Max Euwe Matches – Danger for Seirawan, brilliancy by Schut

by ChessBase
5/16/2010 – In the second round of the Max Euwe event, the action started to heat up as the Youth struck back at the older guard with the weapons young players are usually so well-equipped with: tactics. The one exception was in fact board one, where GM Nigel Short came within a whisper of beating his opponent, 15-year-old rising star, GM Anish Giri. Report after round three.

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

Max Euwe Matches in Amsterdam

From Thursday, May 13, to Sunday, May 16, the Max Euwe Center in Amsterdam is staging five matches for talented young Dutch players. The games start at 13.30h each day, and there are four rounds.

Results of round two

Anish Giri
½-½
Nigel Short
Robin van Kampen
0-1
Lubomir Ftacnik
Benjamin Bok
½-½
Yasser Seirawan
Lisa Schut
1-0
Sebastian Siebrecht
Anne Haast
0-1
Dennis de Vreugt

The next highest rated player, American GM Yasser Seirawan also shaved off one of his nine lives after running full face into his opponent's very nice preparation, punctuated by the following tactical blow.


Benjamin Bok

Bok,Benjamin (2430) - Seirawan,Yasser (2644) [B19]
Max Euwe Match Amsterdam NED (2), 14.05.2010

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bf4 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qa4 13.0-0 Ngf6 14.Rfe1 Be7 15.a3 0-0 16.Nf5N Rfe8.

17.Rxe6!! Bf8. 17...fxe6 was no better, since White would continue with 18.Nxg7! Kxg7 (18...Rf8 19.Nxe6) 19.Bxh6+! Kh8 20.Ng5! and Ne5 to prevent Nf7 mate. (20...Rf8 21.Qg6; 20...Rg8 21.Nf7#) 21.dxe5. 18.Rxe8 Rxe8 19.b3 Qa6 20.c4 c5 21.Ng3 cxd4 22.Nxd4 Ne5 23.Qc3 Bc5 24.Re1 Rd8 25.Ngf5 Neg4 26.b4 Bxd4 27.Nxd4 Qd6 28.Nf3 Nxh5 29.Qc2 Nhf6 30.Bc3 Qd3 31.Qxd3 Rxd3 32.Bb2 a6 1/2-1/2. After the game, Seirawan readily admitted, "I was lucky to survive. It was a big shock. I fell into some very nice preparation by Bok."

On the other hand 16-year-old Lisa Schut, yielding a 150 Elo handicap to her veteran opponent, GM Sebastian Siebrecht, was able to extract revenge for her first round loss after finishing him off in style in the second round.


Lisa Schut vs GM Sebastian Siebrecht

Schut,Lisa (2267) - Siebrecht,Sebastian (2419) [B41]
Max Euwe Match Amsterdam NED (2), 14.05.2010

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Qd3 Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 d6 11.Be2 e5 12.Qd3 Be6 13.0-0 Rc8 14.b3 0-0 15.Bg5 Rc6 16.f4 exf4 17.Kh1 h6 18.Bxf4 Re8 19.Rad1 b5 20.e5 Nd7 21.cxb5 axb5 22.Qg3 Kh8 23.Bxb5 Rb6 24.a4 d5 25.Rc1 Qa8 26.Be3 Rxb5 27.axb5 Qa5 28.Bd4 Qxb5

29.Rxf7!! Sweet revenge and a beautiful shot. 29...Bxf7 30.e6 Nf6 31.Bxf6 Bg6. If 31...gxf6 then 32.exf7 Rf8 33.Qg6. 32.Qxg6 gxf6 33.Qxh6+ Kg8 34.Qg6+ Kh8 35.Qxf6+. Black is mated after 35...Kg8 36.Qf7+ Kh8 37.Rc7 1-0.


Robin van Kampen vs Lubomir Ftacnik

Photos provided by Bas Beekhuizen

Results of round three

Nigel Short
1-0
Anish Giri
Lubomir Ftacnik
½-½
Robin van Kampen
Yasser Seirawan
1-0
Benjamin Bok
Sebastian Siebrecht
1-0
Lisa Schut
Dennis de Vreugt
1-0
Anne Haast

The matches are schedule for four games each, and can be followed live on Playchess.


Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!


Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register