13th Monarch Assurance Isle of Man International
25 Sept - 3 Oct 2004
Last updated:
Saturday, October 9, 2004 10:07 AM
Round 7 - 1 October 2004 - "Calf of Man"
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John
Saunders reports: I was telling you yesterday how my tournament
colleagues abandoned me at the Ocean Castle Hotel to kick my heels while
they swanned off round the island on their nice coach. I managed to find
a few useful things to do (besides plot my revenge).
Firstly I had a nice chat about the chess world with Serbian GM Milos
Pavlovic, who was helping me to input his game against Sergey Volkov.
Rather rudely, I told him that this was my nightmare pairing, which I
had seen coming some days before. Neither of them has legible handwriting
and they weren't going to let me off with a nice quick draw, oh no. They
played on until there were just two kings left on the board. Two pages
of undecipherable squiggles each. Actually it was amusing to find that
Milos couldn't read his own handwriting either, but he has a typically
impressive grandmaster memory and remembered most of the moves immediately.
There are still two more nightmare pairings left to come: either of
the players I have already mentioned against Korchnoi. Would you like
to see one of Korchnoi's scoresheets? I don't have a scanner here but
I've taken a picture of one of Viktor's scores (left). Do you reckon
you could figure it out? No, neither do I. There is something in the laws
of chess about handing in a legible score. That gave me a bright idea
- why, when Korchnoi hands in his score, don't the arbiters point out
to him that his scoresheets are illegible? I suggested this to one of
the Monarch arbiters. He didn't say anything, but he started to look rather
pale.
Time for a Walk
It was very pleasant talking to Milos, but eventually I needed some exercise.
Instead of the usual stroll up to Bradda Head and the Milner Tower (which
seems to be getting steeper year by year - or is it the extra weight I'm
carrying?), I decided to walk round the other side of the bay and take
a look at the Calf of Man. This is a small uninhabited island just off
one of the headlands of Port Erin, and which is used as a nature reserve.
There is a lighthouse there where Dennis Hemsley used to work. Maybe that
is where the idea for the chess tournament came from. So I was keen to
see the birthplace of the Monarch Assurance chess tournament.
The Calf of Man, beyond the headland, looking West towards Ireland
The Calf of Man is clearly visible from Bradda Head, but not from Port
Erin itself. Viewed from Bradda, the walk from Port Erin to the Calf of
Man looks like an amiable stroll around the headland. But I should have
known better than that. Uphill walking always takes longer than you think.
It is actually a good hour's walk, up and down hill, and quite strenuous
if you have a sedentary lifestyle like me (my father would phrase that
more succinctly - the words "bone idle" would have appeared
somewhere in the sentence).
But my sheer determination to get to the end of the headland eventually
overcame my lack of fitness. It is a beautiful view across to the little
island, and you can make out the outline of the Mountains of Mourne across
the sea in Ireland.
Anyway, the picture above is better to look at than Viktor's scoresheet,
isn't it? Incidentally, this morning I discovered why the island is called
the Calf of Man - both calves of this particular man are aching today
after the 2½ walk there and back. But it was well worth it.
Round 7, top board: Nakamura vs Chandler
As for the leaders: Korchnoi drew an even
game with Baklan. Chandler tried very hard against Nakamura but was just
held at bay by some clever defence. So the same three players are the
leaders going into the penultimate round. Ten further players are half
a point behind them.
Nakamura,H (2601) - Chandler,M (2531)
Monarch Assurance Isle of Man Port Erin IOM (7.1), 01.10.2004
(With his king cut off on the h-file, Black has great difficulty finding
a way to make progress. He hit on the idea of giving up the knight to win
the two remaining white pawns: 58 ..Ne1+ 59 Ke2 Bg4+!? 60 Kxe1 Kg3 61
f5 (Absolutely forced, otherwise White's rook is lost) 61 ..exf5
[61 ..gxf5 62 Rg7 Kf4 63 Rxf7 Kxe5 is not quite so good] 62 e6 fxe6
63 Rxg6 f4?! [63 ..e5!? may well be better] 64 Rg5! f3 65 Rg8! (Suddenly
it is very difficult) 65 ..e5 [65 ..f2+ 66 Kf1 e5 (66 ..Kf3
67 Rf8+ Bf5 68 Rxf5+ exf5 stalemate) 67 Rg7! e4 68 Rxg4+ is a
draw] 66 Rf8 Kg2 [66 ..e4 67 Kd2 Kf2 68 Re8 Bf5 69 Re5 and Black
cannot make progress] 67 Kd2! f2 [67 ..e4 68 Ke3 and it is clear
that Black can make no more progress] 68 Ke3 f1Q 69 Rxf1 Kxf1 70 Ke4
1/2-1/2
Both the top seeds had disastrous games and dropped out of contention.
