English Chess Forum

Stewart Reuben wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 14, 2018 1:44 pm

If they draw and USA wins it will depends on game points.

Where USA would be ahead, so England must win tomorrow. Barring highly unexpected results their opponents will be out of medal contention, probably happy to take four draws and get the next bus home, but that won't do.

1. Germany 1 - England 1 :
2. United States - Canada :
3. SC Gröbenzell - Lasker Schachstiftung GK :

Stewart Reuben wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 14, 2018 1:44 pm

Trivial pursuit question. Which English player here has previously been a member of a winning World Team Chess Championship and what was the event?

Speelman world under-26 team championship Mexico City 1978

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 14, 2018 1:45 pm

England win 4-0 and USA 3.5-0.5. Parings to follow.

Great result today; we would have settled for this before the event

Good luck to the team tomorrow

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 14, 2018 11:17 am

Jonathan Rogers wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 14, 2018 11:11 am

Will probably win all four.

Let's hope the team can come to a quick decision as to how drops out for the final day, since they are all in good shape.

I suspect that the decision will be who takes black on 3 with Jon and John having rested in recent rounds and Keith scoring heavily on 4.

No, Keith sits out the last round (but maybe wins a board medal?), not sure if this was influenced by losing to Tischbierek in 2015; would have thought he fancied the chance for revenge

Philipp Schlosser 2501 - Jon S Speelman 2493
Uwe Boensch 2560 - John M Emms 2488
Karsten Volke 2474 - H James Plaskett 2455
Raj Tischbierek 2436 - Mark L Hebden 2423

Good luck to the team!

Games are underway

Good luck to these juniors!

Don't like it at the moment. Emms level, the other three all at least a touch worse. 2.5 points seems a long way off.

It does look like 2-2 at best in the England match at the moment, though a long way to go. The USA only have an advantage on bottom board in their match, but that would be enough for them.

EDIT: If Lasker win 4-0 in their match (seems likely) then I think England 1 need to score 1.5 game points to be level on match points and game points with Lasker. Would it then come down to Sonneborn-Berger score for the tie-break for second and third place? England seem to be ahead on that, and I presume would stay ahead (not sure about that, though). Maybe England 1 are playing conservatively with that in mind? Going all out for gold and crashing and losing badly might see them drop to third.

With hindsight, the dropped game points in the matches in rounds 2 and 3 (3-1 wins against England 2 and SC Gröbenzell) were not ideal. If England 1 had been a game point or two ahead of the USA, then a 2-2 result might have been OK in the final round. But no-one could foresee that the USA would trash the strong Lasker team 3.5-0.5 in round 8.

Board 1 has ended in a draw. No other results in the top three matches.

Board 2 in the USA match has finished in a draw. Lasker looking less likely to win 4-0 at the moment. The USA match could end 2-2 if they see England 1 are losing by the narrowest margin, as 2-2 would also be enough for them in that scenario (they would finish at least half a game point ahead of England 1 and Lasker).

Emms's king is on f3 - that's making me nervous!

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:10 am

Board 2 in the USA match has finished in a draw. Lasker looking less likely to win 4-0 at the moment. The USA match could end 2-2 if they see England 1 are losing by the narrowest margin, as 2-2 would also be enough for them in that scenario (they would finish at least half a game point ahead of England 1 and Lasker).

Emms's king is on f3 - that's making me nervous!

He had a pleasant position but omitting to exchange white squared bishops appears to have turned the game somewhat.

I think the Americans will win their match without too much trouble so it will come down to what we can score from our three.

In the 65+, England 1 have drawn the top 3 against St Petersburg, and have a chance of winning board 4

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:17 am

I think the Americans will win their match without too much trouble so it will come down to what we can score from our three.

Not very much, it seems. All three are worse. Emms and Hebden might now be losing. Don't think I can watch much more. (Well, and I have to go out as well.)