Hi, good evening,
here is the first match of the Consolation cup, direct quarter-final stage: Novag Beluga vs Mephisto Rebell 5. It has been a tight match, as no less than three rounds, thus six games, were required to name a winner.
Both two first games were draw ones by referee assesment.
In the first game, Rebell 5 as Black player is up a Pawn in the late endgame, but its Pawn is on the a-file with the Beluga's King on its path. Other pieces are a Bishop for the Beluga and a Knight for the Rebell. Should the Rebell's Pawn threaten a promotion, the Bishop would be sacrificed, and the game would end in a draw due to unsufficient material. No way for a win...
In the second game, Rebell 5 playing White reaches a winning endgame position, leveraging a nice chain of three advanced Pawns. But the position is closed, and the plan to unlock the win is way out of reach from the Rebell
. Therefore, only pieces shuffling happens until referee decision for a drawn game.
Third game, Rebell Black commits an early mistake on move #10, and the smart Beluga finds the strong counter-move
. The Rebell will never recover: the Beluga plays accurate enough to home the first win.
Fourth game, with White pieces Rebell is committed for a win, otherwise leave the consolation cup. Maybe motivation rules, as it dominates the whole game and scores the required point to stay alive.
Fifth game could have been close to a win for the Beluga playing as White, yet it doesn't spot the winning move and, being a Pawn down, choses to repeat position. It is now vulnerable to a potential win from the Rebell 5, that will play as White next game...
And Rebell 5 shows a good finish, never letting the Beluga playing Black really stand a safe foot on the ground, thanks to both a better structure of Pawns and more active long range guns (pair of Bishops and Rooks).
Match score is therefore 3.5 to 2.5 in favor of the Rebell 5.
[Event "The 64-cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.11.27"]
[Round "Cons_quarter"]
[White "Novag Beluga (lv 12)"]
[Black "Mephisto Rebell 5 (lv 2)"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1701"]
[BlackElo "1816"]
[EventDate "2023.09.26"]
[ECO "A09"]
[PlyCount "120"]
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 dxc4 {Out of book} 3.e3 b5 4.Nc3 {Out of book} 4...Bd7 5.Ne5 c6 6.Qf3 Be6 7.d3 cxd3 8.Bxd3 Qd6 9.Bxb5 cxb5 10.Nxf7 Bxf7 11.Qxa8 a6 12.O-O Qd8 13.a4 b4 14.Rd1 Qc8 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.Rxd5 Nf6 17.Re5 $6 {Rd1 would have kept better control on central files} 17...e6 18.Rg5 Rg8 19.Bd2 Be7 20.e4 h6 21.Rg3 Qc7 22.Rc1 Qd8 23.Bf4 Kf7 24.Rf3 Qb6 25.e5 Nbd7 26.Qc6 Qxc6 27.Rxc6 Rd8 28.exf6 Ne5 29.Kf1 Nxc6 30.fxe7 Kxe7 31.Be3 e5 32.Rg3 Kf6 33.f4 e4 34.Ke1 Rd3 35.Bf2 Rxg3 36.Bxg3 Ne7 $6 {Kf5 looked better to go more central and avoid light squares under ennemy Bishop control.} 37.Bh4+ g5 38.fxg5+ hxg5 39.Bf2 Nd5 40.h4 gxh4 41.Bxh4+ Ke5 42.g3 Kf5 43.Kd2 Kg4 44.Ke2 b3 45.a5 Nc3+ 46.Ke3 Nd1+ 47.Kxe4 Nxb2 48.Kd4 Nc4 49.Kc3 Nxa5 50.Be7 Kxg3 51.Bc5 Kf3 52.Ba3 Ke4 53.Kb4 Nb7 54.Kxb3 Kd5 55.Bb2 Nd6 56.Kb4 Kc6 57.Bd4 Nb7 58.Bf2 Kd5 59.Bg1 Kd6 60.Be3 Kc6 {draw by referee decision} 1/2-1/2
