CT-3355

Beware: Blunder!
by GM Alex Baburin

I guess this column will
never be without new
material, as even strong
players are prone to gross
errors. This is particularly
true for seemingly safe
situations, like this one:

Dziuba (2587) - Rutkowski (2405)
Ch-POL (2), Warsaw, 10.01.2010

XIIIIIIIIY
8-+-+-+-+0
7zp-+-+-+-0
6k+-+P+L+0
5+pvl-+-tR-0
4-+p+-+-+0
3zP-+-+P+-0
2-zP-+-+-+0
1+-+K+-+r0}
xabcdefghy

White is doing well, but many
positions can be spoilt with just one
disastrous move:
55.¢c2?? ¥e3! 0–1.

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CT-3344

Beware: Blunder!
by GM Alex Baburin

Blunders can occur in innocuous
situations – with no threats and no
danger in sight. This is exactly what
happened in the following example:

M. Richter (2412) - Ionov (2545)
39th Rilton Cup (6), Stockholm, 2010

XIIIIIIIIY
8-+-+-+-+0
7+-vlnmk-zp-0
6-+-+p+-zp0
5+-+-+-+-0
4-+-+-+-+0
3+-+-zP-+P0
2-+-+-zPP+0
1+R+-+-mK-0}
xabcdefghy

Black would have pretty good
winning chances in the ending
¥,¤+3§s vs. ¦+3§s, but with an extra
pawn White should be fine. His best
policy is to do nothing, but do it really
well, as Tony Miles liked to say. Alas,
he strayed from that line immediately,
trying to be 'active'.

36.¦b7?? Rooks belong to the 7th
rank, right? Wrong! At least, they don't
always belong there...

36...¥b6! This is the end of that
active rook...

37.g4 ¢d6 38.g5 hxg5 39.¢g2 ¢c6
40.¦xb6+ ¢xb6 41.¢g3 ¤f6 42.f4
gxf4+ 43.¢xf4 ¤d7 0–1

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