CHESS

There is no sight on earth that upsets me more than that of a top grandmaster off-form. Like a wounded lion, such a beast may lumber through the tournament jungle, desperately trying to assert himself. Yet, more often than not, his stumbling efforts only make matters worse. Here is a sad example from the recent event in Linares, at which grandmaster Ivanchuk - one of the most magnificent players I have ever set eyes upon - was reduced to a pathetic shadow of his normal self by some early losses.

White: Vassily Ivanchuk

Black: Judit Polgar

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d5 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Nc3

Until this moment in the tournament, Ivanchuk had scored but a single half-point in three games. He feels the need to assert himself, yet he would have done better to play his normal game rather than indulge in this dubious gambit.

7...dxc4 8.d5 Nb4!

Had White perhaps been expecting the knight to go to a5, defending Black's extra pawn? It is far superior on b4, ready to gallop to d3 when White plays - as he must - e4 to defend d5.

9.e4 e6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Be3 Nd3

Cutting out any nonsense with Bc5.

12.dxe6 Bxe6 13.h3

Feeble. He must play 13.Nd4 if he wishes to put up a fight.

13...Qd7 14.Qd2

From excessive caution, White lurches into over-aggression. It pains me to see such moves from so fine a player.

14...Bxh3 15.Bxh6 Rae8 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Ng5

A defensive advance! White must provide protection to his e-pawn.

17...Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Nh5

Black is moving in for the kill. The threat is 19...Ndf4+ winning the queen.

19.Qe3 (see diagram)

White is a pawn down for nothing, yet his game is even worse than that might suggest, as Black's next move proves.

19...Ndf4+!

Now 20.gxf3 Qg4+ 21.Kh2 Nxf4 threatens both Qg2 mate and Rh8+ while 20.Kh2 Qg4 is equally fatal. Finally 20.Kf3 f6 21.gxf4 fxg5 22.f5 Rxf5+ is no fun at all.

White resigned.