Gata Kamsky New Looks!

Compare the photo of the present Gata Kamsky (above) with Gata Kamsky about ten years ago (left)

Gata evolution was cause by the "Rustam Factor". Rustam Kamsky, ( below) Gata father was a strong character in Gata career development as an elite Grandmaster, especially in his youth. His father ( a former boxers) control all things regarding Gata Kamsky. He even choose a lady for Gata to married ( unsuccesfully i think !) Once he even slapped Gata during interview for unapproved opinion by Gata. Such a strong charecter in Gata life that Gata were tuned as a robot.

Now time has past by, and Gata has growth freely from his father influenced. As you can see in above photo, Gata could even smile at the press conference right after his loss against Gelfand. Ten years ago ,you will never and surely not see Gata doing this if his father were there .

It seems that he has not yet fully enjoyed his youth time as normal youth should experience. This show lately by the way he dress and more smile in his face compare ten or fifteen years ago.

Gelfand beat Kamsky with black!

Boris Gelfand beat Gata Kamsky with black when Gata choose his pet openings in his youth the london system set-up. Gelfand seems prepared because he play the opening with great confident and accuracy. Gata looks like he doesn't have a clear plan and Gelfand maintain his initiative. (It is easy to critize a grandmaster...especially when you are equip with chess programme like Fritz :) )

Kamsky - Gelfand [D02]Candidate Elista (08.06.2007)

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Bb5 [This looks unusual but maybe Gata want to avoid theory and "just play chess". Normal is 5.dxc5 e6 6.c3 Bxc5 7.Nbd2 0-0 8.Bd3 Qe7 9.Nb3 Bb6 10.Ne5 Nxe5 0.15/14 ] 5...cxd4 6.exd4 Qa5+ 7.Nc3 Bg4 8.0-0 e6 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Rc8 11.Rfd1 Be7 12.Bf1 It looks like Kamsky have no concrete plan to develop his game. It looks like as he were playing black. 12...0-0 13.Ne2 b5 14.c3 b4 15.Qd3 Qb6 16.cxb4 Nxb4 17.Qb3 Ne4 18.a3 Nc6 19.Qxb6 axb6 20.b4 g5 21.Be3 Nd6 22.Nc1 f5 Black have the initiative. 23.Nb3 Nc4 24.b5 Nd8 25.a4 Kamsky try to use his pawn majority in queenside but 25...Nb7 were easily safeguard by black knight and pawn on b6 26.Bc1 f4 27.Be2 Bb4 28.Ra2 Nbd6 Black piece occupy and control many strategic square such as c4, e4, a5 29.Bd3 Ra8 30.Kf1? A mistake in a difficult position that cause Kamsky a pawn. But there seems no way to prevent Gelfand total domination . A better alternative is 30.Bd2 Bxd2 31.Nxd2 Nxb5 32.Nxc4 dxc4 33.Bxc4 Nc3 34.Bxe6+ Kg7 35.Rdd2 Nxa2 36.Rxa2 Kf6 White will have some counterplay due to his passed pawn on d-file -but i think it is not enough] 30...Nxb5 After this move Gelfand a very experienced Grandmaster just convert it to a winning game. 31.Rc2 Nbd6 32.Bd2 Rxa4 33.Bxb4 Rxb4 34.Nc1 Nf5 35.Bxf5 Rxf5 36.Nd3 Rb3 37.Ra2 Rf7 38.Ke2 Nd6 39.Rda1 Nb5 40.Kd2 Nxd4 41.Rc1 Rb5 42.Rc8+ Rf8 43.Rc7 Ra5 44.Rb2 Rf7 45.Rc8+ Kg7 46.Ne5 Rb7 47.h4 A desperate attempt by Kamsky to confuse matter but 47...gxh4 "Gelfand play as how Gelfand should play" 48.Rb4 Ra2+ 49.Kd3 Nf5 50.Rxf4 Rba7 51.Rc3 R7a3 52.Rxa3 Rxa3+ 53.Ke2 b5 54.Rg4+ Kf6 55.Nd3 Ra8 56.Kd2 e5 Kamsky could resign at this point but try another few more move 57.Rb4 e4 58.Nc5 Rg8 0-1

Other result

Leko beat Bareev 1-0

Grischuk draw with Rublevsky 1/2-1/2

Aronian draw with Shirov 1/2-1/2

Merdeka Team Open 1997 !

