5th round
Open Section
Croatia is still on the top with 8 match points after 5 rounds. They managed to maintain their one point lead over Czech Republic after playing 2:2 against them. But this gave the opportunity for Hungary to catch up with the Czechs (both team is on 7 match point) by beating Switzerland 2½:1½ and also for France to come into the sight of the top 3 spots after beating Slovenia 2½:1½ and now having 6 match point. Germany won its second match in a row by beating Italy 2½:1½ and moved up to 5 match points accompanied by Slovakia who gained only one match point in the 5th round after tying with Austria.
Highlights section at the bottom features:
- A tough situation in Banusz (HUN) – Gaehwiler (SWI)
- Simple tatcics in the following games: Repka (SLO) – Schreiner (AUS) and Kriebel (CZE) – Jovanovic (CRO)
Results
| Open | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  |
Italy (2474) | 1½ | – | 2½ | Germany (2493) |  |
| 2. |  |
Croatia (2486) | 2 | – | 2 | Czech Republic (2502) |  |
| 3. |  |
Slovenia (2409) | 1½ | – | 2½ | France (2501) |  |
| 4. |  |
Slovakia (2472) | 2 | – | 2 | Austria (2477) |  |
| 5. |  |
Switzerland (2446) | 1½ | – | 2½ | Hungary (2545) |  |
Standings
| Rk. | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Croatia | * | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 8 | 12,0 | 0 | ||||
| 2 | Czech Republic | 2 | * | 1 | 3½ | 3½ | 2½ | 7 | 12,5 | 0 | ||||
| 3 | Hungary | 2 | * | 2 | 3½ | 2 | 2½ | 7 | 12,0 | 0 | ||||
| 4 | France | 1½ | 3 | * | 2 | 2½ | 2 | 6 | 11,0 | 0 | ||||
| 5 | Slovakia | 2 | * | 2½ | 2 | 1½ | 2 | 5 | 10,0 | 0 | ||||
| 6 | Germany | ½ | 2 | 1½ | * | 2½ | 2½ | 5 | 9,0 | 0 | ||||
| 7 | Austria | 1½ | ½ | 2 | * | 2 | 2½ | 4 | 8,5 | 1 | ||||
| 8 | Slovenia | ½ | 1½ | 2½ | 2 | * | 2 | 4 | 8,5 | 1 | ||||
| 9 | Italy | 1½ | 2 | 2 | 1½ | 1½ | * | 2 | 8,5 | 0 | ||||
| 10 | Switzerland | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 2 | * | 2 | 8,0 | 0 |
Women Section
France won once again (2½:1½ vs Slovenia) and now on 10 match points with 5/5. They don’t show any sign of slowing down and even increased their lead and are 4 match points ahead of the pack. Croatia (they won against Czech Republic 3½:½) and Poland (they overcame Hungary by 2½:1½) are on the virtual podium behind France with 6 match points each. Austria won versus Slovakia while Italy-Germany ended in a tie.
Highlights section at the bottom features:
Results
| Woman | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | |
Italy (2221) | 2 | – | 2 | Germany (2228) | |
| 2. | |
Croatia (2180) | 3½ | – | ½ | Czech Republic (2079) | |
| 3. | |
Slovenia (2167) | 1½ | – | 2½ | France (2144) | |
| 4. | |
Slovakia (2098) | 1½ | – | 2½ | Austria (2155) | |
| 5. |  |
Poland (2215) | 2½ | – | 1½ | Hungary (2280) | |
Standings
| Rk. | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | * | 2½ | 2½ | 3½ | 3 | 3 | 10 | 14,5 | 0 | ||||
| 2 | Croatia | 1½ | * | 2½ | 2½ | 1 | 3½ | 6 | 11,0 | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Poland | 1½ | * | 2½ | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 11,0 | 0 | ||||
| 4 | Hungary | 1½ | 1½ | * | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 11,0 | 0 | ||||
| 5 | Slovenia | 1½ | 2 | 1 | * | 2½ | 3½ | 5 | 10,5 | 2 | ||||
| 6 | Austria | 3 | 1½ | * | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | 5 | 10,5 | 0 | ||||
| 7 | Czech Republic | ½ | ½ | 2½ | * | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8,5 | 0 | ||||
| 8 | Germany | 1 | 2 | 1 | * | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10,0 | 0 | ||||
| 9 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | * | 3 | 8,0 | 0 | ||||
| 10 | Slovakia | 1 | 2 | ½ | 1½ | 0 | * | 1 | 5,0 | 0 |
Highlights
A tough situation in Banusz (HUN) – Gaehwiler (SWI) which eventually ended in the victory for the former one granting Hungary the 2 points in the match against Switzerland.
