Round 3: Primates v Runners

Here are the Round 3 pairings. Don is taking the week off and Trond is filling in. I think we match up pretty well on paper, let's see how it goes over the board (as it were).

Campagnolo (2035) White - Chiiwen (2069) Black: Sat 8 Nov @ 2100
Nosalt (1994) Black - Martineden (2035) White: Sat 8 Nov @ 1000
Livis (1944) White - KarloTurk (1994) Black: Fri 7 Nov @ 1500
Holm (1899) Black - Chess9793 (1781) White: Tues 11 Nov @ 1230

All times are Eastern Standard Time. Once Tom & Trond get their times posted, I will update.

Primates 3 - LeChess Maestros 1

Despite Tom posting a early loss, we reeled off 2 wins plus Don's opponent forfeiting, giving us the match 3-1. Of note, Don is now 7-0-0 (1 forfeit included). Pretty incredible. My match was the last one to be played, while we were up 2-1, so the least we could do was tie the match. But here I was, tell me what you would do here. Would you sac? Would you risk it all?

Well, not yet.

11.Bf4 Qd8 (pretty much forced)

But after this I decided to go for it:

12.Nxf7!? Rxf7

- 12...Kxf7 13.Rxe6 Ke8 14.Qd2 b4 15.Rxe7+ Qxe7 (15...Kxe7 16.Qe3+ Kd7 17.Qe6#) 16.Re1

13.Bxe6 b4 14.Ne2 Bd5 15.Bxf7+ Bxf7 16.Qd3 Bd6 17.c4 Bxf4 18.Nxf4 Qd6

19.Ne2 Nc6 20.b3

- 20.Rad1 Bg6 21.Qg3 Re8 22.Qxd6=

20...Bg6 21.Qg3 Qxg3

- 21...Nxd4 22.Nxd4 Qxd4 23.Qxc7 Ng4 24.Qg3 Rf8 25.Rad1 Qxf2+ 26.Qxf2 Nxf2 27.Rd6 a5 28.Rd5 Ne4 29.Rxa5+/=

22.hxg3 Re8 23.d5 Ne5 24.Nf4 Bf7 25.Rad1 g5 26.Ne6 Bxe6 27.Rxe5

- 27.dxe6! Might be better but he doesn't have to take

27...Bg4 28.Rxg5+ Kf7 29.f3 Bh5

- 29...h6! 30.Rxg4 Nxg4 31.fxg4 Re2 32.Rf1+ Kg6 33.Rf2 is a pretty tough win for me

Now this is a matter of technique: 30.d6 cxd6 31.Rxd6 Re6 32.Rxe6 Kxe6 33.Ra5 Bg6 34.Rxa6+ Ke7 35.Rb6 Bb1 36.Rxb4 Bxa2 37.Kf2 Nd7 38.Rb5 Kd6 39.Ke3 Nc5 40.b4 Nd7 41.Kd4 Bb1 42.Rd5+ Ke6 43.c5 Bc2 44.Rd6+ Ke7 45.b5 Ba4 46.b6 Nb8 47.Rh6 Black resigns 1-0

Round 2: Primates v LeChess Maestros

Sorry to be late on the posting for Round 2:
Here is the line up
Campagnolo (2035) White - Chessduke (2108) Black: Time Still TBD
Nosalt - Fegary 0-1
Livis (1944) White - Smitty120 (1936) Black: Friday, Oct 31 @ 1600
Dnmuscg - Chessateer 1-0 (forfeit)

Primates 3.5 – Tomato Paste 0.5

Round 1 went well, with Tom, Don & Kristian all triumphiant while I drew on board 1 in an interesting endgame. I frankly was pretty closed to being busted, in a game that my only hopes lay in pushing for a Rook and Pawn endgame – which in fact happened.

Here is what happened next:

I have managed to force myself back into the game and now am up a rook for 2 pawns. White offered a draw and I accepted, not being sure if in fact I could stop that h pawn, especially with my king so far out of play.

