Karpov on fire !!!!!

FIDE Intercontinental Junior U-21 Championship 2008

Ben Karpov 9 Ricnesh 1


Zonal-Master Ben-Karpov thumped deadly rival V.Ricnesh 9-1 in a closely contested 10 rounded match yesterday.

Ben won all 5 games away (as black) and managed to win 4 out of 5 of his home (as white) games. 3 of the games were highly controversial, the second game - where Ben came from one rook and 5 pawns down to win. The 5th game when Ben is position down but manage to fight-back and sprung a shock win in the endgame and the 6th game when he is 5 pawns and one queen down Ben fought back to win - with the help of a passed-pawn at the 7th rank.

Death rival Ricnesh was stunned by the unexpected trashing. Said the 17 years-old star : "I did not expect to lose, let alone take a trashing, right not I'm really pissed, but I have to admit he (Ben Karpov) played really sharply and made things difficult for me".

Openings Ben Karpov used

1st game. White. Ruy Lopez Classical. Won. 1-0
2nd game. Black. Guika Piano. Won. 2-0
3rd game. White. Ruy Lopez Steiniz. Lost. 2-1
4th game. Black. Sicillian (black plays a6 on 2nd move). Won. 3-1
5th game. White. English Opening (white plays Nc3 on 2nd move). Won. 4-1
6th game. Black. Sicillian (black plays a6 on 2nd move). Won. 5-1
7th game. White. English (white plays b4 on 3rd move - Polish). Won. 6-1
8th game. Black. Pettrof - Russian game. Won. 7-1
9th game. White. English (white plays g3 on 3rd move). Won. 8-1
10th game. Black. Sicillian (black plays a6 on 2nd move). Won. 9-1