The Daily Telegraph (LONDON)
February 3, 2007 Saturday

A swift demolition job

by Malcolm Pein

THE last-round battle for the pounds 10,000 first prize at the
GibTelecom Masters was over almost as soon as it had begun. Vladimir
Akopian of Armenia, ranked world number 20, demolished the defences
of the Ukrainian teenager Yuri Kuzubov straight out of the opening to
claim the top prize. After a single tactical blow on the 18th move,
the game was won and Akopian took clear first on 7.5/9 (see below).

England number one Michael Adams was frustrated by GM Mohamad
Al-Modiahki of Qatar, who survived a difficult position to draw.
Adams saw three players overtake him with last round wins to reach
7/9.

Thomas Rendle of Hastings held Mikhail Gurevich and finished with a
fine 6.5/9, which was good for his first GM result. After an
indifferent start, Rendle defeated two GMs and an IM in straight
games to set up his GM norm opportunity. Although he was outplayed
somewhat, he managed to steer the game into a drawn rook and pawn
endgame.

Final scores: 1 Akopian (Armenia) 7.5/9; 2-4 Areshchenko (Ukraine),
Nakamura (USA), Sutovsky (Israel) 6.5; 5-16 Adams (England),
Al-Modiahki (Qatar), Efimenko (Ukraine), Ehlvest (Estonia), Gurevich
(Turkey), Kuzubov(Ukraine), Milov (Switzerland), Pavlovic (Serbia),
Rendle (England), Ris (Holland), Sandipan (India), I Sokolov
(Holland) 6.5.

V Akopian – Y Kuzubov

GibTelecom Masters (9)

Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 (Giving up bishop for knight but
damaging Black’s pawn structure) 4…dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 b6 (So that
Be3 does not gain a tempo by attacking the c5 pawn. Black needs time
for Nh6 and f6 to give the knight a safe square on f7) 7.Nc3 Nh6
8.Be3 f6 9.Qd2 Nf7 10.0-0-0 (White intends a kingside attack with
pawns if Black castles kingside) 10…e5 11.Nh2 Be6 12.f4 exf4
13.Bxf4 Qd7 (13…0-0 14.Ng4 b5 15.Qf2 f5!? is more combative, but
Black may have been thinking more in terms of safety and a share of
first) 14.Nf3 0-0-0 (This looks safe enough; it’s astonishing how
quickly Black’s position collapses) 15.d4! cxd4 16.Nxd4 Qe7 (16…Ne5
looks playable and if 17.Bxe5 fxe5 18.Nxe6 Qxe6 19.Qe2 Rd4! or 17.Qe2
Bc4 18.Qf2 Qc7) 17.Qe2 Kb7

Kuzubov

Akopian

Position after 17…Kb7

18.Nxc6!! Kxc6 19.Nd5 Qe8 (19…Bxd5 20.exd5+ Kd7 21.Qb5+ Kc8 22.Qc6+
Qc7 23.Qxc7 mate; or 19…Qc5 20.b4) 20.Qa6 Bf8 (There is no defence,
20…Bxd5 21.exd5+ Rxd5 22.Rxd5 Kxd5 23.Rd1+ Kc6 24.Qa4+ Kb7 25.Rd7+
Ka8 26.Qxa7 mate) 21.Qxa7 Bc5 22.b4 Qd7 23.Qa6 1-0

Kuzubov

Akopian

Position after 23.Qa6