A fairly crazy game with very interesting play from the get-go caught the eye of several of the judges who awarded it very high rankings while others were more skeptical of how much over the board creativity was really involved.
This is the sixteenth part in a series of articles which will count down to revealing what game was voted as the 2013 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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5th Place: IM Justin Sarkar (CON) vs IM Levon Altounian (ARZ) 0-1
In an already interesting position, Black uncorked the strong 10… Bb7!, eventually scoring a very creative win
GM Alejandro Ramirez (2nd Place, 19 Points): What a spectacle! This was difficult to analyze and calculate, but Altounian navigated the complications beautifully and won a spectacular game.
FM Alisa Melekhina (3rd Place, 18 Points): This game is enough to make anyone’s head spin. But it’s more than that – after the initial opening craziness, Altounian executed a surgically precise win against a player known for his computer-like calculating prowess.
I may be in the minority ranking the game in the top three. It does resemble a deeply home-prepped line that every player wishes would happen in an OTB game but never does. However, do we really live in a chess world so dominated by engine-analysis that any time a player produces a precise and sensational sequence of moves, we automatically assume it’s prep? I do have my suspicions, but I have to judge what is presented to me as is. I’ll give Altounian the benefit of the doubt. All I can tell from my database is that 8… Qa5 is a relatively new idea, and the terrain is unexplored after 9. Qf3.
In any case, Black had to make tough decisions such as to exchange Queens on move 21 when White’s King was already stuck in the center. Afterwards, White was never given time to recover and untangle his pieces.
The structure after 15. dxe7 is one to remember. More importantly, absolutely every move by Black had a purpose behind it. Not an extraneous tempo in sight. The game is a perfect example of action and reaction at every juncture, with White having the final say. An instructive exercise for anyone who wants to train his/her calculation ability. These types of gripping games are what the USCL is all about.
IM Jake Kleiman (4th Place, 17 Points): This game was wild fun! From the get go it became extremely unbalanced, and Levon never let the advantage slip. I especially liked how the off the wall character of the game continued even after the correct Queen trade. The icing on the cake came from the position after 23. Ke3 which gave me a hint of nostalgia for my beginner days when development wasn’t an issue.
GM Alex Yermolinsky (10th Place, 11 Points): This is what happens when you try to refute Altounian’s pet lines over the board – you fall on your sword.
FM Ingvar Johannesson (11th Place, 10 Points): Creative and messy but unfortunately over very early. 10… Bb7 is the most aesthetic move of the game. Opening prep or over the board inspiration? Hard to say.
FM Ron Young (16th Place, 5 Points): “Patzer sees a check, patzer gives a check”. I’ll admit to having been cowed by this put-down in my insecure apprentice days. But even then, when they commented thus thirteen times in a game, I sensed it was empty bravado. Interesting opening but by the time Black had his Rook and Queen coordinating as if they’d been playmates from childhood, there was a strong sense that life was good.
Total Score of Sarkar vs Altounian: (5th Place, 80 Points)
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Stay tuned for four more such articles as the field shrinks by one game almost every day to see which of the following games will be the 2013 Game of the Year!
Week 5: IM Dmitry Schneider (MAN) vs GM Joel Benjamin (NJ) 0-1 Article
Week 6: IM Marc Esserman (BOS) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 0-1 Article
Semifinals: GM Sam Shankland (NE) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0 Article
Wildcard #1: GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs FM Steven Winer (NE) 1-0 Article
Eliminated:
5th Place (80 Points): IM Justin Sarkar (CON) vs IM Levon Altounian (ARZ) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
6th Place (77 Points): GM Conrad Holt (DAL) vs IM Jonathan Schroer (CAR) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
7th Place (72 Points): GM Alex Stripunsky (NJ) vs GM Melikset Khachiyan (LA) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
8th Place (70 Points): GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs GM Robert Hungaski (MAN) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
9th Place (69 Points): GM Giorgi Margvelashvili (DAL) vs GM Ben Finegold (STL) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article
10th Place (58 Points): FM Eric Rodriguez (MIA) vs IM Irina Krush (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
11th Place (58 Points): GM Zviad Izoria (MAN) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
12th Place (58 Points): IM Vitaly Neimer (STL) vs FM Eric Rodriguez (MIA) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
13th Place (56 Points): GM Emil Anka (SEA) vs FM Tom Bartell (PHI) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
14th Place (51 Points): IM Andranik Matikozyan (LA) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
15th Place (44 Points): GM Conrad Holt (DAL) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
16th Place (43 Points): GM Julio Becerra (MIA) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
17th Place (43 Points): GM Joel Benjamin (NJ) vs GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
18th Place (41 Points): John Michael Burke (NJ) vs NM Ryan Goldenberg (MAN) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
19th Place (40 Points): GM Niclas Huschenbeth (BAL) vs IM Steven Zierk (BOS) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
20th Place (40 Points): GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 1-0 Article Elimination Article