Corus 2009 Round 13 : Final Round !

Tonight the final round of the Corus 2009 will start earlier then previous days ( at 7.30pm Malaysian time) . This is probably because they organiser want to start the closing ceremony right after the game or after the press conference.

Two players that i root Wesley So (C Group) and Nigel Short (B Group) is leading both group. Wesley have a better chance to win the group because he only need a draw against David Howell to secure the title. Meanwhile Short have a more difficult task because there's 3 player who theoretically can pass him if he lost against Caruna in the last round.

Games below was Analysed by Hairulov and Fritz 11

Group C

GM Wesley So (2627) - GM David Howell (2622)
Corus C, Round 13, 01.02.2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 d5 11.d4 Nxe4 12.Nxe5 f6 13.Nd3 Bd6 14.Bf4 Nc4 15.b3 Nb6 16.Qc1 Re8 17.Bxd6 cxd6 18.Nf4 f5 19.a4 bxa4 1/2-1/2 Wesley won the C Group ... bravo!

Group B

GM Fabiano Caruana (2646) - GM Nigel Short(2663)
Corus B, Round 13, 01.02.2009

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Bd6 11.Ng5 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Qc8 13.e4 Qb7 14.Re1 Nbd7 15.Nf3 e5 16.Bg5 exd4 17.Nxd4 Rfe8 18.Nd2 c5 19.Nf5 Bf8 20.b3 Re6 21.f3 Rae8 22.Rad1 Ne5 23.Bf4 Nfd7 24.Qc3 h5 25.Ne3 Nb6 26.Ndf1 Ng6 27.Bg5 c4 28.bxc4 Qc7

Quite an interesting move but why not the simple 28...bxc4 or 28...f6 ? 29.Rc1 bxc4 30.Nf5 Rc8 31.Nd2 f6 32.Be3 Ne5 33.Rb1 Bc5 34.Bf4 Rd8 35.Red1 g6 36.Nh4 Red6 37.Nxg6 Bd4 38.Qa5? 38...Nxg6? Short missed a winning move with 38...c3! 39.Rb3 cxd2 40.Nxe5 fxe5 39.Bxd6 Rxd6 40.Qxh5 Kg7 41.Nf1 Short position is overwhelming especially his strong passed pawn on c4. White piece on the other hand looks uncoordinated. His queen alone can't cause black king any trouble. 41...c3 this passed pawn is really dangerous for white 42.Rbc1 probably 42.f4 is a gamble try, not afraid of 42...c2 because white can play 43.Rbc1 but after 43...Qf7 ( 43...not 43...cxd1=Q 44.Rxc7+ Kf8 45.Qxd1 winning for white) 44.Rxd4 force. 44... Nxf4+ black is still winning 42...Rc4 42...Qc4 is probably more kicking because it threaten 43...Qe2+ or 43...Qxa2. After 43.Rc2 black can play 43... Qa4 44.Rdc1 Nc4! threatening Ne3! 43.f4 Qb7 a good move by Short. His queen is eyeing the a8-h1 diaganol and a check on b2 ! 44. Qe2 f5 Short continue the presuure along the a8-h1 diaganol 45.Re1 of course not 45.Qxc4!! because it a force checkmate after 45...Qxe4+ 46.Kh3 Nxf4+! 47.gxf4 (47.Kh4 Bf6# checkmate ) 47...Qf3+ 48.Ng3 Rh6#checkmate. 45...Qc6 46.Qf3

Now black has a strong combination 46... Nd2 47.Nxd2 Nxh4 ? why not the simple 47...cxd2 48.Rxc6 dxe1N+! 49.Kf1 Nxf3 50.Rxd6 fxe4 51.Rxa6 and black passed pawn on e3 should be desicive 48.gxh4 Rg6+ 49.Kh3 Qd7 Short is a whole rook down now . 50.Qh5 cxd2 51.exf5 52.Qg5+ alternative is 52.Rg1+ Kh7 (52...Bxg1 53.Rxg1+ Kh7 54.Qg4) 52...Kf7 53.Qxh6 Qxf5+ 54.Kg3 dxc1Q 55.Rxc1 Qd3+ Short is surely try to flag Caruana who is in serious time trouble. Short has ruins all his advantage. 56.Kg4 Qe2+ 57.Kf5 Qb5+ 58.Ke4 Qe2+ 59.Kd5 59.Kxd4 will lead into a perpectual after 59...Qd2+ 60.Ke4 Qe2+ 61.Kf5 Qb5+ 62.Kg4 Qe2+ 63.Kg5 Qg2+ 64.Kf5 Qd5+ 59...Qxa2 60.Rc4! Bf6 now is White's turn to do the checking ! 61.Qh7+ Kf8 62.Qe4 Caruana will march his h-pawn for good! A sad turn of event for Short . Compare his position on move 46. where he's clearly dominating. 62...Bxh4 ? This bishop will be captured after 63.Qf5+ Kg7 64.Qg4+ Kf7 65.Qh5+ Kg7 66.Qxh4 63.Ke6 Kg7 64.f5 The monster - Fritz 11 announced mate in 18 (Maximum) !64...Bd8 65.f6+Now it's mate in 15 (maximum) 65...Kf8 66.Qd5 Fritz 11- mate in 7 (maximum) 66...Qe2+