The first game turned out to be a tame affair. Kasimdzhanov opted for the Paulsen variation in the Sicilian and Adams’s technical treatment led to no advantage for white. Kasimdzhanov got a comfortable position with his knight holding sway in the centre and after routine manoeuvring the peace treaty was signed in just 18 moves.
Michael Adams drew white in the first game, and the game started with Adams’ favourite variation against the Sicilian Defence 3.Bb5. Adams then played an interesting line with 7.Ba4 instead of the more normal 7.Bf1 or the gambit 7.Bxc6. Rustam then played a new move with 8…Rc8 but Adams continued to exploit the advantage on the queen side. In the early middle-game Adams built up a big advantage but uncharacteristically started slipping and despite being an exchange up did not follow through with 24.Ra7. A few moves later he gave back the exchange and move by move Kasimjanov overhauled Michael to clinch a critical first point in 60 moves.
Game 2
Game 2
Kasimdzhanov had his eyes trained for drawing the first blood if the twinkle in his eyes around 35th move gave any indication. Even as Adams made up for some of the slight lapses on his part and precisely defended for some time, the end came quite abruptly with Kasimdzhanov’s rooks doing the damage. It was a Petroff defence where nothing worked well for Adams who played black. Going for one of the popular variation, Adams was caught in a knight sortie in the middle game that ensured Kasimdzhanov a lasting advantage and he nurtured it for a long time. Even the trading of pawns at regular intervals did not help the English and Kasimdzhanov made steady progress to maintain the pressure. However as the time pressure approached, Kasimdzhanov missed a simple tactical stroke and much to his relief Adams also failed to spot it on move 40 and was gradually outplayed in the ensuing rook and pawns endgame after a further little drama, wherein Kasimdzhanov once more missed a more promising continuation. The game lasted 55 moves.
Game 3
Game 3
The Uzbek was outplayed in all departments of the game. Adams pulled one back in Kasimdzhanov’s favourite Sicilian Paulsen, an opening that had yielded the latter good results against strong opposition thus far. Playing the middle game thematically and yet with a pinch of originality, Adams got a stronghold on the queenside in the middle game and never looked back. It was on the 26th move that Kasimdzhanov faltered for the first time in the game as he lost a pawn through a simple series of moves and also gave Adams firm control in the central files. In the remaining part of the game, even as Kasimdzhanov tried hard, the defence was never easy as Adams rotated his pieces in masterly fashion, exerting pressure with every move and eventually knocking down two queenside pawns. A temporary respite was made available by Adams thereafter as he gave back one of his passed pawn but the result was never in doubt after a tricky move order weakened Kasimdzhanov’s kingside further. The game lasted 47 moves.
Game 4
Game 4
In game four everybody was expecting a draw but the Uzbek does not conform to norms and conventional strategy. He struck back with a positional game that had Michael Adams permanently on the defensive, with every opportunity provided to make a mistake. That came decisively on move 30, after which Kasimdzhanov wrapped up the game with consummate ease.
Game 5
Game 5
Coming from behind for the second time in the six-game final, Adams levelled scores after five games at 2.5-2.5. All eyes will now be on the last game today (Monday) in which Kasimdzhanov will have the advantage of playing white, the colour that has yielded him a 100 per cent score so far in the tournament. He made most of his opportunities against the Uzbek, who employed the Tchigorin variation of Ruy Lopez closed. After following routine theory, in his final game with white under normal time control, Adams capitalised on the chance to close the queenside completely and built a devastating attack on the black king by uncorking a brilliant plan. Kasimdzhanov had little chance once white was able to organise his pieces and steamroll his king side pawns. Soon black’s forces were mere spectators to the slaughter carried out by Adams. The end came abruptly for Kasimdzhanov as he tried for a desperate counter attack by sacrificing a pawn. The queens got exchanged and the game was over in 46 moves.
Game 6
Game 6
Adams knew he had survived by the skin of his teeth as the drama ended with the Englishman threatening to give perpetual checks to keep himself alive and kicking in the match. Adams himself missed a winning opportunity in the closing stages of the game before signing the truce after 44 moves. Determined to score a decisive victory with white pieces, Kasimdzhanov went for a dangerous variation in the Ruy Lopez and was looking in command when the middle game surfaced. However, Adams neutralised white’s advantage with a timely pawn sacrifice that forced white’s king in the open. After a temporary piece sacrifice in the queen and minor piece ending, Adams secured the draw with correct play clearly overlooking a promising continuation on the 42nd move that would have yielded him the champion’s crown.
Game 7
Game 8
In a dramatic final in Tripoli, Kazimdzhanov beat England’s Michael Adams in the two rapid tiebreakers, after the first six games ended in a 3-3 draw.
