06-08-2014, 01:42 AM
Round 4 – 101 and last in the hall
Bo. 52 Scotland (SCO) Rtg - 46 Uzbekistan (UZB) Rtg 2 : 2
30.1 GM Arakhamia-Grant, Ketevan 2394 - WFM Kurbonboeva, Sarvinoz 2228 1 - 0
30.2 WFM Bamber, Elaine 2077 - WFM Gevorgyan, Irina 2141 1 - 0
30.3 Roy, Ali 1913 - WFM Baymuradova, Sevara 2127 0 - 1
30.4 WFM Durno, Joy 1862 - WIM Sabirova, Olga 2099 0 - 1
As a former Soviet republic, Uzbekistan has a strong chess tradition with its men taking Silver on their first Olympiad appearance back in 1994. Its women haven’t hit such heights but are consistent force with a low of 36th and a high placing of21st in 2012. Scotland’s only previous encounter with Uzbekistan was a 3-0 loss at the Bled Olympiad. Giving away about 80 points per board on average this looked a tough match on paper.
Joy developed sensibly against an early g3 Anti-Sicilian and struck at the head of White’s pawn chain with ...f6. She correctly prepared to attack the base with ...b5-b4 but restrained herself to manoeuvring on her first three ranks. Still her position was a tough nut to crack and White even allowed a ...Nxd4 possibility which would have turned the tables. However Sabirova is an experienced former Bronze medallist and took her chance when Joy allowed a kingside attack. Ali gained space pushing e5 in a 3.c3 Sicilian and launching her f and g pawns forward. Although missing her light squared bishop the attack was menacing with her f-pawn reaching g7. However she overlooked that d4 could be taken because of a nasty tactic pinning the queen. A fortress was still possible but Ne8 in time trouble allowed it to be broken.
Each evening the team meets to show their games and discuss the day. In an earlier session, I had mentioned the old saying “He who eats the b-pawn sleeps on the streets”. There is of course the proviso “except when it works”. Elaine had spotted that her opponent allowed an active QGD Exchange variation involving Nc6 and achieved an active position. Confronted with a double attack on d5 and b7, Elaine decided to sacrifice her b7 pawn and use the open b-file for counterplay. Perhaps not entirely sound in this case but a good example of how a small material investment often leads to rapid mobilisation. This was a fine game: a ...Bh3 moment when it can be taken by the g2 pawn just one of many creative ideas that allowed Elaine to reduce the deficit.
Once again it was Keti who would decide the match result, this time draw or loss. Pressing all game in an Accelerated Dragon she eventually transposed into a winning rook and opposite bishop ending. Still her opponent didn’t resign because by this stage both were playing using the 30 second increment that is added after each move. Black had to give up her bishop for the promoting d-pawn and shortly had to offer a handshake on move 101. Everyone could go home now. Another tremendous set of battles by all four players and a well earned 2-2 draw for Scotland against the higher rated Uzbeks.
Bo. 52 Scotland (SCO) Rtg - 46 Uzbekistan (UZB) Rtg 2 : 2
30.1 GM Arakhamia-Grant, Ketevan 2394 - WFM Kurbonboeva, Sarvinoz 2228 1 - 0
30.2 WFM Bamber, Elaine 2077 - WFM Gevorgyan, Irina 2141 1 - 0
30.3 Roy, Ali 1913 - WFM Baymuradova, Sevara 2127 0 - 1
30.4 WFM Durno, Joy 1862 - WIM Sabirova, Olga 2099 0 - 1
As a former Soviet republic, Uzbekistan has a strong chess tradition with its men taking Silver on their first Olympiad appearance back in 1994. Its women haven’t hit such heights but are consistent force with a low of 36th and a high placing of21st in 2012. Scotland’s only previous encounter with Uzbekistan was a 3-0 loss at the Bled Olympiad. Giving away about 80 points per board on average this looked a tough match on paper.
Joy developed sensibly against an early g3 Anti-Sicilian and struck at the head of White’s pawn chain with ...f6. She correctly prepared to attack the base with ...b5-b4 but restrained herself to manoeuvring on her first three ranks. Still her position was a tough nut to crack and White even allowed a ...Nxd4 possibility which would have turned the tables. However Sabirova is an experienced former Bronze medallist and took her chance when Joy allowed a kingside attack. Ali gained space pushing e5 in a 3.c3 Sicilian and launching her f and g pawns forward. Although missing her light squared bishop the attack was menacing with her f-pawn reaching g7. However she overlooked that d4 could be taken because of a nasty tactic pinning the queen. A fortress was still possible but Ne8 in time trouble allowed it to be broken.
Each evening the team meets to show their games and discuss the day. In an earlier session, I had mentioned the old saying “He who eats the b-pawn sleeps on the streets”. There is of course the proviso “except when it works”. Elaine had spotted that her opponent allowed an active QGD Exchange variation involving Nc6 and achieved an active position. Confronted with a double attack on d5 and b7, Elaine decided to sacrifice her b7 pawn and use the open b-file for counterplay. Perhaps not entirely sound in this case but a good example of how a small material investment often leads to rapid mobilisation. This was a fine game: a ...Bh3 moment when it can be taken by the g2 pawn just one of many creative ideas that allowed Elaine to reduce the deficit.
Once again it was Keti who would decide the match result, this time draw or loss. Pressing all game in an Accelerated Dragon she eventually transposed into a winning rook and opposite bishop ending. Still her opponent didn’t resign because by this stage both were playing using the 30 second increment that is added after each move. Black had to give up her bishop for the promoting d-pawn and shortly had to offer a handshake on move 101. Everyone could go home now. Another tremendous set of battles by all four players and a well earned 2-2 draw for Scotland against the higher rated Uzbeks.