Elephant Chess Cup 3 - Everything Thread

by **South Newlandia** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 9:35 am

Welcome to the third Elephant Chess Cup in Newport, South Newlandia!

Signup Thread Second edition

Format:
The Elephant Chess Cup is a new chess event. Teams will be playing in teams of four (although you can also include reserve players into your roster if you want to), on four separate boards. The player on board one will play the player on board one of the other team and so on, for four total matches in a matchup. For every win on a board, the team of the winning player gets one game point, (half a point each for a draw). The team that gains more points across four boards gets two board points for the team (one in the event of a 2-2 draw). The time control for every match is 15+5, meaning that every player has 15 minutes to make all their moves and gains 5 additional seconds after making a move. For more information on the game of chess, here is the Wikipedia article on chess. Chess knowledge is absolutely not required for RPing this tournament, though.

ICly, the tournament takes place over a weekend, with the first 4 matches on Friday (11:00, 13:00, 16:00 and 18:00 local time) the next four on Saturday at the same times, and the last match and the knockouts on Sunday, again at the same times.

The format used for matchups is called a Casaran (or Swiss) system. The first match will be a completely random draw. After the first match, teams will be ordered in a table, and the top teams will be playing each other for the next match. This process continues for a total of nine matches, although teams will never play a team they already played previously. The top eight placing teams will advance to the Quarterfinals, which will be a reseeded single-elimination bracket. Should a knockout match end in a draw, the better-seeded team will advance to the next round.

There are some available options to automate Casaran/Swiss matchups, however, I haven’t gotten one to work for me (and most do not eliminate rematches, anyway). Therefore, I will be doing matchups “by hand”. For transparency, my system will be to sort teams by the regular tiebreakers (up to Board Points), and break any ties after that by alphabet. Then, I will have the first team play against the second, third against fourth, and so on. If, for example, the 3rd and 4th teams in the standings have already played, the 3rd team will play the 5th one instead, and so on.

Tiebreakers:
The tiebreakers will be, in that order:
Game points
Board points
H2H game points
Buchholz points (total game points by all opponents, to reward teams with tougher schedules)
IC coinflip (scorinated game)
OOC coinflip
If a tie between multiple teams must be broken and one team wins the tiebreaker at any stage, while the remaining teams are still tied, the tiebreakers start at the top of the list again to break the tie between the remaining teams.

Schedule:

The cut-offs for every scorination will be occurring between 19:00 and 20:00 UTC every matchday.

March 2nd: MD1 and 2 (Friday 11:00, 13:00 ICly)
March 4th: MD3 and 4 (Friday 16:00, 18:00 ICly)
March 6th: MD5 and 6 (Saturday 11:00, 13:00 ICly)
March 8th: MD7 and 8 (Saturday 16:00, 18:00 ICly)
March 10th: MD9 (Sunday 11:00 ICly)
March 13th: Quarterfinals and placement games (9v10, 11v12) (Sunday 13:00 ICly)
March 15th Semifinals and placement games (losing Quarterfinalists)(Sunday 16:00 ICly)
March 17th: 3PPO and Final (Sunday 18:00 ICly)

RP Information:
You may now start posting in this thread. The best way to do that is by posting a roster, to give your opponents an idea of who they’re going up against. Names should be the minimum, and you can go into further detail about whatever you want (ages, heritage, club team (if any), play style, favourite openings etc.). Otherwise, you can Roleplay about whatever you like; it doesn’t have to be chess, either.
You are also advised to include a Roleplay permissions box in your roster post. An example may look like this:

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes/No
Decide board results: Yes/No
Decide moves made: Yes/No
Godmod game events: Yes/No
Godmod other events: Yes/No

This can reduce conflicts between you and your opponent when you both want to RP the same match, but the best plan to do that remains to message your opponent on discord or by telegram.
Otherwise, I, as the host of this competition, ask you to not to inflict any damage to South Newlandian people or property without talking to me first. I generally am okay with stuff like that, but I do not enjoy being blindsided about those things. The same goes for clear proof of an opponent cheating (although accusations and stuff are fine).

