Ack, I missed the first game, after posting yesterday that it started an hour earlier, I forgot. Krush played a Pirc by transposition and beat Zatonskih.
Game two:
In game two Zatonskih must win as black to move on to the armageddon game. Zatonskih plays the triangle against Krush's Queens Gambit. Krush chooses to make it a semi-Slav rather than a QGD or Cambridge Springs, by playing 5.e3
Zatonskih plays actively. Pushes e6-e5-e4 and develops a dangerous kingside initiative. I think Krush took a needed tempo to play 18.d5, but definitely did not have time for 19.Qc2. Zatonskih misses the win of a rook(23...Qxf1) by playing 23...Bxc2, but is still better. Krush gives up the exchange to keep the pawn structure, but black is still better and Krush has no time. Ouch, Zatonskih gets low on time, and blunders away the game. The pressure in a high stakes rapid game is unimaginable.
Irina Krush is the 2012 US Women's Champion.
Tie breaks are difficult. I hope they split the prize money.
I like the joke told during the break: My friend and I were playing chess. He said, "Lets make this interesting". I agreed, and we played tennis.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
2012 WCC Anand v Gelfand round 7
I notice that the link to the video archive is not very easy to see. This is one you will want to watch.
GM Leko has lots of interesting comments in the coverage of the opening after the first break. No art history lecture during the interesting phase today! Ack, I spoke to soon, but the game did not get too far along and there is plenty of life left in the positon when Leko's resumes his commentary. When Leko starts to run out of commentary, they go to commercial break and drag Karpov away from the Russian language broadcast. This game is definitely the second most interesting of the match so far. This game should spring Anand into action and we should see more dynamic games to come.
Gelfand diverges again on move 6, this time with c5. This is a promising move for us spectators. The pawn structure is unlikely to be balanced. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.c5
Gelfand has released the tension very early, but has made the activation of black's Bc8 very difficult. Generally, black would want to attack the pawn chain at the base to release that bishop, but it is difficult to get enough force together to make the e5 break. Anand choses to go after the head of the pawn chain first.
6...Nbd7 7.Qc2 b6 8.cxb6 Nxb6 9.Bd2 c5 10.Rc1 cxd4 11.exd4 Bd6 12 Bg5 O-O 13.Bd3 h6 14.Bh4 Bb7
This position is going to be about control of they central squares on the e and c files. In particular, the e5 square. If Gelfand can place and maintain a knight on e5, he will have a lasting advantage, which will keep the Bb7 bad and enable a kingside initiative. A permanent knight outpost on c5 would be almost as good. It would tend to dominate black's light square bishop and support the advance of the queenside pawn majority. The pawn structure is long term good for white, because of the queenside pawn majority.
If Anand can break with e5 at a good time, he will be able to solve the problem of the Bb7 and transform the pawn structure in a way that balances white's queenside majority with central control.
15.O-O Qb8. Leko has a nice explaintion of why Gelfand should not play 16.Bxf6; however, Houdini likes this move. I think Anand would be able to hold the kingside attack that Houdini favors, and the resulting pawn structure would in the long term be good for black, because it will enable him to control the central squares.
16.Bg3
Just after Gelfand makes this move, they go to a commercial break, and we get our art history lesson. This is very inappropriately timed. They need to have a better director, that can time the commercials properly. It would have been better to go to commercial early. The art history lessons need to be broken up into shorter segments, also.
Gelfand's repositioning of this bishop makes me question 13...h6. I wonder if this move only pushed the bishop where it wanted to go.
16...Rc8 17.Qe2 Bxg3 18.hxg3 Qd6 19.Rc2 Nbd7 20.Rfc1 Rab8
A pass move perhaps? Anand is asking Gelfand if he has a way to improve his position. Leko points out that 20...Rab8 has a subtle point, it discourages Na4, but Gelfand plays it anyway.
21.Na4
And they break to commercial, but Leko was running out of commentary. When they return Karpov joins them. Leko and Karpov both think 21.a3 to prepare b4 and Na4-c5 would have been better.
