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Khalifman wins first game of chess final

Grandmaster Alexander Khalifman of Russia punished Armenian Grandmaster Vladimir Akopian's irratic play with a thumping win today in the first game of their six-game final match of the FIDE World Chess Championship being played at Hotel Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas.

Khalifman now leads the match with one point, while Akopian is yet to open his account.

The match which will decide the World champion. The winner takes home 6,60,000 dollars.

Thirty-three-year-old Khalifman scored the win despite the slight disadvantage of black pieces, when Akopian mismanaged his white army. Akopian trails Khalifman 3-5 in overall meetings on the board.

Following the victory, Grandmaster Sergei Shipov considers the Russian a 60 per cent favourite though the official bookies in Las Vegas are not taking any chances. They have made both Khalifman and Akopian joint favourites, with 11-10 odds.

Akopian, considered as lazy by his peers, opened the game from white by avoiding Khalifman's pet Benko gabit and Grunfeld defence.He selected the queen's wing as the major area for the operations. Khalifman went for King's Indian defence and occupied the central squares by his pawns. The game was dynamically equal according to the experts, till Akopian exchanged pawns in the center on 16th move.

GM Rohde was critical of the Armenian's move. ''It provided a nice spot for Khalifman's bishop," he explained on Internet.

Akopian's next move shocked everybody. He sacrificed a piece for the annoying central pawns. Khalifman was under pressure. If he survived the white onslaught, he would win with his extra piece. The hard working Russian played a perfect defence and kept the white army at bay. His 22nd move cleared the position and everybody realised that Akopian was lost. Thought the fighter from Armenian resisted bitterly till the 57th move, the writing was on the wall. Khalifman played his 50th move and retired to his rest room instead of waiting for Akopian to make his reply. As soon as Akopian surrendered, the Russian left the stage, leaving the arbiter and the vanquished in the hall.

Khalifman will have an advantage of white pieces in the second game tomorrow morning.

Final:
Game 1:
White: V. Akopian
Black: A. Khalifman
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. b4 Bg7 4. Bb2 O-O 5. g3 d6 6. Bg2 e5 7. d3 Nh5 8. Nc3 f5 9. O-O Nc6 10. b5 Ne7 11. e4 c5 12. bxc6ep bxc6 13. c5 d5 14. exd5 cxd5 15. Qb3 e4 16. dxe4 fxe4 17. Nxe4 Bxb2 18. Qxb2 dxe4 19. Ng5 Bf5 20. Nxe4 Rb8 21. Qc3 Nd5 22. Qa3 Bxe4 23. Bxe4 Nhf6 24. Bf3 Qc7 25. Rac1 Ne7 26. c6 Nf5 27. Qc3 Rbc8 28. Rfe1 Qg7 29. Rcd1 Rc7 30. Re6 h5 31. Qe5 Kh7 32. h3 Ng8 33. Qe4 Nf6 34. Qe5 Ng8 35. Qe4 Rf6 36. Rxf6 Nxf6 37. Qb4 Qe7 38. Qb8 Nd6 39. g4 hxg4 40. hxg4 Nf7 41. Kg2 Kg7 42. Re1 Qd8 43. Qb2 Ng5 44. Re3 Qd6 45. Qa3 Qxa3 46. Rxa3 Kf7 47. Be2 Ne6 48. Ra4 Nd5 49. Bf3 Ne7 50. Kg3 Kf6 51. Rc4 Ke5 52. Rc1 Nd4 53. Re1+ Kf6 54. Bg2 Nexc6 55. f4 Ne7 56. Bf1 Rc3+ 57. Kg2 Nc2 0-1

UNI