2nd ACP World Rapid Blunders and Brilliancies !

Grischuk (2711) - Karpov (2655)

2nd ACP World Rapid Cup Odessa UKR (1.1), 05.01.2008

Karpov (photo right) have the upper hand so far but Grischuk made it easier by blundering with...

60.Rxb7?? he should defend and pray for the best with 60.Rc1 Bxa5 61.Bxa5 Rxa5 62.Rxb7 with some counter attacking chance] 60...Ra2+ the mate is coming 61.Kf1 [61.Kg1 Rd1 62.Kf1 Rxa5 63.Rc2 (63.Rxa5 Bxa5; 63.Rxc6 Rxe5) 63...Raa1 64.Re2 Ba5; 61.Ke3? Rd1 62.Bb4 Bg5+ 63.Kf3 Rd3#] 61...Rf4+ 62.Kg1 Ra1 63.Rxc6 Fritz announce mate in 9! 63...Rxe1+ 64.Kh2 Rff1 65.Rxe6+ Kf8 66.g4 [66.Rf6+ does not save the day 66...Bxf6 67.Rb8+ Kf7 68.e6+ Kg7 69.Rb7+ Kg6 70.Rg7+ Kxg7 71.a6 Rh1#] 66...Rf2# [66...Re2#] 0–1

Karpov's is an outstanding classical tournament play has been seriously limited since 1995, since he prefers to be more involved in politics of his home country of Russia. Karpov usually limits his play to exhibition events, and has revamped his style to specialize in rapid chess. In 2002 he won a match against Kasparov, defeating him in a rapid time control match 2.5-1.5. In 2006, he tied for first with Kasparov in a blitz tournament, ahead of Korchnoi and Judit Polgar.

Shirov,A (2755) - Inarkiev,E (2681) 2nd ACP World Rapid Cup Odessa UKR (1.1), 04.01.2008

After 22 move have been played the players reach a complicatedposition. It would reach a dynamic equality after 23. Qd1 exf3 24.fxg3 but Shirov blunder with...

23.Qb5? c6! Now white will lost a piece because black hanging knights on g3 got a tempo to escape with Ne2+ whereas white knight on f3 will be captured! [23...exf3 24.fxg3 c6 25.Qxc6 Nb8 26.Qc3] 24.Qxc6 Ne2+ 25.Kh1 Nb8 26.Qc8 exf3 27.Qxd8 fxg2+ 28.Kxg2 Rxd8 29.Ra8 Nxd4 30.Ba3 Bf8 31.Bxf8 Kxf8 32.Bd1 Ke7 0–1

Ernesto Inarkiev (photo left) who was born in December 9, 1985 in Osh, Kyrgyzstan is a Russian chess Grandmaster. He was named after Ernesto "Che" Guevara (photo right). Ernesto Guevara de la Serna commonly known as Che Guevara, El Che or just Che was an Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary, political figure, and leader of Cuban and internationalist guerrillas.