Uneasy Talk About Peace: Karabakh and Armenia face different problems advisor says
By Zhanna Alexanyan, ArmeniaNow reporter
armenianow.com
June 18, 2004
A political advisor to Karabakh president Arkady Ghukassyan says he
sees a “new situation” evolving in efforts to strike a peace agreement
with Azerbaijan.
Speaking at a seminar in Yerevan Manvel Sargsyan said: “It is not
accurate to talk about the conflict the way it was talked about a
year ago.”
Sargsyan said that while the Minsk Group has been successful in
enforcing the 10-year cease fire between Azerbaijan and Karabakh, its
negotiating efforts have stagnated. The Minsk Group, the advisor said
“has expired”.
Manvel Sargsyan. The advisor says that in the past year the interests
of European Union and Council of Europe have intensified and that the
“European structures” approach a settlement from the standpoint of
human rights and rule of law.
This approach, he said, is a renewed pro-active attitude toward
settlement in an atmosphere in which ceasefire had seemed to be the
final conclusion of Minsk negotiations.
Sargsyan’s comments came during a seminar sponsored by the National
Citizens Initiative, attended by journalists, politicians, political
scientists and government officials. And his words were not all easily
received, especially when Sargsyan described Armenian policy toward
Karabakh as “a mess”.
Stating that the “Karabakh problem also belongs to Armenia,” at the
same time Sargsyan expressed an opinion that situations and problems
are different for Armenia and Karabakh.
“For Armenia it is a matter of safety of a population residing
outside its territory while for Karabakh it is a matter of achieving
self-determination and becoming an independent state,” Sargsyan
said. “If it concerns territorial factors, then Karabakh can solve
that matter with Azerbaijan.”
Asked if he represented the view of official Stepanakert, Sargsyan
replied: “The president of NKR presents the official position of
Karabakh, however, what I said is not too far away from that.”
Leaders of Armenia’s political community reacted sharply to Sargsyan’s
characterization of Armenia policy.
“We have always been taking Karabakh and Armenia as one territory,”
replied leader of the National Democratic Union Vazgen Manukyan. “But
according to your statements it turns out that we only help Karabakh
(but not participate in its survival). If we thought this way then
we would lose the war.”
Journalists, politicians, political scientists reacted to Sargsyan’s
analyses Participants at the seminar speculated that Sargsyan’s
comments and audience responses would draw fire from officials both
in Stepanakert and in Yerevan. The political advisor’s opinions,
some say, reflect a budding division between Karabakh and Armenia
which, before now, had only been spoken about in private.
While maintaining that changes in European attitudes are shifting,
Sargsyan also noted that: “None of the representatives has concretely
explained what it means, however, we believe there is a change which
concerns primary problems of the conflict.”
Sargsyan pointed to a visit to Karabakh earlier this year by Terry
Davis on behalf of the Council of Europe as an indication that
interests has increased on behalf of the European community.
“The line of direct connections has begun and it was interesting that
approaches of all European representatives are the same,” Sargsyan
said. “It is Terry Davis’ well-known thesis, about which he spoke
in Baku, that he is not interested in territories, he is interested
in people.”
Sargsyan also pointed out that there has been no involvement in the
peace process by Russia in the past year. And the advisor speculates
that Russia’s silence is evidence of an agreement between Russia and
the Europeans, to allow the latter more influence.

Cloned: Armenia goes Arabic over wildly popular soap opera
By Marianna Grigoryan ArmeniaNow reporter
armenianow.com
June 18, 2004
Questions of whether Armenia is ” Middle East”, “Central Asian”,
“EurAsian” , etc. might find an answer every day at noon and 6:30 p.m.
If the popularity of the Arabic-centered television serial “Clone”
is an indication, Armenia is crazy for the East.
In Yerevan, the soap opera is having an influence on fashion, on music,
and, probably, on household dinner times.
