OLYMPIAD 2008 :):)

[Justin Hadi]

Not sure what Short is doing with 16...Ra7.

[JustinHorton]

Ooh, well done Ingrid.

[John Saunders]

Ingrid lost, didn't she?

The Russian plan now seems to be to neutralise the two young guns and have Kramnik nurse his small edge whilst Jakovenko goes for the point against Stuart (since 2½-1½ is good enough). It did seem strange to leave Mickey off the team for such a big match, however poorly he had played previously. Maybe he is physically under the weather. Anyone know?

[JustinHorton]

Ingrid lost, didn't she?

So she did. My apologies. It's been a long day.

Maybe he is physically under the weather. Anyone know?

After the above, I'm not sure I can correctly identify who's playing on either side (or what game they're playing) but it did strike me that potentially it might be a health issue rather than entirely one of form. You mighbt drop your top board after two straight defeats, but even when there's been a rest day to recover?

[Justin Hadi]

Short could win this ending - the g6 pawn looks difficult to grab and he might be able to put the pressure on with his knights later. I could be wrong, but we'll see.

[JustinHorton]

Can anybody tell me the result of Jovanka's game? I'm not currently confident of my ability to read....

[John Saunders]

Jovanka's won but it looks like they are going down in the match.

Richard Jones has just beaten a GM. OK, somebody I've never heard of from Bolivia but a GM nonetheless. Should be points in the bank for the Welsh (I know this is the 'English Chess Forum' but hey...).

[John Saunders]

Sorry, it's only just dawned on me that Jovanka beat Stefanova. After beating Cmilyte in the last round. That's fantastic stuff!

[Jonathan Rogers]

Jovanka won in very convincing style (as opposed to the slight element of comedy in the win v Cmilyte). Again the women impress against higher rated opposition, though I think that this time they may go down to a narrow defeat all the same.

Kramnik is certainly playing for the win, though it looks harder than it did a little while ago. But Conquest is clearly losing so the Russians look assured of their favourite scoreline, at the least. Our big chance in this match was on board three when Morozevich seemed to be making the opening up altogether and lost a pawn for very little. But Gawain it seems did not adjust (how could he have expected the world number two to play like that?!) and allowed a perpetual - still a very good result under normal circumstances but not so much in these circumstances. (Admittedly playing to win was not entirely risk free but needless to say... chess is like that. But Moro definitely had not intended to sac his e4 pawn!).

But as I said in the other thread (where we discussed Adams' absence) this was always going to be a very difficult match; and I do think that it was even harder that England had not played any remotely comparable opposition beforehand. Perhaps Gawain would have come closer to taking advantage of Moro`s play if he had played some stronger opposition over the last few days?

[John Saunders]

Uh-oh - has Short really played 46...Kxa6 - sometimes the games window shows moves and then retracts them. Fingers crossed that it has done this again as it looks like Rh1-a1 is a winner for White...

[John Saunders]

Oh dear. Goodnight, Dresden. Looks like 1-3.

[JustinHorton]

Uh-oh - has Short really played 46...Kxa6 - sometimes the games window shows moves and then retracts them.

It seems to do that a lot, and then reinstate the (correct) move it was showing.

[Justin Hadi]

Short could win this ending - the g6 pawn looks difficult to grab and he might be able to put the pressure on with his knights later. I could be wrong, but we'll see.

Oh dear.

[JustinHorton]

What do you reckon to Stuart's chances of saving his?

[Justin Hadi]

About zero I would say.