Hi all,

I've just buy a copy of the MERDEKA Team Open 1997 Chess Buletin from Rizal Ahmad Kamal.It was a great pleasure for me to have the complete games of MERDEKA Team Open 1997 held at the famous building, Wisma Belia at Jalan Syed Putra, Kuala Lumpur.

During the early 90's, The annual MERDEKA Team always being held at Wisma Belia. I 've a special nostalgia to that building because those day were my active years of chess and i get to know many new chess friends there.

I remember watching for the first time great Grandmaster like GM Eduard Gufeld, GM Bulat Asanov, GM Eddy Handoko and GM Ruben Gunawan play there during the 90's. Here is one of the game played at that event.


[Event "MERDEKA OPEN 1997"]
[Round "3"]August 1997
[White "GM Edhi Handoko (BALI JEFF)"]
[Black "FM Mas Hafizulhelmi Hilmi (TAN&TAN")]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. h3 Nc6 5.Bd3 g6 6. O-O Bg7 7. Re1 Qc7 8. Bf1 O-O 9. d4 e5 10. d5 Nb8 11. a4 Nbd7 12. Na3 a6 13. Bd2 h6 14. b4 b6 15. Rb1 Rb8 16. Nc4 Kh7 17. Nh2 Ng8 18. Ne3 Ne7 19. Bd3 Nf6 20. bxc5 bxc5 21. Rxb8 Qxb8 22. Qe2 Qc7 23. Nc4 Nh5 24. Rb1 Bd7 25. Nb6 Nf4 26. Bxf4 exf4 27. Qd2 f5 28. Nxd7 Qxd7 29. exf5 gxf5 30. Bc2 Qc7 31. Re1 Ng6 32. Re6 Rf7 33. Qe2 Ne7 34. Qg4 Kg8 35. Qf3 Qb8 36. Bd3 a5 37. Bb5 Kh7 38. Nf1 Qd8 39. Nd2 Rf6 40. Re1 Qc7 41. Nc4 Rg6 42. Nxa5 Nxd5 43. Qxd5 Qxa5 44. Qxf5 1-0

I play for Universiti Putra Malaysia at this event. The most memorable game we had is when our first board player Wee Don Juan "somehow" swindle Women Fide Master, Angela Khegai from Uzbekistan.

[Merdeka Team Open 1997
[Round "2"]
[White "Wee Don Juan" (Universiti Puta Malaysia)]
[Black " WFM Angela Khegai"(United Nation)]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B92"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Be3 Be6 9. O-O O-O 10. f3 b5 11. a3 Nbd7 12.Qd2 Nb6 13. Na5 Rc8 14. Rad1 Qc7 15. Kh1 Rfd8 16. f4 d5 Black have at least equalised at this stage 17. Bxb6 Qxb6 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. exd5 Nxd5 20. Qe1 Ne3 21. Rxd8+ Bxd8 22. Rf3 Nxc2 23. Qd2 Qxa5 ? 23...Nd4 and white could easily resign. but WFM Angela Khegai made a very serious mistake with this move and she had surrender all her advantage 24. Qd7!

24...Qc7?? Blunder 24...g6 25.Qxc8 Qe1+ 26.Rf1 Qe2 27. Qxd8+ Kg7 was black last hope for some counter play 25. Qe8# 1-0

My Merdeka 1996 Game

I found one of my old game at the MERDEKA 1996 Team Tournaments against Mustapha Kamal in 1996. I remember having a completly winning position. However after executing the "brilliant" combination, i relax and slowly swindle by Mus.

The most interesting position is on my 15^th move

Hairul - Mustapa Kamal
MERDEKA Team Open 1996

Mus has just play his rook on b4 to c4. He probably think that the rook is poison due to 15.Qxc4? Bxf2! 16.Rxf2 and Qxc4 winning but after a long think i found a nice combination starting with

15.Nxf7! Rh5 the rook can't be taken because if 15...Kxf7 16.Qxc4 Bxf2+? 17.Rxf2+ an important tempo 17... Kg8 18.Qxc7 (15...0–0 is the only chance to get some counterplay 16.Nd6 Bxd6 17.exd6 Qc6+-) 16.Qxc4 Kxf7 17.Qxg4 a completely winning position. Fritz evaluate white advantage up to 6.02 ( or equivelent to a rook + a pawn) !!! however from this point, i started to relax and lost the game at last.

