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Kramnik’s focus wavers in other events while he awaits title match with KasparovBEGINNER’S CORNERH76441a 1)dfWHITE MATES IN 2Hint: Set it up for the knight.□ □ □Something astonishing happened to Vladimir Kramnik, the second-ranked player in the world, after his April agreement with Garr\ Kasparov to play a title match laterthis year.*Kramnik, who had not lost a game in more than a year, was beatenwtwice - once in a Frankfurt tournament by Peter Leko in June and0again weeks later by Michael Adams in Dortmund.Although Kramnik managed towin the Dortmund event, he finished with a mediocre 5-5 score in Frankfurt - one of his worst tournament results ever. Why the suddenlt;rfalloff of performance?For Kramnik, the explanation wasobvious, as he explained to a journalist in Dortmund:“For the first time I'm in a situation where it’s hard for me to be motivated. This fact makes my play worse, because in sports the mostimportant thing is motivation. 1don't have a concrete aim - myTrappythoughts are on the (upcoming) match with Kasparov. This is the reason my play doesn t work.'But looking ahead, Kramnik wasconfident.“I know that I have goodchances, he said. “1 will light likenever before in my life. 1 expect to'■ * jfip I f ;win.1 he 16-game event will begin in London on Oct. S. With four games scheduled per week, the match will be concluded no later than No\. 4. Two-thirds ot the $2 million purse will go to the winner.Below is an eighth-round win byKramnik in Dortmund against Robert Huebner of Germany. It il-lustrates Kramniks strategically lucid and often crushing style.KramnikHuebner1. d4d52. Nf3Nf63. c4dxc44. e 3e65. Bxc4c56. 0-0a 67. Bb3cxd4S. exd4Nc6d. Nc3Be 7It). Re 10-011. h4Na512. Be2b513. Qd3Bb714. h5Bxf315. Qxf3Qxd416. Bf4b417. R(a)dlQc418. Bd3Qc6Id. Ne4Nd520. Be5(521. Qg3rp22. Nd2Nb723. Nf3Nc524. Nd4Qb625. N xf5exl'526. Bc4Nf627. Be7resigns (a)(a) If 27. ..Qc6 or 21. ... Qb7,then 28. Rxe~etcSolution to Beginner’s Corner: 1.c3! (threatening 2 Nc2 mate) Ra2 3. Nb3 mate.Shelh\ I Annin is a national chessmaster and thre» tune New England champion.SOLVE-ITafter 26. ... Nf6HuebnerH76421a bt d e f g ItKramnikWHITE TO PLAY
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Nashua Telegraph
Nashua, New Hampshire, US
Sun, Aug 06, 2000
Page 97
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