2014Australasian

Masters

Bulletin 8 – Saturday December 20, 2014Editor – Kerry Stead

Young Anton Smirnov has once again regained the sole lead in the Australasian Masters after drawing with fellow Australian IM Max Illingworth. GM Vasily Papin, who had previously shared the lead with Anton was defeated by Moulthun Ly & he now shares second place in the event with his fellow Grandmasters Murtas Kazhgaleyev & Rustam Khusnutdinov. Bobby Cheng is the best of the rest on 3.5/7, with a number of players on 3/7.

In the IM event, there are now two leaders, with IM Kanan Izzat & Yi Liu both on 5.5/7. Their round 8 clash will no doubt be vital to both the final placings, as well as Yi's IM norm chances. Igor Bjelobrk is currently in third, half a point behind the leaders, while Eugene Schon is still within striking distance on 4.5/7.

In terms of norms, Anton Smirnov & Yi Liu both require 1.5/2 for a GM or IM norm respectively, while Luke Li now requires 2/2 for an IM norm.

The performances of the Kazakhstan Grandmasters is getting some coverage online, with an article on the Kazakh chess website http://profchess.kz/kazakhstan-in-world/Kazhgaleev-Khusnutdinov-Austalia-2014.html

Top left: Ingela Erikkson supporting her husband Igor Bjelobrk, with their children

Top right: A crowd gathers to watch the conclusion of the game between Anton Smirnov & Max Illingworth

Lower Left: GM Murtas Kazhgaleyev likes his clothes yellow & bright!

Round 7 ResultsGM Event 1 Zuhao (Luke) Li 2342 2382 .5:.5 Murtas Kazhgaleyev 2576 2 Moulthun Ly 2463 2508 1:0 Vasily Papin 2502 2517 3 Rustam Khusnutdinov 2472 1:0 Junta Ikeda 2418 2416 4 Anton Smirnov 2420 2393 .5:.5 Max Illingworth 2493 2523 5 Bobby Cheng 2435 2489 1:0 Karl Zelesco 2256 2281 IM Event 1 Carl Gorka 2089 2113 0:1 Kanan Izzat 2402 2397 2 Mirko Rujevic 2211 2227 .5:.5 Igor Bjelobrk 2355 2432 3 Mehmedalija Dizdarevic1923 1908 0:1 Eugene Schon 2287 2305 4 Robert W Smith 2245 2304 .5:.5 Gregory J Canfell 2349 2379 5 William Jordan 2233 2235 0:1 Yi Liu 2233 2331

Round 8 PairingsGM Event 1 Murtas Kazhgaleyev 2576 : Karl Zelesco 2256 2281 2 Max Illingworth 2493 2523 : Bobby Cheng 2435 2489 3 Junta Ikeda 2418 2416 : Anton Smirnov 2420 2393 4 Vasily Papin 2502 2517 : Rustam Khusnutdinov 2472 5 Zuhao (Luke) Li 2342 2382 : Moulthun Ly 2463 2508 IM Event 1 Kanan Izzat 2402 2397 : Yi Liu 2233 2331 2 Gregory J Canfell 2349 2379 : William Jordan 2233 2235 3 Eugene Schon 2287 2305 : Robert W Smith 2245 2304 4 Igor Bjelobrk 2355 2432 : Mehmedalija Dizdarevic 1923 1908 5 Carl Gorka 2089 2113 : Mirko Rujevic 2211 2227

Round 9 PairingsGM Event 1 Moulthun Ly 2463 2508 : Murtas Kazhgaleyev 2576 2 Rustam Khusnutdinov 2472 : Zuhao (Luke) Li 2342 2382 3 Anton Smirnov 2420 2393 : Vasily Papin 2502 2517 4 Bobby Cheng 2435 2489 : Junta Ikeda 2418 2416 5 Karl Zelesco 2256 2281 : Max Illingworth 2493 2523 IM Event 1 Mirko Rujevic 2211 2227 : Kanan Izzat 2402 2397 2 Mehmedalija Dizdarevic1923 1908 : Carl Gorka 2089 2113 3 Robert W Smith 2245 2304 : Igor Bjelobrk 2355 2432 4 William Jordan 2233 2235 : Eugene Schon 2287 2305 5 Yi Liu 2233 2331 : Gregory J Canfell 2349 2379

Websites: http://www.boxhillchess.org.au/live/tfd_full.htmhttp://www.chesschat.org/showthread.php?15710-Australasian-Masters-GM-Norm-tournament-2014http://www.chesschat.org/showthread.php?15718-Australasian-Masters-IM-Norm-event-2014

GamesGM Event

Murtas Kazhgaleyev played the Nimzo-Indian Defence against Luke Li & the game quickly turned into a wild tactical affair! Li gave back the bishop pair early in the game to win a pawn, but had to face an attack on his king in return. Li snatched another pawn before trying to secure his defences around his king, however Kazhgaleyev continued to press with his pieces. Kazhgaleyev temporarily sacrificed a piece to continue the attack, howeverLi did not find the tricky tactical line that would have given him a significant advantage & the game petered out to a draw by repetition.

