May TNT Round 4

You can play through the games with light notes here


Lipnowski - Babb 1-0
White had an interesting shot available at move 18.

18. Bxh7+ Kxh7 18. Qc2+ Ne4 19. Qxe4
but perhaps it was rejected as it gives Black counterplay if he plays 18...Kh8.

Black goes wrong in the endgame. It wasn't clear to me where upon my first look at the game, but on my second pass through, it became clear that Black has to play it as if he doesn't have a b pawn - then he has to be prepared to check on the 6th rank when White goes there with his king. (At bit similar to the Philidor position)

So, in the position below, does 46...Rc1 hold the draw ?



Schulz - Nikouline DRAW
Schulz wins an exchange for a pawn early. I thought that perhaps saddling Black with some pawns islands on with exchanges on c6 and h4 would have made converting the win easier.

49.b4 keeping the Black king from advancing may have made a difference.

Rutter - Bince 1-0
10...Bh3 looked dubious but the game sequence makes it look like a clever trap. Just 13. Be4 leaves Black a pawn down with no compensation. Black gets greedy with 16...Bxh1, when instead 16...Nxc6 leaves White to contemplate if he should go home early. White outplays Black the rest of the way to win.

Kernetsky - Leor Wasserman 1-0
14. Rxc3 is an interesting decision, the rook landing at c7 is worth the foregoing of undoubling the b pawns.

Arie Wasserman -Mundwiler 0-1
White is doing well early, 10. Qxc3 keeps the pawn structures intact.
Once the position is quiet, Black outplays his opponent.

Khedkar - Wierda 1-0
Jay has been playing the Black side of the French lately, here he has fun on the White side.

Trueman - Silva 1-0
Francis plays a good game in the upset of the night.

Evans - Gibson 0-1
Fred pulls off another upset. The forced sequence
29...Rxd2 30. Nxd2 Qc5+ 31. Kf1 Qe3 would have ended it a bit earlier.