Gausdal Bygger’n Masters 2005
THE LAHLUM ROUND REPORT (PART TWO)
In some way it feels like this tournament has not really started yet, as the top eight seeded GMs all can be found at 2/2, without too many exciting moments today. Still round two got some sensations too, as the two lowest rated GMs ran into unexpected problems against well playing opponents below 2200. First GM Heikki Westerinen blundered a pawn against Øyvind Bentsen, and having exchanged away what compensation available lost the queen and bishop endgame. One hour later GM Arnaud Hauchard exchanged a probably drawn rook and bishop endgame for a lost rook endgame against FM Felix Nordström, after the Frenchman had forced himself to give up a pawn in the middlegame. Among the 11 players sharing the lead at 2/2 Bentsen and Nordström qualify as sensations, while confident FM Geir Sune Tallaksen having defeated two opponents below 2050 has only followed command so far. Tallaksen will get an all the more critical test as black against Vladimir Dobrov tomorrow, when the GMs above 2500 will start to play each other. Not to forget, while 11 year old Anders Hobber was brought efficiently down to earth by Tallaksen today, 12 year old Frode Urkedal came up with another small sensation with an always reliable (but true enough never very entertaining) draw against IM Jean-Luc Seret.
GM Magnus CARLSEN 2570 – FM Øystein HOLE 2336 1 – 0
Not too unexpectedly this was a Slav duel, reaching a Meran-like position as black returned the c4 pawn without complaints. White probably had the better of it as his e5-pawn gave real attacking chances on the kingside, while black failed to come up with anything really disturbing on the queenside. Magnus was “satisfied with my bishop manoeuvres”, and had every reason to be as he instructively sacrificed first one at h6 move 23 and then the other one at h7 move 24! A shaken Hole tried to give up his queen and about four pawns for three minor pieces, but playing with an airy king and loose pieces he lost further material and resigned after 32 moves. Whether Magnus felt more motivated to be top rated with 2570 following the new FIDE list is unknown, but this anyway was very much more like it from a Magnus point of view. Hole is about to lose his positive score against Magnus, but has done away with the most difficult game of the tournament following this loss.
FM Simon SILSETH 2328 – GM Kaido KULAOS 2558 0 - 1
The players later reportedly agreed that white came slightly better from this Symmetrical English fianchetto, but black still had no problems to complete development. White’s queen later turned out to be a bit awkward at h4 as he had no real kingside attack. A real chess fist battle followed as white in a crumbling position gave up several pawns to intervene on the seventh rank with hard threats. Kulaots although under pressure reportedly was in control, and in the end returned two pawns to reach a rook and minor piece endgame in which his passed b-pawn soon proved decisive.
FM Jon Ludvig HAMMER 2278 – GM Deian ANTIC 2519 0 - 1
This was a Sicilian Kan in which white held a space advantage after exchanging two set of minor pieces, but black’s king was remarkably safe at f8 and he had sufficient counterplay on the black squares. White’s search for a kingside attack with Qf3-g3 definitely was misunderstood, as it turned out the white queen well stuck at h3 was more exposed than the black king. Black was positionally winning after 20 moves as he with all the white pieces misparked on the kingside had a free run on the queenside, but trapping the queen at g5 to resign after 23 moves still was to overreact somewhat from a white point of view. Antic is always silent but efficient so far, while never silent and only sometimes efficient Hammer will have to do better than this as white to fight for an IM-norm.
Øystein Bøyum FOSSUM 2247 – GM Vladimir DOBROV 2516 0 - 1
White in this Catalan bravely sacrificed a pawn at b3 to open up the queenside, but although white after exchanging queens intervened on b7 with his rook, black remained a pawn up with all the more active pieces. As black having activated his pieces could set the passed pawn into motion, he was anyway winning in the rooks and minor piece endgame when white short of time blundered material and resigned. Fairly typical for how a Swiss might work Bøyum Fossum won on an endgame a-pawn on the upper half in the first round, but lost to one on the lower half in the second round…
GM Vladimir BURMAKIN 2508 – Stein Arild AARLAND 2278 1 - 0
The black squared bishops were exchanged early on in this Dutch Stonewall, and although white had the more active knights and the better bishop black looked solid from the opening. Obviously well known with this type of positions too Burmakin nearly one hour ahead on the clock build up an all the more dangerous kingside attack without risking anything anywhere, and black’s position collapsed as white hit in with a powerful f6 breakthrough after 30 moves.
