1st May, 2003

IT'S always a bad sign when they start to name tournaments after you, as
invariably this implies a memorial event held in your honour, as you
rest peacefully six-feet under pushing up the daisies.

However, there are some notable exceptions, such as Miguel Najdorf,
Viktor Korchnoi, and former world champion Anatoly Karpov. The recently
completed fourth international "Karpov" tournament in Poikovsky (20-29
April) celebrates the life and achievements of the 12th world champion,
and proved to be one of the strongest closed events held in Russia for
some years.

The category 16 (Elo average 2632) round robin had an international
line-up that was headed by three-time Russian champion Peter Svidler,
and also included former French champion Joel Lautier, and former
Russian champion Sergey Rublevsky. On tiebreak, Svidler took first
place ahead of Lautier after both finished equal first on 6/9.

Despite his advancing years, Karpov, 52, continues to be an active
player on the international circuit. Last year proved to be one of his
best seasons in recent years, which culminated in a memorable win in New
York over his nemesis, Garry Kasparov. The old fox arrived in Poilovsky
hot-footed from Warsaw to officially open the event held in his honour,
fresh from yet another conquest - this time a comfortable 6-2 victory
over the young Polish GM Bartlomeij Maceija in a rapidplay match.

Final Standings: 1-2 P Svidler (Russia), J Lautier (France) 6/9; 3-4 S
Rublevsky (Russia), V Zvjaginsev (Russia) 5.5; 5 A Onischuk (USA) 5; 6 G
Vescovi (Brazil) 4.5; 7 V Bologan (Moldavia) 4; 8 Y Pelletier
(Switzerland) 3.5; 9 S Lputian (Armenia) 3; 10 A Obodchuk (Russia) 2.

P Svidler - S Rublevsky
4th Karpov International, (5)
Sicilian Scheveningen
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be2 d6 7 Be3 Nf6 8 f4
Bd7 9 Bf3 Rc8 10 Qe2 b5 11 a3 Qc7 12 g4 Nxd4 13 Bxd4 Qc4 14 Qxc4 Rxc4 15
0-0-0 h6 16 Rhe1 Be7 17 e5 dxe5 18 Bxe5 Bc8 19 Be2 Rc6 20 h4 0-0 21 g5
Nd7 22 Bd4 hxg5 23 hxg5 Bd6 24 Be3 Bxa3 25 Nxb5 Bxb2+ 26 Kxb2 axb5 27
Bxb5 Rc7 28 c4 Nc5 29 f5 exf5 30 Bf4 Rb7 31 Bd6 Be6 32 Bxc5 Rc8 33 Rxe6
fxe6 34 g6 Rbb8 35 Ba7 Rb7 36 Bf2 Kf8 37 Kb3 e5 38 Rd6 f4 39 Rd5 Rc6 40
Bc5+ 1-0

JOHN B HENDERSON