Tan Khai Boon our new National Master (NM)!

The last round top board encounter saw Tan Khai Boon face Nik Ahmad Farouqi. Tan only need a draw to secure the National Master (NM)  title and a place in the Men Team for the 2010 Olympiad in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia this October! If Nik win, he will get the NM title and a place in the Men team.


Tan Khai Boon - Nik Ahmad Farouqi
National Championship, Round 9, 20.6.2010

1. c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 g6 

Tan Khai Boon (left) vs  Nik Ahmad Farouqi : Table 1, Final Round

6. Nxc6 bxc6 7.g3 Bg7 8.Bg2 Ne7 9.0-0 Be6 10.Qd3 0-0 11.Bg5 Rb8 12.b3 12.Bxe7?! is bad because after 12...Qxe7 13.Bxc6 Rxb2 black double bishop will give him  a strong initiative 12...f6!? 

Nik divert from theory. Theory  give 12...c5  13. Qd2 Bh8 14.Rad1 f6 15.Bh6 Rf7 13.Be3 c5 14.Rad1 Kh8 15.Rfe1 Qc8 16.Bd2 Bf5 Quite a strange move because black invite white to play 17.e4  17.e4 Bg4 Now Nik's intention is clear, he provoke  Tan to play move like 18.f3 which weaken white's king side pawn formation 18.f3 Be6 19.Ne2 Nc6 20.Bc3 Ne5 21.Qd2 f5?! This move look to aggressive. According to Nik, Khai Boon offer him a draw here but he declined.  22.f4 Ng4 23.Bxg7+ Kxg7 24.h3 Nf6 25.e5 dxe5 26.fxe5

A critical moment 26...Nh5?! probably Black should try 26...Ne4!? if 27.Bxe4 fxe4 black have strong pressure on h3  27.Bf3 now black position is getting worse. White is threatening 28.Bxh5 27.Bf3 Kh8 28.Bxh5 gxh5 

29.Qg5 29.Qh6! is stronger because after 29...Qe8 protecting the h5 pawn white have 30.Nf4! threatening 31.Ng6+ 29...Qe8 30.Qd2 Qe8 31.Nf4 Rb6 32.Rd3 Bf7?? 

32...like it or not black should try 32...Qf7 keep blocking the e6 square although white still win after 32.Rd8 Rxd8 33.Qxd8+ Qg8 34.Qf6 Qg7 35.Nxh5 Qxf6 36.Nxf6  33.e6 Bg6 34.e7 Rg8 35.Rd8 h6 36.Qxh6+ Bh7 37.Rxe8 1-0 Black resign and Tan Khai Boon is our new National Master (NM) !