Jan Timman, aging superstar (Fred Lucas)
Jan Timman, perhaps the most successful Dutch chess player after Max Euwe, is playing in the 'B' tournament in Wijk Aan Zee. A bit rusty from not having played much top level chess in recent years, Jan has never the less played some very nice chess and has scored important victories. Especially nice is his victory over Ernst.
Yesterday, however, luck was not on Jan's side as he misplayed the opening and just barely managed to survive a very difficult middlegame when his Indian adversary let him off the hook for just one moment:
POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 38th MOVE (38.Bd2)
gm TIMMAN
gm HARIKRISHNA
Here Timman could equalize completely with the accurate 38...Nf6!, which forces exchanges, the Bishop on d2, especially, requiring some attention
INSTEAD, probably short of time, Jan blundered with 38...Nf4?, and after 39.Be3 came 39...a4?? 40.Nc5! Timman resigned as he loses significant material
With this victory Harikrishna solidifies his lead in the 'B' tournament.
POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 26th MOVE (26.Re1)
gm POTKIN
gm ERNST
Here Potkin should defend against any unpleasantness on e6 with 26...Bd5!, when it is not clear why Ernst got out of bed in the morning (!) let alone play with such reckless abandon against the current European Champion.
BUT fortunate favours the brave (so I have learned the hard way!) when Potkin's sense of danger failed him:
26...Rd2? 27.Qxh7 Kf8
No doubt Potkin overlooked the next
28.Nxe6!! PxN 29.Qh6
Followed by taking the undefended Rook on d2. The advantage immediately passed to the White pieces....
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