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European Club Cup 2023 R1: Nihal baffles Bosiocic, moves to 2699

by Shahid Ahmed - 02/10/2023

Nihal Sarin scored a fantastic win against Marin Bosiocic in the first round of European Chess Club Cup 2023. The teenager launched a devastating attack on his opponent's attack. While computer might say that the first stage of the attack was thwarted, only a human can understand that it was incredibly difficult to defend. This win pushed Nihal's live rating to 2699. His team Tajfun SK Ljubljana scored a 0-6 whitewash victory over Chess Club Dardania. Pranav Venkatesh and Aditya Mittal made a winning start. Raunak Sadhwani was on the brink of defeat against IM Jasel Lopez. He had a great opportunity to win the game. Somehow he couldn't find it and settled for a draw. Offerspill Sjakklub won 0.5-5.5 against Bloemendaalse SV. Round 2 starts today at 3 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Pranav and Aditya make a winning start, Raunak escapes jaws of defeat

Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen were rested for their respective teams Superchess and Offerspill Sjakklubb in the first round.

GM Nihal Sarin made a great start for Tajfun SK Ljubljana | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Bloemendaalse SV - Offerspill Sjakklubb: 0.5-5.5

GM Raunak Sadhwani (2641) was completely lost against IM Jasel Lopez (ARU, 2383). Jasel missed his opportunity and went for a perpetual check in a winning position. GM Aryan Tari (NOR, 2619), GM Pranav Venkatesh (2579), GM Johan-Sebastian Christiansen (NOR, 2606), GM Frode Olav Olsen Urkedal (NOR, 2519) and IM Benjamin Haldorsen (NOR, 2454) scored a victory each.

Jasel - Raunak

Position after 30.Nxg6!

Black is certainly lost after 30.Nxg6. However, White could not follow through properly. 30...fxg6 31.Rxg6+ Bxg6 32.Qxg6+ Kh8 33.Qh6+ Kg8 here White needed to find 34.Bg4 to win the game. Instead, White went for perpetual check 34.Qg6+ Kh8 35.Qh6+ Kg8 36.Qg6+ and the game was drawn.

Bloemendaaise SV - Offerspill Sjakklubb: 0.5-5.5

Offerspill Sjakklubb made a strong start | Photo: Niki Riga/European Chess Club Cup 2023

Replay Bloemendaaise SV - Offerspill Sjakklubb games

Tajfun SK Ljubljana - Chess Club Dardania: 6-0

GM Nihal Sarin (2694), GM Andrei Volokitin (2664), GM Viktor Erdos (2559), GM Ivan Saric (2647), GM Ante Brkic (2606) and GM Matej Sebenik (2523) scored a win each for Tajfun SK Ljubljana. Nihal launched a devastating attack GM Marin Bosiocic (2534).

Nihal - Bosiocic

Position after 19.e6!

19.e6! is a nice move to disintegrate Black's kingside. 19...fxe6 20.fxe6 instead, the obvious 20.fxg6 would have been a better continuation. 20...Nf8 21.Rf7 Bxg3 22.hxg3 Bc6 23.Qg4 Qd6 24.Raf1 Rxe6 25.e4 d4 26.Bc4 begins the next stage of White's attack.

Position after 26.Bc4

26...dxc3 27.Qg5 Be8 28.Rxf8+ Kg7 29.e5 Qd8 30.Qxd8 Rxd8 31.Bxe6 c2 32.Rg8+ Kh6 33.Bb3 and it's over as Black has no compensation for the lost rook.

Nihal Sarin moves to 2699 Elo like a boss! | Video: ChessBase India

Tajfun SK Ljubljana - Chess Club Dardania: 6-0

Replay Tajfun SK Ljubljana - Chess Club Dardania games

Zurab Azmaiparasvhili, ECU President made the ceremonial first move on Johanna Bjorg Johannsdottir (Taflfelag Gardabaejar) and GM Antoaneta Stefanova's (Teuta) board | Photo: Niki Riga/European Chess Club Cup 2023

Round 1 Open and Women games in progress | Photo: Niki Riga/European Chess Club Cup 2023

Replay live stream

Replay European Chess Club Cup 2023 Round 1 Live Commentary by WIM Fiona Steil-Antoni (LUX) and GM David Howell (ENG) | Video: European Chess Union

Every day round starts at 3 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST from 1st to 7th October 2023. The final round on 7th October starts 2 p.m. local time, 5:30 p.m. IST. The seven-round Swiss system tournament has a time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move, starting from move one. The tournament will be taking place at Grand Blue FAFA Conference Hall in Durrës, Albania.

Replay Round 1 Open games

Replay Round 1 Women games

Round 1 Open results

No.TeamTeamRes.:Res.
1
  Superchess
  Rishon Lezion B
6:0
2
  Bloemendaalse SV
  Offerspill Sjakklubb *)
½:
3
  Zuid-Limburg
  Novy Bor
0:6
4
  Asnieres - Le Grand Echiquier
  Slough Sharks
6:0
5
  Schachclub Viernheim 1934 e.V.
  Blackthorne
:½
6
  Asker Schakklubb
  Turkish Airlines Sports Club
½:
7
  TAJFUN SK Ljubljana
  Chess Club Dardania
6:0
8
  LSG Leiden
  CE Le Cavalier Differdange *)
:
9
  Koninklijke Brugse Schaakkring
  Sentimento Ajka BSK
½:
10
  C' Chartres Echecs
  TSM Schifflange
6:0

Details

Standings after Round 1

Rk.SNoFED TeamGames  +   =   -  TB1 
11ROU
Superchess11002
2CZE
Novy Bor11002
3FRA
Asnieres - Le Grand Echiquier11002
4NOR
Offerspill Sjakklubb11002
5GER
Schachclub Viernheim 1934 e.V.11002
6TUR
Turkish Airlines Sports Club11002
7SLO
TAJFUN SK Ljubljana11002
8HUN
Sentimento Ajka BSK11002
9FRA
C' Chartres Echecs11002
10AZE
Vugar Gashimov11002

Details

Round 2 Open pairings

No.TeamTeamRes.:Res.
1
  SK Rockaden
  Superchess
:
2
  Offerspill Sjakklubb *)
  Wood Green
:
3
  Novy Bor
  SV Werder Bremen
:
4
  Silla Chess Club
  Asnieres - Le Grand Echiquier
:
5
  KSK Rochade
  Schachclub Viernheim 1934 e.V.
:
6
  Turkish Airlines Sports Club
  Paul Keres 1
:
7
  MRU - ROSK Consulting
  TAJFUN SK Ljubljana
:
8
  CE Le Cavalier Differdange *)
  Partizani
:
9
  Sentimento Ajka BSK
  SK Dunajska Streda
:
10
  CE Gambit Bonnevoie
  C' Chartres Echecs
:

Details

Links

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