GM Lars KARLSSON 2501 - WIM Heather RICHARDS 2239 1 - 0
Karlsson was nasty enough to choose an English fianchetto as his white weapon for today, and as Richards remained much too passive he was allowed to establish a space advantage and to start a pawnstorm on the kingside. Black found some counterplay on the queenside, but still just managed to establish a passed pawn before white crushed through on the kingside. Making a performance close to 2600 in the European club team championship last week, Karlsson looks inspired in his Gausdal come-back so far.
Bertil SVENDSEN 2205 – GM Stellan BRYNELL 2496 0 - 1
Via an English fianchetto this translated into some kind of Tarrasch, in which black played fast and had no problems to activate his pieces. The position became positionally messy and white’s position did not look that bad as he established a promising knight square at d6. It turned out – probably not accidently - black had done much the better calculations as he could simply pick up the white pawn at c5, and win a piece when white insisted to intervene on d6 anyway…
WFM Jessie GILBERT 2148 – GM Ralf ÅKESSON 2486 0 - 1
Black had no problems to equalise with a Hedgehog set up from this Queen’s Indian with 4.--- Ba6. White still had equal chances is a slow position until she overlooked a tactical d5-break suddenly winning a pawn for black. Later on the rook and knights endgame was a full pawn better for black. Although still looking absent-minded Åkesson very concentrated went on to activate his knights, and he still having an iron grip around the position was about to win another pawn white was realistic enough to stop the clock after 32 moves.
GM Arnaud HACHARD 2483 – FM Felix NORDSTRÖM 2184 0 - 1
Hauchard playing 2.c4 against Caro-Kann entered a well known isolani position, and aggressively went on to sacrifice the isolani a few moves later on. Everything fine from a French point of view so far, as white could win back the pawn with balanced chances. Instead he – reportedly mixing up the order of two moves - sacrificed another pawn to enter tactical complications soon demonstrated favourable to black, as white after winning two minor pieces for rook and two pawns found himself in trouble to save his loose pieces. Black came a very sound pawn ahead, but having spent much time black complicated the win and was one second away from losing at time move 40. Later on the endgame with rook, bishop and three pawns against rook, bishop and two pawns still should be drawn, but white probably made a mistake to exchange bishops, as his advanced g4 pawn later proved unable to defend against active black pieces. Short of time for the game black still had some technical problems to solve with rook, a- and f- pawn versus rook, but although not finding the straightest path he found a sufficient one giving up the f-pawn to let the king escort the a-pawn into promotion.
GM Heikki WESTERINEN 2410 – Øyvind BENTSEN 2146 0 - 1
The second sensation of today made an expected start as a closed Ruy Lopez with Nf6, in which black obviously having the better preparation came well ahead on the clock without feeling any pressure on the board. Chances still was about equal until Westerinen for once blundered a pawn with a badly timed d4-break, and obviously frustrated wasted what compensation he had within a few moves. Although not trivial black later should be winning in the queen and bishop endgame, and having plenty of time a concentrated Bentsen went on to complete the family’s first win again a GM in an easily won bishop endgame with two-three extra pawns. I still doubt if the tournament’s technical expert can be an IM-norm candidate, but still he looked very much like one today.
Frode URKEDAL 2141 – IM Jean-Luc SERET 2391 ½ - ½
White tried to accelerate this Pirc with an early Ng5, but as both players made sound and sensible moves it soon slowed down to a very balanced rooks and minor pieces position with symmetric pawns, not offering too many chances for anyone. White controlling the d-file was slightly better in the rook and knight endgame when a draw was agreed after 28 moves. Meaning 12 years old Urkedal is ahead of schedule for an IM-norm (!) with only seven rounds left to go, while Seret has been rock solid but not much more so far.
FM Geir Sune TALLAKSEN 2350 – Anders HOBBER 1915 1 - 0
11 years old Hobber still flying high following his sensational win in round one was efficiently brought down to earth as he playing a too early Bf5 in a Slav had to give up a pawn for no compensation before 10 moves. Black still had some drawing chances, but if you have to enter endgames a pawn down from the opening, Tallaksen is hardly the right opponent to do it against. White’s advantage steadily grew through a number of exchanges, into an endgame in which black reportedly played on only as he has made a bet with himself that he could make a longer game than his teammate Bertil Svendsen did in the first round. If so he succeeded with half a move, at the reasonable cost of being mate. Both the “Porsgrunn penguins” still looked well satisfied after the game. Tallaksen having lost his earlier runs for IM-norms due to winning too few games might have had an ideal start with +2, but will face grown up opponents for the upcoming rounds.
