Kasparov Continues To Be Unimpressive
By Arvind Aaron
There is nothing much to write about a 11-move draw. Obviously, it was not the shortest in terms of time a world championship game was played. It lasted 50 minutes. Garry Kasparov obviously was ill-prepared in that line, black had equalised and white did not want to try for the sake of trying. So, draw with Kasparov unable to make a dent with white.
Kasparov is probably giving his team time to break the Berlin in the lab and choosing the English. Or, did he come up with idea in 1.c4? Looks suspect. Opening up the position from move three, he was caught once again in a well prepared line by Kramnik. Surprises these days comes from little moves like 4...a6. Or, ask Piket who made 5...a6 to puzzle a digital monster named Junior6. The 25-year old challenger has remained in greener pastures as far as the opening went so far. Kramnik is pressing with his whites so hard that Kasparov is running out of energy for his whites. Or is he waiting for a tail wind strike at the end?
The going so far confirms that Kasparov is over-reliant on his openings to win games. It has not worked well for him. Kramnik's opening surprises are keeping Kasparov from showing what he prepared all this summer. After this game, one thing is sure: Kasparov accepts draws with white pieces quickly too.
There was considerable disappointment. But the previous games had been exciting that it in a way compensates. It was not a Thursday to remember. Kasparov's offer was verbal (Neechya?) and Kramnik's acceptance was stretching his hand.
The explusion of John Henderson of The Scotsman from the pressroom has been the story of the sixth round. The organisers could not accept criticisms and took a step which can frighten the role of the press, particularly in London. Unless both sides of the story is put in perspective, the act of either can't be faulted. However, this has not happened before to any senior journalist covering top flight chess competitions before and should be seen as `stretching the limit' by either sides. Interestingly, organiser Raymond Keene is himself a veteran journalist, and columnist for The London Times for decades.
When I saw John's e-mail to me two days back I was frightened being a journalist too. Once in the Elista Olympiad 1998, at the White House in Kalmykia I was told that I was not writing positively about the tournament by the staff working for the FIDE President. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. From the next day I got hold of a good telephone line and started to modem my reports directly to the newspaper I write for in Chennai (Madras). Bye bye to faxes which are being read. On that occasion, the Olympiad did not commence for the first two days (the venue was not ready) and it was difficult to say positive things at the start. It will be working against the conscience and even misinformation of reality to a large audience.
Perhaps this had an effect on the short result for game seven. Kasparov's reaction will be known at the end of the meet. For sure, he can't hold up anything longer, the outspoken champ!