Black just played 53…Qf4
After an incredibly exciting game which Morozevich was pushing hard to win and Kamsky had winning chances near the end, the game seemed to be headed toward a draw with 54.Qxf4. For whatever reason, Morozevich played 54.Qh5 and Kamsky finished him off in style.
6k1/4b3/4p1P1/4P1p1/3P1q2/5Q1K/7P/8 w – – 0 54
GM Morozevich (2788) – GM Kamsky (2723) [B12]
26.08.2008 – Tal Memorial
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 Nd7 7.0–0 Ne7 8.c4 dxc4 9.Na3 c3 10.Nb5 Nd5 11.Nxc3 Nxe3 12.fxe3 Be7 13.Qb3 0–0 14.Qxb7 Rb8 15.Qxa7 cxd4 16.exd4 Ra8 17.Qb7 Rb8 18.Qa7 Rxb2 19.Bb5 Nb6 20.a4 Bg4 21.Kh1 Bb4 22.Na2 Be7 23.Nc1 Nd5 24.Nd3 Rc2 25.Rac1 Rxc1 26.Nxc1 Ne3 27.Re1 Nf5 28.Bc6 Bb4 29.Rd1 Bxf3 30.Bxf3 Qh4 31.a5 Be1 32.Ne2 g5 33.Qb7 Bxa5 34.g3 Qh6 35.Qe4 Ne7 36.Ra1 Bd8 37.Qd3 Ng6 38.Nc3 Be7 39.Ne4 Rd8 40.Qe3 Qf8 41.Kg2 Rb8 42.Bh5 Qc8 43.Rc1 Rb2+ 44.Kh3 Qb7 45.Bxg6 fxg6 46.g4 h5 47.Rc3 Qa6 48.Rd3 Qa1 49.Nd2 Qd1 50.Qf3 Qe1 51.gxh5 Rxd2 52.Rxd2 Qxd2 53.hxg6 Qf4 54.Qh5?? Qh4+ 55.Qxh4 gxh4 56.Kg4 Kg7 57.h3 Bd8 58.Kf4 Bb6 59.Ke4 Bxd4 60.Kxd4 Kxg6 61.Ke4 Kg5 62.Ke3 Kf5 63.Kf3 Kxe5 64.Kg4 Ke4 65.Kxh4 Kf4 66.Kh5 e5 67.h4 e4 68.Kg6 e3 69.h5 e2 Black wins 0–1
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Talk about partial blindness – seems Moro was so desperate in trying to win with both #1 of the world and the tournament victory in his mind that forcing the draw just did not come to his mind at all. This is really sad, I am sorry for him. Go, Moro!
I’m only rated about 1700 so apologies if this is obvious but why wouldn’t Moro play 61.Ke5 and 62. Kd6 – isn’t at least a draw possible that way? Or is it just that he was desperately wanting to win the tournament and went for the full point, hoping for a mistake by his opponent?
Thanks for writing such a great blog Susan. Good luck with your next tournament.
Anon 2:02, your move would not chage as after 61.Kc5 Kg5 62.Kd6 Kf5 white will lose his central pawn anyway.
Anon 2:02, your move would not chage as after 61.Kc5 Kg5 62.Kd6 Kf5 white will lose his central pawn anyway.
(Tagging along, here ….) This position (after 62…Kf5) is so fundamental that it has its own name: trebuchet. It’s one of those basic K+P concepts that you have to learn by heart.
It takes the experienced Chucky to avoid the omen of the youth sticking his head near or above 2800 at the moment …
Don’t see why Qh5 got the ‘??’ – it didn’t seem to be a problem in itself.
Don’t see why Qh5 got the ‘??’ – it didn’t seem to be a problem in itself.
54…Qh4+ forces 55.Qxh4 gxh4 and the advantage of Black’s line piece – including being able to lose a move to maintain ‘the opposition’ when White is down to K-moves – is clearer.