Bazna Kings - Ivanchuk and Gelfand Surge Forward

Two wins for black and one draw in round 5

The third Bazna Kings Tournament is taking place on 14-25th June in Bucharest and Bazna. Two wins for black and one draw were noteworthy in round five. Teimour Radjabov could not break through the Scandinavian defence employed by Romanian's favourite Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu, and piece treaty was signed on move 26.

Gata Kamsky was fairly ambitious with white and went on for an attack against Vassily Ivanchuk's Sheveningen Sicilian. Black defended rationally and emerged with an extra pawn, although at the cost of broken structure. However, advance of those "bad" pawns spoiled white's pieces coordination and black gained an initiative. Kamsky must have been in time trouble when he blundered back-rank checkmate.

Boris Gelfand opened with Queen's Indian defence as black and Alexei Shirov chose nowadays popular sideline in the fianchetto variation - 5. Qb3. Andrew Greet in his excellent book about this opening awarded white's 7. Qc3 with an "!". Gelfand already has experience in this line, having defended it against Loek Van Wely in Melodi Amber rapid. Shirov's 16. Bd1!?, and particularly 18. Rb1?!, looked awkward, and white simply lost a pawn. Perhaps he missed that 19. Bf4 can be meet with 19...Qf5! which hits that unfortunate rook on b1. Gelfand convincingly converted his advantage into a full point.

Alexei Shirov and Boris Gelfand

Round 5 results:

Alexei Shirov (ESP 2745) - Boris Gelfand (ISR 2733) 0-1
Gata Kamsky (USA 2720) - Vassily Ivanchuk (UKR 2746) 0-1
Teimour Radjabov (AZE 2756) - Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (ROM 2675) draw

Round 5 standings:

1-2. Vassily Ivanchuk (UKR 2746) and Boris Gelfand (ISR 2733) - 3.5
3-4. Alexei Shirov (ESP 2745) and Teimour Radjabov (AZE 2756) - 2.5
5-6. Gata Kamsky (USA 2720) and Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (ROM 2675) - 1.5

Round 4 report

Official tournament website