[Event "The 64-cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.11.27"]
[Round "Cons_quarter"]
[White "Mephisto Rebell 5 (lv 2)"]
[Black "Novag Beluga (lv 12)"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1816"]
[BlackElo "1701"]
[EventDate "2023.09.26"]
[ECO "D27"]
[PlyCount "140"]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O a6 7.a4 Nc6 {Out of book} 8.Nc3 {Out of book} 8...Be7 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Qxd8+ Nxd8 11.e4 O-O 12.Bg5 Nc6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rfd1 Ne5 15.Be2 Ng4 16.Rf1 Bd7 17.Rad1 Rad8 18.Nd4 Ne5 19.Nb3 Ba7 20.Na5 Bc8 21.h3 f5 22.exf5 b6 23.Nc4 Nxc4 24.Bxc4 exf5 25.Nd5 Kg7 26.Ne7 Bd7 27.Bxa6 Bxa4 28.Nxf5+ Kf6 29.Rxd8 Rxd8 30.Ne3 Rd2 31.Nc4 Rc2 32.b4 Bc6 33.Rd1 Ke7 34.Nd6 Bd7 35.Bd3 Rb2 36.Bxh7 Rxb4 37.Nf5+ Ke8 38.g3 Rb2 39.Ra1 Bb8 40.h4 Kd8 41.h5 Bc6 42.Rd1+ Kc7 43.Rc1 Kd7 44.Nd4 Bd5 45.Bf5+ Ke7 46.h6 Be5 47.Nc6+ Bxc6 48.Rxc6 Bd4 49.Rc2 $6 {h7 push was best} 49...Kf6 50.Rxb2 Bxb2 51.Bd3 Bc1 52.f4 Be3+ 53.Kg2 Bd2 54.Kf3 Bc3 55.g4 Ke7 56.g5 Kf8 57.Bc4 Bb2 58.f5 Bc1 59.Kg4 f6 60.h7 Kg7 61.g6 Be3 62.Kh5 Bd4 63.Bd3 Bc3 64.Bb5 Bb2 65.Ba4 Bc3 66.Be8 Bb2 67.Bc6 Bd4 68.Bb5 Bb2 69.Be8 Bc3 70.Ba4 Bb2 {draw by referee decision. To win, White must reroute its King from h5 to f7, a long journey around the current King'side pieces, and sacrifice its h7 Pawn to remove the ennemy King from supporting f7 square. Far too deep a plan for the Rebell 5, despite not that complex from a human player standpoint.} 1/2-1/2
[Event "The 64-cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.11.27"]
[Round "Cons_quarter"]
[White "Novag Beluga (lv 12)"]
[Black "Mephisto Rebell 5 (lv 2)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1701"]
[BlackElo "1816"]
[EventDate "2023.09.26"]
[ECO "B22"]
[PlyCount "117"]
1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 e6 5.Nf3 {Out of book} 5...Bd6 {Out of book} 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Nf6 8.Nc3 Qh5 9.O-O Bd7 10.Ne5 Nc6 $6 {leaves the King unsheltered and the Queen under pressure. Best was:} ( 10...Qxd1 11.Rxd1 O-O ) 11.Ne4 $1 {threatens Nxf6+ and the Queen is lost} 11...Ke7 12.Qxh5 Nxh5 13.Nxd6 Kxd6 14.Nxf7+ Kd5 15.Nxh8 Rxh8 16.Be2 Nf6 17.Bf3+ Kd6 18.Bf4+ Ke7 19.Be5 Rf8 20.Rac1 Nxe5 21.dxe5 Nd5 22.Bxd5 exd5 23.Rc7 Rb8 24.f4 Kd8 25.Rfc1 d4 26.R7c4 Rc8 27.Rxc8+ Bxc8 28.Rc4 d3 29.Rd4+ Ke7 30.Rxd3 Be6 31.Kf2 Bxa2 32.Ra3 Bd5 33.Rxa7 Ke6 34.Ra5 g5 35.g3 h6 36.h3 Bc6 37.Ke3 Bg2 38.fxg5 hxg5 39.h4 b6 40.Rb5 gxh4 41.gxh4 Bf1 42.Rxb6+ Kxe5 43.h5 Bc4 44.h6 Bg8 45.Rb8 Bh7 46.Rb7 Bb1 47.h7 Bxh7 48.Rxh7 Kd5 49.Rb7 Kc6 50.Rb8 Kc7 51.Rb4 Kd6 52.b3 Kc5 53.Rb8 Kd6 54.Ke4 Kc7 55.Rb4 Kc6 56.Kd4 Kd7 57.Kd5 Kc7 58.Rb5 Kd8 59.Kd6 {Beluga announces mate in 2 and Rebell 5 resigns} 1-0
[Event "The 64-cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.11.27"]
