(1) Sherry,Bob (1812) - Moldovan,John (1806) [B33]
Checkmate Knockout Springfield, NJ (2), 17.05.2009
[Moldovan & Rybka 2.3]

G/40+5 B33 Sicilian Defense Sveshnikov Variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5!? [This is just the 3rd time I've played the Sveshnikov. The previous tries were earlier in the evening against Ted Mann & many moons ago vs my Fidelity Champion Chess Challenger. 5...e6 would've made a Taimanov 4 Knights.]

6.Nb3 ?! Fedorowicz [6.Nxc6 bxc6 (6...dxc6!? 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.Bc4 Ke8= ) 7.Bc4 Bb4= ; & 6.Nf5 d5 7.exd5 Bxf5 8.dxc6 bxc6= are also wanting.; >=6.Ndb5 ]

6...Bb4 Black is already equal. He has an O'Kelly-like position but hasn't spent a tempo on ...a6.

7.Bd3 [7.Bd2 /\Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Nxe4 9.Qg4 Nf6 10.Qxg7 Rg8 11.Qh6= was an option.]

7...d5 8.exd5 Nxd5 [8...Qxd5 9.0-0 Bxc3 10.bxc3 0-0= is somewhat weaker but by no means bad.]

9.Bd2 0-0 Diagram

[RR9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bd6 (10...Be7 =/+ Fedorowicz 11.Qh5 Be6 12.0-0 Qc7 13.Be3= Yates - Sultan Khan : Scarborough 1930) 11.Qh5 Qc7 12.0-0 Be6 13.Bg5 h6= Schlechter - Em. Lasker : 9th game, World Championship match 1910]

10.Nxd5 Qxd5[] [Not 10...Bxd2+?? 11.Qxd2+- Qxd5? 12.Bxh7+ Kxh7 13.Qxd5 ]

11.0-0 [11.Bxb4? would've been met by 11...Qxg2=/+ ]

11...e4 12.Be2 Bd6N [There have been 2 games with 12...Be6 ; & 1 with 12...Bf5 The next 4 notes are Rybka's.]

13.Be3 [>=13.Bc3= ]

13...Qe5 14.g3 Rd8 15.Qc1 Bh3 16.Bf4 [>=16.Rd1 ]

16...Qf6 17.Bg5 Qg6 [>=17...Qf5=/+ ]

18.Bxd8 [>=18.Rd1 Re8 19.Bf4= ]

18...Bxf1 19.Bxf1 Rxd8=/+ Diagram

Black offers a truce. White accepts. Game drawn by agreement. Time left - Sherry 34:46, Moldovan 29:00 Estimated time used - Sherry 6:54, Moldovan 12:35 Longest think by White - 1 minute. Longest think by Black - 3 minutes for 14...Rd8. We probably should have had the Sofia draw rules in place for this event. 1/2-1/2