With the recent conclusion of the eighth in a series of annual international chess tournaments featuring some of the world’s top grandmasters, Montreal is emerging as a leading chess center in North America. This past August Montreal chess fans witnessed the superb play of Vasily Ivanchuk, who has swept through five recent tournaments taking first place in all. The Ukrainian grandmaster’s play is characterized by clarity of strategic vision executed with sparkling tactics. IVANCHUK VS. MITON (white) (black) Queen’s

Indian Defense 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4.a3 Ba6 5.e3 Be7

6. Bd3 d5!? Black would like to exchange the light-squared bishops and take control of the vital e4 square. 7. cxd5 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 exd5 9.0-0 The theoretical line here is 9. Nc3 0-0 10.0-0 Nbd7 11. Ne5 Bd6 12.f4 c5 with mutual chances. 9… 0-0 10. Nbd2 More active was 10. Ne5!? with the idea of f2-f4, or 10.b3 Bd6 11. Bb2 Qe7 12. Ne5 and again white takes control of e5. 10… Nbd7 11.b3 Bd6! Now Black prevents white from occupying the e5 square. Worse was the natural 11…c5?! 12. Bb2 and white has pressure against the black’s central pawns. 12. Bb2 Qe7 13. Rfc1 Again provoking 13…c5?! 13… Rfe8! 14. Rc2 Ne4 Black has a simple and clear plan: the preparation of an offensive on the kingside. 15. Rac1?! It made a sense to get rid of the annoying e4 knight immediately: 15. Qb5! Qe6 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Nd2 Nf6 18. Rac1. 15… Qe6 16. Rc6 Nb8 17.R6c2 Nd7 18. Rc6 Qf5! Black is now better. 19. Qf1?! An unfortunate square for the queen. Better was 19. Qc2! Ndf6 (19…Rad8 20. Nxe4 dxe4 21. Ne5!) 20. Nxe4 Nxe4 21. Ne5 with a playable position. 19… Rad8 20. Nxe4!? dxe4 21. Nd2?! Fatal passivity. Necessary was 21. Ne5! Nb8 22. Rxc7 (Playable as well 22.R6c2 Bxe5 23. dxe5 c5 24.b4) 22…Bxc7 23. Rxc7 Qe6 24. Qc4 with possibilities for resistance. 21… Re6! 22.a4 Nf6 23. Nb1 Nd5 24. Ba3 Ne7 Final preparations for the impending assault. 25.R6c3

(See diagram)

Step by step Ivanchuk has outplayed his opponent and prepared a final attack . Insufficient but better was 25. Rxc7 Bxc7 26. Rxc7 Nd5 27. Rxa7 Rc6 and black threatens to penetrate along the c-file. 25… Bxh2+!! 26. Kxh2 Qh5+ 27. Kg1 Rh6 28.f3 More stubborn was 28.f4!? in spite of which, after 28… 28…Nf5! 29.b4 Ng3! 30. Qb5 Qh2+ 31. Kf2 Rg6 32. Rg1 Nh1+! 33. Kf1 Qh4 34. Rc2 Ng3+ 35. Ke1 Nf5+ 36. Ke2 Qh2 white is defenseless. 28… Nf5 29. Nd2 Qh2+ 30. Kf2 Qh4+ 31. Kg1 Ng3! 32. Qd1 Even worse was 32. Qe1 exf3 33. Nxf3 Qh1+ 34. Kf2 Ne4+ and black wins. 32… exf3 33. Qxf3 Losing the queen, but 33. Nxf3? Qh1+ 34. Kf2 Ne4+ was not an alternative. 33… Qh2+ 34. Kf2 Rf6 35. Qxf6 gxf6 36.e4 The last attempt at defense. Hopeless was 36. Rxc7 Nh1+ 37. Kf1 Qg3. 36… Nh1+ 37. Rxh1 Qxh1 38. Be7 Qh6! Precision. 39. Rg3+ Kh8 40. Nf3 Re8 0-1