Georgiev,A. - Schwarzman,A. 0-2 2009.06.21

In the second micro match we immediately jump to the decisive 5th game. At the start of this game Georgiev had a significant advantage on the clock. But it was Schwarzman who took the initiative, and after Georgiev chose a very risky plan in the middle game, Schwarzman finished the game in great style. And so he defended his world title successfully.

≡ 1.33-29 18-22 2.31-26 19-24 3.39-33 22-27 4.32x21 16x27 5.37-32 11-16 6.32x21 16x27 7.44-39 17-22 8.50-44 14-19 9.41-37 6-11 10.38-32 27x38 11.43x32 13-18 12.33-28 22x33 13.29x38 9-13 14.39-33 4-9 15.44-39 10-14 16.46-41 19-23 17.34-30 14-19 18.30-25 11-17 19.25x14 9x20 20.36-31 5-10 21.31-27 10-14 22.48-43 3-9

Schwarzman has come out of the opening with some advantage. The black position is very compact and has no weaknesses, while white has an inproductive piece on 26.

23.27-21 24-30 24.35x24 20x29 25.33x24 19x30 26.38-33 30-35 27.42-38 35x44 28.49x40 13-19 29.40-34 15-20 30.47-42 8-13 31.45-40 20-24 32.40-35 14-20 33.34-30 20-25 34.39-34!?

Georgiev decides it's time to gamble. He allows Schwarzman to lock up his right wing, and searches for complications. Especially for white this is an adventure with an uncertain outcome.

9-14 35.32-28 23x32 36.37x28 2-8 37.42-37? White brings the threat 38.28-23 19x48 39.30x10 into play. With this he forces black to do a concession on the 39th move. But as GMI Alexei Tsjizjov explains on the Shashki Forum, Georgiev missed a good opportunity in this position. After ≡ 37.41-37! 14-20 (and not ≡ 18-23? 38.34-29! 23x41 39.29x18 25x34 40.42-37 W+) the white position is preferable after ≡ 38.37-32 or (especially) ≡ 38.38-32!. A variant to illustrate this is 7-11 39.21-16 1-6? 40.16x7 12x1 41.32-27 1-7 42.37-32! 18-23 (the alternatives aren't any better, for example ≡ 8-12? 43.42-38 7-11 44.27-22! 18x27 45.32x21 W+, or ≡ 7-12? 43.27-21 18-23 44.32-27! 23x32 45.27x38 and the white strategy becomes a success) ≡ 43.43-38! 6-11 (what else?) 44.27-22 24-29 45.33x15 19-24 46.30x19 13x24 47.28x30 17x48 48.15-10 11-16 49.10-5 16-21 50.26x17 48-26 51.17-11 7x16 52.30-24 with a promising position for white.

On the Shashki Forum a user named W.W.O. notes that after ≡ 39.21-16 black can immediately force a draw using 19-23! 40.30x19 (not ≡ 40.28x19? due to 17-22 41.16x7 22-28 42.33x22 18x47 43.7x9 24x4 B+) ≡ 23x14 41.16x7 17-22 42.28x17 12x21 43.26x17 1x21. This probably means that the position after ≡ 37.41-37 has to be considered equal, although a thorough analysis is needed to confirm this.

≡ 18-23 38.21-16 23x32 39.37x28 14-20 40.38-32 13-18 41.41-37 18-23 42.37-31 12-18 43.31-27 8-13! (not ≡ 7-12? due to 44.16-11! 17x6 45.28-22 8-13 46.22-17!! 12x21 47.26x17 1-7 48.17-12 7-11 49.32-28! 23x21 50.12x14 20x9 51.30x8 W+).

≡ 44.27-21 7-12 45.32-27 23x32 46.27x38 18-22

Here white could still escape using the sacrifice 47.16-11! 17x6 48.38-32, since if black plays 22-27 then white replies with 49.32-28 27x16 50.28-23 19x48 51.30x17 48x30 52.35x15.

≡ 47.38-32? 1-7 48.32-28? And after this move it is all over for white. Only with the sacrifice ≡ 48.43-38 13-18 49.16-11 7x27 50.32x21 white could keep fighting for a draw.

≡ 13-18 49.43-38 19-23! and not ≡ 18-23? 50.38-32! 22-27 or? 51.28-22! 27x40 52.22x2 25x34 53.35x44 with a draw.

≡ 50.28x19 24x13 51.33-29 13-19 52.38-33 20-24! 53.29x20 25x14

Two small combinations bring Schwarzman the victory. White can not play 54.30-25? due to 14-20 55.25x23 18x38 B+. And since ≡ 54.33-29? 22-28! is hopeless white has nothing better than to allow the following combination.

≡ 54.34-29 7-11! 55.16x7 12x1 56.21x23 19x39 57.30-25 39-43 58.29-24 43-48 59.25-20 14x25 60.24-19 22-27! The white piece on 19 cannot proceed, and after another piece sacrifice 61.26-21 27x16 62.19-13 48-37! Georgiev resigned.

© Wieger Wesselink https://10x10.org