Snowdrops Versus Old Hands 2011
The fourth annual "Snowdrops versus Old Hands" tournament is currently taking place in the spa town of Mariánské Lázně in the Czech Republic.
The tournament is organised by the Prague Chess Society with sponsors Czech Coal and pits a team of veteran chess players (the Old Hands) against a team of young women players (the Snowdrops).
Each team consists of four players and the format is a double Scheveningen (each team member plays each player on the other team twice).
The Old Hands team are Vlastimil Hort (pictured), Boris Gulko, Robert Hübner and Rafael Vaganian.
The Snowdrops team are Maria Muzychuk, Natalia Pogonina, Tania Sachdev and Eva Kulovana.
Last years' competition was won by the Snowdrops, but at the halfway point this time the Old Hands are leading by 9½-6½. The standings at the halfway point:
| Snowdrops |
O1 | O2 | O3 | O4 | O1 | O2 | O3 | O4 | 6½ | |
| S1 | Pogonina Natalia | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1½ | ||||
| S2 | Sachdev Tania | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1½ | ||||
| S3 | Muzychuk Maria | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 3 | ||||
| S4 | Kulovaná Eva | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ||||
| Old Hands |
S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | 9½ | |
| O1 | Hübner Robert | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| O2 | Gulko Boris | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 2 | ||||
| O3 | Vaganian Rafael | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 2 | ||||
| O4 | Hort Vlastimil | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 2½ |
All the decisive games so far are below. Pictures by Martin Chrz at the official website.
Rafael Vaganian lost to Maria Muzychuk
Vlastimil Hort beat Eva Kulovana
Part-time model Tania Sachdev lost to Robert Hubner
Boris Gulko defeated Eva Kulovana
Rafael Vaganian beat Natalia Pogonina
Maria Muzychuk beat Boris Gulko
Robert Hubner beat Eva Kulovana
The venue: The Cristal Palace Hotel
The organiser, Pavel Matocha celebrated his birthday with a cake
...and by sharing a few drinks!
...ending in laughter all around!
Renowned chess writer Genna Sonsonko (centre) launched his new book "Tal and Other Essays"
The book cover "Tal and Other Essays"
Genna Sosonko played a simultaneous display at the book launch, finishing +9 =3 -2
Today (7 December) was a rest day in the Snowdrops v Old Hands competition. The second half of the tournament runs from 8-11 December. Games start at 3pm local time (14:00 UTC) except the final round which is 1 hour earlier. The time control is 90 minutes for 40 moves, and then 30 minutes to finish with a 30 second increment from the start.
Live games can be followed here.
