Chess: How does White win?

IN AUGUST we seldom see elite tournaments. But this year is different, with the rescheduling of the ber-strong Russian Championship from December to guarantee the participation of former world champion Vladimir Kramnik.

As Kramnik had again accepted an invitation to the London Chess Classic through early December, so the only way to have the strongest Russian Championship of recent years was to move it from its usual slot in late December to August.

The switch secured Kramnik – after his big win win last month at Dortmund, that saw him reclaim the Russian No 1 spot – to lead a Moscow line-up that also includes Sergey Karjakin, Alexander Grischuk, Peter Svidler, Alexander Morozevich, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Artyom Timofev and Alexander Galkin.

The championship comes at a crucial moment in Russian chess, with a big shake-up coming after the national team's dismal performance in failing to make a podium-finish last month at the World Team Championship in Ningbo, China. Russia could have done with the services of not only Kramnik but also comeback king Morozevich.

Morozevich is heading for a return to the Top 10 following his recent win in the Russian "Higher League" Championship and then coming a strong second behind Magnus Carlsen at Biel. His hot-streak continues during the early rounds of the Russian Championship Super-final.

A Morozevich - A Grischuk

64th Russian Ch. SuperFinal, (2)

Queen's Gambit, Exchange variation

1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Be7 4 cxd5 exd5 5 Bf4 c6 6 e3 Bf5 7 h3 Nd7 8 Nf3 Qb6 9 Qe2 Ngf6 10 g4 Bg6 11 Nh4 Qa5 12 Bg2 Ne4 13 Nxg6 Nxc3 14 Qd2 hxg6 15 bxc3 Nb6 16 0–0 Nc4 17 Qe2 0–0 18 e4 Bd6 19 e5 Ba3 20 Rab1 Qxc3 21 Rfd1 b5 22 Rb3 Qa5 23 g5 Rfe8 24 h4 Bf8 25 h5 gxh5 26 Qxh5 g6 27 Qh4 Qxa2 28 Rh3 Bg7 29 Qh7+ Kf8 30 Rf3 Qe2 31 Rdd3 Re6 32 Bg3 a5 33 Bf1 Qe4 34 Rf4 Qxf4 35 Bxf4 a4 36 Rd1 a3 37 Bxc4 dxc4 38 Bd2 Ra4 39 Be3 Re7 40 d5 a2 41 d6 Rd7 42 Bd4 b4 43 Qxg7+! 1–0