Mas Lost to IM Nasib Ginting

IM Mashafizul end his campaign in the 1^st ASEAN Chess Circuit with a lost to Indonesian IM Nasib Ginting in the 11 Round. Mas was very unfortunate to lost the game because he was clearly better in the most part of the game. However at the last minute with a pawn up, Mas blunder when he overlooked a simple but strong queen check by Nasib Ginting which force him to surrender his queen and get a rook as a compensation- which is of course not enough to safe the game.

Analysis by Hairulov and Fritz

IM Mas Hafizulhelmi(2382) - IM Nasib Ginting (2393) [B57]
ASEAN Masters Chess Circuit (11), 19.01.2008

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nge2 Mas used the same move order that GM Zhang Zhong used against him in the the earlier rounds. 3...Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 The game transpose back to the main line. 5...Nf6 6.Bc4 Qb6 The Sicilian Sozin: Benko Variation!, a line that is favored by Kramnik and seems to give black plenty of chances 7.Nb3 e6 8.0–0 Be7 9.Bg5 Ne5 10.Be2 a6 11.a4 Qc7 12.f4 Nc6 13.Qd2 0–0 14.a5 b5 15.axb6 Qxb6+ 16.Kh1 Rd8 17.f5 Ne5 17...h6? Would be a serious mistake because white can play the strong sacrifice with 18.Bxh6! gxh6 19.Qxh6± and treat of rook lift to the h file starting with Rf3 or Rf4 18.Nd4 Qb7 18...Qxb2?? the pawn is safe and cannot be captured without dire consequences 19.Rfb1 Qxc3 20.Qxc3 Nxe4 21.Qe3 (21.Bxe7?! is no comparison 21...Nxc3 22.Bxd8 Nxb1 23.Rxb1 exf5+-) 21...Nxg5 22.h4+- 19.Ra3 Qd7 The pawn on b2 is poison 19...Qxb2?? 20.Rb3! 20.fxe6 fxe6 21.Nf5!? An interesting sacrifice by Mas. A slow but steady alternative is 21.Qe3 with the treat of 22. Qg3! 21...exf5 22.Bxf6 Mas eliminated the defender of d5 square. 22...Bb7? Nasib should have play 22...gxf6!? and Black will have a reasonable counter play with 23.Qd5+ Kg7 24.Qxa8 d5 25.Rb3 dxe4 26.Bxa6 23.Bxe7+- Qxe7 24.Nd5 24.exf5! is much stronger. Probably Mas didn't want to open the a8-h1 diagonal 24...Qh4 25.Rf4 Ng4 26.Bxg4 Mas missed the strong and interesting idea with the innocent looking move 26.h3!? Bxd5 27.exf5! Black bishop on d5 and knight on g4 are now en prise! 27...Bc6+- 28.Rc3 Nf2+ 29.Rxf2± with a big advantage 26...fxg4± 27.h3 h5? A mistake by Nasib. he should have played 27...Rf8 28.Kg1? Unfortunately Mas missed the innocent but strong move 28.g3! Qxh3+ 29.Kg1 And black queen will probably trap or he have to sacrifice material to save the queen! 29...Rf8 30.Rxf8+ Rxf8 31.Nf4! Rxf4 32.Qxf4 28...Rf8 29.hxg4 29.g3 Qd8 (29...Qxh3?? 30.Rxf8+ Rxf8 31.Nf4!) 29...Rxf4 30.Qxf4 Bxd5 31.exd5 hxg4 32.Rg3 Re8 Now black have strong attack 33.Qxg4 White has a mate threat on g7 33.Qxd6?? White will choke on that pawn 33...Re1+ 34.Kf2 Re4–+ 33...Qh6 Black reply with a mate threat with Re1! 34.Qd4 Re1+ 35.Kf2 Re5 Putting a nice trap. 36.c4?? Mas blunder by overlooking the strong pin by black. 36.Qg4 is the correct move and with a pawn up Mas will have good chance 36...Qf6+ 37.Rf3 36...Qf6+!–+ 37.Rf3 Re2+!! What a tragedy for Mas after controlling the most part of the game. after 38.Kxe2 Qxd4–+ there’s nothing more to play. 0–1