England wins its first ever European Team Championships
England wins its first ever European Team Championships
By Kristianus Liem
JAKARTA (JP): England for the first time won the 11th European
Team Championship which was held at Pula, a well-known resort on
the Adriatic Coast, Croatia, in May.
Thirty-four teams from 33 countries took part in the men's
event.
The first part of the tournament was dominated by host
Croatia, owing to the good performance of GMs Kozul and Palac.
Kozul won four games in the first rounds, and Palac finished as
the best third board.
The turning point was in round five when England scored 3-1
against the leading Croats and took over the lead. Then England
defeated close rivals Armenia and Hungary to confirm its lead.
After a draw with Russia in the penultimate round, thereby
retaining a two-point margin over its greatest rival, England
seemed to have a clear path to the gold.
However, in the exciting last round England lost to Germany
2.5-1.5 and Russia defeated Belarus with an unexpected 3.5-0.5,
scoring the same number of points as England. Still, England had
better Bucholz tiebreaks and took the gold medal.
The final standings are:
1. England 22.5
2. Russia 22.5
3. Armenia 22
4. Hungary 21.5
5. Germany 21.5
6. Israel 21
7. Croatia I 20.5
8. Georgia 20
9. Byelorussia 19.5
10. Bosnia & Herzegovina 19.5
11. Netherlands 19.5
12. Poland 19.5
13. Estonia 19
14. Switzerland 19
15. Azerbaijan 19
16. Slovakia 19
17. Sweden 19
18. Latvia 18
19. France 18
20. Spain 18
21. Turkey 18
22. Italy 17.5
23. Croatia II 17.5
24. Lithuania 17
25. Czech Republic 17
26. Greece 17
27. Macedonia 17
28. Slovenia 16.5
29. Portugal 16.5
30. Finland 16.5
31. Austria 15.5
32. Ireland 12.5
33. Scotland 8.5
34. Wales 6.5
The top scorer in the English team is GM Matthew Sadler. He
took seven points in nine rounds. Here is one of his best game.
White: GM Goran Dizdar (Croatia)
Black: GM Matthew Sadler (England)
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.0-0 Be7 5.c4 0-0 6.d4 dxc4 7.Qc2
a6 8.a4 Bd7 9.Rd1 Bc6 10.Nc3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 Nc6 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Bg5
Rb8
Practice has shown this to be a solid variation for Black. The
possible attack ...c6-c5 and the open b-file make sufficient
compensation for the disreputable pawn structure on the Queen-
side.
14.e3
Piket previously played 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.e3 against Joel
Lautier in a game at the Melody Amber tournament in 1996 and got
very little out of the opening though he eventually won the game.
Also interesting is 14.a5 Rb4 15.Ra4 Qb8 16.Rxb4 Qxb4 17.Bxf6
gxf6 18.Na2 Qb5 Kochyev-Aseev, Leningrad 1989.
14...Nd7! 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Ne4 Rb4!
The text much more preparing to double on the b-file against
the White pawn on b2 than to protected the c4-pawn.
17.Nd2 c5 18.Nxc4 Rfb8 19.Rac1 h6 20.dxc5 Nf6! 21.Ne5 Rxb2
22.Qc4 Nd5 23.e4?
See diagram. White's idea was to meet 23...R8b4 with 24.exd5
Rxc4 25.Nxc4 followed by d6 with fantastic compensation for the
Queen.
23...Ne3!
A fantastic move! Black gave his Knight at the moment White
threatened to fork his Queen and Rook with Nc6.
24.fxe3 Qg5! 25.Qc3 Qh5!
This is the point. Since 26.h4 loses to 26...Qe2, White must
return the piece. The main and decisive factor in the position is
White's poor pawn structure.
26.Rd8+!? Kh7 27.Rd2 Rxd2 28.Qxd2 Qxe5 29.Qd4 Qg5 30.Rf1 e5
31.Qc3 f6
Having secured his king-side pawn structure, Black could turn
his attention to White's weaknesses.
32.Kg2 Qg4 33.Qc4 a5!
Securing the valuable b4 square for the Black Rook from where
it attacks both the a4 and e4 pawns.
34.h3 Qd7 35.Qc2 Qc6!
A lovely square for the Black Queen attacking three pawns at
once.
36.Rd1 Rb4 37.Rd8 Rxa4 38.Rc8 Rb4 39.Qd3 Qxc5
White lost on time here, but 40.Qd8 Qc2+! 41.Kf3 Qxe4+ is
hopeless for White. 0-1