14th Monarch Assurance Isle of Man International

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14th Monarch Assurance Isle of Man International
22 Sept - 2 Oct 2005

Last updated: Monday, August 21, 2017 6:36 PM

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Round 3 - 26 September 2005 - "Fee Fie Fo Fum"

As everyone knows, chess is just a game for old men with beards... well, actually it isn't.
See proof above - top US women players Rusudan Goletiani (left) and Anna Zatonskih (right).
Both of them won today.

John Saunders reports:

Fee! Fie! Foe! Fum!
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Be he live, or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones to make my bread.

This gruesome old children's rhyme seems to encapsulate Sergei Tiviakov's approach to the tournament. In round one John Cox was put to the sword, then David Howell in round two, and in round three GM Danny Gormally got the Tiviakov treatment. So there is no way I can justify favouring any more Brits as star player of the round. It just has to be Sergei this time.

Tiviakov played the c3 Sicilian, which David Howell had played against him the previous day. It is interesting how attitudes have changed towards this system with no name (OK, some people call it the Alapin Sicilian but more just call it the c3 Sicilian). At one time 2 c3 against the Sicilian was regarded as a mark of lily-livered cowardice and your opponents would look at you in an accusatory way because you had flagrantly ducked out of the red-blooded challenge posed by the Najdorf, Dragon, etc. GM Michael Stean even wrote that it should be banned for being tedious, and he was only half joking.

Contrast this, however, with a comment in New in Chess Yearbook 76 (just out and available elsewhere on this very website): "[After 2 c3] White's chances of an advantage are much higher than after 2 Nf3". Who wrote this? Sergei Tiviakov himself. So it was particularly interesting to see him playing it after making this provocative comment.

Tiviakov,S (2678) - Gormally,D (2557) [B22]
Monarch Assurance Port Erin IOM (3.1), 26.09.2005

1 e4 c5 2 c3 Nf6 3 e5 Nd5 4 Bc4 [4 d4 is the more traditional approach, but this also has a long history and arguably generates a more imbalanced game.] 4...Nb6 5 Bb3 Nc6 6 Nf3 d6 7 exd6 c4 8 Bc2 Qxd6 9 0-0 g6 10 b3 [This looks rather ugly, but White needs to be rid of the c4 pawn so that he can play d4 in due course.] 10...Bg7 11 Na3 cxb3 12 axb3 0-0 13 d4 Bg4 14 Nc4!? [14 h3 Bxf3 15 Qxf3 e5 has been played in a few grandmaster games, but Black has generally done quite well after this. In the game, e5 is not quite so easy to play, and when it does get played, White has an option other than to capture.] 14...Nxc4 15 bxc4 Qc7 [Black does not have time for 15...e5 because of 16 Ba3] 16 h3 Bxf3 17 Qxf3

