Tromso Olympiad - Mens

[Andy Howie]

Both teams have been brilliant this year!

[Robert Lothian]

Crucial time in the match now. Colin's position has gone downhill. Stockfish is blaming his 30th.
The computer evaluation is swinging about like crazy on Alan's board.

I must admit, I'm not always sure whether to trust the computer's opinion...

And even as I write, things are changing. Andrew's advantage has decreased, while Colin is on the way out.

Roddy has agreed a draw, which is no great surprise.

[Robert Lothian]

Any endgame experts have a winning plan for Andrew? I can't see how he's going to remove the e-pawn.

[Robert Lothian]

That's really unfortunate. Alan has overpressed, no doubt due to the match situation. Can't fault their effort, but I think the team will be disappointed at the way this has gone.

[Alan Borwell]

Disappointing outcomes today after promising beginnings but both teams have done exceptionally well. The Live Board coverage has been superb - quite an achievement for a relatively small country. Maybe tomorrow it will be EnglandvScotland in the Open - you would never have predicted it as one of penultimate round pairings!

[JonathanIMGrant]

Round 8 from Andy

Bo. 43 Iceland (ISL) - 66 Scotland (SCO) 3 : 1
15.1 GM Gretarsson, Hjorvar Steinn 2543 - GM McNab, Colin A 2441 1 - 0
15.2 IM Kjartansson, Gudmundur 2448 - IM Greet, Andrew N 2431 ½ - ½
15.3 GM Thorhallsson, Throstur 2426 - FM Tate, Alan 2347 1 - 0
15.4 GM Olafsson, Helgi 2555 - IM McKay, Roderick M 2349 ½ - ½

This was again another match we could have won.
Roddy was slightly worse but drew.
Colin sacrificed a pawn for the bishop pair but if he had played Bxc3 instead of giving up a second pawn he would have been better. Alan played a good game but blundered in time trouble allowing h4 and collapsed.
Andrew had a large advantage but swapped off too many pawns and couldn’t win B+N+pawn v R+pawn.

It was my lucky day at church when someone gave me a free Bank of Scotland five pound note since it was no use to them in Norway.

[JonathanIMGrant]

Round 9 from Andy

Bo. 36 Slovakia (SVK) - 66 Scotland (SCO) 2½:1½
19.1 GM Markos, Jan - GM McNab, Colin A 1 - 0
19.2 GM Ftacnik, Lubomir - IM Greet, Andrew N 0 - 1
19.3 GM Michalik, Peter - GM Shaw, John ½ - ½
19.4 IM Petenyi, Tamas - IM McKay, Roderick M 1 - 0

Another frustrating loss when we had chances to do better.

Colin’s opening was fine against fellow Polytechnic player Jan Markos, but went wrong about the time he played f5.

John gave up a pawn to reach a draw in an opposite coloured bishop position.

Andrew beat the legend Lubomir Ftacnik when he allowed a large pawn phalanx but still needs 2/2 for his GM norm.

Roddy played a speculative sacrifice of a pawn with Nd2 but this lost with correct defence.

[JonathanIMGrant]

Round 10 from Andy
Bo. 66 Scotland (SCO) - 90 Japan (JPN) 2 : 2
34.1 GM McNab, Colin A - CM Nanjo, Ryosuke 0 - 1
34.2 IM Greet, Andrew N - FM Kojima, Shinya 0 - 1
34.3 GM Shaw, John - FM Watanabe, Akira 1 - 0
34.4 FM Tate, Alan - Mitsuya, Naoto 1 - 0

Alan won fairly easily when white got his bishop and rook locked in the queenside when Alan attacked the kingside.
John's opponent allowed the manoeuvre N to g4 then f6 and was losing.
Andrew's GM norm went when he blundered a pawn in a level position.
Colin's game was very messy but at a critical moment when black played g5 he could have played Bxg5, Rg7, h4, h6, d7 deflecting the rook. He later lost.

We'd have the hardest possible pairing v Greece next.