England teams for 2011 European Team Championship

[Kevin Thurlow]

Thanks to David for posting link to pairing rules - they are most interesting...

[Matt Mackenzie]

13.1 GM Adams Michael 2734 - GM Sulskis Sarunas 2577
13.2 GM Howell David W L 2633 - IM Zagorskis Darius 2497
13.3 GM Jones Gawain C B 2635 - IM Labeckas Kestutis 2410
13.4 GM Pert Nicholas 2563 - Klabis Rokas 2100

I presume that said person is at least somewhat under-rated??

[Jonathan Rogers]

13.1 GM Adams Michael 2734 - GM Sulskis Sarunas 2577
13.2 GM Howell David W L 2633 - IM Zagorskis Darius 2497
13.3 GM Jones Gawain C B 2635 - IM Labeckas Kestutis 2410
13.4 GM Pert Nicholas 2563 - Klabis Rokas 2100

I presume that said person is at least somewhat under-rated??

A reasonable surmise! To us, it may be pleasing to see the low rating, but of course Nick won't be relishing this game one little bit. Gawain will be happier - a modest gain to be made by winning, and he would get back to +2. The question really is whether David Howell can get his confidence with a Black win. Chances for a big result today - Adams must see his game as an opportunity for +2 as well.

[Mick Norris]

Sulksis has the highest TPR on board 1 to date, so Mickey would presumably improve his chances of a board medal by winning (I don't know how they work out the individual medals or even if there are any)

Gawain's problem for anything similar is that the best performers are on boards 3 and 4 in the event so far
http://www.chess-results.com/tnr57856.a ... ES&flag=30

[Mick Norris]

I see France and Azerbaijan have agreed 4 draws already

[David Sedgwick]

Sulskis has the highest TPR on board 1 to date.

Yes, he seems to have played himself into form in Guernsey.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Are the results being posted somewhere online as they come in, even if the moves are not?

[Mick Norris]

Gashimov taken ill
http://www.chessdom.com/azerbaijan-and- ... y-2-2-draw

[Jonathan Rogers]

In case you hadn't noticed - Russia plays Ukraine today on board five! Ivanchuk has played the Dragon, just in case you thought that there might be an opening in existence that he has not played at the top level.

First decisive result on the live boards is Aagaard v Akopian. Akopian switched from French to Caro and the former British Champion has added another to his collection of "making losing with White seem easy". But of course Armenia more than happy with any Black win. If they now make a big win over Denmark they will still potentially be in the hunt.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Are the results being posted somewhere online as they come in, even if the moves are not?

Answering my own question (by looking back through the thread):

http://chess-results.com/tnr57856.aspx? ... ES&flag=30

Gawain Jones and Nick Pert have won, so looking very good.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Again, we do have a women's team too.

Currently they trail 0.5 - 1.5 to Croatia, but that was on the bottom two boards where Croatia had a substantial rating advantage. The opposite is true on the (unfinished) top two boards (basically, whilst there is a drop from 2300+ to 2100 in the middle of our team, the Croatians are 2200+ throughout - they must have had a difficult time deciding board order!)

Back to the mens, and Greece, Italy and Romania are starting to join Germany as major surprise packages.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Again, we do have a women's team too.

Apologies. I should have at least linked to their results as well:

http://chess-results.com/tnr57855.aspx? ... ES&flag=30

[Jonathan Rogers]

3-1 v Lithuania then, and one would have to say that this does not bode well for the London Chess Classic for David Howell. (He will have to take his chances with White in December, as did Vallejo Pons in the recent Grand Slam event). But at least we have established two team members on good form (Adams and Jones).

The women lost 2.5-1.5. Doubtless Alex has already worked out both teams' opponents tomorrow ...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

3-1 v Lithuania then, and one would have to say that this does not bode well for the London Chess Classic for David Howell. (He will have to take his chances with White in December, as did Vallejo Pons in the recent Grand Slam event). But at least we have established two team members on good form (Adams and Jones).

The women lost 2.5-1.5. Doubtless Alex has already worked out both teams' opponents tomorrow ...

I'm going to take a punt at Switzerland! (for the men) and, er, Norway for the women.

And Adams is currently tenth on this list (whatever that list is showing):

http://chess-results.com/tnr57856.aspx? ... ES&flag=30

[Alex Holowczak]

I think we'll get "Black" against Norway for the Women.