Sjur FERKINGSTAD 2239 – Rune MYHRVOLD 2164 1 - 0
Black’s natural counterplay in the centre apparently equalised without too many difficulties against Ferkingstad’s slow French with 2.b3. White still refused a draw at move 11 as well as move 17, and instead bravely snatched a pawn at b7. Having got back the pawn at a5 within a few moves black still looked fine, and although he did invite white’s rook in on b7 by opening the b-file, black still could defend his kingside by g6. He should have done so instead of blundering a rook.
Nicolai GETZ 1913 – Sigmund REPPEN 1916 0 - 1
This was a Scandinavian in which white obviously having the much better preparation (“he did not get in from himself”, according to never humble or discrete Hammer), castled long to raise a promising kingside attack. After 20 moves white appeared more or less winning, as black had to weaken his kingside with g5 and leave several of his pieces paralyzed around the king. While Getz playing much too fast and careless failed to continue his advance on the kingside Reppen however kept on fighting, and succeeded to build up a counterattack against the white king at c1. The position still was unclear when white having nearly one hour left at move 38 went for a Bxg5-sacrifice which looked interesting, but which turned out just to lose a piece to intermediate checks later on. Hardly noting by anyone except his roommates and opponents, Reppen at 1,5/2 has had a promising start of the tournament.
Askild BRYN 2019 – FM Torbjørn RINGDAL HANSEN 2323 0 - 1
In this seldom seen short castling Caro-Kann with 3.--- dxe4 white tried to slash with Ng5 followed by Nh5 in the opening, but succeeded only to exchange three sets of minor pieces with balanced chances in an apparently slow position. Ringdal Hansen however got the necessary help to exploit white’s weak first rank with a tactical Qe5 followed by Qxh2, after 30 moves leaving him a pawn up in a rooks and bishop endgame. It still seemed black had a long and thorny road to get a full point, but Bryn under time pressure helpfully ran out to meet him by exchanging down first to a difficult rook endgame and then to a lost pawn endgame. Bryn however won this round’s “learn from your mistakes”-prize, as he resigned the pawn endgame two moves after having forced it.
Per JOHANSSON 2005 – Lars BREIVIK 2237 0 – 1
White had the best start in this Benoni fianchetto, as he having exchanged three sets of minor pieces was left with the much better pawn structure. Considering himself lost around move 25 Breivik however got the necessary time to activate his pieces, reaching a still drawn endgame with rook, knight and four pawns against rook, bishop and three. Johansson still seemed to have excellent drawing chances in the endgame with rook, bishop and two kingside pawns against rook, knight and three kingside pawns. The defence line still was not trivial as white had weakened his kingside by placing the pawns at g3 and h4, and losing his concentration completely for one move Johansson suddenly trapped his king in a mating net at h1 after 60 moves. Breivik is playing shaky at daytime and walking shaky at nights so far, but 1 out of 2 still is no disaster from a result point of view. While Johansson actually has been playing above expectations so far, but has a hard time to complete his games against one generation younger players above 2200.
Håkon BENTSEN 2158 – Joachim THOMASSEN 1963 ½ - ½
The younger Bentsen brother again played his closed fianchetto set up against a Sicilian, but exchanging three sets of minor pieces early on Thomassen junior had no problems. As white found himself defending a backward d3-pawn in the middlegame he instead played Nd5 to defend one weak pawn at d3 and the other one at d5. Black could very well play on his superior pawn structure in the rooks and bishop middlegame, but true enough having difficulties to do something he was satisfied to get a draw offer accepted as black after 23 moves.
Håkon
This was a Scotch gambit in which black in accordance with the books returned the pawn to get a pair of bishops, but as he played wrong just afterwards white was allowed first to establish a strong knight at c5 and then to start advancing on the kingside. Feeling his position crumbling, black hit by panic tried to give up material, but had to stop the clock as white accurately fulfilled to win further material in the endgame.
Håkon ASTRUP 1943 – Jan Arne BJØRGVIK 2119 ½ - ½
I lack the fantasy to make much out of this from both players much too reliable game: It was a Queen’s gambit exchange in which white having a minority attack running on the queenside was slightly better in the double rook endgame, but still got nowhere as black by sound means could cover up his weaknesses. It all ended before 40 moves as white preferred a dead drawn pawn endgame to a slightly better rook endgame.
Kristian AANDAL 1941 – Tarjei SVENSEN 2112 0 - 1
Having prepared several hours to play black, Aandal unprepared for white still entered a hot Anti-Meran line with 7.g4. With success for a short while, as black playing inaccurate in the opening forced himself to give up a pawn at c5. Feeling by far too good and thinking about other matters of life in general instead of the game, white however first allowed all the more counterplay, and then suddenly woke up in a lost position as black was allowed a hard knock with a tactical Nxe3. Svensen despite somewhat uneven play is fine at 1 out of 2 so far, while it is time to wake up for Aandal.
