In contrast to the games which finished directly behind this, a game which was mostly a powerful, very accurate display by the victor is the next game out, barely missing out on finishing in the top ten
This is the tenth 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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11th Place: GM Zviad Izoria (MAN) vs GM Tamaz Gelashvili (NY) 1-0
In a dominating performance, White struck with 23. Nxa5!, with the tactics quickly proving decisive in his favor
IM Jake Kleiman (3rd Place, 18 Points): This was a very cool game by Izzy! I liked the unusual nature of how quickly the Knight from a4 arrived at the typically forbidden by Sicilian square of d5. Then, this 23. Nxa5 was unique and deadly.
FM Ingvar Johannesson (8th Place, 13 Points): The Dragondorf gets completely annihilated in this game. White made his very strong opponent look like a weakling with his strong positional play. White didn’t need to do anything spectacular in this game but 23. Nxa5 was nice awareness. Black was probably thinking of the fetal position for most of the game
FM Alisa Melekhina (11th Place, 10 Points): Whatever inherent advantage White had against the unorthodox Dragondorf, Izoria never let it go. It kept steadily increasing following the a4, Nxa4, c4, b4 plan. It’s difficult to pinpoint where Black went wrong. Suddenly, everything fell apart after 23. Nxa5! Izoria finished his opponent with seventh-rank flare, picking off obtrusive pieces and Pawns one-by-one. An impressive positional bind against a formidable player that should serve as a model game for playing against the Dragondorf.
GM Alejandro Ramirez (14th Place, 7 Points): Izoria’s demolition of his Georgian comrade was good but nothing more than that. Gelashvili should stop playing the Dragon.
FM Ron Young (15th Place, 6 Points): Izoria’s dealing with the Dragondorf (or in Hebrew, “Nachash Bare’ach”) illustrates the dangers involved in genetically modified openings. And a cute Pawn grab, but it was all over too fast for a higher place than wherever I ended up ranking this.
GM Alex Yermolinsky (17th Place, 4 Points): Black’s passive play gets punished in instructive fashion. What else is new?
Total Score of Izoria vs Gelashvili: (11th Place, 58 Points)
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Stay tuned for ten 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 2: GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs GM Robert Hungaski (MAN) 1-0 Article
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
Week 7: FM Eric Rodriguez (MIA) vs IM Irina Krush (NY) 1-0 Article
Week 8: GM Conrad Holt (DAL) vs IM Jonathan Schroer (CAR) 1-0 Article
Week 9: GM Giorgi Margvelashvili (DAL) vs GM Ben Finegold (STL) 1/2-1/2 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
Wildcard #3: IM Justin Sarkar (CON) vs IM Levon Altounian (ARZ) 0-1 Article
Wildcard #5: GM Alex Stripunsky (NJ) vs GM Melikset Khachiyan (LA) 1-0 Article
Eliminated:
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