Saturday, 12 April 2025

Maybe I'm amazed

 There are a couple of big European Opens either running or coming up, including the Reykjavik Open, which is up to round 4. Local Canberra player Tim Pearce is taking part, and may well be the first Australian player to face someone from Greenland in an international event. He is currently on 2/4, but hasn't reached a board high enough to have his games broadcast. 

So instead I found a top board clash which seems to revolve around a somewhat bizarre opening line. 10.h4 is a common reaction to Ng6 type moves, but then it gets a little strange. Pieces get offered and declined, but in the end the an equal middlegame is reached. This lasts a few moves and then White simply collapses. I'm guessing it was time trouble, as White only had 2 minutes on the clock,  but I would not rule out avoiding a draw as the other culprit.


Gunnarsson,Jon Viktor (2439) - Safarli,Eltaj (2617) [B33]
Reykjavik Open 2025 Reykjavik, Iceland (4.5), 11.04.2025

Start positionPrevious MoveNext MoveEnd positionPlay movesStop playing
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Ne7 9. c4 Ng6 10. h4 Nxh4 11. Rxh4 a6 12. Bg5 Be7 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Nxd6+ Qxd6 15. Qa4+ Ke7 16. c5 Qxd5 17. Rd1 Qc6 18. Qb4 Be6 19. Rd6 Qc7 20. Rb6 a5 21. Rxb7 axb4 22. Rxc7+ Kf6 23. Rxb4 Rxa2 24. Bd3 Ra1+ 25. Ke2 Rd8 26. Rb6 Rd4 27. Bxh7 Rad1 28. f3 R1d2+ 29. Ke3 g6 30. Bg8 R4d3+ 31. Ke4 Kg5 32. Rb4 Bf5+ 0-1

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