Caplin Hastings 2023-24

[IM Jack Rudd]

Presumably this is one of those situations where the reigning champion gets to play on board 1 for as long as he is in the top score-group (given the absence of a "this player is on a fixed board" flag).

[Alex McFarlane]

It is a courtesy provided for the first round only to the defending champion.

[Alex McFarlane]

An interesting mix of youth and experience this year.
Hopefully the norm interest will be maintained throughout.

The Con Power Christmas draws will be published this morning.

Can the title be changed to indicate Caplin? Without its support the event would not be taking place!!!

[Roger de Coverly]

Can the title be changed to indicate Caplin?

The first poster in a thread can do this. I have done so and it should change all future comments.

[LawrenceCooper]

I couldn't help but notice that it's seeds 1-4 against four players from my 4ncl squads on the top four boards tomorrow.

[Brendan O'Gorman]

Pix from round two: https://brendanogorman.smugmug.com/Ches ... ss-2023-24

[LawrenceCooper]

I couldn't help but notice that it's seeds 1-4 against four players from my 4ncl squads on the top four boards tomorrow.

A very respectable 2/4. Matthew's could have been a win but Jonah had a bit of fortune on his 21st birthday.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Indeed, but Matthew would have had to play that endgame very well.

Good win for Shreyas but Black's early ...c4 just seemed bad for so many reasons. Barely sufficient compensation if the pawn is taken, and no particular danger posed even if things go well, or a somewhat risky abandonment of the centre if White declines the pawn and tries to attack. Unless White were to send an hour deciding which the two suited his mood, it hardly makes sense and I was very surprised that the engine was only slightly critical. (This is where I have come to expect people to tell me it has been played 100 times before - no doubt, but it will take more than that to dissuade me).

[LawrenceCooper]

Indeed, but Matthew would have had to play that endgame very well.

Good win for Shreyas but Black's early ...c4 just seemed bad for so many reasons. Barely sufficient compensation if the pawn is taken, and no particular danger posed even if things go well, or a somewhat risky abandonment of the centre if White declines the pawn and tries to attack. Unless White were to send an hour deciding which the two suited his mood, it hardly makes sense and I was very surprised that the engine was only slightly critical. (This is where I have come to expect people to tell me it has been played 100 times before - no doubt, but it will take more than that to dissuade me).

I agree, even if not a pawn sacrifice it looks rather committal. As Black I would be worried about leaving the white centre untouched so e5 would be on my radar (although the engine hates it) but possibly the move before.

[Paul Cooksey]

Royal-Jacobson was the game that caught my eye too. I guess we are all following Shreyas' progress. It feels like he is making a leap forward, I hope to a level where he is an obvious pick for the Olympiad team.

My reaction to Jacobson's positional pawn sac was delight though. We can all play that sort of sac when we are better,. But, for me, a really impressive concept in an equal position.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Well that's just it - he was about equal before ...c4, but not after it. What's to admire about a move which leaves White better - both according to the engine and practically- whichever of two options he picks?

[Jonathan Rogers]

I guess that Bodhana's opponent yesterday was too weak to generate much excitement about her victory, but only if we still forget that she is eight, and to some extent she made her opponent look weaker than he probably is.

[Paul Cooksey]

I haven't looked at Royal-Jacobson with a strong engine but the lichess stockfish doesn't show a big change in evaluation. I'm certainly willing to concede c4 not the strongest move in the position, but I'm reluctant to consider it a mistake. particularly if black playing for a win.

I'd have probably played Na5 myself, which is the first engine line. But not because I understood c4 and rejected it, because I didn't seriously consider it.

My subjective experience was spending a couple of minutes trying to find a tactical justification for the move, before realising was a positional sacrifice. I liked the creativity.

[Paul Cooksey]

[Event "Caplin Hastings Masters 2023"] [Site "Horntye Sports Complex, Hasti"] [Date "2023.12.31"] [Round "4.7"] [White "Gasanov, Eldar"] [Black "Gormally, Daniel W"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E60"] [WhiteElo "2487"] [BlackElo "2442"] [PlyCount "31"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [Source "Everyman Press"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. d5 c6 4. Nc3 b5 5. cxb5 cxd5 6. Nxd5 Bg7 7. Nxf6+ Bxf6 8. Qd5 O-O 9. Qxa8 Qa5+ 10. Bd2 Qxb5 11. Qe4 Nc6 12. e3 Qxb2 13. Rb1 Qxa2 14. Bc4 Qa3 15. Nf3 e6 16. Qd3 1-0

Good grief! I might have resigned in a close to equal position on move 8 which would have been even worse.

[John Moore]

Paul - what does Black play on move 8, then.