Chess from Malcolm Pein Chess Saturday May 19th 2007

The world number six Shakriyar Mamedyarov blundered and lost in the seventh round of the MTel Masters handing the Indian GM Krisnan Sasikiran a one point lead with three to play at Sofia.

Sasikiran was the beneficiary of a blunder for the second time as Mamedyarov failed to calm himself down after the time scramble played a move he thought was winning but then had to resign. Strangely, Sasikiran was also under the false impression that he was losing but when he sat back down he had a choice of winning moves.

Michael Adams had a solid draw against world number two Veselin Topalov and shares second place with the Bulgarian and Mamedyarov on 50% score.

The MTel Masters Scores: 1 Sasikiran (India)4.5/7; 2-4 Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan), Adams (England), Topalov (Bulgaria) 3.5; 5-6 Nisipeanu (Romania), Kamsky (USA) 3;

Mamedyarov,S (2757) - Sasikiran,K (2690) [A20]
MTel Sofia BUL (7), 17.05.2007
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.c4 e5 2.g3 d6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.d3 f5 6.e4 The solid Botvinnik System 6...Nf6 7.Nge2 a5 8.exf5 [8.a3 0-1 Laco,G (2215)-Srebrnic,M/Nova Gorica 1999/CBM 068 ext (60)] 8...gxf5 9.d4 0-0 10.Bg5 Qe8 [10...c6] 11.0-0 h6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.c5! Trying to open the queenside 13...Nc6 14.Nb5 Qe7 15.Nec3 Qg7 16.cxd6 cxd6 17.d5 Nd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Nb5 f4! 20.Nxd6 Bg4 21.Qd3 Be7 22.Nb5 f3 23.Bh1 Bc5 24.d6 Kh8 25.Rad1 [25.Rae1 Rf7 26.Nc7 Rd8 27.Ne6 was good here] 25...Rad8 26.a3 Bb6 27.Rfe1 Bf5 28.Qd2 Qf6 29.Re7 Bd7 30.Rde1 [30.Qd3 Bf5 31.Qxf3 d3 32.Rxb7 Bc5 Still looks very messy despite White's three extra pawns] 30...Qg5 31.Qd3 Qf5 32.Qd2 Qg5 33.Qc2 Qf5 34.Qxf5 Rxf5 35.Nc7 d3! 36.Rd1 Rc5! 37.Bxf3 Rc2 38.Rf1 [38.Nd5 Bxf2+ 39.Kh1 Bc6 40.Rxd3 Rxd6 with some winning chances for White] 38...Bh3 39.Ne6 [39.Bg2 Bxf2+! 40.Rxf2 Rc1+ 41.Rf1 d2 wins] 39...Bxf2+! 40.Kh1 [40.Rxf2 Rc1+ 41.Rf1 Rxf1# mate] 40...Bxf1

41.d7?? [The game would have been drawn after 41.Nxd8 Rc1 42.Nf7+ Kg8 43.Nxh6+ Kh8 44.Nf7+ because if Black runs away with 44...Kg7 he is mated after 45.Ne5+ Kh6 (45...Kf6 46.Nd7+ Kg5 47.h4+ Kh6 48.Be4 Bh3+ 49.Kh2) 46.h4! d2 47.Ng4+ Kg6 48.Be4+ Kh5 49.Nf6+ Kh6 50.Rh7# mate] 41...Rg8 Resigns In view of [41...Rg8 42.d8Q Rxd8 43.Nxd8 Bh3 and White cannot play h4 which traps the black king and frees his own.] 0-1