Malaysian Masters 2015 (Women)

The 2015 Malaysian Masters (Women) started off today with ten participants in a round robin format. The tournament will be played over five days starting today till Wednesday , 3rd June 2015 at Dewan Ho Koh Chye at the Olympic Hotel in Jalan Hang Jebat.

The first round saw some interesting mistakes. Renitha Narayanan could have scored a win if she had seen a simple tactic.

Tan Li Ting-Renitha Narayanan

White to move sees that the knight cannot be taken since after 34. fxe4 Qe3+ 35. Kf1 Nxa4 36. Qxa4 Qxe4, the white king is too exposed.

34.Ng2?? whereupon Renitha immediately played 34...Qd8 and lost a rook ending a pawn down after some major exchanges. Instead she could have won with 34... Nxa4 35. Qxa4 Nc3 simply winning a rook for knight.

Renitha's blindness continued in round two where she simply overlooked her queen was en prise.

Alia - Renitha

Black played 34...Bxd4?? and resigned immediately after 35. Qxa5


Also in round two I came across the following interesting ending.

Nur Nabila-Puteri Rifqah

Black is in some danger and should now play ...f6-f5 blocking the king-side.

37...h5? 38. f5+ Kxf5 39. Kxd5 Ne5 40. e4+ Kg4 41. Kd6 Kf4 42. Kc7 Nc4

Black recognizes her position is hopeless and goes for the best practical chance.

43. Kxb7 Nxa5+ 44. Bxa5 Kxe4 45. Kc6 Ke3 

Black's objective is simple; to exchange all white pawns on the king-side

46. g3??

This is a  crucial loss of tempo. White was too short of time to find the winning plan. 46. Bb6+
Ke2 47. Kd5 Kf1 48. g4 hxg4 49. Ke6 (White wins this position as he is able to
stop the black pawns.) Kg2 50. Bc7 Kf2 51. Kf5 Kf3 52. Bd6 Ke3 53. Kxg4 Ke4 54.
Kh5 f5 55. Kg5 g6 56. h4 wins.

46... Kf3 47. Bc7 Kg2 48. Kd5

Now 48. g4 hxg4 49. Kd5 Kf3 is a draw as white cannot stop the f-pawn from rolling forward. 50. Ke6 Ke4 and starts pushing the f-pawn.

48... Kxh2 49. Ke4 Kg2
More to the point was 49... Kh3 50. Kf3 g5 intending ...g4 and than ...h4 exchanging
white's pawn.

50. Kf5 Kf3 51. Bb8 g6+ 52. Kxg6 Kg4 53. Kxf6 h4 54. gxh4 Kxh4 1/2-1/2