In his first ever League game, GM Kovalyov got off to an impressive start with his fine effort ending up in the top ten in the Game of the Year Contest.
This is the twelfth part in a series of articles which will count down to revealing what game was voted as the 2014 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 Anton Kovalyov (RIO) vs GM Daniel Naroditsky (SF) 1-0
In an impressive positional effort, GM Kovalyov paid no heed to the Bishop pair with 25. Bxd6!, eventually taking good advantage of his opponent’s ruined Pawn structure
IM Priyadharshan Kannappan (1st Place, 20 Points): The first mistake by Black to me was 17… Nd6, instead Qa8 seems to be better. 19…Kh8 also seemed too cautious against the possible check threats after d6 - one not so active move, and White pounces on the opportunity to seize the initiative! White’s play was perfect after that! This game also showed how to dominate your opponent pieces as the Bishop on a8 never came into the game. Week 1 GOTW is also GOTY for me!
FM Alisa Melekhina (7th Place, 14 Points): This was the most positionally captivating game of the batch. While I’m usually distracted by and tend to focus on the more tactical games, I have to admit, this one did intrigue me. From the start, White executed a positional bind. He proceeded to instructively block off the light-squared Bishop from the game.
Most impressive was White’s subtle understanding of what the position demanded in terms of piece placement – so much so that he refused the opportunity to regain the Pawn immediately with 27. Nxd6. Instead, he patiently maneuvered his pieces to optimal squares and captured the Pawn at his convenience. Take note: this represents advanced strategy and a commanding example of how to evaluate material vs. positional advantages.
FM Ron Young (10th Place, 11 Points): Kind of a weird opening, but just as in 960, eventually it’s just chess, and some people are pretty good at it. There wasn’t enough danger to the hero here, though, to excite someone who grew up in the video game era.
GM Alejandro Ramirez (13th Place, 8 Points): Black’s passive play was unable to justify the weak Pawn structure. Kovalyov did a nice job at containing Black’s activity and neutralizing the pair of Bishops. The game was nice, but it did not have a “wow factor”.
FM Ingvar Johannesson (19th Place, 2 Points): Naroditsky played quite creatively in the opening with Black, and I was quite enjoying his play. At some point however he lost the plot and overdid himself in the creativity department. White ended up with a solid positional bind and sailed it home although White didn’t play a very spectacular game by any means. I guess it’s hard to rank a game high when you like the play of the losing side a little more.
Total Score of Kovalyov vs Naroditsky: (9th Place, 55 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 2014 Game of the Year!
Week 4: GM Wesley So (STL) vs GM Alex Lenderman (CON) 1/2-1/2 Article
Week 5: GM Alex Lenderman (CON) vs GM Gata Kamsky (NY) 1-0 Article
Week 6: GM Niclas Huschenbeth (BAL) vs GM Wesley So (STL) 1/2-1/2 Article
Week 7: GM Joel Benjamin (NJ) vs GM Holden Hernandez (RIO) 1-0 Article
Week 8: GM Daniel Naroditsky (SF) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 1/2-1/2 Article
Week 10: IM David Vigorito (NE) vs FM Andrew Shvartsman (MAN) 1/2-1/2 Article
Semifinals: GM Wesley So (STL) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 1-0 Article
Championship: GM Wesley So (STL) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 1-0 Article
Eliminated:
9th Place (55 Points): GM Anton Kovalyov (RIO) vs GM Daniel Naroditsky (SF) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
10th Place (55 Points): GM Julio Becerra (MIA) vs GM Julio Sadorra (DAL) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
11th Place (48 Points): GM Anton Kovalyov (RIO) vs GM Gata Kamsky (NY) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
12th Place (48 Points): GM Niclas Huschenbeth (BAL) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 1/2-1/2 Article Elimination Article
13th Place (42 Points): GM Daniel Naroditsky (SF) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
14th Place (41 Points): GM Varuzhan Akobian (STL) vs GM Renier Gonzalez (MIA) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
15th Place (38 Points): GM Mackenzie Molner (ARZ) vs GM Eugene Perelshteyn (BOS) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
16th Place (36 Points): IM Jeffery Xiong (DAL) vs GM Varuzhan Akobian (STL) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
17th Place (36 Points): GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs IM Jeffery Xiong (DAL) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
18th Place (32 Points): GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs GM Conrad Holt (DAL) 0-1 Article Elimination Article
19th Place (20 Points): IM Georgi Orlov (SEA) vs GM Alex Stripunsky (NJ) 1-0 Article Elimination Article
20th Place (19 Points): IM Kassa Korley (CAR) vs GM Julio Becerra (MIA) 0-1 Article Elimination Article