[Round "Cons_quarter"]
[White "Mephisto Rebell 5 (lv 2)"]
[Black "Novag Beluga (lv 12)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1816"]
[BlackElo "1701"]
[EventDate "2023.09.26"]
[ECO "B15"]
[PlyCount "75"]
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 {Out of book} 4.e5 {Out of book} 4...Ne4 5.Nxe4 dxe4 6.Be3 Nd7 7.Bc4 Nb6 8.Bb3 Nd5 9.Bd2 Bf5 10.Ne2 Bg6 11.c4 Nc7 12.O-O Ne6 13.d5 Nc5 14.Nf4 Bf5 15.Bc2 cxd5 16.cxd5 Nd7 $6 17.e6 $1 fxe6 18.dxe6 Ne5 19.Bc3 Qxd1 20.Raxd1 Nc6 21.Rd5 Bg6 22.Rg5 $6 {loses momentum. Rfd1 was stronger.} 22...e3 23.Nxg6 hxg6 24.Rd1 exf2+ 25.Kxf2 Rh6 26.Bxg6+ Rxg6 27.Rxg6 Rd8 28.Ke2 Rxd1 29.Kxd1 Nd8 30.a4 a6 31.h4 b6 32.g4 Nb7 33.b4 Nd8 34.b5 axb5 35.axb5 Nb7 36.Bxg7 Bxg7 37.Rxg7 Kd8 38.h5 {Beluga resigns} 1-0
[Event "The 64-cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.11.27"]
[Round "Cons_quarter"]
[White "Novag Beluga (lv 12)"]
[Black "Mephisto Rebell 5 (lv 2)"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1701"]
[BlackElo "1816"]
[EventDate "2023.09.26"]
[ECO "C43"]
[PlyCount "91"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 d5 5.Bxe4 {Out of book} 5...Bb4+ {Out of book} 6.c3 dxe4 7.Nxe5 Bd6 8.Qe2 Bxe5 9.Qxe4 Nd7 10.Bf4 f6 11.dxe5 Nc5 12.Qe3 Nd3+ 13.Ke2 Nxf4+ 14.Qxf4 Qe7 15.Nd2 fxe5 16.Qc4 Bf5 17.Ne4 O-O-O 18.Rad1 Rxd1 19.Rxd1 Be6 20.Qa4 a6 21.Kf1 Rf8 22.h3 Rf4 23.Re1 Bd5 24.g3 Bc6 25.Qc2 Rf8 26.c4 Bd7 27.Kg2 h6 28.f3 Qe6 29.Rh1 Qf5 30.Qb3 g5 31.Qe3 Be6 32.b3 Bd7 33.b4 Be6 34.Qe2 h5 35.b5 axb5 36.cxb5 h4 37.b6 hxg3 38.bxc7 Kxc7 39.Qd3 Bd7 40.Qd6+ Kc8 41.Rc1+ Kd8 42.Qc7+ $6 {Nxg5! was safe, as the ennemy Queen is committed to support the f8 Rook; and it would have threatened Nf6+} ( 42.Nxg5 -- 43.Ne6+ Qxe6 {as if:} ( 43...Ke8 44.Ng7+ ) 44.Qxf8+ ) 42...Ke7 43.Qc5+ Kd8 44.Qc7+ {despite having a better position, Beluga is a Pawn down, can't spot a better continuation and aims at a 3-fold draw.} 44...Ke7 45.Qc5+ Kd8 46.Qc7+ 1/2-1/2
[Event "The 64-cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.11.27"]
[Round "Cons_quarter"]
[White "Mephisto Rebell 5 (lv 2)"]
[Black "Novag Beluga (lv 12)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1816"]
[BlackElo "1701"]
[EventDate "2023.09.26"]
[ECO "B30"]
[PlyCount "99"]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 {Out of book} 3...e5 {Out of book} 4.Bb5 Nge7 5.Bc4 h6 6.O-O d6 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxd4 cxd4 9.Nd5 Bd7 10.Qh5 Nxd5 11.Bxd5 Qf6 12.Bxb7 Rb8 13.Bd5 Rc8 14.f4 Qg6 15.Qxg6 fxg6 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.Rf2 g5 18.Bf7+ Ke7 19.Bd2 Rb8 $6 {Be6 was stronger} 20.Bb3 Ke8 21.Raf1 Be7 22.Bf7+ Kd8 23.Ba5+ Kc8 24.Bb3 Bf6 25.c4 Rf8 26.Bd2 Rb6 27.c5 Rb5 28.Rc1 Bg4 29.h3 Bh5 30.Be6+ Kc7 31.b4 Be7 32.Rxf8 Bxf8 33.g4 Be8 34.Kg2 Rb8 35.a4 a6 36.Rf1 Be7 37.Bc4 Kb7 38.Rf5 Bf6 39.b5 axb5 40.axb5 Bg6 41.Rf1 Be7 42.Bf7 Bh7 43.Bd5+ Kc8 44.b6 Bg6 45.Ba5 Bd8 46.Rf8 h5 47.c6 Rxb6 48.Bxb6 {Rebell 5 announces mate in 3} 48...Be8 49.Rxe8 hxg4 50.Rxd8# 1-0
MfG,
Tibono