Buggy-Samb game 5, 17-8-2001

N.Samb - Buggy 1-1
1.33-29 20-24 2.29x20 15x24 3.32-28 10-15 4.34-30 17-22 5.28x17 12x21 6.39-33 8-12 7.44-39 2-8 8.30-25 12-17 9.40-34 7-12 10.34-30 17-22 11.50-44 11-17

diagram 1

Buggy's opening is a real provocation towards Samb. The early occupation of 21, 22 and 24 is very risky, especially given the fact that white has no weaknesses in his position yet. Note the striking parallel between this game and the first game of the match.

12.39-34 6-11 13.31-27 21x32 14.37x28 1-7 15.36-31 18-23 16.31-26 23x32 17.38x18 13x22 18.41-37 9-13 19.43-38 4-9 20.46-41 12-18

diagram 2

The black position has some deficiencies (a badly placed piece on 5 and lack of control over field 6), but it takes a lot of skill to take advantage of that. For example, the move 21.48-43 looks very attractive [22-28? 22.33x22 17x28 23.26-21 16x27 24.38-32 27x38 25.43x1] but then black can develop his position with 7-12 and 22-28. And after 21.37-32 black can retreat with 8-12, 24-29 and 22-28. Sambs next move 21.38-32! is a smart solution to keep the pressure on black.

21.38-32 7-12 22.32-28 18-23

diagram 3

Just like in game 1, with 23.44-39 Samb starts an attack on piece 24. And again it brings Buggy into a lot of problems. An alternative plan that would lead to enormous tension is 23.44-40 23x32 24.37x28 13-18 25.42-38 [prevents 5-10 because of 26.26-21 16x27 27.25-20 14x25 28.38-32 27x29 29.34x5], and now for example 22-27 26.34-29 5-10 27.29x20 15x24 28.41-36 18-23 29.49-43 23x32 30.43-39 32x34 31.40x20 19-24 32.20x29 with a better position for white.

23.44-39 23x32 24.37x28 12-18 25.34-29 5-10 26.29x20 15x24 27.39-34 18-23 28.42-37 23x32 29.37x28 13-18 30.34-29 10-15 31.29x20 15x24

diagram 4

A nice variant in this position, demonstrated by Auke Scholma, is 32.48-42 8-13? 33.45-40! and black is in big trouble. For example 18-23 34.42-37 23x32 35.37x28 13-18 36.47-42 16-21 37.40-34 11-16 38.49-43 3-8 39.42-38! and the threat 40.28-23 is decisive. However, after 32.48-42 9-13! 33.45-40 24-29 34.33x24 22x33 black has no problems. Possibly 32.41-37! was a little more accurate than the move that Samb played in this position. One of the problems for black is that 16-21-27 is followed by the combination 37-32 and 28-23. And in this case the plan 9-13 followed by 24-29 is very unsafe with 48 still in place.

32.45-40 9-13 33.40-34 18-23 34.41-36 23x32 35.34-29 13-18 36.29x9 3x14

diagram 5

White has still the advantage, but again it is not easy to find the right plan. Samb chooses a simple, but very effective plan. He goes for a longterm breakthrough on blacks left wing with 33-29-24-20, 30-24 etc. Although this plan is very slow, it does create a real threat for black, because of white's granite defence on 47, 48 and 49.

37.33-29 8-13 38.29-24 16-21 39.47-42

diagram 6

39... 11-16? Buggy wastes valuable time. Black must play as actively as possible to be in time for the counter attack. Therefore 39... 21-27 would have been much more logical. Now the situation becomes dangerous for black. Despite his problems with time, Samb plays very accurate during the next couple of moves. It is indeed functional to wait with the retreat 42-37 until black has played 28-33, because it slows down the black attack considerably.

11-16 40.24-20 19-23 41.20x9 13x4 42.25-20 23-28 43.30-24 28-33 44.42-37 32x41 45.36x47 22-27 46.24-19 27-32 47.19-14 32-37

diagram 7

48.49-43(?) After this move the computer has no problems anymore to make a draw. That may sound surprising, because for a human player it would still be very problematic after 49-43. But thanks to its tremendous computing power and the help of the six piece endgame database, Buggy can avoid all white tricks effortlessly. The obvious plan for white was 48.20-15 33-38 49.14-10 38-42 50.47x38 37-41 51.10-5 41-47 52.38-32. An endgame with one piece advantage for white remains. In particular against a computer this would have given Samb terrific opportunities to win the game, because it is a strategic endgame and it is way outside the database.

48.49-43 21-27 49.20-15 27-32 50.15-10 4x15 51.14-9 33-38 52.43-39 18-22 53.9-4 22-28 54.39-33 38x29 55.4-31 37-41 56.47x36 29-33 57.48-43 33-38 58.43-39 15-20 59.35-30 16-21 60.31-48 20-25