Here is some analysis, which confirms my suspicions

56...Rf5 57.Kh6
This is pretty much forced (and what I expected to play). All other moves lose

- 57.h6 Rg5 58.b5 Rxg3 59.b6 Rg6 (59...f5?? throws the game away 60.b7 Rb3 61.Kg6 f4 62.h7 Rb6+ 63.Kf5 f3) 60.b7 Rb6 61.Kg7 Rxb7 62.Kf6 Rb6+ 63.Kxf7 Rxh6

57...f6
- 57...Rb5 (This doesn't work) 58.g4 Rxb4 59.Kg7 (59.g5 Rg4 60.g6 f5 61.Kg7 f4 62.h6 f3 63.h7 f2 64.h8Q f1Q 65.Qh5 Qe2–+) 59...Rxg4+ 60.Kxf7 Rh4 61.Kg6 Rg4+ 62.Kf7 Rh4 63.Kg6 Ke2 64.h6 Kf3 65.h7=]

58.Kg6 Rg5+ 59.Kxf6 Rxh5
- 59...Rxg3 (This doesn't work either) 60.h6 Rh3 61.Kg7 Rg3+ 62.Kf7 Rh3=

60.g4 Rb5 61.g5 Rxb4 62.g6 Rb6+ 63.Kf7 Ke2 64.g7 Rb8= ½–½

Round 1: Primates take on Tomato Paste

Here is the line up for Round 1:

SonofFlash (2200) White – Campagnolo (2035) Black: Friday, 24 Oct @ 2000
DFME (2000) Black – Nosalt (1994) White: 0-1
MrKarma (1651) White – livis (1944) Black: Friday, 24 Oct @ 1700
Cory (1521) Black – dnmuscg (1930) White: Friday, 24 Oct @ 1945

Tomato looks tough on the upper boards, but Tom posted an early, impressive win yesterday – a great start to our season. The rest of our games will be going on this evening, conceivably all three could be going on at the same time if Kristian’s game goes long.

Also, Kudos to Mutaant, the Magnolia Division TD, who promptly fixed a glitch in Tom’s game score. Thanks!

Of note, I did sign up to play for the Peons U2200, so I have that game at 0500 Sunday morning!!! Yikes, but the family plans on going to Busch Gardens after Church, so I have to wedge the game somehow. I guess I will sleep while the wife drives.

I’ll post the results probably Saturday.

Return of the Primates!!!

Tournament #39 has begun. We have assembled the “Primates of the Caribbean” together once again, with all five players returning and the addition of Kristian (aka “Livis”). Trond wanted to stay on the team, but because of work commitments, wanted to play more in a reserve role vice playing every week. All in all, I think the team has good chemistry (if there can be such a thing as chemistry when the team play is all online), especially given that Don, Tom and I play on the same team at US Amateur Team East every year and have known each other for years and years. I also was asked to play as a sub for the U2200 division team “The Peons”, so hopefully I will get some more good games in. I am slated to play 2 games with them, which I think I can handle without too much difficulty.

Getting back to the ICC Team 45 45 Tournament #39, we are seeded in the U2000 Magnolia Division with the following teams: “Tomato Paste”, “Runners U2000” and “LeChess Maestros”. First round kicks off next Tues, October 21st. Once the lineup and game times are announced, I will post them.

Playoff Round 1: Primates 2 - The Peons 2

Well, I have to say I am a bit disappointed -- not sure why exactly. We drew the match with the Peons 2-2, but lost out on tiebreaks, which ironically was the number forfeited games you had. We had 2, Peons had 1 -- so they advance. I am kinda scratching my head here: we didn't lose a single match all season and had the best record, and yet here we are spectators -- without losing a match.

And I feel guilty. Here is why:
1. I play my match against Nfork, who has me outrated by 200+ points. But I have white, so can dictate the position. We go into the famous IQP position played a billion times before that have arisen from Queen's Gambits, Nimzoindians and Caro-Kanns. It turns in to a very interesting R & opposite colored bishop ending, which we draw. But the thing is, in looking back over the game, I think I should have pushed for the win, which would have clinched the match. It was probably a draw, but then again perhaps not. OBTW, I will post it (I know, I have at least 3 games I need to post).
2. So we are up 2 - 1 with 1 game to go: Holm's game. I leave him a message that all we need is a draw. He ends up losing (and to add insult to injury it is the Game of the Week -- which I do not think it was. Don had a pretty ending that I think merited the honors). Did I influence Holm, which cost him the game?

Oh well, our entire team is coming back for T39. We should be tough!!!!!