This is a key position. In retrospect, it is clear that Anand must play precisely here.
21...Ne4 Karpov and Leko were expecting ...Rxc2 22.Rxc2 Bc6 where Anand's Rb8 puts pressure on the b2 pawn.
Anand's move offers a pawn, but Gelfand declines as this would free up black's game. What he chooses leads to a permanent advantage.
22.Rxc8+ Bxc8 23.Qc2 g5 Surprise! I think Anand thinks he is in more trouble than I see. I expect he is right. He clearly looks uncomfortable with his position.
24.Qc7 Qxc7 25.Rxc7 With the queens off, it is hard to see how Anand generates counterplay. The Bc8 is horrible and the Rc7 is incredibly strong. Gelfand's knights should spring into action.
25...f6 26.Bxe4 dxe4 27.Nd2 f5 28.Nc4 Nf6 29.Nc5 Nd5 30.Ra7 Nb4
31.Ne5 Nc2 32.Nc6 Rxb2 33.Rc7 Rb1+ 34.Kh2 e3 35.Rxc8+ Kh7 36.Rc7+ Kh8 37.Ne5 e2 38.Nxe6 1-0
GM Leko has lots of interesting comments in the coverage of the opening after the first break. No art history lecture during the interesting phase today! Ack, I spoke to soon, but the game did not get too far along and there is plenty of life left in the positon when Leko's resumes his commentary. When Leko starts to run out of commentary, they go to commercial break and drag Karpov away from the Russian language broadcast. This game is definitely the second most interesting of the match so far. This game should spring Anand into action and we should see more dynamic games to come.
Gelfand diverges again on move 6, this time with c5. This is a promising move for us spectators. The pawn structure is unlikely to be balanced. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.c5
6...Nbd7 7.Qc2 b6 8.cxb6 Nxb6 9.Bd2 c5 10.Rc1 cxd4 11.exd4 Bd6 12 Bg5 O-O 13.Bd3 h6 14.Bh4 Bb7
If Anand can break with e5 at a good time, he will be able to solve the problem of the Bb7 and transform the pawn structure in a way that balances white's queenside majority with central control.
15.O-O Qb8. Leko has a nice explaintion of why Gelfand should not play 16.Bxf6; however, Houdini likes this move. I think Anand would be able to hold the kingside attack that Houdini favors, and the resulting pawn structure would in the long term be good for black, because it will enable him to control the central squares.
16.Bg3
Just after Gelfand makes this move, they go to a commercial break, and we get our art history lesson. This is very inappropriately timed. They need to have a better director, that can time the commercials properly. It would have been better to go to commercial early. The art history lessons need to be broken up into shorter segments, also.
Gelfand's repositioning of this bishop makes me question 13...h6. I wonder if this move only pushed the bishop where it wanted to go.
16...Rc8 17.Qe2 Bxg3 18.hxg3 Qd6 19.Rc2 Nbd7 20.Rfc1 Rab8
A pass move perhaps? Anand is asking Gelfand if he has a way to improve his position. Leko points out that 20...Rab8 has a subtle point, it discourages Na4, but Gelfand plays it anyway.
21.Na4
And they break to commercial, but Leko was running out of commentary. When they return Karpov joins them. Leko and Karpov both think 21.a3 to prepare b4 and Na4-c5 would have been better.
This is a key position. In retrospect, it is clear that Anand must play precisely here.
21...Ne4 Karpov and Leko were expecting ...Rxc2 22.Rxc2 Bc6 where Anand's Rb8 puts pressure on the b2 pawn.
Anand's move offers a pawn, but Gelfand declines as this would free up black's game. What he chooses leads to a permanent advantage.
22.Rxc8+ Bxc8 23.Qc2 g5 Surprise! I think Anand thinks he is in more trouble than I see. I expect he is right. He clearly looks uncomfortable with his position.
24.Qc7 Qxc7 25.Rxc7 With the queens off, it is hard to see how Anand generates counterplay. The Bc8 is horrible and the Rc7 is incredibly strong. Gelfand's knights should spring into action.
