Monday, March 01, 2010

KOLEJ TUN SYED ZAHIRUDDIN CHESS TOURNAMENT

My game against IM Mas Hafizulhelmi


Reaching the above position, with a pawn down and I was down to my last less than 5 minutes against IM Mas Hafizulhelmi, Malaysia no.1 player, I just put 1...Bf2 when Mas, after a few seconds or so thought bashed out 2.g4!? which somehow stunned me. I was only expected 2.g3.

Immediately I erred by playing 2...Bg3? and Mas calmly retreated his Rook 3.Rd2 and in this desperate time trouble and a few hanging pieces I desperado the Rook to no avail 3..Rxe5 4.fxe5 and lost a piece and the game in a few more moves.

After the game, Mohd Irman, who was playing on board two (Mas' 2nd board team mate) asked me, I saw ...Bf2 and seemed like black could win. I paused for a moment, because in a short post morterm after the game with Mas, we did not come to this point, instead focussing on the opening strategy innacuracy (black did not play ..g6 as early as possible).

True after the correct 2...Ng3+ 3.Kg2 Nxe4 Black might had won because 4.Qxe4 loses to 4..Qxg5+ 5.Kxf2 and 5...Qxd7 winning the exchange. But I suspect, as Mas have sufficient time on his clock, he may found 4.Rxb7 (instead of 4.Qxe4?) and suddenly all black pieces are hanging. Now not 4...f5?? which loses on the spot to 5.Qb3+, but 4..Nc5. If 5.Rc7 Ne6 and it is clear that black is hanging on a very tight rope

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