Ivanchuk's fine performance

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39th Chess Olympiad Khanty-Mansiysk 2010 (11)

IM Malcolm Pein - Wednesday 6th October 2010

Malcolm Pein looks back at Ukraine's win and Ivanchuk's great performance. He examines another win for Mark Bluvshtein against the King's Indian to follow his win against Veselin Topalov.

Vassily Ivanchuk. Photo © Albran.

Vassily Ivanchuk. Photo © Albran. | http://www.chess.co.uk/twic

The Chess Olympiad has been completed at Khanty Mansiysk in Siberia. As reported yesterday, Ukraine took the gold medals. The victory must have been extra special for two reasons; it was on Russian soil and came, despite the defection, from Ukraine to Russia, of Sergey Karjakin. Karjakin was the star performer in the Russian team with 8/10 on board four, but his new team mates were unable to match his heroics.

Vassily Ivanchuk, on top board, spearheaded the Ukrainian triumph, scoring 8/10. He started with six straight wins. Zahar Efimenko, on board four for Ukraine, played every game and scored 8.5/11.

Final scores:

1 Ukraine 19/22 and undefeated;

2 Russia 18;

3-4 Israel, Hungary 17; Israel took bronze medals on tie break.

5-10 China, Russia II Armenia, Spain, USA, France 15

England finished with a 2-2 draw against a highly rated Czech team. Nigel Short was outplayed by Viktor Laznicka, the winner of the 2010 World Open who sacrificed his queen for rook, bishop and pawn and won a very nice game. David Howell levelled the score. Overall the performance was a little disappointing as the top four boards all lost rating points while Gawain Jones gained.

24 England 19/22; 83 Scotland 11/22; 122 Wales 8/22.

Mark Bluvshtein defeated Veselin Topalov's King's Indian and 'kills the KID' again here.

M Bluvshtein - N Djukic

Canada v Montenegro

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.h3 0-0 6.Bg5 c6 7.Nf3 e5 8.d5 a5 9.Be2 Na6 10.0-0 Bd7 11.Nd2 Kh8 12.a3

(White keeps his options open. He can advance on either wing)

12...Qb8 13.f4!

(Exploiting the absence of the queen)

13...exf4 14.Bxf4 Nc5 15.Qe1 Re8 16.e5! Ng8

(16...dxe5 17.Be3 Na6 18.Qh4 Qd8 19.Bg5 Qb6+ 20.Kh2 Qxb2 21.Bxf6 Qxd2 22.Bxg7+ Kxg7 23.Rxf7+ Kxf7 24.Qxh7+ Kf8 25.Rf1+ Bf5 26.Qxg6)

N Djukic