Malaysian Team Performances So far

WFM Siti Zulaikha vs IM Petrenko Svetlana .Photo from gilachess blog and european championship


Hi all,

So far our general (men) and women team performances is like a rollercoaster. The women team performed a little bit better due to their performance in round 3 when they beat Maldova seeded number 30 compare to Malaysia seeded number 58 . In particular we should be proud of our Woman Fide Master Siti Zulaikha, especially for her win over International Master Petrenko Svetlana from Maldova.

General (men) team has nothing to be proud so far. They lost to player that have higher rating and beat opponent that have low rating then them. Simple mathematic ! no surprises! So for that reason, it is more interesting to watch the women play because they have more chances to beat stronger team, where as the general (men)team, we can predict the result even before the game start!

Anyway I hope the general (men) team will strike back especially after their engines has warm-up. I really hope they can make one or two surprises.

Below is the game between Woman Fide Master Siti Zulaikha versus International Master Petrenko Svetlana from Maldova analyze by me and Shredder 9.

Petrenko,S (2334) - Siti,Z (2169) [B07]
36th Olympiad w Turin ITA (3), 23.05.2006

Analyse by hairulov and Shredder 9

B07: Pirc Defence: 1.e4 d6 Siti favourite opening since child. 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f3 c6 5.Be3 Qb6!? An interesting sideline and less explore move. 6.Qc1 [6.b3 Bg7 7.Qd2 Qa5 8.Nge2 0–0 9.0–0–0 b5 10.Kb1 Nbd7= Is equal according to John Nunn.] 6...Bg7 7.Bd3 h5!? From my reference, this is a novelty according to Shredder 9 and also in John Nunn book , The Complete Pirc. But this move looks like an interesting idea. Siti probaly feel confident that white will not castle queenside due to her queen position in c1. So this move is logical because if white choose to start the typical kingside assault with g4- h4-h5, white king will be too exposed. White probaly have two choise for her king. To stay in the center or to castle kingside that look more obvious to me. 8.Nge2 Qc7 This lost tempo move is not so important because black manage to prevent or at least delay white to choose the dangerous set-up with queenside castling. This kind of move usually seen in the Sicilian Qb6 variation where black force white to play defensive move Nd4-b3 and later the queen go to c7 and b8 if the queen being attack by white. 9.a4 b6 10.Bc4?! This look dubious to me. I think 10.0–0 is more consistent. 10...Nbd7 Shredder suggest 10...Ba6 and i can see the logic of the move. Black provoke white to play Bxa6 and lost 3 tempo with Bd3-Bc4-Bxa6. If white choose Ba2 Black Ba6 will make white king uncomfortable by attacking the a6-f1 diaganol. 11.0–0 Bb7 12.Qd2 a6 13.Ba2 e5 14.Nd1 [14.Rad1 0–0–0!?] 14...b5 [14...0–0 15.Nf2] 15.a5 Rd8 [15...c5 16.d5±] 16.c3 [16.dxe5 dxe5 17.c4 0–0‚] 16...c5 17.b4 0–0 18.d5 Nh7 19.Rc1 [19.c4 bxc4 20.Rc1!?] 19...c4 20.Bb1 Rde8 21.f4?! I think white should not open the position because it's only make his center shaky. 21...Bh6 22.f5 Bxe3+ 23.Qxe3 Ndf6 Black knight have good prospect in the kingside. 24.h3 Kg7 25.fxg6 [25.Rf3!?²] 25...fxg6= 26.Qg3 Rg8 [26...Bc8 27.Rf3 Qa7+ 28.Kh1³] 27.Ne3 Kh8 28.Kh1 Qg7 29.Ng1 [29.Rf3 Rgf8²] 29...Qh6 30.Rce1 [30.Rf3 Ng4!? is interesting.] 30...Bc8 31.h4 Ref8 32.Nh3?! This move looks like a passive move and give black the initiative. [32.Nf3!?= should be examined more closely] 32...Ng4µ The black knight is well posted. 33.Rxf8 Rxf8 34.Nf1 g5 35.Nh2?? the position was bad, and this mistake simply hastens the end [¹35.Kg1µ] 35...Nxh2 [¹35...gxh4 keeps an even firmer grip 36.Qxh4 Nxh2 37.Kxh2–+] 36.Kxh2 [36.Qxh2 doesn't get the cat off the tree 36...gxh4 37.Ng1–+] 36...g4 [¹36...gxh4 and Black has prevailed 37.Qxh4 Qd2–+] 37.Ng1µ Rf7 38.Qe3?? leads to further unpleasantness [¹38.Re2µ] 38...Qxe3–+ 39.Rxe3 Rf1 40.Bc2 Rc1 41.Re2 g3+ Bravo Siti!!!![41...g3+ 42.Kxg3 Rxg1–+] 0–1