DATCC Round 10 Report- Part 2

24th June 2009 - Just before Round ten start, rain fall all over Klang Valley. Several players came late and some of them didn't appear at all. These affect two team, Gold Is and PCWM. To make matter worse, their reserve didn't turn up also so they have to give walkovers.

Gold Is (left) beat s NMCC 3-1

Gold Is vs. NMCC (3-1)

My team NMCC meet the top seed who has beaten us 3.5-1.5 in the first round. Everybody aspect us to get the same beating or 4-0 annihilation but "thanks" to their 4th board who didn't turn up - we got a point. For the record, our team fell much better if we can earn the point over the board and I believe our new 4th board player - Hashim Jusoh has a good chance against Abdul Haq - Gold Is player who is supposed to play on board 4.

Unfortunately Abdul Haq didn't turn up and to make matter worse, their reserve is now where to be seen. Hashim who was eager to play his first game in this league was quite disappointed because he really wants to play. As I told him a week before, I predict Gold Is will let Ian Udani play on 4th board and Hashim I believe is not "afraid" to meet the strong Filipino.

As for the rest of the board ( board 1-3), Gold Is as expected beat us convincingly.

DATCC vs. PCWM (3-1)

The host team registers their first win with the "help" of their opponent. Two of PCWM player didn't turn up so they have to give two walkover points. One of them is NWM Roslina Marmono - Haq wife. I guess both husband-wife players must have serious problems that evening because one of my friends told me that the traffic jammed was terrible.

I think all team should have significant amount of reserve players so that they will have more options and less problems to fielded 4 players at each rounds. As a team captain myself, it's important to have at least 1-2 reserve ( extra) players to turn up in each round - just in case .

The Spawn 2009 vs. Tan & Tan (3-1)

The Spawn add new player - Kaushal Khandahar . He played on board 4. The team beat Tan & Tan 3-1.

Kaushal Khandahar is the new player playing for The Spawn 2009

Below is an interesting position appear on board 2 between Benard Ng (Tan & Tan) vs NM Yeoh Chin Sing (The Spawn 2009)

Benard Ng just played 6.Ng1!

W:Benard Ng ( Tan & Tan ) vs B: NM Yeoh Chin Seng (The Spawn)

DATCC Team League, 24.5.2009, Round 10

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng1 Bh6 7.Nc3

The player enter the King Gambit opening. I don't know what moves the players play after white's 7th move but Fritz opening theory give one "crazy line" - 7...Nc6 8.Nge2 f3 9.Nf4 f2+ 10.Kxf2 g3+ 11.Kxg3 Nf6 12.Be2 Rg8+ 13.Kf2 Ng4+ 14.Bxg4 Bxg4 15.Qd3 Bg7 16.Be3 Qd7 17.Nce2 0–0–0

Pricewaterhouse Coopers vs. 786 Chess Club ( 1.5 - 2.5)

The last match to end - in all 4 board! - Pricewaterhouse Coopers vs. 786 Chess Club

The match is the longest and the most thrilling match of the round. After all remaining match has finish, the match between "The Auditors" and "The Geng Mamak" team is still going - in all board ! "The Auditors" who gave serious headache for non-chess players recently, fight until the end against the 786 players.

On board 1, Cheah Cheok Fung got his revenge by beating former National player - Mohd Saprin Sabri who beat the latter in the first round. On board 2 and board 3, Fairin Zakaria and Ahmad Nazri beat their opponent convincingly. The critical game of the match is on board 4 between fellow blogger - Chew Yaw Chong vs. NM Kamal Ariffin. (*CORRECTION : Mohd Saprin and Cheah Cheok Fung is actually playing board 2. Fairin Zakaria is playing board 1 . Sorry for the mistake)

The players reach a knight + pawns vs. bishop +pawns endings where pawns was on both side. At first I taught that the bishop side has the advantage but my 1st board teammate Ilhamuddin has different opinion. In the game, NM Kamal Ariffin brilliantly made an exchange sacrifice by sacrificing his knight to enter and endgame where he got 2 pawns against a bishop (see diagram below). In this situation he will at least got a draw.

W:NM Kamal Ariffin vs. B: Chew Yaw Chong (Pricewaterhouse Coopers)
DATCC Team League 2009, 24.6.2009, Round 10

As mention by my favorite endings book - Fundamental Chess Endings by GM Karsten Muller and IM Frank Lamprecht, the outcome of above endings where bishop has to face against two connected passed pawn depends on the ability of the defending king to help its bishop. In above position black king is too far from the main action. During the game I predict Kamal will use the shouldering technique with 1...Kc5!. This move is important because it prevent black king to move to the battle field on the queenside. One possible line is - 2.Ke4 a5 3.Ke5 a6 4.Ke6 Kb6 winning. However Kamal choose the wrong move 1...Ka5? This move not only let black king to come nearer but it also block his own pawn from advancing. I couldn't remember the exact continuation but the game ended in a draw, so the favorite team 786 Chess Club "only" win by 2.5 - 1.5 against "The Auditors".

DATCC has their "second name"