“Clone” is a Brazilian-produced serial set in 1980s Morocco, about
a love affair between a Brazilian man and an Arabic girl, about a
cloned boy, about the differences between Eastern and Western morals
and manners, about the bright life of the East, followed by bright
Arabic dances and stories of the Koran. Essentially, the ingredients
for 45 minutes, five times a week (10 if you count rebroadcast), of
distracting Armenian viewers from anything except what will happen
to Lucas, Jade, Said, Uncle Ali, Latifa and others.
The program, which is shown in 20 countries, first appeared in Armenia
in February of this year. Now, according to the chief translator
(“Clone” is taped in Portuguese) for the Armenian version, 80 percent
of the republic’s soap opera fans tune in.
“When watching it one has to be stable mentally in order not to
be carried away by Islam and not to become attracted by eastern
customs,” translator Vahe Mkhitaryan says, joking. “However, not
everyone manages to do that. We, too, have become half Islamic.”
Which is okay with sellers in Armenia’s bazaars, where Arabic “slave
rings” and other jewelry have become a fad, and Arabic music is
in demand.
In some yards in Yerevan, children greet each other with ” Salam
Aleikum,” and the reply of “Aleikum Salam,” just like in the show. Some
are “learning” belly dancing, mimicking the moves from characters in
the soap opera.
Dressmakers are feeling the impact of “Clone” madness.
“During each series we always receive orders of clothes like the ones
its characters wear,” says dressmaker Nektar Bagratunyan . “Thank God,
I haven’t yet received an order of a yashmak, but at markets there
already are dresses with yashmaks on mannequins. We receive orders of
long eastern style dresses which are made from falling and sometimes
sparkling fabric.”
So are Armenian girls going Arabic?
“If during the previous series girls tried to look like Brazilian
characters with their curly hair, then after this series people are
trying to copy everything beginning with clothes and decorations up
to dances and words,” says Manushak Soghomonyan, 16, who is wearing
Arabic jewelry. “I want to be like them, too.”
Among popular items is a “slave” ring, a piece of jewelry that
connects the finger with the wrist by a chain and typically decorated
with stone.
For from 1,500 to 3,000 drams (about $3 to $6), merchants assure
customers the buyers can look just like the TV characters.
And with the image goes the music . . .
Clone jewelry “We don’t even manage to place the cassettes with
the music from ‘Clone’ on the displays and every tradesman sells at
least 50 tapes per day which could seem something impossible for us
before,” says
Armen, a tapes seller at Malatia-Sebastia market.
“We’re very pleased with those who show the series, since thanks to
it we have had an opportunity to make some good money,” he says. “I
don’t remember something like this happening before. It seems like
people are hypnotized and it doesn’t have an age limit.”
Shake Galstyan, 23, says the soap opera is a cultural education.
“Everything is presented in such a nice and interesting way that you
always want to listen to stories of the Koran and get to know the
customs of the Islamic world,” she says.
“Proaganda,” says Father Shahe Hyrapetyan, of St. Sargis Church. “This
series is directly against our religion and faith.”
Maybe. But it is religiously being observed 10 times a week on
television and in the markets of Armenia.

U. S. Department of State
18 June 2004
OSCE a Champion of Media Freedom in Armenia, U.S. Says
Remarks by Charge d’Affaires Douglas Davidson to OSCE Permanent Council
The OSCE Office in Yerevan, under the leadership of Ambassador Vladimir
Pryakhin, has demonstrated an “outstanding commitment” to promoting OSCE
principles in Armenia, U.S. Charge d’Affaires Douglas Davidson told the OSCE
Permanent Council in Vienna, Austria, June 18.
Pryakhin has “rightly raised concerns with the authorities over violence and
harassment against journalists, as well as the loss of licenses of two
independent broadcasters,” Davidson said, adding that the United States has
raised both issues in bilateral discussions with Armenia.
Other issues that the OSCE Office in Yerevan has dealt with effectively,
Davidson noted, include freedom of assembly, monitoring alleged human rights
abuses, and fostering political dialogue between the government and the
opposition. He spoke after a presentation by Ambassador Pryakhin.