25...f6 26.Bxe4 dxe4 27.Nd2 f5 28.Nc4 Nf6 29.Nc5 Nd5 30.Ra7 Nb4
31.Ne5 Nc2 32.Nc6 Rxb2 33.Rc7 Rb1+ 34.Kh2 e3 35.Rxc8+ Kh7 36.Rc7+ Kh8 37.Ne5 e2 38.Nxe6 1-0
Saturday, May 19, 2012
2012 US Championships May 19
Today is the last regular round of the 2012 US Championships.
Nakamura is playing a little weird against Seirawan, but he is still playing quickly. I would guess he wants to avoid theory and Seirawan's preparation to just play chess. Nakamura's 18.b4 looks ugly, but solves the problem posed by Seirawan trying to post a knight on c5. Can Nakamura close the c-file by posting a knight on c6? Yes he can, and continue to cause more problems for Seirawan, who uses up way to much time finding his way. While playing on fumes, Seirawan is unable to answer all the questions that Nakamura posed.
Kamsky is a half point behind Nakamura and is facing Hess with black. Kamsky stifles Hess's queenside play and then expands on the kingside. After Nakamura-Seirawan is over, Kamsky looks to have an advantage in a rook and pawn endgame.
Shulman chooses the King's Indian Defense against Onischuk in their battle for third place. Shulman prizes open the center and lots of pieces trade off into a drawn rook endgame.
Stripunsky plays a Sicilian Kan against Robson, but he fianchettos his king's bishop? I don't know the Kan at all, but it seems strange to me. Robson manages to clog up the long diagonal with pawns and get pressure down the f-file.
Kaidanov faces Akobian's NimzoIndian. Akobian makes an aggressive but hard to see exchange sacrifice that gave him a strong initiative that pans out.
To me it seems Ramirez takes an unusual path versus Lenederman's Caro-Kann. Ramirez tries to use his king too early and has to give up a piece to save it.
Nakamura is 2012 US champion
Women's
Krush and Zatonskih are tied after their draw last round.
Zatonskih has white against Abrahamyan. Abrahamyan is a very agressive player, so it is likely to be a decisive game. Abrahamyan gets her queenside pawns scattered and allows Zatonskih to control the c-file the only open one.
Krush is black against Baginskaite, so winning will be a challenge. Krush delays Nf6 but otherwise is playing a King's Indian Defense and Baginskaite chooses the fianchetto variation, but takes advantage of the delayed Nf6 to play Nbd2. Baginskaite loses a pawn and does not seem to get enough compensation. Krush holds the pawn, and slowly improves her position.
Foisor pulls out the Tromponsky against Zenyuk. Opposite side castling and excitement ensues.
Goletiani chooses the Sicilian Kan versus Kats.
Ni plays a King's Indian Defense rather than her normal Benko against Malekhina who goes into the mainline with which she is familiar on the black side. Melekhina engineers a queen exchange, which should tilt this game in her favor.
Playoff tomorrow between Krush and Zatonskih starts 1pm EDT
Nakamura is playing a little weird against Seirawan, but he is still playing quickly. I would guess he wants to avoid theory and Seirawan's preparation to just play chess. Nakamura's 18.b4 looks ugly, but solves the problem posed by Seirawan trying to post a knight on c5. Can Nakamura close the c-file by posting a knight on c6? Yes he can, and continue to cause more problems for Seirawan, who uses up way to much time finding his way. While playing on fumes, Seirawan is unable to answer all the questions that Nakamura posed.
Kamsky is a half point behind Nakamura and is facing Hess with black. Kamsky stifles Hess's queenside play and then expands on the kingside. After Nakamura-Seirawan is over, Kamsky looks to have an advantage in a rook and pawn endgame.
Shulman chooses the King's Indian Defense against Onischuk in their battle for third place. Shulman prizes open the center and lots of pieces trade off into a drawn rook endgame.
Stripunsky plays a Sicilian Kan against Robson, but he fianchettos his king's bishop? I don't know the Kan at all, but it seems strange to me. Robson manages to clog up the long diagonal with pawns and get pressure down the f-file.