Welcome To Planet Shirov-Aronian!

Shirov-Aronian encounter in round 2 was the most interesting games to watch compare to others ( Bareev - Leko and Rublevsky - Grischuk draw early). Aronian in a desparate position, sac his queen for Shirov's rook and Bishop. I'll be updated the game from time to time. The game was really like a rollercaster with advantage exchange hands every times. Shirov look better after the exchange sacrifiece but then around move 30 Shirov looks that he have regain the initiative untill around move 40 that Aronian comeback with a strong move 40...Bg5!

[Event "Candidate 2007"]
[Date "2007.06.07"]
[Round "2.2"]
[White "Shirov"]
[Black "Aronian"]
[ECO "E15"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qc2 Bb7 6. Bg2 c5 7. d5 Shirov love this early pawn move as shown in his game with Adams in Round 1. It give Shirov the early initiative exd5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. O-O Be7 10. Rd1 Nc6 11. Qa4 Nf6 12. Nc3 O-O 13. g4 Nb4 14. a3 [14.g5 Bc6 15.Qb3 is interesting but not(15.gxf6?! Bxa4 16.fxe7 Qxe7 17.Nxa4 Qxe2–+) ] 14...Nbd5 [14...Bc6 15.Qb3 Na6 16.g5 Ne8 17.Ne5+- Threatening to play move like 18.Nxc6 and also 18. g6 hxg6 19.Nxg6 trapping the f8 rook! GM Fedorowizh on ICC said that this was "The Insane Game of the Day".] 15. Nxd5 Bxd5 16. g5 Bc6 17. Qh4 Ne8 18. Ne5 Bxg2 19. Rxd7 Aronian play unexpected move 19...

Bb7!? sacrificing her queen ! 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. Be3 Rd5 22.Nf3 Nd6 23.Qa4 b5 24.Qc2 Nf5 25.a4 b4 26.Rd1 ...black improve his position move by move and Shirov position starts look uncomfortable Rxd1+ 27.Qxd1 Nxe3 28.fxe3 Rd8 29.Qc2 g6 30.h4 Bd6 Shirov looks like he is having back the advantage. Shirov position is more easy to play. Aronian seems to misplay his position somewhere. 31.Kf2 a6 To prevent white playing Qb5 later. 32.Nd2 [32.b3 planning Qb2] 32...Bf8 33.Nc4 Bc8 34.Qe4 Be6 35.b3 Rd5 36.Kg3 h6 37.gxh6 Bxh6 38.Qf3 Kh7 39.e4 Rh5 40.Nd6 Bg5! 41.Nxf7?! Looks like a bad move because 41...Bxh4+ 42.Kg2 c4 43. bxc4 Aronian could try the intersting 42...Be7 because the white knight at f7 risk being trap!! 43…. Kg8 44.Nd6 Rg5+ 45.Kh1 Rg3 46.Qf4 Rh3+ ½–½ What a disappointing result for a very entertaining game. Shirov should blame himself for not winning this game where as Aronian show that he will not be beaten easily.

* all game 2 games in Round 2 were draw.

Deep Junior-Deep Fritz Ultimate Computer Chess Challange Game 2 : Another Draw

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Another draw but this time a more fighting game. This time Junior have to sac his bishop to stop Fritz c pawn from promoting but Junior got 5 pawn for but it is not enough for a win.

Deep Junior - DeepFritz

Ultimate Computer Challange 07.06.2007

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 0-0 9.Be2 Nc6 10.d5 Ne5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Qd2 e6 13.f4 Bc7 14.0-0 exd5 15.exd5 Ba5 16.d6 b6 17.Bf3 Rb8 18.Bb2 b5 19.Ba3 Bf5 20.Rbd1 c4 21.Rfe1 Bd3 22.Re5 b4 23.cxb4 Bb6+ 24.Kh1 Qxd6 25.Bb2 Rbe8 26.Rxe8 Rxe8 27.Qc3 f6 28.Qxf6 Qxf6 29.Bxf6 Kf7 30.Be5 Rd8 31.Rc1 Be3 32.Rc3 g5 33.fxg5 Bd2 34.Ra3 Re8 35.Rxa7+ Kg6 36.Rg7+ Kf5 37.Bg3 c3 38.Bd1 c2 Fritz have to sacrifiece his bishop to stop this pawn

