2011 World Cup: Round #1

Games in progress on second day.
Photos from https://chess.ugrasport.com/.

Lots of fireworks in today’s games with a couple of big favorites taking an early exit. The talk of the round was China. While the world’s most populous nation (and fastest rising chess power) had big hopes for this tournament, their players crashed and burned as five players exited the tournament.

Wang Yue was unable to equalize the match against Alexander Fier and Li Chao, Zhou Jinachao, Yu Yangyi and Hou Yifan all lost. Hou had promising positions in both games against Sergei Movesesian and in the second game, she missed a forced mating sequence… twice!!

In the first diagram, Hou had the sparkling 28.Rxg7! Bxg7 29.Qg5 Ng6 (29…Nf5 30.Rf1 and 31.Rxf5) 30.Qh6! In the second diagram, she missed the same motif. The move 30.Rxg7! works again due to 30… Kxg7 31.h8(Q)+! Kxh8 (31…Rxh8 loses to a strong attack with 32.Qf4) 32.Qh6+ Kg8 33.Rf6!

Very disappointing for the Chinese Dragons! Bu Xianghzi brightened the day by advancing after Egypt’s Ahmed Adly fell ill and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. Ni Hua and Ding Liren will play on in the tiebreaks.

A highly disappointed Peter Leko heading back to Hungary.

The other big story was Samuel Shankland’s completion of an upset match win over Peter Leko who has to request a draw in a losing position. This is perhaps Shankland’s biggest win of his career. After a period of self-doubt and talks of retirement, things are looking up for the American and he will face 2008 World Junior Champion Abhijeet Gupta in the next round. Gupta also registered an upset over Rauf Mamedov.

Zimbabawe’s Robert Gwaze versus
former FIDE Knockout Champion Ruslan Ponomariov.

Some of the games were finished rather quickly as it appeared that some players were in a hurry to head back home. There were several games that went for hours. Gwaze-Ponomariov saw the Zimbabwean eschewing an early draw and pressing his slight advantage, but to not avail. Gwaze will return to Africa to participate in the All-Africa Games in Mozambique.

There were quite a number of upsets that pushed the game into tiebreaks including Jorge Cori’s win over Francisco Vallejo Pons and Diego De Berardino’s win over Gata Kamsky. Adams-Paragua was a fantastic fight as the Filipino fought to win with his two bishops versus Adams rook, but could not convert the game and had to concede the match.

Official Site: https://chess.ugrasport.com/
Games: ugrasport.com, PGN (TWIC)
Drum Coverage: https://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2011/08/25/2011-world-cup-khanty-mansiysk-russia/

In the post-game interview, the female commentator’s comments about players coming to these tournaments for a vacation and tourism are far overstated.

She unknowingly embarrassed David Navara when using his country (Czech Republic) as an example for those countries whose teams did not stand much chance to win and were perhaps there for a “chess holiday”. Navara diplomatically and correctly replied that his team did not struggle for first place and took the event very seriously and came to win, but were not successful.

She then repeated the comment when Baadur Jobova came to go over his game. She suggested that he offer a draw and that the much weaker opponent should be glad to take because they are drawing a stronger player and are perhaps there for “holiday”. The old “tourist” comments never fail! Players come to fulfill dreams and make history.

With some 25 players, Russia is expected to compete deep into the knockout rounds. However, the largest contingent has lost 11 players in the first round with heavyweights Vladimir Malakhov, Alexander Motylev and Mikhail Kobalia being eliminated in tiebreaks.

The tiebreaks were held with a possible nine games, if needed. The first tiebreak has two games (25 minutes + 10 seconds increment); if the scored remains tied, then two more game at 10 minutes + 10 seconds increment; if the score is still level, the there would be two games of 5 minutes + 3 increment. Finally, an Armageddon game will be the decisive game with white getting 5:4 time odds with three seconds increment (beginning at the 61st move). Black get draw-odds to win. There were a number of matches between fellow countrymen.

Malakhov had perhaps the most unforgettable round of chess when he had to fight for a draw a piece and pawn down in an ending. On the precipice of resignation, Felgaer blundered and allowed Malakhov to get a rarely-seen “super-rook” (which produces a stalemate if captured).

Perhaps not pleased with his play from the previous game, Malakhov promptly tossed his queen and lost in 25 moves in the second rapid. The loss was bitter for the Malakhov, a 2009 World Cup quarterfinalist. However, Russia has most of its top brass including Sergey Karjakin, the rating favorite.

The Ukraine also took a hit losing two members of the Olympiad championship team. Pavel Eljanov lost a tough match against fellow Ukrainian Yaroslav Zherebukh. In the first tiebreak, Eljanov got lost in the tactics and his exposed king ended up getting mated. In the second game, Eljanov got a slight advantage, but couldn’t make use of his extra pawn.

Yaroslav Zherebukh was able to hold on for the draw.
Photos from https://chess.ugrasport.com/.

There is a lot to be said about this format. We saw a huge number of blunders in the tiebreaks with several players (besides Malakhov) donating rooks. In his first game, Peter Svidler tossed a rook in a winning position, but still drew. Evgeny Postny also got into the charity business tossing a rook to Peter Heine-Nielsen. The Israeli then missed a clear win in the second after Nielsen was losing a clear piece. With such fast time controls, blunders are inevitable.

Sending only six players to the World Cup, two Cubans faced off. Unfortunately one had to be eliminated. Lazaro Bruzon, former World Junior Champion prevailed over Yuniesky Quesada. Only Lenier Dominguez and Bruzon remain.

Americans also lost two players in the tiebreaks with 16-year old Ray Robson bowing out to Etienne Bacrot. Robson missed a book draw in the first 10-minute tiebreak and was down a game. Going for the equalizer, he tried to repeat his win with a King’s Gambit from the earlier second rapid tiebreak. Bacrot was ready and clinched the match. Yury Shulman finally lost to Vladimir Potkin after making five consecutive draws.

After an eventful first round, the second round starts tomorrow with interesting matchups. Karjakin will play the talented Wesley So. So is a dangerous opponent for the Russian as he has to be well-prepared or he may be the next upset victim.

Sergei Movesesian will face Judit Polgar and hopes to play better against his second female competitor. He nearly lost his match to Hou Yifan… in the least, Hou had winning chances in the first tiebreak and missed a brilliant win in the second. (see above) Polgar will not miss these opportunities. Other heavyweight matches are Kamsky-Kasimdzhanov and Vallejo-Pons and Bruzon.

Official Site: https://chess.ugrasport.com/
Games: ugrasport.com, PGN (TWIC)
Drum Coverage: https://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2011/08/25/2011-world-cup-khanty-mansiysk-russia/