European Senior Championship Round 4

Report by Rudy:

Back on track, and the 50% mark.

In our first match against a lower ranked team,things worked out in the end. Winning with Wh and drawing with Bl.

Colin was first off the mark. getting a Benoni against an inferior line with Wh playing g3(scoring in the process only 11% from 13 games) Bl got into a slight tangle at first. However the higher rated Wh player was unable to make much of any opportunities and soon offered a draw.

Richard started well with a Hyperaccelerated Dragon and got good play against a passive response.Failing to make the most of it, he drifted into dangerous waters, where he then had to find six accurate moves on the trot to ensure equality. Happy then to draw although he might have had some chances in continuing.

Rudy continued in good form. Playing a King's Indian Attack vs a Sicilian (just to confuse the opposition) he was able to get a good position by making developing moves that had some possibility of winning tactics, when Bl put pieces on slightly odd squares. It might still have been a draw, but with Bl short of time (Rudy his customary hour ahead on the clock) Bl failed to appreciate that Wh could infiltrate on a8 with the Q and come down the h file with a R. Bl actually lost on time on move 38 (even with increments on offer), though there was no saving the position.

Iolo finally got into his stride, playing like the old Iolo to get his first win. A position from a Staunton vs Dutch leading to Wh having Q and B vs Q & N, but with six pawns each still on the board. After 20 moves of patient probing backwards and forwards, Wh finally got a decisive g4 in on move 50. A desperate piece sac failed to save Bl, so it was all over on move 60.

There was some superb action on table two where Russia 1 faced Switzerland, with Korchnoy vs Vasiukov. (Russia 1 had had to concede a draw to Italy in Rd3). A complex Dutch was played. 1.d4, f5 2.Bg5,g6 3.c4,Nh6. Vasiukov followed up a little later with a Na6 as well. All K side pawns disappeared and it was 4 pawns to 3 for Bl, but with a tangle of pieces around the K side and centre. By now the crowd was not just around Board 1 but surrounding the entire table of 4 players as spectators craned their necks to get a look in. Vasiukov found a decisive exchange, so, without looking at his opponent, Korchnoy disdainfully flicked his K over and signed the scoresheet.

As a consequence of mature planning ahead our Captain has ensured that his first rest day occurs the day after tonight's wine tasting of Slovenian wines, to take place shortly.


Rudy van Kemenade - Sven-Olof Andersson 1-0