Unnumbered Champions

Mohamad Naser Al Sayed – Ruslan Olegovich Ponomariov
2nd Qatar Masters Open; Doha, December 26, 2015
Queen’s Pawn Game A40

1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb7 4. e4 Bb4 5. Qd3 Qh4 6. e5!? For 6. d5 Nf6 7. e5 Qe4+ see Ovod – Nabaty, Albena 2012. 6. ... f6!? 7. a3!? Qe4+ 8. Qxe4 Bxc3+. Ruslan Olegovich succeeded in spoiling White’s Pawn formation, even at the cost of sacrificing a Pawn. 9. bxc3 Bxe4 10. Bf4 Nc6 11. exf6 Nxf6 12. Bxc7 Rc8. White’s weaknesses more than compensate Black for his Pawn minus. 13. Be5 Na5 14. f3 Bg6 15. h4 Ke7. Black decides to ignore the c4-Pawn and keeps developing his forces effectively. 16. g4 d6 17. Bxf6+ gxf6 18. Nh3 e5 19. c5 bxc5 20. dxe5 dxe5 21. f4 h5 22. fxe5. The alternative 22. g5 e4 probably would have been more balanced. 22. ... hxg4 23. Nf4 Be4 24. Rh2? Miraculously, White can stay on his feet after 24. exf6+ Kxf6 25. Bg2 Ke5 26. 0-0! (it’s never too late to do the right thing!). Ponomariov now takes the initiative.

24. ... fxe5! 25. Re2 Bf3! 26. Rxe5+ Kf6 27. Rh5? The losing move. Comparatively best was 27. Re3, though after 27. ... Nb3 28. Ra2 Kf5! 29. Ng2 Rce8 Black still stands better. 27. ... g3 28. Rxh8 Rxh8 29. Bg2 Kf5 30. Bxf3 Kxf4 31. Bg2 Nc4 32. Kf1 Ne3+ 33. Kg1 Rxh4 34. a4 Rh2 35. Bc6 a5 0 : 1. A beautiful positional game by “unnumbered” World Chess Champion Ruslan Olegovich Ponomariov.

Mohamad Naser Al Sayed vs. Ruslan Olegovich Ponomariov
Photo: Alla Oborina