Big win for Ukraine over France leaves them on the verge of the title

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39th Chess Olympiad Khanty-Mansiysk 2010 (10)

Big win for Ukraine over France leaves them on the verge of the title

IM Malcolm Pein - Monday 4th October 2010

Ukraine beat France 3.5-0.5 to leave them on the verge of the gold.

A stunning 3.5-0.5 victory over France left Ukraine possibly needing just a 2-2 draw in their last round match against Israel to secure the gold medals at the Chess Olympiad. Vassily Ivanchuk toyed with former world junior champion Maxime Vachier-Lagrave for 83 moves, maintaining control throughout. Ukraine have 18/20, with Russia on 17/20 and only two match points left to play for. A 2-2 draw secures one match point and Ukraine have a slightly superior tie break to the Russians.

Russia defeated China as Alexander Grischuk was the only winner but they have never recovered from the round five loss to Hungary.

Israel advanced to bronze medal position after an impressive 3-1 win over the USA. The American's game plan collapsed after US champion Gata Kamsky blundered against his manager Emil Sutovsky in the opening. The American's pressed hard in the other games but had no advantage and in the end 2009 US champion Yuri Shulman also lost and their tournament was over.

E Sutovsky - G Kamsky

Sicilian Kan

Israel vs USA

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 b5 6.Bd3 Qb6 7.Nf3 Nc6 8.0-0 Nge7?!

(8...Qb8 or 8...d6)

9.Be3 Qc7?

10.Bxb5! Rb8

(10...axb5 11.Nxb5 Qb8 12.Nd6+ Kd8 13.Nxf7+ Ke8 14.Nxh8 wins)

11.Bxc6 Nxc6 12.b3 Bb7 13.Nd5 exd5 14.exd5 Nd8?

(14...Be7 15.dxc6 Bxc6 16.Nd4 0-0 17.Nxc6 is just a clear pawn but this is even worse)

15.Re1 Ne6

(15...Be7 16.d6 Qxd6 17.Qxd6 Bxd6 18.Bc5+ Ne6 19.Bxd6 or 16.Ba7 Ra8 17.d6 both win)

16.Qd2 Bb4

(16...Be7 17.dxe6 fxe6 18.Bf4)

17.Qxb4 Bxd5 18.Qd2 Bxf3 19.Bf4! d6 20.gxf3 Rd8 21.Rad1 0-0 22.Bxd6 Qc8 23.f4?

(23.c4)

23...Nc5?

(23...Ng5! was a chance 24.fxg5 Qg4+ 25.Kf1 Qh3+ 26.Ke2?? Rfe8+ wins so White has to allow perpetual with 25.Kg1 Qg4+ etc)

24.Qc3! Rfe8 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.f3 Rd8 27.Rd5 Qe6 28.Qxc5 Rc8 29.Qxc8+ Qxc8 30.Be7 1-0

Gata Kamsky

Emil Sutovsky

Final position after 30.Be7

England looked better on all four boards against Holland but all four games were drawn.

Leaders with one to play

1 Ukraine 18/20

2 Russia 17

3 Israel 16

4-8 Poland, Hungary, Armenia, Spain, France 15

21 England 13/20; 93 Scotland 9/20; 113 Wales 8/20.

D Jakovenko - E Ghaem Maghami

Queen's Gambit

Russia II v Iran

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.Rc1 dxc4 7.e4 c5 8.Bxc4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 a6 10.e5 Nd5 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Bb3 Nd7 13.0-0 Nc5 14.Bc2 Qb6 15.b3 Bd7 16.Be3 Qb4 17.f4 Rfe8 18.f5 Bf6 19.exf6 Rxe3 20.Qg4 g6 21.Rcd1 Ne4 22.Qf4 Rc3 23.Bxe4 dxe4

E Ghaem Maghami