In a perfectly reasonable position Milov tried a combination which had
a glaring flaw and lost trivially.
Kiriakov,P (2555) - Milov,V (2683) [A43]
Monarch Assurance Isle of Man Port Erin IOM (7.5), 01.10.2004
A very tricky position for White, with his king in obvious danger on e1.
He has to exchange rooks...) 24 Rxf8+ Kxf8?? [An astonishing blunder.
After 24 ..Nxf8 the position is approximately equal.] 25 Qxh7 (Both
players appeared admirably calm in this position, and Petr Kiriakov removed
the knight in a normal way. Milov must surely have realised his error by
now but it was impossible to see it on his face) 25 ..Re7 [You have
to believe that Black was planning 25 ..Nf3+ with the idea of Qxe2 mate
to follow - but the problem is that White plays 26 Rxf3+ and it is CHECK
to the black king which is now on f8.] 26 Ne3 (Slamming the door
shut on any play down the e-file. Black can of course resign with a clear
conscience, but he was probably in shock) 26 ..Rf7 27 Qe4 Qa2 28 Nf5
Qxa5+ 29 Kd1 d5 30 Qc2 [Even the 'blunder' 30 Qxd5 would win: 30 ..Rd7
31 Qxd7 Nxd7 32 Rxg7 etc.] 30 ..Qb6 31 Rxg7 Rxg7 32 Bxh6 1-0
Smirin played unaccountably badly and lost to Handke. But the German
played bravely and there were handshakes all round from his fellow countrymen
after the game.
Smirin,I
(2671) - Handke,F (2461) [B47]
Monarch Assurance Isle of Man Port Erin IOM (7.6), 01.10.2004
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 5 Nc3 Qc7 6 g3 a6 7 Bg2 d6
8 0-0 Be7 9 Nxc6 bxc6 10 Na4 Rb8 [10 ..Bb7 and 10...Nf6 have been
played here] 11 Re1 c5 12 e5 d5 13 c4 d4 14 b3 h5
15 b4?! (Can anyone explain this move to me? Yes, I know I should
be trying to explain the moves to you, but I just don't get this one. It
looks much too brash) 15 ..cxb4 16 Bb2 Bb7 17 Bxb7 Qxb7 18 c5 (It
appears that White has given up a pawn in order to give his opponent an
attack) 18 ..Qc6 19 a3 h4 20 Bxd4 Nh6 21 axb4 Rxb4 22 f3 (Nf5 was
a big threat) 22 ..hxg3 23 hxg3 Nf5 24 Bf2 g5 25 Ra3 g4 26 Rb3 (Utter
desperation, perhaps hoping that he can do something with the advanced c-pawn)
26 ..Qxa4 27 Rxb4 Qxb4 28 c6 Bc5! (Black is not afraid of the queen
checks) 29 Qd7+ Kf8 30 Qd8+ Kg7 31 Qg5+ Kf8 (To gain time on the
clock) 32 Qd8+ Kg7 33 Qg5+ Kh7 34 Kg2 [34 Qh5+ Nh6 ends the sequence
of checks. Now it is Black's turn to check, and his checks are more powerful.]
34 ..gxf3+ 35 Kxf3 Qb3+ 36 Kf4 [36 Kg2 Qd5+ 37 Kg1 Bxf2+ 38 Kxf2
Rb8 39 Qh5+ Nh6 is a simple win. Fritz finds quicker but more complicated
ones.] 36 ..Qc4+ 37 Kf3 Qb3+ 38 Kf4 Qc4+ 39 Kf3 Qd5+ 40 Ke2 Qe4+ 0-1
Harmen Jonkman went astray in an endgame against Irish player Anthony
Fox.
