The ladies have the day off. I could use a day off, ;) I am busy writing the chess camp I am giving this summer. I have also started a monograph on the Kings Indian Attack. I intend it to provide the next step beyond what Seirawan talks about in Winning Chess Openings.
Anyway, I am finding my eyes glazing over a bit watching the games, but it's not because they are boring.
Next to last round and Kamsky has white against Nakamura and is a half point ahead. Nakamura picking the Najdorf Sicilian hoping for fireworks. Kamsky plays positionally, but may have walked into Nakamura's preparation. Before move 18, Kamsky is down to 30 mins on the clock. Nakamura has used a bit more than 15 mins. Kamsky managed to plant a piece on d5, but is otherwise tied up. Kamsky gives up the exchange, but gets activity and a permanent knight on d5. This was a very exciting, to and fro game, but Kamsky did not find a way through if there is one.
On their heels (1.5 points behind Kamsky), Onischuk needing a win accepts Akobian's Queen's gambit. It looked like it might get very interesting after Akobian's 11.Re1 pins the Be7, but Onischuk escapes with a bunch of exchanges into a very uninteresting position. I thought at the GM level the QGA is drawish.
Shulman plays the English against Robson. It looks like Robson thinks he set a trap with 13...b6, but will it pan out? Shulman bites with 14.Nxc5 and there are lots of Zwischenzug and Desperado moves. Shulman ends up an exchange, but it a bit tied up. Interesting game.
Lenderman as white transposes from an English into a Catalan against Hess. It looks like a good game for me to study on how not to play the Catalan, as Hess seems to equalize easily.
Stripunsky chose closed versus Ramirez's Sicilian. Ramirez struck quickly on the queenside, but it looks like Stripunksy weathered the initial storm and has a nice kingside attack starting with 19.f5. Ramirez is not out of it either, he counter attacks, on the kingside! Lots of fun in this game.
Seirawan tries an English against Kaidanov and lots of exchanges lead to an early draw.
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