FIDE World Cup 2009 (Rd3 Day2)
So eliminates Kamsky
IM Malcolm Pein - Monday 30th November 2009
The 16 year old Filipino GM Wesley So has taken another eminent scalp at the FIDE World Cup knockout being staged at Khanty Mansisk in Siberia. Not content with eliminating the chess legend Vasily Ivanchuk in the second round, So outplayed the 2006 World Cup winner Gata Kamsky, and moved into the last 16.
The 16 year old Filipino GM Wesley So has taken another eminent scalp at the FIDE World Cup knockout being staged at Khanty Mansisk in Siberia. Not content with eliminating the chess legend Vasily Ivanchuk in the second round, So outplayed the 2006 World Cup winner Gata Kamsky, and moved into the last 16.
So won the first game with the black pieces and was completely winning in the return when Kamsky decided to agree a draw and save himself 5 rating points even though it meant his departure from the competition. For Kamsky the reverse was not so serious as he is qualified to the Candidates as the loser of last Candidates Final. For him the loss was purely financial as he takes home $12,800 as a third round loser when a match win would have guaranteed a minimum of $20,000.
The game of the third round was played by Judit Polgar who had to win against top seed Boris Gelfand. Polgar launched a violent kingside attack sacrificing three pawns in the process. It didn't look sound but it was good enough to overwhelm Gelfand's defences, let's have a look.
J Polgar - B Gelfand
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 c6 4.Qe2
(A rare line of the Bishops Opening to avoid Gelfand's drawing weapon, the Petroff Defence. This also prevent d7-d5)
4...Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bb3
(6.Nxe5?? Qa5+)
6...d6 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.c3 a5 9.a4 b5 10.Bc2
(Playing slowly to maintain tension, a good plan in must-win games)
10...Ba6 11.axb5 cxb5 12.Nbd2 Qc7 13.d4 a4
(13...b4 14.c4 exd4 15.Nxd4 Rfe8 looks fine)
14.Bd3 Rfb8 15.Nh4 g6 16.f4!? exf4 17.Ndf3 Nh5 18.Bd2 Nb6 19.g4!?
Boris Gelfand
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Judit Polgar
Position after 19.g4!? going 'all in'
19...fxg3 20.Ng5 Nc4 21.Nf5!?
(21.Rxf7 gxh2+ 22.Kxh2 Rf8 23.Rxh7 Nxd2 24.Rxh5!)
21...Bxg5 22.Bxg5 f6 23.Bh4 gxh2+ 24.Qxh2 Rf8 25.Be2 gxf5 26.Bxh5
(Just what Polgar wanted, a complete mess and a time scramble)
26...fxe4 27.Qf4!
(27.Bxf6 Rxf6 28.Rxf6 Qg7+ 29.Qg2 Qxg2+ 30.Kxg2 Nxb2)
27...f5 28.Kh1 Kh8 29.Rg1 Rf7
(Black had to try 29...Nb6 30.Qh6 Nd5)
30.Bxf7 Qxf7 31.Qh6 Rf8 32.Rg6 1-0
Boris Gelfand
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Judit Polgar
Final position after 32.Rg6
Navara recovered from this debacle to win the match.
D Navara (2707) - A Shabalov
World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk (2.5)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b5 3.Bg5 Bb7 4.e3 a6 5.c4 Ne4 6.cxb5 Nxg5 7.Nxg5 axb5 8.Bxb5?! c6 9.Qf3 f6! 10.Nh3? Qb6 11.Bc4 Qxb2 12.0-0 Qxa1 13.Nf4 g6 14.Qd1 Ba6 15.Bxa6 Nxa6 16.Qc2 Rb8 17.Nd3 Nb4 0-1
