March 2009 TNT Round 4

Lauritson - Mundwiler 0-1
The first 14. moves had been played before in Shtanko-Savchenko, Lvov 2001. In that game White played 15.h3 (but lost).
I thought this game was headed for a draw, but White broke open the position only to have it backfire. It is hard to see an obvious mistake. but White probably underestimated the weakness of his d-pawn after 32. e4. Note that 37...cxb3 also wins.

Wierda-Kernetsky DRAW
Black was better, but makes a subtle error in the endgame. After 32.Kf3
play continued 32...Kd6? 33. Ke4 e5 34.f4 DRAW
but 32...e5 33.Ke4 Ke6 with an eventual f5 provides winning chances.

Einarsson-Boron 0-1
Surprisingly, the first 11 moves had been played before in a master game, Prods-Depasquale, Melbourne, 1982. In that game, White responded with 12.Rc1, which I expected Ken to play.
In the game after 12...e5, White's pawns are suddenly very weak. White doesn't find the way to create counterplay (19.Kc3) and soon is faced with a grim endgame.

Khedkar-Rutter 1-0
White blunders a pawn to a stock sacrifice, 15. Nxd5. Black defends tenaciously while White misses several knockout blows; 25. Rac1, 29.Qf3.
Black never plays Ke6 although he could have done so as early as move 37 with a potential draw, instead another White passed pawn is created.

Lipic - Jim Green 0-1
White blunders the b2 pawns and with it, the game.

Wiebe-Milord 1-0
Black spoils a nice effort by sacrificing the exchange hoping to queen a pawn, but White has enough resources to stop the pawn.

Aaron Green - Ott 1-0
Black puzzles me again. After 26...fxe3 he has promising counterplay if not the advantage, after e2, Bd3+ and Rxg2, Rf2, which are unstoppable.

Greenberg - Magnusson DRAW
This game followed GM battle Ponomariov - Fressinet (won by White in 22 moves) , Batumi 1999 for the first 13 moves !
Pono played 14. Bd2, while Harley played 14. Qe2

After 18...b4

White has 19. Ba4 which should be decisive.

White instead played, 19. Rae1 - later the players agreed to a draw after 24. Qe5 with White having a winning advantage.

Campbell - Trueman 1-0
White wins the critical d6 pawn, the rest is easy.

Trinidad-Leor Wasserman 1-0
The kids are having a rough time this tournament. Black drops a rook early.

Ari Wasserman - Swift 1-0
With White uncastled, 13...Qd7 gives White the green light for a mating attack.

Evans - Menard 1-0
13...Bxc6 instead of bc6 is much preferred. Black drops a rook soon after.