17...e5 [It is hard to criticise this move, as it is the move Black would like to try and is followed up by some clever play. However it looks like Black's whole system may need a rethink as White gets a powerful passed d-pawn.] 18 d5 e4 [Black doesn't have anything better than this pawn sacrifice. If 18...Na5? 19 d6 drives the queen back to d8: 19...Qd8 20 c5 and White holds a powerful initiative.] 19 Qxe4 Rfe8 20 Qf4 Be5 [20...Qxf4 21 Bxf4 Ne5 22 Rfb1 Nxc4 23 Rxb7 Bxc3 24 Raxa7 leaves White a pawn up.; 20...Ne5 21 Bb3 Qb6 maybe another way to play it, but White still has an extra pawn.] 21 Qd2 Na5 22 d6! Qc5 23 d7 Red8 24 Qd3 Nxc4 [It looks like Black has solved most of his problems, and may even be able to take the d7 pawn and go a pawn ahead. But Tiviakov extracts further juice from his initiative.] 25 Bb3 Nb6 [At first sight 25...Nd6 seems to be a defence, but it is very tricky: 26 Ba3 Qb5 27 c4 Qxd7 28 Rae1! and if, say, 28...Bg7?? (28...Bf4 29 Qd4 sets up trouble on the a1-h8 diagonal) 29 Bxd6 Qxd6 30 Re8+! wins.] 26 Be3 Qc6 27 Bxb6 Qxb6 28 Qd5 Qe6 [28...Qf6 29 Rae1! Bxc3 30 Re3 is not much fun either, as White will soon bring a lot of pressure to bear on f7.] 29 Qxe6 fxe6 30 Rae1 Bxc3 31 Rc1! [A calm, super-grandmaster move. White has no need to take on e6 just yet. A good example of 'the threat being mightier than the execution', perhaps.] 31...Bd2 32 Rc2 Bg5 33 f4 Bf6 34 Rc8! [Still no need to capture on e6. White concentrates on restricting the scope of Black's pieces still further.] 34...b6 35 Rfc1 Bd4+ 36 Kh2 Bc5 [Black has no time for 36...Be3 because of 37 Rxa8! and 28 Rc8+.] 37 Bxe6+ Kg7 38 h4 a5 39 Rc4 Kf6 [Black would like to try for counterplay with 39...a4 but then simply 40 Rxa4! Rxa4 41 Rxd8 and White will shortly win the exchange.] 40 Bh3 h5 41 g3 Kf7 42 f5 gxf5 [42...g5 comes to much the same thing after 43 Rxa8 Rxa8 44 hxg5 Rd8 45 f6 etc.] 43 Bxf5 Kf6 44 Bh3

44...Ke5 [44...Be7 is perhaps more resilient, but 45 Rxa8 Rxa8 46 Rc8 Ra7 47 d8Q Bxd8 48 Rxd8 should win eventually.] 45 Rc1! [Clever. Now Black cannot prevent this rook reaching e8 with decisive effect.] 45...Kf6 46 Rf1+! [The key is not to let Black block the path with Be7. Now he cannot achieve that.] 1-0

Tiviakov and Korneev are the only players on 3/3. Peter Wells sacrificed liberally for an attack against Korneev. But, just when it looked he might be breaking through, Korneev had the option of sacrificing his queen for a lot of minor pieces and this refuted the attack. After goal of the month, Richard Palliser scores save of the season. He looked completely lost but somehow drew against Ikonnikov.

Ikonnikov,V (2560) - Palliser,R (2389)
Monarch Assurance Port Erin IOM (3.6), 26.09.2005

[White is two pawns up and has the black king at his mercy. But with the clock ticking, it is not so easy to wrap up.] 27 Qc7 [27 Qc8! , with the threat of Qf8+ followed by Rxh7+, is much better.] 27...Qf5 28 Qxh7+ Kg5 29 Qh3 Re3!? [A last desperate throw of the dice by Black.] 30 Qxe3 fxe3 31 Rxf5+ Kxf5 32 Re7?! [32 Kg1 may still win, though White must have been nervous of 32...Rd4 33 Kf1 Ke4 34 Re7+ Kd3 etc.] 32...Re4 33 g4+ Kf4 34 Rxe4+ Kxe4 [White has three extra pawns, but the pesky adversary on e3 is a match for them all. The following moves are forced as far as the second queening.] 35 Kg2 Kd3 36 b6 e2 37 b7 e1Q 38 b8Q Qe2+ 39 Kg3 Qe3+ 40 Kg2 Qe2+ 41 Kg3 Qe3+ 42 Kh4 Qh6+ [A fighting save by Black.] 1/2-1/2

Dietmar Kolbus drew against Leonid Kritz but missed a neat mate at the end.

