KSNB: VAS1 lays the law on round 3

After a heart-stopping crazy year where we avoided relegation on the last game of the year, and after a couple of lukewarm rounds, VAS1 was back into action against the very solid Caissa-Eenhorn team, who, like us, have 10 players in the 2100-2300 range. 

VAS has a curious fascination with Montreal chess players. After confiscating Marc’s passport, and after threatening GM Pascal Charbonneau’s stamp collection, VAS doubled down and decided to blackmail another Canadian soul to its team, GM Thomas Roussel-Roozmon. Thomas was thrown on first board, with the black pieces, against a tough customer. He accepted a draw in a tricky position and got the party started. Fortunately for VAS, the blackmail is still in place and Thomas is expected to play again soon, under duress. 

Anton got the heavy assignment of battling Dorokhin, Caissa’s highest rated player. With crafty maneuvering and his familiar limpid no-nonsense style, he got the job done. On a good day, Anton can beat anyone south of Norway. That was a good day.

It’s always a treat to sit next to Victor. You get to see a sharp tussle, with tactics, counterattacks, crazy sacks and mating attacks. Kind of like American gladiators but without an entrance fee and without risking your own sanity. Alas, he auto-swindled himself in time trouble and lost a really fun game. Live by the sword they say.

Hilke upped himself again. Not content with being the coolest bird in the chess world, he came in with a Peruvian pancho and James Dean bravado. He also just happens to play a darn good game of chess. Gaining a strong initiative, he lost some of it prior to time control and drew in a superior position to secure the team win. Did I say cool?

Job is our dark horse. The Dennis Rodman of VAS. Unkillable. Crafty. Results over style. Clutch. Rising from the dead, he did it again on Saturday, much to his opponent’s disgust. A very important victory which gave everyone a much-needed confidence boost.

Every team needs a rock. A reliable staple. A guy who delivers the same delicious pizza every single time. For us, that guy is Tex. Never in trouble, nursing small advantages, and finishing off his opponent with a nice tactical skirmish. Different day, same story. How does black win after 1.Rxb2? 

1.Rb2 Rxb2! 2.Nxb2 Rc2 3.Rd2 Rxd2! 4.Kxd2 a3! 5.Kc2 a2 nice and sweet.

Ramon joined our team full time this year and he’s been a not-so-silent killer, scoring important points in critical rounds. The guy has endless energy, patience, and a very efficient ruthless style. Paired against the dangerous Monteban, he nurtured a nice positional edge and was on the brink of success. But a slight imprecision let the advantage slip away and even got into an uncomfortable endgame. Many heroes would have crumbled. “Not today” Ramon quipped, and drew it effortlessly.

Daan also is a new face on the team this year. But a lack of confidence, he has not. 2.5/3 so far with impressive style and a sneaky fascination with initiative and pressure. I’m a fan. 

Marcos faced a tuff battle right out of the opening, and his opponent presented him with difficult options all game. Despite legendary carefulness and very staunch defense, he stumbled late in the game and went down. Kudos to his opponent, these things happen. 

I was playing the well-known chess journalist Peter Doggers. I’ve been told I have to improve my opening repertoire, but I didn’t quite expect to be out of book on move 3… Spending a lot of time on the clock, I managed to diffuse white’s initiative, pressing in an endgame without success. Turns out that game was correctly played on both sides. First time in a long while that I’ve had a linear evaluation score (closer to an EKG monitor usually). Black just played Kc6-d5 and looks close to winning: what is white’s only move to draw?

1.Nb4! and the Knight gets back in time

We finished the evening with delicious Chinese foods and intravenous cocktails at the Volks hotel to close out a great evening. Again, a big thanks to all the VAS devotees for making VAS the truly special chess club it is. And of course, props to our enduring leader and mascot, our messiah and court jester, our cook and glutton, Niels van Dam.

by Marc Ghannoum