Round 5 Malaysia live commentary

As usual I only provide commentary. Go here for live games.

Mas and Mok should win their games so we only need a minimum draw from the two bottom boards to take the match points.

Round 5 started

Board 1 FM Gemy Jose Daniel - IM Mas

Mas exchanges his black square bishop for the knight on c3. It weakens the white pawns on c3 and c4 at the cost of giving his good bishop.

Mas is going to miss his black squared bishop, he could be in for a spot of trouble.

Things really started happening since I left. Mas as I expected got into some problems and had to sac a pawn which I think he will get back. I think white has to play 27. h5 now to close the h-file

White has weak c-pawns so I expect Mas to turn this game around.

7:37 PM: Mas declined to take back his pawn. No doubt taking the pawn will allow the white pieces to become very active 27...gxh5 28. f4 h4 29. Nf6 and the knight lands on f6.

I expect him to be in trouble soon.

8:00 PM: Mas repeating moves now. A second look at the position shows that white cannot lose unless he tries to win.

8:15 PM: Mas manages to make the time control at move forty. Now he will try to put his king on h6.

8:34 PM: Draw agreed


Board 2 IM Mok Tze Meng - Mendoza Rodrigo

Mok plays the Two Knights variation of the Caro-Kann. White gets the bishop pair and black solves his opening problems.

White does not look like that much better but the two bishops will win the game in the long run.

One pair of bishop exchanged, Mok has some pressure but correct play is going to give black the draw.

8:16 PM: Mok has improved his position with a strong bishop against knight and weak black pawns on the queen side, he has good winning chances.

8:33 PM: Mok seems to have made some blunders because now he is in danger of losing

8:43 PM Mok faces unavoidable mate in one. Unbelievable. If the clocks are correct, it was his opponent that was in time trouble.

Board 3 Angulo P Carlos - Tan Khai Boon

Khai Boon faces a slightly higher rated opponent at 2210. Still this is his best chance to score his first win.

Khai Boon is in trouble on the open d-file and might lose a piece to the pin. But I think I see some tactics to prevent this.

7:40PM: Khai Boon plays 17...Ra7 the only move. But he is very short of time (less than 9 minutes on the clock) and forty moves still very far off.

7:47PM: After 17..Ra7 18. Bc4 Rd7 white cannot take the a6 pawn 19. Bxa6 Nxc1 and black regains the pawn on b2.

8:07 PM: 19...h5? is just a desperate move in time trouble. 20.Qxh5?? Nf4 wins the exchange. White can just play 20.Qf5 and gain a clear advantage. Black will just lose a pawn for nothing.

8:20 PM: Khai Boon's position is lost

8:29 PM: White seems to have misplayed his position. Now Khai Boon managed to exchange to opposite coloured bishops with a pawn down.

Board 4 FM Peter Long - WIM Estrada Lucia

Peter faces off with a Woman International Master. He should be able to win though one must never understimate an opponent. Here's an interesting tidbit - in his younger days, Peter once beat former world champion Xie Jun. In a real tournament game, not a simul.

I thought Peter might continue playing a Catalan but after 5. b3 , it looks like he does not want to test his opponents opening preparation.

Peter has a slight advantage out of the opening, his two bishops supports his centre pawn nicely.

Peter pieces are now poorly co-ordinated. He already pushed his g-pawn to g4 and this created weaknesses on his dark squares.

7:41 PM: Peter is repeating moves which signalling intention to split the point.

7:52 PM: Peter draws

Summary:
Current situation does not look that good.

7:42 PM: Looks like I'm right again. Mas will have to win from his bad position. Mok has pressure and have to win also. I think Khai Boon will lose because of his time trouble. Peter's opponent have the choice to repeat or play for the win.

8:10 PM: There is a real possibility of losing this match or at best drawing. I expect Khai Boon to lose and Mas to draw. Mok's game will decide.

8:23 PM: On the women's side, Mi Yen winning, Nabila possible draw, Alia position worse, Nurul Huda possible draw so either a win or draw for them.

8:30 PM: Khai Boon might hold in an opposite coloured bishop position. Things are improving.

8:34 PM: Maybe I spoke too soon because when I checked Mok's board it looks like he is losing all of a sudden. Maybe some careless moves or he understimated his opponent's attacking chances. So we are in danger of losing this match

8:39 PM: Alia has turned the tables and now winning so the women's will win their match

8:44 PM: The impossible has happened. Men's team will certainly lose to Bolivia.

9:01 PM: Alia and Mi Yen wins. Nabila draws. Nurul Huda can win if she wants.