Instructive games from the 3rd Balestier Blitz event
The 3rd edition of the Balestier Blitz (FM Jarred Neubronner and CM Tan Weiliang were the two previous winners) ended with IM Terry Toh and CM Olimpiu Urcan tying for the title with 3.5/5, half a point ahead of FM Andrey Terekhov. Incidentally, both of them beat Andrey (who won all his other games). The common defining factor was that Andrey missed his way in positions where concrete calculation was required.
In the following game, Andrey had clearly outplayed Terry in a QGD Exchange and perhaps could expect to cash in soon after winning the exchange. However, that was the moment when Terry turned on the tactical tap.
What a turnaround indeed! I'm not sure if you can consider this game a swindle as White really had to play very accurately to realise his advantage, not an easy task in blitz (4min + 2 sec increment). Well, as Yogi Berra (or if you prefer Lenny Kravitz's version) put it - it ain't over till it's over. It is necessary to maintain alertness and observe the enemy threats. The game won't play by itself, material advantage or otherwise, especially when playing a strong master.
In the second example, Andrey got caught out by Olimpiu's Open Catalan gambit when the latter concentrated on development instead of trying to win back his c-pawn. When Olimpiu finally trained his rook on the c-file, a couple of natural looking moves by the Russian FM to get his king out of the line of fire instead landed him into hot soup. Olimpiu's tactical élan took over and Andrey never stood a chance after that.
Indeed, to either leave the king on c8 or to move it to that very square on move 12 would seem counter-intuitive for Black (how can the King be safer on c8?). It just so happens that the position requires concrete calculation which is, as I've mentioned , extremely difficult in blitz play. But well, that decided the tournament winners.
So congratulations to Terry and Olimpiu for winning the 3rd Balestier Blitz event.
CM Olimpiu Urcan
IM Terry Toh
Final Tally:
Equal 1st: IM Terry Toh and CM Olimpiu Urcan 3.5
3rd: FM Andrey Terekhov 3
Equal 4th: FM Ong Chong Ghee and IM Hsu Li Yang 2.5
6th: Frank Kebbedies 0