Kritz,L (2544) - Kolbus,D (2416)
Monarch Assurance Port Erin IOM (3.14), 26.09.2005

[White is OK here, but he now played a suicidal move. Or it should have been...] 37 Rc1?? Qxc1+ 38 Bxc1 Rxc1+ 39 Kb2 R1c2+ 40 Kb1 Rc1+ 41 Kb2 R1c2+ 42 Kb1 Rc1+ 1/2-1/2 [and it is a draw by repetition. But if we continue we can see that Black could have won with 43 Kb2 R8c2+! 44 Ka3 b4+! 45 Kxb4 Bc5+ 46 Ka5 Rxa2 mate.]

Howard Hughes missed a win with 25...Rxf3! and then was snared by 26 Qb3! which got Roeder off the hook (more or less).

Roeder,M (2393) - Hughes,H (2194)
Monarch Assurance Port Erin IOM (3.30), 26.09.2005

[Black has White right where he wants him, but now misses a big move.] 25...Re8? [25...Rxf3!! wins because of the threat of Rxf2+ etc. If 26 Bxf3 Qxf2# . The text would win as well but for a miraculous resource...] 26 Qb3!! Bxb3? [Despite White's stunner, Black should still be winning. Best is 26...Ne3+! 27 fxe3 Bxb3 28 axb3 Qxg3 29 Rxa7 h5 which looks very effective.] 27 Rxe8+ Kf7 28 axb3 Kxe8 29 fxg4 Qh6 30 Bf3 a6 31 Re1+ Kd8 32 Kg2 Qg5 33 b4 a5 34 bxa5 Qxc5 35 Ra1 Kc7 36 a6 Qc3 37 Ra4 Qc2 38 Ra5 Qc3 39 Ra4 Qc2 40 Ra5 Qc3 1/2-1/2 [Black is probably still winning but is still suffering from shock after White's resourceful defensive play.]

Steve Fairbairn, who comes from Toronto, said yesterday that it was the first time he had drawn with two 2400+ players in a row; today he beat another 2400, so he must be on cloud nine.

Round  3

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 TIVIAKOV,Sergei  2678 (2)   1 - 0  GORMALLY,Daniel  2557 (2)     1  17
  2 KOBALIA,Mikhail  2614 (2)   ½ - ½  BRODSKY,Michail  2554 (2)     3  19
  3 EPISHIN,Vladimir 2600 (2)   ½ - ½  ULIBIN,Mikhail   2529 (2)     5  23
  4 WELLS,Peter      2529 (2)   0 - 1  KORNEEV,Oleg     2594 (2)    24   8
  5 SHABALOV,Alexand 2593 (2)   ½ - ½  KIDAMBI,Sundarar 2484 (2)     9  28
  6 IKONNIKOV,Vyache 2560 (2)   ½ - ½  PALLISER,Richard 2389 (2)    14  43
  7 KUZUBOV,Yuri     2535 (2)   ½ - ½  SULSKIS,Sarunas  2535 (1½)   22  21
  8 BOBRAS,Piotr     2525 (1½)  ½ - ½  GHAEM MAGHAMI,Eh 2603 (1½)   25   4
  9 GUPTA,Abhijeet   2380 (1½)  ½ - ½  GALKIN,Alexander 2598 (1½)   46   6
 10 KUNIN,Vitaly     2448 (1½)  ½ - ½  DAVID,Alberto    2579 (1½)   32  11

 11 MIKHALEVSKI,Vict 2572 (1½)  ½ - ½  LALIC,Bogdan     2491 (1½)   12  27
 12 GOLETIANI,Rusuda 2332 (1½)  1 - 0  YAKOVICH,Yuri    2560 (1½)   53  15
 13 POSTNY,Evgeny    2559 (1½)  1 - 0  KLENBURG,Mikhail 2400 (1½)   16  41
 14 KRITZ,Leonid     2544 (1½)  ½ - ½  KOLBUS,Dietmar   2416 (1½)   20  39
 15 BOSBOOM-LANCHAVA 2363 (1)   0 - 1  ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2625 (1)    51   2
 16 ERENBURG,Sergey  2595 (1)   1 - 0  PEEK,Marcel      2373 (1)     7  49
 17 KOGAN,Artur      2580 (1)   1 - 0  HANLEY,Craig     2367 (1)    10  50
 18 ZIMMERMAN,Yuri   2375 (1)   0 - 1  FRIDMAN,Daniel   2566 (1)    48  13
 19 MALAKHATKO,Vadim 2556 (1)   1 - 0  RADOVANOVIC,Jovi 2357 (1)    18  52
 20 ADLY,Ahmed       2503 (1)   ½ - ½  ASHTON,Adam      2294 (1)    26  56

