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The opening theory of Linares, 2004.

Several openings - like The Sveshnikov System / Pelikan, of The Sicilian Defense - got a real workout. Some of these games are VERY important to opening theory. (Some of these openings, like 3.Nc3!? in the Sicilian - that was played a total of six times - resulted in FIVE very short and rather boring draws. A terribly dull system!!)

After 1.e4, c5; 2.Nf3, Nc6; the normal move here be 3.d2-d4. But instead in Round 2, (# 2.) Kasparov chose the move, 3.Nc3!? (I guess to avoid Radjabov's pet Sveshnikov Sicilian.) Kasparov pressed on for a very long time, eventually missing a couple of wins before finally deciding to draw. This was a real game, apparently Kasparov wanted to win.) Play continued: 3...e5!?; 4.Bc4, with a very closed game.

This opening was repeated in the following encounters:
GM V. Kramnik - GM P. Leko; Round No. Four. (# 4.)
(Agreed drawn, in only 18 moves.)
GM G. Kasparov - GM P. Leko; Round No. Ten. (# 10.)
(Agreed drawn, in 19 moves.)
GM V. Topalov - GM P. Leko; Round No. Twelve. (# 12.)
(Agreed drawn, in 21 moves.)
GM A. Shirov - GM P. Leko; Round No. Fourteen. (# 14.)
(Agreed drawn, in 25 moves.)
GM V. Topalov - GM V. Kramnik; Round No. Fourteen. (# 14.)
(Agreed drawn, in only 20 moves - just when it got interesting!)

None of the games, after the second round, were even remotely exciting, at least not in my opinion. Only one was even of any real value to theory. (Topalov's games versus Kramnik in the last round.) There White appeared to have tremendous play ... but the players agreed to a draw.

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I won't give you the games, you can easily download them from either the ChessBase web site, or LCC's, "The Week In Chess."

We saw a few games in the Ruy Lopez ... this opening was actually used quite a lot. It was the feature game in the round where Topalov brilliant defeated Shirov in the Tchigorin System. (The Closed Systems, 9...Na5.) This game will drastically change opening theory, an entire sub-system of this opening may have been blown out of the water here!! Kasparov also narrowly missed defeating Topalov - EXTREMELY brilliantly - in a Ruy Lopez in Round # 13. There were a few short draws in the Ruy - but this was the fault of the players, and not the opening.

Another trend that did not start in Linares - but definitely continued here, was the refusal of any player (on the White side) to allow or accept the
"Marshall Gambit." (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!!?!) Most players nowadays meet this opening with an "Anti-Marshall" line like 8.h3, or 8.a4. And Linares turned out to be no different in this regard.

(Stay tuned for more thoughts on the theory of Linares.)

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This page was last updated on 06/25/09 .