25th February, 2003

DESPITE being regarded as nothing more than an Adalucian backwater by
many tour guides, the little sleepy Spanish town of Linares (some four
hours south of Madrid) plays host each year to one of the most
prestigious events on the chess calendar.

Due to the importance of Linares, it is affectionately known to many
chess fans worldwide as the "Wimbledon of Chess", thanks in large to the
strength of the select elite players who usually compete. The twentieth
Ciudad de Linares Supertorneo, which has just got underway at its
traditional venue of the Hotel Anibal is no different - and in many ways
more intriguing this year, with the added attraction of a sneak preview
of the two forthcoming rival world title matches; the winner's of which
ultimately facing each other for a unified world title.

World no.1 Garry Kasparov heads the field in the double-round robin that
includes FIDE champion Ruslan Ponomariov, who are both set to play in
Buenos Aires in June; as is world no.2 Vladimir Kramnik, who will play
world no.5 Peter Leko for the Classical title at a yet-to-be-announced
date and venue. And, for added spice, also among the field of seven is
the on-form Indian world no.3 Vishy Anand, no doubt hoping to prove a
point or two to the other four. The inclusion of Anand also makes the
event the first Classical tournament since Wijk 2001 that the top three
have competed together; though they did all play at the rapidplay
Eurotel Trophy in Prague last year.

The other two contestants, who could become something of a sideshow to
the main attraction above, is the Spanish no.2 Francisco Vallejo Pons
and Teimour Radjabov, 15, the prodigy from Kasparov's home town of Baku
in Azerbaijan.

In the opening round, Kasparov drew with Kramnik, Anand masterfully
squeezed Ponomariov off the board, and Leko can count himself lucky to
have beaten young Radjabov - especially after the teenager uncorked a
spectacular knight sacrifice with 27 Nxf7.

T Radjabov - P Leko
Linares, (1)
Queen's Indian Defence
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 Nc3 Bb7 5 a3 d5 6 cxd5 Nxd5 7 Qc2 Nxc3 8
bxc3 Be7 9 e4 0-0 10 Bd3 c5 11 0-0 Qc8 12 Qa2 Rd8 13 Rd1 Ba6 14 Bxa6
Nxa6 15 Qe2 Qb7 16 h4 Nc7 17 h5 h6 18 Ne5 Ne8 19 Bb2 Nf6 20 Re1 b5 21
Rad1 cxd4 22 cxd4 b4 23 a4 Rac8 24 Rd3 Rc7 25 d5 exd5 26 exd5 Rxd5 27
Nxf7 Rxd3 28 Nxh6+ Kf8 29 Qxd3 Qd5 30 Qg3 Bd6 31 Qh3 Qxh5 32 Qxh5 Nxh5
33 Nf5 Bf4 34 Re4 Bd2 35 Nd4 Kf7 36 Re2 Bc1 37 Nb5 Nf4 38 Re4 Rc2 39
Nd6+ Kg6 40 Bxc1 Rxc1+ 41 Kh2 Nd5 42 Nb5 b3 43 Re6+ Kh7 44 Re2 Rc2 45
Re1 b2 46 Rb1 a6 0-1

JOHN B HENDERSON