World Cup 2009: Kick-Ass (part 2)

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

After losing the first game of the mini-match with the White pieces yesterday, Karjakin must have realized that his chances today were less than 1%.  It is almost impossible to beat a strong, in-form grandmaster like Boris Gelfand with the Black pieces without some help.  And certainly Boris was not going to oblige!

Unless FIDE changes the nature of these mini-matches, players will continue to see that an unfortunate loss will be the end of their dreams and aspirations for the title!

In anycase, Boris Gelfand is on a roll!  Clearly the best player amongst the remaining contestants, today's game  was even sweeter than yesterday's. 

Gelfand's secret?

I have figured it out!

A little bit of that magic potion Boris carries with him... 

Et voila:  Kick-Ass Boris Gelfand!!

Gelfand, B. - Karjakin, Sergey

7/12/2009.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O dxc4 9. Bxc4 b5 10. Be2 Bb7 11. Rd1 Qc7 12. Bd2  

Gelfand only needs a draw in order to advance to the finals.  Otherwise he might have tried the more ambitious 12. e4!? which has been scoring very well for White in recent praxis

12... e5  Karjakin needs to provoke complications.  12... a6!? often just transposes

13. Rac1 a6

14. b4   This position is known to theory.  In hindsight, it appears that Karjakin was not that familiar with it.

White tries to prevent ...c5 by tactical means.

14... Rfe8

Also seen is 14... exd4 15. exd4 Rfe8 16. h3 Qb8 17. Qb3 Nd5 18. Nxd5 cxd5  Sorokin Maxim  - Suvrajit Saha, Mumbai 2003 Ch Commonwealth 

15. Bd3!?   This Bishop will be worth its weight in gold later!

There are alternatives: 15. Ra1 Rf8 was agreed drawn in Ftacnik  - Korneev  , Austria , Bundesliga 2006/07 .  As well as 15. h3 and 15. a3. Boris' move looks best.

15... Bxb4!?  Karjakin must invite complications 16. Ng5 !

Now correct and quite satisfactory for Black is 16... Nf8! 17. Nxb5 axb5 18. Bxb4 exd4 19. exd4 Qf4  as in  Soltau Achim - Van Kempen Heinz 2554 , corr. 1/ 6/2004 Ch World (corr.) (final) XVIII

16...h6?!  After this mistake Black will not be able to recover.

17. Nxb5 !

17... axb5 18. Bh7!  Probably Karjakin missed this move. Now the game is over since the King can not go into the corner. (because of mate in 1!)

18... Kf8 19. Bxb4 check!

19... c5 20. dxc5 Bc6  Black must prevent the c-pawn from advancing

21. Be4   Simple play.  Rybka also likes 21. Nxf7!? Kxf7 22. Bg6 Kf8 23. Bxe8 Rxe8 24. f3, but in the present game such play is unnecessary and can easily backfire.

21... Nb8   A horrible move to make, but necessary in order to meet the threat of capturing on c6 and Rd6! followed by the advance of the c-pawn.  You can almost feel sorry for Black in this position!  Almost...

22. Nh7 Nxh7 23. Bxh7

Now Gelfand intends to double on the d-line and wait for Black to start crying!  So Karjakin plays his only trump: trying to capture the Bishop on h7....

23... g6 24. Rd6! Re7  Note that 24... Kg7 is even worse: 25. Bxg6 fxg6 26. Rxg6 Kf8 27. Qf5 and it is all over 25. h4 h5 26. Bxg6!

This was bound to happen, and Karjakin knew it, but his only chance in a desperate position is to provoke the devil and hope that he slips up.  Unfortunately for Black, Gelfand is in top form.

26... fxg6 27. Qxg6 Rxa2 28. Rcd1

What a crushing position!  White builds up threat after threat...the end comes quickly

28... Rf7 29. Qh6! Rybka says mate forced in 13 moves! 29... Rg7 30. Qf6 Kg8 31. Rd8 Kh7 32. Qf5 Rg6 33. Qxh5 Rh6 34. Qf5 [1:0]

It must have come as a relief for Karjakin to resign.

GOOD LUCK TO BORIS IN THE FINALS!

POST GAME INTERVIEW!

Boris Gelfand is the first finalist of the World Cup 2009. Having defeated Sergey Karjakin in the classical games, the Israeli chess player secured an additional rest day before the final Round.

• The result of the first game had a great influence on the second, - says Boris. – Sergey had a tremendously difficult task: to win back at any cost. But it is very difficult to achieve with black. We both like classical chess. Therefore Sergey's problems were doubled. Anyway we had a praiseworthy battle. My opponent chose a “correct” opening; he was not trying to make a mess there by playing unusual variations. But at one point he had to go far and as a result he was under my attack and lost.


• What feelings does the first finalist have?

• Only positive emotions. This is first time when I managed to qualify to the finals in the knock out tournament. I cannot say that I had an easy way to go. My opponents were stronger and stronger in every next Round. I could win three matches only in the tie breaks. It was a great surprise that was able to qualify to the finals winning in the classical games of the semi finals. But it is too early to relax, I should get prepared to the decisive duel.

• Can we say that the qualification to the finals of the World Cup is the most significant achievement in your career?

• Not really. So far the best result was the fight for the second place at the World Chess Championship 2007 in Mexico. But the World Cup is not over yet.

