Week 8 Results
Hard to believe we are doing results for week 8 already. This week we had a few scheduling draws and a couple of no shows, unfortunately. Please keep in mind no shows at this point in the league WILL prevent you from joining in future seasons. That being said, we had 10 games decided over the board, and some very interesting results with playoff implications. This week the underdogs played first, both Ontario and Huron versus the higher seeded Michigan and Superior, respectively. Let's get started.
Team Lake Ontario vs Team Lake Michigan
Board 1: @lorookie vs @bluberrie_tea 0 - 1
Another masterpiece by the league's strongest player, @bluberrie_tea. @lorookie had to have felt good after the first few moves, he took away black's right to castle and had what looks to my untrained eye like a good attacking position after move 8. @bluberrie_tea saw further than I can, and than @lorookie did, because 8 moves later, when @bluberrie_tea had put his pieces into prime position and gained queenside space, the house came crashing down for @lorookie. On Move 18 @bluberrie_tea initiated a sequence that included a beautiful knight sack, and ended up with @bluberrie_tea up a pawn and with complete control over the a file and the queenside in general. Even though the evaluation rating isn't quite as high as @bluberrie_tea usually puts up, his 90.8% accuracy included one truly brilliant move (his knight sack) and encompassed a dominant win over a very strong player in @lorookie.
Board 2: @CRUSHR vs @tewald 0 - 1
@tewald showed a great understanding of the Advanced French in this one. These games are often decided by who can control or win the d4 square, and in perfect French fashion, @tewald won this pawn and square on move 9. From that point he finished development, found nice squares for his pieces, and started a long range assault, winning an exchange on move 19. I love games like this because opening prep and understanding are the key factors. Solid play, experience and having a plan from the very beginning are a combination that produces these types of textbook wins. Well done, @tewald.
Board 3: @GoPikachu vs @blinddd7 1 - 0
Another Advanced French, this time both players got through the opening without gaining or losing anything, but reached a tense, tactical position in the early middlegame where @blinddd7 showed their tactical skills, executing a sequence of moves that won a pawn and destroyed white's presence in the center of the board. @GoPikachu showed their experience in the endgame, however, proving the idea that "bishops are stronger than knights in open positions" is fine to teach, but fails to take into account just how tricky an experienced player can be with a free roaming knight. @GoPikachu's tricky knight play took over the endgame and ended the game with a devastating fork on black's bishop and king. Well done to @GoPikachu for staying in the game looking for ways to get back into it, kudos to @blinddd7 for playing the opening and middlegame so well, losses like this one are tough.
Board 5: @a-blunderful-life 1 - 0 @2288sam https://www.chess.com/game/live/37922445497
Board 6: @68ChessDaddo 0 - 1 @60_Minute-Man https://www.chess.com/game/live/37849225431
Team Lake Ontario 3.5 vs 3.5 Team Lake Michigan
Team Lake Huron vs Team Lake Superior
Board 3: @ngosman vs @MinnesotaDude 1 - 0
@ngosman played the game of imbalances extremely well in this one. First he induced a weakness in black's kingside, and then he moved his army in to take over. In the middle of his kingside/center attack, it had the feel of black's pieces and king being smothered, when, ironically, it was the advance of his kingside paws that created the losing position! That just goes to show what can happen when you're booked on imbalances and tactics. Some might see kingside space for black, but @ngosman saw undefended territory around the perilously far advanced pawns. Jeremy Silman would be happy to add this one to an article about the pros and cons of pawn advancement. Nice play, @ngosman!
Board 4: @Gherkins54868 vs @nd23903 0 - 1
This one has to win an award, I don't think I've seen a checkmate so far in the analysis, and although this one didn't end in checkmate, it is just crazy impressive how @nd23903 dug himself out of a hole and ended up winning this game in a dominant position. In the opening/early middlegame, @Gherkins54868 was up material, and was the one with the initiative, but due to really smart moves like 12...Bh3, keeping white's king in the center, @nd23903 was able to put white's king and queen in really dangerous positions in the center of the board, surrounded by @nd23903's army. In this sharp position, @nd23903 found a really cool "Oh no, my rook!" with 18...Rxf4, when retaking the rook allows Nd3+, winning the queen. While this battle was going on and the pieces were being traded, black's queen was sitting quietly on a8 waiting for the smoke to clear. When it did, she reemerged to the center of the board in a winning position (up 5 points in material but 10 points in evaluation!) and white resigned.
Board 5: @Go0setav vs @Srobocop0615 1 - 0
This one will win checkmate of the week, and was highlighted by some really nice tactical play by @Go0setav. The last 6 moves of this game are perfect, from putting his bishop on h6, creating a pin to trading rooks and then the awesome move 28.Bg4, taking away the king's only escape square, they showed a great feel for attacking chess. Really nice one, @Go0setav, congrats on the knockout of the night bonus!
Board 7: @Joey759 1 - 0 @kmeier45239 https://www.chess.com/live/game/37572019857
Team Lake Huron 5.5 - 1.5 Team Lake Superior
So week 8 was yet another shocker, with the underdogs standing tall and refusing to go down, and you can call Team Lake Huron's win over Team Lake Superior straight up dominant. Not only was that just not what the oddsmakers were predicting, but it puts Team Lake Huron in a strong position to at the very least play for bronze in the post season. Three teams have a shot at the Championship series as I see it, and that's the now league leading Team Lake Michigan, Team Lake Superior and Team Lake Erie.
League Standings After Week 8:
Team Lake Michigan: 4 - 1 - 2 : 5.0pts
Team Lake Superior: 4 - 2 - 0: 4.0pts
Team Lake Erie: 3 - 2 - 1: 3.5pts
Team Lake Huron: 2 - 4 - 0: 2pts
Team Lake Ontario: 1 - 5 - 1: 1.5pts
Weekly Awards:
Checkmate Of The Week: @Go0setav
Upset Of The Week: @nd23903 (more of a comeback of the week, but that game had to get an award)
MVP For Week 8: @bluberrie_tea
League Standings After Week 8:
Team Lake Michigan: 4 - 1 - 2 : 5.0pts
Team Lake Superior: 4 - 2 - 0: 4.0pts
Team Lake Erie: 3 - 2 - 1: 3.5pts
Team Lake Huron: 2 - 4 - 0: 2pts
Team Lake Ontario: 1 - 5 - 1: 1.5pts
