Kriventsov wins at open

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W'ith both gladiators just needing a draw to achieve their goals, it was anticlimax at last weekend's Maryland Open, played at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Pennsylvania master Stanislas Kriventsov and Maryland master William Morrison agreed to a quick split point in the final round of the state's biggest open event, allowing Kriventsov to claim sole first place with a 41/2-1/2 score. Morrison's 4-1 and his strong tiebreaks were good enough to claim the state-champion title as the highest-scoring Maryland resident in the field.

Two-time defending champion GM Alex Wojtkiewicz did not compete this year, opening up the field.

In the amateur section, new Maryland Chess Association President Harry Cohen justified his top seeding by taking sole first with a 41/2-1/2 score. Cohen defeated fellow Class A player Htay Kyawe in the final round to edge past five players, all at 4-1. Unrated Ben Beder took the Under-1600 Reserve section, also with a 41/2-1/2 score, giving up only a final-round draw to Kyle Askine. Some 125 players competed overall.

Maryland senior champion Denis Strenzwilk tied for the open section's under-2300 prize and was kind enough to send along several games from the event. For his pains, we present here Strenzwilk's only loss from the tournament, his Round 4 game against Kriventsov that left the tournament winner at 4-0. In a Sicilian, Black seems to do well out of the opening, removing one dangerous White bishop and getting in the freeing shot 12...d5. But one tactical jab leaves Black woozy, and a second puts him on the canvas.

Kriventsov obtains a bind with 21. Qb3 0-0 22. d6!, when 22...Bxd6 23. Nde2 Qf2 24. Rxd6 loses a piece. With the White d-pawn causing constant problems for Black, the game reaches its critical moment.

Thus: 22...Bd8 23. Bg2 Rb8 24. Rhe1 (Strenzwilk and his computer give White the advantage as well with the sharper 24. Nge2!? Qf2 25. Be4 Ng4 26. Nc6 Rb7 27. Ned4 Qf4 28. Nxd8 Rxd8 29. Nc6 Rxd6 [Rdd7 30. Ne7+ Kh8 31. Bxb7 Bxb7 32. Rhf1] 30. Qf3 Qxf3 31. Bxf3 Rbd7 [Rxd1+ 32. Rxd1 f5 33. Rd8+] 32. Ne7+! Kf8 33. Rxd6 Rxd6 34. Nxc8 Rd8 35. Bxg4 Rxc8 36. Bf3) Bb6? (see diagram; Black has to blockade the pawn with moves like 24...Bd7 25. Re4 Qf2 26. Rxe5 Qxg2 27. h5, although White still holds the edge) 25. Rxe5!, putting Black on a combinational roller coaster that eventually costs him a piece.

Now 25...Qxe5 26. Nc6 is a nasty fork, but the game's 25...Bxd4 26. Re4! Qf2 27. Rexd4 Qxg2 28. d7 costs Black his bishop.

Black plays on to time control, but, facing a hopeless endgame, decides to pack it in.

Two experts -- Zhi-Ya Hu and Andrew Samuelson -- turned in terrific performances in the Open section, tying with Morrison for second at 4-1. Hu was undefeated with three wins and two draws, while Samuelson reeled off four wins (including two against masters) after an opening-round loss to Kriventsov.