Singapore beats Malaysia again

After two days and four rounds of chess, Singapore managed to overcome a 6-0 deficit from the first round to win the Dato' Tan Kim Yeow trophy.

It looks like Malaysia is weaker in the rapid games which was the time control for the 3rd and 4th rounds. The final score 76.5 to 75.5 points in Singapore favour.

I managed to return from Penang yesterday to do my part today. I was placed in the Veterans (over forty-five) section.

This is the second game against my opponent, a Filipino who teaches chess in Singapore. The time control is twenty-five minutes with ten seconds increment for each move.

[Event "Malaysia-Singapore Match"]
[Date "2010.02.17"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Louie Polistico"]
[Black "Jimmy Liew"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A36"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 O-O 5. e3 c5 6. Nge2 Nc6 7. O-O d6 8. h3
a6 9. d4 Bf5 10. a3 Qc8 11. Kh2 Rb8 12. b3 b5 13. Nf4?

Blunders a pawn but I did not reply with the best move.

13...cxd4?!

It is better to capture first on c4 first creating another weakness.

14. exd4 Nxd4 15. Ncd5

15. Qxd4 loses the queen after 15...Ng4+

15...Re8 16. Bb2

I spent about five minutes looking at the complications which arises from 16... Nxb3. For example 17. Bxf6 bxc4 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Ra2 e5 20. Nd2. I have three pawns for the piece and active play for all my pieces.

White can also play 17. Nxf6 Bxf6 18. Bxf6 bxc4! 19. Bc3 Nxa1 20 Qxa1 which is probably worse than the previous variation.

However I decided it was better not to take any risks with this tactical play. After all it is rapid chess and I should outplay him easily.

16...e5 17. Nxf6 Bxf6 18. Nd5 Bg7 19. Rc1 Qd7 20. cxb5 Nxb5 21. Re1 Be6 22. Nb4

This looks like it wins a pawn. But black pieces become really active now which will compensate. Besides, I felt I could easily win the b3/f2 pawn back.

22...Rec8! 23. Nxa6 Rxc1 24. Qxc1 Rc8 25. Qe3

This looks logical as it defends the b3 pawn and prevents ...Qa7 forking the knight and f2 pawn but allows an invasion of black pieces. 25. Qd2 was probably more testing (25...Bxb3? 26. Bxe5)

25... Rc2 26. Bc1 Nd4 27.Nb4 Rc8 28. Nd5 Nc2 29. Qe2

and in a lost position, White lost on time. Black will win easily after 29..Nxe1 30. Qxe1 Bxd5 31. Bxd5 Qb5. The whole point of the exchange on d5 is that the d-pawn will now be mobile as the bishop on c1 is vulnerable, 32. Bc4 Qc6 33. Qd1 d5! 34. Qxd5 Qxd5 35. Bxd5 Rxc1

0-1