Home Chess News 2021 Kenya Chess Championship – Day 4

2021 Kenya Chess Championship – Day 4

December 30, 2021

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2021 Kenya Chess Championship – Day 3

Today was all about surviving.

Round 7

I got a good position against Martin Njoroge. It was semi-cruise control. Then I lost control of the position with a badly judged pseudo-breakthrough pawn move (f4?). I totally underestimated the dynamics of letting Martin’s light-squared bishop out of ‘Covid-containment’. This constitutes the worst OTB decision I have made in this tournament so far.

Martin Njoroge (left) and Mehul Gohil in their round seven encounter of the 2021 Kenya Chess Championship which ended in a draw

Despite being the exchange up, I could make no headway, and if anything, I could have ended up in big big trouble. As it was, I managed to save my ass with a well-calculated sequence in the rook endgame.

The only problem is that Martin Njoroge made a dubious decision with his Rc2. I was already in the ‘agree draw’ mindset as I had experienced one too many dangerous adventures in this game. I completely failed to realise that the endgame was won for me!

See the position below…from Black’s point of view. All I had to do was play 58……. Kf6! (I did not see it at all…I was not even looking for it…I was just looking to end the anxiety with a draw). {if White then queens 59 g8=Q then Rh3 is mate! – Editor}. This gives one vital tempo for the black King to approach and support the advanced black pawns; the black Rook is ready to sacrifice itself for the white Pawn. Draw.

Njoroge Martin v Mehul Gohil

[Event "2021 Kenya Chess Championship"] [Site "followchess.com"] [Date "2021.12.29"] [Round "R7"] [White "Njoroge Martin"] [Black "Gohil, Mehul"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "1901"] [BlackElo "2014"] [ECO "A40"] [WhiteFed "KEN"] [BlackFed "KEN"] [FCGameId "226184920"] [WhiteFideId "10801952"] [BlackFideId "10800999"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] 1. d4 {[%clk 1:24:09]} e6 {[%clk 1:30:49]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 1:24:22]} f5 {[%clk 1:31:08]} 3. c4 {[%clk 1:24:35]} Nf6 {[%clk 1:31:24]} 4. g3 {[%clk 1:25:01]} d5 {[%clk 1:31:39]} 5. Bg2 {[%clk 1:25:26]} Be7 {[%clk 1:31:57]} 6. O-O {[%clk 1:25:48]} Ne4 {[%clk 1:32:17]} 7. Nbd2 {[%clk 1:25:41]} Nc6 {[%clk 1:32:22]} 8. e3 {[%clk 1:17:42]} h5 {[%clk 1:32:44]} 9. Ne5 {[%clk 1:16:45]} Nxe5 {[%clk 1:32:29]} 10. dxe5 {[%clk 1:17:00]} h4 {[%clk 1:32:37]} 11. Nxe4 {[%clk 1:17:11]} dxe4 {[%clk 1:32:48]} 12. Qxd8+ {[%clk 1:16:47]} Kxd8 {[%clk 1:33:13]} 13. Rd1+ {[%clk 1:16:46]} Ke8 {[%clk 1:28:41]} 14. Bd2 {[%clk 1:16:14]} a5 {[%clk 1:28:51]} 15. a3 {[%clk 1:15:48]} a4 {[%clk 1:26:31]} 16. Bb4 {[%clk 1:15:04]} Bd7 {[%clk 1:26:22]} 17. Bf1 {[%clk 1:14:02]} c5 {[%clk 1:21:18]} 18. Bc3 {[%clk 1:13:47]} Bc6 {[%clk 1:21:17]} 19. Rac1 {[%clk 1:13:33]} g5 {[%clk 1:21:13]} 20. Rb1 {[%clk 1:12:40]} Kf7 {[%clk 1:20:09]} 21. Rd2 {[%clk 1:11:03]} Rh7 {[%clk 1:13:06]} 22. Rbd1 {[%clk 1:05:52]} Rg8 {[%clk 1:10:16]} 23. Be2 {[%clk 0:57:53]} hxg3 {[%clk 1:08:56]} 24. fxg3 {[%clk 0:55:31]} f4 {[%clk 1:06:37]} 25. Bg4 {[%clk 0:54:51]} f3 {[%clk 1:05:01]} 26. Rc2 {[%clk 0:53:16]} Rb8 {[%clk 1:04:13]} 27. h3 {[%clk 0:51:23]} b5 {[%clk 1:03:02]} 28. cxb5 {[%clk 0:51:37]} Bxb5 {[%clk 0:59:54]} 29. Rcd2 {[%clk 0:50:46]} Be2 {[%clk 0:54:53]} 30. Rxe2 {[%clk 0:48:13]} fxe2 {[%clk 0:55:14]} 31. Re1 {[%clk 0:48:41]} Bd8 {[%clk 0:50:20]} 32. Rxe2 {[%clk 0:48:45]} Ke7 {[%clk 0:50:22]} 33. Kg2 {[%clk 0:48:27]} Bc7 {[%clk 0:50:27]} 34. Re1 {[%clk 0:47:40]} Rd8 {[%clk 0:48:31]} 35. Bd1 {[%clk 0:47:38]} Rd5 {[%clk 0:43:38]} 36. Bxa4 {[%clk 0:44:19]} Bxe5 {[%clk 0:43:56]} 37. Bxe5 {[%clk 0:41:10]} Rxe5 {[%clk 0:43:55]} 38. Bb3 {[%clk 0:40:36]} Kd6 {[%clk 0:42:43]} 39. Bc4 {[%clk 0:39:48]} Rb7 {[%clk 0:40:05]} 40. Re2 {[%clk 0:39:43]} Rf5 {[%clk 0:35:42]} 41. a4 {[%clk 0:39:14]} Rb4 {[%clk 0:33:45]} 42. b3 {[%clk 0:39:34]} Rd5 {[%clk 0:33:39]} 43. g4 {[%clk 0:38:24]} Rd3 {[%clk 0:28:37]} 44. h4 {[%clk 0:35:41]} gxh4 {[%clk 0:28:26]} 45. Kh3 {[%clk 0:36:05]} Rxc4 {[%clk 0:10:00]} 46. bxc4 {[%clk 0:35:56]} Ra3 {[%clk 0:10:26]} 47. Kxh4 {[%clk 0:36:07]} Rxa4 {[%clk 0:10:48]} 48. Kg5 {[%clk 0:35:55]} Ke7 {[%clk 0:09:43]} 49. Kg6 {[%clk 0:34:55]} Rxc4 {[%clk 0:09:38]} 50. Kg7 {[%clk 0:31:48]} Rc1 {[%clk 0:08:54]} 51. g5 {[%clk 0:32:10]} c4 {[%clk 0:08:59]} 52. g6 {[%clk 0:32:23]} c3 {[%clk 0:09:21]} 53. Rh2 {[%clk 0:29:36]} Rd1 {[%clk 0:02:06]} 54. Rc2 {[%clk 0:13:41]} Rd3 {[%clk 0:02:25]} 55. Kh7 {[%clk 0:14:02]} Rxe3 {[%clk 0:02:41]} 56. g7 {[%clk 0:14:18]} Rh3+ {[%clk 0:02:32]} 57. Kg6 {[%clk 0:14:36]} Rg3+ {[%clk 0:02:56]} 58. Kh7 {[%clk 0:15:01]} Rh3+ {[%clk 0:03:21]} 59. Kg6 {[%clk 0:15:26]} Rg3+ {[%clk 0:03:49]} 1/2-1/2 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