Li,Luke (2342) - Kazhgaleyev,Murtas (2576) [E29]Australasian Masters GM Melbourne (7.1), 19.12.20141.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 c56.e3 0–0 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Ne2 b6 9.e4 Ne8 10.0–0Ba6 11.f4 f5 12.exf5 exf5 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Ng3 g615.Be3 d6 16.Bxf5 gxf5 17.Qd5+ Rf7 18.Qxc6Bb7 19.Qa4 h5 20.Rab1 Ng7 21.Rfe1 Qf6 22.Bf2Qg6 23.h4 Kh8 24.Qd1 Rg8 25.Re3 Bc6 26.Qe2Qh6 27.Re7 Rf6 28.Rc7 Ba8 29.Rxa7 Ne630.Qxh5 Qxh5 31.Nxh5 Rfg6 32.Ng3 Nxf4 33.Re1Be4 34.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 35.Kf1 Nd3 (diagram)36.Bg3 fxe4 37.Kxg2 Nxe1+ 38.Kh3 Nf3 39.Bxd6e3 40.Re7 Ng1+ 41.Kh2 Nf3+ 42.Kh3 Ng1+½–½

Moulthun Ly played a Closed variation against Vasily Papin's Sicilian Defence & the game eventually resembled something more usually found in the Advanced French. Ly made useof his space advantage to gain a slight edge in the early middlegame, however Papin appeared to have things under control. Once Ly managed to trade his g-pawn for Papin's e-pawn, the tactical possibilities created by the half-open g-file & passed e-pawn all worked in Ly's favour, with Papin forced to give up a piece for the e-pawn. Faced with a hopeless endgame a piece behind, Papin resigned.

Ly,Moulthun (2463) - Papin,Vasily (2502) [B31]Australasian Masters GM Melbourne (7.2), 19.12.20141.e4 c5 2.Na3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.d3 Nc6 5.f4 d6 6.Nf3a6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0–0 0–0 9.Qe1 b5 10.Nc2 Rb811.Ne3 d5 12.e5 Ne8 13.d4 b4 14.Kh1 f5 15.dxc5Bxc5 16.Nc2 Qb6 17.Nd2 bxc3 18.bxc3 Qa719.Nb3 Be7 20.Be3 Qa8 21.Qf2 Nc7 22.Bc5 Bxc523.Qxc5 Rd8 24.Rab1 Bd7 25.a4 Rb7 26.Qg1Be8 27.Nc5 Rbb8 28.Nd4 Nxd4 29.cxd4 a530.Qe3 Qa7 31.Qc3 Rb6 32.Rbc1 Rdb8 33.g4Rb4 34.gxf5 exf5 35.Rg1 g6 36.Bd3 Kh8 37.Qe1Qb6 38.e6 Qd6 39.Qe3 Qe7 40.Bxf5 Qf6 41.Nd7Qxf5 42.Rxc7 R4b7 43.Rxb7 Rxb7 44.Nc5 Rb4

45.Rf1 Kg8 46.e7 Kf7 47.Re1 Qf6 48.Ne6 Rxa4 49.Ng5+ Kg8 (diagram)50.Qh3 h5 51.Qc8 Qc6 52.Qxc6 Bxc6 53.e8Q+ Bxe8 54.Rxe8+ Kg7 55.Rd81–0

Junta Ikeda played the Kan Sicilian against Rustam Khusnutdinov & followed a theoretical line for a number of moves. Khusnutdinov then launched an attack on Ikeda's uncastled king, temporarily sacrificing the exchange before bringing all his pieces to bear upon Ikeda's king. Ikeda made an error in defence & Khusnutdinov siezed his opportunity & wona piece, before exchanging pieces off to a techincally winning endgame, which was enough for Ikeda to resign.

