So after totally screwing up my predicted pairings for the previous round, mainly because I gave GM Petrosian an extra half-point, I’m not going to do that again. Well, predict the pairings that is, I’m sure I’ll screw up again that’s for sure!
Round 4 started with GMs Mitkov and Kolev agreeing to a peaceful, let’s go and do something else for the afternoon draw, leaving the rest of the field to battle it out for the potential 6 hours of play. GM Shulman ensured that nobody (at least from the 4-day and 3-day schedules) goes into round 5 with a perfect score as he and GM Yermolinsky battled out a draw on board 2.
The real action was a little further down with Colombian GM Alonso Zapata defeating fan favorite GM Alex Shabalov. Shabalov reeled out his Sveshnikov Sicilian and Zapata played the modern 9. Nd5 line. After a few tactics in the middle game, Zapata ended up with a positional bind on the position, despite Shabalov having the bishop pair. The game was finished in nice style by Zapata and he will join the group at the top with 3.5/4 going into the next round.
The charging GM Nakamura will head the 3 point score group as he won a nice game against FM Felecan. A queenside pawn storm was enough to send the American FM into time trouble trying to hold a difficult ending a pawn down. Eventually, despite a tough fight put up by Felecan, the inevitable happened and Nakamura wrapped up the full point. This win will keep the many spectators on ICC happy as this was the only game they decided to broadcast from the tournament so far. Judging from the number of observers they had, I can see why!
Also joining him on 3 points is GM Akobian who finished his game off in style against young FM Quan.
Black to play
Quan-Akobian, Chicago Open, Round 4
Here Akobian played 33… Rg3+! and Quan had to resign in view of 34. Kxh2 Rg4+ 35. Kh3 Qh6+ 36. Qh4 Qxh4 mate.
GM Tigran Petrosian had a solid win against IM Mesgen Amanov while GM Gilberto Hernandez also had the same over IM (elect) Ray Robson. Both of these players will also be in the 3 point score group going into round 5.
On Josh Friedel’s “quest for 2500” front, he beat Seth Homa in this round and so I have him at +7.2 points for the tournament, leaving him at 2496 going into round 5 (currently 3/4 against an average of 2431.5).
From the 2-day schedule, GMs Darwin Laylo and Mark Paragua will come into the main group on 3 points for round 5 which starts at 7:00 pm CST.