22th European Team Chess Championship 2019

[NickFaulks]

I'd managed to miss that Luke is a pawn down for no obvious compensation.

I imagine that he would disagree about that.

[JustinHorton]

He would now!

The bottom boards aren't looking healthy though. Nor is Luke's clock.

[LawrenceCooper]

Adams has drawn in 30 moves, Jovanka has won in 31.

[NickFaulks]

He would now!

I think he would have all along, genuine pawn sac. If Black went wrong, it isn't obvious where.

[JustinHorton]

CanI put myself on firmer ground by saying that Gawain isn't going to win this one?

[NickFaulks]

CanI put myself on firmer ground by saying that Gawain isn't going to win this one?

Agreed, and neither is Luke. All on David's game. and we don't mind that.

[NickFaulks]

Meanwhile we have Russia likely to win, Ukraine not so clear.

[JustinHorton]

Gawain gets his draw.

[JustinHorton]

I notice David is actually more than twenty minutes up on the clock, so I looked up Fridman and "time trouble" and got this

[Tim Harding]

Post time control, circa 1130, it is looking like Armenia will win but if David finishes off his game and Luke draws (looking plausible but a long way to go) then England are clear third to compensate for the debacle in Tokyo. But if England only draw 2-2 then it's down to tiebreaks.

Ukraine will win thanks to Ivanchuk and Onischuk (though losing on board 3).
Alekseenko will win to get Russia to 2 points and they win their match unless Wojtaszek can win a dead level minor piece ending against Vitiugov.

[NickFaulks]

I notice David is actually more than twenty minutes up on the clock, so I looked up Fridman and "time trouble" and got this

Daniel played in Bermuda in the days before increments, and I remember him being a "15 moves in the last minute to time control" merchant. I was always surprised by how many of these there were - it cannot be an optimal strategy, except possibly when you're getting battered.

[Alex Holowczak]

One very confusing aspect of watching this final round live, along with the commentary, is that the moves are on a 15-minute delay, but the broadcast and commentary is live. So what's the point of delaying the moves?

[JustinHorton]

I notice that Brkic, currently fighting to save a vital draw against Onischuk, seems to have missed a win much earlier in the game - and, come to that, spurned a repetition.

[NickFaulks]

So what's the point of delaying the moves?

Oh dear, you're applying logic again.

[JustinHorton]

Alekseenko has won and the last game in that match looks very drawn, so Russia should win their match [EDIT: they have indeed done so] and the title unless (I think) Ivanchuk and Onischuk both win - which is perfectly plausible but not as likely as it looked half an hour ago.