Maxime Vachier-Lagrave - Pavel Eljanov

Corus Chess Tournament 2007 (11) 2007


After 20. Nd2 we have the following position. Take a look at all the pieces on the d-line! Black has the bishop pair, while White has problems to find the right squares for his knights.

20... Bf5 21. Qb5 Nd6 22. Qd5 Bg6 23. Rac1 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 h6 25. Nc2?! White accepts the pin. But also after 25. Nc4, 25. Qb3 or 25. N2f3 Black keeps the advantage. 25... Qc7 26. Bxb6 26. Nf1 Nf5 27. Qb5 Re5 28. Bxb6 axb6 29. Nce3 Qxc1 30. Qxe5 Nxe3 31. fxe3 would have confined the damage. 26... Qxb6 27. b3?? A terrible blunder, which will lose a piece. 27... Rc8 28. Nc4 Nxc4 29. Ne3 29. bxc4 Bxc2 30. Rxc2 Qb1+ 29... Nd6 0-1

 








 

 

Viorel Bologan - Gabriel Sargissian

Corus Chess Tournament 2007 (11) 2007


In this position white is indeed a pawn up, but it is obvious that Black has enough compensation. A typical position where both players should be satisfied with a draw.

33. Qd2?! Now the White queen can't get back to h2, because Rxf4 is always threatening. White should have drawn here by repeatedly moving his bishop over the diagonal b8-f4. 33... h6 34. Re2? Qf3 threatens Qh1+ as well as g5. 35. Rxe4 Forced. The endgame was a piece of cake for Sargissian. 35... dxe4 36. Qg2 Qd3 37. Bxh6 Rf3 38. Kh2 Qd1 39. Bd2 Qc2 40. Be1 Qb1 41. Qd2 Qd3 42. Qg5 e3 43. h5 Qe4 44. hxg6 Rf1 45. Qd8+ Kg7 46. Qd7+ Kxg6 47. Qd6+ Kg5 48. Qd8+ Kg4 49. Qh4+ Kf3 50. Qh3 Qc2+ 0-1

 








 

 

Hou Yifan - Wouter Spoelman

Corus Chess Tournament 2007 (11) 2007


Previous to round 11 the tournament of Wouter Spoelman hardly couldn't get any better. During the tournament he defeated Kosintseva, Bosboom, Jonkman and Peng. In addition he drawed against Nepomniachtchi and had a total score of 5, 5 uit 10. But what happened today was truely bizarre. In the next position white has just taken a pawn on e5. Instead of Rxe5 to balance the position, Spoelman decides to go for some complications.

19... Qg5 20. Ng3 h4 Black gives himself unnecessarily a hard time. 21. Nf3 Qh6 22. Nf5 Qg5?? A total black-out, gives away a full queen! 23. Nxg5 1-0