Author: Ken West, CCSCSL Championship Blogger


Shulman v Kamsky ROUND 3 Photos available HERE.

Quite a treat for those of us here and listening online. Both Shabalov and Lawton were in the room together analyzing their game, in which Shabalov played the ALEKHINE! Lawton said he made a mistake when he didn’t play b3 soon enough. He said he should have played it a move sooner to prevent d5 by Shabalov. That was the move he was referring to earlier today when he said he played some moves out of order.

It was also interesting as Shabalov went over several options, including lines where Lawton would have had the advantage.

Sutovsky also whipped out a couple of options that showed other possibiities where Lawton could have equalized.

The next two players to face the heat were Shankland and Kachiyan, who agreed to a draw. Sutovsky asked why, and Kachiyan asked him who he thought was better in the position and asked how he would proceed. Sutovsky thought Shankland had the advantage and should carry on.

Shankland defended taking the draw, even though he had the two bishops vs. Knight/bishop. He said no one has given him more trouble than Kachiyan. He said he was afraid if he pressed it, he could lose the thread and give up at least the half point for the draw. He said in the final position he thought he had a slight pull, but didn’t know where to go with his position in the final setup.

Shankland also defended his move, saying this draw would give him more time to prepare for tomorrow’s round. When Shahade asked him about dividing his time between chess and homework, he said his lawyer told him not to answer...Apparently his mother expects school work to be done! Hear that all you young players?

Now with the Kamsky-Shulman draw, Hess needs to beat Nakamura to remain the only person to have a shot at the Fischer prize, a $64,000 prize to the person who goes a perfect 9-0. With 14 rated over 2600, that seems to be out of reach. Nakamura has two pawns on the c file that Hess is having to use a bishop to blockade.

Looks like there is still a lot of chess to be played tonight.

Gata Kamky just left the analysis room. Unfortunately I didn’t hear that as I was here in  the next room. But as he was leaving I said to him, “It looks like you didn’t want to settle for the draw.”

“I always play to win,” he said.

That’s what I like, a fighter.

Author: Ken West, CCSCSL Championship Blogger

Gata Kamsky recently came down to the commentary room and was met with applause.  Kamsky can be pretty soft spoken. It was hard to hear much of his analysis. He was up two pawns late in the game. He is now one of two players with a perfect 2-0 score, still eligible for the Fischer Memorial prize for a perfect championship game.

Alexander Onischuk just did a great job of explaining his win over young Tyler Hughes. Onischuk said Hughes had him in trouble early in the opening. He said 8. Nd2 was a really good move by Hughes. Onischuk, playing black, said he had to play 8...Bd6 and later move the king up to protect that bishop.

Hughes played 11. Nc4 and Onischuk said Hughes had several good choices from there where he could have pressed for an advantage. But after 11...Ke7, Hughes used his bishop on g2 to take the black knight on c6. Onischuk said that was a mistake. In answer to the Internet moderator’s question, Onischuk agreed that Hughes did not understand that he hurt himself with the bishop for knight trade and that the ensuing pawn structure after black takes with the b pawn favors black. After 13...e4 Onischuk said he thought he was much better. He also thought that 15,NxBd6 was also a mistake. From that position he said he thought he had a win.

Then Ray Robson walked in after beating Boris Gulko. Sutovsky praised Robson, who is coached by Onischuk, for his opening preparation, and the rook to f4 maneuver. In answering Sutovsky’s question, Robson said he was familiar with the opening position from his chess studies.

IM Michael Brooks started a little slow at the mic during his follow-up with Jennifer Shahade and Emil Sutovsky, but he quickly warmed up during the analysis of his win over four-times US champ Alexander Shabalov.

During analysis he said Shabalov is known for playing ‘controversial chess.’ He said Shabalov’s king was exposed and a bishop was out of place. Brooks, who played the black pieces, said he has been on both sides of the Sicilian he played. He said he decided the variation is not good for white.

