Oakham Masters, 29 March - 6 April 2001

Last Edited: Thursday October 10, 2002 6:17 PM

Reports by Graham Lee: Oakham School has held many events featuring the world's leading chessplayers including Kasparov, Anand, Kramnik, Adams, Shirov and Short. The latest in the series has begun with players from seven countries competing in a Grandmaster tournament. These include last year's winner, Old Oakhamian Nicholas Pert.

Games: PGN File

Reports: Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 | Round 6 | Round 7 | Round 8 | Round 9 | Crosstable

Round 1 (2001.03.29)

Krush, Irina           -  Estrada Nieto, Julian  1-0   22  C78  Ruy Lopez
McDonald, Neil R       -  Levitt, Jonathan       1/2    8  A04  Reti (1.Nf3)
Pert, Nicholas         -  McNab, Colin A         1/2   25  E67  Kings indian
Tyomkin, Dimitri       -  Koneru, Humpy          1-0   44  E00  Nimzo indian
Bluvshtein, Mark       -  Gormally, Daniel       0-1   60  B49  Sicilian

Round 1: The three winners in round one followed different routes to their victories. IM Irina Krush (USA) fresh from her participation in the recent historic USA-China match in Seattle unleashed a mating attack to win in 22 moves. Dimitri Tyomkin (Israel) finally broke through a dogged defence by the current British Ladies Champion, 13-year-old Indian WIM Humpy Koneru, when just after the time control at move 40 he forced a promotion. Danny Gormally used some intricate manoeuvring in a rook and opposite-coloured bishop ending to win at move 60 against the 12-year-old Canadian prodigy Mark Bluvshtein.

Round 2 (2001.03.30)

McNab, Colin A         -  Bluvshtein, Mark       1-0   40  A14  English; 1.c4
Tyomkin, Dimitri       -  McDonald, Neil R       0-1   35  A81  Dutch defence
Gormally, Daniel       -  Krush, Irina           0-1   25  D16  Slav defence
Levitt, Jonathan       -  Pert, Nicholas         0-1   38  A90  Dutch defence
Koneru, Humpy          -  Estrada Nieto, Julian  1/2   17  A07  Reti (1.Nf3)

Round 2: Some fine fighting games, featuring a number of sacrifices both good and bad, were seen in the second round of the Oakham Grandmaster tournament today. Neil McDonald defeated top seed, Dimitri Tyomkin, with an enterprising exchange sacrifice that offered good practical chances. Tyomkin failed to solve the problems presented to him by the position and ended up losing too many pawns before reaching a hopeless endgame.

Former Oakham schoolboy, Nicholas Pert, defeated another Grandmaster, Jon Levitt, in a complex battle decided in mutual time pressure. At one stage Pert sacrificed a rook in fine style, but Levitt missed chances to hold the game later on.

Perhaps the most entertaining game of the day was between Danny Gormally and the famous American teenager, Irina Krush. Irina's 'preparation' for the game - dressing very elegantly - worked well as Gormally responded by sacrificing a piece unsoundly in an attempt to mate her king. Krush played a few incisive defensive moves and the game was soon over.

Colin McNab defeated the twelve year old Canadian prodigy, Mark Bluvshtein in a good positional game. The final game between the young Indian girl, Humpy Koneru, who did so well in last year's British Championship, and the Mexican IM (now resident in Hungary) Julian Estrada, ended in a relatively short draw.

Round 3 (2001.03.31)

Krush, Irina           -  McNab, Colin A         1-0   46  B07  Pirc
Pert, Nicholas         -  Tyomkin, Dimitri       1/2    8  D11  Slav defence
McDonald, Neil R       -  Koneru, Humpy          0-1   53  B17  Caro-Kann
Estrada Nieto, Julian  -  Gormally, Daniel       1/2   68  C03  French; Tarrasch
Bluvshtein, Mark       -  Levitt, Jonathan       1/2   18  B40  Sicilian

Round 3: Today was a triumph for the female contingent as Irina Krush and Humpy Koneru both beat grandmasters (a suitable way for the Indian girl to celebrate her 14th birthday). Humpy had to defend for a long time after Neil McDonald's early enterprising sacrifices, but the attack eventually ran out of steam. Irina, who leads with 3/3, had a very sharp position against Colin McNab. As time pressure loomed the position came down to opposite coloured bishops and major pieces. As often happens with this material, both sides had mating attacks - but White got there first!

The other games were drawn, although Danny Gormally came tantalisingly close to a win in a rook and pawn ending. Jon Levitt declined an early draw, but soon reassessed the position and offered one back.

Alongside the main event, the two Kasparov Scholars from Oakham School are playing six-game matches against veteran opposition. John Littlewood (aged 69) rolled back the years to produce a vintage attack in his first game. However his opponent, Alex Yastrebov (15), kept his nerve and struck back to lead 2-1 at the halfway stage. Graham Lee, Oakham School's Head of Chess, has had three excellent positions against Zhanna Lazhevskaya (16), but has only converted one of them against determined defence by the talented youngster.

