England's Adams ousts top-seed, gains semifinals with Armenia's Akopian

Michael Adams of England eliminated top-seed Vladimir Kramnik at the World Chess Championship in Round Five playoff games at Caesars Palace.

After drawing both games in the first of Saturday's mini-matches, Adams swept both games of the second set over his Russian opponent. Kramnik had not lost a game in the tournament before the No. 5 see Adams swept to the victory that put him in the semifinals.

In the other playoff Saturday, Vladimir Akopian of Armenia won his first game from Sergei Movsesian of the Czech Republic and drew the second to secure his place in the semifinals. Akopian will play Adams when the final four begins Sunday.

Liviu Nisipeanu of Romania and Russia's Alexander Khalifman had already secured their places in the final four with victories Friday.

Adams is now a strong favorite to win the championship. Khalifman and Akopian were not expected to survive this long, although both have reputations as strong grandmasters.

Nisipeanu, the 46th seed virtually unknown outside of Romania, has been the surprise of the tournament.

Garry Kasparov, generally considered the best player in the world, and Anatoly Karpov, the current world champion, have refused to compete here. They are involved in disputes with FIDE.

The knockout style tournament began with 100 players of July 31. It will end August 29 when the sponsoring organization, the Federation Internationale des Echecs (FIDE), crowns a new world champion.

The winner will receive $660,000 of the $3 million purse, while those who were eliminated in the quarterfinals Friday and Saturday take home $86,400. Semifinalists are guaranteed twice that amount.

After a long draw was played in the first playoff game of the Adams-Kramnik match, Kramnik won a pawn in the second game.

Most of the grandmasters commenting on the contest were shocked when the No. 1 seed soon offered Adams a draw. They believed Kramnik stood much better.

Adams later said, however, that he liked his position and had even considered declining the draw offer.

In the first game of the next tie-break set Adams, playing white, took advantage of a Kramnik mistake to win material. Kramnik was forced to resign and faced a must-win situation in the second game.

The Russian tried to force a favorable position but only succeeded in leaving Adams with a large advantage. Adams then built up a winning attack.

Movsesian seemed better in his initial playoff game. Facing a key decision, he chose the path that seemed obvious but was incorrect. Akopian gained the initiative and finally arrived at a position where he could force checkmate in three moves.

The Czech pressed hard in the second game but never had any serious winning chances against Akopian's solid defense.

The moves of the first playoff game of Round 5 between Akopian, playing white, and Movsesian:

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 00 5.e4 d5 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.c3 Bg7 8.exd5 Qxd5 9.Bc4 Qd8 10.00 Nd7 11.Re1 c5 12.Bb3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nb6 14.Qe2 e6 15.Ne4 Nd5 16.Ne5 a5 17.Qf3 a4 18.Bxd5 exd5 19.Nc5 Qd6 20.Rad1 b6 21.Ncd3 Bf5 22.a3 Be4 23.Qf4 Rac8 24.Nb4 Rce8 25.f3 Bf5 26.h4 h5 27.Rc1 Rc8 28.g4 hxg4 29.fxg4 Rxc1 30.Rxc1 Be4 31.Kh2 Qd8 32.Kg3 g5 33.hxg5 f6 34.gxf6 Rxf6 35.Qg5 Qf8 36.Qe3 Rf1 37.Rxf1 Qxf1 38.Qf2 Qc1 39.Nbc6 Kh7 40.Ne7 Bh6 41.Qf7+ Bg7 42.Qg8+ 10

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