39th Olympiad Khanty-Mansiysk 2010 (the chess)

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

How about 24. Nf5 now?

[Jonathan Rogers]

I quite like our positions, and it seems that Luke is tickling a bit.

At the top, France are slightly under the cosh and their in form player Feller has already conceded a draw with White (so Gawain really could be challenging for a medal were he to win today). Not sure where Russia will win in their predictably turgid match v China, and Israel have good positions v USA.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

23 Bh6 was played in Chandler-Mestel 1986.

Here's that game: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1095665

I think 24. Nf5 would have won quickly in that game too!

24. Nf5 (instead of f4) exf5
25. Bxf7+ Nxf7
26. Qg6+ etc.

[Roger de Coverly]

Stellwagen's novelty is disapproved of by Stockfish, which thinks the position is level after 23...Ng6.

As does Rybka. If we believe the opinions of RJF, the correct way to handle the Dragon is "open the h file, sac, sac,mate". I don't think there are now any sac possibilities, so the game can now proceed positionally.

(edit) Rybka preferred .. Nc4 which has the advantage of thwarting the Nf5 idea (which now looks very strong)


(edit later) As we're now (move 30) in an ending where Black has an extra passed f pawn, presumably it's now up to Stellwagen to demonstrate that Black's isolated pawns and White's bishop pair are sufficient compensation.

[Keith Arkell]

I just noticed that Gelfand is playing Nakamura. Interesting because Gelfand recently said that it is very bad that Naka has become one of the worlds elite players by focusing on ''bullet'' chess,having no knowledge of chess culture,and no deep understanding of the openings.I'll watch with interest...

[Ola Winfridsson]

It does look generally mildly promising for England today, doesn't it? McShane-Giri is surely close to a draw already, but neither Smeets nor Stellwagen seem to have full compensation for a pawn/two pawns in the bishop pair. And Adams' game looks fine to me, slowly but surely does it!

Edit 1: Stellwagen and Jones have agreed a draw. Edit 2: Adams-van Wely also drawn. Can Short squeeze a win out of his position?

Keith: Do we know whether Nakamura has responded to Gelfand's criticism, so that we have a true grudge match on our hands!?

[Keith Arkell]

Not sure Ola.Can't even remember where I got my info from.

So it looks like it will now fizzle out into 4 draws,so let's hope the Ryder cup soon resumes.Cheers guys for the links by the way

[Gareth Harley-Yeo]

let's hope the Ryder cup soon resumes.Cheers guys for the links by the way

unlikely mate, if anything the rain is getting heavier!

[Steve Rooney]

Not sure Ola.Can't even remember where I got my info from.

So it looks like it will now fizzle out into 4 draws,so let's hope the Ryder cup soon resumes.Cheers guys for the links by the way

Is there a way Nigel can squeeze a point or do you think he will have to settle for a half? This is the kind of position that club level players like myself find difficult to formulate how you should go about trying to win, if it's possible. Your insight into the position would be very interesting, but then the golf may be more of a draw!

[Matt Mackenzie]

I just noticed that Gelfand is playing Nakamura. Interesting because Gelfand recently said that it is very bad that Naka has become one of the worlds elite players by focusing on ''bullet'' chess,having no knowledge of chess culture,and no deep understanding of the openings.I'll watch with interest...

Also of some interest is that all their wins against each other (2 each IIRC) in classical chess have come with Black......

Has Kramnik drawn again yet BTW??

[Jonathan Rogers]

Naka won a KI brilliancy v Gelfand last year, so it's not as though he under-rates Naka. But several others too feel that naka will never realise his great potential. Gelfand is under pressure but holding.

Israel have indeed broken through, curiously in Sutovsky v Kamsky - the curiosity being that Sutovsky has been Kamsky's second (in fact Sutovsky seems to excel in team chess, and has 3-0 v Wood Green in 4NCL; that is 3-0 v Morozevich, Sokolov and Nielsen; and I recall other events reported in NIC.) Kamsky played a risky opening, no doubt precisely because of S's knowledge of his standard repertoire; and was under pressure quickly, but I'd like to know why Kamsky did not at least try 23...Ng5

[Keith Arkell]

Not sure Ola.Can't even remember where I got my info from.

So it looks like it will now fizzle out into 4 draws,so let's hope the Ryder cup soon resumes.Cheers guys for the links by the way

Is there a way Nigel can squeeze a point or do you think he will have to settle for a half? This is the kind of position that club level players like myself find difficult to formulate how you should go about trying to win, if it's possible. Your insight into the position would be very interesting, but then the golf may be more of a draw!

I think Steve that the difficulty for Black is in finding a way to approach with the K,while at the same time shielding it from a load of checks.Somehow he will have to Bring in the K and B together.Of course it is a draw,but there is a little bit of discomfort because B wants to play ...g5(my favourite chess move) and Bd7 and White will then have nowhere for his K

[Alex Holowczak]

Can't Short play Bh5 to swap all the pieces, then play g5? Is that a win?

[Keith Arkell]

Ok,so W wants to bring his K round to g2,but can B prevent this?

[James Coleman]

Im 99% sure the pawn ending would just be a draw if all the pieces come off...

Of course Black should avoid 43...Bh5 44.Kf4 Bxf3 45.Rxf3 Rxh2 46.Kg3+