Been busy

No new game at the moment since I have been pretty busy.
The summer classes have started and there are too many things to catch up.
I have never had much time during summer class since the classes are super-fast.
I am taking thermodynamics class, a digital lab class and 2 arabic courses this summer.
In addition to that, there are soccer matches every morning and afternoon to be watched.
Being a fanatic soccer fan and player, I could not miss a single match or else I'll feel that I have missed something on the particular day.

Hopefully I'll be able to play at least one yahoo game with a 1500++ player this week.

new game

1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 g6
3. Nc3 Bg7
4. h3 d5
5. c5 b6 ( black will have immediate advantage with 5. … 0–0 6. Bf4 Bf5 7. Qb3 b6 )
6. b4 0–0
7. Bf4 Re8 ( 7. … a5 should have been played earlier)
8. e3 a5
9. a3 axb4
10. axb4 Rxa1
11. Qxa1 bxc5 ( 11. … Nc6 better but I was worried that the b-pawn might be isolated soon)
12. bxc5 Nc6
13. Bb5 Bd7
14. Nge2 ( 14. Nf3 was better) 14. … Nb4 ( 14. … e5 15. Bg5 Nxd4 16. exd4 exd4 )
15. 0–0 Qc8 ( 15. … Bxb5 )
16. Qa7 ( 16. Bxd7 Qxd7 17. Qa5 Nc6 18. Qxc7 Qxc7 19. Bxc7 Rc8 20. Be5 Nxe5 21. dxe5 Nd7 ) 16. … c6
17. Ba6? Nxa6 ( 17. … Qxa6 )
18. Ra1 ( 18. Na4 Qa8 ( dangerous was 18. … Nb8 19. Nb6 Qd8 20. Bc7 and black lose the queen) 19. Qxa8 Rxa8 20. Nb6 ) 18. … Nb4
19. Qb6 Nd3
20. Bh2 Bxh3!? might be a premature attack but black is already a piece ahead
21. gxh3 Qxh3
22. Ng3? ( 22. Qxc6 ) 22. … Ng4
23. Qxc6?? ( last chance for defence was 23. Nf1 Nxh2 24. Nxh2 Nf4 25. exf4 Qxc3 26. Rb1 ) 23. … Qxh2+
24. Kf1 Qxf2#

Wrong decision

It has been a wrong decision to slow down my preparation for the Midwest Games' chess tournament before. I was concentrating more on table tennis since I will be facing Saiful who I always know is a very talented player. I had lost some of my momentum because of neglecting my training.

I won my first game against Azman who played in 'Catur Merdeka' before, with a rook sacrifice for 2 bishops. I had to struggle a little bit before establishing the advantage.

In the second game, things were going fine and I had a small positional advantage before I lost my focus (mainly because I had just finished my table tennis game and was still sweating). I sacrificed a rook for 2 pawns for the center and positional advantage. It should be a temporary sacrifice but I oversighted that my queen is overloaded. I kept struggling for any chance of defense but lost the time (the time control was G/30)

It's very bad that the tournament used a knock-out system. I have to go back without a chess medal but fortunately I did well in my table-tennis games and bagged a gold and a bronze to bring home.

Turning the table..

Kamsky drew against Etienne Bacrot,
Topa beat Anand; and
Svidler lost to Pono

It is a very exciting tournament indeed.
I think Sofia is the stepping stone of the changes in Super-GM tournament.
Before Sofia last year, there are a lot of short draws.
However, since Sofia last year did not allow any short draw, most GMs have learned to fight until the end
A lot of exciting middle games have surfaced since then.

I haven't had any chance to check on the games today except for Anand-Topa game
and I have been expecting Nxf3 since move 29.
It has later been played on move 31.
I wonder if my prediction is a premature move.

He won again

Yiha.. Kamsky won again today...
So he has won against everyone but Topalov now
at the same time, Topa lost for the 2nd time, now to Peter Svidler
Topa played a very convincing game against Kamsky 2 days ago
I almost thought that Topa is coming back.. like he did before

Kamsky also won convincingly against Pono today
He played 35. Rc7 when Pono's Black Queen is on the 2nd row, which showed how he is always playing for a win, not just for a draw.
Svidler put Topa into zwigzwang in a very interesting end game

Anand is playing Topa again tomorrow
I hope there won't be a short draw

What's up with Kamsky

So Mr. Kamsky is getting famous again.

