19:40 update
Ok, all these guys like to play really positional games and things have slowed down. Friedel hasn't moved since the last update, probably working out how to stand pat. He doesn't seem to have an attack, but could get one of he could airlift the Na4 and Ra1 over. In the meantime Serper will probably start targeting both f2 and c2.
Bd. 2 Tangborn is on steroids or some dang thing. He played g4 to boot a Nh5 away, and slow down f5, then hopped up with Kg2. The only thing is, I don't think Eric can afford to lose much more hai... er I mean uh, Eric can't handle the rage.
Bd. 3 Donaldson has an advantage in space and gets to line up his pieces however he wants. Against most players that wouldn't be much, but John is pretty good at this kind of thing. Loren, I hope you have a good trench over there.
Bd. 4 I don't know how much I like the White position. If he could get to play Qb3 without allowing Nd3 I think I would be more comfortable with it. As it is, it looks about equal
19:55 update
Bd. 1 the kibitzers seem to like White, but not me (maybe that tells you something). I think that Serper is going to play Rd2 and opinions will change. We will see
Bd. 2 Everybody is still lining up. Bhat has advanced his Q-side pawns while Tangborn improved is pawns a bit. Still not much
Bd. 3 They have exchanged a pair of N's and Black got in f5. I don't know how smart that will be, but maybe it foretells some action on the h1-a8 diagonal.
Bd. 4 Black has taken a bunch of clock to play Qd8-c8-e8. I expect c4-c5 by Sinanan momentarily
20:15 update
Bd. 4 White did play c5 and then b5, Black exchanged on c5. Black still has some space on the K side and some vague ideas, but I think the real direction is going to be what happens to the pawn on d5. It is all alone, but isn't blocked. THat spells something good for one side or the other.
Bd 3 both sides are still squaring off for space. I think that Schmidt has done quite well so far, but is getting a bit short of time
20;20 UPDATE
a quick return. Bd. 4 Naroditsky is under 10 minutes and the game is getting a bit complex. Bd. 3 Schmidt decided to advance b6-b5 and Donaldson exchanged. I suspect this is helpful to white. Bd 1 both sides are working for the initiative, maybe equal?
20:35 update
Bd. 1 Well, White has all the black squares and Black has a bunch of white squares. Serper is down to 9 minutes and Friedel is at 12
21:00 update Bd. 1 is down to R and Q and B's of O. Serper is more active, a little, but has less time.
Bd. 2 Tangborn is a pawn up, but Bhat has a bunch of play with a passer on the 6th.
Bd. 3 Donaldson has advantage with passed b-pawn, but material is reduced. Might be winnable
Bd. 4 Looks drawish as all the pawns are reduced. White will have an extra pawn on K-side, Black has passer on a5 with White King very active
21:15 update
the first 3 boards are in endgames that don't look good for Seattle. I think Friedel will win a pawn. Bd. 2 Bhat has an outside passer, but with Q's on could be a draw. Donaldson has steadily pushed forward and is a pwn up. Even board 4 isn't clear, but closer
21;20 Tangborn lost a piece and resigned. Good try by him.
Bd. 4 is going to be draw by repitition
Bd. 3 John is now 2 pawns up, but I don't think he can keep them both. Might not need to
Bd. 1 Serper pressed a bit and now is mated. That is about the end of it.
Well, we kind of knew that it would take a bit of extraordinary play for the Sluggers to beat SF again. Serper pushed to win and it didn't work out. Tangborn played hard, but I think he lost sight of the goal... not to lose. Schmidt played hard and got a draw out of it, a result we would have all taken before hand if it was offered. I think that Sinanan still has to work on his White openings, it didn't appear that he got much out of the line he played.
Ok, 8 days off and Miami. Seattle still has a great chance to be in the playoffs and face the Mechanics again. Let's keep our fingers crossed that they can get this turned around.
ttyl
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Re JD-LS: b5 and later b4 was actually a good plan for Black, leading to a critical position after 36.Rb1 when Black could wrest a small edge with e4!. Unfortunately, the blocked nature of that position made it look very unlikely that Black could build on that edge and garner the full point the Sluggers needed (even if Black could do something like trade Qs and win the cP after the forced 37.Qc4). Instead, Black made the risky decision to mix up the pawn structure with Qe4 and hope that he could open a line for his Rs to get into the White K-side. This (along with mutual time pressure) accounts for subsequent moves like Nd8 and Rxg7. Black could keep decent drawing chances with Rxc1 instead of Nc4 but kept the material on in the faint hope of a JD time pressure slip. However, JD avoided such silliness with a solid series of moves. He answered the last desperate cheapo/error with the calm Nf3 and kindly made a draw offer Black could not refuse.
Post a Comment