Ponomariov, R (2718) – Leko, P (2741) [C89]
2008 Tal Memorial, (round 5), 22.08.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Be3 Bg4 16.Qd3 Rae8 17.Nd2 Qh5 18.Bc2 f5 19.f3 Bxf3 20.Nxf3 Qxf3 21.Bd2 Qxd3 22.Bxd3 f4 23.Rxe8 Rxe8 24.Kf2 fxg3+ 25.hxg3 c5 26.c4 Nb6 27.cxb5 c4 28.Bf1 axb5 29.Bg2 Rf8+ 30.Bf3 Be7 31.Ba5 Na4 32.b3 Bf6 33.Kg2 Bxd4 34.Rf1 Rxf3 35.Rxf3 Nb2 36.Rf5 c3 37.Rxb5 c2 38.Rb8+ Kf7 39.Rc8 Nd1 40.Bd2 Bc3 41.Bc1 1–0
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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Nice teeth.
…..
.^_0.
.+++.
…..
I did not follow this game live. Was 34 …Rxf3 a blunder?
I lost lots of chessbucks because of this. I thought Leko would acheive draw easily with his recent form being OK. but good for Pono.
No Harish, Rxf3 was the consequence of a blunder – Bxd4?? was the big mistake I think.
After whites Rf1! the knight on a4 was attacked and at the same time Bd5+ was a big threat – against both Leko could not defend, Rxf3 gave “only” an exchange and was probably the best try.
Didn’t see Peter this simple move Rf1? Unbelievable as I do not predict it was time trouble…
why is this stunning?
I think white was much better even without ..Bxd4.
“why is this stunning?”
Playing Bxd4 he _must_ have looked on which squares the attacked white rook can go. The threat Bd5+ after Rf1 is obvious he can’t have missed that can he!?
So the only explanation I have is that he miscalculated the end game after the exchange sacrifice!?
No way he missed Rf1. He was lost anyway from the position earlier on. The pair of bishops was killing him.
When was the last time Ponomariov went 1-0 against anybody above 2700?