Round 8

I totally manhandled Hillary Sagwa. He didn’t have a chance.

So for me, it is actually mission accomplished. I had set myself the target of playing good chess and finishing with a respectable result. Even if I lose tomorrow, I am guaranteed 3rd prize at worst. If I get anything more than that, it will be a welcome bonus.

It should be a very big game vs CM Ben Magana tomorrow in the final round.

Looking forward to it.

Mehul Gohil v Hillary Sagwa

[Event "Kenya Chess Championship"] [Site "followchess.com"] [Date "2021.12.29"] [Round "R8"] [White "Gohil, Mehul"] [Black "Sagwa, Hillary"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2014"] [BlackElo "1820"] [ECO "A40"] [WhiteFed "KEN"] [BlackFed "KEN"] [FCGameId "898120116"] [WhiteFideId "10800999"] [BlackFideId "10814850"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] 1. d4 {[%clk 1:30:43]} Nc6 {[%clk 1:30:58]} 2. d5 {[%clk 1:30:10]} Ne5 {[%clk 1:31:25]} 3. e4 {[%clk 1:30:33]} d6 {[%clk 1:30:20]} 4. f4 {[%clk 1:29:52]} Ng6 {[%clk 1:30:43]} 5. Nc3 {[%clk 1:28:21]} e5 {[%clk 1:28:45]} 6. dxe6 {[%clk 1:27:41]} fxe6 {[%clk 1:28:55]} 7. Nf3 {[%clk 1:27:38]} Be7 {[%clk 1:25:50]} 8. Bc4 {[%clk 1:25:57]} Bf6 {[%clk 1:24:39]} 9. O-O {[%clk 1:26:05]} Bxc3 {[%clk 1:20:29]} 10. bxc3 {[%clk 1:26:28]} Qe7 {[%clk 1:20:19]} 11. f5 {[%clk 1:22:01]} exf5 {[%clk 1:10:09]} 12. exf5 {[%clk 1:18:15]} Bxf5 {[%clk 1:10:10]} 13. Re1 {[%clk 1:02:38]} Ne5 {[%clk 1:08:06]} 14. Bxg8 {[%clk 1:02:35]} Rxg8 {[%clk 1:06:24]} 15. Nxe5 {[%clk 1:02:54]} dxe5 {[%clk 1:05:19]} 16. Qd5 {[%clk 1:02:34]} Be6 {[%clk 1:03:23]} 17. Qxe5 {[%clk 1:02:51]} Kd7 {[%clk 1:01:10]} 18. Ba3 {[%clk 1:02:16]} c5 {[%clk 0:57:57]} 19. Rad1+ {[%clk 1:02:20]} Kc6 20. Qxe6+ {[%clk 1:02:34]} Qxe6 {[%clk 0:56:29]} 21. Rxe6+ {[%clk 1:02:58]} Kb5 {[%clk 0:56:54]} 22. Rb1+ {[%clk 1:02:36]} Kc4 {[%clk 0:56:56]} 23. Rxb7 {[%clk 1:02:59]} Rad8 {[%clk 0:55:45]} 24. Rxa7 {[%clk 1:01:13]} Rgf8 {[%clk 0:55:53]} 25. h3 {[%clk 0:59:48]} Rd2 {[%clk 0:55:06]} 26. Rc6 {[%clk 0:59:09]} Rf5 {[%clk 0:55:10]} 27. Rac7 {[%clk 0:58:34]} Rdd5 {[%clk 0:55:13]} 28. Rxc5+ 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.