Kaidanov faces Akobian's NimzoIndian. Akobian makes an aggressive but hard to see exchange sacrifice that gave him a strong initiative that pans out.
To me it seems Ramirez takes an unusual path versus Lenederman's Caro-Kann. Ramirez tries to use his king too early and has to give up a piece to save it.
Nakamura is 2012 US champion
Women's
Krush and Zatonskih are tied after their draw last round.
Zatonskih has white against Abrahamyan. Abrahamyan is a very agressive player, so it is likely to be a decisive game. Abrahamyan gets her queenside pawns scattered and allows Zatonskih to control the c-file the only open one.
Krush is black against Baginskaite, so winning will be a challenge. Krush delays Nf6 but otherwise is playing a King's Indian Defense and Baginskaite chooses the fianchetto variation, but takes advantage of the delayed Nf6 to play Nbd2. Baginskaite loses a pawn and does not seem to get enough compensation. Krush holds the pawn, and slowly improves her position.
Foisor pulls out the Tromponsky against Zenyuk. Opposite side castling and excitement ensues.
Goletiani chooses the Sicilian Kan versus Kats.
Ni plays a King's Indian Defense rather than her normal Benko against Malekhina who goes into the mainline with which she is familiar on the black side. Melekhina engineers a queen exchange, which should tilt this game in her favor.
Playoff tomorrow between Krush and Zatonskih starts 1pm EDT
Friday, May 18, 2012
2012 US Championships May 18
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.
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.
2012 WCC Anand v Gelfand round 6
Gelfand diverged from previous games with 6.Qc2. Anand gambits a pawn with 9...O-O. Gelfand returns the pawn almost immediately to unwind his queenside, and we are left with another symmetric pawn game with many pieces exchanged. Before move 20 there is a little tension in that the darksquare bishops are pointing at the opposing kingside, but they are also covering entry points for the heavy pieces. I expect things will peter out again.
draw after move 29.
draw after move 29.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
2012 US Championships May 17
Championship
Nakamura gets a very nice position against Lenderman with an exchange variation QGD Ragozin where both castled queenside. Nakamura is gaining space all over the board. Will Lenderman find a way to slip through? It looks to me like Kasparov has been good for Nakamura. Later in the game, Lenderman seems to get Nakamura blocked up and tied down to defending his e-pawn with a rook stack on the half open e-file.
Seirawan seemed to have walked into Kamsky's preparation and was only able to escape by sacrificing his queen for a knight and rook to stop Kamsky's attack. Kamsky looks good with Sierawan's King feeling a bit of a breeze. Kamsky hoovers up Seirawan's queenside pawns and its 1-0
Akobian does much better with his Caro-Kann against Robson's Panov-Botvinnik than Kats does against Krush. Akobian gets a nice domination of the center, control of the open e-file and a powerful bishop on the open a1-h8 diagonal, while stopping Robson's queenside majority.
Stripunsky's Slav defense came under lots of pressure by Hess and Stripunsky blundered in a position where there were lots of things to track.
Onischuk-Kaidanov had a very symmetric QGD, but it did not turn into a boring game. Onischuk sacrificed the exchange in the endgame for a passed pawn. Will he be able to push that a-pawn home?
Ramirez did not find something totally wild this round, and his game against Shulman seems to be settling into an equal game and quiet position. Maybe they are training for the world championship.
Lots of commentary on the ubiquitous nature of the move g2-g4 in this championship (or g5 for black)
tomorrow Kamsky v Nakamura
Women's Championship
All of today's games were strongly contested and went on for a long time. Lots of endgames to look at.
Goletiani managed a Benoni in reverse with an early b4 against Zatonskih. This could be a critical game for both as Krush should do well against Kats today and Baginskaite Saturday.
Krush-Kats transposed from a symmetrical English into a Panov-Botvinnik Caro-Kann. The game seemed to be settling into a drawish game, but Kats blunders and loses the exchange.
Abrahamyan-Melekhina played a much more interesting Sveshnikov Sicilian than Anand-Gelfand did in the morning. Abrahamyan seems to have escaped Melekhina's kingside attack with a trade of queens and ends up a pawn ahead. Long grind after that with Abrahamyan slowly gaining ground.
