European Team Chess Championships

[andyburnett]

Another tough day on the 64 squares, with a disappointing loss to Austria.

Steve defended well against a strong attack and seemed to have some drawing chances in the endgame which ensued but it wasn't to be. Steve has led very well from the front against a ridiculously strong series of opponents and will hopefully get on the scoreboard before the end.

Graham's position turned into a bit of a tactical minefield against the 2 bishops of his opponent and he missed a nice defensive trick which we had fun analysing afterwards with the Austrian captain, the legendary Zoltan Ribli from Hungary.

I'm just not playing accurately enough at the decisive moments in my games and yesterday was a good example, my opponent able to turn his slight initiative into a full-blown attack on my uncastled king.

Alan saved the team from a whitewash with a solidly played game where he might have tried for more at some point.

Today sees us take on Jacob Aagaard's Denmark team, another tough pairing. Jacob can be found reading novels for hours on end in his captain's chair - he seems very relaxed in this kind of environment so I'm glad he's not playing against us!

Three rounds to go and our aim is to hopefully leapfrog one or two of the weaker teams before Sunday's finish.

[andyburnett]

Chess has been described as a cruel mistress, and so it proved today.

At one point Alan had a strong attack going, Graham was completely level while Andy M's passed pawns looked set to queen and win. Only yours truly had a bad position, and even that had decent drawing prospects.

Fast forward half an hour or so and we had lost 4-0 to Denmark.

Quite how this score-line came about is a mystery, except that whatever killer instinct we arrived with in Iceland seems to have completely disappeared. Alan ran out of gas, Graham went astray, Andy M blundered into a mate and I missed the drawing variation because I wanted to draw more quickly, and missed a trick.

Tomorrow's match sees us take on Kosovo, the only team lower seeded than we are, and I fully expect us to bounce back with a good victory - I think we deserve a bit of kindness from our mistress for once!

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Andy,

The lads are playing well then suddenly seem to remember they are
about to beat or draw with a good player and it all goes to pot.

Tell them to forget who they are playing, cut out the cute stuff and win dirty.

Tell them to imagine they are playing me that should work.

Finish on a high note and whack one lot 4-0.

Good Luck...and you are right, the team is due a rub of the green.

Leave some food out for the Icelandic elves, the 'hidden people.'

[Alastair White]

On night shift again Geoff?

Today's opponents Kosovo are the lowest graded team in the tournament, but not to be taken lghtly. They beat Belgium and have come very close to getting a result in several other matches. So Scotland will need to play well to beat them.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Alastair,

Finish at midnight, home by 12:30 and play blitz...

There is a lot experience in that team including Andy and they are all
good players but it does seem the last bit of the game where it goes astray.
I know it's not easy but their place in that table lies about they way they have played.

Let's hope the Kosovo team underestimate and get stomped.

When do the Icelandic pubs open, is it just after the first time control?

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi,

We beat the Kosovarians (is that the correct plural) 2½ -1½.

They are now bottom of the league. Next up is the Iceland Legends
who are parading as Iceland's 2nd team.

[amuir]

We finished in line with our expected seedings - not a problem. Magnus was hanging around so I got his autograph.

[andyburnett]

I should fill in round 8 before moving on to today's final round.

Yesterday we sent out our 4 top-rated guys to do a job -to beat Kosovo and ensure we didn't finish in last place -and the boys did just that.

Steve played a very good game on top board, playing his favourite line against Black's Dragon variation. A slight blip near the end fortunately didn't affect the win.

Alan was looking to soak up the pressure on board 2 when his opponent surprisingly sacked a piece, which became a queen for rook+2 minor pieces position. The Kosovan went badly wrong soon after and Alan put him away efficiently.

Graham had a lovely position - as he has had in many of his games this week - but again one rash move came back to haunt him.

Andy M. decided solidity was the order of the day as Black on board 4 and held his under-rated opponent quite easily. So, 2.5-1.5 and our first match win of the event!

[andyburnett]

And so to the final round of the tournament, and lo and behold we are moved from our 'reserved' spots close to the exit, and into the centre of the hall surrounded by other games, spectators, cameras and all sorts of things new to us!

The reason? Well, we were playing the 'Iceland Legends' team! All GM's in the 2500's, but also all a fair bit older than us. Our team strategy was, if we hold on long enough....nature might takes its course (preferably culling the oldest before the weakest!)

Not to be unfortunately. Alan misplayed his position, as did Steve, as did I. Only Andy M. seemed to be comfortable, and although we hung on grimly it ended in a 3.5-0.5 win for the legends, who gaily skipped off to do whatever legends do after chess games.

The Open tournament was won by Russia (minus Kramnik). The Georgian team surprisingly dropped their board 2 Pantsulaia, who was performing at almost 2900 level and lost 3-1 to the Armenians, who thus took second head of Hungary.

In the women's section Russia, Ukraine, Georgia was the 1-2-3 and although the standard of chess was incredibly good, the ridiculous daily 'fashion contests' between many of the women was pitiful to watch. Hobbling on high-heels to the toilet in time-trouble? Invest in some Doc Martens for crying out loud!

All-in-all this was a fascinating event to attend. Being my first (and probably last given my horrible showing!) tournament of this calibre I was shocked each day to see guys I had only ever read about strolling past my board. Carlsen, Shirov, Ivanchuk, Aronian, Giri, Adams, Short.....real legends of the board!

Hopefully the 'Scottish chess public' won't be too harsh in their criticism of our own team's efforts - we didn't take the event lightly at all and prepared and worked hard at the board. Sometimes things just don't work out, and against the quality of opposition we were facing it was hard to find a hiding place!

Thanks for the messages of support!

[Alan Tate]

FTR, I did not misplay anything! I talked myself out of playing a good move for an unknown reason.