Khusnutdinov,Rustam (2472) - Ikeda,Junta (2418) [B43]Australasian Masters GM Melbourne (7.3), 19.12.20141.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 b56.Bd3 Qb6 7.Nf3 Nc6 8.0–0 Qb8 9.Re1 Nge710.e5 Ng6 11.Be4 Bb7 12.Bg5 d6 13.Bxc6+ Bxc614.Nd4 Bd7 15.exd6 Bxd6 16.Nf5 Bxh2+ 17.Kh1Be5 18.Rxe5 Qxe5 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Qf3 f621.Qxa8+ Ke7 22.Qa7 Qxd6 23.Be3 Qc6 24.Rd1Rc8 25.Ne4 Rc7 26.Qb8 Ne5 27.Nd6 Bc8(diagram) 28.Bb6 Rd7 29.Nxc8+ Kf7 30.Rxd7+Nxd7 31.Nd6+ Ke7 32.Bd8+ Kf8 33.Qc8 Qxc834.Nxc8 Ke8 35.Ba5 Ne5 36.Nd6+ Kd7 37.Ne4Kc6 38.Bc3 Nc4 39.Kg11–0

Anton Smirnov played a sideline against Max Illingworth's Berlin Defence, which kept the queens on the board, however Illingworth's queenside pawn structure was compromised as a result. Illingworth got some activity in return for this structural concession & looked to have some winning possibilities with an advanced passed d-pawn. Smirnov neutralised thepassed pawn, but could do little to improve his position. Illingworth eventually traded off into an opposite coloured bishops endgame, which was drawn after a few more moves.

Smirnov,Anton (2420) - Illingworth,Max (2493) [C67]Australasian Masters GM Melbourne (7.4), 19.12.20141.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0–0 Nxe4 5.d4Nd6 6.dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4 Nbd4 8.Nxd4 d5 9.Nxc6bxc6 10.Re1 Be7 11.b3 0–0 12.Bb2 Be6 13.Nd2Qd7 14.Qf3 Rab8 15.Nf1 c5 16.Ba3 f6 17.Qc3 d418.Qg3 Bf5 19.Rac1 Qc6 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.Nd2Rfe8 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Qf3 Qxf3 24.Nxf3 Re225.Bxc5 Rxc2 26.Rxc2 Bxc2 27.Bxa7 d3 28.Nd2Bc3 29.Be3 Bb4 30.f3 Kf7 31.Kf2 Ke6 32.h4 g633.Bf4 (diagram) Bxd2 34.Bxd2 Bxb3 35.a5 Bc436.Ke3 Kd5 37.Bc3 Ba6 38.g4 c5 39.f4 Bc8 40.f5gxf5 41.g5 Be6 42.Kxd3 Bf7 43.Be1 Bg6 44.Ke3

c4 45.Kf4 Kc5 46.Ke5 Kb5 47.Bc3 Ka6 48.Kf4 Kb7 49.Bd2 Ka6 50.Ke5 Kb551.Bf4 c3 52.Kf6 Kxa5 53.Kg7 c2 54.Kh6½–½

Bobby Cheng showed his aggressive intentions early against Karl Zelesco, playing an early g4 against Zelesco's Slav Defence. Zelesco defended well for most of the middlegame, however he miscalculated things when he started to gain a small initiative & lost a piece. Cheng then calculated the endgame precisely, allowing Zelesco to promote the pawn, but forcing checkmate shortly afterwards.

Cheng,Bobby (2435) - Zelesco,Karl (2256) [D12]Australasian Masters GM Melbourne (7.5), 19.12.20141.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Nc3 a6 7.Ne5 Nbd7 8.g4Nxe5 9.gxf5 Nc6 10.Bd2 e6 11.fxe6 fxe6 12.Bh3 Kf7 13.Qf3 Bb4 14.Rg1 Rg815.0–0–0 b5 16.Kb1 Bxc3 17.Bxc3 b4 18.Be1Rc8 19.Rc1 Qb6 20.Qg3 Ne7 21.Rxc8 Nxc822.Bf1 Nd6 23.Bd3 g6 24.f3 Nc4 25.Qg5 Qc726.Bg3 Nd2+ 27.Ka1 (diagram) Nxf3 28.Bxc7Nxg5 29.Rxg5 Rc8 30.Ba5 Rc1+ 31.Bb1 h532.Rg2 Ng4 33.Bxb4 Rh1 34.Bd6 Nxe3 35.Rf2+Ke8 36.b3 g5 37.Re2 Nd1 38.Bb4 Kf7 39.Re1Rxe1 40.Bxe1 e5 41.dxe5 Ne3 42.Bd2 d4 43.Bd3g4 44.Be1 Ke6 45.Bg3 a5 46.Kb2 Ng2 47.Bc4+Ke7 48.Bf2 h4 49.Bxd4 g3 50.Bc5+ Kd8 51.e6gxh2 52.e7+ Kc7 53.e8Q h1Q 54.Qe7+ Kc655.Qd6+ Kb7 56.Ba6+ Ka8 57.Qd8#1–0

