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Last update: Wednesday October 31, 2007 17:00
| 5.16 | 32 |
Hilsmark Kingfisher | 2 - 4 |
26 | Schachfreunde Reichenstein | ||
| 1 | GM |
Arkell Keith C | 2479 | 1 - 0 |
IM | Riff Jean-Noel | 2474 |
| 2 | IM |
Greet Andrew | 2441 | 0 - 1 |
IM | Volke Karsten | 2472 |
| 3 | IM |
Houska Jovanka | 2404 | ½ - ½ |
IM | Drabke Lorenz | 2411 |
| 4 | IM |
Cooper Lawrence | 2246 | 0 - 1 |
IM | Kuehn Peter | 2426 |
| 5 | Tavoularis Nicholas | 2273 | ½ - ½ |
IM | Weindl Alfred | 2356 | |
| 6 | Briscoe Chris | 2209 | 0 - 1 |
Heimann Andreas | 2350 |
Keith continued where he left off in round 4, utilising his double white to grind down another helpless IM opponent. Black’s early activity led to nothing and Keith soon emerged with an improved minority attack, which he transferred into a winning rook ending. Following this win Keith moved to +1 against a 2542 field.
Andrew lost a tough battle with black in a long game where white’s R&B proved to be stronger than black’s R&N in the ending despite the knight’s strong outpost on c5. Despite black creating counterplay white retained control and his passed d pawn eventually forced the win of material.
Jovanka had a short draw on board 3 with white in a Sicilian Kan against the talented young German IM Lorenz Drabke. White appeared to have some initiative but by the time the position was agreed drawn a clear-cut plan to play for an advantage was hard to find. Given the frustration of the day before it’s easy to understand why Jovanka accepted her opponent’s draw offer.
My 2007 debut was something of a baptism of fire as I unwittingly played into a line that my opponent had analysed in depth and not knowing the mass of theory required to steer the game into a level ending I ended up in a passive position where my opponent’s doubled h and b pawns were more than compensated for by his two bishops and space advantage. I failed to come up with a satisfactory defence and lost material although I battled on more in hope than expectation after losing an exchange.
Nick’s change in fortune continued as he overcame the early blunder of a pawn to create some counterplay and when black grabbed a second pawn he obtained sufficient play for his opponent to return one pawn with a draw offer. After some thought Nick accepted. The position remained unclear, black was short of time and Nick had some chances but after his early error I was pleased to see him emerge unscathed.
Chris lost in a tough battle on board 6. An unclear opening and middle game ended in a tense time scramble and when the smoke had cleared Chris had the worst of a rook ending. Somewhat unfortunately his opponent had a strong move at the end of a long sequence, which left him a pawn up in a rook ending that he was able to convert. A good battle and I think Chris can count himself unlucky to have suffered his first loss.
