Round 9
Heusdens wasn't in his best shape, but in this round he booked a convincing victory.
This is too passive. It was better to play ≡ 28.32-28 22x33 29.39x28 17-22 (and not ≡ 14-19? 30.28-23! 19x50 31.23x5) ≡ 30.28x17 21x12 31.31-27 and the position is in balance.
≡ 14-19 29.30-25 19x30 30.25x34 6-11!
Now the white left wing is completely blocked.
A better defense was ≡ 31.34-30 10-14 32.40-35 14-19 33.30-24 19x30 34.35x24, and it is difficult for black to keep the white left wing under control.
≡ 18-23! 32.34-30 10-14 33.30-25 8-12 34.40-35 13-19! 35.24x13 9x18
This increases the black tempo lead even further. Now the white task to liberate the pieces on his left wing is nearly impossible.
36.44-40 15-20 37.35-30 21-27 38.32x21 16x27 39.40-35 23-28 40.39-34 18-23 41.38-33 28x39 42.34x43 23-28 43.42-38 28-32 44.37x28 22x42 45.31x22 17x28 46.48x37 28-33
Tjon A Ong has played very well, and a draw against his strong opponent is within reach.
It was also possible to play ≡ 47.26-21 28-32 48.27x38 16x27 49.48-42 13-19 50.42-37 24-29 51.35-30 19-23 52.38-33 29x38 53.30-24.
≡ 24-29 48.35-30 13-18 49.26-21 28-32 50.27x38 16x27 51.43-39 27-31 52.39-34?
This is the wrong decision. Both ≡ 52.38-33 29x38 53.30-24 and ≡ 52.39-33 were still enough to make a draw.
≡ 29x40 53.30-24 40-44 54.24-20 14-19 55.20-15 44-49 56.38-33 49-32 57.33-28 32x23 58.15-10 23-32 59.10-5
Round 10
Remeijer played a very unlucky tournament. After this careless move Ramdien won a piece using an elementary combination.
13.27-22! 18x36 14.29x18 13x22 15.32x25 15-20 16.25x14 10x19
After defending a difficult position very well, Terwel became the victim of the final trap that Heusdens had prepared for him. White resigned without awaiting 4-10 49.15x4 28-32 50.4x18 32x12.
Here Sipma missed an excellent opportunity: 43.28-22! 14-19 44.22x13 19x8 45.27-22 21-26 46.33-28 8-13 47.28-23! and black has to be very careful. For example 24-30 48.45-40 30-35 49.40-34 4-9 50.39-33 9-14 51.23-18 12x23 52.22-17 14-20 53.17-11 7-12 54.11-6 20-25 and white has at least good practical chances to win.
Round 11
Black not only suffers from a large tempo deficit, but also from a weak piece on 15. In practice it is very hard for black to defend such a position.
18-22 40.30-24 14-19 41.32-28 19x30 42.35x24 2-8 43.28-23 8-12 44.23-19
Perhaps ≡ 44.24-20 15x24 45.29x20 22-27 46.33-29 was stronger here.
≡ 4-10 45.19x8 12x3 46.29-23 17-21 47.24-19 10-14 48.19x10 15x4 49.25-20 3-9 50.33-29 11-16?
Although the situation looks hopeless for black, the computer shows that it was still a draw after ≡ 11-17! 51.29-24 22-27 52.23-19 17-22. Now it becomes clear why 11-17 was a good move: after 53.19-14? black can play 22-28! 54.14x3 28-32 55.3x26 32x43 with a draw.
Heusdens could have won using ≡ 40.30-25 23x32 41.34-29 4-9 42.29x20 32-37 43.35-30 21-27 and now the surprising 44.33-29! This move was probably overlooked by the players. 27-31 45.36x27 37-41 46.29-24 19-23 47.24-19.
© Wieger Wesselink https://10x10.org