7th round
Open Section
Croatia once again kept his lead after a 3:1 victory over Germany. Unfortunately for them all the teams having chance for catching up won too – Hungary is still 1 match point behind after a 2½:1½ win against Austria, while Czech Republic and France are both 2 match points apart from Croatia after both team winning 3:1. France won against Switzerland while Czech Republic did the same against Slovakia. The pairing in for the last 2 rounds seems favorable to Croatia: while they are playing Slovenia and Slovakia, we yet to see 2 important matches between the followers: Hungary vs France and Hungary vs Czech Republic. Other than that, Italy collected its first match victory versus Slovenia.
Highlights section at the bottom features:
- Nice winning idea in Valsecchi (ITA) – Drnovsek (SLO)
- A real roller-coaster in Colmenares (SWI) – Loiseau (FRA)
Results
| Open | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  |
Croatia (2486) | 3 | – | 1 | Germany (2493) |  |
| 2. |  |
Slovenia (2409) | 1½ | – | 2½ | Italy (2474) |  |
| 3. |  |
Slovakia (2472) | 1 | – | 3 | Czech Republic (2502) |  |
| 4. |  |
Switzerland (2446) | 1 | – | 3 | France (2501) |  |
| 5. |  |
Hungary (2545) | 2½ | – | 1½ | Austria (2477) |  |
Standings
| Rk. | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Croatia | * | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 18,0 | 0 | ||
| 2 | Hungary | 2 | * | 2½ | 3½ | 2 | 2½ | 2 | 2½ | 11 | 17,0 | 0 | ||
| 3 | Czech Republic | 2 | * | 1 | 3½ | 2 | 3 | 3½ | 2½ | 10 | 17,5 | 0 | ||
| 4 | France | 1½ | 3 | * | 2½ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 17,0 | 0 | ||
| 5 | Austria | 1½ | 1½ | ½ | * | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 6 | 12,5 | 0 | ||
| 6 | Slovenia | ½ | 2 | 1½ | 2 | * | 2½ | 1½ | 2 | 5 | 12,0 | 2 | ||
| 7 | Slovakia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1½ | * | 2½ | 2 | 5 | 12,0 | 0 | ||
| 8 | Germany | 1 | 1½ | ½ | 2 | 1½ | * | 2½ | 2½ | 5 | 11,5 | 0 | ||
| 9 | Italy | 1 | 2 | 1½ | 2 | 1½ | 2½ | 1½ | * | 4 | 12,0 | 0 | ||
| 10 | Switzerland | 1 | 1½ | 1 | 1½ | 2 | 2 | 1½ | * | 2 | 10,5 | 0 |
Women Section
In the 7th round France suffered its first loss against Poland. They still 2 match points ahead of the chasing pack – Poland being one of them. Hungary is the other team within the 2 points margin after dismantling Austria 4:0. Since 8th round matchup includes France-Hungary, the 2 point lead doesn’t look as convincing as before. Croatia run into a 3:1 loss against Germany and with that they fall one point behind Poland and Hungary. Just like in the open section, here as well Italy collected its first match victory versus Slovenia while Czech Republic beat Slovakia.