Following are Davidson’s remarks:
(begin text)
United States Mission to the OSCE
Vienna
RESPONSE TO THE REPORT BY OSCE HEAD OF OFFICE IN YEREVAN VLADIMIR PRYAKHIN
As delivered by Charge d’Affaires Douglas Davidson to the Permanent Council
June 18, 2004
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The United States is pleased to welcome Ambassador Pryakhin back to the
Permanent Council and we thank him highly for his comprehensive report on
the activities of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.
In less than a year since taking on the Head of Office position, Ambassador
Pryakhin has quickly and energetically engaged on a number of issues that
are important to the OSCE. We commend him and his staff for their
outstanding commitment to promoting OSCE principles.
There are, Mr. Chairman, too many areas in which the Office is carrying out
meaningful work for me to list them all or discuss them here. I would
however, like to take particular note of, and commend the Ambassador and his
staff for, the following particular items:
To begin, let me say that Ambassador Pryakhin has been a champion of media
freedom. He has rightly raised concerns with the authorities over violence
and harassment against journalists, as well as the loss of licenses of two
independent broadcasters. These are issues the United States has also raised
both bilaterally and here in the Permanent Council. His continuing
monitoring of media freedom and his coordination with the Special
Representative on Freedom of the Media demonstrates Ambassador Pryakhin’s
commitment and that of his Mission staff to OSCE principles in this area.
Ambassador Pryakhin is to be commended for playing a constructive and
neutral role in encouraging dialogue to resolve the political impasse
between the government and the opposition parties. It is our hope that all
parties will resume a dialogue soon.
The Office’s engagement on the issue of freedom of assembly has been
significant. We welcomed the National Assembly’s passage in April of the new
law on public gatherings, which was drafted at the suggestion of, and with
input from, the OSCE Office in Yerevan. While the law’s passage is a
positive step, we now urge the Armenian authorities to heed the Office’s
recommendations to revise the language in order to bring it fully in line
with OSCE standards.
The United States is pleased to see the Office is continuing to conduct
activities in the area of police assistance and judicial reform, which are
key to strengthening democratic institutions and respect for human rights.
The United States provides substantial bilateral assistance in these areas,
thus reinforcing the efforts of the Office.
We also appreciate the OSCE Office’s record on receiving and conveying
complaints on alleged human rights abuses. In his report, Ambassador
Pryakhin has noted the establishment earlier this year of an Ombudsman’s
office in Armenia. We very much hope that this institution will now take on
the role of receiving and handling human rights complaints.
We also appreciate the OSCE Office’s ongoing assistance to the Armenian
government towards the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution
1373, as well as other international counter-terrorism agreements.
In sum, Mr. Chairman, the United States wished to congratulate Ambassador
Pryakhin and his staff for the fine work they are doing in all three OSCE
dimensions. We wish him well as he continues to face a wide array of
challenges. We would like to say to the Ambassador and his staff, please
keep up the good work!
I thank you very much.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: )

Kansas and Armenia Partnership
WIBW, KS
June 18 2004
AP
State officials today are celebrating a partnership between Kansas
and the government of Armenia.
Since 2003, Kansas has been partnered with Armenia through a national
program that links states with developing nations. Though the history
of Armenia goes back thousands of years, the country has been free
for only 14 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Earlier this year, members of the Kansas National Guard, including
Adjutant General Tod Bunting, traveled to Armenia to visit with
their counterparts.
In April, Governor Sebelius signed a proclamation designating today
as Kansas-Armenian Partnership Day. A ceremony was scheduled for this
morning at the State Defense Building in Topeka.
A delegation from Armenia is expected to come to Kansas in the
coming months.

Kansans, Armenians forge partnership to aid former Soviet nation
By JOHN MILBURN, Associated Press
Kansas City Star
June 18 2004
TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas and Armenia are working to share information
and skills through a budding partnership between the Kansas National
Guard and southwest Asian nation that is struggling to develop in
the post-Soviet era.
