Gausdal Bygger’n Masters 2005
THE LAHLUM ROUND REPORT (PART FOUR)
14 year old GM Magnus Carlsen’s great form continues, as he having squeezed the full point out of a drawish endgame against GM Vladimir Burmakin today is in the lead alone. (“The first prize is not to be shared!”, was Magnus optimistic comment when the arbiter informed that prize money would be shared in case of equal points J.) Åkesson-Kulaots not too unexpectedly became the first GM-draw of this tournament. More of a surprise GM Vladimir Dobrov failed to realize a lasting edge against Norwegian surprising man Øyvind Bentsen, meaning Bentsen sharing second place is still the tournament sensation - and well ahead schedule for an IM-norm. The fight for the top places following Kulaots’, Åkesson’s and Dobrov’s draws became even tighter, as yesterday’s defeated GMs Brynell, Karlsson and Antic today all moved in closer by defeating lower rated opponents. WIM Heather Richards surprisingly winning a chaotic tactical battle against IM Jean-Luc Seret today looks like a WGM-candidate so far. Keeping aside Bentsen, Norwegian FM Øystein Hole having 3,0/4 following a patient win against Frode Urkedal today seems to be the best IM-norm candidate; disappointedly out of that run seems FM’s Jon Ludvig Hammer and Torbjørn Ringdal Hansen after drawing one more opponent well below 2200 today. Still five rounds to come - the top pairings for the first of them being Dobrov-Carlsen, Kulaots-Bentsen and Burmakin-Åkesson….
GM Magnus CARLSEN 2570 – GM Vladimir BURMAKIN 2508 1 - 0
Obviously in for a solid draw following yesterday’s turbulent win, Burmakin went for a very solid and slow Slav with a6-b5-g6. Establishing a space advantage by playing c5 and getting a pair of bishops white came slightly better, but found nothing better than exchanging down to a drawish queen and bishop endgame. The bishop endgame despite equal coloured bishops was a draw according to white, but slightly ahead on board as well as clock he went on playing. And was fully rewarded as Burmakin in the sixth hour became too careless in the bishop endgame, allowing Magic Magnus to play a4-a5 and then walk around to win the a6-pawn and the game, as black also had to watch out for tactical Bxb5 axb5 a6 tricks. Instructively having realized small advantages against Brynell and Burmakin, top seeded Magnus very well deserved his lead midway in the tournament. (the final move of this game by the way of course was 59.Kd6, not 59.Ke4 as indicated by the DGT-board.)
GM Ralf ÅKESSON 2486 – GM Kaido KULAOTS 2558 ½ - ½
12 moves, Semi-Slav. That this became the first GM-draw of the tournament it was not too much of a surprise as the players play in the same Swedish team and of course both are satisfied with 3,5/4. Facing a Slav Åkesson played a careful Qc2 line, taking back at c4 with the queen to reach a Catalan like position. Having got his white squared bishop outside the pawn chain black had a sound position, but playing with a little more space white still looked slightly better.
Øyvind BENTSEN 2146 – GM Vladimir DOBROV 2515 ½ - ½
This was a quiet Sicilian Taimanov system, in which black had no problems to equalize and even got a slight initiative after exchanging two set of minor pieces. White’s position seemed critical as black in the early middle game sacrificed a pawn to increase the pressure. White however defended well, and hanged on to reach a probably drawn rook and minor piece endgame. In which black was helpful to exchange the rooks, leaving after 45 moves only an endgame with knight and two f-pawns against bishop a- and b-pawn, in which a still concentrated Bentsen had no problems to demonstrate the draw fortress. Bentsen is ahead schedule for a GM-norm after four rounds, but still insists he will be well satisfied with an IM-norm J. While always friendly Dobrov looked less satisfied today, but still shares second place.