 21 DUHAYON,Yves     2230 (1)   0 - 1  HOWELL,David W   2471 (1)    59  29
 22 ALLEN,Keith      2210 (1)   1 - 0  NEUBAUER,Martin  2468 (1)    62  30
 23 SMITH,Andrew P   2204 (1)   0 - 1  NEELOTPAL,Das    2467 (1)    64  31
 24 KONONENKO,Tatian 2442 (1)   ½ - ½  MIRZOEVA,Elmira  2223 (1)    34  60
 25 WALTHER,Cliff    2175 (1)   0 - 1  AAGAARD,Jacob    2442 (1)    69  33
 26 ZATONSKIH,Anna   2435 (1)   1 - 0  SPENCE,David     2218 (1)    36  61
 27 GRANT,Alan       2152 (1)   ½ - ½  GREET,Andrew N   2425 (1)    71  37
 28 FAIRBAIRN,Steve  2065 (1)   1 - 0  ZUDE,Erik        2424 (1)    82  38
 29 DWORAKOWSKA,Joan 2401 (1)   1 - 0  GROFFEN,Hans     2210 (1)    40  63
 30 ROEDER,Mathias   2393 (1)   ½ - ½  HUGHES,Howard R  2194 (1)    42  67

 31 SAREEN,Vishal    2385 (1)   1 - 0  LOHOU,Stephane   2144 (1)    44  72
 32 MARTIN,Katie     1953 (1)   0 - 1  COX,John         2385 (1)    89  45
 33 DUNN,Andrew      2197 (½)   ½ - ½  NEGI,Parimarjan  2376 (1)    66  47
 34 FRASER-MITCHELL, 2098 (½)   0 - 1  GLADYSZEV,Oleg   2436 (½)    78  35
 35 WERNER,Gert      2047 (½)   0 - 1  MANNION,Steve R. 2331 (½)    83  54
 36 ZOZULIA,Anna     2314 (½)   1 - 0  GOODGER,Martyn   2162 (½)    55  70
 37 PERIC,Slavisa    2280 (½)   ½ - ½  BENNION,David A. 2074 (½)    57  81
 38 YOUNG,Mel        1971 (½)   0 - 1  VITOUX,Colomban  2264 (½)    88  58
 39 FOX,Pierre       1815 (½)   0 - 1  KIRSCHBAUM,Gunna 2204 (½)    91  65
 40 ADAMS,Phil       2138 (½)   1 - 0  HUTCHINSON,Norma 2097 (0)    73  79

 41 NICHOLSON,John   2000 (0)   0 - 1  WADEMARK,Helge   2182 (0)    86  68
 42 SPANTON,Tim      2032 (0)   ½ - ½  FOX,Anthony      2118 (0)    84  74
 43 RUSTON,Mark      2116 (0)   1 - 0  HENDERIKSE,Bert  2028 (0)    75  85
 44 HICKMAN,John     2115 (0)   ½ - ½  DE LAGONTRIE,Jea 1988 (0)    76  87
 45 HEYL,Thomas      2101 (0)   1 - 0  MARKS,Ian A      1889 (0)    77  90
 46 HENRICHSEN,Jens  2075 (0)   1 - 0  MCKENZIE,Mark    1249 (0)    80  92

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