04.08.2005 Game Minasian–Dreev became the best game in June
Summer season led to the reduction of our experts, but introduced unanimity as compensation. That’s why June results seem to be quite logical. I inform with pleasure that the champion of Europe Katherine Lahno was the head of the jury. Mikhail Kobalia, Michal Krasenkow, Vladimir Potkin, Sergei Soloviov, Ilya Odessky and Vladimir Barsky assisted her.
Michael Kobalia gave an opinion that a few encounters from the European championship could be added to the proposed eighteen games. He remembered games Khismatullin – Dreev and Motylev – Parligras as an example. As far as remember I rejected the first one because it was “too technical” (without any special effects), and the second one – because it was short (what outstanding things can one show in 22 moves?).   These are musty criteria I was guided with and they have to be accepted. Meanwhile, a game that was considered to be the best one consisted of only 25 moves. Before proceeding to the summing up, I will notice that the victory of Radjabov over Kozul could have been among the games-competitors for the title of the best game of the month. It was not included in the list of the nominees as it seemed to me that the defeated left too many things offscreen and the game ended in a blander. I might be wrong as likely as not, but Teimour’s spasm of creativity should have been encouraged.
Voting showed three real contenders for the palm-branch. Struggle for the second and the third places based on the nuances: the game Radjabov – Karjakin was given one first place in the lists (Odessky), three second places and one third,  Riazantsev – Rublevsky – two first places (Barsky, Soloviov), one second and one third. According to our system of calculation Sergey Karjakin got the second place, I hope, Sergey Rublevsky won’t be upset very much about that.
There can’t be any disputes about the best game. Aleksey Dreev became the winner another time this year. The game in which he crashed Artashes Minasian was given four first places (Lahno, Potkin, Krasenkow, Kobalia), one second and one third. We wish Aleksey to keep up the speed.
Complying with the necessary formalities, I will mention top ten games. An interesting drawish encounter Sasikiran – Berkes is on the fourth place, another theoretical revelation of Baadur Jobava (when he defeated Carlsen in Morozevich variation of the Slav). Then came Smirnov – Milov on the sixth place, Aronian – Korneev on the seventh, Carlsen – Nilsen on the eighth, Gausel – Hillarp Persson on the ninth and Fressinet – Alekseev on the tenth.
In the next issue of “64” Dreev and Rublevsky pain in the details how they were playing their combinations, so there is nothing to be added about this. You can read about the rest games in the review as usual. It’s clear that many games that were played at the European championship have already been covered hot on the trail by the specialists, we will present these games in gift-wrapping. See you again soon.