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Last update: Wednesday October 31, 2007 16:48
| 2.18 | 34 | Matinkylan Shakkekerho Espoo | 1½ - 4½ |
32 |
Hilsmark Kingfisher | ||
| 1 | IM | Maki-Uuro Miikka | 2399 | ½ - ½ |
GM |
Arkell Keith C | 2479 |
| 2 | FM | Lehtivaara Petri | 2376 | 0 - 1 |
IM |
Greet Andrew | 2441 |
| 3 | FM | Pulkkinen Kari | 2330 | 0 - 1 |
IM |
Houska Jovanka | 2404 |
| 4 | FM | Hentunen Asko | 2352 | 1 - 0 |
Tavoularis Nicholas | 2246 | |
| 5 | FM | Ebeling Mika | 2354 | 0 - 1 |
Briscoe Chris | 2273 | |
| 6 | Salimaki Janne | 2181 | 0 - 1 |
WIM |
Andersson Christin | 2209 |
There was inevitably a slight sense of anti-climax in round 2 after the honour of playing a team of 2600-2700s the day before. However, we were still narrowly outrated and so to win 4.5-1.5 against a solid Finnish side was an outstanding result. We had the edge on rating on the top 3 whilst we were outrated on the bottom 3. Bearing this in mind, Keith’s opponent was determined to use the white pieces to swap off all the pieces and neutralise our GM. A slight gain maybe for them but at least it left us with 3 whites on the bottom 5 to try and win the match.
Andrew produced a typically smooth display to grind down Lehtivaara in a Lopez transferring a slight space advantage into an ending where his better pieces, pawn structure and active king were sufficient to win in 57 moves. A typically smooth performance.
Jovanka also won but in a more tactical struggle. A well-timed pawn sacrifice opened the position to her advantage and her opponent chose to sacrifice the exchange for insufficient compensation rather than allow her to win the pawn back with advantage.
Nick secured an advantage from the opening after good preparation but was unable to convert it into anything clear cut and after his opponent freed his position with exchanges Nick drifted into a worse position and eventually lost two pieces for a rook.
Chris built on his excellent result against Short by defeating a 2354 with black. He had no problems from the opening and gained an active position. White sacrificed a pawn to try and leave Chris’s queen out of play and managed to restore the material balance before blundering a piece after which the result was never in doubt.
Christin’s game was a topsy turvy affair. After achieving no advantage from the opening she drifted into a passive middle game. However she deserves credit for turning the position around and her pressure led to her winning a pawn just after the time control. Perhaps due .to tiredness she actually blundered the pawn back when on the verge of winning a second pawn in the rook ending. Fortunately she stayed calm and actually won rook & pawn each when her opponent overlooked a trick which won her a rook and left her enough time to stop her opponent’s pawn.
An excellent team performance and a great boost to confidence after the first round.
