World Championship Hardenberg 2007 round 2
In the second round of the championship a lot happened, although finally there was only one victory on the score board.
Lagoda,J. - Amrilloew,M. 1-1 (2007.05.13)
Amrilloew had reached an apparently very comfortable position with black. Surprisingly after black's next move it is white who has the better position. To keep the advantage, black should have played 10-14 34.49-43 14-19! To illustrate that white has to be careful then, suppose that white continues with 35.23x14(?) 20x9 36.28-23? Then black replies with 17-21! and white is already lost. The exchange 37.34-30? 25x34 38.39x30 fails due to the combination 15-20 39.24x15 4-10 40.15x13 8x48, and so white will soon be out of moves after ≡ 37.40-35 9-14 etc.
≡ 4-9? 34.49-43 10-14 35.40-35
It's disappointing, but black can't prevent the following exchange.
9-13 36.24-19 13x24 37.34-30 25x34 38.39x10 15x4 39.23-19!
Now it's black who must be very careful. After 20-25 40.19-14 2-7 41.28-23 the white attack on black's long wing looks quite dangerous. Amrilloew found a very creative solution:
≡ 27-32! 40.38x27 22x31 41.37x26 2-7 42.28-23 8-13 43.19x8 20-24 44.29x20 18x49 45.8-2 7-11 46.2x16
This looks a bit dangerous, but in the game black secures a draw quite easily.
49-44 47.20-15 44-28 48.16-49 17-22 49.26-21 28-41 50.21-16 22-27 51.49x8 3x12 52.16-11 12-17 53.11x22 41-47 54.42-37 47-33 55.22-18 33-29 56.18-13 29-24 57.15-10 24x8 58.10-5 8-26 59.37-32 26-21 60.32-28 21-17 61.28-23 17-12 62.23-19 12-8 63.19-14 8-3 64.14-10 4x15 65.35-30 3-25 66.30-24 25-20
Valneris,G. - Georgiev,A. 1-1 (2007.05.13)
At this moment it didn't look like this would become an exciting game. Georgiev plays strictly positional and aims for a tiny longterm advantage.
19-23 23.42-37 22-27 24.32x21 23-28 25.33x22 18x16 26.37-32 13-18 27.32-28 6-11 28.34-29 11-17 29.39-33 17-22 30.28x17 12x21 31.41-37 8-12 32.33-28 12-17 33.43-39!
Although the distribution of the white pieces is far from optimal, Valneris attempts to take possesion of the center. Here it is crucial that after 20-25 34.39-34 black can't play 18-22? From this point in the game Georgiev is taking more risk by attempting to take advantage of the inactive white pieces on 35, 40 and 45.
≡ 2-8 34.39-33 8-12 35.36-31 21-26 36.31-27 17-21 37.37-32 12-17 38.48-42 9-13 39.28-23 4-9 40.23x12 17x8 41.30-24
The next black move means strategical capitulation. The white piece on 35 will be developed, and as a result black can only hope to defend the position. Perhaps Georgiev was afraid of the variant 13-18 42.35-30 8-13 43.29-23! 18x29 44.33-28 29-34 45.30x39 20x29 46.39-34 with a significant advantage for white. To avoid this, he could have played the less obvious moves ≡ 8-12 42.33-28 12-17. Then white would have hardly any advantage.
≡ 14-19 42.33-28 19x30 43.35x24 8-12 44.40-34 12-17 45.45-40 3-8 46.40-35 17-22 47.28x17 21x12 48.32-28 12-17 49.38-32 8-12 50.42-37 9-14
A new sensation is in the air: Georgiev didn't manage to find the path to a draw. Valneris took quite some time for his next move.
51.28-22! 17x28 52.32x23 13-18 53.35-30 16-21
Georgiev manages to find the toughest defense.
54.27x16 18-22 55.16-11 22-27 56.11-6 27-31 57.37-32 31-36 58.6-1 36-41
The alternative ≡ 12-17 59.32-27! 36-41 60.1-6 41-47 61.6x33 is losing too.
Valneris is almost there: after 60.30-25! and now 1) 47-42 61.18-22! (or even ≡ 61.32-27 [but certainly not ≡ 61.34-30? 26-31 62.18x36 42-33 63.29x38 20x18 64.36x20 15x35 =] ≡ 42-38 or? 62.34-30 38x16 63.18-27 16x19 64.24x13 26-31 65.13-8 31-37 66.8-3 W+) and black is out of options or 2) ≡ 47-36 61.18-4! 26-31 62.24-19!! and white also wins.
This is too slow. Georgiev immediately grabs the opportunity to escape.
White is one tempo short for running to a second king: 62.23-18 40-44 63.18-12 44-49 64.12-7 49-35 65.30-25 35-19 66.32-27 19-32 with a draw.
≡ 62.4-22 26-31 63.22x36 40-44
The white pieces are too vulnerable now.
64.30-24 44-50 65.32-27 50-11 66.23-18 11-16 67.38-32 14-19 68.24x13 16-7 69.13-9 7x46
And Valneris agreed with a draw. For the second time in a row he had spoiled the opportunity to defeat Georgiev during a world championship tournament.
Ba,S. - Scholma,A. 1-1 (2007.05.13)
In this position Ba very optimistically sacrifices a piece.
35.29-23!? 18x29 36.43-39 20-25 37.50-45?
This is incorrect. White needed to take the piece back using ≡ 37.39-34.
≡ 14-20 38.36-31 26x37 39.42x31
Here Scholma could have won using 17-21! Now white cannot play 40.28-22? due to 29-34 41.40x29 21-27 42.22-17 27x36 43.17-12 with a hopeless endgame. So ≡ 40.48-42 or? 19-23! 41.28x8. Probably Scholma only looked at 9-13? 42.8x30 25x32 43.33x24 20x29 and white can escape using 44.31-27 32-37 45.42x31 21x32 46.31-27 32x21 47.40-34 29x40 48.45x34 etc. But with the very surprising ≡ 21-26!! black could have won both points.
In the game Scholma played
≡ 16-21 40.48-42 21-26 41.40-34 26x48 42.34x3 48x34 43.3x26
with a draw as result.
© Wieger Wesselink https://10x10.org