Ni chose an interesting line against Foisor's Slav defense that left her king in the center, but seems to control space on all three sides of the board to keep her king safe. If she can trade pieces and keep the pawns, will her space lead to an endgame win?
Zenyuk sacs a pawn against Baginskaite but gets a lonely passed a-pawn. Zenyuk never gets the a-pawn moving and Baginskaite gets her kingside pawn majority rolling down the board.
tomorrow the ladies have off.
Nakamura gets a very nice position against Lenderman with an exchange variation QGD Ragozin where both castled queenside. Nakamura is gaining space all over the board. Will Lenderman find a way to slip through? It looks to me like Kasparov has been good for Nakamura. Later in the game, Lenderman seems to get Nakamura blocked up and tied down to defending his e-pawn with a rook stack on the half open e-file.
Seirawan seemed to have walked into Kamsky's preparation and was only able to escape by sacrificing his queen for a knight and rook to stop Kamsky's attack. Kamsky looks good with Sierawan's King feeling a bit of a breeze. Kamsky hoovers up Seirawan's queenside pawns and its 1-0
Akobian does much better with his Caro-Kann against Robson's Panov-Botvinnik than Kats does against Krush. Akobian gets a nice domination of the center, control of the open e-file and a powerful bishop on the open a1-h8 diagonal, while stopping Robson's queenside majority.
Stripunsky's Slav defense came under lots of pressure by Hess and Stripunsky blundered in a position where there were lots of things to track.
Onischuk-Kaidanov had a very symmetric QGD, but it did not turn into a boring game. Onischuk sacrificed the exchange in the endgame for a passed pawn. Will he be able to push that a-pawn home?
Ramirez did not find something totally wild this round, and his game against Shulman seems to be settling into an equal game and quiet position. Maybe they are training for the world championship.
Lots of commentary on the ubiquitous nature of the move g2-g4 in this championship (or g5 for black)
tomorrow Kamsky v Nakamura
Women's Championship
All of today's games were strongly contested and went on for a long time. Lots of endgames to look at.
Goletiani managed a Benoni in reverse with an early b4 against Zatonskih. This could be a critical game for both as Krush should do well against Kats today and Baginskaite Saturday.
Krush-Kats transposed from a symmetrical English into a Panov-Botvinnik Caro-Kann. The game seemed to be settling into a drawish game, but Kats blunders and loses the exchange.
Abrahamyan-Melekhina played a much more interesting Sveshnikov Sicilian than Anand-Gelfand did in the morning. Abrahamyan seems to have escaped Melekhina's kingside attack with a trade of queens and ends up a pawn ahead. Long grind after that with Abrahamyan slowly gaining ground.
Ni chose an interesting line against Foisor's Slav defense that left her king in the center, but seems to control space on all three sides of the board to keep her king safe. If she can trade pieces and keep the pawns, will her space lead to an endgame win?
Zenyuk sacs a pawn against Baginskaite but gets a lonely passed a-pawn. Zenyuk never gets the a-pawn moving and Baginskaite gets her kingside pawn majority rolling down the board.
tomorrow the ladies have off.
2012 WCC Anand v Gelfand round 5
Anand mixed things up a bit with 1.e4 and Gelfand chose a Sveshnikov Sicilian(B33).
The live coverage had a long break right when the game got interesting.
Anand emerged from the opening with a slight advantage due to the long term weakness of black's d6 pawn, but the pawn structure is even and there are opposite colored bishops. If the heavy pieces trade down, it will be another draw.
The commentators did not seem to hopeful when they came back from the break.
And a draw was agreed after 27.Qxa2
The live coverage had a long break right when the game got interesting.
Anand emerged from the opening with a slight advantage due to the long term weakness of black's d6 pawn, but the pawn structure is even and there are opposite colored bishops. If the heavy pieces trade down, it will be another draw.
The commentators did not seem to hopeful when they came back from the break.
And a draw was agreed after 27.Qxa2
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