People have been expecting him to show his true nature after a long silence.
Many people were stunned when his name suddenly appeared again in chess world.
He was actually very famous a little more than a decade ago
In his teen age, he had beaten a lot of big names such as Nigel Short, Ivanchuk, Anand, Shirov, Kramnik and even Mr. Kasparov (only onced though)
He was the youngest player ever to be rated in FIDE's world top ten in 1990.
However, he suddenly left the competitive chess world in 1995 to continue his study in medicine.

After 9 years, he came back in 2004 to do extremely well in his first competition.
He continued his excellent run and won more competitions after that.
Today, being the lowest rated among 6 players, he is leading in Sofia, in a Super-GM tournament with +3 -0 =1 after beating Anand 2 days ago. If he beats the world champion, Mr Topalov tomorrow, that might be his best result in the first round of a Super-GM tournament ever.

Good luck Gata Kamsky... I always love your games

-zabbura2002-

Badly beaten

I've been badly beaten today...

1. e4 c5
2. Bc4 e6
3. Nf3 Nf6
4. Nc3 g6? ( 4. … d5 5. exd5 exd5 6. Qe2+ Be7 )
5. d4 cxd4? ( 5. … d5 6. exd5 exd5 7. Qe2+ Be7 8. Bb5+ Nbd7 9. dxc5 )
6. Nxd4 Bg7 ( 6. … Bb4 7. 0–0 d5 8. Bb5+ Bd7 )
7. 0–0 0–0
8. f4 d5
9. exd5 exd5
10. Bb3 a6? ( 10. … Nc6 )
11. Be3 Ng4
12. Qd2 Qh4?! ( 12. … Nxe3 13. Qxe3 Re8 14. Qf2 Nc6 )
13. g3 Qd8
14. Nxd5 Re8
15. Rae1 Nc6 ( 15. … Nxe3 16. Rxe3 Rxe3 17. Qxe3 Nc6 )
16. Nxc6 I was planning for( 16. h3?! Nxe3 17. Rxe3 Rxe3 18. Qxe3 Bxd4 )
16. … bxc6
17. Bb6 Qd7 ( 17. … Rxe1 18. Bxd8 Rxf1+ 19. Kxf1 cxd5 )
18. Rxe8+ Bf8
19. Rd8 Qb7
20. Qb4!! Black lost now.. but I think i'll just try a few more moves to see how long I can put some fight
20. … Qxb6+ desperate move
21. Qxb6 ( 21. Nxb6 c5 )
21. … Bb7
22. Ne7+ Kg7
23. Qd4+ Nf6
24. Rxa8 Bxa8
25. Re1! c5 ( 25. … h6 26. Qc4 Bxe7 27. Qxf7+ Kh8 )
26. Qc4 Bxe7
27. Qxf7+ Kh6
28. Rxe7 1-0

April 22

1. e4 c5
2. f4 Nc6
3. a4? e5
4. Qf3? Nd4
5. Qd3 c4? ( 5. … d5 6. exd5 Qxd5 )
6. Qxc4 Qf6 ( 6. … d5
7. Qc3 ( 7. exd5 Bf5 ) ) 7. f5 Qh4+
8. g3?! Qxe4+
9. Ne2? ( 9. Kf2 Qxh1 10. Bg2 Qxh2 )
9. … Nxc2+ ( 9. … Nf3+ 10. Kd1 Qxc4 )

