In a critical Semifinal game, GM Shankland came up with a creative sacrifice which eventually, despite GM Gelashvili’s best defensive efforts, scored the former a nice victory
This is the eighteenth 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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3rd Place: GM Sam Shankland (NE) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0
With the strong exchange sacrifice 33. Rxd5!, White eventually broke down Black’s defenses, defeating a very strong player in the process
GM Alex Yermolinsky (1st Place, 20 Points): A beautiful exchange sacrifice by Shankland highlights this seemingly unremarkable game. One can only feel sorry for Gelashvili whose equal position suddenly turned into a nightmare.
FM Alisa Melekhina (4th Place, 17 Points): I have an obvious preference for games with flashy tactics, but I must yield to this positional masterpiece. Shankland systematically and calmly countered Gelashvili’s Dutch, seemingly grabbing the key d6 pawn by force. I only wish I had a deeper chess acculturation to truly appreciate the positional subtleties in this game.
What is easily apparent is that one of America’s youngest and home-grown GMs outclassed a seasoned GM. This game exemplifies chess maturity. The merciless 33. Rxd5 exchange sacrifice was the cherry on top.
I also appreciate how difficult it is to keep up with chess when you’re in school mode. I’m glad to see Shankland’s games back for GOTY contention – I’m certain this is the first of more to come once Shankland graduates college this year and pursues chess full-time.
FM Ron Young (7th Place, 14 Points): As usual, Shakespeare said it best. “I am not only witty in myself, but the cause that wit is in other men”. That is Gelashvili this season, with five games among the twenty GOTY finalists (2W, 3L). Further, “I do here walk before thee like a sow that hath overwhelm’d all her litter but one”. Black’s overwhelming White’s QB let the white KB inherit the sow’s teat to the benefit of the entire litter.
FM Ingvar Johannesson (9th Place, 12 Points): An enjoyable tense game between two strong GMs. The mistakes seemed few and far between, and the evaluation of the position seemed to dance around the equal mark for most of the game. Shankland found a way to test Black by getting him to weaken his Kingside and sacking the exchange. Maybe Black could have held, but it was easier for White to play and press. Well played by Shankland.
IM Jake Kleiman (10th Place, 11 Points): This was one of the better played games in this season’s league. Both sides kept finding ways to throw wood onto the fire, with Sam getting the last laugh with 33. Rxd5. Due to the high quality of this game, I hate to rank this game so lowly, but I didn’t get the WOW factor from it.
GM Alejandro Ramirez (15th Place, 6 Points): Again a well-played game but nothing too interesting happened
Total Score of Shankland vs Gelashvili: (3rd Place, 80 Points)
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Stay tuned for the final two articles tomorrow as the 2013 Game of the Year is announced!
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
Eliminated:
3rd Place (80 Points): GM Sam Shankland (NE) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
4th Place (80 Points): GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs FM Steven Winer (NE) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
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