Bizarre days in Bhopal Rounds 7&8

Indian Kareoke Christmas

Oh, Tannenbaum, oh Tannenbaum, wie gruen sind deine blaetter...etc

This German Christmas song was my contribution to the Christmas Kareoky at the Hotel Kanta Shrawan Palace, where we are both staying and playing. Timur Gareyev sang a sang in Russian and David Bennett, also from the USA sang a Hanuka song. Our contributions were mercifully short. 

The Indians were represented by a professional singer, a Bank Director (sponsor), a former tabletennis champion, who promised me a game, and the wife of the tournament organiser, Mr Kapil Saxena. The Lady of the lakes, as well as all the other Indians put us to shame with their voices.

Ambulance Deathrace

If that sounds surreal then todays Incident was downright bizarre. I have had a cold for several days now and welcomed the offer to consult a doctor. I also informed him that for several weeks I have had a blocked ear. Although I mentioned that it was definitly not serious, a consultation with an E.N.T specialist was arranged. I amused myself by playing blitz with some local kids, two of whom belonged to the good doctor who had arranged my appointment.

Imagine my surprise when an ambuance arrived (converted mini-van)! Three of the organisers joined the two paramedics and driver and all seven of us sped off to the hospital with siren blazing at death defying speed through the crowded and chaotic streets of Bhopal. The only explanation I can think of is that the driver had seen my game from today and must have thought that anyone that plays so badly can only have minutes to live! 

To my amazement we arrived without without death or even severe injury to anyone. Just some dizzyness and nausea from all the speedbumps which were totally ignored. I was then ushered into a consultation room to see a doctor, with my entourage in attendance. I was then examined by a doctor who reminded me of the female incarnation of the Bhudda from the tv show Monkey. After a thorough examination she diagnosed me with a middle ear infection, prescribed me three different types of medication, and we took our leave.

We were promised a more sedate return home, and although our new driver promised, after a few hundred metres, when we encountered traffic, he also was unable to restrain himself, turned on the siren and off we went.....

Next time I have a minor ailment in India, I think I'll just suffer in silence. 

Round 7 

I am again able to present games to you in replayer form thanks to instruction from Sagar Shah, journalist for Chessbase India. I will try to reenter the games lost from my previous replayer if I can find them..and when I get around to it.

This game was particularily annoying as it featured some of my perpetual weaknesses. 20...Kh7 is obviously played with the intention of continuing with f5. My first thought was to stop it with 21.Qa2, retaining a slight advantage and a pleasant position. Instead I gambled, miscalculated and with 25.Bd5 blundered into a mate. I had only calculated 25.... Qg5, forgetting that c2 is no longer covered.

Round 8

Todays game was even more painful evn though I drew. 19.Nd2 allowed black complete control and Black entered the ending exchange and pawn ahead. I got careless and thought I must be winning the pawn ending with the spare tempo, without calculating. Stupid, stupid , stupid! 

[Event "Bhopal GM Open"] [Site "Bhopal"] [Date "2017.12.25"] [Round "7"] [White "Wohl, Aleksandar"] [Black "Sangma, R"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2370"] [BlackElo "2311"] [ECO "C77c"] [EventDate "2017.12.21"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.Nc3 d6 8.a4 Rb8 9.axb5 axb5 10.Nd5 Bg4 11.c3 h6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Ne7 15.Bb3 Ng6 16.O-O O-O 17.Qe1 Qd7 18.Ra7 Ra8 19.Qa1 Rxa7 20.Qxa7 Kh7 21.d4 f5 22.exf5 Qxf5 23.dxe5 Bxf3 24.gxf3 Nh4 25.Bd5 Qg6+ 0-1 [Event "Bhopal GM Open"] [Site "Bhopal"] [Date "2017.12.26"] [Round "8"] [White "Saurabh, Anand"] [Black "Wohl, Aleksandar"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2241"] [BlackElo "2370"] [ECO "C45c"] [EventDate "2017.12.21"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bb4+ 5.c3 Be7 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 Nf6 8.O-O d5 9.Nd2 O-O 10.h3 Nd7 11.Nf3 Nc5 12.Qc2 Nxd3 13.Qxd3 a5 14.Re1 Ba6 15.Qc2 Re8 16.Bf4 Bd6 17.e5 Bf8 18.Rad1 Qc8 19.Nd2 Re6 20. Bg3 Rg6 21.Kh2 c5 22.c4 d4 23.f4 Qd7 24.Qd3 Bb7 25.Rf1 f5 26.a4 Be7 27.Rg1 Rf8 28.b3 Rb6 29.Rde1 h6 30.Rgf1 Qe8 31.Re2 Qh5 32.Ree1 Rg6 33.Qe2 Qxe2 34.Rxe2 Re6 35.h4 Bc6 36.Rc1 Kh7 37.Kg1 Rg6 38.Kf2 Rg4 39.Nf3 g5 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Rh1+ Kg7 42.fxg5 Bxg5 43.Nxg5 Rxg5 44.Rg1 Rg4 45.e6 f4 46.Bh2 Rh8 47.e7 Kf7 48.e8=Q+ Bxe8 49.Kf3 Rhh4 50.Rxe8 Kxe8 51.Re1+ Kd7 52.Rd1 Rxh2 53.Kxg4 Rxg2+ 54.Kxf4 Re2 55.Rd3 Rc2 56. Ke4 Rc3 57.Rxc3 dxc3 58.Kd3 Ke6 59.Kxc3 Ke5 60.Kd3 Kf4 61.Kd2 Ke4 62. Ke2 Kf4 63.Kd2 Kf3 64.Kd3 Kf4 65.Kd2 1/2-1/2

Anyway tomorrow is another day. It cant get any weirder...or can it?