My prediction is 4-0 for Malaysia!
Board 1 Perera W C C - IM Mok Tze-Meng
Mok gets another black, no prizes for guessing the opening.
Ah...Mok surprises everyone and plays 1...e5. The game goes into a Two Knights Defence but Mok plays 5...Ne4 instead of the normal 5...d5. Is it a prepared line or he just do not know the opening?
7:37 PM: Mok is piece up so no surprises here.
Board 2 Tan Khai Boon - Koggala W S V K
5.Nbd2 is not exactly the best way to play this position. White gets problems on the e1-a5 diagonal and lose some control over the centre.
6.e4
7:37 PM: Wow what happened here? Khai Boon has queen for two rooks.
8:26 PM: After exchanging of minor pieces, the rooks will have control of the game. Khai Boon may be already lost here.
8:31 PM: 29...Bc3 is a winning move. 30. Qxc2 Bd4+ wins the white queen.
Board 3 Weerawardane R - FM Long Peter
Peter uses a Blumenfeld Gambit, a form of Benko Gambit where white does not immediately accept the pawn. They have now reached the starting position of the Blumenfled. Black will use his strong pawn centre to compensate for the sacrificed pawn.
Peter has a perfect Blumenfeld, can expect him to score today.
7:34 PM: Peter has strong attack but exchange down. But he should be winning already.
7:46 PM: Peter settles for a draw. It turns out that 43...Nf3+ is not working because 44. Rxf3 Rxf3 45. Bxe4+ is check!
Board 4 Gregory Lau - Anuruddha G C
This looks like the most even contest judging from their ratings. I think Greg can pull this one off. He's not that bad a player. I think.
This line in the Fianchetto Variation with ..Bg4, black aims to attack the d4 pawn and weaken it. White has to play accurately. Black can follow up with ...Nd7 and sometimes ...e5 to attack the pawn.
7:36 PM: This do not look good at all. The white king is a bit exposed due to g-pawn exchanged off.
8:33 PM: 40...Nxa4 and Greg is in trouble. 41. Nxc7 Nc3 should be close to winning for black.
8:49 PM: 41...Rc8 not the best. White now back in the game , 42. Rxc5 Nxc5 43. Nd5 with chances.
9:00 PM: Greg missed his chance. After 42...dxc5 he should have tried 43. Qg4 Rxc7? 44 Rb8+ Kg7 45. Qd7+ winning!
9:17 PM: Greg actually have a winning position now!
Summary:
7:38 PM: Both Peter and Mok should win. Greg might lose due to king position. Khai Boon is not so clear.
7:47 PM: Peter just drew. Now pressure on the other three to deliver two points.
8:14 PM: Mok clearly winning now. Gregory still in some trouble and likely to remain so. Mok's opponent resigns, 1.5-0 to Malaysia now
8:27 PM: Khai Boon can only hope for a draw at best. Which means Greg must win now for Malaysia to win the match.
8:34 PM: At this point I have to say we will lose the match 1.5-2.5
8:46 PM: Khai Boon loses. 1.5-1.5 now
9:18 PM: Strangely we will win this match 2.5-1.5, as Greg is winning
2 comments:
Mok knows what he's doing. I have seen him play this line before, and he knows the main move is 5...d5. This is preparation. His openings are rather poor, but it's not THAT bad...
Ok...I bow to your vast pool of knowledge...
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