Stl. Match (May 2011)
Hikaru Nakamura vs Ruslan Ponomariov
by National Master Loal Davis
Hikaru Nakamura
Hikaru Nakamura wins the match against Ruslan Ponomariov by one point. This was a well played game by Nakamura who had Ponomariov tied in knots (DIAGRAM). Both players were not exactly sure where Black faltered, except to say that he didn’t find (or didn’t have) counterplay and could only watch as White finished the game off.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 c6 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bxd6 Qxd6 8. e3 Qg6 9. Qxg6 hxg6 10. b4 a6 11. f3 Nd7 12. Bd3 Ne7 13. Nge2 g5 14. Kf2 Nf6 15. g4 Kd8 16. Kg3 Bd7 17. a4 Nc8 18. h3 Re8 19. Kf2 Nd6 20. a5 Re7 21. Rac1 Nfe8 22. Ng3 g6 23. h4 gxh4 24. Rxh4 f5 25. gxf5 Nxf5 26. Nxf5 gxf5 27. Rh8 Rb8 28. Na4 Kc7 29. Nb6 Be6 30. Rf8 Rf7 31. Rxf7+ Bxf7 32. Bxf5 Nd6 33. Bd3 Rh8 34. Rg1 Kd8 35. Na4 Nc4 36. Nc5 Rh2+ 37. Rg2 Rxg2+ 38. Kxg2 Kc7 39. Bxc4 dxc4 40. Na4 Be8 41. Nc3 b6 42. e4 Kb7 43. Kf2 c5 44. bxc5 1-0Ray Robson vs Ben Finegold
by National Master Loal Davis
Ray Robson
Ray Robson won the match by two points – finishing with a sparkling mating attack which was completely overlooked by Ben Finegold. Finegold could not understand why Robson allowed the apparently crushing attack (DIAGRAM). Alas – there was a Queen sacrifice on move 29 which if taken allowed a checkmate in two moves beginning with Bxf6+. With the loss of the Dragon Bishop coupled with a mating attack, Black resigned.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Bb3 d6 9. f3 Bd7 10. h4 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 b5 12. h5 a5 13. hxg6 hxg6 14. Nd5 Be6 15. Nxf6+ exf6 16. Qd3 d5 17. Qxb5 dxe4 18. O-O-O Bxb3 19. Qxb3 a4 20. Qe3 a3 21. b3 exf3 22. Qxf3 Re8 23. g4 Rc8 24. Kb1 Qe7 25. Qh3 Qe4 26. g5 Qxc2+ 27. Ka1 Re2 28. Qh7+ Kf8 29. Qxg7+ Ke8 30. Qh8+ Kd7 1-0Ponomariov vs Nakamura / St. Louis Match
by National Master Loal Davis
Hikaru Nakamura
Nakamura won the third game equalizing the match. It is now one game apiece. Ponomariov made an interesting (and probably correct) exchange sacrifice before move 20. His 23rd move of Ne4 was most likely a misfire. White got tied in knots and on the bad end of a Queen and Pawn ending. In the final position (DIAGRAM) there is no way for White to avoid the exchange of Queens leading into a lost King and Pawn ending.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Na6 8. Re1 c6 9. Be3 Ng4 10. Bg5 f6 11. Bh4 Qe8 12. c5 dxc5 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 fxe5 15. Bxa6 bxa6 16. Qd6 c4 17. Rad1 Be6 18. Bg3 Rf7 19. Bxe5 Bg4 20. Bxg7 Bxd1 21. Bf6 Bg4 22. e5 Qd7 23. Ne4 Bf5 24. Qb4 Bxe4 25. Rxe4 Re8 26. f3 Rxf6 27. exf6 Rxe4 28. fxe4 Qd4+ 29. Kf1 Qxe4 30. Qb7 Qf5+ 31. Ke2 Qxf6 32. Qb8+ Kf7 33. Qxa7+ Ke6 34. Qb7 Qe5+ 35. Kf3 Qf5+ 36. Ke3 Qc5+ 37. Kf3 c3 38. Qc8+ Kd5 39. bxc3 Qxc3+ 40. Kg4 Qd4+ 41. Kh3 Qe3+ 42. Kh4 Qe7+ 43. Kg3 Qg5+ 0-1Ponomariov & Robson / Winners Round 1 / St. Louis Matches
Ruslan Ponomariov
Ray Robson
GM Ray Robson Replaces GM Victor Korchnoi
GM Ray Robson will fill in for the legendary GM Viktor Korchnoi in a match against GM Ben Finegold next week.
SAINT LOUIS, May 12 — GM Viktor Korchnoi, who was originally scheduled to take on GM Ben Finegold in a 10-game match, has been forced to withdraw due to health concerns. Organizers said the ailment was not serious in nature, but that it impaired Korchnoi’s ability to travel internationally. GM Ray Robson will fill Korchnoi’s legendary shoes.
The CCSCSL will also host a 10-game match (six classical, four rapid) between Saint Louis Grandmaster (GM) Hikaru Nakamura, ranked No. 7 in the world, and GM Ruslan Ponomariov, ranked No. 11 in the world, May 16-25. Nakamura moved up to No. 7 on the live list after GM Veselin Topalov’s rating tumbled following his Candidates Match loss to GM Gata Kamsky.
The players will take part in a live, virtual press conference at 10 a.m. CDT on May 16. Journalists and fans from all over the world can log onto livestream.com/uschess to submit questions to the players and watch their answers streamed live online.
Robson, 16, became the youngest grandmaster in U.S. history in 2009 when he was just 14. He had a solid performance at this year’s U.S. Championship finishing third in his round-robin field of eight, just a half point shy of qualifying for the finals.
“My opponent just got 65 years younger!” joked Finegold.
Round one of the 10-game matches will take place at 1 p.m. CDT on May 17. Commentary for the live games will be provided by IM John Donaldson and WGM Jennifer Shahade. Spectators can watch the action live at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, located in the heart of the Central West End, or see all the action online at saintlouischessclub.org/live.
The schedule of events is as follows:
May 16:
Press Conference and Drawing of Colors at 10:00am
May 17-22:
Classical Rounds Daily at 1:00pm
May 23:
Rest Day
May 24-25:
Rapid Rounds Daily at 1:00pm and 5:00pm
May 25:
Awards Ceremony at 7:00pm
Match In St. Louis
The CCSCSL will host a 10-game match (six classical, four rapid) between St. Louis Grandmaster (GM) Hikaru Nakamura, ranked No. 8 in the world, and GM Ruslan Ponomariov, ranked No. 11 in the world, May 16-25.
Legendary GM Viktor Korchnoi also will take on the Chess Club’s Resident GM Ben Finegold in a 10-game match.
Two Chess Matches In St. Louis
These will be matches to watch.
Ponomariov is a past FIDE World Champion.
Korchnoi has played for the World Title three times against Karpov and a Candidates match versus Kasparov.
Nakamura and Finegold are ‘Local-Yokles’ (living in St. Louis) out to knock some heads together or off.
www.saintlouischessclub.org/nakamura-v-ponomariov-korchnoi-v-finegold
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