39th Chess Olympiad Khanty-Mansiysk 2010 (4)
Russia beat USA in Round 4
IM Malcolm Pein - Monday 27th September 2010
Malcolm Pein looks at Round 4 of the Olympiad where Russia beat the USA and only 7 teams remain on 8/8 match points.
Kramnik vs Nakamura. Round 4. Photo © Albran. | http://www.chess.co.uk/twic
Seven decisive results halved the size of the leading group at the Chess Olympiad and now there are seven teams on 8/8 match points. The fourth round saw matches between the leading teams and there were some excellent battles.
Russia 1 defeated the USA 3-1 despite Hikaru Nakamura's ingenious play in the Kings Indian against Vladimir Kramnik which led to a draw by perpetual check. Alexander Grischuk defeated a tentative Gata Kamsky as Sergey Karjakin overcame Alexander Onischuk. Judit Polgar scored the victory for Hungary that defeated third seeds China and she has 3.5/4.
There was a crushing defeat for world number one Magnus Carlsen at the hands of the talented Georgian Jobava Baadur.
England won 3-1 over Turkey. Nigel Short and Michael Adams drew as David Howell and Luke McShane won. Howell's win was ingenious.
M Erdogdu - D Howell
England v Turkey
Giuoco Piano
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 a6 6.0-0 Ba7 7.Re1 d6 8.Bb3 0-0 9.h3 Ne7 10.Nh4 Ng6 11.Bg5 Kh8 12.Nf5 h6 13.Be3 c5 14.Qf3 d5!! 15.exd5 Bxf5 16.Qxf5
David Howell
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M Erdogdu
Position after 16.Qxf5
Black to play and win.
Answer to puzzle.
16...Nh4! 0-1
as 17.Qxe5 Bb8 traps the queen, if 18.d6 Bxd6
Kenny Solomon held world number 8 Shak Mamedyarov to a draw in round one but found Michael Adams a tougher proposition.
M Adams - KSolomon
England v South Africa
Sicilian Defence
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.0-0 Nge7 5.c3 d5 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Re1 a6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bc2 Bb7 10.a4 b4 11.d4 Rd8 12.c4 Qh5
(12...Qxc4 13.Bb3 Traps the queen)
13.d5 exd5 14.Nbd2! dxc4
(Black has no good developing move 14...g6 15.cxd5 Rxd5 16.Bb3 Rd7 17.Ne4! Rxd1 18.Nf6+ Kd8 19.Rxd1+ Nd4 20.Nxh5)
15.Qe2 Na5 16.Ne4 Nb3 17.Bxb3 cxb3 18.Bg5 f6
(18...Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Qg6 20.Qb7 is grim but survives longer)
19.Bxf6 Kf7 20.Ne5+ 1-0
Kenny Solomon
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Michael Adams
Final position after 20.Ne5+
