Gata Kamsky – Boris Gelfand (game 5)
Will it be 1.e4 or 1.d4?
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.0–0 Bg7 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 0–0 10.f3 Rc8 11.b3 d5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 e6 14.Bh6 exd5 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.c5 Na6 17.Nc2 Nxc5 18.Qd4+ f6 19.Ne3 Ne6 (Unfortunately, Gata got nothing out of the opening as White. There’s not even any complication. Black is equal to a little better because of the more active Rook on c8)
20.Qh4 (A desperate attempt to create some play by White. However, if Black defends properly, White may risk losing this game and the match.)
20…Rc5 21.Rad1 d4 22.Ng4 Rf8 23.Rfe1 -/+ Rh5 24.Qg3 Rd5 25.Rd2 Qd6 (I see no chances for White to win this game. I see Gelfand getting at least a draw if not more. However, I have to admire Gata’s fighting spirit. While some took short draws, he is fighting and trying hard.)
26.Qh4 h5 27.Nf2 g5 28.Qe4 Re5 29.Qb1 Rxe1+ 30.Qxe1 Rd8 31.g3 Nc5 32.Qe2 a5 33.Qb5 b6 34.a3 Qe6 (White is in big trouble. He is having a hard time stopping the d pawn advancement and his King is extremely weak. I am afraid the match may end with this game.)
35.Rb2 (35…d3 is deadly. This is winning for Black.)
35…d3 36.b4 axb4 37.axb4 Nb3 38.Qa4 Nd4 39.Kg2 Nc2 40.Rxc2 dxc2 41.Qxc2 g442.fxg4 hxg4 43.Kg1 Rd4 44.Qc7+ Kg6 45.Qc2+ f5 46.Qc3 Rc4 47.Qd2 +- Kh7 48.h3 gxh3 49.Nxh3 Qc6 50.Qe3 Rc1+ 51.Kf2 Qc2+ 52.Kf3? (walking into a mate in an already hopeless position.)
52…Rf1+ 53.Nf2 Rxf2+ 0-1
1.e4
11.e4 followed by 3.d4
I do not see any possibility Kamsky could make it. Boris is too strong.
Did Gata lose or sacrifice the pawn, how can we know?
any ideas what happens if black plays 5. … Qg4?
Kamsky used a lot of time earlier. Gelfand used some on 23…Rh5. This seems relatively risk-free. He can continue that way and win if Gata slips, or just hold game 6 as white, which should be easy. The d-pawn wasn’t secure earlier but is OK after Rd5. If Gata doesn’t play 25 h4 now, what’s he gonna do?
Anonymous Frank
After 25 Rd2 this is beginning to look like a coffee-house game. Gata had a rather silly grin after his second loss. Is another one beginning? Boris: “I could win this, but with a lot of trouble. Easier to either let this meshuggenah self-destruct, or just wait until tomorrow.”
Anonymous Frank
Another long think? Unpleasant choices. 26 Qf2 f5 or 25 Qh4 Rh5, so QxQ seems necessary, with a grind. Kamsky’s been a WC contender before and probably has difficulty seeing this chance fade.
Anonymous Frank
Go, Borya, go!!! Gata speksya…
I’m not as impressed with Gata’s fighting spirit. He fought when he shouldn’t have and took easy draws when he shouldn’t. There are good gambles and bad ones, and giving up this pawn was a bad one. He’d have had a better chance of winning with Black tomorrow than of having this pawn sac pay off.
there will be no tomorrow for Gata
Not in the tournament there is. But maybe he can do some shopping in Elista.
By the way, how many of his games did Gelfand win at the black side in both his matches!
Indeed, almost all of them … Incredible stuff.
wow kamsky got checkmated!
>>there will be no tomorrow for Gata>>
That’s the whole point. There would have been if he hadn’t taken a stupid gamble.
that gelfand is difficult to play against. he never gives much room for attacking. kamsky did a good job especially since he had no one analyzing with him. no need to hang your head he can just come back stronger.