Buggy-Samb tie break game 7, 18-8-2001

N.Samb - Buggy 2-0
1.33-29 20-24 2.29x20 15x24 3.32-28 10-15 4.34-30 14-20 5.30-25 18-23 6.25x14 9x20 7.40-34 23x32 8.37x28 12-18 9.34-30 5-10 10.30-25 10-14 11.41-37 7-12 12.46-41 1-7 13.39-33 17-22 14.28x17 12x21 15.31-27 21x32 16.37x28

diagram 1

16... 18-22!? The simultaneous occupation of 22 and 24 is a recurring theme in Buggy's play. Samb will have welcomed this as a pleasant surprise. It alleviates his plans to take advantage of the black left wing. A direct consequence of black's 16th move is that white can clear the field 33 using the exchange 23.33-28, thus making the attack 24-29 unattractive.

18-22 17.28x17 11x22 18.44-39 6-11 19.50-44 11-17 20.36-31 7-12 21.41-37 13-18 22.37-32 8-13 23.33-28 22x33 24.39x28

diagram 2

24... 3-8!? It seems quite early to play the crown piece 3 in this position. A more normal continuation would be 24... 4-9.

3-8 25.44-39 24-29

diagram 3

Buggy's last move 25... 24-29!?!? is a very drastic solution for the problem how to bring the black left wing into play. And Samb's reaction 26.39-34 29x40 27.35x44 is no less surprising. In a game with more time, he might have tried to take advantage of 24-29 in a more direct way by 26.49-44 18-22 27.32-27 22x33 28.39x28. Possibly Samb was inspired by the 6th game, where Buggy had problems in a position similar to the one that arises after 26.39-34. In any case, Sambs reaction turns out to be a huge success.

26.39-34 29x40 27.35x44 17-22 28.28x17 12x21 29.32-28 4-9 30.38-32 8-12 31.42-37 12-17 32.43-39 21-26 33.48-42 20-24 34.31-27

diagram 4

The similarity with the third game of the second set is striking (see game 6, diagram 4 and 5). And this time Buggy doesn't have enough time to compute a safe plan. Possibly 39... 9-13 would have been a better choice.

18-22 35.27x18 13x33 36.39x28 17-21 37.28-23 19x28 38.32x23 21-27 39.49-43 2-7 40.23-18

diagram 5

Now black is faced with three major problems: white's strong front piece on 18 and the two inactive pieces on 15 and 16. This is simply too much. Buggy doesn't find a solution, and it is probably already too late for that.

27-31 41.43-38 24-29 42.44-39 7-11 43.18-12 9-13 44.45-40 16-21 45.40-35 15-20 46.35-30

diagram 6

Samb plays it perfect: 46... 29-34? is impossible because of 47.38-33 34x43 48.42-38 43x41 49.47x7, and thus: 46... 31-36 47.38-33!! 29x38 48.42x33. The final blow. Black ends up in a lost endgame with several pieces less.

31-36 47.38-33 29x38 48.42x33 21-27 49.33-29

diagram 7

49... 26-31!? The first of three sacrifices that Buggy makes to reach the promotion line. Despite his lack of time Samb easily succeeds in winning the game and thus the match. The alternative plan 49... 27-32 50.37x28 26-31 51.30-24 31-37 52.24x15 37-41 would also have lost because of 53.39-34 41-46 or? 54.15-10 46x7 55.10x8 W+. This last game was played brilliantly by Samb, and he manages to do what few people had predicted: beating the computer in a blitz game. Looking back, I think that Samb deserves to win the match, but it would have been fair if Buggy had at least won in one of the games.

26-31 50.37x26 27-32 51.30-24 32-37 52.24x15 37-42 53.47x38 36-41 54.29-24 41-46 55.24-20 14-19 56.12-7 11x2 57.20-14 19x10 58.15x4 13-19 59.4-18 46-41 60.18-45 19-24 61.38-33 41-10 62.45-50 10-23 63.50-45 23-10 64.45-40 10-15 65.33-28 15-10 66.28-22 10-19 67.22-17 19-32 68.17-11 32-49 69.40-45 49-35 70.11-6 35-49 71.6-1 49-27 72.39-33 24-30 73.25x34 27-43 74.1-6 43x25