Archive for August 18th, 2009

In the final round the Dutch team were three points down and ready to fight for victory. Jan Smeets did the necessary against Luke McShane, but just as Loek van Wely appeared to have Nigel Short on the ropes the Rejuvenated One struck back and took the full point. Nigel is now over 2700 on live ratings and, at 44, once again Britain’s top grandmaster. Final report by Steve Giddins.

This unique event, which takes place in the heart of Amsterdam, pits five highly talented young chess players against five older and experienced colleagues. You may remember that last year the Experience team got a painful drubbing. They lost to the Rising Stars for the third time in a row, but never was the score so dramatic: 33½-16½. For this year’s event drastic measures were required.

With six rounds completed, the Baltic Queen has turned into a two-woman show, with GM Pia Cramling and IM Ekaterina Atalik opening a one point lead over their opposition. With the leaders meeting in the final round, a climatic finish is expected, though Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant and Viktorija Cmilyte, the two-membered chasing pack, will certainly make a statement as play resumes.

Watching games on the Fritz Server – a high-class tournament or a blitz match between top players – is great fun. As a kibitzer, you feel the tension of such encounters, and even if you are “only” a hobby or club player, you enjoy the pleasant feeling that you have learned something. But there is much more, especially when you upgrade to ChessBase Light 2009 Premium (Euro 49.99). Take a look.