Not long ago, a mouse was a small, annoying animal useful primarily for scientific research. Today the word refers to a computer pointing device. Computers are altering everything about human thought, and chess is no exception. The way humans play the game is being profoundly changed. One thing that has happened is that a number of dangerous variations, after being subjected to deep analysis by computers, are being found not to be dangerous after all. In some long forced lines, new possibilities are being uncovered. In Smeets’s encounter with Bacrot at the Corus tournament in Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands, on his 17th move Smeets bravely took black’s pawn on d5, perhaps relying on a computer analysis that showed it was safe. But black had access to a computer, too, and it turned out to be a better one. At a post-game press conference, Bacrot reported that with the aid of a computer he had analyzed the variation all the way through to his amazing 27th move. Bravo, computer!

SMEETS VS. BACROT

(White) (Black)

Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. Bb5 a6

4. Ba4 Nf6

5.0-0 Be7

6. Re1 b5

7. Bb3 0-0

8.c3 d5

9. exd5 Nxd5

10. Nxe5 Nxe5

11. Rxe5 c6

12.d3 Bd6

13. Re1 Bf5

14. Qf3 Qh4

15.g3 Qh3

16. Bxd5!?

On the same day of this game, in the A group of the tournament Polgar played 16. Be3!? Bxd3

17. Nd2 Qf5 18. Qxf5 Bxf5 19. Bxd5

cxd5 20. Nb3 against Leko and gained a minimal advantage. The game finished in a draw. 16… cxd5 17. Qxd5!? Rad8 18. Qg2 Qh5! In the last several games in this variation black tried several times to reach a draw by 18…Qxg2+ 19. Kxg2 Bxd3 but only with varying success. The path chosen by Bacrot is much more interesting and brave. 19. Be3 Bh3! An important novelty. Jakovenko tried 19…Bxd3 20. Nd2 Bf5 against Shirov but quickly lost after 21. Qc6! Be6 22. Qxa6! Qd5 23. Qb6 Bh3 24.f3 f5 25. Qd4 Qc6 26. Qh4! 20. Qh1!? An intriguing position would arise after 20. Qc6!? Be6 21. Nd2 Bd5 22. Qxa6 Qh3 23. Ne4 f5 24. Qxb5 Ba8 25. Bd4! fxe4 26. dxe4 and five white pawns should outweigh the black bishop. 20… f5 21. Bb6 An interesting alternative would be 21.f4!? Bb8 (or 21…h6 22. Nd2 g5) with an unclear position. 21… Rd7! The too hasty 21…f4? 22. Bxd8 f3 23. Bb6 Bg2 24. Qxg2 fxg2 25. Nd2 would give white excellent compensation for the queen. 22. Qd5+ Kh8 23. Nd2 Bxg3!! 24. Qxd7 Bf4! 25. Qb7?!

It would be more difficult for black to prove the merits of his play in the event of 25. Qd5! Bxd2

26. Qd6! Rc8 27. Qe5. 25… Bxd2 26. Bd4 Rg8 27. Re7?

(See Diagram)

This completely natural looking move is a serious mistake because of black’s fantastical reply. Maybe the wisest path for white was to force a draw by means of 27. Kh1 Bg4 28. Bxg7+ Rxg7 29. Qb8+ Rg8 30. Qe5+ 27… Bc1!! 28. Re1 Black threatened 28…Qd1#, and 28. Rxc1 is impossible because of 28… 28…Qg5+ 28… Bf4! 29. Re3 Bxe3 30. Bxe3 The alternative 30. fxe3 Qe2 31. Kh1 h6! with the threat of 32… Bg4 was even worse. 30… Re8! The hasty 30…Qg4+ 31. Kh1 f4 32. Rg1! Qc8 33. Qxc8 Bxc8 34. Bxf4 Bb7+ 35. Rg2 Re8 36. Be3 would lead to an equal endgame. 31. Bd4 31. Qc7 h6! 32. Bd4 Re7! 33. Qg3 Kh7 planning g7-g5 and f5-f4 didn’t solve white’s problems. 31… Qg4+ 32. Kh1 h6! 33.f4 Suicidal was 33. Rg1 Qxg1+ 34. Kxg1 Re1#. 33… Re7 34. Qa8+ No better was 34. Qc6 Qxf4 35. Rg1 Bg4 and black is winning. 34… Kh7 35. Be5 Qe2 36. Rg1 Bg4 37. Rxg4 fxg4 38.d4!? Avoiding the terrible 38. Qe4+ Qxe4+ 39. dxe4 g5! and black wins. 38… Qf1# 0-1