MMU Invitational 2016

The MMU Invitational 2016 was held last Sunday at the MultiMedia Universiti in CyberJaya. This was a 7 round tournament with 20 minutes for each player. First prize was a respectable RM500 but only about forty plus players were in attendance possibly due to the poor publicity.

The tournament was won by Muhd Syakir Shazmeer Azhar on better tie-break from Sumant Subramaniam. I was third though leading in the final round, lost to the eventual champion.

Here are a few interesting positions.

Zaidan-Jimmy, Round 4

The game ended quickly

Jimmy-Sumant , Round 

Black got impatient and played recklessly.

20.... f5?! 21. exf5 Bxd5 22. Bc4 Bxc4 23. Nxc4

Better move was 23. Qxc4+ Kh8 24. Ne4 winning . The threat of Nxd6 and Ng5 is unstoppable.

23... Qc6 24. Bg5! 

It took me a while to realize this move was totally winning.

24... Nf6

Black also took a lot of time here. 24... d5 25. Ncxe5 Qb7 26. Bxe7 Rxe7 27. Qd3 is a clear pawn 

25. Bxf6 

The clearest win given by my computer is 25. Ncxe5 dxe5 26. Qc4+ Kh8

27. Nxe5 and black can resign

25... gxf6 26. Ne3 Qxa4 27. Nd5 Bd8 28. Nd2 Qd7 29. Ne4 Qxf5 30.

Nxd6 Qg6 31. Nxe8 Qxe8 32. f4 Ng6 

There is a nice win if black plays 32... Nd7 33. Qg4+ Kh8 34. Nc7 Bxc7 35. Rxd7 and the mate on g7 wins another piece.

33. h4 Qf7 (33... Ra7 34. h5 Nf8 35. fxe5) 34. h5 Nf8 35. fxe5 fxe5 36. Qg4+ 

36. Qxe5 Qf2+ 37. Kh3 is winning but I did not want to create any

chances for Black since I was short of time.

36... Kh8 37. Rf1 Qg7 38. Qe4 Ra7 39. Rf5 Nd7 40. Rdf1 Qh6 41. Kg2 Qd6 42. h6 Qxh6 43. Rxe5 Qd2+ 44. Rf2 Nxe5 45. Qxe5+ Rg7 46. Rxd2 1-0

Finally the last round game that decided first place.

Muhd Syakir-Jimmy Liew, Round 7

White is better in this endgame but the game ended after another three moves!

 32... Kd6 ?? 33. Bb4
Ouch!
33...Ke6 34. Re2+ 1-0

The final rankings.