IM Mas - Li Tian analysed

 

IM Mas Hafizulhelmi - Yeoh Li Tian

1.e4 e5

Surprise! Li Tian normally plays Caro-Kan  which  Mas must probably prepared for.

2.¥c4

This is Mas weapon against 1...e5.

¤f6 3.d3 ¤c6 4.¤c3 ¥c5 5.¥g5 h6 6.¥h4 ¥e7!?

Strange move. [6...d6 7.¤a4 ¥b6 8.¤xb6 axb6 9.f3 ¥e6 10.¤e2]

7.¥g3

Mas believes in bishops. [7.¥xf6 ¥xf6 8.¤d5 0–0 9.¤f3 ¤a5 black is already equal]

7...d6 8.¤ge2 0–0 9.f3

Strange move from Mas. The idea seems to be to keep the bishop after ...Nh5

9...¤a5 10.¥f2

White should play Bb3 to prevent an exchange on c4.

10...c6

[10...¤xc4 11.dxc4 c6 black has bishop pair and white weak doubled pawns on queen-side]

11.a3!?

White should retreat Bb3 and retake with the a-pawn

11...¤xc4 12.dxc4 ¥e6 13.£d3 £a5?!

[13...£c7 and continue with normal development. Black already better]

14.0–0 ¦fd8 15.¦fd1 ¦d7

Black has bishop pair and plans to open up the position with the d5 pawn push. Black prepares to play ...d5 by doubling rooks on d-file, which will give him a big advantage. But he misses the white reply which changes the outlook of the game.

16.¤d5! cxd5 17.cxd5 ¥g4 18.fxg4 ¤xg4 19.£f3

[19.¥e1 £b6+ 20.¢h1 ¥g5 and black controls the dark squares.]

19...¤xf2 20.£xf2 ¦c8 21.c3 £a4 22.£f3 ¥f8?

the bishop should not be hiding here. Bg5 is correct

23.¤c1 £b5 24.¤d3 g6 25.¦f1 ¥g7 26.£h3 ¦cd8

Position is roughly equal and Li Tian just shuffles around. I think he is just interested in a draw but Mas needs this win to achieve a reasonable placing in the tournament. This explains the next few moves.

27.¢h1 ¦c7 28.£e3 ¦f8 29.¦f3 f5 

 

30.£xa7?

This is a very poor trade of pawns for white. Maybe Mas thinks he can win the black e4 pawn but he is mistaken.

30...fxe4 31.¦xf8+ ¥xf8 32.¤b4

White only needs to bring his queen back to e3 and wins the e-pawn but he must have over-looked next black move.

32...£e2–+

White is quite lost. His pieces cannot co-ordinate to prevent black from winning his pawns.

33.£g1

[33.¦b1 e3 cuts the queen's retreat back to the king-side. Black will win with ...Rf7 and Rf2 or Rf1]

33...£xb2 34.¦a2 £b3

[Of course not  34...£xc3 35.¦c2+–]

35.h3 ¦f7 36.£e1 £c4 37.¦e2 ¦f4 38.¢g1 ¢h7 39.¦e3 h5 40.£e2

[40.g3 ¦f3 41.¦xe4 £c5+ 42.¢g2 ¦xc3 is still lost. The white knight on b4 is tied to the defence of d5. The black bishop will enter the game via h6. White's a-pawn is weak.]

40...£c5 41.¢h2 ¥h6 42.c4 ¦h4 43.¦xe4 ¦xe4 44.£xe4 ¥f4+

Mas resigns. After 45. Kh1 Qf2 46. Qb1 e4 , white is helpless against the passed black e-pawn

0–1