39.Bxc2 Bxc2 40.Rxh7 Re2 41.h3 Bxb4 42.Rb7 Ba3 43.Ra7 Bb2 44.Kh2 Kxg5 45.Ra5+ Kf6 46.Ra6+ Kf5 47.Ra5+ Ke6 48.Ra6+ Kf7 49.Ra7+ Kg6 50.Ra6+ Kh7 51.Ra7+ Kh8 52.h4 Be4 53.Kh3 Bd4 54.Ra4 Bg1 55.Bf4 Bxg2+ 56.Kg4 Bc6 57.Ra6 Rg2+ 58.Kf5 1/2-1/2

Round 2 Results- Correction!

photo from chessbase

Last night i mentioned that Shirov as white beat Aronian (black) but it was a mistake! actually Aronian (white) beat Shirov (Black) - sorry for the mistake

Kamsky - Gelfand

Kamsky - Gelfand [B92]Candidate Elista, 06.06.2007

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a4 Nc6 7.Be2 e5 8.Nb3 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Be3 Be6 11.Bf3 Na5 12.Nxa5 Qxa5 13.Qd2 Rfc8 14.Rfd1 Kf8 15.Qc1 Rc4 16.Rd3 Rac8 17.Qd1 R4c6 18.Rd2 Rc4 19.Rd3 R4c6 20.h3 h6 21.Rd2 Rc4 22.Rd3 R4c6 23.Rd2 It looks like Gelfand decided that a draw with black should be fine where as Kamsky may be think he didn't have much from the position. 1/2-1/2

Aronian - Shirov

Alexey Shirov (2669) - Levon Aronian (2759) - Alexey Shirov (2699)[D20]

Candidate Elista 06.06.2007

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Bxc4 Nc6 6.0-0 Be6 7.Bxe6 fxe6 8.Qb3 Qd7 9.Qxb7 Rb8 10.Qa6 Nf6 11.Nbd2 Bd6 12.b3 0-0 13.Bb2 Bf4 14.g3 Bh6 15.Ba3 Nxe4 16.Bxf8 Nxd2 17.Nxd2 Bxd2 18.Ba3 Qd5 19.Qc4 Qxc4 20.bxc4 Ne5 21.Rab1 Rd8 22.c5 Nc4 23.Bc1 d3 24.Rb7 c6 25.Bxd2 Nxd2 26.Rd1 Ne4 27.f3 Nc3 28.Rd2 Nxa2 29.Rb3 Nc1 30.Rb1 Ne2+ 31.Kf2 e5 32.Ra1 Rd5 33.Rxa7 Rxc5 34.Rxd3 Nd4 35.Rd2 h6 36.f4 Nb5 37.Ra8+ Kh7 38.f5 Nd4 39.g4 Rc3 [39...h5 Will give his king some air] 40.Rb2 h5? Why opening your king shelter? 41.Rbb8 Kh6 42.h4 1-0

Leko - Bareev

Bareev add his bad record against Leko, now from 1o games they play each other, Leko have beat him 5 times ( 5 draws) and Bareev have not win a single game!

Leko - Bareev [B17]Candidate Elista 06.06.2007

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ngf6 6.Bd3 e6 7.N1f3 Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Qc7 11.0-0 b6 12.Qg4 Kf8 13.Re1 c5 14.c3 Bb7 15.Qh3 Rd8 16.Be4 Bxe4 17.Rxe4 Nf6 18.Re1 g6 19.b3 Kg7 20.dxc5 Bxc5 21.Bb2 Rd5 22.c4 Rh5 23.Qg3 Bd6 24.Ne5 Rd8 25.h3 Rf5 26.Re2 Bc5 27.Rf1 Kh7 28.Qh2 g5 29.Ng4 Bd6 30.g3 Nh5 31.Ne3 Bxg3 Bareev were very seriously short of time. 32.fxg3 Rxf1+? [32...Qxg3+ 33.Qxg3 Nxg3] 33.Nxf1 Rd1? [33...Rd3 Is better.] 1-0

Grischuk - Rublevsky

Grischuk made an interesting exchange sacrifice on move 18. Although the position offer dynamics balance for both side white position is more prefered side to play.

