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Home » Chess News » Events » 53rd Reggio Emilia 2010-11 » Vallejo win matched by Gashimov but only after some luck

After his quick win against Alexander Onischuk Francisco Vallejo Pons looked on course for a win in the Reggio tournament having a full point lead going into the final round. This was because Vugar Gashimov looked in serious trouble against David Navara. However around the first time control Navara blew this advantage and then further inaccuracies allowed Gashimov a win and a share of the lead. Ivanchuk beat Short in a bit of a slugfest. Morozevich ground down the suffering Godena. Caruana and Movsesian agreed a draw in a position with plenty of play left.

Francisco Vallejo Pons quickly recovered from his loss to Gashimov in Round 7 by beating Alexander Onischuk in Round 8. A Scotch game led to a difficult position for black, albeit one where he probably should hold. However Vallejo eventually was allowed to launch a winning attack.

20...Rad8?!

20... Rae8 looks a better bet.

21. Rh3 d5 22. Qf5 Rde8 23. Rf3

23. cxd5 f6 24. Ne6 Rf7 looks stronger.

23... Qxh4?

Losing 23... f6 was the last chance.

24. Rh3 Qxc4+

24... g6 doesn't help 25. Rxh4 gxf5 26. Nxh7 Rxe5 27. Nxf8 Bxf8 28. cxd5 cxd5 29. Ra4 Re4

25. Kg1 g6 26. Qf6 Be7 27. Nxh7 Qg4 28. Qxe7 1-0

David Navara achieved a near winning position against joint leader Vugar Gashimov but missed chances on either side of the first time control led to a favourable position for Gashimov.

37... Qc8

37... e4 38. Qf2 Qd5 looks like a decisive advantage for black.

38. Ra7 Bf8 39. b4 Qe6 40. Qf2 Rxc3 41. Bd2 Rb3 42. Rf1 Qd5?

42... Be7 and black is still on top. Now things seem level.

43. Be3 Rxe3 44. Rxf7 Bh6 45. Qf5 Qd3 46. Qg4+ Kh8 47. R7f6 Rh3 48. gxh3 Qh7 49. Kh1 Bf4?!

Now white is playing for a win. The alternative 49... Rg8 50. Qf3 e4 51. Qf5 Qxf5 52. R1xf5 Bd2 53. Rxb5 e3 54. Re6 Rc8 55. Rg5 Kh7 56. Kg2 c3 57. Re4 Kh6 58. Rg3 Kh5 59. Re5+ with a likely draw.

50.Qf3 Rg8 51.Rb6 Qc2 52.Qh5+ Qh7 53.Qxh7+ Kxh7 54.Rf3 1-0

I'm assuming black lost on time here.

Nigel Short lost a sharp slugfest with Vassily Ivanchuk. It's a bit difficult to be certain where Short went wrong but Ivanchuk certainly finished things nicely.

25. Bxc5

25. axb6 axb6 26. Bxc5 bxc5 27. Rxb7 Bd4 may be more accurate

25... bxc5 26. Rxb7 Bh6 27. Qf2 Rd2 28. Ne2 Qxc4

White is already busted

29. Re1 Rxc2 30. Rxa7 Qd3 31. Rb7 Be3 32. Qf1 Bg5 33. Kg3 Qe3 34. h4 Bxh4+ 35. Kxh4 Rxf3 36. Rb8+ Kg7 37. Rb7+ Kh6 0-1

Fabiano Caruana and Sergei Movsesian drew an interesting Sicilian which was agreed drawn in the kind of position the Sofia rules were invented for.

Alexander Morozevich no doubt felt the need to beat straggler Michele Godena. He got a fairly sizable positional edge from the opening and brought home the point without any noticable difficulty.

27. Nc4 h6 28. Bf1 Kf8 29. Qd2 Kg8 30. h4 e4 31. Bh3 Nf8 32. Nd6 Nd5 33. b5 Qa1+ 34. Kg2 Qe5 35. b6 Qe7 36. Qd4 Nf6 37. Nf5 Qe8 38. Nxh6+ Kh7 39. Nf5 Ne6 40. Qc4 Nd8 41. Nd6 Qe5 42. Nxf7 Nxf7 43. Qxf7 Qxc5 44. Qxb7 1-0

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.	Gashimov, Vugar	g	AZE	2733	*	1	½	½	½	.	1	1	0	1	5½	2832
2.	Vallejo Pons, Francisco	g	ESP	2698	0	*	.	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	5½	2831
3.	Movsesian, Sergei	g	SVK	2721	½	.	*	½	½	½	½	½	1	½	4½	2733
4.	Caruana, Fabiano	g	ITA	2709	½	½	½	*	½	½	½	0	1	.	4	2710
5.	Morozevich, Alexander	g	RUS	2700	½	½	½	½	*	0	.	1	0	1	4	2685
6.	Onischuk, Alexander	g	USA	2683	.	0	½	½	1	*	½	½	½	½	4	2691
7.	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2764	0	½	½	½	.	½	*	0	1	1	4	2685
8.	Navara, David	g	CZE	2708	0	0	½	1	0	½	1	*	.	1	4	2694
9.	Short, Nigel D	g	ENG	2680	1	0	0	0	1	½	0	.	*	1	3½	2651
10.	Godena, Michele	g	ITA	2549	0	0	½	.	0	½	0	0	0	*	1	2388

Round 8 (January 5, 2011)
Gashimov, Vugar	- Navara, David	1-0	54	C95	Ruy Lopez Breyer
Vallejo Pons, Francisco	- Onischuk, Alexander	1-0	28	C45	Scotch Game
Caruana, Fabiano	- Movsesian, Sergei	½-½	27	B47	Sicilian Paulsen
Morozevich, Alexander	- Godena, Michele	1-0	44	A07	Barcza System
Short, Nigel D	- Ivanchuk, Vassily	0-1	37	B31	Sicilian Rossolimo

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