GothamChess Sacrifices Rooks In Back-To-Back Games, Takes 4-Point Lead Before Final Day

After evening the score against GM Pia Cramling with a win the previous day, IM Levy Rozman (GothamChess) has taken a 14-10 lead in the Battle of Generations. He won three consecutive games on Friday, with rook sacrifices in two of them, but Cramling had the last laugh as she played checkmate on the board in the final game. 

The match ends with 12 games of blitz (3+2 time control), on Saturday, November 2, starting at 9 a.m. ET / 12:00 CET / 6:30 p.m. IST. 

Score After 6 Rapid Games

The two draws at the start of the day were the quiet before the storm. The six rapid games consumed over six hours to complete, and blunders in the final two games were clear signs of fatigue. 

Let's get the two draws out of the way first. Cramling held game one in an opposite-color bishop endgame, and GothamChess held game two, after sacrificing his knight for the following unbreakable fortress. There was no way to win the g7-pawn, so it was a draw.

Then Rozman scored the hat trick, starting with a win in game three. It was another rook endgame that was once equal, but one that turned out difficult to hold in practice, with just a 10-second increment. "It felt like it was always smooth," confessed Rozman after the game, though he admitted he was aware the engine found a few inaccuracies in his conversion.

White had a few chances to save the game, namely 34...e4!, 35...Ra4!, and finally 42...h5!, which Cramling showed on the board immediately after the game, concluding it was a draw before the engine confirmed it for her. 43...h5! on the next move worked as well.   

Rozman won again with the black pieces and showcased what he does best: attack. IM Alex Ostrovskiy explained, "Although Levy has had two victories so far in this match, I think this game is the first game where he was able to show his strengths... with initiative and with attacking chances." WFM Anna Cramling agreed, "Levy's playing this so well. He's so good at tactical positions."

Although Levy has had two victories so far in this match, I think this game is the first game where he was able to show his strengths.

—Alex Ostrovskiy

Rozman, who said afterward he'd "found" his "groove," started attacking with the enterprising 14...f5!?, a move the computer didn't like but one that's not so easy to refute in a rapid game. He explained the psychological impact of this move: "I played like that because I kind of felt like the only way to refute my position was to get into a huge mess and I was just sort of hoping Pia would maybe slowly play the position, and she did."

I was just sort of hoping Pia would maybe slowly play the position, and she did.

—Levy Rozman

The attack landed quickly and concluded with a rook "sacrifice."

Then the players were clearly tired in the last two games. GothamChess made it three wins in a row with White after an opening blunder Cramling played in two seconds. 10...Bg7?? allowed Rozman to, once again, sacrifice the rook: 11.Rxh7!. He converted the material advantage with no significant mistakes.

The score was 14-8 in favor of the international master, but Cramling put a dent in that by finishing the day with checkmate on the board. Rozman explained that he fell asleep at the wheel, just as he reached a drawn position: "I completely relaxed, actually. It was a total loss of concentration. She gave me the pawn on g4 and the pawn on f5 with check and I was like, oh my God, the game is over, that's it. Then I got mated."

I completely relaxed, actually. It was a total loss of concentration.

—Levy Rozman

You can watch Rozman's recap video below.

Or GM Hikaru Nakamura's, if you wish.

GothamChess said he was annoyed, understandably, after losing such a game, but the match situation is still more than fine for him. He leads by four points, which means that Cramling will have to win four blitz games just to even the score. It's a question of nerves as much as it is about chess: can Rozman hold it together for 12 more games, or will Cramling resurge in the fastest time control? 

The Battle of Generations is an over-the-board match between GM Pia Cramling and IM Levy Rozman featuring multiple time controls: four classical games (90+30), six rapid games (15+10), and 12 blitz games (3+2). It takes place at the Svarta Hasten in Stockholm, Sweden. The prize fund is $10,000, with $6,000 going to the winner.

Previous Coverage: 

• Day 4: GothamChess Wins On Time, Evens Match Score Before Rapid Games
• Day 3: Cramling Defends Difficult Endgame, Continues To Lead Vs. GothamChess
• Day 2: 14-Move Draw Leaves Cramling In Lead
• Day 1: Pia Cramling Wins With Black In Game 1 Vs. GothamChess
• Chess Legend Pia Cramling To Face Off With Levy Rozman In Battle Of Generations