Tuesday 20 August 2013

What could possibly go wrong?

The following game from the final round of the 2013 Oceania Zonal is an example of the dictum "you only get one move in a row". It was played between IM Vladimir Feldman (AUS), and FM Stuart Fancy (PNG). At first it looks like one-way traffic, with Feldman taking advantage of Fancy's provocative, but unsound opening play. But on move 18 Feldman eyes off the f7 square with Qf3, but this is the beginning of the end. Before he gets a chance to play Qxf7 Fancy gets in Bxd4+. And if 18.Qf3 was poor, 19.Be3 is even worse. Fancy pounces with Qxb2!. f7 is still going to fall with check, but the mate threat on h2 is so strong that Feldman ends up in a lost position no matter what he does.


Feldman,Vladimir (2233) - Fancy,Stuart (2091) [D02]
Oceania Open Zonal 2013 Sonaisali, Nadi, Fiji (9.5), 10.05.2013


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