Matchups for matchday 1:

(teams listed first have white on boards two and four)

Sannyamathland - Assymetrica
Kriegiersien - Tekatus
Sarzonia - Norrhem
Apatosaurus - Raspotochje
The 14 Stars - Nlarhyalo
Insulamia - Magnecia
Boomer Park - KiwiRoos
Zeta Reka and Hugeltaldom - Morover
Octapolis - Eshialand
Kyzhurkistan - Bollonich
StrayaRoos - Tjorl
Srednjaci - Crenstan
South Newlandia - Zug um Zug
Natanians and Nosts - Qasden
TJUN-ia - Græntfjall
Alezian Union - Esthe

If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a telegram or message me on discord!

by **South Newlandia** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 9:36 am

WELCOME TO SOUTH NEWLANDIA

In a nutshell
South Newlandia is a small Esportivan island with about four million inhabitants, located approximately between the Nova Anglican Admin Zone of Esportiva, Tumbra, and Super-Llamaland. South Newlandia is known for democracy, elephants, regulated capitalism and environmentalism, and the friendly population, happy to help you out if you run into any problems.

Overview
South Newlandians don’t like to be divided into groups, because they believe that it can never do a singular person justice to reduce them to a single feature of them, but occasionally, it’s just necessary. For example, when you talk about South Newlandian places, you need to group the country into some geographical areas to get any idea what is being talked about. In general, you can divide South Newlandia into a Southern and a Northern Part, each consisting of five general areas. Newport is considered part of the Northern part, and belongs to the Eastern subregion. You can reach a Newport directly with an airplane, but you’ll be a bit outside of the main city. Fortunately for you, getting around is easy, with public transport being almost free in South Newlandia, while renting a car can be more expensive.

Travel
The best options to get around in South Newlandia are the multiple high-speed trains that can get you almost everywhere in the country fairly quickly. If you don’t like trains, for some reason, there are also busses and cars to rent, but the streets aren’t always in perfect condition, and are far less convenient, to be honest. Flights inland are banned in South Newlandia, with the exception of the daily plane to Dragon Island, flying cargo and people between Masmow and Newport, and back. If you want to be mobile within a city, you can rent bikes for free, or you can take the underground if you are in a bigger city and the bus if the city is smaller. There are also busses and rental cars in the bigger cities, but unless you really need to, we wouldn’t advise you to use them. The bus is slower than the underground, and the underground gets you pretty much everywhere within a city. Cars can get very inconvenient because they are banned in many areas, and where they aren’t, there are rarely any parking spots. Seriously, don’t try to drive a car in South Newlandia. Most of the citizens don’t either; many of them don’t even have a license.

Weather
The climate typically stays the same in South Newlandia throughout most of the year, with warm winters and moderate summers. Snow is a foreign concept to everyone not living on the Dragon Island, and extreme heat is similarly uncommon. Weather extremes in general are rare, too; don’t expect any windstorms or floods or anything like that.

Animals
There are some wild animals in South Newlandia, but they will generally don’t disturb you if you don’t disturb them. Basically, just stay on the outlined paths in the forest and don’t do anything to anger animals, and you’ll be fine. Most of South Newlandias wild animals are friendly, like the elephants, for example; in the unlikely event that you meet a bear, probably the most dangerous animal you could meet in South Newlandia, in the woods, you should follow standard bear safety guidelines. In any emergency, you can call or text the number 123 to get immediate help, or the number 321 if you just need less urgent, but still important advice.

Rules and Laws you should be aware of
If you plan to visit South Newlandia, there are a few things you should be aware of beforehand. Laws on imported goods are rather strict, and things you’d expect to not be allowed to take into other countries are usually banned in South Newlandia as well. Examples for this include dead animals, living people unwilling to enter and bombs of any kind. The same regulations will also apply if you go to leave the country again. Special note should be made of South Newlandian drug laws. While all drugs, and this means all drugs, including alcohol and tobacco; are decriminalized in South Newlandia; this does not mean you are allowed to deal drugs. Selling or giving away drugs for any reason is strictly banned; this includes, again, alcohol and tobacco. However, you are allowed to take any drugs you want to without punishment, and are allowed to own any that are only for your own consumption. You are probably going to be treated like an addicted person though, so people might attempt to get you professional help to fight the addiction they perceive you to have. This is rare; most people are aware that different customs exist in other countries. In short, you are allowed to take any drugs into South Newlandia as long as you can convince officials that you aren’t addicted to them and do not intent to sell them. Bribing South Newlandian officials is basically impossible; border control is a very well-paid job in South Newlandia. Otherwise, the South Newlandian legal system is similar to the legal systems of most other civilised places; with the exception that jails and prisons have recently been outlawed.