Brooks was asked about his preparation for the event. He last played in the US championship in 1990 under an elimination format, and was eliminated. Brooks said he got 14,000 games from the chess database to prepare for the tournament, but said he didn’t get a chance to look at all of them (no surprise there!). He also said he couldn’t find games for some of his tournaments. And, Brooks showed his old-school style. While Jennifer Shahade asked Brooks how he prepared, Brooks asked, “Do you have a computer?”
She seemed a bit surprised, but Brooks continued, “I don’t.”

Shahade then said Shabalov has a G phone where he can access his home computer. Sutovsky laughed and told the young players that by studying the old way, Brooks showed he is a strong chess player.

Live coverage by Shahade and Sutovsky is done for the day, but you can still watch on ICC and on saintlouischessclub.org .  
 

Round 2
Part 3: Approximately 4:45 pm CST

Author: Ken West, CCSCSL Championship Blogger
 
In analyzing the Josh Friedel/-Kaidanov match, Jennifer Shahade noted that Friedel had white a second time. Friday night’s game she said he played the white side of the Ruy Lopez well. That, she said, is why she was surprised Kaidanov played e5 to let Friedel get another good game.
 
Just went upstairs to the third floor for the first time to watch the players up close and personal. Charles Lawton is playing the black pieces against Sevillano. At one point Sevillano, while analyzing, was leaning forward, his arms crossed and his feet bouncing. Joel Benjamin is playing Irina Krush. At one time his head was moving around as he was apparently visualizing.
 
I was glad to see Gata Kamsky and Nakmura each get up and walk around. Kamsky was taking a good long look at Tyler Hughes’ game. Hughes’ game Friday won the game of the day for his upset.

During analysis, in talking about Friedel and his good positions in the Ruy, Jennifer asked Emil if Kamsky would play the French. Sutovsky was Kamsky’s second for Kamsky’s appearance in his world semifinal match against Topalov.
 
Just asked couple of spectators what is going on. One said people are sac’ing stuff left and right. Daniel Parmet, visiting from Chicago, agreed with his friend. “It’s sac, sac, sac, and no mates yet.”

Shahade and Sutovsky went back to the Nakamura game and talked about the sac. Sutovsky did not think the sac was dangerous.
 
Boris Gulko, age 62, is the oldest player in the tournament. He lost Friday to Tyler Hughes in perhaps the greatest upset of the championship so far. He seems to be losing to another young player today, Ray Robson. Sutovsky said Gulko is still a top player and will record some wins in this tourney.
 
Just asked Bob Howe, editor of the Missouri Ches Bulletin and a MCA board member, about his thoughts. He thinks the layout is fantastic.
 
The analysts just took a break and I asked Sutovsky, “So you won’t say if Kamsky will play the French?”
 
He laughed.
 
Alex Marler of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis said Charles Lawton’s game is interesting. He said Lawton’s opponent, Sevillano, has strong play. Alex laughed and said, look for Charles to sac something.

Today has turned into Sacrifice Saturday.

Author: Ken West, CCSCSL Championship Blogger



GATA KAMSKY is now downstairs. He signed a few chess boards. Update to the Hughes game: the analysis board had a pawn in the wrong place, so he was not lost. In fact, Hughes, the lowest rated player in the tourney at 2272, won, beating Gulko.

Kaidanov took the mic downstairs to talk about his game with Irina Krush. He said he had an opening advantage, and that it was a line he had studied. He said he lost his advantage around move 23 and agreed to a draw a couple of moves later.

Kamsky has been analyzing his game, a win over Ibragimov. He referred to it as a highly tactical game. He used the advantage of a tempo and chased Ibragimov’s bishop. One of the best lines of the day from Kamsky came in his analysis when he took the a pawn--he said, “I took it because it’s a pawn.”

Kamsky is now signing autographs, and I just mentioned to him (yes, I was talking to Kamsky!) his comment about the pawn. He smiled and said something along the lines of ‘he had to suffer’ but he said it with a smile.

Lawton is battling in his game. I just asked Richard Benjamin, a St. Louis master, what he thought. It’s late in the game and he thinks Charles may have to drop the exchange to stop the passed pawn. Richard said he thinks it could be a tough hold for Charles. We'll see if what he predicts comes to pass.