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| Moscow Cup has finished | 2008-06-22 14:39:48 |
| This Thursday (June 19) I played the final match of Moscow Cup versus Alexander Mikhailov. The scheduled number of games was four. |
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I am at the morning before the match.
The drawing before the match decided that I am Number One in the first game. I rejected RIF rules. Alexander rejected Sakata rules. I wished to control the opening, therefore, I rejected Taraguchi rules. Alexander rejected Yamaguchi rules. So, the game was played by the only remained Jonsson rules.
I put Indirect 11. Alexander had swapped. I played 4-i10 and declared three 5th alternative moves. |
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| Alexander thought here near 45 minutes, i. e. a half of his remained time. Nevertheless, his decision was not good. |
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| The best moves here (well known from the theory) are 5-i7 and 5-f8. It is possible to play as the third 5th move 5-g9, i8 or j7. Probably the best decision for Alexander was to swap again. The move 5-g8 made by Alexander is losing. |
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| Black resigned after 16 because of the foul 3x3 in the point j7. The most tough way to play for black is shown at the next diagram but white wins in any case. |
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The second game was started after a short pause. Alexander rejected RIF rules, I rejected Yamaguchi rules. Alexander like me considers Taraguchi rules as the best of all used rules but I rejected Taraguchi rules in the previous game by tactical reasons. Therefore, Alexander said: "I must fight too" and rejected Taraguchi rules. I rejected Sakata rules. So, the Jonsson rules were the only remained rules and the second game was played by Jonsson rules again.
Alexander put Direct 12 opening. This is one of his most favourite openings. I did not want to play variants favourite for my opponent. Therefore, I had transferred the game into Indirect 8 opening and declared three 5th alternative moves. Alexander has swapped. I put two standard 5th moves and also 5-g8. We played already with Alexander the game with 5-g8 at Moscow Championship 2007. There Alexander played 6-i8 and the result of that game was a draw. Alexander quickly removed two standard 5th moves and thought on his 6th move. |
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Interesting variants appear after 6-i8 or 6-g10 but Alexander after the first game wished to play something well known for him, therefore he played 6-g9 and had transferred the game into Direct/Indirect 12 opening again. Alexander played many games in this variant many years ago and had very good impressions from that games. During our game he said: "It is very easy to play when the structure of a position is well known!"
Black has some initiative in this variant but must be careful in a development. My moves 37 and 41 were not tight. |
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Probably is was necessary for me to take the point 38 by 37-38.
Alexander spent some time after 41 trying to find the foul attack to the point d7. He did not find a win. Nevertheless, it was reasonable to make a three 42-d9. If 43-f7 then it seems that white wins: |
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| So, black must play 43-c10. It seems that black can defend here although white has a strong attack: |
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If 46-e11 then 47-e12.
Alexander missed this possibility and I took the point d9 at the next move 43-d9. The following part of this game was not very interesting but I had a time trouble whereas Alexander had more time. It is more difficult to play ends of games by black because of fouls, therefore, Alexander tried to win. After the game he said that he did not fight in such positions in tournaments but in a match he must fight. At the same time such players as Sinyov and Krasnonosov drank a lot of his blood in similar situations in the past.
Trying to win Alexander missed my three 107 and did not close it. He resigned after my open four 109. I had only one minite in that moment for the rest of the game. |
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After the pause for a dinner we started the third game. The sequence of rejections was the absolutely same as in the first game: I rejected RIF rules, Alexander rejected Sakata rules, I rejected Taraguchi rules, Alexander rejected Yamaguchi rules. So, the game was played by the only remained Jonsson rules like two previous games in this match. I repeat that it does not mean that we consider Jonsson rules as the best rule. It fact, we both consider Taraguchi rule as the best. Our choice was the result of a tactical fight. Probably, it would be reasonable if the Number Two will make the first move in Taraguchi rules. Then the Player Number One will be able to force the opening under all rules and the situation will be fair for all rules.
I put Direct 7 opening this time. Alexander had swapped. I played 4-g8 and declared three 5th alternative moves. Alexander had swapped again. I put two standard 5th moves and also 5-f7. Alexander has started the direct attack.
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Alexander saw this position for the first time whereas I knew this position very well. Until 16 it was the game Degtiar-Kozhin (European Championship, 1995). Degtiar played 17-e9?? and lost immediately by the foul 3x3 in the point h6. After the correct 17-17 the foul attack is not valid since 27 at the next diagram is not a foul 3x3 because 23-21-27 is not a three since g7 is the foul 4x4.
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I played this variant already in this Moscow Cup 2008 versus Karen Sirategyan. Moreover, I published the above diagram in my article "Moscow Cup. Tarannikov - Sirategyan" at this blog. This example shows that it is very important to read blogs at www.renju.net!
Karen Sirategyan played versus me 16-h6 but I had an advantage too. More calm and correct way of white's attack is 10-g7.
Alexander spent a lot of time trying to find a win. When he played 20 and proposed a draw he had less than two minutes for the rest of game! (We use old fashioned clocks without any Fisher's additions.) The draw in this game gave me the win in the match but I decided that I have an advantage and had declined this proposition. |
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29-30 won more easy, 32-39 is more tight but black has a huge advantage in any case. Alexander resigned after 39.
So, I won the Moscow Cup 2008 with 100% result: 14 points in 14 games. Of course, it was the big luck - it is sufficient only to remember the ending of my second game versus Mikhailov. Also it is obvious that it will be practically impossible for me to repeat this result in the future when players will be more confident with new rules. |
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