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TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
Buenos Aires Sicilian Tournament

Valery Salov9/14(+5 -1 =8)[games]
Viswanathan Anand8.5/14(+5 -2 =7)[games]
Vasyl Ivanchuk7/14(+3 -3 =8)[games]
Judit Polgar7/14(+4 -4 =6)[games]
Gata Kamsky6.5/14(+2 -3 =9)[games]
Anatoly Karpov6.5/14(+2 -3 =9)[games]
Alexey Shirov6/14(+2 -4 =8)[games]
Ljubomir Ljubojevic5.5/14(+4 -7 =3)[games]

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
Buenos Aires Sicilian (1994)

The Soviet super-grandmaster Lev Polugaevsky played the Sicilian Defense (1.e4 c5) at almost every opportunity, and with great success. He developed and often played the razor-sharp line 1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.♘xd4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 b5!?, which became known as the Polugaevsky Variation, again with excellent results. After he was diagnosed with brain cancer, a Sicilian thematic tournament in Buenos Aires, Argentina was hurriedly organized to honor him. All games had to begin 1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 (2...d6, 2...♘c6, or 2...e6) 3.d4 cxd4 4.♘xd4. The original intention was that Polugaevsky himself would play in the tournament. Sadly, he was too ill to do so, but attended as an honored guest. Valery Salov won the tournament with 9/14. Polugaevsky died the following year.

 page 1 of 3; games 1-25 of 56  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Shirov vs Karpov  ½-½371994Buenos Aires SicilianB47 Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov) Variation
2. Ljubojevic vs Kamsky  0-1651994Buenos Aires SicilianB32 Sicilian
3. Shirov vs Kamsky  ½-½481994Buenos Aires SicilianB65 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...Be7 Defense, 9...Nxd4
4. Karpov vs Kamsky  ½-½261994Buenos Aires SicilianB65 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...Be7 Defense, 9...Nxd4
5. Salov vs Kamsky ½-½461994Buenos Aires SicilianB84 Sicilian, Scheveningen
6. Kamsky vs Karpov  ½-½451994Buenos Aires SicilianB47 Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov) Variation
7. Kamsky vs J Polgar 0-1381994Buenos Aires SicilianB45 Sicilian, Taimanov
8. Kamsky vs Ljubojevic  1-0431994Buenos Aires SicilianB97 Sicilian, Najdorf
9. Salov vs Karpov 1-0621994Buenos Aires SicilianB47 Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov) Variation
10. Karpov vs Ljubojevic 1-0461994Buenos Aires SicilianB84 Sicilian, Scheveningen
11. Karpov vs Salov 0-1671994Buenos Aires SicilianB62 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer
12. J Polgar vs Karpov  ½-½531994Buenos Aires SicilianB62 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer
13. Karpov vs J Polgar  ½-½531994Buenos Aires SicilianB81 Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres Attack
14. Ljubojevic vs Karpov ½-½321994Buenos Aires SicilianB46 Sicilian, Taimanov Variation
15. J Polgar vs Kamsky  1-0381994Buenos Aires SicilianB32 Sicilian
16. Karpov vs Shirov  ½-½481994Buenos Aires SicilianB62 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer
17. Ljubojevic vs Salov  1-0771994Buenos Aires SicilianB32 Sicilian
18. Ljubojevic vs J Polgar  ½-½271994Buenos Aires SicilianB81 Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres Attack
19. Ljubojevic vs Shirov 1-0791994Buenos Aires SicilianB62 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer
20. J Polgar vs Ljubojevic  0-1511994Buenos Aires SicilianB48 Sicilian, Taimanov Variation
21. Salov vs Ljubojevic 1-0441994Buenos Aires SicilianB55 Sicilian, Prins Variation, Venice Attack
22. Shirov vs Ljubojevic  ½-½521994Buenos Aires SicilianB32 Sicilian
23. J Polgar vs Shirov 1-0411994Buenos Aires SicilianB32 Sicilian
24. J Polgar vs Salov 0-1481994Buenos Aires SicilianB81 Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres Attack
25. Shirov vs J Polgar 0-1291994Buenos Aires SicilianB45 Sicilian, Taimanov
 page 1 of 3; games 1-25 of 56  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Aug-25-23  Granny O Doul: As I recall, this tournament was a sort of pre-memorial in honor of the ailing Lev Polugayevsky. Possibly Miguel Najdorf was behind it; seems likely. Anyway, it's more than I expect for myself.
Aug-25-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: My copy of <Sicilian Love>, the tournament book, is buried somewhere amidst the mothballs, but the event was to honour Polugaevsky. To this end, all games were mandated to open 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 and 3.d4.
Aug-26-23  Granny O Doul: The comments to Salov vs Ljubojevic, 1994 provide some more info on the why and how of the tournament.

I remember that Salov annotated that game; maybe in New in Chess. As he told it, it was an honest mistake on his part and he was very angry when Ljubo said to his face, never mind, it's ok, but to others complained it was a psych job.

Nov-04-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: <perfidious> To be precise, Black had to play 2...d6, 2...e6, or 2...Nc6; Black had to play 3...exd4; and White had to play 4.Nxd4. If allowed, Black would surely play 2...a6, when the forced (in this tournament) 3.d4?! allows Black easy equality.
Nov-04-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: <Granny O Doul: . . . Anyway, it's more than I expect for myself.>

What are you talking about? People are always saying, "Thank GOD" and such - plainly an allusion to you. No one ever says, "Thank FSR."

Jan-17-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: White scored +16 =29 -11 (54.5%), about two percent higher than he typically does with the Open Sicilian.
Jan-18-25  Olavi: I believe it was van Oosterom who sponsored this tournament, the billionaire who was also behind the Melody Amber tournaments.

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