Stein Arild AARLAND 2278 – GM Dejan ANTIC 2519 0 – 1
Both players spent much time from this 3.Bb5-Sicilian. Black had some play on the queenside, but white having a pair of bishops and chances for a kingside attack still looked slightly better in the middlegame. White however missed the critical plan(s) to increase the attack, and never found the time to develop his queenside. Antic efficiently used his chances and made the better calculations during mutual time pressure, crushing through against white’s king on e1 within a few moves after 40 – while white still had not found the time to develop his queenside. Antic continues with his working day wins against lower rated players, while Aarland continues to collapse against GMs above 2500 after winning convincingly against opponents below 2100…
GM Lars KARLSSON 2501 – Lars BREIVIK 2236 1 - 0
Both chess party lions played fast in this Bird. Black probably played too fast, as his only developed piece after 11 moves still was a queen at e4. White would have had compensation even if black had picked up the pawn he could win at c2 or e3, but not taking the pawn black just came worse. White’s win was pronounced close before move 20 as he won two knights for rook and pawn and still was hunting black’s queen around on the kingside. Black got the necessary help to escape the immediate dangers, but having two well placed knights for rook and pawn white still was in control of the endgame.
Øystein BØYUM FOSSUM 2247 – GM Stellan BRYNELL 2496 0 - 1
Bøyum Fossum’s cunning French preparation failed as Brynell at move one let the pawn down at e5…. From Italian play transposed into some kind of closed Ruy Lopez in which white playing d5 achieved a space advantage, but having chances for a kingside attack black never had any sorrows. Following careless play by white the attack run wild with Nh5-Bg4-Nf4-Bh3, and losing at least an exchange without any compensation white resigned after 23 moves. Bøyum Boy still follows the Swiss loop, while Brynell always efficiently against players below 2300 still has to prove something against higher rated players in this tournament.
WIM Heather RICHARDS 2239 – IM Jean Luc SERET 2391 1 - 0
A Pirc converting into a Philidor, this was to become a short but intense game with a surprising outcome. It did not look likely to end up a surprise as black following creative play in the centre came clearly better from the opening, as he had a dangerous pin with Qb6 and Bc5 directed against Nd4. Always waiting for more to come black however was not satisfied to exchange at d4 and intervene with his rook on e1 with a clear advantage. He probably became overambitious one move when sacrificing an exchange at e4 more interesting than convincing, but as white did not dare to test the sacrifice black went on pressing. Black’s search for a kingside attack with Qh6 probably was misunderstood, but he still had a win in the diagonal by Nxe3 followed by Bxd4 move 23. Short of time for 40 moves black instead lost the thread completely, and finally hitting in at e3 during much worse circumstances at move 24 he later ended up sacrificing two exchanges for some smoke. In short black was lost on the board too when he lost on time move 32, but definitely had his chances earlier on. Richards making efficiently use of her chances following a dubious opening today might candidate for a WGM-norm, but in that regard black against Antic today will be a critical test.
By the way, I never not knew a Philidor could be that much fun….
FM Geir Sune TALLAKSEN 2350 – FM Felix NORDSTRÖM 2184 ½ - ½
This was a Semi-Slav Meran with 6.--- Bd6, known to be very popular among chess maschoists playing black… Black however in this case demonstrated white’s move order to be inaccurate with a tactical Be6, and as he could transport his main problem from c8 to a very active position at d5 white had nothing when a draw was agreed after 23 moves. Drawing a lower rated opponent as white of course was a set back for Tallaksen’s IM-norm hopes, while Nordström aged 61 surprisingly is still in that run and still doing well above expected.
Frode O. O. URKEDAL 2141 – FM Øystein Hole 2336 0 - 1
Urkedal came up with nothing to shake steady Hole in this Slav, which was early exchanged down to a position with one rook, two minor pieces and six pawns on each side, in which black’s pair of bishops and active pieces all the more obviously became more important than the pawn structure. Hole went on to pick up two pawns in the rook and bishop endgame, saw through a couple of tactical traps from white and confirmed his third win after 52 moves. Both players actually missed that white actually could have won an exchange a few moves earlier on, but as black at that stage had three connected passed pawns on the queenside he was winning anyway. Urkedal is back on earth, but still heading for another very promising result, while Hole solid at 3 out of 4 all the more looks like an IM-norm candidate.
