Gata Kamsky – Boris Gelfand [game 1]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a4 (It looks unusual but it is just a reversal of move order)
6… Nc6 7.Be2 e5 8.Nb3 Be7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Be3 Be6 11.Bf3 Na5 (We are still in theory. 12.Nxa5 has been played before.)
12.Nxa5 Qxa5 (The text move here is 13.Qd2. White is slightly better in this position. White’s goal is attacking the d6 pawn and not allowing Black to play d5. Black of course wants to push the d6 pawn. A target for Black could also be White’s Knight on c3.)
13.Qd2 Rfc8 14.Rfd1 Kf8 (A very unusual move but it has actually been played before.)
15.Qc1 Rc4 16.Rd3 Rac8 17.Qd1 R4c6 18.Rd2 Rc4 19.Rd3 R4c6 20.h3 h6 21.Rd2 Rc4 22.Rd3 R4c6 23.Rd2 Game drawn 1/2-1/2 (This reminds me of 2 heavyweight boxers feeling each other out in the early rounds. I guess that’s why some people prefer to watch the middleweights box.)
This should be an exceedingly tough matchup. Both Gelfand and Kamsky are going into the second round undefeated.
Boris Gelfand is one of the elite and I have seen his patience prevail in games where his slow maneouvering eventually results in a final, winning tactical explosion.
Kamsky, on the other hand, is one of the most stubborn players I have ever seen. His recent game against Mamedyarov, where Kamsky practically dropped a piece, was testament to that. Mamedyarov won, but Kamsky made him earn it.
If Kamsky sticks to his style and does not take big risks against Gelfand, I think that his endgame skill will prevail, though it is tough to say.
– J
Go Kamsky!
I would love to see the Aronian-Shirov match analyzed.
Gata Kamsky **** World Champion!
Gata will destroy Gelfand and then Mexico is next and finally Kramnik!
shirov’s exchange sac has gotten aronian into trouble
After Qd5 and Ne5 Aronian is in real trouble
Are there server problems or just serious time management problems for Kamsky and Shirov (and Aronian and Gelfand)?
A draw declared at move 23??
Boo! I hate when GMs play these kind of games…they might as well not even have played.
It was a fairly short draw, but they are probably sizing each other up and getting a feel for the style of their opponent. I still fully expect this to be a good matchup.
“Gata will destroy Gelfand and then Mexico is next and finally Kramnik!”
By “destroy”, I assume you mean “shut out”, and it’s already too late for that.
LOL (about middleweights vs heavyweights).
–gb