At a ceremony Friday at the State Defense Building in Topeka, a
delegation of Armenian Americans and National Guard officials marked
the program’s progress.
“We really want this to be a two-way street, where we learn as much
from them that they learn from us,” said Col. Joe Wheeler, plans,
operations and training officer for the Kansas National Guard.
The Armenian relationship, which began in 2003, replaces the shared
duties Kansas had with California to assist the Ukrainian government.
Wheeler said exchanges were planned between the two nations’ military,
civilian government and civilians themselves.
Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, state adjutant general, returned from Armenia
in late May. He said while the country has a history that is centuries
old, Armenia is a developing country that is seeking greater standing
in the world 14 years after the collapse of the former Soviet Union.
After becoming part of the Soviet Union in 1920, Armenian leaders
remained at odds with Azerbaijan, an Islamic neighbor, over disputed
territory. The two countries began fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh
region in 1988 and fighting escalated in 1991 when the both countries
were independent from the Soviets.
Bunting said the concept of “citizen soldiers” embodied by the National
Guard is foreign to Armenians, where people are used to being servants
of the government.
“Through this program, it is we the people of Kansas who are reaching
out in a spirit of cooperation to the people of Armenia to show them
who we are and how we live.”
A common interest in both countries, he said, was emergency response.
While Kansas has its tornadoes, Armenia is prone to earthquakes and
sharing response techniques could prove beneficial.
Armenia is the size of Maryland with a population close to the 2.6
million of Kansas. While the Sunflower State has its plains of wheat,
Armenia is a rocky country, known for its apricots, tomatoes and
mountains. There are about 480 Armenian Americans living in Kansas.
One of them, Alex Kotoyantz of Junction City, said several issues,
including the long-standing tensions with Turkey, divide Armenians
and their neighbors. Millions of Armenians were killed in what is
considered a genocide attempt by the Turks during their war.
He said Armenian Americans continue to provide millions of dollars
in economic support to their homeland as the economy struggles.
“The mentality is tough to break away from,” he said.

BOXING: DON’T DREAD OUR JUDGES
Watt tells Abelyan he’ll get fair crack at crown
By Anthony Haggerty
Glasgow Daily Record, UK
June 19 2004
RING legend Jim Watt last night accused William Abelyan of piling
pressure on the judges ahead of tonight’s world title clash with
Scott Harrison.
Armenian Abelyan insists home-town bias could rob him of his chance
of taking the WBO featherweight title from the Scot in front of 6000
fans at Braehead.
But Watt swears Mexican Manuel Medina’s points win over Harrison last
year is proof that a foreign fighter can score an upset in Glasgow.
And he said: ‘The judge who voted for Harrison that night has virtually
been told he’s not welcome back in the country to officiate which is
right because Medina won,no question of that.
‘It’s gamesmanship from Abelyan’s camp. They’re trying to put pressure
on the judges.
‘I saw Bernard Hopkins doing it a couple of weeks ago and it worked
for him.
‘Abelyan has sparred with some tough guys and held his own and he
looks to have a cool head so I don’t think he will be affected by
boxing away from home.’
Watt reckons Abelyan will pose a tough challenge but insists the
champion will win through.
The former world lightweight king said: ‘They have based their plans on
moving around and trying to confuse Harrison in the ring using angles.
‘They know that Scott’s strength lies in his physical strength and
aggression and they will look not to match that but nullify it.
Harrison likes a brawl to get involved in combat but Abelyan will
have the first Medina fight in mind when the Mexican came and danced
around and hurt him and won.
‘I hope Abelyan does not do the same because he is a harder puncher
than Medina ‘Harrison wasnot right physically that night and he
followed Medina around the ring but he has learned from that and in
the return when he regained the title we saw a different fighter.’
Watt insists the fear of another loss in front of his own fans and
the damage that would do to his career will be a driving force for
Harrison.
He said: ‘Defeat would be a total disaster because Abelyan is theNo.1
contender and Scott knows he won’t get a rematch if he loses.
