The crazy game which wound up being pivotal to Seattle’s Championship run managed a reasonable showing in the GOTY Contest.
This is the seventh part in a series of articles which will count down to revealing what game was voted as the 2012 USCL Game of the Year. For more information on exactly how this process works and the prize information, please refer to: Game of the Year Contest
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14th Place: IM Georgi Orlov (SEA) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 1-0
With 31. Rcf6!, the already interesting game had another exciting twist. After more interesting play, IM Orlov finally emerged victorious and sent the Sluggers to the Semifinals
IM David Pruess (2nd Place, 19 Points): Perhaps the decisive game for the whole season (as the Seattle Sluggers needed a win from Orlov to eliminate the probably best team in the league, the Dallas Destiny; and then they went on to win the Championship!). This game was extremely tense and very creative: from the opening Ne5 idea, the Queen on b7 creating awkwardness for Black rather than being out of position, giving up the Bishop pair for the f4-f5 push to open the game, the Rook transfer to the Kingside, to the tactics under time pressure. Conrad is such a strong player that any time he loses, I look at the game as its apt to be something special.
GM-elect Robert Hungaski (4th Place, 17 Points): Contrary to what many people believe, the Exchange Slav can be a pretty tricky opening. Though it’s true that most of the people that play it do so because they are looking for a quiet game (and yes, many times a draw), every now and then some crazy positions arise, and the USCL seems to be the preferred battle ground.
The curious thing about this game is that the fireworks only started at the move 31. Rcf6! leading to an unclear exchange sac that kept Black on the hook for no less than ten moves before it became (more or less) clear that White was going to bag this one (after 42. Kg3! threatening Rh4).
GM Alex Yermolinsky (9th Place, 12 Points): A quiet line of the Exchange Slav developed into a very tense situation where White was trying to maintain his greater piece activity to offset Black’s superior Pawn structure. With 27. f5 Orlov started a direct action against the Black King, but had Holt found the brilliant counter 29… Rb6, White would have had to make a full retreat. Being low on time Holt missed that and was forced into the defensive by the pressing Orlov, who threw in an exchange sacrifice. Yet, Black should have been able to hold on until his error on move 42. A big victory for Orlov, who certainly was not the favorite in this match up.
FM Alisa Melekhina (13th Place, 8 Points): White began by holding down Black’s Queenside with part of his pieces, while brewing an attack unopposed on the Kingside. On moves 23 and 24, 5/6 of Black’s pieces somehow found themselves on the back rank. Orlov displayed an impressive mastery of playing on both sides of the board. He transferred his pieces to focus on the Kingside with one sweep. By that time, his attack was so far along that even though he got carried away and gave Black some chances, it was not enough for Holt to salvage the game.
Taking the adage of “bringing all your pieces into play” to heart, Orlov compellingly used his King on g3 to support Rh4. Coupled with its importance in bringing the Sluggers to the Semifinals, the game is a distinctive one. Nevertheless, the majority of the game was one-sided. Black’s pieces spent most of their time wandering and passively reacting to White.
GM Alejandro Ramirez (20th Place, 1 Point): Why is this even here?
FM Ron Young (20th Place, 1 Point): It’s always tough to write about twentieth, but if I don’t face up to it now, I’ll never get to the rest, so … the game had its high points and low points, but the highs weren’t high enough to make up for Black’s going down so abruptly, whether the move 42… Re8 was an oversight or an undersight.
Total Score of Orlov vs Holt: (14th Place, 58 Points)
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Stay tuned for thirteen more such articles as the field shrinks by one game almost every day to see which of the following games will be the 2012 Game of the Year!
Week 1: GM Vladimir Romanenko (MAN) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0 Article
Week 3: SM Robert Perez (MIA) vs GM Julio Sadorra (DAL) 0-1 Article
Week 5: GM Vladimir Romanenko (MAN) vs GM Alex Stripunsky (NJ) 0-1 Article
Week 6: FM Eric Rodriguez (MIA) vs IM Justin Sarkar (CON) 1/2-1/2 Article
Week 8: GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) vs GM Sam Shankland (NE) 1-0 Article
Week 9: GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) vs SM William Fisher (PHI) 1/2-1/2 Article
Week 10: FM Kazim Gulamali (BOS) vs GM Larry Kaufman (BAL) 1-0 Article
Quarterfinals: SM Matt Herman (NY) vs IM Eli Vovsha (MAN) 1-0 Article
Wildcard #1: GM Mikheil Kekelidze (CON) vs FM Kassa Korley (CAR) 0-1 Article
Wildcard #2: GM Alex Stripunsky (NJ) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 0-1 Article
Wildcard #3: IM Mackenzie Molner (ARZ) vs IM Jonathan Schroer (CAR) 1-0 Article
Wildcard #4: IM Priyadharshan Kannappan (STL) vs FM Kassa Korley (CAR) 1-0 Article
Wildcard #7: GM Alex Stripunsky (NJ) vs SM Jorge Sammour-Hasbun (BOS) 0-1 Article
Eliminated:
14th Place (58 Points): IM Georgi Orlov (SEA) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
15th Place (57 Points): NM Jared Defibaugh (BAL) vs NM Justus Williams (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
16th Place (48 Points): GM Ben Finegold (STL) vs GM Niclas Huschenbeth (BAL) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
17th Place (37 Points): NM Joshua Sinanan (SEA) vs IM Shahin Mohandesi (ARZ) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
18th Place (33 Points): SM Denys Shmelov (BOS) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article
19th Place (30 Points): FM Ralph Zimmer (BAL) vs NM Joshua Colas (CON) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
20th Place (17 Points): IM Georgi Orlov (SEA) vs SM William Fisher (PHI) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article