Mok-Mas , Game 2

[Event "Malaysian Masters"]
[Site "DAT Chess Centre"]
[Date "2009.10.30"]
[White "Mok Tze Meng"]
[Black "Mas]
[Result "*"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4

First surprise. Mok rarely plays main lines

cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Nbd7 8. Qf3
Qc7 9. O-O-O b5 *

A main line of the Sicilian Najdorf is the second surprise. I guess Mok has been doing his homework, otherwise he will not venture into this

10. e5


This is going to be ultra sharp. Both players seem to have come prepared

Bb7 11. Qh3 dxe5 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. Qxe6+

This position looks very dangerous for black for example , 13...Be7 14. Bxb5 axb5 15. Nxb5 Qc6 16. Nd6 Kd8 17. fxe5

13.. Be7 14. Bxb5 axb5 15. Nxb5 Qc6 16. Nd6+ Kd8 *

There is one famous game which went

17. fxe5 Kc7 18. Qxe7 Rxa2 19. exf6 Ra1+ 20. Kd2 Qd5+ 21. Kc3 Qa5+ 22. Kd3 Qd5+ 23. Kc3 Qa5+ 24. Kd3 Qd5+ 1/2-1/2 Grischuk - Svidler , Sochi. But I doubt if Mas is satisfied with a draw after the first game

17. fxe5 Kc7

Another super sharp line goes 18. Qxe7 Nd5 19. Rxd5 Qxd5 20. Rd1
Qxe5 21. Nxb7 Qxe7 22. Bxe7 Rxa2 Nilsson, Sebastian - Hammer, Jon Ludvig ,Cappelle op 24th which ended in black winning

18. Kb1

Probably white is out of book already. This do not look as promising e.g 18..Bf8 19. exf6 Bxd6, black remains two pieces up

18... Bxd6 19. Rxd6 Qa4 20. exf6 Rhe8 21. Rxd7+ Qxd7 22. Bf4+ *

White has five pawns for a rook and open black king. Is it enough?

22.. Kc8 23. Qc4+

After 23...Qc6 it does not look enough. Black remains safe after 24. Qf7 gxf6! So Mas will make it 1-1 after all.

23...Bc6

Idea, 24. fxg7 Qd5 forces queens off because of the attack on a2 square.

24. fxg7 Qd5 25. Qxd5 Bxd5 26. b3 Ra7 27. Rd1 Bg8 28.a4 Rxg7 29. g3 Re2 30. h4 h5

Mok might as well call it a day. Tomorrow another two tough games for both.

31. Rd3 Bh7 32. Rc3+ Kb7 33. Kb2 Bf5 34. Rc5 Bg6 35. b4 Rd7 36.a5 Be4

1/2-1/2 ???

Amazing. Maybe Mas is too short of time.

Live game below