10/20/2006


Week 8 Game of the Week
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by NM Arun Sharma
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Game of the Week:  GM Pawel Blehm (BAL) vs GM Magesh Panchanathan (DAL)  0-1
 
 
    This was a very exciting game for the spectators with the main fireworks beginning around 23... g6! as the first thought was that Black would play h6 instead to avoid the sac on g6 but, if safe, the text really is a far superior move as it prepares Bf5 whereas in the alternative, Black's light squared Bishop really has no good square.  When 23... g6 was played the consensus then became that GM Panchanathan would simply recapture after the sac and be willing to take the draw (which, given he had the Black pieces, and the way his teammates' were dominating at the time would definitely not have been a bad result), but after 24. Bg6 he played the shocking 24... Rxf3!! which I don't think anyone else had even thought of essentially saccing the exchange for a huge attack on the White King.  After 29... Kg8, White despite his material edge, is really helpless to defend the threat of Black getting his Rook to the g-file and was soon forced to give up his Queen.  GM Blehm's effort should not be overlooked either though, as despite appearing to have a hopeless position after losing his Queen, and his team being down 2-0, he fought on and nearly managed to create serious complications for Black.  After 63. g7!, Black must be very careful as it is very easy without accurate play for him to draw or lose.  However, Panchanathan wasn't going to let this one slip away and found the correct idea to win with 63... Qg8! 64. Rg2 Qh7+ (b2 here also works) and soon brought the win home.  This was GM Panchanathan's first win of the USCL and though it didn't have an overall effect on the match result, I'm sure it should be a big confidence boost for him, and in addition it helped give the Dallas team a huge tiebreak lead over the Miami Sharks thus allowing themselves to control their destiny (i.e. with wins in the last two weeks Dallas will receive the final playoff spot over Miami in the West barring near consecutive sweeps by the Sharks).  To get those two victories though will be anything but easy for the Dallas team as they first face the GM Ehlvest led Philadelphia Masterminds who like the Destiny are fighting hard for their playoff lives and then the Seattle Sluggers who are fighting for the division crown, therefore facing two teams who will want the win probably just as bad as the Destiny.  It should be a very intersting final two weeks to see which teams can pull through in the clutch and get into the postseason.
 
 
Blehm - Panchanathan: Black to move after 24. Bxg6

Everyone expected Panchanathan to simply allow a
draw after 24...hxg6, especially as Dallas looked to be
dominating the match. However Magesh surprised
everyone with the fantastic 24....Rxf3! Within a few moves
black had a crushing attack, and although his technique
seemed far from perfect, black's position was too powerful.


Honourable Mentions:
 
GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs GM Eugene Perelshteyn (BOS)  1-0
 
 
    I almost awarded the prize to this game instead of the above one as I felt it was a very impressive display by GM Charbonneau, really dominating the strong GM Perelshteyn who had not lost a game in two seasons of the USCL until this week.  It really began with 14. g4! with Charbonneau launching a full scale attack on the Kingside while Perelshteyn was unable to get his action on the Queenside going.  One very nice idea in the attack was 37. Bd2! followed by 39. Re3! ending Black's hopes of running his King to the Queenside and forcing a fatal loss of material.  A good win for Charbonneau, but I'm sure he would have wanted his victory to be a springboard to a victory for the entire team, but unfortunately for New York, despite taking a 2-0 lead were unable to come through with the win which would have put them in command for claiming one of the two remaining playoff spots in the East.  An impressive show from Boston also, as many were counting them out of the match after being down 2-0, but they showed why they are going to be the Eastern Division Champions, and I don't envy the team which will have to face them in the division finals (especially should Boston choose to use the double GM lineup).
 
 
GM Jaan Ehlvest (PHI) vs IM Lev Milman (CAR)   1-0
 
 
    A solid win from GM Ehlvest to put the Philadelphia team over the top and claim the victory.  29. b4! was a very good move immortalizing his powerful Knight and keeping Black rather tied up.  32. f4! was also nice as blasting open the f-file along with potential threats against the g6 pawn forced Black to relinquish material and then 42. Qxf7+! liquidated the game into a simple ending to bring the win home for White and the Philly team.  A giant victory for the Philadelphia team as they now sit only a half game out of a playoff spot (especially impressive considering their 0-4 start) and with the two foes who currently lie ahead of them, Baltimore and New York, facing off in Week 9 as well themselves facing New York in the final week, they have a very realistic chance of making it with appopriate results.  They do however have to face Dallas and New York, who both, as mentionned earlier, need the win just as badly as the Masterminds so once again should be a very entertaining end to the regular season.
 

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