white resigns

Another Blitz

[Event "?"]
[Site "ICC"]
[Date "2006.04.17"]
[Round "?"]
[White "zabbura2002"]
[Black "Black"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. d4 d5
2. c4 dxc4
3. e4 Nf6
4. Nc3 Bg4
5. Nf3 Nc6
6. d5 Na5
7. b4 cxb3
8. axb3 c6
9. b4 Bxf3
10. gxf3 Rc8
11. Rxa5 cxd5
12. Rxd5 Nxd5 ( Nd7 13. Bb5 Rc7 14. Bf4 Rxc3 )
13. Nxd5 $2 ( 13. Bb5+ Rc6 ) f6
14. Bb5+ ( 14. Bh3 Rc6 15. O-O
e6 16. Nf4 ) Kf7
15. f4 ( 15. Bd2 e6 16. Nf4 e5 17. Nd5 ) e6
16. Ne3 Bxb4+
17.Bd2 ( 17. Ke2 a6 18. Qb3 axb5 ) Qd4
18. O-O ( 18. f5 Bxd2+ 19. Qxd2 Qxd2+ 20. Kxd2 Rhd8+ 21. Ke2 exf5 ) Bxd2
19. f5 Bxe3
20. fxe6+ Ke7
21. fxe3 ( 21. Qh5 Bxf2+ 22. Rxf2 Rc1+ 23. Bf1 Kxe6 24. Qg4+ Kf7 25. Qg2 ) Qxe3+ 22. Rf2 Qg5+
23.Rg2 Qc5+
24. Rf2 Qxb5
25. Rb2 Qxb2
26. Qd7+ Kf8
27. Qf7# 1-0

April 14, ICC -4 (blitz 2/2)

[Event "?"]
[Site "ICC"]
[Date "2006.04.17"]
[Round "?"]
[White "zabbura2002"]
[Black "Black"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 e5
6. Nxc6 bxc6
7. Bg5 ( 7.
Bc4 {is more common} ) Bb4
8. Bc4 h6
9. Bh4 ( 9. Bxf6 {my usual choice} ) g5
10. Bg3 Qe7
11. O-O ( {I should have played the more aggresive} 11. Qe2 {or 11. Qd3 with a chance of castling Queen side} ) Bxc3
12. bxc3 Nxe4
13. Qf3 {a blunder as early as move 13?!} Nd2 {better was} ( d5 14. Bd3 Nd2 )
14. Bxe5 {both the Queen and Rook can still be saved with } ( 14. Bxf7+ Qxf7 15. Qe2
Nc4 {if} ( Nxf1 16. Qxe5+ ) ) Nxf3+
15. gxf3 O-O
16. Rfe1 Qc5
17. Bb3 d5
18. Rad1 Be6
19. c4 dxc4
20. Bd6 Qxd6 ( Qa5 21. Re5 Qd8 22. Ba4 Rc8 $17 )
21. Rxd6 cxb3
22. axb3 Rac8
23. Kg2 $2 ( 23. Ra1 Rc7 ) Rfe8
24. Ra1 c5
25. Rxa7 c4
26. b4 Rb8
27. c3 Red8
28. Rxd8+ Rxd8
29. b5 {basic endgame mistake} ( 29. h3 ) Rb8
30. Ra5 Bd7
31. b6 {desprate move, better was } ( 31. Ra6 Bxb5
32. Rxh6 ) Rxb6
32. Rc5 Be6
33. Kg3 ( 33. Re5 f5 34. Re1 ) Rb3
34. f4 Rxc3+
35. Kg2 gxf4 ( Bh3+ 36. Kg1 Rc1# ) { mate in 2}
36. h4 Rd3
37. f3 c3
38. Kf1 ( 38. Kf2 ) Re3 ( Rxf3+ )
39. Kf2 Ba2
40. Ra5 Bb1
41. Ra3 c2
42. Rxe3 ( 42. Ra8+ Kg7 43. Rc8 )
{White resigned} 0-1

April 14, ICC -3

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 h6 4. Ne5 Bd6 5. Qh5 Nf6 6. Qxf7# Black checkmated

April 14, ICC -2

It has been a long time since i played against English.. Symmetrical English might be the only English opening I know as Black since I watched zingkov used it before in Holland.