Banusz,Tamas (2608) – Gaehwiler,Gabriel (2419) [D02]
Mitropa Cup – Open (5.2), 21.09.2017
Position after 32.Rc6
Black to move. Should he play 32.-Qd2+ or 32.-Qe1
32…Qd2+? [32…Qe1!! is the only move and the computer spits out some funny lines. Turns out this move maintains the balance – one important thing though: this move – compared to the game – doesn’t let white king to fled out to “safety” via h3–g4 as 33.Kh3 could be answered by 33.-f5 threatening Qh1#. 33.Qb2!? being one of the computer’s solutions to get to the well-deserved perpetual check 33…Qxe3! 34.Rc3 (this was the idea, but obviously the line still ends the same way as anything else when we let the computer play around) 34…Qxd4 35.Qxa3 Qd2+ 36.Kh3 Rh8+ 37.Nxh8 Qh6+ 38.Kg2 Qd2+ 39.Kh3 Qh6+=]
33.Kh3 Qe2 34.Kg4! f5+ 35.Kf4!
Position after 35.Kf4
In a span of 3 moves the white king has relocated to the adventurous f4 square and actually never felt as safe as it does now – surprisingly black is out of any kind of real threats and white is simply winning.
35…Qh2 36.Ne5! g5+ 37.Kxf5 Rf8+ 38.Rf6 Qh3+ 39.g4 Qh7+ 40.Ng6
1–0
Two fairly simple tactical oversights:
Repka,Christopher (2475) – Schreiner,Peter (2482) [D80]
Mitropa Cup – Open (5.1), 21.09.2017
Position after 30.Re4?
Black to move and win
30…Qxf3+! 31.Qxf3 Nd2+ 32.Kf2 Nxf3 33.Rc4+ Bc6 34.Rg7 Nd4 35.Rxg6 Rf8+ 36.Ke1 Nf3+ 37.Ke2 Nd4+ 38.Ke1 Kc7
0–1
Kriebel,Tadeas (2487) – Jovanovic,Zoran (2534) [B06]
Mitropa Cup – Open (5.2), 21.09.2017
Position after 32.Rf2?
Black to move and win
32…Nc5! [the theme here would be “back rank”]
33.Kc1 [33.Nf6+ doesn’t help either – white pieces are miserably placed and covering the back rank without giving up lots of material is impossible – for example 33…Kh8 34.Qh1 Qe3 35.Rh2 Qd4 36.a3 Qxf6–+]
33…Nxe4 34.Qxf7+ Qxf7 35.Rxf7 Kh8 36.Rxa7 Be2 37.c3 bxc3 38.Re7 Bf3 39.g5 cxb2+ 40.Kxb2 Nc5 41.Bc2 Bd1 42.Bb1 Na4+ 43.Kc1 Nc3
0–1
A very nice effort from the game Poliakova (SLO) – Exler (AUS) from the Women section:
Poliakova,Emma (1928) – Exler,Veronika (2134) [B16]
Mitropa Cup – Women (5.3), 21.09.2017
Position after 25.-Nd5
White to play and win
25.b6! a6 [25…Nxb6 26.Qxb6! axb6 27.Rxa8+ Qd8 28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 as if it would not be enough in itself white has 29.Nxf7+ Ke7 30.Nxg5 picking up all black pieces]
26.Qb5+!! Kf8 [26…axb5 27.Rxa8+ Qd8 28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 29.Nxf7+ Ke7 30.Nxg5 would be game over]
27.Qc5? [white needed only one more idea to bring home the full point]
[27.Nd7+! Ke8 (27…Kg7 28.Qxd5 Rd8 29.Qxb7 Qxd7 30.Qxd7 Rxd7 31.Reb1 with a lost rook endgame) 28.Nf6+ Kd8
(28…Kf8 29.Qxd5 exd5 30.Nxh7+ Kg7 31.Rxe7 losing as well) 29.Nxd5
Position after 29.Nd5
Black to play and there is one move which after there is some fight left. What that might be?
29…f4!! this funny looking move is the best bet (all the other moves are completely losing). Even here, after 30.Nxe7 Rxb5 31.Ng8 Rxb6 black is still down a piece but at least with some slim practical chances]
27…Rg8 28.Rec1 Qxc5 29.dxc5 f6 30.Nc4 Ke7 31.Nd6 Rab8 32.Re1 Kd7 33.Rad1 f4 34.Ne4 Kc6 35.Nxf6 Nxf6 36.Rxe6+ Kxc5 37.Rxf6 fxg3 38.fxg3 Rg6 39.Rc1+ Kb5 40.Rb1+ Kc5 41.Rc1+ Kb5 42.Rb1+ Kc5 43.Rc1+
½–½