After losing the 4th consecutive rapid games, Negi mounted a mini comback by winning game 5 and 6 of the rapid portion of the match.
The score now is still +3 (5 wins, 5 draws and 2 losses) for Lahno with 6 blitz games tomorrow to conclude the match.
GM Negi (2538) – WGM Lahno (2459) [C45] Game 10
Amity Grandmasters Challenge, New Delhi, India, 24.12.2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qf3 dxc6 7.Bc4 Be6 8.Qxf6 Nxf6 9.Bxe6 fxe6 10.f3 e5 11.Ke2 Kf7 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Kxe3 g5 14.Nd2 h5 15.Rad1 Ke6 16.Nf1 h4 17.Ke2 g4 18.Ne3 Rag8 19.Rdf1 gxf3+ 20.Kxf3 Rg5 21.g3 h3 22.g4 Nxg4 23.Nxg4 Rf8+ 24.Kg3 Rfg8 25.Rf6+ Ke7 26.Kxh3 Rxg4 27.Rhf1 Rxe4 28.Rf7+ Kd6 29.R1f6+ Kc5 30.Rxc7 Re3+ 31.Kh4 Rg2 32.Rxb7 Rxh2+ 33.Kg4 Rxc2 34.Rxa7 Rxb2 35.Ra6 Rb6 36.Rxb6 Kxb6 37.Kf5 Kc5 38.Re6 Kd5 39.Re8 Rf3+ 40.Kg4 Ra3 41.Rd8+ Ke4 42.Rc8 Rxa2 43.Rxc6 Rg2+ 44.Kh3 Rg8 45.Rc7 Ke3 46.Kh2 e4 47.Rf7 Ke2 48.Re7 e3 49.Rd7 Kf2 50.Rf7+ Ke1 51.Rd7 e2 52.Kh3 Rg5 53.Kh4 Rg1 54.Kh3 Kf2 55.Rf7+ Ke3 Black wins 0-1
Click here to replay game 10
WGM Lahno (2459) – GM Negi (2538) [B92] Game 11
Amity Grandmasters Challenge, New Delhi, India, 24.12.2006
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bf3 Nbd7 10.a4 Nb6 11.Nd2 Be6 12.Re1 Rc8 13.Nf1 Re8 14.Ne3 Rxc3 15.bxc3 Bd7 16.a5 Na4 17.Nf5 Bf8 18.Nxd6 Re6 19.Nf5 Qxa5 20.Bg5 Qc7 21.c4 Nb2 22.Qd2 Nxc4 23.Qc3 a5 24.Red1 Bb4 25.Qb3 b5 26.c3 Bc5 27.Qc2 h6 28.Bh4 Bc6 29.Nd4 exd4 30.cxd4 Bxe4 31.Bxe4 Nxe4 32.dxc5 Qxc5 33.Kh1 Qh5 34.Rd8+ Kh7 35.Bg3 Qg6 36.Qb3 Qf6 37.Rdd1 Nxf2+ 38.Bxf2 Qxf2 39.Qxb5 Ne3 40.Qd3+ Rg6 41.Rd2 Qf4 42.Re1 Ng4 43.g3 Nf2+ 44.Rxf2 Qxf2 45.Re8 Qc5 46.Rb8 a4 47.h4 a3 48.Kh2 Qf2+ 49.Kh3 a2 50.Ra8 h5 51.Ra5 Kh6 52.Qb3 Qf1+ 53.Kh2 a1Q 54.Qe3+ Kh7 55.Rxh5+ Rh6 56.Qe4+ g6 57.Rxh6+ Kxh6 Black wins 0-1
Click here to replay game 11
GM Negi (2538) – WGM Lahno (2459) [C78]
Amity Grandmasters Challenge, New Delhi, India, 24.12.2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 d5 8.a4 dxe4 9.axb5 Bg4 10.Bxe4 Nxe4 11.bxc6 Qd5 12.h3 Bh5 13.d4 exd4 14.cxd4 Bd6 15.Qe1 0-0 16.Ra5 Qxc6 17.Rxh5 Rfe8 18.Be3 Rab8 19.Qc1 Qb6 20.Nc3 Nf6 21.Nd5 Nxd5 22.Rxd5 Red8 23.Ne5 Qb3 24.Ra5 Rb6 25.Qc4 Ra8 26.Qxb3 Rxb3 White wins 1-0
Click here to replay game 12
Well, Lahno will very likely still win this match, because Negi will very likely not go 5-1. But one can only imagine the impact if Negi had not won one game out of 18! If he does credibly well tomorrow, such as 3-3, he should pschologically heal. I shared Susan’s concerns for Negi yesterday. Manifestly Negi needs not only to study the endgame, but the late middlegame transition phase to the endgame. He seems to play most games like the will be decided in 30 moves or less. If I were his instructor, I would be showing him Capablanca and Rubinstein.
I wonder if Lahno did not want to win all 6. After all it is not polite to win all the games.
I too am glad to see Negi win 2 games.
Lahno is 4 years older and obviously more polished as a chess player. Negi is a super player at 12 years old. He will be fantastic in 4 more years.
I really think Negi is a gentleman. He will take the losses with grace and he will simply continue to work on his chess.
Negi is very fortunate to get this match at his age. This can be a great growth stimulant for him in chess. I think Negi is enjoying the games and the competition.
If I was Negi’s instructor, He would be teaching me.
Its polite not to win all games.
But of coz Fisher never had such social graces 😉