09/01/2005

  Miami takes a bite out of Baltimore
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by IM Greg Shahade
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Miami Sharks			Baltimore Kingfishers
GM Julio Becerra - 2622			IM Pascal Charbonneau - 2506
FM Marcel Martinez - 2469			FM Tegshsuren Enkhbat - 2453
IM Blas Lugo - 2426			FM Bruci Lopez - 2409
Dr. Eric Moskow - 2127			WIM Tsagaan Battsetseg - 2273
Avg Rating - 2411			Avg Rating - 2410
Miami Total -------			----- Baltimore Total

In a match full of technical problems on both ends, the Miami Sharks outlasted the Baltimore Kingfishers. Miami's Internet connection went down for 20 minutes, and Baltimore had to switch playing sites in the later stage of the match. However eventually the games were finished...


Board 1: GM Julio Becerra - 2622 vs IM Pascal Charbonneau - 2506  1-0

 Pascal played his beloved dragon against Becerra, however it wasn't a pretty sight. Becerra played a rare variation that involved a quick 12.Na7 for white. This move has always seemed suspect to me, however Becerra achieved a strong position very quickly out of the opening. Eventually an endgame was reached in which Pascal's only hope was the imprisonment of Julio's bishop on h6



but after black played 35...Rf6 in this position, Julio responded with 36. Bg7, and the bishop will be freed and white will have 3 extra pawns in the endgame. For instance, if 35....Rf6 36.Bg7 Rg6, white wins with 37.Bxe5 Kxe5 38.Rxe7. Pascal saw what was coming and resigned after 36.Bg7 was played.


Board 3: IM Blas Lugo - 2426 vs FM Bruci Lopez - 2409

 Miami jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a terrible oversight from the 20 year old Bruci Lopez, admittedly from a difficult position. Lugo had just played 26.Ra5 and has a clearly better position:



Bruci must should try something like 26...Re5 to get some counterplay but instead played the huge blunder 26....d5, after which he resigned immediately when Blas found the simple 27. Rc5, picking up the queen for a rook. Now Baltimore had to win the final two games to tie the match, however it didn't seem like it was going to happen the way the other two boards were going.


Board 2: FM Tegshsuren Enkhbat - 2453 vs FM Marcel Martinez - 2469   1/2-1/2

 Martinez had been pressing the entire game and he reached the following position:



 Miami was already up 2-0 so all the Sharks needed was a draw in one of the two final games to win the match. Marcel played 45...Bc6 46.Kc2 Ba4 47. Kd2, and instead of trying the more active 47...Kf5, Marcel was happy to repeat the position with 47....Ba4 and clinch victory for the Sharks.


BOARD 4: WIM Tsaagan Batsettseg - 2273 vs Eric Moskow - 2127  1-0

 Tsaagan pulled out the victory in this double rook endgame pawn race, although it was to no avail, as her team was already down 2.5-0.5, but at least she brought the score to a close 2.5-1.5 final.

With this win Miami stands atop of the Western Division, as none of the other 3 teams in the division were able to win their first match.

Miami Sharks			Baltimore Kingfishers
GM Julio Becerra - 2622	1.0	0.0	IM Pascal Charbonneau - 2506
FM Marcel Martinez - 2469	0.5	0.5	FM Tegshsuren Enkhbat - 2453
IM Blas Lugo - 2426	1.0	0.0	FM Bruci Lopez - 2409
Dr. Eric Moskow - 2127	0.0	1.0	WIM Tsagaan Battsetseg - 2273
Avg Rating - 2411			Avg Rating - 2410
Miami Total -------	2.5	1.5	----- Baltimore Total

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