• At two previous World Cups you were working with the famous Grandmaster Alexander Huzman. Now you have a new second. Tell us about him?

• Yes, sure. My second is Maxim Rodshtein. I think that in the nearest future he will occupy the second position in the Top list of Israel.

• Shall we expect a new reinforcement in Israeli chess?

• Let me leave this question open, - says Boris enigmatically.


• Do you know your score in the games against Ponomariov and Malakhov.


• The score is equal with Ponomariov: 4 or 5 draws. I played only once with Malakhov – 1-0.


• Whom would you like to have as your opponent in the finals?


I don't think about it, I think about my game. Let the worthiest win…

Today's insight into the meaning of LIFE...

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

True Friendship... SCOTTISH STYLE!!

(None of that Sissy shite)

Are ye tired of those piss weak 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality? Well, here are a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship... You will see no cute wee smiley faces on this card . Just the stone cold truth of a great friendship.

1. When ye are sad -- I will help you get pissed and plot revenge against the bastard who made ye sad.

2. When ye are blue -- I will be there to make you see the bright side.

3. When ye smile -- I will know ye are thinking of something that I would probably want to be involved in.

4. When ye are scared -- I will shake the piss out of ye every chance I get, until you're NOT.

5. When ye are worried -- I will tell ye stories about how much worse it could be until YE STOP WHINING!

6... When yer confused -- I will try to use only wee words.

7... When ye are sick -- Stay away from me until ye are well again. I don't want whatever ye've got.

8... When ye fall, I will laugh my effin head off at you, you clumsy arse,......but I'll help you up.

9... This is my oath.... I pledge it to the end.

Why?' you may ask;    Because you are my friend.  Friendship is like pissing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth...

Send this to 100 yer closest friends,   Then get depressed because ye can only think of 4.

World Cup 2009: Gelfand's march to greatness!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Boris Gelfand is playing the tournament of his life!  Nobody and nothing can stop him.  He may get the worse position sometimes; he may even lose a game from time to time; but one thing seems to be certain: Boris never loses his head!   We wish him good luck on his way to win the World Cup...

Today Boris crushed Karjakin in humiliating fashion WITH THE BLACK PIECES!

Boris would not need his angel today! Just some juices...

...and a short nap!

Karjakin, Sergey - Gelfand, B

6/12/2009.

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4

Karjakin avoids Boris' feared Petroff!

2... Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. Bb3 d5

The ease with which Gelfand gains the initiative is impressive.

7. exd5 Nxd5 8. h3 a5 9. a4 Nd4 10. Nxd4 exd4 11. Re1 Ra6 12. Qh5 Nb4 13. Na3 Rg6 14. Bf4 b6

Black is simply better.  White tries to prevent Black from building up his attack

15. Qf3 Be6! 16. Bxe6 fxe6 17. Qe4 Bd6 !

18. Bxd6 cxd6 19. Qxd4

For his trouble White has a pawn.  Boris shows that it the trouble is big

19... Qg5 20. g3 Qf5 !

Simple and effective.  White is probably already lost

21. g4

21... h5  good enough, but 21... Nd5! is stronger.22. Re4 d5 23. Kh2 Qf3 24. Ree1

The rest goes in silence

24... hxg4 25. Qe3 gxh3 26. Qxf3 Rxf3 27. Rg1 Rxf2 28. Kxh3 Rxg1 29. Rxg1 Nxc2 30. Nb5 Rf3 31. Kg4 Rxd3 32. Nd6 Ne3 33. Kf4 Nc4

White resigns

'That was fast! Maybe I can still go ice-fishing...''


POST GAME INTERVIEW

(COURTESY OF THE OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT WEBSITE)

Boris Gelfand of Israel outplayed the Ukrainian Sergey Karjakin in the first game of the semi final games with black. The traditional press conference took place after the game and here what they both said.

• B.G.: The “two knights” opening which is rarely used now by the professional chess players was played in our game. I remember the main ideas of this variation. There was even something similar in the game of Alexey Shirov. Perhaps we were both playing not well, but at one point it happened that all the black pieces were attacking the white King. The black pieces were strong indeed in this position. I am not saying that Sergey had a forced loss, but he had real objective problems. In general, the game was very interesting in my opinion.

• S.K.: I decided to play a rare variation in order to avoid the Petroff Defense with its high possibilities of making a draw. I just wanted to play chess. So, I did it now. In addition my defense was not ideal, to say the least. Though it is difficult to say where exactly my decisive mistake was. I should consult the computer.

• Boris when did you realize that you can win this game?

• B.G.: I was not thinking about it. I was just calculating the variations and trying to find the better continuations. Even, there was a moment when I could not see how the white pieces would defend. It is rather logical: the black pieces attack and the white pieces have just started getting into the game.

• Sergey, do you think there was a moment where you could make a draw?

. S.K.: The position was very strong for black and I did not see a forced draw.

• So, today the activity was coming only from one opponent?

• B.G.: I would not say so. Most probably it is easier for the black pieces: they had a plan to attack a King. But if the white pieces managed to consolidate, then he could have got a better position.

• Boris, can you imagine that you may lose tomorrow with white?

• B.G.: I don't want to discuss it.

• Sergey, would you call your defeat a catastrophe?

• S.K.: Since I still have chances, I will fight. We shall see then.