Mashafizul - Nicholas Game 1 LIVE !

Sorry guys, i couldn't make it to DATCC to cover live for game 1 and 2 today because my daughter is not feeling well and i have to look after her. But the good news is i still can follow and comment the game thanks to Andrew Ooi who is doing live game broadcasting in his blog !

Analysed by Hairulov and Fritz

IM Mashafizul Helmi vs FM Nicholas Chan

Malaysian Master (Final), Game 1, 19.12.09

1. e4 c5 2. f4 Mas old favourite variation. Sicilian Grand Prix Attack . 2...d5 3. exd5 Nf6 Black sacrifice a pawn for active play. This is all normal and approved by theory. 4. Bb5+ Bd7 5. Bxd7+ Qxd7 6. c4 e6 7. Qe2 Bd6 8. d3 O-O 9. dxe6 fxe6 10. Nf3 Nc6 11. O-O Rae8 12. Nc3 e5 13. f5 Nd4 14. Qd1 Nxf5 15. Bg5 Ng4 16. Qd2 Nd4 17. Ne4 Be7 My opening book end here . 18. Bxe7 Qxe7 19. Rae1 Nxf3+ 20. Rxf3 Rxf3 21. gxf3 Nh6 22. f4 exf4? Looks like this is a clear mistake. Black have to give material after 23.Nf6+ .
23. Nf6+ Qxf6 24. Rxe8+ Kf7 25. Re4 g5 26. h4 Nf5 27. hxg5 Qxg5+ 28. Qg2 Qh4 29.Re2 Kf6 Black can also sac a pawn for initiative with 29...Ne3!? 30.Qxb7+ Kf6. 30.Qxb7 My old friend Fritz 11 prefer 30.Re8 instead, probably with the idea of attacking the king from behind !? 30...Qg3+ 31.Qg2 Nd4 32. Rf2 Kg5? Black should retain the queen with 31...Qe3 . Now Mas has less problem after exchanging the queen with 33.Qxg3 fxg3 34.Rf8 attacking the King and pawn dangerous g-pawn from behind 33. Kf1 33. Qxg3+! fxg3 34. Rf8 would be much simpler. The rook attack from behind. 33...
Nf5 34. Qf3 h5 A nice tricky move by Nicholas. 35. b4 Mas decide to push his pawn majority on the queenside before it's too late. If 35. Rg2? and the advantage turn to black after 35... Ne3+! 36. Qxe3 Qxg2+ 37. Kxg2 fxe3 35... Qxf3 ? 35...Ne3 will give more headace to white 36. Rxf3 36...Kg4? 36... cxb4 must be play and black at least have a chance to create passed pawn on the queenside with a and b pawn vs white's a pawn 37. Rf2 Ne3+?! once again cxb4 should be played 38. Ke2 Kg3?! ..and again cxb4 39. bxc5 Nf5 40. Rf3+
Kg4 41. Rf1 To avoid 41...Nd4+ forking white's rook and King 41...h4 42. Kf2 Nd4 43. Rg1+ Kf5 44. Rg7 Black's isolated passed pawn is weak and black's rook can attack it from behind while his king faced the passed pawn from the front 44...h3 45. Rxa7 Nc6 46. Rh7 Kg4 47.
Rh6 Ne5 48. c6 Nxd3+ 49. Ke2 1-0 Mas win game 1.