US Team Has Fighting 2-2 Draw with Armenia

US Team Has Fighting 2-2 Draw with Armenia
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Gata Kamsky pulled off an accurate 80 move grind to beat the #3 rated player in the world Levon Aronian. As white, Kamsky played the Ruy Lopez and achieved lasting pressure against the black king. Aronian sacrificed an exchange with 35. Rxf5 to complicate the position, however Kamsky pragmatically returned the exchange a few moves later with 38. Rxf3!? and 39. Rg3 – forcing a queen and pawns endgame with an extra pawn for white. After patient maneuvering to consolidate his position, Kamsky proceeded to march his king and pawns down the board to force Aronian’s resignation.

Kamsky Grinds Aronian w/ 80. Ka5

Azerbaijain Beats India 3-1

Radjabov played creatively to achieve a decisive attack against Ganguly, started with a creative rook lift by 22. Ra3. Radjabov maneuvered patiently to gain space and deprive the black pieces of worthwhile squares. Harikrishna played too slowly and did not try hard enough to achieve sufficient activity. As a result, Radjabov was able to initiate a series of 8 consecutive forcing moves (starting with 31. f6!) to open up black’s king position and end the game with a decisive attack. This game is a great example of how to convert a space advantage into a winning attack.

Radjabov Pummels Harikrishna with 38. Qh8+

Opening Preparation Pays Off

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov scored a quick 27-move victory over Ganguly from the white side of a Classical Nimzo-Indian. Shak played the opening extremely aggressively, and by the quickness of his play it seems it had been analyzed thoroughly in home preparation. He sacrificed a pawn with 19. Bg5!? to redirect his minor pieces to attack black’s king and gain tempi for regrouping his rooks due to the exposed position of black’s queen. Ganguly missed Shak’s tactical ideas and blundered an exchange in his over-eager efforts to trade queens with 23. Qe2? Mamedyarov attentively played 25. Be7! – leading to a decisive win of material (if black responds with 25. …Rfe8 then 26. Nf6+! gxf6 27. Rg4+ Kh8 28. Bxf6#). A very clean win by Mamedyarov, undoubtedly due to thorough preparation by the Azerbaijani team.

Mamedyarov Uncorks 25. Be7! to Beat Ganguly

Full Game PGNs are Available at the Official Site