About Newport

Newport is located on the East coast of South Newlandia, and is the second-biggest city of the country at about 330,000 citizens. It used to be a very industrial city, named after the port that is the biggest in the country today. If anything is getting shipped to South Newlandia, odds are, it arrives in Newport first. In recent years, Newport has been the fastest growing city in the country, as job prospects have quickly attracted people from around South Newlandia and the multiverse.

Sports
Newport has always been an important city for South Newlandian sports. You might be able to attend a baseball game of either the Newport Owls or Newport Dolphins. Both of them have been playing really solid baseball in Llamaphant Pro Baseball recently. One thing you won’t be able to attend, but that still exists, are the Newport Rooks, one of South Newlandia’s better chess teams.

Other attractions
Newport has basically everything you’d expect a city to have, including food from around the multiverse, malls, and everything else. Two of the most well-known attractions of Newport are the East-Newport minigolf course, considered the best in the country, and suitable for all ages and skill levels; and the Newport Cineplex, one of the biggest cinemas in the nation, featuring all the currently relevant movies and blockbusters. If you’re more interested in culture, you can visit the highest court of law here, or the Newport College for International Relations, or the Newport Law School, or the Newport Politics Institute…

The people
The citizens of Newport are pretty normal for being South Newlandian, friendly, and commonly welcoming toward foreigners. Of course, many citizens of Newport are immigrants themselves, moving to South Newlandia for job prospects or whatever else. They do have a reputation for being a little bit less open than South Newlandians from other places, but that’s mostly a myth.

The venue
The tournament will take place at the Ivory Crown Hotel, which has been closed to all visitors unrelated to the ECC for the duration of the tournament. It is considered one of the nicest hotels of South Newlandia, frequently winning all sorts of awards, and a common place to stay especially for rich foreigners. The hotel comes with all bells and whistles, including a pool to relax in, all kinds of sporting equipment, and much more. If you try to come up with something you’ve seen in a luxury hotel before, odds are, the Ivory Crown Hotel has it too.
All players will have their own room to stay in, study, sleep, and relax, and rooms to train as a team are also available. The games will be played in various rooms on the ground floor. They have been redesigned for this purpose, and every board is hooked up to all sorts of stuff to allow streaming the games in real time. Every player is also allowed to request a specific chair for comfortable sitting.

Weather forecast
Most likely, the weekend of the tournament should be dry, with relatively cool temperatures around 16 degrees Celsius; but with a coastal city, after the storm is always before the strom.

If any of you need/want additional info about anything, please feel free to ask me.

by **The 14 Stars** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:40 am

Starsian Chess Team

Overview of the 4 player squad

Coach: Teddy Turley (58)

Teddy Turley is a former national master in chess, he has won the national championship 3 times and is known as ''Tough Teddy'' for his very defensive playstyle and pressuring of his opponents.
He was born in 1968 in Sirschenstadt a small town in the north and grew up in the average middle class family.
He learned playing chess at the age of 9 when his dad taught it to him on a rainy day and in the years to come he would go on to win local tournaments to prove himself a talent then go on to become one of the best national chess players.
Now he is retired he is set on making the current players reach their peak and get international recognition.

Assistant coach: Nesta Tzanev (39)

Nesta Tzanev is also a national master and still active in the chess game today, however his ambitions as a player aren't what they used to be and he has had his peak in his career winning the national championship once.
He is a very capable more offensively orientated player specifically chosen to combat Teddy Turley's overly defensive game strategies to also mix in good offense patterns and create a balanced play for all team members to play with.
He was born in Sadswydd town to lower class parents, even though he had not much money to spend he played chess at school since age 8 when a teacher taught him the basics of the game.
It intrigued him so he spent hours and hours studying chess around the board playing kids from school and later even from other schools on his road to bcoming national champion in 2014.

Players

Leila Hamaroui (26)

This exotic female player knows her stuff, she beats the nations top players and is one of the favourites to win the female chess championship next year after being new to the pro level this year.
Her agressive playstyle pressures her opponents into making horrifying mistakes, she uses exotic tactics that weren't known here yet which she got from her grandparents who came from an faraway exotic country to The 14 Stars.
But she is now the 4th player on team which means she is not the main player but the last reserve on the team.

Kevin Kinsella (34)

Here is a player belonging to the current top players, a national master with 2 titles won and more to come, Kevin Kinsella started playing age 8 and has been on a roll ever since beating his elementary school team on his own and winning dozens of tournaments.
He is known as a balanced player both able to attack and pressure but also defend and make very wise decisions on the right moment making him the 3rd player on the team for obvious reason that there is always a bigger fish in the sea.

