The Intercontinental super-tournament, which featured a first leg in Morelia, Mexico and a second in Linares, Spain was won by Viswanathan Anand. But the hero of the second leg was nonetheless Alexander Moroze vich, who had finished dead last in the first half of the event. Returning to his native continent, Morozevich managed to win 5.5 points in seven games, tying for second and third places with the prodigy from Norway, Magnus Carlsen. Morozevich’s style at the chess board is almost always eye-catching. He strives to create maximum tension on the board with the hope that in the complications which inevitably ensue his opponent will make the more serious, and final mistake. In other words, he follows the precept: he who laughs last, laughs best.

MOROZEVICH VS. LEKO (white) (black) Queen’s Indian Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5. Qb3 Be7 The main theory of this variation was developed in the line 5…Nc6 6. Nbd2 Na5 and 7…c5. Two days after this game, Anand chose 5…d5 6. cxd5 Qxd5! against Morozevich and equalized easily after 7. Qd1 c5 8. Nc3 Qd8 9. Bg2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7. 6. Nc3 0-0!? Unusual and somewhat passive. More interesting was 6…Bb7 7. Bg2 Nc6!? threatening 8…Nxd4 and 8…Na5 9. Qa4 Bc6, winning the c4 pawn. 7.e4 c5 8.d5 exd5 9. exd5 Interesting as well was 9. cxd5 Bxf1 10. Kxf1 d6 11. Kg2 with better prospects for white. 9… Re8 10. Bd3! Bf8+ 11. Kf1 d6 12. Kg2 Nbd7 13.h4!? White has obtained a pleasant position with an advantage in space. But the black position is very solid. With his last move Morozevich indicates he intends to launch assault on the kingside. 13… g6 14. Qa4 The introduction to a interesting exchange sacrifice. Probably more precise was the immediate 14.h5!? Nxh5 15. Rxh5 gxh5 16. Ne4 b5!? (The problems faced by black are serious. For example no good was 16…Nf6 17. Bg5 Be7 18. Bxf6 Bxf6 19. Qa4 threatening not only 20. Qxa6 but 20. Qxe8! as well; Or 16…f5 17. Neg5 and the knight reaches the sensitive e6 square.) 17. cxb5 Bb7 with an intricate position. 14… Bb7 15.h5!? Nxh5 16. Rxh5 gxh5 17. Ne4 f5! 18. Neg5 h6 19. Nh3 19. Nh3 Bad for white was 19. Ne6 Rxe6! 20. dxe6 Ne5 21. Be2 h4! and black wins. Also not dangerous for black was 19. Bxf5 hxg5 20. Bxd7 Re7 21. Bf5 Rg7. Black wisely decides to make use of his bishop on b7. 19… Ne5! 20. Nxe5 dxe5?! Leko tried to restrict the h3 knight, but loses the important f5 pawn. Preferable was 20…Rxe5!? 21. Nf4 (Not dangerous as well was 21. Bf4 Qf6 22. Bxe5 dxe5) 21…Qf6 22. Bd2 h4! and black’s prospects are not at all bleak. 21. Bxf5 Qf6 22. Be4 Re7 23. Qd1 h4 24. Qh5 hxg3 Black has to provide the f2 square to the h3 knight. Unattractive was 24…Rae8 25.g4 planning g4-g5. 25. fxg3 Rg7 26. Bd2!? White avoids the temptation of transposing the game to a better endgame after 26. Bxh6 Qxh6 (Black would lose after 26…Rxg3+ 27. Kxg3 Bxh6 28. Rg1) 27. Qxh6 Rxg3+ 28. Kxg3 Bxh6 29. Kh4!? where black would have significant drawing chances, and continue to complicate matters. 26… Qf7 27. Qe2 Bc8 28. Nf2 Bf5 29. Bxf5 Qxf5 30. Ne4 Rf7 31. Rh1 Qg6 32. Rh4 Kh8 33. Ng5 Rf5? It looks like Leko overlooked white’s 35th move. In case of the correct 33…Re7! 34. Ne6 Rxe6! 35. dxe6 Qxe6 white cannot get more than a draw by perpetual check: 36. Bxh6 Bxh6 37. Rxh6+ Qxh6 38. Qxe5+ Qg7 39. Qh5+ Qh7 (39…Kg8 40. Qd5+) 40. Qe5+ 34. Ne6 h5

(See Diagram)

35. Bg5! Now black loses his h5 pawn, and white’s attack obtains a new impulse. 35… Kg8 36. Rxh5 Re8 37.g4 Rf7 38. Bh4 Bg7 No better was 38…Bh6 39. Rxe5. 39. Rg5 Qh6 40. Qxe5 Kh8? This last move, played in a time shortage, is a decisive mistake. After the correct 40…Qh7! black could continue to defend himself. 41. Rxg7! Qd2+ Equally bad was 41…Rxg7 42. Bf6. 42. Kh3 Qd3+ 43. Bg3 Rxe6 44. dxe6 Rxg7 45.e7 Qh7+ 46. Kg2 1-0