[chessmind] Dennis Monokroussos: Mainz recap continued: The Ordix Open

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Posted by Dennis Monokroussos:
Mainz recap continued: The Ordix Open
http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1187764293.shtml


   The Ordix Open was the rapid event which reveals the identify of the
   fourth member of next year's elite quartet: Anand, Aronian, Bologan
   (who won the open Chess960 event) and now David Navara. The young and
   super-talented Czech GM bested an incredible field including, among
   others, such stars as Ivanchuk, Shirov, Grischuk, Kamsky, Akopian,
   Volokitin, Karjakin, Bareev and many, many more.
   Leading standings:
   1-3. Navara, Mchedlishvili, Sasikiran 9.5 (of 11)
   4-12. Petrosian, Bologan, Harikrishna, Almasi, Drozdovskij, Moiseenko,
   Nielsen, Volokitin, Seel 9
   Etc. (762 players)
   Navara's play throughout almost all of the event was outstanding, and
   he definitely deserved the tiebreak win. There were two really
   shocking moments, however, in his path to the top. The first came in
   round 9, when in a completely lost position with knight and pawn
   against Harikrishna's rook and pawn, his opponent lost on time,
   despite the increment. Unbelievable - he pulled a Chuky!
   The second was, if anything, even more shocking and less professional.
   Leading the event by a full point going into the last round and with
   White against the Open's other Indian super-GM, Sasikiran, a draw
   would obviously fit the bill. Going for a win, at the risk of a loss,
   simply made no sense, as a win and a draw were equivalent for
   placement, money, rating and qualification for next year's top
   event(s). So when Sasikiran repeatedly offered to draw by repetition
   (or at least strongly hinted at it), what did Navara do? He refused
   each repetition and then produced a novelty that dropped a piece to an
   elementary tactic.
   What could he possibly have been thinking? He is very, very, very
   fortunate that this absurd decision didn't cost him first place on
   tiebreaks, as missing out on next year's elite events would have cost
   him in tens of thousands of dollars in honoraria and prize money, in
   addition to the hundreds or thousands lost by falling into a tie for
   1-3 instead of winning clear first. Shocking, but again: errare
   humanum est.
   Enough carping; now for the games, of which I've attached five. First
   up, there's Mamedyarov-Ginsburg, a Tarrasch QGD with a double twist.
   Mamedyarov chose an unusual line reminiscent of "my" anti-French
   variation (start [1]here and work your way forward) and defeated his
   strong opponent with startling ease.
   Next up, a funny game between Shirov and Hausrath. The game wasn't so
   well-played, as first Shirov and then Hausrath missed some chances,
   but the opening was interesting and the position after White's 14th
   was picturesque.
   The third game was the Harikrishna-Navara tragedy mentioned above, and
   the fifth was the absurd final round match between Navara and
   Sasikiran. Sandwiched between them was a clean Navara win, included,
   like Shirov-Hausrath, for a particular aesthetic moment.
   Games [2]here.

References

   1. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1173936704.shtml
   2. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/files/ordix2007.htm