Highlights section at the bottom features:
- An interesting attacking game with a curious finish in Brunello (ITA) – Janzelj (SLO)
- 2 simple tactics from Kubicka (POL) – Broly (FRA) and Choisy (FRA) – Dmochowska (POL)
Results
| Women | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | |
Croatia (2180) | 1 | – | 3 | Germany (2228) | |
| 2. | |
Slovenia (2167) | 1½ | – | 2½ | Italy (2221) | |
| 3. | |
Slovakia (2098) | 1½ | – | 2½ | Czech Republic (2079) | |
| 4. | |
Poland (2215) | 2½ | – | 1½ | France (2144) | |
| 5. | |
Hungary (2280) | 4 | – | 0 | Austria (2155) | |
Standings
| Rk. | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | * | 1½ | 2½ | 2½ | 3½ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 18,0 | 0 | ||
| 2 | Hungary | * | 1½ | 1½ | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 18,0 | 0 | ||
| 3 | Poland | 2½ | 2½ | * | 1½ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 15,5 | 0 | ||
| 4 | Croatia | 1½ | 2½ | 2½ | * | 3½ | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 15,0 | 0 | ||
| 5 | Slovenia | 1½ | 1 | 2 | * | 3½ | 2½ | 1½ | 3½ | 7 | 15,5 | 0 | ||
| 6 | Czech Republic | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | 3 | 2½ | 2 | 2½ | 7 | 11,5 | 0 | ||
| 7 | Germany | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | * | 2 | 4 | 6 | 14,0 | 0 | ||
| 8 | Austria | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1½ | 1½ | * | 2 | 2½ | 6 | 12,5 | 0 | ||
| 9 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2½ | 2 | 2 | 2 | * | 5 | 11,5 | 0 | ||
| 10 | Slovakia | 2 | 2 | 1 | ½ | 1½ | 0 | 1½ | * | 2 | 8,5 | 0 |
Highlights
A nice winning idea from the Slovenia – Italy match:
Valsecchi,Alessio (2491) – Drnovsek,Gal (2421) [E28]
Mitropa Cup – Open (7.2), 23.09.2017
Position after 39.-Kd7
White to move and win
40.Rd1!! [might look very strange first to move the rook to the closed d file but the idea is the quite simple Bc5 followed by d6 is the threat – as simple it might be but there is no real defense]
40…Nc8 [40…Rf8 or any other random move could be answered by 41.Bxc5! dxc5 42.d6 – this is the idea behind Rd1, black position falls apart, white is winning]
41.Qa4+! Kd8 42.Qc6! [and now black faces the same problem as before – Bc5 is coming]
42…Rf8 43.Bxc5 dxc5 44.d6 Nxd6 45.Rxd6+ Kc8 46.Re6 Qd8 47.Qxc5 Kb8 48.Rd6 Qc8 49.Nxf6 Rd8 50.Qxe5 Rxd6 51.Qxd6 Ka8 52.e5 Qh8 53.Nh5
1–0
A rollercoaster game with a nice missed win from the match between Switzerland and France:
Colmenares,Aurelio (2397) – Loiseau,Quentin (2424) [B12]
Mitropa Cup – Open (7.3), 23.09.2017
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.0–0 h6 7.a4 Ne7 8.a5 Bg6 9.Nbd2 Nf5 10.c4 dxc4 11.Nxc4 Be7 12.g4 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4 14.Nd6+ Kf8 15.f4 Be7 16.f5 exf5 17.gxf5 Bh7 [the opening was a real disaster for black – white is completely winning. Easiest is just to take on b7 and other than having all the strategical pluses, white would be up a pawn as well]
18.f6?! [white forces the matters, and still better with a nice ongoing attack, but he is not winning]
[18.Nxb7!? +-]
18…Bxd6 19.fxg7+ Kxg7 20.exd6 Nf6 21.Bf4 Nd5 22.Be5+ f6 23.Qb3 Rg8 24.Rxf6 Nxf6 25.Rf1 Kh8+ 26.Kh1 Be4+ 27.Bf3 Bg6 28.Bg2 Rf8 [white’s attack eventually paid off and landed him in a winning position once again]
29.Qe6 [29.Rxf6 Rxf6 30.Qxb7+– with the idea of taking on f6 and the a8 rook subsequently might be the easiest solution]
29…Kg7
Position after 29.-Kg7
White to move and win
30.Rf3? [beginning of a misguided plan on top of missing a very nice win]
[30.a6!! bxa6 31.Bxc6 Rc8 32.d7 and even though black is up a whole rook, he is completely lost]
30…Rf7 31.Rg3?! [31.a6 bxa6 32.Rf1 Qf8 33.Bxc6 Rd8 34.d7 still provides enough counterplay and black is the one to be careful]
31…Kh7 32.Rxg6? [losing on the spot, there is not enough for the additional sacrificed material]
[32.Rf3 still would provide a playable position, but hard to imagine this move happening after the previous Rg3]
32…Kxg6 33.Be4+ Kg7 34.Qg4+ Kf8 35.Qg6 Ng8 36.d7 Qg5 37.Qd6+ Qe7 38.Qg6 Rf6 39.Qg4 Rd8 40.Bf5 Rxf5 41.Qxf5+ Qf7
0–1
An interesting attacking game with a curious finish in Slovenia-Italy match from the women section:
Brunello,Marina (2377) – Janzelj,Lara (2164) [C54]
Mitropa Cup – Women (7.2), 23.09.2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 0–0 6.Nbd2 d6 7.Bb3 a6 8.h3 Be6 9.Qe2 Ba7 10.Nf1 Bxb3 11.axb3 Qd7 12.Ng3 a5 13.Bg5 Qe6 14.Nd2 Ne7 15.Nc4 b6 16.Qf3 Nd7 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.Ne3 g6 19.h4 Qf6 20.Qe2 Nc5 21.Nd5 Qd8 22.Qf3 c6 23.Nf6+ Kg7
Position after 23.-Kg7
How should white proceed?