Ryan Saunders (35)

Ryan Saunders is one of the best we got and with 3 titles he certainly is an experienced player and the first Starsian ever to play international chess in the Elephant Chess Cup 2 where we sadly did not do too well.
There is more improvement done and he is ready to play however he is 2nd player here meaning he will sit out most games but is part of the team and is the training partner for the best player.
His experience makes him a big name in the chess world, people look up to him with fear, his playstyle is like a sniper, whenever you lose your focus he strikes and hits the weak spot on the board and gains a big advantage.

Nathalia Shirakova (28)

Without a doubt the best player we have right now with 9 youth titles and 5 national titles currently is Miss Nathalia Shirakova who is the only Grandmaster The 14 Stars ever had to bring forward on the interantional stage.
She started playing at age 6, she is a child of rich parents and loves chess. playing the piano and to dazzle her opponents with her insane intelligence which allows her to beat even the best male players.
She has been even 2 times mixed championships champion being the only one winning the mixed tournament so far and being known as the best player the Starsian side has ever had maybe even.

She is the first player and will ALWAYS play unless she is ill or some other irp circumstances say diffrently.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: No (Shirakova plays at all times unless i say diffrent)
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes (be realistic, no deaths or weird stuff without telling me)

by **Sarzonia** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 12:29 pm

The Sarzonian delegation to the second Elephant Chess Cup is as follows:

Manager: George Tunney
Grandmaster: Lloyd Conway
Grandmaster: Lisa Boudreaux
Candidate Master: Audrey Tate
Class A: Javier Lopez
Alternates: International Master: Tyler Barclay
Class A: Olyvia Berretta

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: No
Godmod other events: No

by **Kriegiersien** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 12:40 pm

Kriegiersien Chess National Team

1.
Marin Collins, Kriegiersien’s top chess master and military strategist. Despite his reputation and his book “How to win any game” he has lost most of the national tournaments against Hubertus Schimmel. He normally doesn’t leave the country in fear to be assassinated, as shown in his book “They are coming for me and will soon come for you!”.
He eventually agreed to take part in case he would be captain and number 1 of the team.

2.

Hubertus Schimmel, a living strawberry, is Kriegiersiens greatest chess grand master. He represented Kriegiersien in many chess and other strategy games, without success.

3.

Mary Muffin is a pony that also played in the second Elephant Cup together with Hubertus Schimmel with not too many losses.

4.

~~M21 A0D110F9~~
Arthur
Is absolutely not a stolen, altered software with chess addon in a machine that once played 7ball.

RP-Permissions: Everything allowed we can work with

by **Sarzonia** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 1:26 pm

George Tunney was standing in line at the Woodstock International Jetport waiting for his flight to Newport. It would take a while because it was an international flight, not only off Cyanea, but out of Atlantian Oceania entirely. He'd gone through the security checkpoint and was waiting for the ticket agents to finish their tasks.

All the while, he was staring at his passport. He felt he had to move heaven and Earth to get the damn thing. He grumbled about the process to receive a passport taking a lot longer since Tam Carter became Senior Vice President and External Affairs Officer. There was no such issue with Bryan Conway, the former SVP External. The previous time he'd had to get a passport it only took a couple of weeks. This time, Tunney was beginning to look into options if his passport didn't come. Four days before he was supposed to be on the plane, and just one day before he could cancel his flight without penalty, the passport came in the mail. He'd hated the photo that he'd had taken of him for the passport, but there was no going back now. However, the mug staring back at him wasn't why he was absent-mindedly looking at his passport.

He was thinking back to his days working in an office, sitting at a desk generating financial reports and discussing particulars of the companies who were his clients. In the time since the second Elephant Chess Cup began, it was a whirlwind from crunching numbers to deciding which players the Sarzonians had would face which opponents. He also thought about the flash drive he had in his jacket pocket with information about the youth programme and establishing a pipeline for players interested in this sport of the mind. His stunning journey from boring accountant's life to also negotiating media looking to cover the team of players who were representing Sarzonia for the second consecutive year was still mind-boggling, even though he was by now getting accustomed to the new commute and the bump in salary.

"OK, Mr. Tunney, you're all set," one of the agents said as she scanned his ticket. She handed it to Tunney and gave him a bright smile.

"Enjoy your flight to Newport," she said.

