Game of the Week

This game, like many of the previous ones I've chosen, I picked since I felt it was really the whole package of being well played, exciting, and what ended up being the difference in the entire match. As IM Pruess noted in his blog, 11. c4! was one very good by IM Bhat, and I think 21. e6! was another good one plus after 26... Bc5 where it seems like Black might be creating some counterplay, the simple 27. Qe2! followed by 29. Be4! were two nice moves to consolidate White's big edge (edit - as pointed out to me later by IM Orlov that as natural as 26... Bc5 looked, it was in actuality the downfall, as after 26... Bd6! White cannot play h5 due to Bxg3 and Bh4 so with the threats on g3 and f2 White is likely compelled to trade Queens with 27. Qe3 after which both sides have good play).. After Be4, in face of h5 IM Orlov tried to distract White with 27... Qd7, but Bhat sealed the win with 28. h5 which forces liquidation into an easily winning endgame for White. Another big win from the somewhat unheralded IM Bhat whose performance might not have been noticed, since he hasn't been the most active of the San Francisco team members and is a reason why the San Francisco team is 8-1. However, he has now racked up a 4-0-3 record over two seasons (with 4 GM opponents), and his three wins and one draw this season have all occurred in extremely tight wins or draws for the San Francisco team so even though he's played less than half the season, there should be no doubt that he's a huge reason why the San Francisco team has stormed to such a massive record.

Another solid performance from GM Christiansen who in a rather tame looking position found the nice tactic 20. Nf6+! which shattered Black's kingside pawns. IM Milman did put up a tenacious defense where it would have been very easy for him with improper play to get mated or lose a colossal amount of material in the middlegame. However, the weakness of his King position was eventually expertly exploited by the GM who used Black's stretched defenses to win a pawn on the Queenside and then liquidated into a tricky Rook ending which he was able to bring home for the Boston team. A tough draw for the Carolina team as a win would have put them in a much better position to try to claim a playoff spot, but will now need to rely on help from other teams (see playoff picture link for more details).

Christiansen-Milman: Black to move after 19...Qxe5
Larry shocked Milman and the onlookers by playing
the powerful blow 20.Nf6+, because after black captures
on f6, white has Re4 skewering the queen and rook on e8.
Black found a nice trick by playing 20.....gxf6 21.Re4 Bg4!
which helps to avoid losing the exchange, however black's
ruined pawn structure made his defense difficult.

Another impressive win from GM Ehlvest who is certainly proving that he was worth waiting for the Philadelphia team as he racked up his third win in three tries (not including the short draw due to an emergency). He simply won material with the nice 29... Rh6! and when White attempted to create complications with an attack on the opposing King, defended coolly and easily brought the win in. An important half point for the Masterminds who now find themselves in a position to make the playoffs for sure with a win (or perhaps even a draw with help, again see the playoff picture for more information). They do however, have to take on the New York Knights who are also fighting for their playoff lives, and I'm sure have no desire to miss the playoffs after racking up an 8-2 record in the regular season last year so it should be a very exciting final week of the regular season to see who comes out on top.