There was an interesting pairing in round 8 of the 2023 Isle of Man Grand Swiss. Australian Champion Temur Kuybokarov was up against 2023 Doeberl Cup winner Hrant Melkumyan. Although Melkumyan plays under the Armenian flag, he has been resident in Belconnen (a suburb of Canberra, Australia), for the past few years.
Both players had solid events (ie lots of draws), and this game ended with a shared point. But it was not a colourless draw with Black attacking an exchange down. White returned the material to reach a rook and queen ending, which was eventually drawn after an exciting battle over passed pawns.
FIDE Grand Swiss 2023 Villa Marina, Douglas, Isle of (8.33), 02.11.2023
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 e6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. d4 O-O 9. e4 Ndb4 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. a3 Nd3 12. b4 Nxc1 13. Qxc1 Bb6 14. e5 Bd7 15. Rd1 Rc8 16. Qb2 Ne7 17. Rac1 Qe8 18. Ng5 Ng6 19. Bxb7 Nxe5 20. Bxc8 Bxc8 21. Na4 Qxa4 22. Qxe5 h6 23. Ne4 Qxa3 24. Nd6 Qf3 25. Rd2 Bb7 26. Nxb7 Qxb7 27. Qe2 Qe7 28. Qc4 e5 29. Qe4 f5 30. Qd5+ Kh7 31. b5 e4 32. Re2 Qg5 33. Rf1 Qg4 34. Qd1 Qh3 35. Qc2 Kh8 36. Re3 f4 37. gxf4 Bxe3 38. fxe3 Qxe3+ 39. Qf2 Qh3 40. Qxa7 e3 41. Qa2 Qh5 42. Qe6 Qe2 43. b6 Qd2 44. Qe7 Rf6 45. Qe8+ Kh7 46. Qe4+ Rg6+ 47. Kh1 e2 48. Rg1 Qd5 49. Qxd5 Rxg1+ 50. Kxg1 e1Q+ 51. Kg2 Qe2+ 52. Kg3 Qe3+ 53. Kg4 Qxb6 54. Qe4+ Qg6+ 55. Qxg6+ Kxg6 56. f5+ Kf6 57. Kf4 g6 58. fxg6 Kxg6 59. h4 Kf6 60. h5 Ke6 61. Ke4 Kf6 1/2-1/2
1 comment:
They might have had played against each other before ... Who has normally the upper hand?
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