"Thanks, uh, Cathy," he said.

"This is a boarding call for Sarzonia Air Flight 417 to Newport, South Newlandia. Now boarding first class rows one through four."

Tunney looked down at his ticket now that he had it in his hands just covering his passport. He was in row four in first class, an experience he'd never had before. He'd flown business class once, but this was going to be a more luxurious experience than he was used to. As he found his seat on the plane, he noticed he had a mini-cabin of his own and he sat down in the chair. It was more comfortable than the business class chair he'd sat in, plus, he didn't have a seat mate this time. He could sit back and relax. He also found out even an expensive Pacitalian wide was complementary on the flight, along with a freshly prepared meal. The new chess federation was sparing no expense to ensure that he would have a great experience flying to and staying in Newport. He'd also find out that he and all the players he was managing would have their own hotel suites.

It was going to be a lot of firsts that would great Tunney on this flight and in this adventure that was new to him, even though it wasn't to the now-veterans who made up the squad. Lloyd Conway was a grandmaster at the second Elephant Chess Cup, which was Sarzonia's international chess debut. Lisa Boudreaux was a candidate master at the previous edition, but had recently earned a promotion to grandmaster for this one. Audrey Tate was now a candidate master, whilst Javier Lopez was still Class A, but he was now a Class A with experience. The novelty was not a thing, but the competition certainly was going to be. And it would begin with a match against a Norrhem side that finished 19th out of the 24 participants with a record of 3-1-5 in the nine matches contested in the Casaran system format. By contrast, Sarzonia, managed at the time by Lloyd Conway, finished the group stage with a 7-1-1 record and a scoring differential of plus-nine, level with Eshialand but Sarzonia had the head-to-head result. Both were just two points behind Bollonich, who had an identical record of 7-1-1.

If Sarzonia were going to improve upon their third place finish and if they were going to get a shot at revenge against Eshialand, it would be up to Tunney to make the right moves to checkmate the Owls.

by **Tekatus** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 1:45 pm

Roster:
Name: Henry ‘Armstrong’ Sturnweilerbuilt V.3
Hometown: Urbani
Basic Info: The most Robotic of the team. Henry doesnt have any humanoid features and is built like a mobile industrial arm. There is no face to read, just the optical sensor mounted at the end of the claw. By far one of the coldest and most calculating of the team, Henry has the highest Win-Lose ratio. He prefers to observe his opponent’s actions and then adjusts and adapts his strategy to always counter his opponents, often picking them off one by one in a “Predictable Pattern”, according to Henry.

Name: Buster Arbiterbuilt V.19
Hometown: Municipia
Basic Info: Originally built as a humanoid Sentinel (Police officer) of Tekatus, Buster instead gave up his badge and sidearm in pursuit of professional sports, chief among them, Chess. Since then, Buster has competed in tournaments of every kind, even famously winning a Go tournament years ago. Buster maintains a humanoid chassis, just like Maximilian, even taking the advise of Maximilian and wearing a custom tailored suit for the Tournament as well. Buster is very aggressive, trying to overwhelm his opponents with multiple attack strategies all at once and exploiting any gaps in their defensive line.

Name: Advisor Legionbuilt V.73
Hometown: Urbani
Basic Info: A retired military logistics officer, Advisor is a mobile holographic projector, projecting a very attractive Gynoid dressed in a professional military styled dress, at times bordering on Pin-up style when she’s feeling playful. Advisor is very unlike her team members in that she is very energetic and bubbly, often laughing at something she finds funny or playfully making jokes and teasing remarks. All of this hides a very manipulative and calculating mind. Advisor plays almost passively, allowing her opponents to come close or fall into one of her many baited traps before she finally swoops in for the checkmate.

Name: Maximilian Factorbuilt V.26
Hometown: Metropol
Basic Info: A wealthy android, Maximilian owns and runs a very successful Casino in Metropol, where he often spends his time playing games of skill and chance, while he’s not as professional of a player as the others, Maximilian is no newbie and has won his fair share of games. He’s no master tactician but Maximilian has something of a talent for reading people and predicting what they are going to do with an unnerving accuracy.

