Gibraltar 2014

[benedgell]

A stunning game between Kamsky and Ivanchuk today.

Dunno why Kamsky didn't go for it today. He's gone from a potential first outright going into the last round to joining what could be a large group of GMs on 7/9 and having to play against one of them with black in the last round. The organisers/ sponsors must be horribly disappointed.

[Andrew Stone]

Today's puzzle: why did black resign in the final position?

[Event "Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival 2014 "] [Site "The Caleta Hotel - Gibraltar"] [Date "2014.02.05"] [Round "9.111"] [White "Holleland, Sigve"] [Black "Andersen, Daniel"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A00"] [WhiteElo "1812"] [BlackElo "1941"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2014.01.28"] 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bg5 d5 5. e3 Nbd7 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Bd3 h6 8. Bh4 g6 9. Nc3 c6 10. Ne5 Rg8 11. Nxd7 Bxd7 12. Qc2 Be7 13. f3 Qb6 14. O-O-O O-O-O 15. Bg3 Be6 16. Kb1 Bd6 17. Bxd6 Rxd6 18. Na4 Qc7 19. Rc1 Kb8 20. Nc5 Re8 21. e4 fxe4 22. fxe4 dxe4 23. Nxe4 Nxe4 24. Bxe4 g5 25. Bg6 Red8 26. Rhe1 Qa5 27. b3 Rxd4 28. Qe2 Bf5+ 29. Bxf5 Qxf5+ 30. Ka1 Rd2 31. Qe7 Qf2 32. Qa3 Qd4+ 33. Kb1 Qd3+ 34. Ka1 Rxg2 35. Rc4 Rxh2 36. Rec1 Rd2 37. Qe7 Qe2 38. Qf6 Rxa2+ 39. Kb1 Rad2 40. R4c2 1-0

Black resigned against me also last year in Teplice, Czech Republic. I had a good attack going but it was far from over and I doubt any other oppo would have resigned. He wore an Ipswich Town shirt (despite being Danish). I don't think this had anything to do with the premature resignation, but I could be wrong!

[IM Jack Rudd]

I'm guessing Black actually picked up the rook and d2 intending to take on c2, then noticed Qxd8 mate as Brendan said, and finally realized too late that any other move by that rook loses.

Peter has it.

(It's not quite the worst half-move on the board - picking up the c2 rook would be even worse - but it's certainly the second worst.)

[Alex Holowczak]

I'm guessing Black actually picked up the rook and d2 intending to take on c2, then noticed Qxd8 mate as Brendan said, and finally realized too late that any other move by that rook loses.

Peter has it.

(It's not quite the worst half-move on the board - picking up the c2 rook would be even worse - but it's certainly the second worst.)

I assumed, mistakenly, that black resigned because white was genuinely winning, and that was the puzzle.

[PeterFarr]

I'm guessing Black actually picked up the rook and d2 intending to take on c2, then noticed Qxd8 mate as Brendan said, and finally realized too late that any other move by that rook loses.

Peter has it.

(It's not quite the worst half-move on the board - picking up the c2 rook would be even worse - but it's certainly the second worst.)

I assumed, mistakenly, that black resigned because white was genuinely winning, and that was the puzzle.

Well, You did the harder bit by showing that black wasn't lost without a trick...

Incidentally, thanks to Simon Brown for pointing out Jack's very entertaining game today - and to Jack for playing it of course!

[Nigel Short]

A stunning game between Kamsky and Ivanchuk today.

Dunno why Kamsky didn't go for it today. He's gone from a potential first outright going into the last round to joining what could be a large group of GMs on 7/9 and having to play against one of them with black in the last round. The organisers/ sponsors must be horribly disappointed.

I think Kamsky DID go for it. It was pretty obvious from his body language, and the amount of time he spent thinking, he could find nothing better than a repetition. He was, after all, material down. It happens sometimes...

[John McKenna]

And, sometimes does it not also happen that a group of top players come to an accommodation - even a tacit one - to share the spoils equitably?

[PeterFarr]

A stunning game between Kamsky and Ivanchuk today.

Dunno why Kamsky didn't go for it today. He's gone from a potential first outright going into the last round to joining what could be a large group of GMs on 7/9 and having to play against one of them with black in the last round. The organisers/ sponsors must be horribly disappointed.

I think Kamsky DID go for it. It was pretty obvious from his body language, and the amount of time he spent thinking, he could find nothing better than a repetition. He was, after all, material down. It happens sometimes...

During the game, Simon and Irina in the commentary certainly seemed to agree with this, suggesting that Kamsky may have been caught out.

[IM Jack Rudd]

And, sometimes does it not also happen that a group of top players come to an accommodation - even a tacit one - to share the spoils equitably?

It does. But usually not when they have as strong a motivation as Kamsky did not to.

[Barry Sandercock]

Michael Adams had an interesting draw this morning.

[Steve Rooney]

An interesting game in progress in Vachier Lagrave- Ivanchuck on board one. The latter has just taken the second sacrificed piece.

And can someone explain what was going on in Adams game? It's way beyond my understanding, maybe we'll ask him to explain when he comes to Shrosphire for his simul next month!

[Roger de Coverly]

And can someone explain what was going on in Adams game? It's way beyond my understanding, maybe we'll ask him to explain when he comes to Shrosphire for his simul next month!

You could also try Vallejo Pons and Lenier Dominguez who played an identical game in 2006. At one level, it's a case of sharp tactical blows leading to a draw by repetition. At another level, perhaps both players were aware of the previous game, so knew how the tactics would work out. It's not always safe to assume your opponent is prepared to draw as there might be a devastating novelty available.

[JustinHorton]

Only just caught up with Kamsky-Ivanchuk. Curious that 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 c5 should come up more than once after I mentioned it in passing a fortnight ago.

[Nigel Short]

Only just caught up with Kamsky-Ivanchuk. Curious that 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 c5 should come up more than once after I mentioned it in passing a fortnight ago.

Ivanchuk must be studying your posts, Justin...

[Mike Gunn]

Kamsky came into the commentary room after the game and said "nobody has played Qb6 against me in that position for more than 10 years and I forgot the theory" (or words to that effect). A certain amount of surprise was expressed about this (although not to Kamsky's face).