Odin BLIKRA VEA 2090 – Henrik SJØL (1656) 1 – 0
Something somewhere went seriously wrong for black in this Queen’s Gambit Tarrasch, as white after exchanging two sets of minor pieces had an isolani pawn at d5 to play against AND all chances for a kingside attack. Hardly noting the isolani pawn Odin immediately accelerated on the kingside, and as black trapped his own knight at e4 got the necessary help to win decisive material before 30 moves.
Christian HARSTAD 2078 – Jarle NILSEN (1632) 1 - 0
This was a Nimzo-Indian Rubinstein in which white got first a space advantage and then the pair of bishops, combined resulting in an overwhelming position after 20 moves. Always hard fighting Nilsen managed to prolong the game until nearly six hours as Harstad failed to find anything decisive earlier on, but white still was better all of the time and playing an exchange up in the endgame he definitely was winning. It all finally ended after 60 moves and 5 hours 55 minutes, as white sacrificed back the exchange to intervene on the seventh and eight rank, reaching a very pleasant queen and minor piece endgame in which white in addition to several extra pawns was the only one having a minor piece…
Ellen CARLSEN 1866 – Thomas THOMASSEN 2077 1 - 0
Black first came fine if not better as he got active play in this Sicilian Sveshnikov. If snatching a testimony pawn at b2 with his queen was playable it was however very risky, and Ellen within a few moves forced black to exchange queens and return the pawn. The following rooks and bishop endgame was obviously better for white due to her dominating passed pawn at c6. Having sacrificed an exchange upon the pawn monster black still looked active enough to save an endgame with rook, bishop and four against two rooks and three, but following some misunderstandings from black Ellen playing partly upon black’s exposed king and partly on his weak pawns demonstrated an instructive endgame win in the fifth hour.
Kevin WHITE 2069 – Espen HAUGSTAD (1607) 1 – 0
White came better in this Grünfeld exchange duel, having a queenside pressure and winning a pawn at c5 in the early middle game. Having got back the pawn at e4 black playing with two active bishops was well in the game until he suddenly blundered one of this bishops as he became much too eager trying to exploit white’s weak first rank. (24.--- Bh6?? could be answered with 25.Qxh6! as 25.--- Qd1+ intending 26.Rxd1?? Rxd1 mate ran into the wall with 26.Ne1!)
Maria PITZ JACOBSEN (1362) – Emil AGDESTEIN 2057 0 - 1
This was a King’s Indian with 4.Qc2 becoming very closed: White having realized d5 held a space advantage, but black had enough counterplay to keep balance in a very closed position. Still black had a hard time to create winning chances after 30 moves, but having spent way too time trying to keep the position closed, Jacobsen collapsed when it finally opened up: Allowing black’s queen to intervene on the kingside, she first blundered a pawn and then a rook.
Joar G. PETTERSEN 2050 – Terje LIE (1178) ½ -
½
White in this Pirc played for an ambitious kingside attack with f4-f5. A complex struggle followed as black searched for counterplay on the weakened black kingside squares, meaning both players tried to attack their opponent’s king on the kingside. No one ever got any really dangerous attack, instead the game following a queen exchange deadlocked in a closed and very drawish endgame with rook and different coloured bishops. Lie having slightly the better pieces and being ahead on the clock twice refused a draw to play for a win, and was helped as Pettersen about to run short of time for the game suddenly moved a pawn himself just before he could claim a draw on the 50 moves rule. Helped by white’s time trouble cramps black suddenly could make a decisive intervention with his king, and winning white’s important g4-pawn he suddenly had a decisive advantage. It however disappeared with five moves as black stubbornly insisted to force an exchange of rooks, leaving white with a drawing fortress in the different coloured bishop endgame after 105 moves. White demanded a draw in accordance with 10.2, but the arbiter wanted to see “some more” before deciding. “Some more” he really got, after white was given two minutes extra because of a very illegal move from black. (Kg2-f3 was played by black despite a white king on g4; white nearly as tired and much more short of time by the way answered Bd5-c4) the game lasted on for six full hours and gave a lot of entertainment, although the bishop endgame was all of the time safely within the drawing borders – and black in the end realized himself he could make no progress whatsoever with bishop and three versus bishop and two. 156 moves on the last board – not bad for a round two J..