IM Event

Gorka,Carl (2089) - Izzat,Kanan (2402) [B48]Australasian Masters IM Melbourne (7.1), 19.12.20141.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.f3Be7 9.0–0–0 b5 10.Bf4 e5 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 d60–1

Rujevic,Mirko (2211) - Bjelobrk,Igor (2355) [C67]Australasian Masters IM Melbourne (7.2), 19.12.20141.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0–0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf58.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Ke8 10.h3 h5 11.Ne4 Be7 12.Re1 Be6 13.b3 h4 14.Bf4a5 15.a4 c5 16.Neg5 Kd7 17.Nxe6 Kxe6 18.Bg5 Rh5 19.Bxe7 Nxe7 20.Rad1Rah8 21.Rd2 Ng6 22.g4 hxg3 23.fxg3 Ke7 24.h4 Rd8 25.Rxd8 Kxd8 26.e6fxe6 27.Rxe6 Ne7 28.Ng5 Kd7 29.Re4 Nc8 30.Ne6 Nd6 31.Re2 Ne8 32.Kg2b6 33.Ng5 Nd6 34.Ne6 Ne8 35.Nf8+ Kd8 36.Ne6+ Kd7 37.Ng5 Nd6 38.Kh3Rh6 39.g4 c4 40.Kg3 cxb3 41.cxb3 b5 42.axb5 Nxb5 43.Re5 Rb6 44.Nf3 Nd6

45.Nd2 Ra6 46.h5 a4 47.bxa4 Rxa4 48.Rg5 Ne8 49.Nf3 Ra3 50.Rf5 Nd651.Re5 c5 52.g5 c4 53.h6 gxh6 54.gxh6 Nf7 55.Rh5 Nxh6 56.Rxh6 c357.Rh2 Ke7 58.Kf4 Kd6 59.Ke4 Ra4+ 60.Kd3 Rg4 61.Kxc3 Rg3 62.Rf2 Kd563.Kd3 Rg8 64.Ra2 Rg4 65.Ra5+ Kd6 66.Nd4 Rg1 67.Nf3 Rg4 68.Ke3 Rb469.Nd2 Rh4 70.Ne4+ Ke6 71.Kd4 Rh1 72.Ra6+ Ke7 73.Ng3 Rb1 74.Nf5+Kd7 75.Kc5 Rc1+ 76.Kd5 Rd1+ 77.Nd4 Ke7 78.Rb6 Rf1 79.Nc6+ Kf680.Nd4+ Ke7 81.Rb7+ Kf6 82.Rb6+ Ke7 83.Rh6 Rd1 84.Re6+ Kd7 85.Re2Ra1 86.Rh2 Ra5+ 87.Ke4 Ra1 88.Rh7+ Kd6 89.Rh6+ Kd7 90.Nb3 Rg191.Nc5+ Ke7 92.Re6+ Kf7 93.Ra6 Re1+ 94.Kf5 Rf1+ 95.Ke5 Rb1 96.Rf6+Ke7 97.Ra6 Kf7 98.Ra5 Rb2 99.Ne4 Rb1 100.Ra7+ Kg6 101.Ra6+ Kg7102.Ng3 Rb5+ 103.Kf4 Kf7 104.Ne4 Rb1 105.Ng5+ Ke7 106.Nf3 Rb4+107.Kf5 Rb1 108.Re6+ Kd8 109.Nd2 Rd1 110.Ne4 Kc7 111.Kf6 Rf1+ 112.Ke7Rd1 113.Nc3½–½

Dizdarevic,Mehmedalija (1923) - Schon,Eugene (2287) [C18]Australasian Masters IM Melbourne (7.3), 19.12.20141.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 cxd48.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 Qc7 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 dxc3 12.Qd3 d4 13.Rb1 Bd714.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 Nf5 16.Qf2 Bc6 17.Rg1 Rd8 18.g4 Nd4 19.Rg3 Be420.Bd3 Qc6 21.Be3 Bxd3 22.cxd3 Qh1+ 23.Qf1 Qxh2 24.Rg2 Nc2+ 25.Ke2Qh3 26.Qg1 Nxe3 27.Rg3 Qh4 28.Kxe3 Qe7 29.Rb4 Rh8 30.Qg2 Qc5+31.d4 Rxd40–1