‘If Abelyan leaves town with the title, he doesn’t have to come back
and Scott is back in the queue.
‘He’ll have to start facing people such as Injin Chi and Juan Manuel
Marquez, who are tougher routes to a title than Abelyan.’
But Watt tips the Cambuslang fighter to triumph.Hesaid: ‘Abelyan can
box with different styles he’s not one dimensional.
‘However, Scott’s the one with experience at the top level so he is
a comfortable favourite and I expect him to win clearly.
‘It will go the distance but I expect Scott to winand look good
doing it.’
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Quick start not enough for Abelyan
By Bob Mee
Daily Telegraph, UK
June 19 2004
Scott Harrison faces a tricky defence of his World Boxing Organisation
featherweight title against No 1 contender William Abelyan at Braehead
Arena, Glasgow, tonight.
Injuries to both fighters have delayed this fight for three months
and Harrison has also had the distraction of a criminal court case.
The Scot was cleared of an assault charge in the last fortnight.
Harrison’s taciturn, single-minded determination should enable him
to put those issues aside but he could need all his discipline and
patience to wear down a swift, tricky, hit-and-run left-hander.
In the first half of the 12-round fight the champion could have
trouble pinning down Abelyan and might have to rely on a late stoppage
win. But Harrison has no doubts. “I don’t think this is a tough fight,”
he said. “I just see him running all night.”
The Armenian is full of confidence but to win the fight he has to
outbox Harrison, whose experience should tip it his way.

Harrison faces easy fight before brutal talks
By John Rawling
The Guardian, UK
June 19 2004
Audley Harrison is expected to record the 17th win of his undefeated
professional career against Poland’s Tomasz Bonin at the Alexandra
Palace tonight, then resume negotiations with the promoter Frank
Warren over a challenge against the British and Commonwealth champion
Matt Skelton.
Harrison hopes for an equal split in the profits, and has said: “I
want to win the British title. Matt Skelton is a York Hall [Bethnal
Green] fighter, but Audley Harrison brings more to the table than
that. I am asking for 50-50, which I think is fair and reasonable.”
In a letter to Warren, Harrison suggested a joint operation between
his own A-Force promotions and Warren’s Sports Network, but Warren
angrily rejected the offer last night.
“With respect, who the hell does Audley Harrison think he is?” he
said. “He has just been dropped by the BBC and he has no television
deal with Sky or any other company.
“I have the TV contract and Matt Skelton is the champion. Sky have no
interest in signing Harrison so if he wants the fight he can take it
on Matt Skelton’s terms. I am in the business of looking after him,
not Harrison.”
Harrison, 32, has a huge height and reach advantage over Bonin, 26.
The Pole’s record, undefeated in 26 fights, seems impressive, but
closer inspection shows his opponents have been dismal and Harrison
should retain the little-regarded WBF title with few problems.
An altogether more meaningful contest at the Braehead Arena in
Renfrew pits the WBO featherweight champion Scott Harrison against his
mandatory challenger, William Abelyan, a US-based Armenian. The size
and strength of Harrison, the Scottish title-holder, could be decisive.
The world light-welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu has been stripped
of his WBA belt after saying he would fight Sharmba Mitchell for the
IBF belt in November instead of the WBA challenger Vivien Harris.
Harris could now face Britain’s Ricky Hatton with the WBA title
at stake.

Harrison stays focused on Abelyan, not record books
The Scotsman, UK
June 19 2004
HISTORY beckons Scott Harrison at the Braehead Arena tonight. The
priority for Scotland’s WBO featherweight champion, however, is
simply to ensure his ambition to become his country’s most successful
boxer of all time does not become a thing of the past.
There is undoubted danger in Harrison’s mandatory defence of his
title against William Abelyan. Promoters Sports Network, who have
packaged the fight as ‘Risky Business’, have made no secret of the
fact they would have preferred to avoid the American southpaw as they
attempt to steer Harrison towards more lucrative and career-defining
contests.
