Budapest Xmas Open 2012 Rd7

Here is a tense game in the topical Najdorf from the Xmas Open last year.

Mester,Attila(2128)-Medve,Mark(1972)
Sicilian Najdorf English Attack 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3[B90]
IV. Karacsonyi Open Budapest, Hungary(7.4),30.12.2012

Position 1
Mutual attacks have begun. White looks to be further along with the g-file to work with and the bishop pair. What do you suggest for black?

Black to Play

23.Qg2

Budapest Xmas Open 2012 Rd7 Pics

Here are more pics all taken by Thomas Heyl(Thanks!).

                 Koltai, Dora(l)-Ronyai, Imre(r)            

 Kelemen, Lajos Dr.- Revesz, Hunor(r)

Victor Csabai(l) playing Gubics(r)

Marosi, Levente(l) playing Kiss,Peter(r)

Game was eventually drawn

 Csurgo, Jozsef (l) playing  Bolyai, Istvan(r)        

Szurkos, Andras(l) vs Lakat,G(r) concentrating hard

Budapest Xmas Open 2012

Final Standings
Mihalka, Zsolt took clear first as the top seeds dominated. I had the worst tournament of the year since January but managed to win both games on the last day to finish with 4/7.

No.	Name	Score	Rating	TPR	W-We
1	Mihalka, Zsolt	6	2183	2349	1.27
2	Dombai, Istvan	5.5	2183	2248	0.59
	Bodi, Tibor	5.5	2046	2179	1.25
	Gubics, Peter	5.5	2127	2160	0.43
5	Mester, Attila	5	2128	2150	0.33
	Nemeth, Miklos	5	2095	2118	0.38
7	Marosi, Levente	4.5	2033	2070	0.51
	Medve, Mark	4.5	1972	2059	0.99
	Bodrogi, Laszlo	4.5	2059	2049	0.07
	Csabai, Viktor	4.5	2024	1984	-0.07
	Bartuszek, Andras	4.5	1887	1996	1.16
	Czibulka, Zoltan Dr.	4.5	2053	1944	-0.65
	Krstulovic, Alex	4.5	1845	1944	1.07
14	Balogh, Lajos	4	1989	1973	0
	Kiss, Peter	4	2020	1962	-0.39
	Szurkos, Andras	4	1805	1770	-0.23
	Lakat, Gyula	4	1885	1832	-0.27
	Yip, Michael	4	2074	1812	-1.92
	Toth, Laszlo	4	1631	1799	1.23
	Krizsany, Laszlo Sr.	4	1863	1873	0.27
	Kovacs, Miklos	4	1527	2457	2.23
22	Palla, Akos Botond	3.5	1966	1906	-0.44
	Szlenka, Attila	3.5	1785	1824	0.24
	Karacsonyi, Gellert	3.5	1514	1806	2.31
	Banhidi, Ferenc	3.5	1783	1776	-0.21
	Bolyai, Istvan	3.5	2018	1811	-1.64
	Csurgo, Jozsef	3.5	1750	1747	0.01
	Koltai, Daniel	3.5	1503	1750	2.02
29	Szendeff, Miklos	3	1770	1846	0.36
	Abraham, Lajos	3	1827	1612	-1.62
	Kelemen, Lajos Dr.	3	1439	1591	1.11
	Toth, Antal	3	1578	1731	0.76
	Budai, Istvan	3	1683	1568	-0.82
	Nemes Nagy, Peter	3	1515	1566	0.26
35	Papp, Laszlo	2.5	1815	1561	-1.86
	Czimer, Jozsef	2.5	1745	1722	-0.36
	Viola, Gellert	2.5	0	1724	1724
	Kalman, Tamas	2.5	1575	1457	-1.01
	Kovacsy, Barnabas	2.5	1538	1510	-0.27
	Revesz, Mariusz	2.5	1623	1367	-2.03
	Bella, Zsolt	2.5	1401	1529	0.82
42	Zsatkovics, Endre	2	1727	1504	-2.13
	Wallis, Janos	2	0	1321	1321
	Viola, Arpad Dr.	2	0	1527	1527
	Horvath, Zoltan	2	1519	1519	-0.18
	Revesz, Hunor	2	1386	1261	-1.01
47	Ronyai, Imre	1.5	1640	1479	-1.16
	Koltai, Dora	1.5	0	1219	1219
49	Karacsonyi, Kata	1	1263	1299	0.08
50	Bayer, Jozsef Dr.	0	1700	782	-1.48

