IM Mashafizul at the Dubai Open 2008 ! Updated Analysis

IM Mashafizul in Dubai Open 2008. Photo from official site

Sorry guys for being inactive for quite sometimes. I’m being terribly busy due to a 10 day course at INTAN Kiara – for promotion J. Thanks to gilachess.blog, I found that IM Mashafizul is having another shot to his GM quest. This time he is playing in the Dubai Open 2008 from 5-15 April 2008 . So far he has score 2 points from 3 rounds.

In the first round, Mas beat Philipino Robert Arelleno (2023). In the 2nd round he were paired against Georgian heavyweight - GM Levan Pantsulaia (2617) - photo right below are the game.

GM Levan Pantsulaia (2617IM Mashafizul (2396) Round 2, Dubai Open 2008, 7.4.2008

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Bg5 0–0 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qd3 Be6 11.0–0–0 Qb6 12.Qxd6 Qxf2 13.Nc5 Be7 14.Qxe7 Nc6 15.Qd6 Rfd8 16.Qc7 Qxc5 17.Rxd8+ Rxd8 18.Rd1 Qe3+ 19.Kb1 Rxd1+ 20.Bxd1 Qa7 21.a3 h6 22.b3 Kh7 23.Kb2 a5 24.Be2 Qf2 25.Bd3 Qxg2 26.h4 Nd4 27.Qxe5 Nxb3 28.Ne2 Nd2 29.Qd4 Nf3 30.e5+ g6 31.Qe4 Ne1 32.Qxg2 Nxg2 33.h5 Ne3 34.Nd4 Nf5 35.Kc3 Nxd4 36.Kxd4 b6 37.c4 Kg7 38.hxg6 fxg6 39.c5 bxc5+ 40.Kxc5 g5 41.Kd6 Bb3 42.Be2 Kg6 43.e6 Ba4 44.Bf3 Kf5 45.e7 Be8 46.Bc6 Bh5 47.e8Q Bxe8 48.Bxe8 g4 49.Kc5 Ke4 50.Kb5 g3 An interesting endgame position has appeared- bishop + pawn versus 3 pawns ( 1 + two connected passed pawn). General endgame theory said that with the help of its king, the bishop can usually reach a draw against two connected passed pawns. The standard method is the bishop stops the more advanced pawn ( the g pawn) and the king the backward pawn (h pawn). HOWEVER , in this particular position, there is extra pawn on both side which is the a pawns. Anyway, my friend - Fritz still "said" that the position is draw!

51.Kxa5?? Fritz said that the best defense and a draw can be achieved by playing 51.Bd7! The correct move is to hold black pawn push by controlling the short h3-f1 diagonal. 51...Ke3 threatening to push g2 (Black can't push the g pawn now because 51...g2?? because of the check 52.Bc6+ Kf4 53.Bxg2) 52.Bh3 This is the defensive idea. White bishop set a defensive blockade in the short diagonal h3-f1. Black have to spend several tempo to force white bishop to sacrifice itself. (52.Bc6? h5 53.Kxa5 h4 54.Kb5 h3 55.a4 g2 and black queen first and win the game) 52...Kf2 53.Kxa5 h5 ( 53...g2 doesn't change the outcome of the position which is still equal54.Bxg2 Kxg2 55.a4 h5 56.Kb4 h4 57.a5 h3 58.a6 h2 59.a7 h1Q 60.a8Q+= is a clear draw) 54.a4 h4 55.Kb4 Kg1 56.a5 Kh2 57.Bf1 h3 58.a6 g2 59.Bxg2 hxg2 60.a7 g1Q 61.a8Q=] 51...h5?? Pantsulaia missed the correct winning ideas which is 51...Kf4 52.Bc6 force move. Black is threatening to push the g-pawn to g2!!! 52... h5 53.Kb6 h4 54.a4 h3 55.a5 g2 and black will queen first and win the game 52.Bc6+ ?? unfortunately Mas return the favour by blundering with this check. Mas should play the blocking ideas with 52.Bd7! Ke3 (52...Kf4 53.Bh3) 53.Bh3 Kf2 54.Kb4 g2 55.Bxg2 Kxg2 56.a4 h4 57.a5 h3 58.a6 h25 9.a7 h1Q 60.a8Q+= Kf4! now black is clearly winning 53.Kb5 h4 54.Bg2 Kg4 0-1

In the 3rd round, Mas improved his result by defeating UAE-FM Ishaq Saed(2174). In the 4th round which will be held tommorow, he will face Jobanne Tabada(2333)

All the best Mas!