Shirov makes winning start

By Arvind Aaron

LEON, JUNE 2. World No.4 Alexei Shirov of Spain took a 1-0 lead in the two game first semi-final match of the Advanced chess tournament organised by the City of Leon here on a warm Friday.

Overcoming tiredness, 27-year old Shirov won with ease against 34-year old Miguel Illescas in 30 moves with the white pieces. The game which was interrupted once by a technical glitch lasted 77 minutes with Shirov using just 27 minutes. Illescas is in a must win situation to stay in the tournament. In case of a 1-1 tie, there will be a play-off.

Shirov's class told as he took an expected 1-0 lead. Illescas did not come up with the expected resistance and it was a lopsided start to the four player tournament.

It was the 13th Chess Festival and the third played under Advanced chess. Advanced chess is where players use identical computers to augment their play. The winner of this match will face the winner of Anand versus Judit Polgar match in the finals on Sunday.

In game one, Shirov opened with the king pawn as white and faced the Caro-Kann defence from Illescas. Having surprised black on the eighth move, Shirov, the favourite built a 13-minute time advantage. Quite a significant part, this being a 60-minute a game best of two match.

In head-to-head games, Illescas and Shirov had played 12 games prior to this one with Shirov winning 2-1, leaving nine games drawn.

By the 19th move, Shirov's advantage was lasting as he turned his extra pawn into a protected passed pawn. Illescas sacrificed a rook for bishop to castle on the king side. Shirov who had lost his castling right built a big advantage and Illescas could resign at move 25.

When Illescas understood that white's centralised king couldn't be perpetually checked he stopped chewing his gum to throw in the towel at move 30. Shirov who was a rook up and had a pawn planted in the seventh rank was hiding his smile while making the last few moves.

In Thursday's brief drawing of lots, Illescas drew to play black against Shirov and Anand got white against Judit in their first games. Arbiter J.Espejo of Dos Hermanas is the arbiter and did the lots. Shirov who missed that ceremony following a missed plane connection in Germany, arrived late night in Madrid, stayed overnight in trainer Valery Salov's house and arrived Friday morning. He was not looking fresh but experience should sail him through.

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