With no rematch clause in the contract, the Cambuslang man simply
cannot afford to suffer another loss in the manner of his shock
points defeat to Manuel Medina last July which he was able to
emphatically avenge four months later.
Since then, Harrison has stopped Colombian Walter Estrada, a late
replacement for Abelyan who called off injured from the
originally-scheduled meeting in March, to score his fourth victory in
five world-title fights. If he can overcome his Armenian-born
challenger tonight, Harrison will join Jim Watt in the record books
for the most successful world championship contests by a Scottish
boxer.
Watt, who lifted the WBC lightweight title with a 12th-round stoppage
of Alfredo Pitalua in April 1979 and defended the belt four times
before losing to the brilliant Nicaraguan Alexis Arguello in June
1981, will be ringside tonight in his role as Sky Sports’ most cogent
boxing analyst.
He is willing his compatriot to succeed, unfazed by the apparent
resentment towards him from both the champion and his father and
trainer Peter Harrison in the wake of Watt’s criticism of the
performance last time out against Estrada.
Despite Harrison becoming the first man to stop the tricky Colombian
southpaw, an achievement this correspondent believes did not earn him
enough credit, Watt felt there were dangerous flaws in the
26-year-old’s display which could be exploited by a better opponent.
“I know the Harrison family aren’t too happy with me,” says Watt,
“but my honest view was that it was a bad performance against
Estrada. Although Scott was never in danger of losing, he got hit
with far too many silly punches in the first three rounds.
“I’m sorry if Scott and his dad are upset at what I said, but my job
is to call it as I see it. I can’t sit at ringside and ignore the
evidence of my own eyes just because Scott is Scottish. No-one has
given him more praise than I have since he started boxing on Sky and
no-one wants him to keep winning more than I do.”
To keep winning tonight, Harrison must solve the puzzle that is
25-year-old Abelyan, the North American champion who has lost just
four of his 28 fights since turning professional six years ago. He is
unbeaten since suffering a first-round loss to Victor Polo in January
2000, when he cited a stomach bug as the reason.
Nonetheless, as Polo later lost to Julio Pablo Chacon, the Argentine
dethroned by Harrison when he became champion in October 2002, it
would appear to be an encouraging form line for the Scot.
However, in reeling off 13 consecutive wins since the Polo defeat,
including an impressive points success over former WBC champion Guty
Espadas, Abelyan has earned his world-title shot and a reputation as
someone capable of making the best fighters look bad.
Jim Brady, the acerbic American correspondent of Boxing News, said
after Abelyan’s points win over veteran former WBA super-bantamweight
champion Jesus Salud in April 2002 that he “moved so much, they
should have had a lap counter in the ring”.
It is an indication of Abelyan’s elusive style, one which Brady
claims is “death at the box office”. When he knocked out Orlando Soto
in Las Vegas to win the North American title four months later, Brady
was moved to observe “he has a style only a mother could love, but
then she probably doesn’t have to pay to get in”.
Harrison, who weighed in four ounces inside the nine stone limit
yesterday, two ounces heavier than Abelyan, has no doubts his
challenger will be unable to avoid him for 12 rounds.
“He’s awkward, he jumps in and out,” said Harrison, “but I’m in
perfect shape and I will get to him. He doesn’t like to get hit to
the body and there are other weaknesses we have noticed. I just want
to get this guy out of the way, then move on to unify the belts.”
Watt, while anticipating a difficult night for Harrison, is confident
he will be joined in the record books by his fellow Glaswegian by the
end of the night. “Abelyan’s a good fighter, can adopt different
styles and will try and mess Scott about,” said Watt. “Scott has all
the physical advantages, though and as long as he controls the pace
of the fight, I see him winning well on points.”
I believe Harrison, as intensely motivated as he has ever been, will
force a stoppage somewhere around the tenth round.
• Willie Limond weighed in four ounces inside the super-featherweight
limit for his clash with French champion Youssef Djibaba for the
vacant European Union title. Live coverage of both fights from
Braehead begins at 8pm on Sky Sports 2.
