MARK RUBERY CHESS
The clash between Alexey Dreev and Joe Gallagher at the Gibralter Masters was violent and relatively brief. On one hand we have a Russian GM who has consistently hovered just below the world’s elite, and on the other a Swiss based English GM who is noted for some fine books on the openingparticularly those covering the Kings Indian. Dreev,A (2682) - Gallagher,J (2524) [E81] Gibraltar Masters Catalan Bay 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 (The Samisch is a favourite line of Dreev’s, but then Gallagher has written a whole book on it) ... 0–0 6.Nge2 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Ng3 exd5 9.cxd5 h5 10.Be2 Nh7 11.Be3 a6 12.a4 h4 13.Nf1 Nd7 14.Bf2 f5 (It is necessary for Black to open up lines for his pieces even though it weakens his king’s defences) 15.exf5 gxf5 16.f4 Re8 17.Ne3 Bd4 18.Nxf5 Bxf2+ 19.Kxf2 Rf8 20.g4!? (20 Nxd6 was a
sounder alternative) hxg3+ 21.hxg3 Rxf5 22.Rxh7 Kxh7 23.Bd3 Nf6 24.g4 c4 (The text wastes a valuable tempo, instead after 24...Qb6! 25.Bxf5+ Bxf5 26.gxf5 Qxb2+ 27.Ne2 Re8 and Black is on top) 25.Bxf5+ Bxf5 26.gxf5 Qb6+ 27.Kf3 Qxb2 28.Qe1 Rg8? (Gallagher’s last chance was 28...Qh2! 29.Qe7+{29 Qh1!?}Kg8 30.Qxf6 Qh3+ 31.Kf2 Qh2+=) 29.Qe7+ Rg7 30.Rh1+ Kg8 31.Qd8+ Kf7 32.Qc7+ Kf8 33.Qc8+ 1–0 While on the subject of comprehensive book knowledge against raw talent here is an extreme example. The Scottish IM had just completed a book on the Sicilian Dragon, but it was to no avail when he played that variation against a former world champion. Spassky,B (2650) - Levy,D (2320) [B78] Nice Olympiad (1), 1974 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 0–0 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0–0–0 Qb8 11.h4 a5?! (11...b5 and ...Rc8 are the main moves today) 12.Bh6 Nxe4?! 13.Nxe4 Bxd4 14.h5 d5 15.Bxd5 Qe5 16.Bxf8 Qxd5 17.Qh6 Nb4 18.Rxd4 Qxd4 19.Bxe7 1–0 To complete the theme; in 1982 the English GM, John Nunn, had just brought out a book on the Modern Benoni, but this did not in the least daunt the emerging talent who had the white pieces… Kasparov,Garry (2675) - Nunn,John DM (2565) [A67] Luzern ol (Men) Luzern (9), 1982 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.f4 Bg7 8.Bb5+ Nfd7 9.a4 Na6 10.Nf3 Nb4 11.0–0 a6 12.Bxd7+ Bxd7 13.f5 0–0 14.Bg5 f6 15.Bf4 gxf5 16.Bxd6 Bxa4 17.Rxa4 Qxd6 18.Nh4 fxe4 19.Nf5 Qd7 20.Nxe4 Kh8 21.Nxc5 1–0 SEE DIAGRAM WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN