Today, I got a letter from Mr. Manny Benitez (Editor and Publisher of The Weekender) and there, he gave me a copy of The Chess Plaza Weekender! Wow! Great articles both for the chess scene in the Philippines and around the world. Of course, The BANG's article is there too. From there, I have taken the following news articles:
Nouri grabs Palawan plum
NATIONAL Master Hamed Nouri, the surprise giant killer in last November’s First GMA Cup, pulled off another surprise when he topped the Palawan Open last Thursday in Puerto Princesa.
It was the first major local tournament and biggest-ever paycheck—P50,000—won by the 27-year-old, prematurely balding player from Escalante, Negros Occidental.
NM Nouri—he says he had earned his Fide master title outright in the Asian 3.3 Zonal Championship in Phu Quoc, Vietnam last January, but this has yet to be confirmed by the World Chess Federation—finished the nine-round Palawan Open with 6.0 points..
Nouri was a half point clear of five others that included two veteran campaigners, IMs Richard Bitoon, whom he held to a draw in the final round, and Barlo Nadera, whom he bested in the fourth round.
In a tie for second to sixth places with 5.5 each were IM Bitoon, NM Rolando Andrador, IM Nadera, NM Emmanuel Senador and Butch Villavieja, in that order.
Non-master Nelson Villanueva, who finished second to GM Eugene Torre in the La Union Open earlier this month, and NM Raniel Galang followed with 5.0 each.
“I’m very happy with my result since it is my first big win,” said Nouri, whose participation in the Palawan Open was made possible by former Commission on Higher Education chairman Brother Rolando Dizon of La Salle and Escalante Mayor Santiago Barcelona.
Nouri revealed that he decided to draw his sixth-round game with Andador after seeing IMs Bitoon and Nadera, both of whom are from Cebu, agree to a draw.
In the final round, he also sued Bitoon for a peaceful settlement, secure in the knowledge that he had won the tournament’s top prize of P50,000.
In the GMA Cup, he figured in a minor incident when Russian GM Vladimir Belov raised the suspicion that Nouri was getting help from a computer simply because he was wearing a cap in the tournament hall at the Duty Free Shop in Parañaque City.
He was asked to take off his baseball cap, and he meekly complied, showing a balding pate. Nothing was found in the cap and Belov withdrew his charges, but not before getting hold of all the scoresheets of the games that Nouri had won.
At the Asian Zonal in Vietnam, Nouri demonstrated that his wins at the GMA Cup were no fluke by beating Vietnamese GM Dao Thien Hai, a former zonal champion and drawing with GM Nguyen Ngoc Truongson. He finished seventh, just behind IM Wesley So.
—Redemptor Anda and Ignacio Dee
NON-MASTERS OPEN AT ATENEO
Areque of Bacolod wins Leviste Cup
BACOLOD bet Jerry Areque took all his non-master rivals by surprise as he swept through the nine-round Dr. Jose P. Leviste Sr. Cup Championship undefeated to romp off with the top purse of P9,000 plus trophy.
The active chess open for non-masters rated 2050 and below was hosted last weekend by the Ateneo de Manila University chess teams from all three levels (elementary, secondary and collegiate) to honor the memory of an alumnus who was an outstanding sportsman.
Areque garnered 8.5 points from eight wins and one draw, topped by a convincing win in 36 moves of a King’s Indian duel with Michael Linde.
But the day belonged to another youngster, Ervil Villa, who pulled off a major upset over tournament favorite Jan Emmanuel Garcia in 62 moves of a Reti Opening to finish in a tie for second to fifth places.
With his final-round win, Garcia garnered 7.5 points, the same score as those of Jayson Salubre, Clement Valledor and Nazario Ubanan. The four split the second, third, fourth and fifth prizes totaling P13,000.
Salubre drew with Franz Barreto after 28 moves of a King’s Pawn Game, Valdez trounced Ryan Dungca in 48 moves of a Caro-Kann, while Ubanan crushed Jonathan Reniva in 29 moves of a King’s Indian Attack.
Category winners were Haridas Pascua (top under 18), Jan Emmanuel Garcia (top under 12), Maria Essa Theresa Cortes (top under 10), Mikee Suede (top lady player), Gabriel Layugan (top Ateneo player), Marion Jyel Cordova (top Ateneo high school player) and Carlitos Encarnacion III (top Ateneo grade school player).
Ateneo chess head coach IM Idelfonso Datu organized the event with the backing of sportsman Jose Leviste Jr., lead booster of the Ateneo chess teams, and Pidiong Cruz, general manager of the Ateneo Grade School Cafeteria, in close cooperation with Malabon Oil and Soap Co.
International Arbiter Elias Lau served as chief arbiter with the assistance of Chiara Lim, assistant coach for the university’s women’s team.
Also pitching in were all members of the Ateneo chess coaching staff. Ms. Lim emceed the closing ceremony.
Quezon City Councilor Ariel Inton, Mirant president Leviste Jr., NCFP chairman and QC Rep. Matt Defensor, and university athletics director Jose A. Capistrano Jr. were the guest speakers.
Mikee Defensor, 11, daughter of senatorial candidate Mike Defensor, also gave a short talk.
All the games were played at the Ateneo Grade School Cafeteria.
Dr. Leviste graduated from the Ateneo High School in 1933 and earned his Associate in Arts in 1935.
- National Master Marlon Bernardino
Pinoy players fail to make it to HK title series final
NOT one of the four Filipino players who entered the preliminaries made it to the Hong Kong Championship final.
It was the first time for Olympiad veteran Edwin Borigas, a consistent finalist over the past decade, not to qualify for the premier chess event in the former British colony, now a special administrative region of China.
Borigas, an engineer with a multinational construction company, missed the boat by just half a point, having scored only 5.0 to land the 10th berth. Only nine were needed for the 12-player final phase of the championship, which will be the basis for selecting members of the national team bound for the 38th Olympiad next year.
Three top players, all former HK champions, were seeded directly to the final. They were Brian Dew, teenaged WGM Anya Corke and C.Y. Chong. Corke and Chong are, like Borigas, Olympiad veterans.
Besides Borigas, three Filipino expatriates competed in the qualifying tournament. They were Vic Valencia, an architect, Nat Pinero and Art Dumalaog, a musician.
Most of the nine qualifiers are junior players. Three of them—Tsang Hon Ki, Bryan Le, and Marco Yu—scored 7.0 each to tie for first to second places.
Marco’s brother Melvin tied for the fourth and fifth places with David Chong. They had 6.5 each.
The Yu brothers were members of the Hong Kong team, along with Borigas and an English expatriate, that participated in the 14th Asian Cities Championship hosted by Tagaytay City in 2004.
Tagaytay won the Dubai Cup that year, the first time that a Philippine team topped the Asian Cities, since 1978 when it was launched by the Hong Kong Chess Federation under the sponsorship of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank.
The first Asian Cities title went to Singapore.
Tagaytay took the silver in Tehran earlier this month when it finished second to Pavlodar of Kazakhstan.
QMC Chess Plaza Club to hold active tourney on Saturday
PROSPECTIVE members of the newly registered Quezon Memorial Chess Plaza Club will hold their inaugural tournament and meeting on Saturday, May 24, tournament director and board member Alfredo V. Chay announced Friday.
Registration is free. Trophies and medals await the winners of the “chess for fun” event.
Thirty-three players have signified their intention to join the club. Among the better-known ones are the Cua sisters, Sherily and Shercila, NM Mirabeau Maga, Dennis San Juan, Macapagal Paguital, Bobby Ang, Ricardo C. Copones, Rodolfo A. Pates, MJ Turqueza, Marc Christian Nazario, Camille Buduan and Elmer Yanzon Jr.
The katuwaan tournament on Saturday will be a mixed and open one, regardless of gender, age, title and rating.
The club was formed in line with plans to make the QMC Chess Plaza the center of chess activities not only in Quezon City but also in the entire National Capital Region popularly known as Metro Manila.
One of its objectives is to make the plaza a recreational center for families. Another is to help in the drive against drug abuse by teaching out-of-school youths and street urchins the rudiments of the game as a healthful pastime that helps develop discipline and build character.
Others who have indicated their desire to join the country’s newest club are Bernard Estaras, Larry C. Brillantes, Jason Llarenas, Ariel Pastrana, Winson Perez, Raymund A, Salcedo, Eduardo S. Ubaldo Jr., Glenjoy C. Porcalla, Rolando B. Budels, Roger I. Clarin, Virgilio P. Miranda, Romeo S. Caminong, Mervince Yanzon, R. S. “Totong” Endrane, Efren Palmares, Freddie Maransan, Jack Dasmariñas, Ricardo C. Yambao, Jose Aguilar, Edimar Eje, Lito D. Dioneda, Oscar S. Gonzales and Noel Tordecilla.
15th ASIAN CITIES CHAMPIONSHIP
IMs outshine GMs in Tehran
IF not for the extraordinary performance on the lower boards of IMs Wesley So, 13, and Olive Dimakiling, 26, defending title-holder Tagaytay would have come back empty-handed from the 15th Asian Cities Championship in Tehran.
This is because the performance on the upper boards of GMs Mark Paragua, 22, and Joey Antonio, 42, left much to be desired.
This is especially so in the case of board one player Paragua, who contributed only 4.5 points to the team’s total from two wins, three losses and four draws, or a performance rating of 45 per cent.
GM Antonio’s performance was decidedly above average considering that he finished ninth overall while GM Paragua ended up in 36th place.
Antonio, whose rating is expected to rise next month and make him the No. 1 player again in the country, had 6.5 points from five wins, one loss and three draws for a 72.2 per cent performance rating. He could have done better, however, if he had fully recovered from his sinusitis.
On the other hand, So and Dimakiling each had 7.5 points from seven wins, one draw and one loss for an 83.3 per cent performance, with Wesley winning on tiebreak over his fellow IM.
Both were originally in a tie with the gold medalist, Kazakh GM Petr Kostenko, who had lost to So in the fourth round.
On board three, So got the gold for his performance based on percentage and a second one on performance rating. Dimakiling on board four received the gold based on percentage and the silver on performance rating.
Of course, all four—Paragua, Antonio, So and Dimakiling—received silver medals for their team’s second-place finish.
Here is the analyzed version of Wesley’s outstanding fourth-round win with Black over GM Kostenko of champion team Pavlodar, arising from a Sicilian Pelikan/Svshnikov:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Nxe7 Nxe7 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.c4 Bb7 13.Bd3 13.cxb5 Bxe4 14.bxa6 d5 would lead to equality Rg8 14.Rg1 14.cxb5 would also offer equal chances, e.g., …f5 15.bxa6 Bxe4 16.Qa4+ Kf8 17.Bxe4 fxe4 18.Qxe4 f5 bxc4 15.Nxc4 d5 16.exd5 Qxd5 17.Qa4+ 17.Ne3 Qd4 18.Qb3 would have restored the balance Kf8! 18.0–0–0 Not 18.Bxh7 because of ...Rg4 19.b3 f5 20.Bxf5 Nxf5 21.Qb4+ Kg7!, and Black would have overwhelming advantage Rxg2 19.Bxh7 19.Rxg2! was best, e.g., …Qxg2 20.Nd6! Rxg1 Black is now way ahead 20.Rxg1 Rc8 21.b3 Qd4 22.Qb4??
After 22.Qb4??
The final mistake, not that it matters anymore, says Fritz. Best but not enough to alter the outcome was 22.Rg3 f5 23.Qb4 Qa1+ 24.Kd2 Rd8+ 25.Nd6.
22…Qa1+! 23.Kc2 Qxg1 24.Qxb7 Qxf2+ 25.Kb1 Rd8 26.Bc2 Nd5 27.h4 Qe1+ 28.Kb2 Qc3+ 29.Kb1 Nb4 29...e4 was more decisive, e.g., 30.Bxe4 Nb6 31.Bc2 Nxc4 32.bxc4 Qe1+ 33.Kb2 Qe5+ 30.Qg2 Nxc2 Fritz suggests 30...e4, e.g., 31.Qe2 Nxc2 32.Qxc2 Qe1+ 31.Qxc2 Qxc2+ 32.Kxc2 e4 33.Ne3 Ke7 0–1
One of Dimakiling’s best efforts was his win with White in a Queen’s Pawn encounter in the first round against Sabir Majid Ares of Iraq’s Sulimania team, as follows:
1.d4 d5 2.Bg5 h6 3.Bh4 g5 4.Bg3 Bg7 5.e3 Nf6 6.c4 c6 7.Nc3 Bf5 On 7...Qb6 8.Qd2 8.Qb3 Qb6 9.Bxb8 Qxb3 9...Rxb8 10.Qxb6 axb6 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Ne2 was playable 10.axb3 Rxb8 11.Rxa7 e6 12.Nf3 Bc2 If 12...g4 13.Nd2 13.Nd2 Better was13.b4 Nd7 0–0 14.Be2 Rfe8 15.0–0 e5 16.dxe5 Rxe5 17.Nf3 Re7 18.Nd4 White is now very much ahead Bg6 19.Nxc6!
After 19.Nxc6!
Forking both rooks. The knight is imnmune because of the pin on b7.
19...bxc6 20.Rxe7 Rxb3 21.cxd5 cxd5 22.Bf3 Rxb2 23.Nxd5 Better than 23.Bxd5 Rc2 24.Rc7 Rxc3 25.Bxf7+ Bxf7 26.Rxc3 Be6 Kf8 24.Ra7 The clincher. 1–0
RIGHT from the start, the country’s highest-rated grandmaster showed he was not prepared to play even against lower-rated and titled masters on the top boards in the Dubai Cup Asian Cities Championship in Tehran early this month.
While the rest of the four-man squad won their initial assignments against a weak Iranian team, Sulimania, which eventually finished in 10th place, 23-year-old GM Mark Paragua (2573) could not make any headway against IM Aziz Ahmad, 25, rated 2346.
Here is their Sicilian duel:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0–0–0 h6 9.Be3 Be7 10.f4 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 0–0 12.Qb6 Qe8 13.Be2 Nd7 14.Qd4 b5 15.g4 Bb7 16.h4 Nc5 17.g5 e5 18.fxe5 dxe5 19.Qxe5 Nxe4 20.Bd4 Bxg5+ 21.hxg5 Qxe5 22.Bxe5 Rfe8 23.Bf3 Rxe5 24.Bxe4 Bxe4 25.Nxe4 Rxe4 26.gxh6 g6 27.Rd7 Rf4 28.h7+ Kh8 29.Rd2 Rf6 30.a4 bxa4 31.Rd4 a3 32.bxa3 g5 33.c4 Kg7 34.c5 Rh6 35.Rxh6 Kxh6 36.h8Q+ Rxh8 37.Rd6+ Kh5 38.Rxa6 Re8 39.c6 g4 40.Kd2 g3 41.Kd3 Kg4 42.Ra4+ Kh3 43.Re4 Rxe4 44.Kxe4 g2
With both players about to queen their pawns, a draw was agreed. ½–½
Paragua, whose rating (2617) was that of a super GM in last year’s Olympiad, was again held to a draw in the second round, this time by an Iranian Fide master, Mehrdad Ardeshi, rated 2421, of the Rahahan team, in a Semi-Slav, Meran game:
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 c6 4.e3 e6 5.Nc3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.0–0 0–0 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.Bxe4 h6 11.Bc2 e5 12.Qd3 f5 13.c5 Bc7 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Qb3+ Kh8 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.Re1 Qf6 18.f4 Bd4+ ½–½
GM Paragua finally scored a win in the third round, this time with Black against yet another Iranian player, untitled and low-rated M. Sadatnajafi (2190), top-board player of Tidewater, which ended up No. 6. Here is their King’s Indian duel:
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Bg5 0–0 5.Qd2 d6 6.Nf3 c5 7.d5 Bg4 8.e4 Bxf3 9.gxf3 Na6 10.Bg2 Nc7 11.0–0 Nh5 12.Rfe1 Qd7 13.f4 f6 14.Bh4² Bh6 15.Bg3 e5 16.dxe6 Nxe6 17.Bh3 17.Nd5 should be considered f5 Equalizing 18.Nd5 Nd4 19.Kg2 Nf6 20.exf5 20.f3 may be tried Nxd5 21.cxd5 gxf5 22.Kf1 Qb5+ 23.Kg2 Qc4 24.Kh1 Qxd5+ 25.Bg2 Qf7 26.Qa5 Kh8 27.Red1 Bg7 Black is way ahead 28.Rd2 b6 29.Qa6 Rae8 30.h3 Bf6 31.Rad1 h5 32.a4 h4 33.Bh2 d5 34.b4 Rd8 34...c4 35.Rxd4 Bxd4 36.Qb5 is also good for Black 35.a5 Qc7 36.Bg1 Rd6 37.axb6 axb6 38.Qa2 Rfd8 39.Rc1 c4 40.Rcd1 c3 41.Rd3 R6d7 Fritz suggests 41...c2, e.g., 42.Rc1 Qc4 43.Qxc4 dxc4 42.Rc1 Ne6 42...Qc4 seems even better, e.g., 43.Qxc4 dxc4 44.Rdxc3, and Black surges on 43.Rxd5? Rxd5 44.Bxd5 Nxf4 45.Bf3 Nd3 46.Bh2 Nxc1 47.Qc2 Qd7 48.Qxc1 Qd2! 0–1
After 48…Qd2!
Paragua’s worst loss was with Black in a Sicilian duel to a lower-rated Syrian IM, Imad Hakki (2428), of Damescaus, in the seventh round, as follows:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Nbd7 8.f4 Nc5 Equalizing 9.0–0 Be7 9...Nfxe4 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 would have kept the balance 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nxb3 12.axb3 Bc5 13.Be3 Nd5 14.Bf2 Nxc3 15.bxc3 0–0 16.Qh5 Bd7 17.Bh4 Be7 17...Qc7! looks okay 18.Bf6 Seizing the lead h6 19.Rf3 Kh7 20.Raf1 Best was 20.Bxg7! Kxg7 21.Rg3+ Kh7 22.Rf1! Bxf6± 21.Rxf6 Be8 21...Rc8 could have reduced White’s lead, e.g., 22.Rxf7 Rxf7 23.Qxf7 Rxc3 24.Qf4 22.R1f3! Qa5 22...gxf6?? leads to self-mate 23.Rh3 Kg8 24.Qxh6 Qxd4+ 25.cxd4 fxe5 26.Rg3#! 23.Rh3 Qa1+ 24.Rf1 Qb2 25.Qf3 Bc6 25...Bb5 26.Qe4+ Kg8 27.Re1 could minimize White’s lead 26.Qd3+ Kg8 27.Rg3 Qa3 28.Qe3 Kh7 29.Rf6!
29.Rf6! Qa1+??
After 29…Qa1??
A pathetic sight, indeed!
30.Kf2 Rg8 31.Rh3! 1–0
JUDGING by his performance on board two in the Asian Cities Championship in Tehran, I think GM Joey Antonio has not yet really overcome his health concerns, which have somehow affected his games since the second half of last year.
I am sure he was properly motivated to help bring back home the Dubai Cup that Tagaytay as host city captured in 2004, thanks mainly to his efforts on board one then.
That he was not in tiptop condition in Iran is clearly shown by his results: five wins, one loss and three draws. Ordinarily, he could not be forced into a draw when facing a much weaker player.
The first indication that all was not well with the country’s finest tactician came as early as the second round when, in a better position during the transition from the middle game to the endgame of a Queen’s Pawn opening, Joey failed to stop his Iranian rival, FM Mohsen Sharbaf (2383) of Rahahan, from forcing a draw by repetition.
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bf4 Bf5 5.e3 e6 6.Ne5 Qa5 7.g4 Bg6 8.f3 Bb4 8...Ba3 9.Qc1 would have equalized 9.Qd2 Nfd7 10.Nd3 Na6 11.Nxb4 Nxb4 12.Rc1 0–0 12...0–0–0 seems more logical, says Fritz 13.Bd6 c5 14.Bxf8 Rxf8 15.a3 Nc6 16.Ne2 Qb6 17.b3 e5 18.dxe5 Ndxe5 19.Bg2 Not 19.Qxd5 because of ...Rd8 20.Qxd8+ Nxd8, with Black way ahead d4 20.0–0 Rd8 21.e4 21.Nf4 may be tried d3 Equalizing 22.Nf4 Nd4 23.cxd3 Nxb3 24.Qe3 Nxc1 25.Rxc1 Nd7 26.Nd5 Qb2 27.f4 f6 27...Qxa3 won't work because of 28.f5 28.e5 fxe5 29.f5 Bf7 30.Qg5 Nf8 31.Qxd8 Qxc1+ 32.Bf1 h5 33.g5 Bxd5 34.Qxd5+ Kh8 35.Qd8 Kg8 36.Qd5+ Kh8 37.Qd8 Kg8 38.Qd5+ ½–½
Joey’s finest win with White was in the third round against Iranian FM Morteza Darban (2401) of Rahahan in a Sicilian Richter-Rauzer duel, as follows:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Bb5 Bd7 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.Qf3 Qb6 10.0–0–0 Be7 11.e5 dxe5 12.Nb3 Rd8 12...a5 13.a3 would have equalized 13.Bxf6 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Bxe7 Kxe7 15.Qxe4 f6 offers equal chances Bxf6 Equalizing 14.Ne4 Be7 15.Nd6+ Bxd6 16.Rxd6 Ke7 17.Rhd1 f6 17...Bc8! should not be overlooked, e.g., 18.c4 Rxd6 19.Rxd6 Re8 18.Qg3 g6 19.Qh4 h5 20.Qg3 Rhg8 21.Qd3 Bc8 22.Nc5 Qc7 Not 22...Qxc5 because of 23.Rdxd8! 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 Keeping the balance 24.Qxg6 Rxd1+ 25.Kxd1 Qd6+ 26.Nd3 Ba6 27.Kc1 Bxd3 28.Qxd3 Qb4 29.Qe3 a5 30.g3 Kf7 31.a3 Qb5 32.b3 Kg7 32...Qd5 33.f3, with equal chances 33.Kb2 Qd5 34.h4 e4 35.a4 Kg6 36.c3 c5 37.Kc2 Kg7 38.Qd2 Qf5 39.Kb2 Kg6 40.Qe3 Qd5 41.Kc2 Qf5 42.Kb2 Qe5 43.Qd2 Qf5 44.Kc1 Qe5 45.Kd1 Qf5 46.Qc2 Qf3+ 47.Qe2 Qxc3 48.Qxe4+ Kf7 49.Qh7+ Kf8 50.Qc2 Qd4+ 51.Qd2 Qd5 52.Kc2 Qf5+ 53.Kc3 Qd5 54.Kc2 Qf5+ 55.Kc1 e5 55...Kg7 might be a viable alternative 56.Qd6+ Gaining a clear advantage Kf7 57.Qxc5 Qf3 58.Qe3 Qd5 59.Kc2 e4 60.Kc3 Kg6 61.Qd4 Qf5 62.b4 axb4+ 63.Kxb4 Qe6 64.a5 Kf5??
After 64…Kf5??
The losing moment. 64...Qe7+ was better but it wouldn’t alter the outcome.
65.Qc4 Qe8 66.Qb5+! 1–0
Forcing the exchange of queens after which the outside passed pawn wins the race.
And here is Joey’s win with Black, in the seventh round against Indian player E.P. irmal (2203) of the Calicut team, in a sharp clash arising from a Caro-Kann Exchange/Panov-Botvinnik Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.Bg5 Nf6 7.Qb3 e6 8.Nd2 Bd6 9.Ngf3 Nh5 10.0–0–0 10.0–0! deserves consideration, says Fritz h6 11.Be3 Bd7 12.Kb1 Nf4 13.Bf1 Na5 Not 13...a5 because of 14.h4! 14.Qc2 b5 15.Ne5 Bxe5 16.dxe5 Ng6 17.f4 Nc4 18.Nxc4 bxc4 19.Qf2 Rc8 20.g4 0–0 On 20...Rb8 21.Bg2 21.Bd4 f6 22.exf6 Qxf4 23.Qc2 23.Qxf4 should be examined more closely, e.g., ...Nxf4 24.fxg7 e5! 24.Qxg6 Rxf6 25.Qc2?? 25.Qh5 offers the best chance, e.g., ...Bxg4 26.Qxe5 Bxd1 27.Qxd5+ Kh7 28.Bxc4! Bxg4! Black now has a huge advantage 26.Qg2 26.Bxe5 Qxe5 27.Bh3 Bxh3 28.Ka1 favors Black Bf3 26...Bxd1 is more decisive, e.g., 27.Bxc4 dxc4 28.Rg1, and Black is way ahead 27.Qh3 Rcf8 28.Bc5 Bxd1 29.Bxf8 29.Bxc4 gives the only chance for some counterplay, e.g., ...Qxc4 30.Rxd1 Bg4! 0–1 After 29…Bg4!
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That, my friends, are some of the gems I found in The Weekender. For a complete compy of The Weekender, please check out my previous post to see the link I have provided.
Have a good day!
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