THE IVANCHUK PLANET

GM VASSILY IVANCHUK


The GM Vassily Ivanchuk, is one of the biggest stars in the chess world since the decade of 90, of the twentieth century.
Although it is immensely strong, you never know what he will produce in a given time;
A pieceof art masterly brilliant ?
Or a misyake with a unexpected resignation ?
We never know.
Here, I offer you one of the unforgettable productions of this imaginative Ukrainian GM.
Enjoy !


Vesselin Topalov - Vassily Ivanchuk
Linares, 1999
ECO: A35

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.g3 Bb4 + 6.Nc3 Qa5 7.Ndb5 d5! 8.a3 Bxc3 + 9.bxc3 Nf6 10.Bg2 0-0 11.Qb3 dxc4 12.Qxc4 e5! 13.Nd6 Be6


14.Qd3 e4!;
Ivanchuk, sees the possibility of launching in the game the queen side rook winning a tempo and starting a decive attack.

15.Nxe4 Nxe4 16.Bxe4 Rad8 17.Qc2 Nd4!;


18.Qb2 Nxe2!

19.Rxe2 Rfe8!;
Now, it`s a question of using the white squares and the central columns.

20.Qb4;

[20.f3 f5 21.Bg5 Bc4 + 22.Rf2 fxe4 23.Qb4 Qxg5 24.Qxc4 + Rh8 25.f4 e3 + 26.Kf1 Qf5 0:1]

20 ... Qh5 + 21.f3 f5! 22.g4 Qh3! 23.gxf5 Bxf5! 24.Qc4 + Kh8 25.Re1;


25 ..., Rxe4 +!
0:1

(26.Qxe4 Qxh2 + 27.Ke3 Bxe4 28.fxe4;
Mate in 7!
28 ... Qg3 + 29.Ke2 Qd3 + 30.Kf2 Rf8 + 31.Kg2 Qf3 + 32.Kh2 Qf2 + 33.Kh1 Rf3 34.Re3 Qf1 + 35.Kh2 Qh3 + 36.Kg1 Rf1 # 0-1)