GM Heikki WESTERINEN 2410 – Sigmund REPPEN 1916 1 - 0
This was a King’s Gambit (with g5!) in which both players spent much time. Castling long black first looked fine, but Westerinen succeeded to demonstrate he had play partially against black’s e4-pawn and partly against his king. Reppen saved his king but lost the pawn, and as Westerinen demonstrated an unpleasant fork threat winning another pawn in the rook and bishop endgame black respectfully resigned after 30 moves. Westerinen smiled carefully after the game, but Reppen at 2,0/4 with an average well above 2150 still is the one to be satisfied.
GM Arnaud HAUCHARD 2483 – Bertil SVENDSEN 2205 1 - 0
Even another good reason not to play Benoni: Both made natural moves and then white playing a sound f3-Be3-Be2 set up came clearly better with a lot more space. Failing to find any play, himself black decided to help white by exchanging the dark squared bishops. Hence white having realized f4 anyway had a strong pressure when black offered his a6-pawn to hit in with a tactical Nxd5. As accurately demonstrated by Hauchard, this idea lost material within a few moves, and realizing that black said thank you for the lecture after 31 moves. Svendsen probably needed some point in this game to remain a norm candidate. It remains to test out if Hauchard following his slow start can still reach the top boards, but facing a 2200-player with a Benoni he looked impressing today.
FM Simon SILSETH 2328 – Rune MYHRVOLD 2164 1 - 0
This started up with 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 f5, but later slowed down to an apparently quiet position. Chances seemed about balanced as white castled long and black short. While black’s running a-pawn gave him no real attack white however instructively opened up the h-file, directed his knights to threatening positions and completed the attack with a knight sacrifice at f6 before 30 moves. Silseth still might be an IM-norm candidate following this win, while Myhrvold still only candidate to get a score against higher rated opponents.
Håkon BENTSEN 2158 – FM Torbjørn Ringdal HANSEN 2323 ½ - ½
This was a Classical French, in which white having castled long got more space and an initiative. White succeeded to prove an apparently drawish rooks and minor pieces endgame clearly better for white, as black’s advanced a3-pawn was very weak. White probably was winning after picking up the pawn, but failed to realize the pawn and his queenside majority in the rook and minor piece endgame. Black scraped a draw after 52 moves due to lack of material, but white reportedly could have kept the pieces and played for a win as late as move 51. Ringdal Hansen once more saved a difficult position, but once more lost ground compared to his ELO – while the younger Bentsen brother has an average result with 2,0/4 following this draw.
FM Jon Ludvig HAMMER 2278 – Tarjei J. SVENSEN 2112 ½ - ½
This also was a Classical French, in which black after having exchanged all the other minor pieces in accordance with the Classical French traditions was left with a bad bishop and a backward pawn at e6, but still was not much worse thanks to his counterplay in the f-file and against white’s d4-pawn. Sacrificing the e6-pawn to activate the bishop and heavy pieces later was thematic, but probably still dubious. Black’s compensation for the pawn was not obvious when he suddenly offered and got accepted a draw after 35 moves – white reportedly felt tired after a long day of talking, and saw some ghosts in the h1-a8 diagonal. Svensen is about average so far, while Hammer is definitely hit down as an IM-norm candidate for this tournament.
