European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

National developments, strategies and ideas.
Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Thu Jul 14, 2016 6:47 pm

Draw for Pavel as well.

High tension on board 4. Earlier on Akito had wanted to draw, asked me as manager if it was OK and I asked him to play on as Pavel's game was at the time unclear but starting to look a bit iffy for Pavel. Then Akito's opponent asked his manager if he could take a draw; my opposing manager refused to let him either - presumably because he didn't fancy the position on board 3 for his player! A bit later on Akito asked me again and I said yes go for the draw, but somehow he and I had a communication failure and to my horror he carried on playing. Only then did Pavel's game halve out. So as I type there is a very double edged N & pawns (Akito) vs B & pawns endgame carrying on. Akito appears calmer than his young opponent...calmer than me anyway!

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Thu Jul 14, 2016 6:55 pm

Akito drew, thank goodness (via a completely lost position....). My apologies to Akito for the un-necessary stress.

And the match is halved....

LawrenceCooper
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by LawrenceCooper » Thu Jul 14, 2016 7:07 pm

Jim Wadsworth wrote:Akito drew, thank goodness (via a completely lost position....). My apologies to Akito for the un-necessary stress.

And the match is halved....
The joys of being a captain :)

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Thu Jul 14, 2016 9:14 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote:The joys of being a captain :)
Thanks Loz. Anyway, Ukraine tomorrow, yet again not on the live boards :(

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Fri Jul 15, 2016 2:19 pm

Round 6 underway.

On board 1 the first move played by Matthews opponent was 1. d4. So that was a morning of preparation wasted - according to the database the Ukrainian lad has been almost entirely (circa 95%) a 1. e4 player throughout his his career. I suppose one should take it as a complement that someone changes the habit of a lifetime to attempt to unsettle one...hey ho.

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Fri Jul 15, 2016 3:52 pm

Just under two hours into the round. State of play as follows:
- Matthews game looking very level; as seems to have been the case throughout the event, Matthew is somewhat behind on the clock, however
- Adam under a bit of pressure, but I think looking OK.
- Pavel also under a bit of pressure - not least as Pavels K is on g8 and the opposing Q is sitting on h6 (with Pavels h-pawn advanced to h5)
- Akito is a pawn down, and his isolated c-pawn is multiply attacked

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Fri Jul 15, 2016 4:53 pm

At two and a half hours in...:
- Matthews game still evenly balanced. The disparity on the clock has reduced (earlier on Matthew was about 40 minutes behind his opponent); Matthew has 10 minutes plus the increment to make 15 moves, his opponent has 30 plus the increment.
- Adams game is once again pretty complex, he is probably a bit better but not sure
- Amazingly, in Pavels game not even a single pawn has yet been captured. Pavel has successfully kicked out whites Q from proximity to his K. Long way to go in this one.
- Akito has not only won his pawn back and kept his c-pawn, but that c-pawn is now passed and on the 6th rank. Akito definitely better than his opponent, time will tell as to whether he is better enough!

One can tell we are heading towards the end of the tournament (tomorrow is the final round): not only have I received information about return transport to the airport but I have just been handed a feedback form by the deputy arbiter. Notwithstanding the live board issues on day one, this has been a very well-organised and well-controlled event so far - my thanks to our Slovenian hosts.

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Fri Jul 15, 2016 5:17 pm

A bit over 3 hours in...:
- not sure quite what has happened but Matthew is essentially lost now. Still playing but I can't see how he can hold a R, N and pawns endgame - one pawn down with a horrible pawn structure. And Matthew is now playing on his increment with a long way still to get to the time control
- Adams position is still a bit better, very hard to read Pavels game but in any event both games have a long way to go. A bit of time pressure on Pavels opponent in a very complex position.
- I obviously spoke too soon about Akito's game. A good fight back by his opponent has liquidated the passed pawn and regained the advantage. They are now into a R & N endgame, Akito has 2 kingside pawns to his opponents 3. not looking great for Akito but he has shown lots of fight and resilience already this week, so it's not over yet.

John Higgs
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by John Higgs » Fri Jul 15, 2016 5:38 pm

Thanks Jim for the commentary today and throughout the event.
"I'm not the one who got it wrong. I'm the only one who got it right". Carrie Mathison.

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Fri Jul 15, 2016 5:44 pm

Adam has just won his game! Congrats to him

Pavels game is still very unclear (Adam isn't sure either, it's not just my limited understanding!). Matthew and Akito are still fighting on but looking quite hard for both of them.

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Fri Jul 15, 2016 5:58 pm

Pavel just asked if he should offer a draw. given where Akito and Matthews games are at not a particularly difficult decision for me to say no....(especially since I think he is a bit better over the board - in particular Pavel has a passed a-pawn)

They have all safely navigated the time control, anyway...

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Fri Jul 15, 2016 6:45 pm

So, three of the last five games still going on in the round are ENG v UKR....

- Matthew is 2 pawns down in his R & N endgame but defending hard, I imagine he will eventually lose but he is certainly making it very hard for his strong opponent. It may end up being decided by the clock (or a clock-inspired blunder); Matthew has 4 minutes left and his opponent about 10.
- Pavel is now slightly worse and has lost his passed pawn; both of them are getting short of time (circa 4 minutes each) so more or less anything could happen in what remains a complex picture with Q, R & a minor piece each
- Akito has N and a pawn against N and two pawns. I don't think his opponent knows what to do so I am optimistic about draw chances there. Plenty of time on both clocks.

Jim Wadsworth
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Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Fri Jul 15, 2016 6:55 pm

As we approach 5 hours, Pavel just lost :(

The other two are still going...

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Fri Jul 15, 2016 7:03 pm

Akito got his draw - well done him!

Rooks swapped off in Matthews game, which should be about to become N and two vs N and one (with all the pawns on the kingside). Matthew playing on his increment and his opponent has about 5 minutes on the clock.

Jim Wadsworth
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Re: European Youth Team Chess Championships 2016

Post by Jim Wadsworth » Fri Jul 15, 2016 7:25 pm

Matthew lost, finally....... :(

So the match was lost 2.5 - 1.5. Another close one, real shame.