Seaport Masters 2012 round 4

Georgiev - Golubeva 2-0

Here Georgiev played the unconventional move 32.48-42?! It paid off very quickly, since after two moves Golubeva made the decisive mistake. 20-25 33.44-40 35x44 34.39x50 11-17? 35.45-40! Now black has to deal with the threat 50-45 27-22 18x27 34-30 25x34 40x7. It doesn't help to play 15-20? 36.50-45 20-24?, since then white can play 37.27-22 18x27 38.33-29 24x22 39.34-30 25x34 40.40x7 W+ Therefore Golubeva tried 21-26? but after 36.40-35! 3-8 (and not 15-20? due to 37.37-31 26x48 38.47-41 48x30 39.35x15 W+) 37.33-29 she had to sacrifice a piece with 16-21 38.27x16 25-30 39.34x25 23x34 40.35-30 18-22 41.30x39 22x44 42.50x39 13-18 43.32-27 8-13 44.38-33 17-21 45.37-32 19-24 46.33-28 15-20 47.25x14 13-19 48.14x23 18x29 49.28-22 24-30 50.39-33

Heusdens - Thijssen 2-0

With a bleeding heart Thijssen made the passive exchange 19-23!? But it was the right decision, since 12-18? would result in a losing position after 27.44-39 18-23 28.30-25 24-29 (what else?) 29.40-34 29x40 30.35x44! 8-12 31.44-40 20-24 32.40-35! and soon the black pieces will be completely blocked. 27.30x10 15x4 28.28x19 17x28 29.32x23 21x41 30.36x47 13x24 31.44-39! Now white has ideal circumstances for an attack on the black left wing. His own left wing is very well protected with the pieces on 47, 48 and 42, so Heusdens can pay all his attention to the right side of the board. 3-9 32.39-33 11-17 33.40-34 16-21 34.34-30 9-13 35.30x19 13x24 36.45-40 8-13 37.33-29 24x33 38.38x29 20-25 39.40-34 12-18 40.23x12 17x8 41.29-23 6-11 42.35-30 11-17 43.30-24 8-12 44.34-29 26-31 45.43-39 12-18(?) The black position is very difficult to defend. This move appears to be losing, but it is not at all sure if there was a better plan for black. 46.23x12 17x8 47.29-23! 21-27 48.39-33 4-10 49.48-43 8-12 50.43-38? This move is inaccurate, but Thijssen doesn't take advantage of it. With 10-14! 51.33-28 13-19! 52.24x13 25-30 he could have forced a draw. 12-17? 51.33-29 17-21 52.38-33 31-36 53.33-28 27-31 54.23-19 13-18 55.28-23 21-27 56.23x12 27-32 57.19-13 32-37 58.42-38 37-41 59.12-8 31-37 60.8-2 41-46 61.24-20! Heusdens finds an elegant way to finish the game: 25x14 62.47-41 36x47 63.38-32! 47x8 64.32x41! 46x19 65.2x24 W+

Schwarzman - Shaibakov 2-0

After 26.44-40 17-21 or 26.33-28 25-30 27.24x35 26-31 28.37x26 17-21 29.26x17 11x24 the position would be in balance. But Schwarzman found a nice move to keep the initiative: 26.36-31! 10-14 27.44-40 2-7! 28.33-28 17-22 29.28x17 12x21? Under pressure of the clock Shaibakov collapses. With 11x22 30.46-41 6-11 31.41-36 11-17?! 32.32-28 22x35 33.27-21 16x27 34.31x2 14-19 he could have stayed in the game. 30.39-33! The game is over now. Within a few moves black has to sacrifice a piece. 11-17 31.46-41 7-11 32.41-36 25-30 33.24x35 14-19 34.40-34