Ben VS Alexis. After Round 5

2nd crushing defeat stunned the Russians

Alexis Migel must be feeling like a volcano about to erupt any moment after suffering a shock thrashing in the hand of Singaporean premeir chess-player GM Benjamin Tan. Widely tipped to breeze through the match, Migel now find himself having a mountain to climb. Everyone predict Migel to win easily but found himself in the wrong end of the defeat.

The Russian superstar crumbled like dust and within 27 moves he was in a completely hopeless position and has to shake hands. The playing standard of both players is clearly exposed in this game. While the Singaporean fans cheered like they had just won the World Cup, the Russian could only stare at thin air, mouth hanging open in utter disbelief......

The notation of round 5 is as followed


2010 Chess SuperBowl Round 5
Benjamin Tan vs Alexis Migel

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Bd3 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 dxc4 8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qd3 b4 10. Ne4 Nxe4 11. Qxe4 Bd6 12. 0-0 0-0 13. b3 Qf6 14. Bb2 Rd8 15. Rac1 a5 16. Rfd1 a4 17. Ne5 axb3 18. axb3 Ra2 19. Qb1 Ra6 20. f4 g5 21. d5 Qe7 22. dxc6 gxf4 23. Qe4 fxe3?? 24. Qg4+ Kf8 25. Rxd6!! Qxd6 26. Nxf7 Qd2 27. Qg7+ Black Resigns


Current Score

GM Benjamin Tan 3.5
GM Alexis Migel 1.5

Alexis VS Ben. After Round 4

No Way Through For Migel

No question who has been the busier of the two, hot favorite Alexis Migel fell behind after a shocked defeat in the last round, he would be looking to equalize the series. Migel has been the more aggressive of the two players, but Ben defended solidly and hold on to all his resources for an eventually draw on move number 46.

Ben defended Alexis' 1. e4 with his trademark Alekhine Defence - Benekan Variation, retreating the knight back to g8, giving up a tempo to save a tempo and good position for his king's knight. The result was a brick wall which deservingly frustrated Migel who could not find an opening in Ben's defence, eventually the two shook hands and shared points on move number 46.

The notation of round 3 is as followed


2010 Chess SuperBowl Round 4
Alexis Migel vs Benjamin Tan

1. e4 Nf6 2. d3 d5 3. e5 Ng8 4. h3 Bf5 5. Nf3 e6 6. d4 Nd7 7. Bd3 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 c5 9. c3 cxd4 10. cxd4 Bb4+ 11. Bd2 Bxd2+ 12. Nbxd2 Rc8 13. 0-0 Ne7 14. Rac1 0-0 15. Nb3 h6 16. Rxc8 Qxc8 17. Rc1 Qb8 18. Qb5 Nb6 19. Nc5 Rc8 20. Rc3 Rc7 21. g4 Qc8 22. Kg2 Nd7 23. Nxd7 Qxd7 24. Qxd7 Rxd7 25. b4 a6 26. a4 Nc6 27. b5 axb5 28. axb5 Na5 29. Rc5 Nc4 30. Kf1 Kf8 31. Ke2 Ke7 32. Kd3 Kd8 33. Kc3 g6 34. Nd2 Nxd2 35. Kxd2 Rc7 36. Kc3 Rxc5+ 37. dxc5 Kc7 38. Kd4 g5 39. f3 Kd7 40. Kc3 Kc7 41. Kb4 Kd7 42. Ka5 Kc7 43. Kb4 Kd7 44. Kc3 Kc7 45. Kd4 Kd7 46. Kc3 Kc7 draw agreed 0.5 - 0.5


Current Score

GM Benjamin Tan 2.5
GM Alexis Migel 1.5

Ben VS Alexis. After Round 3

Benjamin Tan crushed Migel to take the lead

Round 3 sparked the most life into both players so far. Ben dominated the opening, controlled the middlegame magnificently and crushed his superstar opponent in the endgame. Out of the three games (so far) this is the only game in which Ben played to his full potential, according to some Professional Chess Commentators. A shell-shocked Alexis Migel never knew what hit him when he was repeatedly slugged down at full-force.

Ben started with his usual d4 and Migel opted for a King's Indian, the opening which earned him a draw at round 1, but Ben chose the Bayonet Attack this time and dominated the game with crushing initiative, eventually Migel was wore down and Ben threatened to queen his a-pawn, unable to take it anymore Migel shook hands and conceeded.

The notation of round 3 is as followed


2010 Chess SuperBowl Round 3
Benjamin Tan vs Alexis Migel

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 0-0 6. Be2 e5 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4 Nh5 10. Re1 f5 11. Ng5 Nf4 12. Bxf4 exf4 13. Rc1 Bf6 14. Ne6 Bxe6 15. dxe6 Bxc3 16. Rxc3 fxe4 17. Bf1 Nc6 18. Rxe4 Qe7 19. c5 Rad8 20. cxd6 cxd6 21. b5 Ne5 22. Qd5 Rde8 23. Qd4 h5 24. f3 h4 25. h3 g5 26. Qxa7 Rc8 27. Rxc8 Rxc8 28. Qb6 Rc2 29. a4 Rd2 30. a5 Kg7 31. a6 bxa6 32. bxa6 Ra2 33. Rd4 Qxe6 34. Rxd6 Qf7 35. Re6 Qf5 36. Qa7+ Qf7 37. Qd4+ Kf8 38. Rf6 Qb1 39. Qd5 Rxg2+ 40. Kxg2 Qb2+ 41. Kh1 Qxf6 42. a7 Black Resigns 1-0


Current Score

GM Benjamin Tan 2
GM Alexis Migel 1

Benjamin Tan VS Alexis Migel, Round 3

The match reach the third round, but what would we see from Ben and Alexis ? Would we see some crazy novelty from GM Benjamin Tan, rock-solid defensive resources from Alexis Migel ? or another boring GM draw ? Would Ben open with e4 finally ? or would he stick to his favourite first move - d4

We would find out !