Jonkman,H (2425) - Fox,A (2123)
Monarch Assurance Isle of Man Port Erin IOM (7.30), 01.10.2004
A very hard endgame to evaluate for both players. Inevitably mistakes will
be made. 37 Kd3? [37 Kf3 is safer. After this White loses a pawn.]
37 ..Ne8! (Black goes after the g4 pawn) 38 Nc3 Nf6 39 Kc4?
[Moving away from the kingside at this stage is fatal. 39 c6!? is promising:
39 ..Nxg4 40 d5+ Ke7 41 Nb5 Ne5+ 42 Kd4 and it is still very complicated
but at least White has not wasted time with his king.] 39 ..f3 40 Kd3
Nxg4 41 c6 Kd6 42 d5 Ne5+ 43 Ke3 Nxc6! (By eliminating White's last
two pawns, Black makes sure of at least a draw with a grandmaster. Then
he can have an anxiety-free go at beating him) 44 dxc6 g4 45 Nd1
[45 Ne4+ Kxc6 46 Nf6 a4 and White doesn't have enough time to take the g4
pawn: 47 Nxg4 a3 48 Ne5+ and now there is only one good king move - 48 ..Kc7!
- but it is pretty obvious.] 45 ..Kxc6 46 Kf2 a4 47 Ne3 Kb5! [Not
falling for the blunder 47 ..a3?? 48 Nc2 a2 49 Nb4+ etc.] 48 Nxg4 a3
49 Ne3 a2 50 Nc2 Kc4 51 Kxf3 (White's king is one file too far away)
51 ..Kc3 52 Na1 Kb2 53 Ke2 Kxa1 0-1
A nice finish from Frank Holzke...
Howell,D (2334) - Holzke,F (2492)
Monarch Assurance Isle of Man Port Erin IOM (7.16), 01.10.2004
A neat finish by the German player: 32 ..b4! 33 Kd2 [33 axb4
a3 is hopeless] 33 ..bxa3! 0-1 [34 Kxc3 and now 34 ..d4+!
deflects the white king away from the defence of the key b2 square.]
... and an unlucky finish for Karl McPhillips, who is nevertheless having
an impressive tournament...
Sarakauskas,G (2442) - McPhillips,K (2172)
Monarch Assurance Isle of Man Port Erin IOM (7.19), 01.10.2004
34 ..Bf5?! [34 ..Ke7!? 35 Rxh7 Rg8+ 36 Ng3 Bc1 37 Ng1 Bf5 and Black's
two bishops give him some play for the pawn] 35 Ng3 Bg6?? [A big
blunder, though 35 ..Be4 36 Nxe4 dxe4 37 Ng1 Ke7 38 Ne2 Rg8+ 39 Kf1 Bd2
40 Rxh7 is good for White] 36 Ne2 1-0 (The f4 bishop has no
escape or defence)
Round 7
Bd WHITE Result BLACK
1 NAKAMURA,Hikaru 2601 (5) ½ - ½ CHANDLER,Murray 2531 (5)
2 KORCHNOI,Viktor 2568 (5) ½ - ½ BAKLAN,Vladimir 2595 (4½)
3 VOLKOV,Sergey 2625 (4½) ½ - ½ GHAEM MAGHAMI,Eh 2552 (4½)
4 CONQUEST,Stuart 2488 (4½) ½ - ½ PAVLOVIC,Milos 2498 (4½)
5 KIRIAKOV,Petr 2555 (4) 1 - 0 MILOV,Vadim 2683 (4)
6 SMIRIN,Ilya 2671 (4) 0 - 1 HANDKE,Florian 2461 (4)
7 MOISEENKO,Alexan 2640 (4) 1 - 0 MCNAB,Colin 2427 (4)
8 WELLS,Peter 2494 (4) 0 - 1 KOTRONIAS,Vassil 2608 (4)
