever. This time the masters' composition was changed completely, as the new generation of young stars will meet the challenge to compete for the two top prizes which might secure them a place in next year's enlarged Giants' tournament with six players. From Tuesday 29 June, to Friday 2 July, they will play from 2 to 6 P.M. No player is more than 28 years old, and in the near future some of them might well become challengers for the title of world champion.
Particular attention will be paid to Alexander Morosevich's rapid chess performance against other top players, as he shot to number five in the world rating list by means of outstanding results in 1998/99.
The 21-year
old Bundesliga player from the Wattenscheid team will face stiff opposition as,
except for two, most of the world's top twelve players intend to come to
Frankfurt.
Only Alexei Shirov (Spain / No. 4) is not among the participants,
as he needs to be at the ready in case one of the big names from the Giants' event drops out. The world number seven player, Vassily Ivanchuk from Ukraine, is staying away as he dislikes the idea of competing against a computer.
He may have good reason if the outcome of last year's Ordix Open is brought to mind: it was convincingly won by 'Fritz 5 on Primergy', thus demonstrating the computer's superiority in rapid chess with a rating performance of nearly 2,800 ELO.
It seems likely that Fritz will get some, at least, of the grandmasters into trouble.
Finally, Nigel Short, the former PCA World Championship challenger, will not be playing as the British player is above the age limit.
Some crystal ball-gazers would surely name the latter's compatriot Michael Adams as a favourite who proved his persistence in rapid chess matches during the world championship knock-out competition in Groningen at the end of 1997; just as much as nobody would disregard Peter Svidler or Vesselin Topalov as likely contenders for the top places.
Peter Leko could likewise emerge as a player capable of being a front-runner, since during his long break from chess tournaments he has increased his strength due to intensive training sessions with Anand, who gained quite some experience as runner-up in his two world championship matches against Kasparov and Karpov.
With utter conviction the nineteen year old Leko states:
"According to some of my fellow players I belong in the category of stars
with a rating of over 2,700 ELO."
Last year he worked as a commentator in
Frankfurt, as he speaks fluent German and English.
Whereas Christopher Lutz is only regarded as an outsider, nobody should underestimate the best women player.
Judit Polgar, rated number 17 in the male-dominated world ratings, can beat anybody with her characteristic attacking style of play.
Not long ago Anand suffered at her hands in the tournament at Dos Hermanas (Spain).
The youngest of the famous Polgar sisters will also play a simul in the Ballsporthalle on Saturday 3 July 1999 at 7 P.M. An hour later, Chessbase´s programme Fritz will be given the opportunity to seek revenge for last year's defeat against Anand.
On Sunday at 1.30 P.M.
the second part of this match will be played, during which Fritz will run on a Siemens Primergy system.
As Fritz will be engaged in the Masters' event and in the rapid chess match against the world number two from India, the computer will
not participate in the Ordix Open, which it won in commanding fashion last year.
Nonetheless, the Open, which has a prize fund of 30,000 DM, promises to fulfil every expectation and become the strongest rapid chess open competition ever played, as far as quantity and quality of players is concerned. "Many title-holders have already registered," reports organiser Schmitt, and presumes that they have high hopes of winning the first prize of 5,000 DM, as well as
the right to compete in the closed Masters' tournament next year.
Statistics of
previous Ordix Opens reveal that so far 719 players have taken part, and
within the last five years four German grandmasters have gained the lead in the
overall records: Rustem Dautov and Eric Lobron with 40.5 points each, Lev Gutman
with 40 points and Raj Tischbierek with 38.5.
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