Another back and forth draw with creative play by both sides is the first game to crack the Top Ten in the GOTY Contest.
This is the twelfth 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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9th Place: GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) vs SM William Fisher (PHI) 1/2-1/2
In another interesting twist, GM Gelashvili continued with 37. fxe5?! and after more creative play by both sides, an eventual draw came about
GM Alex Yermolinsky (2nd Place, 19 Points): The GM outplayed his opponent in the opening. By move 22 the issue seemed decided: White was going to win. Perhaps, 22. Rab1 was a better choice, but the overconfident Gelashvili didn’t want to spend any more time on preparation. His quick actions brought about the destruction of Black’s Kingside, but on move 25 Gelashvili chose the wrong place for his Knight. Fisher was very quick to capitalize. His exchange sacrifice completely turned the tables. The Black King was suddenly safe, and the Bishop pair was ready to support the queenside passers.
In this difficult situation Gelashvili made the decision to attack at any cost. His 35. h4 did just that. In the ensuing tactical battle Fisher fist missed a win on move 38, then made another mistake on move 39. Suddenly it was Gelashvili again searching for ways to win, but a draw seems a fair result. Great game!
FM Ron Young (4th Place, 17 Points): In my own playing career (to use a term of convenience), I was pretty good at fighting back from a tough position, but I found it quite difficult to pull myself together the moment I’d realize I was not producing a masterpiece for the ages or even, sometimes, for the next day or two. White seemed to wield a nice pull 15 moves in, but then the bronco started bucking and it was soon hard to guess whether horse or rider would end up on top. In the end, theywalked together as equals, so both deserve equal praise.
FM Alisa Melekhina (7th Place, 14 Points): When I noticed who the player on the Black side was, I did a double take because I remembered playing a William Fisher back in the 2008 Philadelphia International, who was only rated 1556! Fisher’s enviable meteoric ascent is bolstered by his mature play. Gelashvili executed a flawless Italian piece attack. Unfazed, Fisher went for the complications with 25… Rxd5 and even managed to convert his momentum into an advantage. Gelashvili then instigated a surprise piece sacrifice with 36. f4 and 37. fxe5 to quickly consolidate all of his pieces and aim them at the Black King. This led to a tortuous semi-King march appropriately ending in a draw.
With an exchange sacrifice, piece sacrifice, queening pawn, and sudden perpetual, it’s hard to believe the game started as a classical Italian. It was an exciting struggle with all the makings of a top GOTY contender.
Through this game and his game against Orlov, Fisher has demonstrated strong counter-play skills and that he can play on par with tough opposition in complex positions. I look forward to seeing cleaner games from him when he is the one on the offensive.
IM David Pruess (11th Place, 10 Points): Fisher turns what looks like an imminent disaster into mayhem, and then plays brilliantly and scores half a point against a strong GM. This one was very exciting!
GM-elect Robert Hungaski (14th Place, 7 Points): This was the toughest game to rank. Honestly, I had no idea what to make of it. At first it seemed like Black had just played badly in the opening, got a close to lost position, and then found some resources that barely allowed him to save the game. I think the first part is somewhat true (after 16. O-O White seems to be much better) since these ideas with an early Nf1-g3 are quite tricky, and Black needs to be very careful. However, Black’s position might be more resilient than it looks and after 25… Rxd5! it was White who had to fight to save the game. A good example of how the Bishop pair can dominate a pair of Rooks (a1 and b1 squares controlled, thus allowing the advance of Black’s a and b Pawns).
GM Alejandro Ramirez (16th Place, 5 Points): A fun game to watch, but the quality was so bad I can’t take it seriously.
Total Score of Gelashvili vs Fisher: (9th Place, 72 Points)
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Stay tuned for eight 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 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 8: GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) vs GM Sam Shankland (NE) 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 #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:
9th Place (72 Points): GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) vs SM William Fisher (PHI) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article
10th Place (71 Points): FM Kazim Gulamali (BOS) vs GM Larry Kaufman (BAL) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
11th Place (66 Points): FM Eric Rodriguez (MIA) vs IM Justin Sarkar (CON) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article
12th Place (59 Points): IM Mackenzie Molner (ARZ) vs IM Jonathan Schroer (CAR) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
13th Place (59 Points): GM Vladimir Romanenko (MAN) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
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