Australian Junior Games

[pax]

2.b3 followed by 3.exd5 really should not cause Black any trouble. Looks like Moulthun's 5...c5 was an error but then Ikeda obliged with 11.h3 giving himself the same pawn problems. I wonder if Moulthun's considering 19...Bxf4.

18...Qd7 looks like it took a bit of pressure off to me..

[WhiteElephant]

Junta keeps finding nice defensive moves but Moulthun looks like he is wearing him down.

[WhiteElephant]

In the Sally Yu - Alex Joule game, 13.....Ncxe5 looked interesting. After 14. fe Qxc3 15. Qd2 Bxb4 white has some problems....

Just speculation...game is over already.

[pax]

Junta keeps finding nice defensive moves but Moulthun looks like he is wearing him down.

Junta's biggest problem is his clock. He is now essentially down to increment only. His position is probably ok if he plays very precisely - but that is very tough to do with only a minute a move.

[pax]

Junta's biggest problem is his clock. He is now essentially down to increment only. His position is probably ok if he plays very precisely - but that is very tough to do with only a minute a move.

And as I posted that, Junta has given up Q for R+N. He now looks lost. I think 22.Reg1! may have held onto things for a bit longer.

[Kevin Bonham]

I wonder if Moulthun's considering 19...Bxf4.

Wouldn't have quite worked - just gets R+2P for B+N.

[Kevin Bonham]

31.fxg3 would have held out much longer for Ikeda but would have led to simplification into an eventually lost ending. Now it will all be over soon.

[Kevin Bonham]

Check out the Ronald Yu combo starting with 24.Nxh7. Five moves later Black can very safely resign.

[pax]

Moulthun wins to go to 5.5/6. Definitely looks like a key victory in his title defence (especially with Vincent taking a short draw). Angela looks to be winning, and will go to 5/6 if she does and will probably be joined by one or two others on that score.

[Bill Gletsos]

2.b3 followed by 3.exd5 really should not cause Black any trouble.

There are 908 games in Mega 2005 after blacks 2nd move and 81 after whites exd5.

Looks like Moulthun's 5...c5 was an error

There are 58 games with 5... c5.

but then Ikeda obliged with 11.h3 giving himself the same pawn problems.

After Blacks 10th only 1 game on file from the 24th Soviet Championship in 1957 between Aronin and Taimanov. Aronin played 11. Bxc6 and the game ended in a draw after 40 moves.

[Kevin Bonham]

There are 58 games with 5... c5.

If it has been played often and in a Soviet Championship I assume it must be theory and actually fine, with the two bishops and half-open g-file as compensation for the pawn structure issue.

[pax]

Suttor-Ly is the big matchup this round. It's gone out of book pretty quickly. Suttor's 5.Qc2 looks to have surrendered the advantage (the position has very poor stats for white).

[pax]

Interestingly, Murray Chandler is one of the few to have played the position after Bb4+ (which he won as black).

[pax]

Gee it's rattled along to and endgame very quickly. Moulthun is in for an uncomfortable time with that ugly bishop, but my guess is that he will hold on again.

[Phil Bourke]

Ly will hold, Suttor will struggle with his time.