Here is my tough Rd7 win against Szendeff,M where I eventually won on time.

Yip(standing) checking out the game beside

Yip(standing) checking out the position as Szendeff,M is thinking in rd7

Photos Thomas Heyl(Thanks!)

Szendeff,M(1770)-Yip,M(2075)
Philidor Queenless Game[B07]
Xmas Open (7), 30.12.2012

Position 1
Black has won a pawn but it's doubled and is attacking another(a4). White has the bishop pair and no obvious threats. What should black do now?
-19...N(either)xa4
-19...Nbd7 and occupy e5 immediately
-Something else

Black to Play

19.h5

Position 2
The game is going roughly as planned with black fighting for key dark squares, especially e5. How should black continue?

Black to Play

31.Rg6

Budapest Xmas Open 2012 Rd5 Pics

Here are some pics of rd5 taken by Thomas Heyl(Thanks!). Athough the games are taken seriously, the atmosphere is very friendly. Most of the players are regulars who I have played over and over for the last few years so everyone knows everyone.

There are a few keen players with laptops doing serious preparations between games. Now players are starting to catch onto the blog too.

Bodrogi,L(left) playing Medve,Mark(right)

Bodrogi,L(left) playing Medve,Mark(right)

The hard working Chief Arbiter Tamás Gyömbér

 and Kata Karacsonyi

Victor Csabai(left) playing Karacsonyi,Gellert(right)

Victor Csabai(left) playing Karacsonyi, Gellert(right)

Lakat,Gyula(left) playing Czimer,Josef(right)

Budapest Xmas Open 2012 Rd5

Here's my rd5 game. I was winning for a large part of the game and then received a shock on the last move of the game.

Reader's comments
'You should at least say that 63. ... cxb4 ?? is the Blunder. The answer 64.Qf7 would have been more striking...And your comment "wins the trapped bishop" is funny. Why on earth shall someone win this useless bishop?'-Thomas Heyl

Toth,A(1578)-Yip,M(2075)
Philidor[C41]
Xmas Open (5), 29.12.2012

Position 1
Black has a great positon. White is playing without Ba2 and has a completely static pawn structure. How should black continue?


Black to Play

51.Ne3

Position 2
Things look bleak for white. Black threatens ...Qa3# and is a pawn up with a fantastic knight. What should white do?


White to Play

69...Ke5

(3am-Dec 30 2012: Analysis of late stages updated.)

Budapest Xmas Open 2012 Rd4

Here's my round 4 game.

Karacsonyi,G(1514)-Yip,M(2075)
Philidor Ending[B07]
Xmas Open(4),29.12.2012

Final Position
Black is in check and facing the loss of a piece, politely resigned. During the post-mortem analysis, someone suggested that I should have played on. And they were right! Apparently I resigned in a winning position(or at least a non-resignable position).

Black to Play

32.Nd5+

Budapest Xmas Open 2012 Rd2

More scenes from the tournament hall.

Photos-Thomas Heyl(Thanks!)

Here is my Rd2 game against Mark Medve.

Position 1
Black has some activity now and I have to make a critical decision. What am I playing for? and what do I play?

White to Play

30..Qe3

Budapest Xmas Open 2012 Rd3

I lost my morning game with white against Mark Medve(1974) in a long game. Rd2 saw some upsets and at least I was not the only one. Medve is another rising Hungarian junior.