9 ZHONG,Zhang 2603 (4) 1 - 0 BANNINK,Bernard 2280 (4)
10 SPRENGER,Jan Mic 2477 (4) ½ - ½ AGREST,Evgenij 2602 (4)
11 SCHNEIDER,Dmitry 2454 (4) ½ - ½ ROGERS,Ian 2588 (4)
12 BOSBOOM-LANCHAVA 2370 (4) ½ - ½ ROWSON,Jonathan 2558 (4)
13 KULAOTS,Kaido 2593 (3½) ½ - ½ PERT,Richard 2407 (3½)
14 WILLIAMS,Simon K 2427 (3½) ½ - ½ SPEELMAN,Jon 2555 (3½)
15 COX,John 2314 (3½) 0 - 1 GALLAGHER,Joseph 2541 (3½)
16 HOWELL,David W 2334 (3½) 0 - 1 HOLZKE,Frank 2492 (3½)
17 GREET,Andrew N 2310 (3½) ½ - ½ RAMESH,Ramachadr 2484 (3½)
18 HUTCHINSON,Paul 2216 (3½) ½ - ½ ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2446 (3½)
19 SARAKAUSKAS,Gedi 2442 (3½) 1 - 0 MCPHILLIPS,Karl 2172 (3½)
20 AFEK,Yochanan 2325 (3) ½ - ½ GRAFL,Florian 2411 (3½)
21 RAMASWAMY,Aarthi 2299 (3) 0 - 1 IORDACHESCU,Vior 2633 (3)
22 RENDLE,Thomas 2258 (3) 1 - 0 BERZINSH,Roland 2455 (3)
23 SKRIPCHENKO,Almi 2453 (3) ½ - ½ ZAWADZKA,Jolanta 2272 (3)
24 PEEK,Marcel 2406 (3) 1 - 0 MURTAGH,Dermot 1889 (3)
25 ASHTON,Adam 2270 (3) ½ - ½ GOTTSCHLICH,Cars 2382 (3)
26 SPENCE,David 2236 (3) ½ - ½ HOUSKA,Jovanka 2375 (3)
27 GRANT,Alan 2193 (3) 0 - 1 ARMBRUSTER,Alexa 2351 (3)
28 GORDON,Stephen 2338 (3) 1 - 0 HAGESAETHER,Arne 2101 (3)
29 MANNION,Steve R. 2333 (3) 1 - 0 TWITCHELL,Nevill 2003 (3)
30 JONKMAN,Harmen 2425 (2½) 0 - 1 FOX,Anthony 2123 (2½)
31 RUOFAN,Li 2414 (2½) 1 - 0 PLANT,Paul R 2107 (2½)
32 ADAMS,Phil 2124 (2½) 0 - 1 KOLBUS,Dietmar 2303 (2½)
33 BIGG,Andrew J 2275 (2½) 1 - 0 HORTON,Justin 2091 (2½)
34 GROFFEN,Hans 2244 (2½) 1 - 0 NICHOLSON,John 1834 (2½)
35 FRASER-MITCHELL, 2082 (2½) 1 - 0 ALLEN,Keith 2241 (2½)
36 WALTON,Alan J 2208 (2½) 1 - 0 MILLIGAN,Helen 2077 (2½)
37 CANNON,Richard 2060 (2½) 1 - 0 SMITH,Andrew P 2205 (2½)
38 SPANTON,Tim 2004 (2½) ½ - ½ DUNN,Andrew 2192 (2½)
39 GOODGER,Martyn 2136 (2½) ½ - ½ VAN KEMENADE,Rud 2107 (2)
40 HUTCHINSON,Norma 2176 (2) ½ - ½ NOORDHOEK,Henk 2095 (2)
41 COLLIER,David O. 2168 (2) 0 - 1 HENRICHSEN,Jens 2084 (2)
42 WERNER,Gert 2085 (2) 0 - 1 ALMOND,Richard J 2158 (2)
43 WAUGH,Jonathan C 1885 (2) 0 - 1 LUTTON,J Ezra 2134 (2)
44 PIMMINGSTORFER,C 2116 (2) 0 - 1 BENNION,David A. 2052 (2)
45 TRUMAN,Richard G 2023 (1½) 0 - 1 PYM,Thomas W 2059 (1½)
46 FAIRBAIRN,Steve 2057 (1½) ½ - ½ GORKA,Carl 1882 (1½)
47 DOSSETT,Christop 1886 (1½) ½ - ½ WEBSTER,Richard 2008 (1½)
48 DE LAGONTRIE,Jea 1968 (½) 0 - 1 MARKS,Ian 1910 (1)
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