Grischuk - Rublevsky [B85]Candidate Elista 06.06.2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 d6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Be3 Bd7 9.a4 Be7 10.f4 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Bc6 12.b4 0-0 13.b5 Be8 14.e5 Qc7 15.b6 Qc6 16.Bf3 d5 17.Rae1 Nd7 18.Nxd5 exd5 19.Bxd5 Qc5 20.e6 Qxd4 21.Bxd4 Nf6 22.Bb3 Rd8 23.Bxf6 Bc5+ 24.Kh1 gxf6 25.e7 Bxe7 26.Rxe7 Bc6 27.Rc7 Rd2 28.Re1 Rf2 29.h3 Rxf4 30.Ree7 Rf1+ 31.Kh2 Rf2 32.Rxc6 bxc6 33.Rxf7 Rf4 34.c3 1-0

* It looks like my statistic yesterday -http://hairulovchessmaniacs.blogspot.com/2007/06/round-2-highlights.html was quite close with today's result accept that Shirov manage to beat Aronian and level their personal encounter ( corrections- Aronian beat Shirov so my statistic is almost perfect!) .

Deep Fritz - Deep Junior game 1 : Draw

The two chess programme draw each other after game. Both , well...play like a computer .


Deep Fritz - Deep Junior [D46]
Ultimate Computer Challange , Elista 06.06.2007

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 b5 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.e4 e5 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 Bxe5 14.h3 Qe7 15.Be3 Rfe8 16.Ne2 Rad8 17.Bxa7 c5 18.Bxc518...Qc7 19.Be3 Qxc2 20.Bxc2 Bxe4 21.Bxe4 Nxe4 22.Rfd1 Bxb2 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 24.Rb1 Be5 25.f4 Bc7 26.Rxb5 Rd3 27.Bd4 f6 28.h4 g6 29.a4 Ng3 30.Nxg3 Rxd4 31.Ne2 Rxa4 32.g3 1/2-1/2

Round 2 Highlights !

This is the past record of the players competing in Round 2 Elista, Candidate 2007. I'm using chessgames.com as the source.

Aronian (2759)-Shirov(2699) ( 1-0)

Aronian beat Shirov with black at Tal Memorial 2007 and draw two times against the same opponent at Mainz Ordix 2005 and Corus Wijk Aan Zee 2007.

Peter Leko(2738)-Evgeny Bareev(2635) (4-0)

Leko meet Bareev 9 times and he beat Bareev 4 times (Super GM 2000, Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Meeting 2002, Amber Blindfold 2003, 14th Amber Tournament: Rapid 2005. They draw 5 times (Hoogovens Tournament Wijk aan Zee NED 1995, Belgrade1996, Amber Blindfold 2002, 13th Amber Rapid 2004, Wijk an Zee Corus Chess 2004). Bareev never beat Leko before!

Sergei Rublevsky(2680)-Alexander Girschuk (2717) (1-0)

Grischuk meet Rublevsky 4 times and he managed to beat Rublevsky once at 6th Poikovsky Karpov Tournament 2005, They draw 3 times (5th Karpov It Tournament 2004, 11th Ordix Open2004, Aerosvit GM Tournament 2006). Rublevsky never beat Grischuck!

Boris Gelfand (2733) - Gata Kamsky (2705) (5-3)

They have meet 18 times! and Gelfand have won 5 , draw 10 , and lost 3 time s against Kamsky.

The Ultimate Computer Chess Challenge 2007

The Ultimate Computer Chess Challenge 2007


The Ultimate Computer Chess Challenge will be a six game match between two of the "world strongest and most exciting" programs "Deep Fritz" and "Deep Junior" . The event will be held from May 26 to June 14, 2007 during the final match of the Candidates Matches for the World Championship in Elista, Kalmykia.

Do you know why i bold the sentence "world’s strongest and most exciting programs" ?

It is because there is an argument about the selection of the two programme by the Champion of the Chess Program - Rybka!!!

read this http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/search/label/Challenge