WGM Lahno (2459) – GM Negi (2538) [B92]
Amity Grandmasters Challenge, New Delhi, India, 12.192006
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Re1 Be6 10.Bf3 Nbd7 11.a4 Nb6 12.Nd2 Rc8 13.a5 Nc4 14.Nxc4 Rxc4 15.Be3 Qd7 16.Qd3 Rfc8 17.Red1 h6 18.Bb6 d5 19.exd5 Bf5 20.Qe3 Qd6 21.Re1 e4 22.Rad1 Rb4 23.Be2 Rxb2 24.Bd4 Rxc2 25.Bxf6 Bxf6 26.Nxe4 Bxe4 27.Qxe4 Rc5 28.h4 Now White has to be careful about 28…Bc3 then capturing the a5 pawn, giving Black connected passed pawns. All of a sudden, Black is better.
28…Bc3 29.Rf1 Qe5?! If Black wants to have any chance to win, he cannot trade Queen. Unfortunately, he seems gun shy and opting for a safer continuation and throwing away his advantage.
30.Qf3 Lahno is playing aggressively, opting not to trade Queens.
30…Qf6?! Again, Negi is playing too passively. He either lacks the self confidence or match experience. He no doubt has plenty of talent but this is an area where he has to work on to improve.
31.d6 Qxf3 32.Bxf3 Rd8 33.Bxb7 Bxa5 This is not a good outcome after trading the Queens. Negi completely misplayed this strategical position. Now White clearly has a little advantage. Even though it is an opposite color Bishop endgame, the d pawn gives White small chances.
34.d7 Rc7 35.Bc8 Bb4 Black may just end up giving up a Rook for the Bishop and d pawn if given a chance. That would lead to a draw.
36.Rc1 Rcxd7 37.Bxd7 Rxd7 38.g3 h5 39.Rc4 a5 40.Rb1 g6 41.Kg2 Kg7 42.Rcxb4 axb4 43.Rxb4 Kf6 1/2
i dont know if i necessarily agree with exchanging queens he cannot win because then white cannot defend a5 pawn (bishp controls a1) and it also eliminates threats of mate with h4-h5, Bd3 etc
move 43 official draw now.
wonder why white took the bishop. Did white have any chances before taking the bishop? Although even then it looked like a draw to me.
yes but horrible was allowing the bishop to get to h1-a8. Qf6 was a huge mistake. a safer way to offer exchange of queens was 29…Bxa5 30. h5 (what else) 30…Bc7 31. g3 Qe5
I think pari is blinded by katya’s beauty…No teenager can concentrate with katya wearing such dresses…
Good remarks guys:
Kathy’s decolte is a real knock out!
Assuming she is playing at equal chess strenght as the young Indian
,the outcome of the match is determined in advance.She has excellent positional understanding of the game both on the chessboard and off the chessboard!
Poor Negi…
If Katya wins, I think that she will deserve credit. Matches always involve trade-offs: rules, location, climate, timing, etc. The most important thing for these two players is not who wins or loses-but that they assisted each other in their common growth potential. It is wonderful for the players and for chess.
Again…yet another draw. Would there be draws like this if either player didn’t have to memorize the lines to play that lead to such results?
I’d like to see REAL chess…and that’s Fischer Random. No memorized lines, no chance to prearrange draws and there’s no prearranged endgames where GM’s “know” what pieces will be left standing on the board.
As such…I cannot agree chess can be deemed “exciting” no matter how tactical the fireworks if the end result is still a boring “draw”.
I would choose a radical solution to this problem…especially the “boring” endgame – allow Crazyhouse rules for the endgame. Now you get tactical fireworks and NO chances for a draw. The end would always result in a winner or loser. Period.
So a combination of FRC and Bughouse rules would ensure games would almost never be drawn and cannot be memorized down to the last move.
I think Katya will overtake Judit Polgar in no time!
In possible contrast to men’s chess, the strongest women chess players in the world are living today even WITHOUT Judit Polgar. This statement does no disrespect to past women players, who paved the way under much limited social and economic circumstances. (As an extreme example of limited circumstances, I cite of the loss of Vera Menchik in WWII along with many of her many male collegues) When one looks at the incredible gap between Judit and her nearest woman players, it should give anyone pause. While I think that Katya has a great future in front of her, the statement that she will pass Judit “in no time” sounds quite overzealous. Let us see if any other woman comes close. Judit is the first woman player that could possibly world champion. Her career is certainly one of the greatest celebrations in the human chess experience.
i wish negi won….
Can’t those stupid comments about Miss Lahno’s appearance be deleted?
“Baby Baby you look like a million dollars…” 🙂