• Audley Harrison defends his WBF heavyweight title tonight against
Poland’s Tomasz Bonin at Alexandra Palace in the last fight of his
contract with the BBC.

Washington Times, DC
June 19 2004
Armenia takes on the world
By David R. Sands
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Armenia vs. the world — it hardly sounds like a fair fight. Yet a
group of top-flight grandmasters from around the globe barely scraped
past the Armenian team in a fascinating six-round Scheveningen match
that ended Tuesday in Moscow, holding off a late charge for an
181/2-171/2 victory.
Evening the odds greatly was the fact that the three native
Armenians in the event — Vladimir Akopian, Smbat Lputian and Rafael
Vaganian — were joined by three superstars with national connections:
former world champ Garry Kasparov (Armenian mother), Hungarian
super-GM Peter Leko (Armenian wife) and Israel’s Boris Gelfand (a
student of the late Tigran Petrosian, Armenia’s greatest player).
The Moscow event was held in honor of the 75th birthday of
Petrosian, world titleholder from 1963 to 1969.
Indian GM Viswanathan Anand anchored the world team, which
included fellow 2700-plus stars Peter Svidler of Russia and Michael
Adams of England. Rounding out the squad were GMs Etienne Bacrot of
France, Francisco Vallejo Pons of Spain and Dutchman Loek Van Wely.
Kasparov scored just one win and six draws in Moscow, his only
full point coming in the first round in an English Opening against
Van Wely.
Under heavy pressure throughout the encounter, Van Wely is faced
with a nasty choice when White gives up material for a dangerous
attack: 29. g4 Ba4 30. g5! Bxd1 31. gxf6. With the threat of 32. Qg5
and a quick mate on tap, it turns out the scariest-looking defense
would have been best.
Thus, Black survives on 31…gxf6!, as both 32. Rg2+ Kf8 33. Qh6+
Ke7 34. Nxf7 Bxf3 35. Nxd8 Bxg2 36. Ne6 Qc4 and 32. Bxd1? Rxd6 33.
Rg2+ Kf8 34. Bb3 Qc1+ 35. Kh2 Rc8 leave Black in charge. White’s best
option would be to grab the perpetual check with 32. Qxf6 Rxd6 33.
Rxd6 Bxf3 34. Qg5+ Kf8 35. Qh6+ Ke7 36. Qf6+ Kf8 37. Qh6+.
Black tries instead to play it safe and ends up sorry after
31…Rxd6? 32. Rg2! g6 33. fxg6. Now Kasparov mates after either
33…fxg6 34. Rxg6+ 35. Kf8 Qh8+ or 33…Rxf6 34. g7!. Black
resigned.
The game between Gelfand and Vallejo Pons featured an equally
tricky ending and provided an unexpectedly easy point for the World
squad.
Gelfand, on the White side of a Queen’s Indian, gambits a pawn
early and is pressed to show any compensation. It’s an odd gambit,
indeed, when, after 12. h4 gxh4 13. Rxh4 Be7 14. Rh5 Bd6, the player
with the extra pawn also has two strongly posted bishops.
Black’s 17. Qxg3 Na6 is another annoying move, forcing White to
give up a bishop for a knight to win back the c-pawn and restore
material equality.
The resulting unbalanced position brings with it some fascinating
tactical tricks in which the Spaniard emerges the winner.
After 20. cxb6 axb6 21. Rxc7 Rxc7 22. Qxc7!? (blamed by some as
the losing move, but things don’t appear so simple) Qg6! (see
diagram), Black has a nasty double threat, attacking the rook and
threatening to invade on the light squares with 23…Qd3.
Insufficient now is 23. Qe5 Rf8 (Qc2? 24. Qxh8+ Ke7 25. f3 Qc1+ 26.
Kf2 Qxd2+ 27. Kg3 escapes, while 23. Qxg2 24. Ne4 Qf1+ 25. Kd2 Qe2+
26. Kc1 is only good for equality) 24. Rh2 Qd3 25. Qh5 Ke7 26. Qh4+
f6 27. Qg4 Rc8! and Black wins.
