Kamsky Joins Leaders in Baku
By Jennifer Shahade   
April 27, 2008
At the Baku Grand Prix (April 20-May 6), American World Championship candidate Gata Kamsky defeated the English super-GM Michael Adams on the White side of a complicated Ruy Lopez. Kamsky now shares the lead with Alexander Grischuk and Yue Wang.

The outcome of Gata's game was not clear until the very end. In the following position, Kamsky has latched onto a winning plan:
Rc4lead.jpg
Kamsky-Adams, Position after 56. Rc4


Black would like to play Kb3 Rc1 and force a draw by perpetual attack to the rook. However, if Kb3, Kamsky has c6, winning because Black can't stop the pawn after Kxc4 c7. So Black had to play 56...Rd7 instead, after which Kamsky was able to quickly exploit the passive position of Black's rook.

1872

Baku Grand Prix
Standings after 6 rounds
1-3. Gata Kamsky, Yue Wang and Alexander Grischuk-4
4-5. Teimour Radjabov and Vugar Gashimov -3.5
6-10. Peter Svidler, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Magnus Carlsen, Etienne Bacrot and Michael Adams-3
11-Sergey Karjakin-2.5
12-13. David Navara and Enersto Inarkiev-2
14. Ivan Cheparinov-1.5