World Championship Zwartsluis round 11

In an ultimate attempt to stay in the race for the world title, Sijbrands had taken a lot of risks in the opening against Georgiev. This resulted in the Roozenburg position of the first diagram. Using some standard manoeuvers, Georgiev has blocked further attacks on piece 23. The most realistic plan for white would now be to accept an inferior position after 21.32-28 23x32 22.37x28 17-22 23.28x17 11x22 24.36-31 26x37 25.41x32 7-11. But one can imagine that Sijbrands wasn't really happy about that, since it leaves white with a long-term problem on the right wing. ≡ 21.38-33!? 14-19 22.40-35 19x30 23.35x24 25-30 24.34x14 23x34 25.39x30 13-19 26.24x22 17x50 Sijbrands has permitted Georgiev to make a king for only one piece. And although he has prospects to make a king too by sacrificing a piece, it is clear that this is a very hazardous undertaking for white. 27.45-40 12-18 28.40-34(?) The last two white moves were quite unlucky. After capturing the black king, the piece on square 34 turns out to be very weak. 18-23 29.49-44 50x31 30.36x27 8-13 31.30-24 7-12 32.41-37 13-18! The situation is hopeless for white. Using the formation 12/18/23 Georgiev increases his material lead. 33.27-21 26x17 34.32-27 2-8 And white resigned.

17-21?! Heusdens finds a way to tempt his opponent into a complex position. 29.34-30 21-26 30.30-25 9-14 31.43-39 19-23 32.33-28 13-19 33.39-34 11-17 34.34-30 17-22 35.28x17 12x21 36.31-27 18-22 There is no purpose for black to proceed any longer with his dangerous strategy. 37.27x29 24x31 38.36x27 8-13 39.50-44 1-7 40.44-39 7-12 41.39-33 20-24 42.33-28 see diagram 3.

12-17? A very inaccurate move! Now white can win with 43.41-36! 13-18 (since 24-29 ? 44.27-22 ! is immediately lost) 44.28-23 19x37 45.30x10 21x32 46.36-31! 37-41 47.10-4 26x37 48.4x47 32-38 49.47x6 37-41 50.25-20! 41-46 51.6-17, and we have arrived in a standard winning endgame that has been discussed on this site a few weeks ago, see https://10x10.org/analysis/eindspel/3-pieces-behind-the-diagonal-5-46.html. ≡ 43.41-37 Despite he has still plenty of time, Ba doesn't see it! 13-18 44.27-22 18x38 45.28-23 19x28 46.30x10 38-42 and the players agreed to a draw.

Samb played a very unusual and risky strategy against Tsjizjow. There are many combinations possible in this type of game. For example 16-21 28.50-45 (and not ≡ 28.48-42? 21-27! 29.32x12 23x41 30.36x47 13-18 31.12x23 19x37 32.31x42 ) ≡ 20-24 29.43-38 and now i) 24-29? 30.33x24 22x42 31.31-27 42x22 32.25-20 19x39 33.20x7 W+ or ii) ≡ 10-15 30.33-29 24x42 31.45-40 22x33 32.32-27 21x41 33.36x20 15x24 =, or iii) ≡ 4-9 30.33-29 24x42 31.31-27 22x33 32.27x7 42x31 33.26x37 =. The game proceeded with ≡ 3-9 28.50-45 10-15 Tsjizjow probably didn't play ≡ 13-18 due to the temporary sacrifice 29.34-29! 23x34 30.32-27. That would most likely result in a draw, since black will be forced to give the piece back in a couple of moves. ≡ 29.45-40 Now after 20-24 white can take a combination that leads to a draw: 30.26-21 16x29 31.25-20 23x41 32.36x47 14x25 33.34x3 22-27 34.3x20 15x24 = ≡ 13-18 30.40-35 9-13 31.43-38 20-24 32.48-42 4-9 33.34-30 23-29 34.28-23! 19x39 35.30x8 39-43 see diagram 5.

So far everything is under control for Samb. Now he should have played 36.32-28 with both after 43x23 37.8-2 and after ≡ 43x41 37.36x47 22x33 38.8-2 33-39 a very complex endgame. Instead he played ≡ 36.8-2? 29-33 37.38x29 14-20 38.25x3 43-48 39.3x21 16x47 40.2x16 47x24 41.37-32 24-2 42.31-27 22x31 43.36x27 48-25(?) Now white can force a draw. The move ≡ 18-23 would have given much better perspectives for black. ≡ 44.32-28 25-3 Here white can simply play 45.35-30 2x35 46.49-44 35x21 47.16x13 = ≡ 45.27-22? 18x27 46.16x32 2-11 47.28-23? and Samb lost on time. The last move was a mistake anyway, since black can gain a piece with 11-28. A forced way to make a draw was ≡ 47.49-44! 11x50 48.26-21 3x26 49.35-30, with a standard draw endgame.

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