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 e6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Bf4 d5 7. Ne5 Nxd4 8. e3 Nf5 9. e4 d4 10. Bd3 dxc3 11. bxc3 Nh4 White resigns

April 14, ICC -1

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 c6 5. e3 Bg7 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. Ne5 Unregistered player Black disconnected and forfeits 1-0

Chess jokes

A chess master died - after a few days, a friend of his heard a voice; it was him!
"What's it like, where you are now," he asked.
"What do you want to hear first, the good news or the bad news."
"Tell me the good news first."
"Well, it's really heaven here. There are tournaments and blitz sessions going on all the time and Morphy, Alekhine, Lasker, Tal, Capablanca, Botvinnik, they're all here, and you can play them."
"Fantastic!" the friend said, "and what is the bad news?"
"YOU have Black against Capablanca on Saturday."

Black on ICC

1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Qxd4 Qxd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Bg4 8. f3 Bf5 9. Ne2 Ne7 10. g4 Bd3 11. Bd2 0–0 12. Bg2 Re8 13. f4 Nbc6 14. a3 Bxc3 15. bxc3 Rad8 16. Bf3 a5 17. Nc1 Bc4 18. Kf2 Ng6 19. Kg3 Nf8 20. Bxc6 bxc6 21. f5 c5 22. Bf4 c6 23. Bc7 Rd7 24. Bxa5 cxd4 25. cxd4 Rxd4 26. Bb4 g6 27. f6 Re3+ 28. Kh4 Ree4 29. Be7? Rxg4+ 30. Kh3 Be6? (30. .. Ne6 31. Rg1 Ng5#) 31. Re1 Rge4+ White resigns

black vs Eric Gerson

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. Bxc6 ( 4. d4 Qa5+ ) 4. … bxc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nf6 7. e5 Nd5 ( 7. … c5 8. Qh4 Nd5 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. 0–0 Ba6 11. Re1 ) 8. c4 Nb4 9. Qc3 Bb7 10. a3 Na6 11. Bg5 Be7 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. 0–0 0–0 14. b4 d5 15. exd6 e.p. Qxd6 16. c5 Qe7 17. Qb3 Nc7 18. Nc3 a5 19. Rad1 Rab8 20. Ne4 Nd5 21. Qc2 axb4 22. a4 Ba6 23. Rfe1 b3 24. Qb1? ( 24. Qb2 ) 24. … f5 25. Ned2 Nc3 26. Qb2 Nxd1 27. Rxd1 Rfd8 28. Nd4 Qf6 29. N2f3 ( 29. Nxc6 Qxb2 ) 29. … e5 30. Re1 exd4 31. Ne5 d3 0-1

white vs Danny

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nc6 3. c4 Nf6 4. Bg5 h6 5. Bxf6 gxf6 6. e3 Bf5 7. Nc3 e6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bb5 Qd6 10. Qb3 Be6 ( 10. … 0–0–0 ) 11. 0–0 0–0–0 12. Qa4 Ne7? ( 12. … Kb8 ) 13. Qxa7 Nc6 14. Bxc6 Qxc6 15. Rac1 Rg8 16. a4 Bh3 17. Nb5 Qd7?? 1-0



( 17. … Bxg2 18. Rfe1 Bh3+ ( 18. … Bxf3+ 19. Kf1 Bg2+ 20. Ke2 +– ) 19. Kh1 Bg2+ = )

black vs. Kevin DiTirro

1. c4 d5 2. cxd5 Qxd5 3. e3 e5 4. Nc3 Qd8 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qe4 Nc6 ( 6. … Nf6 7. Qxb7 Nc6 ) 7. Bc4 Nf6 8. Qc2 Bc5 9. Rb1? 0–0 10. a3 a6 11. b4 Ba7 12. f4 exf4 13. exf4 Qe7+ 14. Nge2 Nd4! 15. Qb2 b5 16. 0–0?? Nxe2+ 17. Kh1 bxc4 18. Nxe2 Qxe2 0-1 (diagram)



then maybe 19. Rg1 Bxg1 20. d3 cxd3 21. Qxe2 dxe2 22. Bd2 Ne4 23. Be1

Starting

I will start posting my games soon
and maybe analyzing them as well.
Please give comments.
And thanks in advance!