22th European Team Chess Championship 2019

[Leonard Barden]

Howell has drawn and Jones appears dead level, so there should be four teams on 7/8 match points, with the forced round five pairings

Russia v Armenia

Ukraine v England

[John Moore]

Well, who would have believed it, particularly after 2-2 against Austria in the first round, a result which could have been even worse. Early days yet, of course, and tougher opponents to come but I doubt that anyone on board 2 will be looking forward to facing Luke.

[NickFaulks]

Luke was busted but turned it right round with plenty of help from his opponent.

I never saw that, I thought it was a good game. Admittedly, 34.Bxf4, and therefore probably 32.Kh1, appears to have been based on an oversight, but you don't win with Black unless your opponent makes a mistake somewhere.

[Alex Holowczak]

Well, who would have believed it, particularly after 2-2 against Austria in the first round, a result which could have been even worse.

If you look back through the history of this tournament, 13 matchpoints has been enough to win it before. One combination that achieves that is 4 wins and 5 draws. A draw in Round 1 of 9, with a Swiss with only 40 teams, was fine because there was plenty of time to catch up. The same can't be said in the Olympiad, where a Round 1 draw would be much more of an issue; due to the wide range in ability between the top and bottom, 17+/22 is normally needed for a medal. In this, 13/18 is normally enough for a medal.

[NickFaulks]

The same can't be said in the Olympiad, where a Round 1 draw would be much more of an issue; due to the wide range in ability between the top and bottom, 17+/22 is normally needed for a medal.

The organisers can of course change the odds by imposing a daft pairing system.

[Mick Norris]

2.1 GM Ivanchuk, Vassily 2686 - GM Adams, Michael 2694
2.2 GM Kuzubov, Yuriy 2636 - GM Mcshane, Luke J 2682
2.3 GM Volokitin, Andrei 2627 - GM Howell, David W L 2694
2.4 GM Onischuk, Vladimir 2616 - GM Jones, Gawain C B 2688

[Mick Norris]

15.1 IM Houska, Jovanka 2430 - WFM Georgescu, Lena 2271
15.2 WGM Toma, Katarzyna 2272 - WIM Heinatz, Gundula 2175
15.3 WIM Lauterbach, Ingrid 2078 - WFM De Seroux, Camille 2140
15.4 WFM Bhatia, Kanwal K 2038 - Tamrazyan, Gohar 1955

[John Moore]

Well, who would have believed it, particularly after 2-2 against Austria in the first round, a result which could have been even worse.

If you look back through the history of this tournament, 13 matchpoints has been enough to win it before. One combination that achieves that is 4 wins and 5 draws. A draw in Round 1 of 9, with a Swiss with only 40 teams, was fine because there was plenty of time to catch up. The same can't be said in the Olympiad, where a Round 1 draw would be much more of an issue; due to the wide range in ability between the top and bottom, 17+/22 is normally needed for a medal. In this, 13/18 is normally enough for a medal.

Fair enough Alex, but the point I was trying to make was that the team's play in Round 1 did not suggest that they were likely to win their next three matches.

[David Shepherd]

Jon Speelman now commentating https://www.twitch.tv/jonspeelman

[Kevin Thurlow]

I note that the Swedish women's team contains Pia Cramling and her daughter. Obviously, there have been occasions where siblings have played in the same team, but I cannot recall a mother/daughter or father/son occurrence. Doubtless I will be proved wrong.

[Alex Holowczak]

I note that the Swedish women's team contains Pia Cramling and her daughter. Obviously, there have been occasions where siblings have played in the same team, but I cannot recall a mother/daughter or father/son occurrence. Doubtless I will be proved wrong.

The most tragic father/son occurrence was in Tromso 2014. Peter Meier was on board 1 for Seychelles, and his father Kurt was on board 2. It was Kurt who died with a heart attack during the final round.

[Roger de Coverly]

2.2 GM Kuzubov, Yuriy 2636 - GM Mcshane, Luke J 2682

An amusing move in Luke's game, Luke is White.

[SetUp "1"] [FEN "r1bqkb1r/pp2pppp/2p2n2/8/2B1Q3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/R1B1K2R w KQkq - 3 8"]

You might think that 8. Qe2 or Q somewhere was forced, but 8 Ne5 is possible.

It's been seen before as might be expected. One of the byways of opening theory.

1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Qe2 Nxe4 6. Qxe4 Nd7 7. Bc4 Nf6 8. Ne5

[Mick Norris]

Gawain has won

[Tim Harding]

I doubt that anyone on board 2 will be looking forward to facing Luke.

Famous last words?

[Mick Norris]

Luke has lost; Howell & Volokitin are both in time trouble

EDIT having reached the time control, David looks to be in trouble; Mickey has drawn