So also today when the first round of the Malmo Open was played. We
shall have a look at a game between Karlsson 2160 and GM Semcesen 2471.
This is a game that's also interesting to follow with the engine. When such
a big difference in elos are seen, we normally see the GM grinding down his opponent.
But this was not a normal day.
The white player was not a professionell chess master or un uprising young talent - no with 51 years
of age the days of promise were long gone. So first idea must be to steer the game into unfamiliar woods for the GM.
And then fight it out on equal terms... This is Goliath vs David
[Event "Malmo Open 2014"]
[Site "Malmo"]
[Date "2014.12.12"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Karlsson, Jorgen"]
[Black "Semcesen, Daniel"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A45"]
[WhiteElo "2160"]
[BlackElo "2471"]
[PlyCount "115"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[EventCountry "SWE"]
[Source "Opening Master"]
[SourceDate "2012.10.05"]
{Ok, so we're facing a Grandmaster in the first round... Hmm... the difference
seems to be 28 years and 311 elos. What to do? Well the GM:s of nowadays are
very often loaded with chess knowledge - so first prescription would be a try
to steer the game into muddy and unknown waters..} 1. Nc3 {(Yup, that's it for
a first move - now we just have to be alert not to drift into known
territories...)} Nf6 2. d4 {(Since 2.e4 e5 would be a Vienna..)} d6 3. Bg5 {
(and no Pirc by 3.e4)} Nbd7 4. e3 {(Solid and presenting not so known
positions as would be the case after 4.e4)} c6 5. Nf3 e5 6. Bd3 {(Reminiscence
of the past! This is the move that Janowski played vs Capablanca 1913 in
Havana! Janowski won the Knight ending after 50 moves.)} Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Nh4
{(A slightly uncommon move this early in the game. White has achived his goal
- now it's unknown wilderness and no exact patterns to follow..)} h6 9. Bxf6
Bxf6 10. Nf5 d5 11. f4 exd4 12. exd4 Nb6 13. Ne2 {(The engine likes black's
position here and is eager for taking on f5 followed by 14.-Nc4. The
Grandmaster likes bishops though, so tries another way. From here on the low
rated white player is showing the best understanding of the position, and
graduately outplays his GM-opponent)} g6 14. Nfg3 Nc4 15. Bxc4 dxc4 {(Now
black has won the Bishop Pair but white has compensation by attacking
prospects on the Kingside.)} 16. f5 Kh7 17. c3 Qe7 18. Qc2 Bd7 19. Rae1 $14
Qe3+ 20. Kh1 Rae8 21. Rf3 Qe7 22. Ref1 Bg5 23. Nf4 gxf5 24. Nfh5 Kg8 25. Nxf5
Bxf5 26. Rxf5 $16 Kh8 27. g3 Qe2 28. Qxe2 Rxe2 29. h4 Be7 30. R5f2 Rxf2 31.
Rxf2 b5 32. Rf5 $1 Kg8 33. d5 cxd5 34. Rxd5 a6 35. Rd7 Bc5 36. Kg2 Be3 37. Rd1
Rb8 38. Kf3 Bc5 39. Nf6+ Kg7 40. Ne4 Bf8 41. g4 a5 42. Rd5 $1 Be7 43. h5 Kf8
44. Kf4 Kg7 45. Kf5 $16 {(Nice play on the white squares!)} Rb7 46. Ke5 Rb6 47.
Kd4 Rb8 48. Rd7 Kf8 49. Ke5 Rb6 50. Nd6 $18 Rb8 51. Kd5 b4 52. Nxc4 bxc3 53.
bxc3 Rb1 54. Ra7 Rb5+ 55. Ke4 Rg5 56. Ne5 Bd8 57. Ra8 Ke8 58. Rxd8+ {(Normally
in these type of games, it's the GM on the winning side - but this day it was
the other way around..)} 1-0