Excerpts from Crete

I am writing this from the Creta Maris resort in Hersonissos in Crete, the venue of the European Team Championship. This is my first time as a coach and captain of a national team, I am helping the Macedonian women team. The call to get involved arrived late, at the beginning of October. We managed to have a few sessions which we used to prepare some lines and do some training.

The going is tough so far, but we hope that we are tough enough to get going. There isn’t much time for anything else than eating, preparing, playing and sleeping. I will probably write in more detail after the tournament, for now I leave you with a few curious positions that caught my eye.

 

Nepomniachtchi-Lenic

White has a dominating position, but he blunders in 1 move: 29 Qc6?? allowing 29…Qb4 with a double attack on a4 and e1.

 

Jobava-Navara

Not your typical Sicilian. Things have gone wrong for the ever-original Jobava and he’s just lost after 18 moves.

 

1-0 L’Ami-Movsesian

Quite a picturesque position.

 

Almasi-Dubov

Black’s king was getting mated on g7, but miraculously escaped and made a career by reaching e2! Somehow Almasi managed to save this and thanks to his draw Hungary beat Russia 2.5-1.5.

 

Alex Colovic
A professional player, coach and blogger. Grandmaster since 2013.
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