15.5.09

The Gods must be Crazy

The fifth Jubilee tournament M-Tel Masters takes place in Sofia. It is from the ultra-prestigious 21 Category. Two rounds are already played, and the audience could witness (live from the glass cage in front of the National Theater!) full-blooded battle, excellent chess, and high quality...blunders.
Have a look at these two:
Wang Yue (2738) - Dominguez Perez,L (2717)
5th MTel Masters Sofia BUL (1), 13.05.2009

64.b5?? Insted White was easily winning after- [64.Kd3! e1Q 65.Rxe1 Kxe1 66.Ke3! Kf1 67.Kf4

and even the Reti idea to win a tempo and catch the pawn does not work- 67...Kf2 68.Kxg4 Ke3 69.b5] 64...e1Q 65.Rxe1 and draw was agreed since both players promote-[65.Rxe1 Kxe1 66.b6 g3 67.b7 g2 68.b8Q g1Q] Ѕ–Ѕ

Ivanchuk,Vassily (2746) - Wang Yue (2738)
5th MTel Masters Sofia BUL (2), 14.05.2009

Ivanchuck’s will to win is remarkable, but here it backfires:

44.Bxg5?? White could make a draw, instead, for example- [44.Bxe6 Kxe6 45.Bxg5 hxg4 46.Kxg4 d5= and the opposite-coloured bishops secure Black the half point] 44...Bxd5 45.f4+ [45.cxd5 Nxg5 46.f4+ Ke4 transposes to the game] 45...Ke4 46.cxd5 Nxg5 47.fxg5

47...h4+!! Otherwise it is White who wins. 48.Kxh4 Kf3 The king is trapped. Soon the useful moves will be over, and White will have to give away a pawn. 49.b4 b5 50.a5 Kg2 51.h3 Kh2

[51...Kh2 52.c3 Kg2 53.c4 bxc4 54.b5 c3 55.bxa6 c2 56.a7 c1Q 57.a8Q Qe1#] 0–1

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