Permissions:
My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: (Not quite sure what this means specifically, I guess tele me first?)
Godmod other events: No

by **Assymetrica** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 7:17 pm

Assymetrican National Chess Team

Board 1 GM Agustin Salazar (2715)
Grandmaster Agustin Salazar is an Assymetrican chess grandmaster who peaked at 2821 in 2003 making him the fifth highest-rated person in classical chess history. The 56-year old veteran continues to play as he represent Assymetrica's Board 1 in the Elephant Chess Championship 3. Salazar has been a player in the Candidates for three-times in 2001, 2003, and 2007 but failed to challenge the World Chess Champion title. The strictly positional play style of Salazar made him a seven-time Assymetrican champion in his teen, 20s and 30s. Will the national pride be able to fight back against the powerhouse Soviets?
Opening Repertoire
White: Ruy López
Black: French Defence; King's Indian Defense

Board 2 GM Fernan Valbuena (2649)
Grandmaster Fernan Valbuena was awarded the title of Grandmaster by the FIDENS at age 15. Valbuena is three-time national champion. The 29 year-old tactician and opening master has dominated the Assymetrican Youth Chess at his prime as he won all Youth National Titles from U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, and U18 pools defeating almost every aspiring players in the country. Can Valbuena use his youthful playstyle of tactics, positional sacrifice, and seizing of initiatives against the Soviets?
Opening Repertoire:
White: Catalan Opening
Black: Sicilian Defence; Queen's Indian Defence

Board 3 IM Aleixo Kovalev (2492)
International Master Aleixo Kovalev is a Russian born Assymetrican chess prodigy. Kovalev is a candidate for grandmaster climbing his rating to a 2500 to officially become a full-pledged FIDENS Grandmaster. Kovalev is born to Russian Grandmaster Viktor Aleksandr Kovalev and Assymetican Woman International Master Diana Lopez. The 17-year old prodigy is two-time and reigning Assymetrican national champion winning the 2021 Assymetrican Superfinals.
Opening Repertoire:
White: Italian Game; Queen's Gambit
Black: Caro-Kann Defence; Nimzo-Indian Defence

Board 4 IM/WGM Alucia Medina (2436)
International Master Alucia Medina is World No. 33 in the FIDENS Women's highest rated players. Medina is the first Assymetrican woman to claim the Woman Grandmaster and International Master title. Medina is a five-time women's Assymetrican champion and one-time Open national champion in the 2018 Assymetrican Superfinals. The 23-year old International Master is also an online chess streamer in Twitch having around 400,000 followers.
Opening Repertoire:
White: Scotch Opening
Black: Sicilian Defence; Tarrasch Defence

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: No
Decide board results: No
Decide moves made: No
Godmod game events: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes

by **Srednjaci** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 11:41 am

CHESS PLAYER FROM SREDNJACI

DANIJEL PARADŽIK : He is 32 years old and is inviolable in DR Srednjaci. He has been the champion of the country for six years in a row and has no desent opponent in the country. He also has several international trophies, and in the finals of the "BangChang Open", an international tournament, he defeated the grandmaster from Raspotochje, Edita Vukorepac, and in the semifinals, Ivan Habijanić. It is also the biggest regional tournament in his career.
He also played in the Garbelia championship. He was close to the semifinals but failed to break through. He had 3 wins and 2 defeats in group. He finished in top 10 on Garbelia Championships.
On 1st Elephant Chess Cup he was member of Dotivija/Srednjaci chess team and finished in 6th position.

JELENA TABAK : Jelena Tabak does not have great achievements, but she won several tournaments in which Danijel Paradžik did not participate. Jelena is 25 years old and has been number two in the country for the last three years. No international tournaments won. She was eighth in the regional competition and this is her best placement. She has also participated in Garbelia championships. She failed to pass the group stage with two wins.
Jelena was a memeber of Dotivija/Srednjaci cheass team at 1st Elephant Chess Cup, team finished 6th.

BOJAN HERCEG : A young talent who won a place in the national team by winning third place in the national championship. Bojan is attending law university in the town of Kula. This 22-year-old from the town of Kula has not yet acquired the title of grandmaster, but he is a master. By separating the national team Srednjaci and Dotivija, Bojan got the opportunity for international competition.

XIYU SU : Xiyu is perhaps the greatest upcoming talent of this sport within our borders. Xiyu is still in high school and has won two gold medals from the National Mathematical Olympiad. In addition to this great school science competition, Xiyu also won a tournament in the city of Pula, beating our grandmaster Danijel Paradžik 2½ – 1½ in the final. She was then 18 years and two months old. Today, this young chess player is 18 years and 9 months old.

