Jaan Ehlvest blunders a piece on move 5

[John Moore]

Just watching the US Seniors Round 8 and Ehlvest played the following against Benjamin.

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 g3 (the Glek 4 Knights which used to be fairly popular). Benjamin thought for a bit and played 4 Bc5 and then Ehlvest, after about a minute, produced 5 Ne5. Oh dear!

[Matt Mackenzie]

The thing is, that "trick" works in similar positions - and it took me a while to see the "catch" here

For those still unaware, after 5....Ne5 the "customary" 6 d4 is unplayable because of 6.....Bd4!

One for Geoff C's traps file - or does he know it already?

[James Coleman]

Seen it before. Also seen someone fall for it with 4.a3 g6 5.Bc4 Nxe4?? etc.

[JustinHorton]

Fantastic preparation

[NickFaulks]

Fantastic preparation

Well, he did appear to have a winning position, as well as a huge time advantage, when the draw was agreed.

[Matt Mackenzie]

What, really??

Let's have the full game score then......

[JustinHorton]

Chess24

[Leonard Barden]

From the official report:

Jaan Ehlvest seemed to have a “senior moment” in the opening against Joel Benjamin, and sacrificed a piece for dubious compensation. Somehow he found a way to get counterplay, and had a huge attack despite being down a whole rook. The players agreed to a draw in a position where Jaan had a promising attack, but almost no time on his clock.

[NickFaulks]

but almost no time on his clock.

Except it looks the other way round.

[Leonard Barden]

The suggestion in online comments is that the draw was actually agreed after Ehlvest's 30th move, when both chessbomb and chess24 assess the position as level, and that Black's Kc8 was made after the handshake and erroneously shown as part of the game. That would make sense of the finish.

[David Sedgwick]

but almost no time on his clock.

Except it looks the other way round.

Either the report is wrong, or the broadcast clock times are. I have a theory as to how the latter might have happened, but I would need a DGT board to check it out.

[Peter Shaw]

Here is a link to Benjamin's comments after the game (starts at about 3:03:00)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o99-4nSJUPY

The clocks times were correct and 30...Kc8 was played, but apparently Ehlvest had offered a draw at move 28 which was accepted but they had forgotten about the 30 move limit so it was a bit of a strange situation.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

A six-point plus swing on moves 25 and 26! Strange game. I love how the black knight just sits on h1 for the whole game. White has no interest in it while pursuing his attack. Someone should put the game up here properly (I don't have time right now).

[JustinHorton]

I was reminded of this game.