Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Looks like computer doesn't really have a problem with 28... Nf7, but definitely doesn't like 29... Nd8 (rated at -2.26).

I am sadly too far short of the ability level required to understand why the computer thinks that.

[Kevin S]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Evariste Euler Gauss wrote:

Unlucky matt - that's almost certainly the best chess I've ever played.

Eighth place is a possibility now, with a lofty seventh not yet out of the question.

Yes, you're well and truly in the lower mid-table mix now, with plenty up in the air especially as border123 has ongoing games very much still undecided with both you and Levin.

[edit: 7th place seems very unlikely though Kev - currently much more in Levin's hands to lose rather than yours or Border's. The only way you could end up at least level with both of Border and Levin, assuming all remaining matches which the 3 of you play against third parties go according to the form book, would be if (a) you get a second win against Border AND (b) Border beats Levin, in which case you'd all end up on 10 points - but then I think Levin would still get 7th place on the tie-break rule, due essentially to his wins against me and Smallcaps counting for more tie-break points than his head to head results within the group of the 3 of you.]

Ah yes, thanks for that. So in addition to those results I would also need to beat ad hoc (!!) and hope ad hoc beats Levin, to finish 7th. Or for Levin to fail to win either of his games against Rogin (again, I would have to win mine).

So looks like I will be aiming for 8th, which is still a decent improvement on last time, where I didn't win any games against higher ranked players.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Sorry Kev, I got that slightly wrong, and have now amended. If other results go per the form book and you beat Border for a second time then you do indeed end up on 10, but Border then ends on 9 if he beats Levin, or 8 if he loses to Levin. However, Levin ends on 11 if he beats Border and 10 if he loses, so you still end up behind Levin, either on direct points or by the tie-break effect I described above.

Edit: what it boils down to is Levin has 7th place in his pocket now unless either he loses to Rogin or Bored, or ad hoc has an uncharacteristic slip-up against you or border.

[Kevin S]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Thanks again.

I don't know if I'll be able to participate in OTF 4; will have to see how work is going at that point. But once my games with ad hoc and Border have concluded I'll be up for various single matches like last time.

[Bored Of Education]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Just accidentally seen a note thanking me for the game from ironytowers. Apologies for not replaying in kind, it, and to anyone else who has sent something on chat. You don't appear to get any notifications.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Ditto, in case anyone else has said anything to me on chat. Doesn't come to my attention at all.

[ad hoc]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Evariste Euler Gauss wrote: Sorry Kev, I got that slightly wrong, and have now amended. If other results go per the form book and you beat Border for a second time then you do indeed end up on 10, but Border then ends on 9 if he beats Levin, or 8 if he loses to Levin. However, Levin ends on 11 if he beats Border and 10 if he loses, so you still end up behind Levin, either on direct points or by the tie-break effect I described above.

Edit: what it boils down to is Levin has 7th place in his pocket now unless either he loses to Rogin or Bored, or ad hoc has an uncharacteristic slip-up against you or border.

Ad hoc is very likely to lose his first game with border.

Sorry for my current absence all btw. Hope to be back tomorrow

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Ad hoc is very likely to lose his first game with border

I've been following that game with some fascination, having first noticed the state of things after I'd posted the above comments. I didn't feel I could go back and put any relevant gloss on my comments on the battle for 7th place, though, as I felt it would be very bad form to comment on somebody else's match while it's still ongoing - except perhaps by "hey that's worth a look" or similar, which I do sometimes say, although perhaps I shouldn't even do that.

[Sam]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

I was doing just barely all right against ad hoc - apart from having a bunch of horrendously underdeveloped pieces - until just now when, for the second time this tournament, I gifted him my Queen for no good reason.

My girlfriend thought exhaling loudly and putting my head in my hand was an overreaction to this. She just doesn't understand.

[Sam]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Anyway, well done ad hoc. Think I'm fighting for third bottom now (as if I wasn't already).

[Sam]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

I've only got Bored and Rogin still to play in the tournament now, so if anyone fancies an easy win or two in a friendly, feel free...

[Wouter D]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Today is April 21, and all OTF tournaments so far have been completed within a month. Hence, I would like to target May 1 for the start of OTF4. So I made a table to analyze our current situation.

Games remaining in OTF3

Rogin       16
BoE         11
Ad Hoc       8 (4)
Kevchenko    4 (0)
Border123    3 (2)
Matt J       3 (1)
Etienne      3 (0)
Sam          3 (0)
Ironytowers  2 (1)
EEG          2 (0)
Smallcaps    2 (0)
Levin        1 (0)

Numbers between parentheses are the games remaining that do not involve either Rogin or BoE. Those are four games in total, each of which involves ad hoc. Hence, the full competition between the bottom nine in the table has been completed.

We have all signed up for the five-days-a-move setting, so nobody needs to speed up if they don't want to. But please do let me know if you think that your games won't be done by the end of this month, so that I can plan accordingly.

[ad hoc]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

At the rate we've been playing I'd be very surprised if my games with Rogin and Bored are done by the end of April.

[matt j]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Me too. There are a few pairings that haven't finished the 'first leg', so May 1st seems very unlikely.

That was an entertaining game, ad hoc. First game in ages where I felt I made a slender advantage (the exchange for your rook early on) pay off in the long run.

[ad hoc]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

It was. Made a couple of clunking errors, and then was always scratching around. But it felt drawable until the last few moves.

[matt j]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Yikes, computer analysis is harsh again (on both of us). Me for what I thought for sure was solid (27. Rxf7), but worse on you for missing the counter and the win (27... Bxd4).

Fucking computer.

[Etienne]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

That win basically ensures the top 5 will finish as they are, but Sam's friend could still climb a place or two, and the bottom places are still in play.

[Sam]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

I'd be surprised if my games are done by the end of April, although Bored is now less than 24 hours away from throwing his first game against me on the time limit.

My mate's definitely up for OTF4 by the way, I'm talking to him about chess right now.

[Wouter D]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Sam wrote: My mate's definitely up for OTF4 by the way, I'm talking to him about chess right now.

Very good!

[Etienne]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Bored has just lost to me and Kev on time, and is 8 hours away from doing the same to ad hoc.

[Sam]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

And I've blundered my way to defeat to Rogin in 8 moves. Well done Rogin.

[Bored Of Education]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Etienne wrote: Bored has just lost to me and Kev on time, and is 8 hours away from doing the same to ad hoc.

Yes, sorry guys, insanely busy time the last couple of days. Will get back into it today

[matt j]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Not that I've been invited yet, but I plan to take a break for the next tournament.

Would be back for OTF 5 (unless you've all burned the place down).

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Actually, on reflection, I might be on for OTF4 as well, despite being in pre-exam stress mode. The way OTF3 is going now, it seems quite likely that it won't be over until May is say around two thirds over. So if OTF 4 started pretty late in May, I could join, initially just do the minimum needed to meet the five day maximum per move rule, and then get properly stuck in after my exams finish on 3 June.

[ad hoc]

Roll up, roll up for the OTF chess tournaments

Ahem