CP NSPBCL W4 Report: We Finally Lost, Oh Well

Well team, we had a nice run. Starting off 3-0, it was clear that we were a solid team aspiring to win a championship. Unfortunately, we ran over a bit of a speed bump in week 4, as the Computer Chess Wizards barely defeated us 13-11. Honestly we should have won this one, but in the end it's probably good; CCW is a bit too confident, and when the playoffs come they might be too cocky to win. Meanwhile, a loss for us is humbling, as it was kind of easy to get to 3-0, since we were up 9.5-2.5 each time. As long as we are humble, especially after the loss, we should bounce back. I've said it in the notes several times, and I'll say it again: A loss in week 4 is better then a loss in the playoffs. We aren't playing for perfection, we are playing (for fun and) for a championship. So, if for some reason you read all of....whatever that was, how about we get to the good (bad) stuff, eh? LET'S GOOOOO CHESSICAL PRODIGIES!

The match started on b2, where an even battle on b2 between @luisen17 and @Night0Sky took place. Nightsky won the first two games, but luisen fought back to tie the match 2-2! Pretty great effort to come back from 0-2!

Solid start to the match, a 2-2 tie it is. Next up was our previously undefeated b5 @Tebow2Baker facing the captain of CCW @SpeedyCyclone. Despite the difference in their records this season, it looked to be a tough match as they were close in rating. The match started well enough with a draw, but surprisingly Tebow proceeded to lose the next 3 games! Now, he was winning big in 1, and had advantages in another, so it was at least closer than the score suggests. Tebow probably should have won 3-1, maybe 2.5-1.5 (or maybe 2-2, whatever lol), but yeah, 0.5-3.5 loss is tough for sure, and it shows that our b5 and b6 really have been carrying us so far. Expect Tebow to bounce back with a 4-0 this week

Now the score is 2.5-5.5, in their favor. For the first time I think all season long, we are losing! But with a likely 4-0 on b6 coming, we were still in it. Knowing this, I knew I probably had to get at least 1.5 points on b1 and was confident I could do it. I got 2 instead. In retrospect I wish I had gotten 3, and I feel like I should have  but it is what it is. I lost the first game pretty badly, but bounced back with a nice and solid win in game 2. After losing game 3, where I think I could have won, I was down 1-2. In game 4, my opponent and I both played accurate openings (half the game was theory lol), but eventually he...hung a rook! Crazy lucky for me.

With that 2-2 tie, the match score is now 7.5-4.5, still in their favor. Now on b4, @acastelino faced another high rated opponent in @OmanYemen. It's a tough matchup, but acas has already shown the ability to beat these guys. He ended up stealing 1 game but losing the other 3. Acceptable result as always  

So at the time, I was thinking "Hey, this is great! After we get a 4-0 on b6, we are tied!" Uh not quite. Thing is, I am sometimes really really dumb, and in this instance, I kinda forgot how to do basic addition, or math as you kids call it (but hey, who needs math anyway? it's useless ). Once I realized this, the score was 10.5-5.5, meaning that, even if we get 4-0 on b6, we need a win on b3 as well. What happened, you ask? First, on b6, @neatgreatfire took on the insanely underrated @IKnowDaWae69....and got 3.5. That's fantastic of course, but wait a minute, you are telling me that a 650 rated blitz player outplay a 1500 blitz player and got a draw? Oh, here's the best part: In said draw, he got 98 accuracy while neat got 99! WHAT???? HOW!!?!?!?? Ahem, uh, here's the game

Great game lol. This put the score at 11-9. What did this mean? It meant that @winyou01 needed to play and beat @KincsoToth on b3 3-1, or get a 4-0 forfeit win. Despite his best efforts, winyou could not find a time to play Kincso. Personally, I think he tried WAY harder to find time to play, suggesting more times and showing the willingness to play at a somewhat inconvenient time for him. Was that enough to earn a 4-0 forfeit? Nope, sadly not. You can check the negotiation and decide for yourself, but really, the one possible time that both players could realistically have made work was offered by winyou, and Kincso said no bc it was too early (20 minutes earlier then normal....c'mon lol I've woken HOURS earlier to play these matches, that's just how it works sometimes!) Do I think winyou deserved a forfeit win? No, bc there wasn't really enough there to give it to him. Do I think the admins should have looked into the negotiation and considered it at least? Yes, every time. But, it is what it is. 2-2 is typically solid and it's another nice result for winyou, who has been on a roll since week 1.

Aight then, if you made it here, congratulations, you need to get a life! Joking, joking of course. I mean, that basically suggest that the person who typed this really needs a life (eh, that may be true xD) So all in all, it was a close match that should have gone our way, but it didn't. Welp, it happens I guess. We can't win'em all, and really, we don't need to. As long as we make the playoffs, and b5 and b6 keep giving us large advantages, we are good to go. A win this week against the Speed Demons (https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/s4w5-negotiation-thread-chessical-prodigies-vs-speed-demons) would likely get us a playoff spot. And honestly, we should beat them. b5 I feel certain is a 4-0 win. b6 should be as well, unless the guy is stupidly underrated too (and honestly I think he might be a little underrated...). With another big advantage, we just need balance on the top 4. Acas should be able to get at least 2-2 on b4, same with me on b1 (heh, I've scored 2-2 every week....I'd like to win for once lol) and that's good enough already. B2 and b3, admittedly, look tough. But as usual, I doubt luisen or winyou loses 0-4, not happening. They both should get at least 1 and could get way more! If it all goes normally, we win. If chaos happens, welp, I'll be writing another rant next week

Alright, we finally lost, but now it should be easier to fly under the radar, especially since the top 2 teams, RNR and CCW, are vocal in the NSPBCL club notes and draw more attention for their names. As always, just stay humble and we'll be fine. Let's get the dub team. LET'S GOOOOOO CHESSICAL PRODIGIES!!!

-Lightning