Friday, 31 May 2013

Broadcasting from Planet Ivanchuk

I'm trying to follow the games from the Thessaloniki GP, while at the same time juggling some other chess activities. However I keep being drawn back to the Ivanchuk v Svidler game, which is still in progress as I type this. What is really fascinating about this game is that it once again demonstrates that Ivanchuk just operates on a different level to the rest of us. Yesterday he played an absolute shocker against Ponomariov (losing in 19 moves), so you would think he might just take a steady course against Svidler today. And of course you would think wrong.
Instead he has gone the bash, sacrificing an exchange while looking for a mating attack. So far Svidler has beaten off the worst of it, but it is still a position where one slip could end in disaster (for either side of it). As it looks like it won't be finished before I post, I'll put up the moves as they currently stand, and fill in the rest in the morning.
(*Update: Looks like Ivanchuk did not have enough to hold and went down just after the first time control)


Ivanchuk,Vassily - Svidler,Peter [C84]
Thessaloniki GP, 30.05.2013

Start positionPrevious MoveNext MoveEnd positionPlay movesStop playing
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a3 O-O 9. Nc3 Be6 10. Nd5 Nd4 11. Nxe7+ Qxe7 12. Nxd4 exd4 13. Bg5 Bxb3 14. cxb3 h6 15. Bh4 Qe6 16. f4 c5 17. b4 Rfe8 18. f5 Qe5 19. Bg3 Qe7 20. bxc5 dxc5 21. e5 Nd5 22. f6 Qe6 23. fxg7 Ne3 24. Qd2 Nxf1 25. Rxf1 Qg6 26. Rf6 Qxg7 27. Bf4 Re6 28. Bxh6 Qg4 29. h3 Qh5 30. Rxe6 fxe6 31. Qf4 Qg6 32. h4 Kh7 33. Bf8 Ra7 34. Bxc5 Rg7 35. Qf1 Qh5 36. Bxd4 Qxh4 37. Be3 Qg3 38. Bf4 Qg4 39. d4 Qf5 40. Qf2 Kg8 41. Qf3 Qb1 0-1

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