Sjur FERKINGSTAD 2239 – Emil AGDESTEIN 2057 1 - 0
Black’s compensation for a pawn first seemed dubious in this Scandinavian gambit. With both players spending much time in the early middle game, black after 25 moves however succeeded to create attacking chances against white’s king for some reason still left in the centre. With both players having less than five minutes left for twelve moves in a loaded position, play came to circle around white’s passed b-pawn. Black had one tactical chance to snatch it, but he came worse after missing that one, and definitely lost the position as he blundered an exchange just afterwards. Ferkingstad had few seconds left when making what he correctly hoped was his move 40, but later it was all downhill as white still having a passed pawn at b7 could force his way down to a totally winning rook versus knight endgame. Both players suffer from their impractical time spending, but Ferkingstad not accidently demonstrated himself as the better time trouble fighter today.
Odin Blikra VEA 2090 – WFM Jessie GILBERT 2148 0 – 1
Odin Blikra Vea is a very chess interested young man having made remarkable progress for the last four years, but still times on suffers from chess child diseases. He did so today, being much too eager to attack and consequently playing much too loose. White for a start gave up some pawns, then an exchange and then the queen, to play at most about one queen and one exchange down. Black’s king at e8 had to watch out for some treats, but Jessie had no problems to do so and having returned some of her material stock landed safely in a won endgame before 30 moves. Cool by Jessie still following the Swiss waves, much too hot by Odin if he has ambitions to become more than a very unpredictable 2000-player.
Anders HOBBER 1915 – Johannes KVISLA 2123 0 - 1
Bf5 before Nc6 or dxc4 in a Slav reportedly is playable in this position. But if so black did something wrong afterwards, as he came a pawn down with queens exchanged and no visible compensation. Having refused at draw in the opening, black played optimistically for an attack on the queenside and in the centre. And got a jackpot as Hobber first remained too passive and then became by far too active when he sent his king out in the thin air at f3: The king ended up mate at h4 very few moves later on. Hobber is still playing very well for his age, but regarding results he has lost speed since his round one sensation. While Kvisla still playing uneven might be about to repair his ELO.
Håkon STRAND 1986 – Jan Arne BJØRGVIK 2119 1 - 0
Playing much too fast black was helpful to open the e-file canon against his king much too early in the Caro-Kann with 3.--- dxe4, allowing an awake white to win two pawns and an exchange before move 12. As queens were exchanged soon afterwards, the rest should be a matter of technique. Black succeeded to activate his pieces and to get back the exchange, but then white’s three passed queenside pawns where overwhelming. Strand being a new young face within Norwegian chess defends his ELO well so far, while Bjørgvik has a hard fight to defend his high performance from his last Gausdal visit.
Christian HARSTAD 2078 – Joachim THOMASSEN 1963 ½ - ½
White optimistically castled long in this Classical Nimzo-Indian, but although succeeding well to avoid an attack on his own king he never really produced a kingside attack as intended. Instead the battle came to circle around black’s hanging centre pawns. Having succeeded to exchange one of them white eventually won the other one due to first rank tactics, but as everything else disappeared he still had a long way to go for winning the queen endgame with no safe home for his king. The battle was decided to be undecided during mutual time trouble before move 40, as white becoming too eager to exchange queens, when getting new time could only conclude he had no way to escape the checks. Harstad heads for a mediocre result but still is producing entertaining battles every round, while Thomassen junior heads for another plus result by drawing higher rated players every round.
Kevin WHITE 2069 – Nicolai GETZ 1913 ½ - ½
This was a Queen’s Gambit Tarrasch in which white following a tactical sequence had to give up an exchange for a pawn. Getz should have a technical win when playing with two rooks, one knight and four pawns against rook, bishop, knight and five. White however succeeded to exchange the knights reaching a rook and bishops versus two rooks endgame which did not give black an obvious winning plan, and for some reason this frightened Getz to offer a draw at move 34 although he was still obviously better. Getz obviously has discovered he will increase his ELO if drawing opponents above 2000, but having improved much recently he still is playing better than scoring.