Round 4 (2001.04.01)

McNab, Colin A         -  Estrada Nieto, Julian  1/2   18  A21  English; 1.c4 e5
Koneru, Humpy          -  Gormally, Daniel       1/2   60  D77  1.d4 d5 2.c4 g6
Tyomkin, Dimitri       -  Bluvshtein, Mark       0-1   49  E11  Bogo indian
McDonald, Neil R       -  Pert, Nicholas         0-1   40  C02  French; Advance
Levitt, Jonathan       -  Krush, Irina           0-1   52  D14  Slav defence

Round 4: The massacre of the grandmasters continued today as they scored only one draw out of their four games. Dimitri Tyomkin reached an unclear and tense middlegame. He was pressing for a win but suddenly Mark Bluvshtein's pieces had the better co-ordination which led to an unstoppable breakthrough.

Neil McDonald produced another original sacrifice in a normally staid French Advanced opening. He was undoubtedly winning, but as the time control loomed, he lost control and was checkmated.

Although Jon Levitt had tremendous pressure out of a symmetrical opening, he couldn't find anything better than to reach a difficult rook and pawn ending. Irina Krush's accurate play meant she finally had enough time to queen her pawn and still get back to stop White's promotion.

The game between Humpy Koneru and Danny Gormally simplified to a fascinating double bishop ending, with both sides creating promotion threats before they finally ran out of pawns. Another one that "got away" from Danny.

Round 5 (2001.04.02)

Krush, Irina           -  Tyomkin, Dimitri       1/2   13  E92  Kings indian; Classical
Pert, Nicholas         -  Koneru, Humpy          1/2   26  E12  Queen's indian
Gormally, Daniel       -  McNab, Colin A         1/2   20  B09  Pirc; Austrian
Estrada Nieto, Julian  -  Levitt, Jonathan       1/2   21  C07  French; Tarrasch
Bluvshtein, Mark       -  McDonald, Neil R       1/2   38  C18  French; Winawer

Round 5: All games were drawn, so Irina Krush maintained her one point lead over Nick Pert. Both are still eyeing the target of 7 points for the Grandmaster norm.

Following her tough ending in the previous round, Irina was content to play a book draw against Dimitri Tyomkin. Julian Estrada and Jon Levitt quickly reached an opposite colour bishop ending. Unlike Krush-McNab from an earlier round, the queens had been exchanged, so there was no play left in the position.

Colin McNab eliminated Danny Gormally's centre with his usual pawn thrusts in the Pirc Defence, leading to dynamic equality in the ending. Neil McDonald produced yet another sacrificial opening. This one didn't seem to be working but then Mark Bluvshtein allowed a tactic which led to a draw.

Nick Pert's game revolved around whether Humpy Koneru's isolated d-pawn was weaker than White's isolated e-pawn. Eventually White agreed it wasn't.

Round 6 (2001.04.03)

Pert, Nicholas         -  Bluvshtein, Mark       1-0   21  E12  Queen's indian
Koneru, Humpy          -  McNab, Colin A         1/2   19  A49  Queen's pawn
Tyomkin, Dimitri       -  Estrada Nieto, Julian  1/2   17  D20  Queen's gambit accepted
McDonald, Neil R       -  Krush, Irina           0-1   60  B22  Sicilian; Alapin (2.c3)
Levitt, Jonathan       -  Gormally, Daniel       0-1   47  D07  Chigorin

Round 6: Hope springs eternal - and both Irina Krush and Nick Pert won today to keep alive their hopes of seven points and a Grandmaster norm.

Nick built a strong-looking attack, but unfortunately Mark Bluvshtein lost on time just as things were getting critical. Neil McDonald changed style to a quiet opening but Irina Krush patiently nursed a slight advantage and won yet another ending.

Danny Gormally came out of the opening with an edge and even a combination by Jon Levitt couldn't stop Black converting it to a win with the aid of zugswang.

The other two games were careful draws, although there has been a lot of fighting chess in the tournament, with Black outscoring White by almost two to one.

Round 7 sees the key meeting of the two leaders, with the American having the white pieces.

Round 7 (2001.04.04)

Krush, Irina           -  Pert, Nicholas         1/2   10  C01  French; Exchange
Gormally, Daniel       -  Tyomkin, Dimitri       1/2    7  D15  Slav defence
McNab, Colin A         -  Levitt, Jonathan       1/2   10  A38  English; 1.c4 c5
Estrada Nieto, Julian  -  McDonald, Neil R       1-0   31  C03  French; Tarrasch
Bluvshtein, Mark       -  Koneru, Humpy          0-1   41  B17  Caro-Kann

Round 7: The two leaders Irina Krush and Nick Pert soon split the point. Irina needs one point and Nick two points from the last two games for the coveted GM norm.

There were a couple of other short draws, but Julian Estrada broke out of a drawing sequence when he successfully exploited the dark-square weakness in Neil McDonald's king side. Although Estrada missed the quick win with 26.Nh6+, winning the Queen or mating in four moves, he was still firmly in control throughout.

