2015 World Senior Team Ch 24 Feb-4 Mar

[Tim Harding]

Tim, it is possible to turn the boards around by clicking on the black dot on the right side of the board.

Thanks, I hadn't spotted that. Unfortunately Terry seems to have blundered at move 36; his position was difficult anyway.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Strange. Nigel won (so England leading 2-1), and Keith's game was getting exciting when the last few moves disappeared and 1-0 appeared. I hope that is a win for Keith and not a malfunction of the display. The game display currently ends at 48...Qc3, though the moves played appeared to have been 49.Rc5 Bc4 50.h5. I am presuming there was a mate if Black queened his pawn, but I can't find it...

[Tim Harding]

It's not clear what happened at the end of Keith Arkell's game; did he win on time, or even lose on time?
After 48 Rxe5 Qc3 the live board seemed to show 49 Rc5 Bc4 with 1-0 and then the 49th moves (post-mortem analysis?) vanished to show the end as 48 Rxe5 Qc3 1-0 which is not very plausible.

50 Qc1 Rf2 may be winning for Black so I fear the worst.

On board 4 in the B section the wrong result was shown originally and later corrected to 0-1.

Probably England 1 will not be the live match tomorrow, and they will need to play the top four for a few rounds to catch up.
Comfortable win by Nigel, though.

[Clive Blackburn]

Chessbomb shows a win for Arkell, with the game ending:

47. Rxf7+ Rxf7
48. Rxe5 Qc3
49. Rc5 Bc4 1-0

[Clive Blackburn]

Chessbomb shows a win for Arkell, with the game ending:

47. Rxf7+ Rxf7
48. Rxe5 Qc3
49. Rc5 Bc4 1-0

So can anyone see why black cannot simply promote the pawn?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

The official site shows Black with no time left, so maybe that was how it finished, a win on time for Keith (as Tim suggested earlier)? I think the post-mortem began to look at 50.h5 but it doesn't seem to work, so if that was a win on time, a lucky one?

[Clive Blackburn]

This is the game (Arkell playing white)

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. c4 Nbd7 4. Nc3 g6 5. g3 Bg7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O e5 8. e4 c6 9. h3 Re8 10. Re1 Qb6 11. d5 cxd5 12. cxd5 Nc5 13. Rb1 a5 14. Be3 Bd7 15. Nd2 Rec8 16. Nb3 a4 17. Nxc5 dxc5 18. b4 axb3 19. Rxb3 Qa5 20. Bd2 b5 21. Nxb5 Qxa2 22. Nc3 Qa7 23. Qc2 c4 24. Rb2 Bf8 25. Be3 Bc5 26. Bxc5 Qxc5 27. Reb1 Ne8 28. Rb7 Rc7 29. R7b6 Nd6 30. Qd2 Kg7 31. Kh2 Nc8 32. R6b2 Ra3 33. Rc2 Nd6 34. f4 f6 35. fxe5 fxe5 36. Rf1 Nf7 37. Qc1 Rb3 38. Rcf2 Be8 39. d6 Nxd6 40. Nd5 Rf7 41. Nf6 Rbb7 42. h4 Bb5 43. Rf3 Ne8 44. Qg5 Nxf6 45. Rxf6 c3 46. R1f5 c2 47. Rxf7+ Rxf7 48. Rxe5 Qc3 49. Rc5 Bc4

[Keith Arkell]

To put your minds at rest, I won on time after playing Rxe5. Everything else was post mortem. Got a bit lucky there but it was very complicated. Obviously I had a really nice position earlier, but overestimated my attack. I should just play 23 Be3 and play against his weak c pawn, while my monster on d5 waits in the wings.

[Tim Harding]

To put your minds at rest, I won on time after playing Rxe5. Everything else was post mortem. Got a bit lucky there but it was very complicated. Obviously I had a really nice position earlier, but overestimated my attack. I should just play 23 Be3 and play against his weak c pawn, while my monster on d5 waits in the wings.

Thanks Keith, I am sure we are all very relieved you won, and commiserations to Terry.

I am grateful to have clarifications from you people on the spot. It's good to know you are watching the forum.

Has there been any talk in Dresden about there being so many good seniors prizes (though only 50+ I think?) on offer in Jerusalem at the same time as your tournament? The clash of dates was unfortunate. Maybe it will be avoided next year?

Good luck with the rest of the rounds and maybe see you at Acqui Terme in November.

[Keith Arkell]

Hi Tim,

The Jerusalem event hasn't actually come up in conversation so far - probably because I'm the only player it affected. I was invited by Emil Sutovsky to play there, and yes I rather liked the look of the senior prizes, but I had to tell him I was already pencilled in to play here. An unfortunate clash indeed.

Thanks for the good wishes for the team.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

To put your minds at rest, I won on time after playing Rxe5. Everything else was post mortem. Got a bit lucky there but it was very complicated. Obviously I had a really nice position earlier, but overestimated my attack. I should just play 23 Be3 and play against his weak c pawn, while my monster on d5 waits in the wings.

Glad to hear it was indeed a win (even if on time). Thanks for clearing up that confusion. All the best to you and the rest of the team for the remaining rounds.

[Nick Grey]

Best of luck to Alan Scrimgour (Scotland 2) & Chris Fegan (England 2)

[NickFaulks]

Looks like England are going for the old win with White, draw with Black. Speelman's done his bit. Trouble is, I rather like the look of Black on board four.

edit More so now, if Keith really had to play 18.Rd2, then something had gone very wrong.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Now Short has drawn as well. Let's hope John Nunn and Keith Arkell can do what is needed here.

[Jonathan Rogers]

I am more optimistic than Nick about Keith's chances.