24.h5! [Actually white doesn’t have real choice here: 24.Ng4 h5 25.Ne3 Nxd3+ is much better for black]
24…Nxd3+ [24…h6!? is also possible]
25.Kd2 h6 26.hxg6 fxg6 27.Rxh6! Rxf6 28.Nf5+
Position after 28.Nf5+
Black to play
28…Kf7? [After both sides navigating their way through the tough complications black makes crucial mistake. Hard to understand this decision of leaving the knight alive on f5 which really cannot lead to any good.]
[28…gxf5 29.Qg3+ Kf7 30.Rh7+ Ke6 31.exf5+ Rxf5 32.Rh6+ Kd7 33.Rh7+ Kc8 (33…Ke6 would lead to a draw if black choses to go for that) 34.Kxd3 still an interesting position but black definitely has her chances]
29.Rh7+ [and it is all over]
29…Ke6 30.Ng7+ Ke7 31.Nh5+ Ke6 32.Qg4+
1–0
2 simple tactics, both from the Poland-France match in the women section:
Kubicka,Anna (2221) – Broly,Mathilde (2086) [D90]
Mitropa Cup – Women (7.3), 23.09.2017
Position after 22.-Qc6?
White to move and win
23.Bxe6! important to start with this one fxe6 23…Bxd6 24.Bxf7+ Kxf7 25.Nxd6+ Kf8 26.Re1 is hopeless for black as well 24.Bxb4! and white picks up a piece Rxd2 25.Bxd2 Rd8 26.Qe2 b6 27.Bc3 Bg7 28.Bxg7 Kxg7 29.Nd4
1–0
Choisy,Mathilde (2136) – Dmochowska,Agnieszka (2073) [B57]
Mitropa Cup – Women (7.4), 23.09.2017
Position after 29.-Qd7?
White to move and win
30.Rxe6! Rxe6 31.Rxe6 Qxe6 32.Qc7+ Kh8 33.Qxb8+ [and some technical difficulties remain, but white is winning and went on to collect the full point in the game]
33…Kg7 34.Qa7+ Kg8 35.Qb8+ Kh7 36.Qc7+ Kg8 37.Kf2 h5 38.a5 Qf5 39.Qb8+ Kg7 40.Qa7+ Kh6 41.Qe3+ Kh7 42.h4 Qc2+ 43.Qe2 Qf5 44.Qe7+ Kg8 45.Kg3 Qb1 46.Qe2 Kf7 47.Qd2 Ke6 48.Qe3+ Kf7 49.Qe5 Qd1 50.Kh2 Qd2 51.Qd4 Qxb2 52.Qxd5+ Kf8 53.Qxc4 Qb8+ 54.Kg1 Qg3 55.Kf1 Qh2 56.Kf2 Qh1 57.Qxa6 Qxh4+ 58.Ke2 Qh2 59.Qf6+
1–0