Joar Gullestad PETTERSEN 2050 – Ellen CARLSEN 1866 0 - 1
Pettersen left theory’s main line with 2.a3 and 3.b4 in this Sicilian, but having placed her pieces in natural positions closer to the centre black was better anyway when white overlooked a Bxa3-sacrifice winning a sound pawn. As white also had a sick pawn at b5 the rooks and minor piece endgame was very pleasant from a black point of view, and helped by white’s time trouble Ellen in an inspired mood went on to decide well before 40 moves. Pettersen although undoubtly talented so far has a hard time to defend his brand new ELO, while Ellen having defeated two players above 2000 obviously seems underrated now.
Per JOHANSSON 2005 – Espen HAUGSTAD 1607 ½ - ½
This was a Grünfeld fianchetto when the players cooperated to massacre most of their pieces, to be left with two rooks, one bishop and six pawns each before 30 moves. This endgame was believed to be clearly better for white as he had a space advantage and as black’s pawn at d4 looked very weak. Black however had just the time needed to save the pawn with b6 and Bc5, and although white still was in advantage the position with different coloured bishops suddenly seemed hard to crack. Aged 65 Johansson anyway felt tired following three long games in a row, and offered a draw “as I can then finally have the chance to see some good chess too” J. Haugstad aged 15 wins no headlines compared to other young players of this tournament, but still heads for a nice FIDE-ELO.
Henrik SJØL (1656) – Thomas THOMASSEN 2077 ½ - ½
White’s try for queenside play in this symmetrical English fianchetto backfired as black hit back with a powerful Nd4 in the centre. This left black with the more active pieces after all queenside pawns were maculated. Defending well white however managed to exchange further down without losing material. Black refused a still and continued playing for his initiative after the first time control, but finding nothing concrete earlier on had to accept his king being too airy for winning attempts in the queen endgame just after 60 moves. Sjøl has improved his play following his difficult start, while Thomassen senior although fighting hard still is struggling to win games.
Maria PITZ JACOBSEN (1362) – Askild BRYN 2019 0 - 1
This game made an unfortunate start, as a half-asleep 8.Ne5? in the opening overlooked a check at a5 allowing black to win a pawn with an obvious advantage. White got no compensation whatsoever as she exchanged first queens and then one of her bishops, leaving a rooks and minor pieces endgame which went definitely lost as black could exchange the rooks to pick up another pawn at b2 with her bishop. Jacobsen is a player with a sensible understanding having to watch out for tactics to succeed at this level; she did not today. Bryn looked convincing this round, it remains to be tested if he can do tomorrow against a higher rated opponent.
Håkon ASTRUP 1943 – Terje LIE (1178) 1 - 0
Both players castled long in this Queen’s Indian, but as black’s queen at h1 turned out to be out of play, white still could start a dangerous pawnstorm on the queenside. The position was reported interesting as black got his queen back into play and as white sacrificed a pawn without having anything obviously killing in the open a- and b-file. Having no safe home for his king and various weak squares black however still had a hard task to defend with queen, rook, knight and five pawns against queen, rook, knight and four pawns, and white just after 40 moves got in a decisive knight sacrifice at d7, winning back the pawn creating killing threats on the seventh rank as black could not take the knight without losing his queen. Lie is still playing well above expectations, but still fails to realize his chances at this level.
Kristian AANDAL 1941 – Jarle NILSEN (1632) ½ - ½
In this Modern Defence closely related to a King’s Indian Sämisch, white came out with a space advantage and c-file pressure after being allowed to realize c5 at move seven. Nilsen however managed to create some counterplay by a c6-break, and although white eventually won a pawn black’s pieces were disturbing with two rooks, bishop and five pawns against two rooks, knight and four. Black probably became a bit over-active as he tried to run down white by a kingside pawn storm during mutual time trouble. White coolly picked up another pawn, and was universally considered winning when playing with rook, bishop and three against rook, knight and one after the time control. White however still had problems to solve playing with scattered pawns against active pieces, and having about ten minutes left for the game, he suddenly chickened out with a draw after 62 moves. Nilsen finally got a score against rated opponents, while Aandal might already be about to lose his rating out of sight.