January 25 2009 - Gert Ligterink

Towards the end of round four, Vassily Ivanchuk and Nigel Short sat in the pressroom, watching the pawn ending from Morozevich-Adams. Initially there was some doubt if Adams would be able to hold the position. Both players smiled when they spotted the correct defence. They looked at each other in content, like surgeons convinced their patient will pull through. But then, like a bolt out of the blue, Ivanchuk came up with a question: “Nigel, why did Kasparov retire from chess?”.

Short would not have been more surprised, had Ivanchuk questioned the non-existence of Martians. Hesitantly he proceeded to explain Kasparov has seen it all after twenty years at the top of the chess world. Ivanchuk was not satisfied: “But why doesn’t he play some other opening. Isn’t there more to chess than the Sicilian? He could study the French”.

Short tried again: “Vassily, this might be hard to understand for someone who loves chess as much as you do. Kasparov loves chess too, but above all, he loves to win. He could no longer bring the same energy to the board; especially since he would soon not be the best anymore.” This time Short seemed to struck a chord, as Ivanchuk had no follow up question. He needed some time to digest this alien approach to the game.

Ivanchuk in his element. Other than Kortchnoi, there isn’t a chess player who loves the game more. No more Sicilian? No problem, let’s try another opening. No more chess? Impossible. Naturally, he likes to maintain his high rating and win tournaments. More importantly, he is in love with chess, a game he has sold his soul to long ago.

Ivanchuk had a hard time during the past months. Since the Olympiad in Dresden, when he failed to provide a sample for a doping control, he had been involved in a doping case. In reality, he had fled the playing hall after a painful loss to Kamsky. In despair he rushed by a panicking doping official, who was supposed to whisk him off.

Thank god, Ivanchuk’s doping case was dismissed for ‘technical reasons’. In all honesty, it’s hard to find grounds for this. More importantly, FIDE decided to appoint some sensible people to decide on the case, instead of witch hunters.

It was clear to the committee that someone who regularly knocks down flower pots, or threatens to throw himself down an apartment building’s stairwell after a defeat, can hardly be expected to follow a total stranger to pee in a pot. Moreover, what kind of doping where they looking for? Extraordinary love for chess cannot be captured in a test tube.