Some thoughts on the games ...

Here are some brief comments, provided by IM John Donaldson in the Mechanics' Institute Newsletter ...

Bhat,V (2463) - Panchanthan,M (2530) [A45]
USCL San Francisco vs Dallas Internet Chess Club (1), 30.08.2006

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 c5 4.f3 Qa5+ 5.c3 Nf6 6.d5 Qb6 7.e4

To show you how fast the Tromp develops this move and the ensuing double pawn sacrifice is not even mentioned in Peter Well's acclaimed book on this opening which was published in 2004.

7...Qxb2 8.Nd2 Qxc3 9.Bc7!

This key move, cutting off the Queen's retreat, has garnered some big scalps.

9... b6

[Note by Vinay: An Alexandrov game is given in the next note from the black side a few moves later (on move 12). He must have been impressed, as he tried the line out with the white pieces after that game:

Aleksandrov,A (2627) - Danin,A (2431) [A45]
Inautomarket Open Minsk BLR (7), 16.07.2006

9.Bc7 d6 10.Ne2 Qe3 11.Nc4 Qh6 12.Bxb8 Rxb8 13.Qa4+ Nd7 14.Qxa7 g6 15.Nb6 Nxb6 16.Qxb8 Qe3 17.Rb1 Bh6 18.h4 Bf4 19.Rb3 Qd2+ 20.Kf2 c4 21.Ra3 0-0 22.Qc7 Qb2 23.Ra7 Be5 24.Qxe7 Nxd5 25.exd5 Qb6+ 26.Ke1 Qxa7 27.h5 Qe3 28.Kd1 c3 0-1

However, it looks like he was unlucky from both sides of the Tromp. The line with 9.Bc7 has been called an opening trap and even winning (!), but as far as I know, it isn’t either. It just happens to be a relatively unknown line in which the practical chances currently are generally with White because of the difficulty in defending accurately.]

10.Rc1 Qa5 11.Be5 Ba6 12.Bc3 Bxf1?

Black decided to keep his Queen in the following battle, but White's compensation was never in doubt and he went on to win a beautiful game:

Pavlovic,Milos (2471) - Aleksandrov,Aleksej (2630)
Vrnjacka Banja 2005

12... Qa3 13.Nc4 Bxc4 14.Bxc4 d6 15.Bd2 Qb2 16.Ne2 Qe5 17.Bb5+ Kd8 18.0-0 g6 19.Bf4 Qh5 20.Ng3 Qh4 21.Qd2 h6 22.e5 Ne8 23.Ne4 f5 24.Bg3 Qh5 25.Nxc5 dxc5 26.Bc6 Nc7 27.Bxa8 Nxa8 28.e6 Nc7 29.Rxc5 bxc5 30.Qb2 Nba6 31.Qxh8 g5 32.Qxf8+ Qe8 33.Qxf5 1-0

13.Bxa5 Bxg2 14.Bc3 Bxh1 15.Qa4 g6 16.Nc4 Bh6 17.Rb1 0-0 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.Qxa8 Be3 20.Ke2 Bxg1 21.Bxf6 exf6 22.Rxg1 Nc6 23.Qxf8+ Kxf8 24.dxc6 Bxf3+ 25.Kxf3 dxc6 26.a4 Ke7 27.Rb1 b5 28.axb5 cxb5 29.Rxb5 Kd6 30.Rb7 1-0

Kuljasevic,D (2423) - Pruess,D (2459) [A73]
USCL San Francisco vs Dallas Internet Chess Club (1), 30.08.2006

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nf3 g6 7.Nd2 Bg7 8.e4 0-0 9.Be2 Na6 10.0-0 Nc7 11.a4 b6 12.f3 Nh5 13.f4 Bd4+ 14.Kh1 Qh4 15.Bxh5 Qxh5 16.Qxh5 gxh5 17.Ne2 Ba6 18.Nxd4 Bxf1

This win of the Exchange might look grubby, but it is typical of David's concrete style. Matters are far from clear.

19.Nf5 Ba6 20.Ra3 Ne8 21.Rg3+ Kh8 22.b3 Rd8 23.Bb2+ f6 24.Nc4 b5 25.axb5 Bxb5 26.Na5 Rb8?

This is an unfortunate square for the Rook. Better was 26...Bd7 when the forcing line 27.Nb7 fails to 27...Bxf5 28.Nxd8 Bxe4 29.Ne6 Rg8 30.Ng5 Bxd5

27.e5! fxe5 28.Nxd6! h6 29.Bxe5+ Kh7 30.h3 h4 31.Rc3 a6 32.Rxc5 Nxd6 33.Bxd6 Rfc8 34.Bc7 Bd7 35.d6 Rb5 36.Rxb5

Both players were down to a couple of minutes here. During the game David thought that 36.Rc3 was more dangerous. 36.Re5 was another choice.

36... Bxb5?

Black might possibly still be holding after this but 36...axb5 37.Nb7 Rg8 38.Nc5 Bc6 was simpler and should draw.

37.Nc4 Rf8 38.Kg1 Kg6 39.Ne5+ Kf5 40.Nf3 Ke6 41.f5+ Kf6 42.Nxh4 Re8 43.Bb6 Re1+ 44.Kh2 Rb1 45.Bd4+ Kf7 46.Nf3 Rxb3 47.Ne5+ Ke8 48.f6 Rd3 49.d7+ Bxd7 50.f7+ 1-0