Sunday, December 2, 2012

2012 London Chess Classic

Game 2:

Judit Polgar is playing the white pieces against Gawain Jones today and she's down on time -- looking right now at live coverage at Chessdom.com and she's got about 18 minutes to Jones' 27.  Here's the game thus far.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Rc8 11. Bb3 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 b5 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. exd5 a5 16. a3 Kg8 17. Rhe1 b4 18. axb4 axb4 19. Qxb4 Rc5 20. Rd3 Qa8 21. Rxe7 Qa1+ 22. Kd2 Qf1 23. Qf4 Bf5 24. Rc3 Ra5 25. Rce3 Qxg2+ 26. Re2 Qg1 27. Qe3 Qa1 28. Re8 Ra8 29. Rxf8+ Rxf8 30. Qc3 Qg1 31. Qe3 *

A win here is important for Judit because if draws she gets only a point, she'll be very far down point wise (win = 3; draw = 1) and may not finish in the money.  Only the top 6 players receive prize money and the pay-off is generous!

More later!  Here's a pic from The Week in Chess of Judit and Vlady from yesterday's game.  Judit resplendent in red.

2012 London Chess Classic Game 1.  Photo © Ray Morris-Hill http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com/.
UPDATE:

It's now 2:22 p.m. Milwaukee time and Judit and Gawain are still going at it!  UNBELIEVABLE!

Here are the moves since 31 that I posted this morning:

31. Qe3 Qa1 32. Qc3 Qg1 33. Ba4 Qg5+ 34. Qe3 Qf6 35. c3 Rb8 36. b3 Qh4 37. Qe7 Qf4+ 38. Qe3 Qh4 39. Kc1 Qh3 40. Qf2 Bd3 41. Rd2 Bb5 42. Bxb5 Rxb5 43. b4 Qc8 44. Kb2 Rb8 45. Kb3 Qf5 46. Qf1 Re8 47. Qd3 Qg5 48. Ra2 h5 49. b5 Qg1 50. Re2 Ra8 51. Rb2 Qa1 52. Qd4 Qa3+ 53. Kc2 Ra4 54. Qd2 Ra8 55. b6 Qa4+ 56. Kd3 Qa1 57. Qe2 Rb8 58. Kc2 Qa4+ 59. Kb1 Qa5 60. Qb5 Qxc3 61. b7 Qxf3 62. Ka2 Kh7 63. Qc6 Qf4 64. h3 Qd4 65. Rb6 Qd2+ 66. Kb3 Qd1+ 67. Kb4 Qb1+ *

I've no idea of course, but just looking at the position of Judit's pawns and pieces, it doesn't look good for her.  So please, Judit, prove me absolutely dead wrong and win this game!

UPDATE:

It's now 2:43 p.m. and I checked Chessdom's live coverage a few minutes ago to see what was going on with Judit's game. 

Well, Judit couldn't manage a win.  The game was drawn.  No offense against Jones, but Judit in form should have been able to wipe the table with him.   Hmmm.....  Here are the remainder of the moves after the update at 2:22 p.m.

67. Kb4 Qb1+ 68. Ka5 Qa2+ 69. Qa4 Qxd5+ 70. Ka6 Ra8+ 71. bxa8=Q Qxa8+ 72. Kb5 Qd5+ 73. Ka6 Qa8+ ½-½

Here's a snip of the final position from Chessdom:


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