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Home » Chess News » Events » 53rd Reggio Emilia 2010-11 » Vallejo draw allows three to move within a point

In a day of decisive, if not necessarily good, games Francisico Vallejo Pons drew against Fabiano Caruana with black. The rest of the games were decisive and now Sergei Movsesian, Alexander Onischuk and Vugar Gashimov all are a point behind.

Leader Francisco Vallejo Pons drew with black against Fabiano Caruana to maintain his lead. The final position looks better for white so I don't really know why a draw was agreed here. This draw gave a chance to his rivals to slightly close the gap. Now three are within a point of the lead.

David Navara was better against Michele Godena before the players left theory and by the time Navara won a second pawn on move 27 the result was not in doubt.

27.... h5 28. g5 Rd8 29. Kc2 Nc7 30. Rd1 Re8 31. Nb6 Re6 32. Rd8+ Ka7 33. Nc8+ Ka6 34. Nd4 Rxe5 35. Rd6+ Ka5 36. b4+ Ka4 37. Kb2 Na8 38. Ne2 1-0

Alexander Morozevich had a favourable, perhaps even very favourable position out of the opening against Alexander Onischuk but messed it up completely on the run up to first time control and lost without resistance after that.

19. g6?!

(19. Kd2 Ne7 20. Rab1 Rb8 21. Be4)

19... Nxh4 20. Bd5 Nf3+ 21. Bxf3 Bxf3 22. Rh3 Bg4 23. Rg3 Rc6 24. Rc1 d5 25. Qxd5 Rd6 26. Qxb7 fxg6 27. Qb3+ Rf7 28. c4 Rxf4 29. exf4 Rxd4 30. c5+ Kh7 31. Kf1 Rxf4 32. Qe3 Qf6 33. c6 Bc8 34. Kg1 h4 35. Rg2 Qd6 36. Qc5 Qd2 37. Qc2 Qd6 38. Rd1?!

Starting to go astray: 38. c7 Rd4 39. Kh1 h3 40. Rg3 Qe6 41. Qb3 and white is better.

38... Qe6 39. Qc3?

39. Rc1 admitting the last move was wrong is better.

39... Rc4 40. Qa5 Qxc6

White has contrived to lose a major trump card and is in difficulties.

41. Qg5?

and now its all over.

41...Bh3

Even faster is 41... h3 42. Rg3 Rc5 43. Qe3 h2+ 44. Kxh2 Rh5+

42. Qd5 Qxd5 43. Rxd5 Bxg2 44. Kxg2 Ra4 45. Kh3 Kh6 46. f3 g5 47. Rd2 Kh5 0-1

Vassily Ivanchuk seemed to be doing fine against Vugar Gashimov out of the opening. Its difficult to put your finger on a single bad move, he just didn't find a plan that worked and went on to lose fairly easily.

19...g6

19... h5 seems to offer a simpler plan for equality eg 20. Rc7 Rh6 21. Rb7 b5 22. e6 fxe6 23. Bxe6 Rd8 24. Rb6 Ra8 25. f4 Rf6 26. Kf2 g6 27. Rb7 Rd8 28. c3 d4 29. cxd4 Rxd4 30. Rb8+ Kg7

20. Rc7 b5 21. e6 f6 22. Re3 Rb8 23. Ra7 Rb6 24. Rc3 h5 25. Bc8 Rh7 26. Rcc7 f4 27. Ra8 1-0

Nigel Short got a bit over-excited at his attacking prospects against Sergei Movsesian, he might be right about chances but he quickly miscalculated and lost too much of his army.

14. Nxg5?

14. Rhe1 g4 15. Ng5 Rh6 16. Bf1 c4 17. Qf4 with interesting play.

14... Bxg2 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. Qxe6+ Kd8 17. Rhe1 Kc8 18. Nd5 Kb7 19. Nc7 Rh6 20. Qg8 Qa4 0-1

53rd Masters Reggio Emilia (ITA), 28 xii 2010 - 6 i 2011															cat. XVIII (2695)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
1.	Vallejo Pons, Francisco	g	ESP	2698	*	.	.	.	½	½	1	½	1	1	4½	2878
2.	Movsesian, Sergei	g	SVK	2721	.	*	½	½	.	½	½	.	1	½	3½	2743
3.	Onischuk, Alexander	g	USA	2683	.	½	*	.	.	½	½	1	½	½	3½	2744
4.	Gashimov, Vugar	g	AZE	2733	.	½	.	*	½	1	.	½	0	1	3½	2744
5.	Caruana, Fabiano	g	ITA	2709	½	.	.	½	*	½	0	½	1	.	3	2713
6.	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2764	½	½	½	0	½	*	.	.	.	1	3	2682
7.	Navara, David	g	CZE	2708	0	½	½	.	1	.	*	0	.	1	3	2676
8.	Morozevich, Alexander	g	RUS	2700	½	.	0	½	½	.	1	*	0	.	2½	2644
9.	Short, Nigel D	g	ENG	2680	0	0	½	1	0	.	.	1	*	.	2½	2650
10.	Godena, Michele	g	ITA	2549	0	½	½	0	.	0	0	.	.	*	1	2444

Round 6 (January 3, 2011)
Gashimov, Vugar	- Ivanchuk, Vassily	1-0	27	B12	Caro Kann Advanced
Caruana, Fabiano	- Vallejo Pons, Francisco	½-½	24	D47	Queens Gambit Meran
Navara, David	- Godena, Michele	1-0	38	A13	Reti Opening
Morozevich, Alexander	- Onischuk, Alexander	0-1	47	D31	Semi-Slav Defence
Short, Nigel D	- Movsesian, Sergei	0-1	20	B40	Sicilian Classical

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