Mark Bluvshtein lost a pawn without compensation so decided to sacrifice two more. However Humpy Koneru proved the inherent soundness of her Caro-Kann set-up and simply held on to all the material. She now needs ½/2 for a WGM norm and 1/2 for an IM norm.

Both Challenge Matches for Oakham School's Kasparov Scholars are now decided. John Littlewood and Alex Yastrebov finished level after six games - with no draws! A very hard-fought contest. Zhanna Lazhevskaya had no answer to Graham Lee's Evans Gambit in Game 5 . Graham leads 3½-1½ with one game left to play.

Round 8 (2001.04.05)

Pert, Nicholas         -  Estrada Nieto, Julian  1-0   51  D21  Queen's gambit accepted
Koneru, Humpy          -  Levitt, Jonathan       1/2   16  A08  Reti (1.Nf3)
Tyomkin, Dimitri       -  McNab, Colin A         1/2   45  A41  Queen's pawn
Bluvshtein, Mark       -  Krush, Irina           1-0   53  B89  Sicilian
McDonald, Neil R       -  Gormally, Daniel       1/2   31  A16  English; 1.c4

Round 8: Irina Krush, needing just one point from her last two games for the eagerly-awaited GM norm, faced a tough decision after Mark Bluvshtein played in his regular cheerful attacking style. In a complicated position she went wrong and had to concede after a long ending. Now Irina plays Humpy Koneru in the last round - Irina needs a win, Humpy a draw (for her first IM norm). Someone will be happy after the game … and someone else won't.

Humpy Koneru made sure of her second WGM norm with careful defensive play against Jon Levitt.

Nick Pert had to win today - and did so with the aid of a series of neat combinations against Julian Estrada. Nick now needs to beat Danny Gormally with Black in the last round - a tough assignment.

Neil McDonald and Danny Gormally both played similar tactics against each other, and it fizzled out to a draw.

Colin McNab offered an early draw - Dmitri Tyomkin declined. After both sides built up their position, Dmitri offered a draw and Colin declined! Further manoeuvres followed - then Colin offered a draw which … was accepted.

Zhanna Lazhevskaya and Graham Lee finished their match with clever play interspersed by a few mistakes. As so often happens, the player who made the last mistake (Zhanna) duly lost.

Round 9 (2001.04.06)

Krush, Irina           -  Koneru, Humpy          0-1   34  B12  Caro-Kann
Gormally, Daniel       -  Pert, Nicholas         1/2   23  C18  French; Winawer
McNab, Colin A         -  McDonald, Neil R       1-0   46  A26  English; 1.c4 e5
Estrada Nieto, Julian  -  Bluvshtein, Mark       1/2   15  C07  French; Tarrasch
Levitt, Jonathan       -  Tyomkin, Dimitri       1/2    5  B30  Sicilian

Round 9: A quiet end to the tournament as Humpy Koneru converted her WGM norm into an IM norm. Alas Nick Pert and Irina Krush missed out on their GM norms, but both gained rating points and took the 1st and 2nd prizes respectively. Old Oakhamian Nick has already been invited back to go for the hat-trick (as he has now won the last two Oakham GM events. Irina tried hard for the win against Humpy, but once again the Indian girl showed cool defence, finishing 3rd. Nick Pert was held solidly by Danny Gormally, who thus came 4th=. The last game to finish, Colin McNab against Neil McDonald, was tight until Neil opened up the position, when both sides had dangerous passed pawns. Colin's proved quicker and he shared 4th place.

Prizes: N Pert 6½ (£250), I Krush 6 (£150), H Koneru 5½ (IM norm + £100), D Gormally + C McNab 5 (£25 each)

Oakham (ENG), III-IV 2001                            cat. VII (2406)
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Norms: GM=7, IM=5, WGM=4.5            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
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 1 Pert, Nicholas         m ENG 2455  * = = = = = 1 1 1 1  6.5  2566
 2 Krush, Irina           m USA 2380  = * 0 1 1 = 1 0 1 1  6.0  2534
 3 Koneru, Humpy         wm IND 2299  = 1 * = = 0 = 1 = 1  5.5  2498
 4 Gormally, Daniel       m ENG 2492  = 0 = * = = = 1 1 =  5.0  2439
 5 McNab, Colin A         g SCO 2403  = 0 = = * = = 1 = 1  5.0  2449
 6 Tyomkin, Dimitri       g ISR 2496  = = 1 = = * = 0 = 0  4.0  2353
 7 Estrada Nieto, Julian  m MEX 2372  0 0 = = = = * = = 1  4.0  2366
 8 Bluvshtein, Mark         CAN 2287  0 1 0 0 0 1 = * = =  3.5  2339
 9 Levitt, Jonathan       g ENG 2438  0 0 = 0 = = = = * =  3.0  2277
10 McDonald, Neil R       g ENG 2439  0 0 0 = 0 1 0 = = *  2.5  2236
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