Ray has clearly demonstrated to me that he is Grandmaster strength. He is extremely sharp tactically. He is a very good attacking player. He has nerve of steel. He is a fighter. He has excellent study habit. But most importantly, he has tremendous support from his devoted parents, just as with my sisters and me, Magnus, Fabiano, and Hikaru, etc.

Ray is an organizer’s dream player to invite. He will put on a great show each time.

There is no doubt in my mind that Ray will be a Grandmaster very shortly. I also have no doubt that Ray will reach the elite level soon. Here is a look back of a few pivotal games by Ray at the SPICE Cup.

In this game, Ray just kept on attacking until he got the result he wanted.

Robson, Ray (2527) – Papp, Gabor (2562)
Spice Cup 2009 Lubbock (6), 24.09.2009

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0–0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0–0–0 Rb8 11.Bb3 Na5 12.Bh6 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 b5 14.Nd5 Nxb3+ 15.Nxb3 e5 16.h4 Nxd5 17.Rxd5 Rb6 18.f4 Be6 19.h5 Qe7 20.Rd3 exf4 21.Qxf4 g5 22.Qe3 h6 23.Nd4 Rc8 24.Re1 b4 25.e5 d5 26.Rf1 Qc7 27.Rf6 Bd7 28.Rxh6 Rxh6 29.Qxg5+ Kh7 30.Rg3 Bg4 31.Rxg4 f6 32.exf6 a5 33.Qf5+ Kh8 34.f7 Rf8 35.Qg5 1–0
 
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In this must win game, he shows what he can do against a GM in a must win situation.

Robson, Ray (2527) – Diamant, Andre (2526)
Spice Cup 2009 Lubbock (8), 26.09.2009

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Qd2 Bb4 8.f3 d5 9.a3 Qa5 10.Nb3 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Qc7 12.c4 dxe4 13.Bc5 exf3 14.gxf3 Ne7 15.0–0–0 Nf5 16.Bh3 b6 17.Bb4 a5 18.Bc3 a4 19.Be5 Qe7 20.Bxf5 exf5 21.Bd6 Qd8 22.Qg2 axb3 23.Bb4 Qc7 24.Qxg7 1–0
 
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This was Ray’s only hiccup in the entire event. But to Vinay’s credit, he was so resourceful defending his position and striking back at the right moment.

Robson, Ray (2527) – Bhat, Vinay (2459)
Spice Cup 2009 Lubbock (3), 21.09.2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7 12.Nbd2 exd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.d5 Nce5 15.a4 Rb8 16.Nh2 Ng6 17.g3 Nf6 18.h4 h5 19.f4 Bg4 20.Nxg4 Nxg4 21.Nf3 Re8 22.e5 Nf8 23.Bf5 Qb6 24.Kg2 Rbd8 25.Nh2 Nxh2 26.Kxh2 c4 27.Be3 Qb7 28.e6 Bf6 29.axb5 Qxb5 30.Qxh5 Re7 31.Re2 fxe6 32.dxe6 d5 33.Bd2 d4 34.Ra5 Qb6 35.g4 d3 36.Rg2 Bxb2 37.Be4 Qd4 38.Re5 c3 39.Be3 Qxe3 40.Bh7+ Nxh7 41.Rxe3 d2 42.Qc5 Rxe6 43.Rxe6 d1Q 44.g5 Nf8 45.Re7 Qh5 46.Qc4+ Kh8 47.f5 c2 48.f6 c1Q 49.fxg7+ Bxg7 50.Qxc1 Qxh4+ 51.Kg1 Bd4+ 52.Kf1 Qh1+ 0–1
 
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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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