World Teams 2019

[JustinHorton]

Plausible winning plans would be a sacrifice or a Zugswang. There doesn't seem any prospect of either.

And yet

[Tim Harding]

Ok, but what's the winning plan for white?

The stockfish at chessbomb likes White's position. But ask it to suggest a line of play for White, all it will do is shuffle the King and the two pieces. Plausible winning plans would be a sacrifice or a Zugswang. There doesn't seem any prospect of either. Presumably there aren't any anti-draw provisions in place, so they aren't going to have to shuffle for fifty moves or until they contrive a repetition.

Adly just played knight sac Ne5!? which could be tricky - online engine says 0.00 which as we know can mean anything

[Mick Norris]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. c4 c6 5. O-O O-O 6. d4 d5 7. cxd5 cxd5 8. Nc3 Ne4 9. Nd2 Nf6 10. Nb3 Bf5 11. Bg5 Ne4 12. Nxe4 Bxe4 13. f3 Bf5 14. e4 Be6 15. e5 f6 16. exf6 exf6 17. Be3 Nc6 18. Qd2 b6 19. Bh6 Qd7 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Rfc1 Rfc8 22. Bf1 Nd8 23. Ba6 Rxc1+ 24. Rxc1 Nf7 25. Qc3 Rd8 26. Qc6 Qe7 27. Re1 Rd6 28. Qb5 Qd8 29. Re3 Bd7 30. Qe2 Rc6 31. Bd3 Rc7 32. Kg2 Bc8 33. Nd2 Qd7 34. Qd1 Qd6 35. a3 Re7 36. Qe1 Rxe3 37. Qxe3 Qe6 38. Qxe6 Bxe6 39. Nb1 Nd6 40. Nc3 g5 41. Kf2 h6 42. Nd1 Kf7 43. Ne3 Ke7 44. b4 Kd7 45. b5 Ne8 46. Ke1 Kd6 47. Kd2 Bd7 48. Kc3 Ng7 49. a4 Be6 50. Kb4 Bd7 51. Kc3 Be6 52. f4 Bd7 53. f5 h5 54. h3 Be8 55. Kd2 Bf7 56. Ke2 Ne8 57. Kf3 Ke7 58. Nc2 Nc7 59. Nb4 Be8 60. Ke3 Kd6 61. h4 g4 62. Be2 Bf7 63. Kf4 Ne8 64. Bd1 Kd7 65. Bb3 Kd6 66. Ke3 Ng7 67. Bc2 Be8 68. Kf4 Bf7 69. Bd1 Be8 70. Bb3 Bf7 71. Nd3 Be8 72. Ne5 fxe5+ 73. dxe5+ Kc5 74. Kg5 Nxf5 75. Kxf5 d4 76. Kf6 d3 77. Ke7 Bg6 78. e6 Kb4 79. Bd1 Kc3 80. Kf6 Be8 81. Ke7 1/2-1/2

Well done Luke

[Tim Harding]

Phew! McShane held so we win the match and are up to second place, India only drawing.

[JustinHorton]

India still have to play Russia, albeit in the last round when Russia may already be champions. I think England would guarantee a medal if they beat Sweden, regardless of the result against China tomorrow?

[Mick Norris]

Yes

Tomorrow:

Sweden v Russia (12)
China (8) v England (11)
India (10) v USA (8)

[David Shepherd]

It's worth noting David Howell is now rated 1 in England based on the live ratings and Luke McShane is rapidly rising with a live rating of 2684.

[JustinHorton]

Meanwhile Goryachkina currently has a level position as Black against Ushenina.

She drew - the first half-point she has dropped and one of only three draws in the women's competition today.

[Kevin Greenacre]

It's worth noting David Howell is now rated 1 in England based on the live ratings and Luke McShane is rapidly rising with a live rating of 2684.

David is certainly playing really well; just as a matter of interest, who was the last player to be rated 1 in England apart from Mickey and Nigel? Guessing it was quite a while ago?

Kevin

[JustinHorton]

Miles maybe? Wasn't there some Olympiad-board-order controversy involving this?

[Jonathan Rogers]

Miles maybe? Wasn't there some Olympiad-board-order controversy involving this?

yes, though if I remember right, it was on the part of Short who was a handful of points higher than Miles and unhappy to play on board three, in Dubai 1986.* In any event the previous person to Short was surely Miles, I am just not sure exactly when in the mid 1980s.

I wonder whether Luke might have jumped above Adams for a very short time at some point as well.

Has Speelman or Nunn ever been number one?

* To be fair to NDS he had also just been the first English candidate, in Montpellier 1985. Nunn has always defended the selectors' decision but it was certainly a marginal call and surely not altogether satisfactory that Miles and Nunn were on the panel that made the decision.

[Roger de Coverly]

Has Speelman or Nunn ever been number one?

Were Keene or Hartston ever number one between Penrose and Miles? That might depend whether you used BCF grades or FIDE ratings. Before Penrose, you are going back almost to before grading systems had been invented.

[Mick Norris]

It's worth noting David Howell is now rated 1 in England based on the live ratings and Luke McShane is rapidly rising with a live rating of 2684.

I think David has gone above Mickey for a short period before; Luke was above Gawain yesterday

[Roger de Coverly]

just as a matter of interest, who was the last player to be rated 1 in England apart from Mickey and Nigel? Guessing it was quite a while ago?

Matthew Sadler perhaps in the late 1990s, before he retired from professional chess.

[Alex Holowczak]

David Howell was 1st equal with Mickey Adams at some point last year, I think.