WCH round 7

It is the group of Death, group A and Samb is playing it well. Hans Jansen was victimized by the grand master from Senegal and left without hope. In the recent situation Samb has great perspectives, because he has to play against Singh. The tension reaches a climax. Three tickets for the walhalla, four Gods fighting in rage. Schwarzman answered to the big punch by Samb, with a magnificent game against Chmiel. Baljakin is still very comfortable having a relatively more easy program in the last two rounds. But he is still not completely save.

There is also Gantwarg, the old wise fox. The program is like a horror scenario: Tomorrow Gantwarg has to play against Schwarzman, who has to play against Hans Jansen after that game. In the last round we have Gantwarg-Samb!

Baljakin has to play Misans and Chmiel and can wait for what is needed.

Group B brought the 5^th! victory for Huseynov, who is the big revalation in this tournament.

He won his game against Nicault, who fought for his last chances.

In this group it looks clear now. Chizhov, Thijssen and Huseynov are the men.

Chizhov was a little worried, being in the circumstance that he himself did not lose a game, so it was needed that he would at least should win one more. Against Mogilyansky he succeeded. And how! My mouth felt open when I finally understood some of the the final stage from this game:

Mogilyansky-Chizhov

It is black to move.

White really fought the heart out of his body and several moves indicated that he had seen a lot.

Still he could not avoid disadvantage. The severe positional game led to this position, where black has perspective to break through the right wing.

How to realize this advantage?

Immediately 53. ... 35-40 would give a chance to play 54.37-32! And there is the menace from 33-29 at one side and 22-18 (13x31) 32-27 etc. At the other. How deep Chizhov calculated the following possibillities ahead I can`t tell, but I am quite sure he did make some impressive clearvoyance.

53. ...12-18! 54. 22-17 35-40 55.27-21 16x27 56.17-11 ...

White is one piece behind, but it seems to be that he has a good perspective at a draw, because of the vulnerable position of the black pieces in the center of the play field.

...40-44 57.11-7 44-50!

OK. I understood 58.7-1? 18-22! 59. 1x40* 27-32!! 60.22x17 50x6 61. 37x28 6x35 B+.

But what the hell if white plays 58.7-2? Ain`t this a clear draw?

No! Black plays ...18-22! 59.28x17 50x6 60.2-16 (or?) 13-18!!! 61.16x22 6x +!!

A trick bargained at the crossroads!

Mogilyansky must have seen this also and therefore played:

58.37-32(!) 27x29 59.7-1 50x6 60.1x14 ...

Now it is a 4x2 end game. What is it worth? A 2 or a + for black? A + is nothing if you didn`t los one game and finished with several losers at the end ...

... 13-18!

All the pieces are defended. We see:

1. 14-9 (34-39) 9x50 (29-33) +
2. 14-20 (18-22)+
3. 14-25(18-22)+

61.14-37 6-1!

Briljant! All of the black pieces on one line. Everything is defended. The most important is 62.37-31? 34-40! etc. +.

62.37-26 29-33

Finally black can run toward his glory!

63.26-31 18-23 64.31-37 23-29

65.37-42 34-39 66.45-40 1-12 67.42-26 12-3 68.26-42 3-25 69.42-26 39-43!

0-2

A fabulous game indeed!

Paul Oudshoorn.