Here is my rd3 draw played in the afternoon. Both sides had chances in a tense and sloppy game.

Xmas Open Playing Hall

Left Corner board 1 in play

Yip,M(l) playing Lakat,G(r) in Rd3

Yip,M(l) playing Lakat,G(r) in Rd3

Photos Thomas Heyl-Thanks!

Yip,M(2075)-Lakat,G(1885)
Nimzo-Indian/Queen’s Indian Double Fianchetto[A50]
Budapest Xmas Open(3),28.12.2012

Position 1
Black's back rank and dark squares look suspicious and Na6 is out of play. How to exploit this though? What should white play?

White to Play

30...Qd5

Xmas Open(BP) Rd1

50 players are in this 7-round 90/game open. The field is limited to U2200s but is very strong. There will be pictures later I am promised.

Rd1 Standings

Place	PNo.	Name	Score	FIDE	TPR
1	1	Dombai, Istvan	1	2183	2518
	2	Mihalka, Zsolt	1	2183	2518
	3	Mester, Attila	1	2128	2485
	5	Nemeth, Miklos	1	2095	2462
	6	Yip, Michael	1	2074	2418
	7	Bodrogi, Laszlo	1	2059	2394
	8	Czibulka, Zoltan Dr.	1	2053	2388
	9	Bodi, Tibor	1	2046	2381
	10	Marosi, Levente	1	2033	2368
	11	Csabai, Viktor	1	2024	2359
	12	Kiss, Peter	1	2020	2355
	13	Bolyai, Istvan	1	2018	2353
	14	Balogh, Lajos	1	1989	2324
	15	Medve, Mark	1	1972	2307
	16	Palla, Akos Botond	1	1966	2301
	17	Bartuszek, Andras	1	1887	2222
	18	Lakat, Gyula	1	1885	2220
	19	Krizsany, Laszlo Sr.	1	1863	2198
	20	Krstulovic, Alex	1	1845	2180
	21	Abraham, Lajos	1	1827	-
	22	Papp, Laszlo	1	1815	-
	23	Szurkos, Andras	1	1805	-
	24	Szlenka, Attila	1	1785	-
24	4	Gubics, Peter	0.5	2127	1745
	28	Czimer, Jozsef	0.5	1745	2127
26	25	Banhidi, Ferenc	0	1783	1448
	26	Szendeff, Miklos	0	1770	1435
	27	Csurgo, Jozsef	0	1750	1393
	29	Zsatkovics, Endre	0	1727	1360
	30	Bayer, Jozsef Dr.	0	1700	-
	31	Budai, Istvan	0	1683	1339
	32	Ronyai, Imre	0	1640	1305
	33	Toth, Laszlo	0	1631	1296
	34	Revesz, Mariusz	0	1623	1288
	35	Toth, Antal	0	1578	1243
	36	Kalman, Tamas	0	1575	1240
	37	Kovacsy, Barnabas	0	1538	1203
	38	Kovacs, Miklos	0	1527	-
	39	Horvath, Zoltan	0	1519	1184
	40	Nemes Nagy, Peter	0	1515	1180
	41	Karacsonyi, Gellert	0	1514	1179
	42	Koltai, Daniel	0	1503	1168
	43	Kelemen, Lajos Dr.	0	1439	1104
	44	Bella, Zsolt	0	1401	1066
	45	Revesz, Hunor	0	1386	1051
	46	Karacsonyi, Kata	0	1263	928
	47	Koltai, Dora	0	0	1092
	48	Viola, Arpad Dr.	0	0	1080
	49	Viola, Gellert	0	0	1070
	50	Wallis, Janos	0	0	1050

Here's my rd1 effort

I had a very strong game early and won a clear exchange for nothing. Then I fell asleep and made problems for myself.

Budai,I(1683)-Yip,M(2075)
Philidor 4.d5[B07]
Xmas Open (1), 27.12.2012

Position 1
White has compensation for the exchange. But now what?

White to Play

47...Kd7