European Senior Team Championships Rd 7

Another mixed bag today. Richard didn’t quite get the variation in his King’s Indian that we prepared for, and, having had a restless night, agreed to a threefold repetition. John as White played a complex line in the Winawer, but forgot to play the exact move, and was a rook down albeit for several powerful pawns. His opponent, surprised by this, offered a quick draw, which was accepted. Rudy had an unfortunate experience. Playing a Leningrad Dutch reversed, he quickly broke through on f5 and d5, winning a pawn in the process and gaining passed pawns on the e and d file. One slow move, followed by another not quite correct, meant that a loss of an exchange was inevitable. His opponent missed a mate in two and let Rudy struggle trying to get a pawn through until he ran out of them 23 moves later. This left things up to Iolo. His normal Old Indian defence led to two bishops for Black, and the queen came in, picking up first the e4 pawn, then mating the king in the corner.

So, 2-2, and in the next round again we have avoided the Bye caused by Belgrade not turning up.