FIRST MATCH
Srednjaci - Crenstan

FIRST BOARD : Danijel Paradžik
SECOND BOARD : Jelena Tabak
THIRD BOARD : Bojan Herceg
FOURTH BOARD : Xiyu Su

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes by following my board list
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: Yes, but ask me first
Godmod other events: Yes, but ask me first

by **Raspotochje** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 2:20 pm

RASPOTOCHJEAN CHESS FEDERATION

In a video address to the general public, the president of the Chess Federation said, among other things:
"It is a great honor to have two representatives at such a prestigious tournament for a second time. Raspotochje is a young country, but in chess Raspotochje has a great deal of success. In our first appearance of Elepahnt Chess, unfortunately, we did not manage to reach the bronze medal, we lost and in the end we took the fourth place.".

IVAN HABIJANIĆ: 34 years old, born in Kotiga, the fifth child of a poor family. He didn't fit in at school, he had high intelligence and the other children bored him. He started playing chess at the age of 7, every day when he returned from school he passed through the park where older retirees played chess. He liked it and started playing. At the age of 11 he only became the youngest junior champion in Kotiga and at the age of 13 he became the champion in the whole of Raspotochje. He started competing in the senior competition at the age of 16 when he got his license. Already in the same year, he reached the finals of two medium-strong tournaments.
The following year, he won a New Year's tournament in Raspotochje, which featured over 200 chess players from across the country. That tournament paved the way for him and he remained undefeated in the next 18 tournaments. He became a grandmaster at just 22 years old. Then he entered a crisis of personal life and at the age of 25 he was treated for alcohol and drugs. Chess raises him again from the hell of opiates and at the age of 27 he becomes the champion of Raspotochje again, and it has remained so to this day.
On Garbelia International Tournament he played in finals but fell to Sinan al-Ahdal from Fahran.

finals

1st leg
Sinan al-Ahdal 1 - 0 Ivan Habijanić
second leg
Ivan Habijanić 1 - 0 Sinan al-Ahdal
decisive leg
Sinan al-Ahdal 1 - 0 Ivan Habijanić

ELEPHANT CHESS CUP 1- TEAM FOURTH PLACE

THIS SEASON TOURNAMENTS
Srednjaci, Raspotochje and Dotivija tournaments ( Srednjacian puppets)
Winner of Katanija Chess Cup (KCC) TIER 1- beat Edita Vukorepac in finals
Winner Kotiga Chess Open TIER 1 - beat Danijel Paradžik in finals
Second place at Višnjevac Chess Trophy TIER 1 - beaten by Edita Vukorepac in finals
Winner -Dotivija City Open Chess Championships TIER 1 - beat Dinara Ivezić in finals

EDITA VUKOREPAC: 28 years old, born in Višnjevac, she loved mathematics at school, she was in a mathematics competition at the age of eight. In the school hallway, she saw two older boys playing chess on a small board. She saw the board for the first time then and decided to play chess. At the age of 9, she went to Kotiga for a school competition where she swept the competition.
That same year, she became the champion of the Višnjevac region, and the following year she won first place at the national championship for under-11s without losing a game. Then Vili Žmak, the grandmaster's coach, noticed her and went to talk to her parents about her future.
She was the youngest chess player to sign for a chess club for a monthly fee. It was outrageous because it was not legal for a child to receive a monthly allowance for work. The mother took on the role of tutor and they both went to Kotiga with Vili Žmak.
At the age of 20, she became the champion of Raspotochje, and she repeated that the following year. This year she gets the status of grandmaster and is the only woman who beat the champion Ivan Habijanić three more times in a row, but she never managed to be ahead of him in the final table. Edita won championship last year and beat Habijanć in finals. That is hers first championship title.
On Garbelia Championship Edita finished in group stage, but overall she finished on 7th place.
Edita won fourth place in 1st Edition of Elephant Chess Cup with team Raspotochje.

ELEPHANT CHESS CUP 1- TEAM FOURTH PLACE

THIS SEASON TOURNAMENTS
Srednjaci, Raspotochje and Dotivija tournaments ( Srednjacian puppets)
WINNER of Dalatia Banka Open- TIER 1 - beat Danijel Paradžik in finals
WINNER of Višnjevac Trophy - TIER 1 - beat Ivan Habijanić in finals
WINNER of Tulu Chess Tournament - TIER 2 - beat Dinara Ivezić in finals
WINNER of Blue Queen Trophy - TIER 2 - beat Pero Vodović in finals

TOMISLAV GRNELIĆ : this young talented chess player is only 22 years old. They already call him mini Ivan Habijanić. Of course it will take a lot more matches and experience to get to that level. usually he gat on semi-finals and finals in domestic tournaments. There is still no victory against Habijanić and Vukorepac, but for other chess players he becomes an unsolvable enigma. This year, he drew attention to himself with his games that are in a big upward trajectory.

