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U.S. Championships is Live Now

U.S. Championships is Live Now

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Here ya go:

http://saintlouischessclub.org/US-Championship-2009-Live

Let's talk about the games after they get interesting!

EDIT: Kamsky playing a benoni? Anyone else noticed Kamsky playing unusual openings lately(at least for a 2700+ player)?

EDIT2: Apparently the boards were messed up. Sevillano is the one playing a benoni. Oops

EDIT1562: I can't spell Sevillano

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Dragon fans, we have a... dragon. Lawton - GM Khachiyan...old, old line with 9...e6

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Originally posted by ResigningSoon
Here ya go:

http://saintlouischessclub.org/US-Championship-2009-Live

Let's talk about the games after they get interesting!

EDIT: Kamsky playing a benoni? Anyone else noticed Kamsky playing unusual openings lately(at least for a 2700+ player)?

EDIT2: Apparently the boards were messed up. Sevillano is the one playing a benoni. Oops

EDIT1562: I can't spell Sevillano
This is great. Thank you.

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From the "bishops can be better than rooks" category



Why didn't white take back the exchange on move 22? It seems to me that white is in decent shape after 22. Bxc8. In the event, black was able to trade off his "bad" dark squared bishop for that piece.

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I think he must be afraid of how easy pushing the a-pawn looks after 22.Bxc8 Bxc8 with black's two bishops controlling all those squares in front of the pawn. Bd6 was probably a better practical try, but Bxc8 was probably the best move.

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Originally posted by ResigningSoon
I think he must be afraid of how easy pushing the a-pawn looks after 22.Bxc8 Bxc8 with black's two bishops controlling all those squares in front of the pawn. Bd6 was probably a better practical try, but Bxc8 was probably the best move.
True; but the key square, a1, could not easily be controlled by black's dark squared bishop because of white's dark square pawn chain. In fact, with white's light bishop hitting a6 and thus preventing black's rook from getting there, it's hard for me to see how black could march the a pawn very easily.

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Originally posted by sh76
True; but the key square, a1, could not easily be controlled by black's dark squared bishop because of white's dark square pawn chain. In fact, with white's light bishop hitting a6 and thus preventing black's rook from getting there, it's hard for me to see how black could march the a pawn very easily.
But the rook will go to b8 and the queen will go to the a-file behind the pawn making white's position critical. I can't say black could force the pawn to queen, but I'd be scared of it against Kamsky.

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Hess is playing a Dragdorf against Kamsky now. woo!