[chessmind] Dennis Monokroussos: Karjakin-Short, Day 5: Karjakin wins 7.5-2.5

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Posted by Dennis Monokroussos:
Karjakin-Short, Day 5: Karjakin wins 7.5-2.5
http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1215463458.shtml


   Sergey Karjakin [1]already clinched match victory in game 7, but the
   last three games of [2]his rapid match with Nigel Short were played
   out all the same. We already noted the result of game 8, and today
   Karjakin swept the games to finish with a whopping 7.5-2.5 triumph.
   In game 9, Karjakin was White in a 5.Bf4 QGD. Short accepted an
   isolated d-pawn, and despite Karjakin's attempts for almost 30 moves
   to assail the nominal weakness, he achieved absolutely nothing. He
   therefore switched gears, aiming for kingside chances, and this
   quickly bore fruit. Short made a couple of tactical errors (probably
   in time trouble), and that was it.
   Game ten was a sort of Roadrunner/Wil E. Coyote copy of game 9. Short
   had the nominal edge this time, but like Karjakin in the previous
   game, normal methods yielded nothing. So Short went bridge-burning in
   hopes of avoiding a routine draw, and he succeeded: his attempts to
   create kingside play ruined his position, and in what was probably his
   best game with the black pieces, Karjakin won several pawns and won.
   So it was a very successful outing for Karjakin, who went 5-0 with
   White and 2.5-2.5 with Black against a very strong GM. On the other
   hand, most of the games were decided in time trouble, so it's unlikely
   that his 2821 TPR would be reproduced in a slow match with the same
   opponent. Still, it's a good reminder that he's a player to watch.
   Games [3]here, with my comments.

References

   1. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1215397997.shtml
   2. http://chess.life.com.ua/index.php?lng=en
   3. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/files/kar_short_m2008_day5.htm