Smith,Robert (2245) - Canfell,Greg (2349) [E69]Australasian Masters IM Melbourne (7.4), 19.12.20141.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.0–0 0–0 5.d4 d6 6.c4 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.h3 c69.e4 Qb6 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Qc2 Re8 12.Be3 Qc7 13.b4 Nf8 14.Rfd1 Be615.Bf1 Rad8 16.a3 Bc8 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.Rd1 Rxd1 19.Qxd1 a5 20.c5 axb421.axb4 h6 22.Qd3 Be6 23.Kh2 N8d7 24.Nd2 b6 25.cxb6 Nxb6 26.Qa6 Nfd727.Nc4 Nxc4 28.Bxc4 Bxc4 29.Qxc4 Qd6 30.b5 cxb5 31.Qxb5 Nf6½–½

Jordan,William (2233) - Liu,Yi (2233) [A07]Australasian Masters IM Melbourne (7.5), 19.12.20141.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c6 3.Bg2 Bg4 4.d3 Nd7 5.0–0 Ngf6 6.Nbd2 e5 7.e4 Bd6 8.Qe10–0 9.h3 Bh5 10.Nh4 Re8 11.Bf3 Bxf3 12.Ndxf3 Nc5 13.Bg5 dxe4 14.Bxf6Qxf6 15.dxe4 Qe6 16.Qe2 Qxh3 17.Ng5 Qd7 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.Kg2 h6 20.Rad1Qc7 21.Rh1 Ne6 22.Nxe6 Rxe6 23.Qg4 Kh7 24.Qh4 Be7 25.Qh5 Rg626.Rd3 Rd8 27.Rxd8 Bxd8 28.Rd1 Bg5 29.Rd3 Rf6 30.Qd1 g6 31.Nd6 Qb632.Rf3 Qd8 33.Rxf6 Bxf6 34.Qd2 Be7 35.Nc4 Qxd2 36.Nxd2 b6 37.Nc4 f638.g4 Kg7 39.Nd2 h5 40.gxh5 gxh5 41.Nf3 Kg6 42.Kg3 Bc5 43.Nh4+ Kg544.Nf3+ Kg6 45.Nh4+ Kf7 46.Nf5 b5 47.f3 Kg6 48.Kh4 Bf2+ 49.Kh3 Kf7

50.Kg2 Be1 51.Nd6+ Ke6 52.Nf5 Kf7 53.Nd6+ Kf8 54.Kh3 Bf2 55.Nf5 Kf756.Nd6+ Kg6 57.Nf5 Kg5 58.Kg2 Bc5 59.Ng7 Bb6 60.b3 a6 61.a4 Ba562.Ne6+ Kg6 63.Nf8+ Kf7 64.Nd7 bxa4 65.bxa4 Bc7 66.Nc5 Bd6 67.Nb7 Ke768.Na5 Kd7 69.Kh3 Bb4 70.Nc4 Be1 71.Kg2 Bc3 72.Kg3 Be1+ 73.Kh3 Ke674.Kg2 Bh4 75.Kh2 f5 76.Ne3 fxe4 77.fxe4 Kf6 78.Kh3 Be1 79.Nc4 Bc380.Kh4 Kg6 81.Ne3 Be1+ 82.Kh3 Kg5 83.Kh2 Bd2 84.Nc4 Bc3 85.Kg3 h4+86.Kf3 h3 87.Kg3 h2 88.Kxh2 Kf4 89.Nd6 Bb4 90.Nb7 Kxe4 91.Nd8 c592.Nc6 Kd5 93.Ne7+ Kc4 94.Kg3 Kc3 95.Nc6 c4 96.Kf3 Bd6 97.Ke4 Bc798.Kd5 a5 99.Na7 Kxc2 100.Kxc4 e4 101.Kd5 e3 102.Nb5 e2 103.Nd4+ Kd1104.Nxe2 Kxe2 105.Kc6 Bd8 106.Kd7 Bh40–1

Sponsors

The Smirnov-Illingworth post-game analysis session has plenty of interested spectators, with WFM Margit Brokko & CM Gary Bekker watching on, while the Losing Points Blitz goes on in the background at the chess club.