But very intriguing from the diagrammed position would have been
23. d5! 0-0 (Qxg2?? 24. Qb8+ Ke7 25. d6+ Kf6 26. Qxh8+ Qg7 27. Rxh6+
Ke5 28. Qxg7+ is crushing; while 23…Qd3 24. Qb8+ Ke7 25. d6+! Qxd6
26. Qxd6+ Kxd6 27. g4 is still a tough ending for Black to win) 24.
Qg3 Qxg3 25. fxg3 Rc8 and White is still fighting.
But White just overlooks a finesse on 23. Rh3? (the real losing
move) Qd3 24. Kd1 Ke7! (0-0 doesn’t work because of 25. Qg3+ Kh7 26.
Qf3 Rc8? 27. Qxf7+ Kh8 28. Rxh6+), clearing the back rank for the
rook and forcing instant resignation. After 25. d5 Rc8 26. d6+ Kf8
27. e4 Qe2+ 28. Kc2 Rxc7+ 29. dxc7 Qxf2, Black cleans up.
• • •
Two Marylanders distinguished themselves in the U.S. Senior Open
earlier this month in Boca Raton, Fla., limited to players 50 and
older. IM Larry Kaufman of Potomac finished in a tie for first with
FM Fabio La Rota of Florida and IM Victor Adler of Minnesota, all at
5-1. La Rota took the title on tie-breaks.
Maryland master Denis Strenzwilk, a good friend of this column,
finished a half-point back but is the U.S. champ for the 60-to-64 age
bracket. The event was held in conjunction with the 90th birthday
celebration for legendary U.S. GM Arnold Denker.
• • •
Speaking of old friends, Brooklyn GM Gata Kamsky, once one of the
highest-rated players in the world, emerged unexpectedly this week
after years of inactivity to tie for first in the regular rapid-chess
tournament staged weekly at the Marshall Chess Club.
Kamsky, still just 30, had not played since the 1999 FIDE world
championship knockout tournament. At 2717, he remains by far the
country’s highest-rated player.
Armenia vs. the World Match, Moscow, June 2004
Kasparov Van Wely
1. Nf3 Nf6 18. 0-0 Nf6
2. c4 c5 19. Rd2 Rfd8
3. Nc3 Nc6 20. Rfd1 Bc6
4. d4 cxd4 21. f4 h5
5. Nxd4 e6 22. Bf3 Qc7
6. a3 Nxd4 23. h3 e5
7. Qxd4 b6 24. f5 h4
8. Qf4 Be7 25. Qf2 Bb7
9. e4 d6 26. Nb5 Qxc4
10. Qg3 0-0 27. Nxd6 Qc7
11. Bh6 Ne8 28. Qxh4 Bc6
12. Bf4 Bb7 29. g4 Ba4
13. Rd1 Bh4 30. g5 Bxd1
14. Qh3 Qf6 31. gxf6 Rxd6
15. Be3 Bg5 32. Rg2 g6
16. Be2 Bxe3 33. fxg6 Black
17. Qxe3 Qe7 resigns
Armenia vs. the World Match, Moscow, June 2004
Gelfand Vallejo Pons
1. d4 Nf6 13. Rxh4 Be7
2. c4 e6 14. Rh5 Bd6
3. Nf3 b6 15. Qg4 Qf6
4. Nc3 Bb4 16. c5 Bxg3
5. Bg5 Bb7 17. Qxg3 Na6
6. e3 h6 18. Bd3 Rc8
7. Bh4 g5 19. Bxa6 Bxa6
8. Bg3 Ne4 20. cxb6 axb6
9. Nd2 Nxc3 21. Rxc7 Rxc7
10. bxc3 Bxc3 22. Qxc7 Qg6
11. Rc1 Bb4 23. Rh3 Qd3
12. h4 gxh4 24. Kd1 Ke7
White resigns
David R. Sands can be reached at 202/636-3178 or by e-mail at
dsands@washington times.com.