Last rounds are always important, since a loss can’t be compensated by a win anymore. So both teams were dedicated to win and did so! Against the physically disabled Kenny lost, but Watu (Nxf7 in the Petrof), Henry (model game against the Pirc) and Mabu (outplaying his opponent after an early queen exchange) got SA [...]
Archive for November, 2008
Two wins in the end
Posted in Chess Olympiad on November 25, 2008 | 10 Comments »
Again up and down
Posted in Chess Olympiad, Round report on November 23, 2008 | 1 Comment »
The men team didn’t have a strong opponent today, and so Watu sat out. However, Mozambique put up a lot on resistance. Not on board 4 however, where Mabu won a pawn, another pawn and easily the rook endgame. But on board 2 Henry was happy to get a draw after being worse after the [...]
Men lose, women win
Posted in Chess Olympiad, Round report on November 22, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Just like yesterday, one team went from minus one to fifty procent and one team the other way round. This time the men team went the wrong direction. Watu won a very nice game, while Kenny was pressing the whole game, but didn’t manage to get more than a drawn endgame. Daniel sacrificed two pawns [...]
Men win, women lose
Posted in Chess Olympiad, Round report on November 21, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Today an easy match was expected for the South African men. Our players had to work hard to get the two matchpoints though. Watu didn’t have to do anything special, as his opponent sacrificed an exchange without a good reason, but Johannes didn’t break the defenses of his opponent and Kenny and Henry had rook [...]
Loss against Faroer Islands, draw against Guatemala.
Posted in Chess Olympiad, Round report on November 20, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Today was a depressing day for the coach. At first it seemed that both teams were winning, but because of unexpected losses only one matchpoint was scored. In the men’s game, Johannes lost quickly with white, while Daniel made a quick draw with black. Since Kenny was winning, everything depended on Watu. After the opening [...]
Women win African topmatch
Posted in Chess Olympiad, Round report on November 19, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Today the men couldn’t hold up against the strong Italian team, but the big news was the win of the women over Egypt. Since the ambition of the teams is to be the first African team, it was an important match and the win will give them good chances to reach their ambition.
At board one [...]
Win and draw for SA in round 5
Posted in Chess Olympiad, Round report on November 17, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Round 5 went well for the SA teams. The men easily beated the only slightly lower ranked Luxembourg, while the women drew a team of physically disabled people, rated about 100 points higher in avarage.
Watu castled long in an open sicilian and got a winning position by just pushing pawns: f4, g4, f5, g5, g6 [...]
Games fragments round 1-3
Posted in Chess Olympiad, analysis on November 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Solomon – Tsang (R1 open, Hong Kong – RSA, board 2)
Black has two bishops as compensation for the weak pawn on d4. Now 26…Bd3! would give equality. Black’s choice is less fortunate.
26…d4? 27. Nce4! attacking everything. Rxe4 28. Nxe4 Bg7 29. Nd6 Be6 30. Rxc8 Bxc8 31. Qxf7+ Kh8 32. Qd5 1-0
Cawdery – Jorczik (R2 [...]
SA not doing well in round 4
Posted in Chess Olympiad, Round report on November 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Round 4 was a bad round for the SA teams. The women had to play the higher ranked Norwegians, which were less strong than Latvia though. Alas Anzel lost quickly: she didn’t find good squares for her pieces, lost a pawn, and went down without a fight after that. Melissa got the English attack against [...]
SA teams close to a sensation
Posted in Chess Olympiad, Round report on November 15, 2008 | 2 Comments »
First “live” report of round 3:
The men team was close to a sensation against the United States. Watu got an absolutely winning endgame against Nakamura:
However, he missed a lot of good moves and at the end he even lost. Daniel came also close to winning, while Johannes was under pressure first, but fighted back and [...]
