Author: Bob Durrett
Date: 14:52:44 10/23/02
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On October 23, 2002 at 10:43:52, José Antônio Fabiano Mendes wrote: > Kramnik vs Topalov, Novgorod, 1997 >[D]r4b1k/ppn2n1p/2p1bpp1/4p3/1PP1P3/P1N1B2P/3NBPP1/3R2K1 w >Black wants to play a5 opening the diagonal for his dark >square Bishop, and possibly the a-file for the rook. How does >Kramnik parry this threat? He found the beautiful prophylactive >move 1.Rb1!!, which not only prevents 1...a5, but also prepares a White >queenside offensive by a3-a4-a5. As the author points out, “1. Rb1 is the >kind of move that is quite logical, but nevertheless difficult to find >particularly during a game --- and when the Rook occupies the only open file.” >Obviously flummoxed by this disruption of his plan, Topalov responded with >1...b6?! When 2. c5! b5 (2...bxc5 3. bxc5 gives White the d-file) and 3. a4 >proved difficult to meet. >It takes deep positional understanding to realize that the d-file is of no real >value because all the entry squares are guarded by the Black pieces. >1. Rb1! is the kind of move played in a game that seems to be an effortless >victory for White. Usually in these types of games the winner stymies >his opponent’s plans causing him to make second-rate moves. >Of course, in order to find 1. Rb1 Kramnik had to realize >that a5 was a threat. >Source ==> http://www.chesscafe.com/REVIEWS/books.HTM Although the "solution," Rb1 was hard to see, was played by a top GM, and received accolades at Chess Cafe, it still may not be the "absolute best move." If no computer finds it, one can NOT rule out the possibility that it is NOT the best move. MORE analysis required to reach that conclusion. How can you know that the computers are not right and the GM is right? Bob D.
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