Verslag voor dit internationale team voor de gelegenheid in het Engels: Yesterday evening's game was a real final, since we played against the number 2 team of the league, Raadsheer Corbulo, in Voorburg. A minimum of 4-4 would do the job.
Filippo Sidoti was the first to finish on board 7. In a complicated position, his opponent had plenty to worry about, and took his time to make his move. However, when he made his move it became apparent that he had missed the main threat: mate in one.
0-1
Fausto Molinari blundered a deadly knight fork on board 6, in what was already a difficult position.
1-1
One theme of the day was the Morra gambit (1. e4 c5 2.d4). It was played by Christian Gruss with white on board 3 and by Nicolas le Masson with black on the neighbouring board 4. Both black players bravely accepted the pawn sacrifice, which usually leads to sharp play.
Nicolas regretted this decision, because his opponent knew very well what he was doing, and played a very good game, outplaying Nicolas.
2-1
However, things were looking very good for both Christian Schmitt and Olivier Krikorian on boards 2 and 5. Their games showed the second theme of the day, because they both had two minor pieces for a rook. They both duly converted this advantage in excellent fashion.
2-3
The situation still remained unclear. The initiative that Christian Gruss had had in return for the pawn seemed to have fizzled out on board 3. Nikolaos Tryfonas was always a little bit worse in his game on board 8. Feike Liefrink had chosen a somewhat tame set-up with white on board 1, and as a consequence, the position looked pretty equal. I was already worrying that if Christian and Nikolaos would loose, Feike might have to win.
But then, Nikolaos received a draw offer in a pawn ending that was still more pleasant (and maybe even winning) for his opponent. Nikolaos received orders to take the draw.
2,5-3,5
By then, Feike actually had the upper hand on board 1, but he showed himself a true team player, by offering a draw to his 500 points lower rated opponent, who could not refuse.
3-4!
Almost simultaneously, Christian Gruss found a way to force a repetition of the position.
3,5-4,5, we finished the season with a win.
Time to uncork the champagne!
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| Boards 1-4, with Filippo watching, as his game is already finished. |
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| Position of board 1 |
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| Both Christians on board 2 and 3. |
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| Fausto is struggling with his isolated d-pawn, Olivier is enjoying his position. |
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| Nikolaos, hanging in there. |
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| Olivier, enjoying it some more… |
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| Christian played all 7 games, scoring an undefeated 6/7, making him the individual topscorer of klasse 3A, and the undisputed MVP of the ND. |
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