Aryeh Davidoff: Here is Lev Khariton's latest column at 200 Words at
www.pakchess.com

What is unfolding now in Linares can be justly called the nightmare of
modern chess. One has to be a Tartakower of chess journalism to find a
more fitting definition of Linares: TABLOID! A tournament, once
controlled by the stern Mr.Rentero, has obviously got out of hand, and
the top-flight grandmasters are triumphant in demonstrating to the
chess world the omnipotence of short draws disgusting any chess fan. I
would venture to predict that soon all these grandmasters will not be
able to find any sponsors and Linares will become, in chess terms, a
ghost town. As we remember, not in the too distant past Mr.Rentero
used to fine grandmasters for short draws, but now it is all in the
past…Will there be another Linares next year?
Regrettably, Vladimir Kramnik is doing more than any one in this
tournament, to take all the fire out the chess game. Just look at his
games and you will see that most of them all bloodless draws. Even if
he wins this tournament (which, I hope, is unlikely to happen) it will
be impossible to cross out of the memory all his short draws. In
general, look at some rounds when all the three games are drawn. These
rounds are more the rule than the exception!
I should do justice to Kasparov: almost all his games are fighting
games. But as a joke, I can say that he should thank the organizers
for Vallejo’s participation. Kasparov had made five draws before
he scored his first victory – against the Spanish junior! It
seems that the young Rajabov is Kasparov’s “bete
noire”. Although being the tail-ender in this tournament,
Rajabov has made two draws against Kasparov. Well, do you remember
Rajabov’s last year win against Kasparov? A little while ago
Kasparov was amazed that Rajabov had been invited to play in Linares.
He thought that Rajabov did not deserve it. You may agree with that or
not, but obviously Teimur remains a “hard nut to crack”
for Garri.Showing all this insipid play, isn't Kasparov paying today
for all his, also tabloid, matches with computers?
And last but not least. I do not know whether this tournament could be
more fighting, but the chess world feels the absence of Anand, as well
as such players as Grishuk, Ponomariov, Adams, Morozevich and Judith
Polgar.