Odds -
Alexis Migel 68%
Benjamin Tan 4%
Draw 28%

GM Ben to pull out of Serangoon Garden International Chess Challenge

GM Benjamin Tan stunned the Serangoon Garden Chess Committe by withdrawing from the prestigious chess competition at the very last minute.



"Ben would not be appearing to grace the event", said former Fair Cup winner Karl Tigran Jankovik. His withdrawal is reported to be inspired by the neccessity to prepare for the 2010 Chess SuperBowl match against Alexis Migel. The Russian, who is widely expected to play against Benjamin Tan in the year's end RCI Cup Undisputed Champion added that his (Ben's) presence would be badly missed amist the tournament.



"The chess world wanted to see a good match between Benjamin Tan and Alexis Migel and Ben is doing his part to fulfil their wishes" added Mr Jankovik.

Alexis VS Ben. After Round 2

Draw Benefits Benjamin

In round 2 both players are starting to become slightly more motivated than they are from round 1, but not quite yet. Ben gained an early initiative and tried to build on it, but time trouble prevented him from converting his microsopic advantage into a vital victory against his Russian counterpart, in the end Ben offered a draw which is accepted by Migel after no less than 10 seconds of positional evaluation.

The notation of round 2 is as followed


2010 Chess SuperBowl Round 2
Alexis Migel vs Benjamin Tan

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. d3 d5 4. Bf4 Bd6 5. Bxd6 Qxd6 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. e3 Nxc3 8. bxc3 c5 9. Nf3 b6 10. d4 cxd4 11. Qa4+ Bd7 12. Qxd4 Qxd4 13. Nxd4 Nc6 14. Bb5 Rc8 15. Ba6 Rd8 16. Rd1 0-0 17. Bb7 Na5 18. Be4 Ba4 - draw agreed, 0.5-0.5


Current Score

GM Benjamin Tan 1
GM Alexis Migel 1

2010 Chess SuperBowl - Round 2

This might only be the second game of the tournament, but the tension is already very high, with Ben's odds to win the match falling to 28 percent (from 32) if he were to fall to a defeat in this round.

Meanwhile over in Russia, Alexis Migel's team firmly believe that their man is still the clear favourite, as they cannot forsee anything standing in their way to a clear-cut victory. Some predicted that Alexis would not need to go beyond the 18th game to seal the match.

While things might look grim for Benjamin Tan, the Singaporean sensation has a reputation for fighting till the very last drop of blood, however this match would turn out round 2 has to come first, and what would be the outcome of it ?? - we will find out !

Benjamin Tan VS Alexis Migel. After Round 1

Honor-even at Raffles Town Club

Both players held their nerves to hold out a draw on their 5th May's encounter. It's evidental that both players were still trying to get use to the tournament. Ben gain the upper-hand in the first ten moves only to allow Alexis to break out, sacrifice a bishop and deliver perpectual check. Neither players were too keen on taking any risk, with Ben surprisingly being the meeker of the two.

The notation of round 1 is as followed


2010 Chess SuperBowl Round 1
Benjamin Tan vs Alexis Migel

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 b6 6. Be3 Bb7 7. Qd2 Nc6 8. a3 e5 9. d5 Nd4 10. Bxd4 exd4 11. Qxd4 o-o 12. Qd2 Re8 13. Bd3 c6 14. Ne2 a6 15. 0-0 16. Rfd1 bxc4 17. Bxc4 cxd5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Bxd5 Bxd5 20. Qxd5 Bxb2 21. Ra2 Be5 22. Nc1? Qh4 23. g3 Bxg3 24. hxg3 Qxg3+ 25. Rg2 Qxf3 26. Rf1 Qe3+ 27. Kh1 Qh3+ 28. Kg1 Qe3+ 29. Kh1 Qh3+ 30. Kg1 Qe3+ 31. Kh1 Qh3+ draw 0.5-0.5


Current Score

GM Benjamin Tan 0.5
GM Alexis Migel 0.5

Ben to open with the white pieces

Ben's draw overcome Alexis' 2 to 1 to start round 1 with the white pieces. The Singaporean superstar would be playing white in round 1 and the color would rotate after every round.

GrandmasterBenjaminTan.blogspot.com would be the official coverage for the 2010 Chess SuperBowl, every games would be posted here and analysis would be provided, spectators would be allowed (and encouraged) to share their views right here.

We shall await for round 1 to get underway...

I am not losing any sleep - said Benjamin

Arguably the most anticipated match in the history of the Chess SuperBowl is about to get underway on the 5th of May 2010. Singaporean superstar Benjamin Tan would be locking horns with Russian Superstar Alexis Mikhailvich Migel over the board for the very first time.

The draw for who to open with the white pieces (and who to open with the black) will be completed in a few hours time.

Said GM Benjamin Tan, "It really does not matters who plays white or who plays black first, at the end of the day the player who plays better would be the one to go home with the point". When asked how much confidence he has in himself Ben responded negatively, "I come here expecting to get last, Migel would have an easy time".

However anyone who had seen or heard about Ben's chess would know it would be far from easy for his Russian opponent, former RCI Classical Cup-finalist Lee Wei Cheng would be expecting a tough fight to the very last game.

But the lurking question that might drives some crazy would be - How would the 2 players prepare for this big match ? and what would the King of Novelty, Grandmaster Benjamin Tan had installed for his opponent this time round ?? we will find out...

The first game starts tomorrow at Raffles Town Club at 10am.