I finally played a decent game, where I found some good moves at a critical point. Generally happy with that, even if this draw should cost me another 1-2 rating points, making the loss of three games here erode all of my gains from Politiken Cup (where I won rating in all 10 games). Luckily I am retiring and with a rating over 2500…
The team played poorly as a whole and losing against Costa Rica was certainly not what we were looking for. We really have to turn things around in order not to be asked to stay here (and the place has not improved at all).
Cost Rica is still number one of the “happy planet index” measuring happyness of people. I suppose the Danish team contributed to maintaining this status. I wish you more success in the upcoming rounds. Always tough to recover from a bad start, keep on fighting.
@Wolfgang
Actually I am pretty sure that we will recover. Not too worried. This is only four rounds, there are another seven to go.
Costa Rica had a great day, they also beat the Italian Women’s team. My student Marina Brunello blundered and drew a rook ending 3 (!) pawns down…
What we saw so far is very worrying for Black players who want to play their pet Sicilian line 🙁
Everybody as White plays some weird lines like d3, then Bb5 etc. I’m close to say that this is anti-chess. Why those cowards can’t approach Sicilian gangsters in main open line 🙂
For all my friends here who follow latest Schandorff’s “Playing the 1.d4” please check this game played by Gelfand, and especially move 10.b4 🙂 It’s valuable addition to our armoury 🙂
Gelfand,Boris (2738) – Dervishi,Erald (2538) [D35]
40th Olympiad Open Istanbul TUR (2.1), 29.08.2012
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 0-0 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.Nge2 Re8 9.0-0 Nf8 Ng6 11.b5 Qd6 12.Nf4 Ng4 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Be2 Nf6 15.Qb3 Bf5 16.Rfc1 Rad8 17.a4 g5 18.Nh5 Nxh5 19.Bxh5 g4 20.Qd1 Qd7 21.Ne2 Bg6 22.Nf4 f5 23.Rc3 Bxh5 24.Nxh5 Rf8 25.Rac1 c6 26.bxc6 bxc6 27.10.b4Nf4 Rf6 28.Qc2 Qe8 29.Rb1 Rb8 30.Rcb3 Rxb3 31.Rxb3 Ng6 32.Nh5 Rf8 33.g3 Ne7 34.Rb7 Qxh5 35.Rxe7 Rf7 36.Re8+ Rf8 37.Rxf8+ Kxf8 38.Qc5+ Kg8 39.Qxa7 Qe8 40.a5 Qe4 41.Qb8+ Kf7 42.Qb7+ Kf6 43.Qxc6+ Kg5 44.Qb5 f4 45.gxf4+ 1-0
@LE BRUIT QUI COURT
It would have been even more valuable if move 10 was added to the game!
10.b4
and what about Black’s move? You skip move 10 above 🙂
Gelfand,Boris (2738) – Dervishi,Erald (2538) [D35]
40th Olympiad Open Istanbul TUR (2.1), 29.08.2012
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 e6
3.Nc3 d5
4.cxd5 exd5
5.Bg5 Be7
6.e3 0–0
7.Bd3 Nbd7
8.Nge2 Re8
9.0–0 Nf8
10.b4 Ng6
11.b5 Qd6 12.Nf4 Ng4 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Be2 Nf6 15.Qb3 Bf5 16.Rfc1 Rad8 17.a4 g5 18.Nh5 Nxh5 19.Bxh5 g4 20.Qd1 Qd7 21.Ne2 Bg6 22.Nf4 f5 23.Rc3 Bxh5 24.Nxh5 Rf8 25.Rac1 c6 26.bxc6 bxc6 27.Nf4 Rf6 28.Qc2 Qe8 29.Rb1 Rb8 30.Rcb3 Rxb3 31.Rxb3 Ng6 32.Nh5 Rf8 33.g3 Ne7 34.Rb7 Qxh5 35.Rxe7 Rf7 36.Re8+ Rf8 37.Rxf8+ Kxf8 38.Qc5+ Kg8 39.Qxa7 Qe8 40.a5 Qe4 41.Qb8+ Kf7 42.Qb7+ Kf6 43.Qxc6+ Kg5 44.Qb5 f4 45.gxf4+ 1–0