ELEPHANT CHESS CUP 1- TEAM FOURTH PLACE

THIS SEASON TOURNAMENTS
Srednjaci, Raspotochje and Dotivija tournaments ( Srednjacian puppets)
SECOND PLACE at Brestovac Chess Tour - TIER 2 - beaten by Danijel Paradžik
SECOND PLACE at Silver Board - TIER 2-beaten by Jelena Tabak
1/4 FINAL at Višnjevac Trophy - beaten by Edita Vukorepac
WINNER of Chess Black Tower Cup - TIER 2 - beat Xiyu Su in finals

PERO VODOVIĆ: Pero Vodović is a new name in our team. He has won several lower-ranking domestic tournaments. When it comes to SreDotRas series tournaments, his best placement is the finals at the Blue Quenn trophy. He won more points than Darjan Kninsky and Tara Galić and because of that he gained the trust of the coach. This 25 year old student of Biopharmacy is really good player and this year is his best year ever in chess.

COACH : Denis Latinin
Coach assistent : Darija Filić
secretary : helena Velić
Driver : Silvestar Erelizanović
playing Style: +1,5

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: Yes, but ask me first
Godmod other events: Yes, but ask me first

by **Nlarhyalo** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 10:02 am

Nlařyur Ser Šeyoyeðafuyelal/Nlařyur Chess Federation
Lafuyelalařo Feyak/National Team

GM Ekeðŭ Flakarehu (ELO: 2746)
Nlařyalo's only bona-fide super-GM, Flakarehu has been the nation's top player for years and has one World Championship Candidates tournament appearance under his belt. He plays an aggressive style and favors 1. e4 and is strong in the Ruy Lopez as white and the Sicilian Najdorf as black.

GM Kaðe Zazas (ELO: 2687)
Older than Flakarehu, Zazas was Nlařyalo's strongest player before Flakarehu's rise. After hovering in the low-2700s for quite some time, several years ago Zazas experienced a severe period of poor form in which he fell into the low 2600s. He has since clawed his way back close to the 2700 mark, but has continued to be plagued by inconsistency. A rather positional player, Zazas favors 1. d4 as white and the Sicilian Najdorf as black.

GM Elaloðaf Rahusu (ELO: 2542)
The youngest player in the Nlařyur delegation, Rahusu is an exciting player who was hoped to be Nlařyalo's next upcoming talent a few years ago. His development hasn't progressed quite according to plan, but he's still young enough to rise to among the best. He primarily plays the Ruy Lopez and Sicilian as white and with black responds to 1. e4 with the Sicilian and 1. d4 with 1... Nf6.

IM Uzŭdyoyelað Elahařosŭ (ELO: 2262)
The elder statesman of Nlařyur chess and the country's strongest player for many years in an era before chess gained in popularity, Elahařosŭ fell short of ever achieving the requirements for the grandmaster title. Age has since caught up with him, and having fallen about 200 rating points from his peak in his younger days, Elahařosŭ is now primarily respected as a expert coach but doesn't play in tournaments with any regularity. Elahařosŭ was known for playing off-beat lines, especially in the Sicilian, with white and the Caro-Kann and French Defense as black.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: N/A, it will always stay in order of rating
Decide board results: No
Decide moves made: No
Godmod game events: No
Godmod other events: Yes

by **TJUN-ia** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 12:33 pm

Name: TJUN-ia
Trigram: TJU
Demonym: TJUN-ian/Jaguar
Nicknames: Jaguars/Jaguar Knights
Governing Body: TJUN-ia Chess Federation (TCF)

You're all probably wondering what is going on here. Chess? Really?! You can play Chess in teams? Yes, you can - and some nations take it very seriously. One of those nations is our good friend in South Newlandia, who created the Elephant Chess Cup in order to see the best nations in the game compete for all the glory in a 4-board format. Now, we're at the 3rd edition of a tournament previously won the last two times by a combined team from Bollonich and Graintfjall but with that team forced to split up this time around, who knows if either of them will be able to keep the crown this time around.

That's where TJUN-ia and specifically the TCF come in, who's campaigning to get into the ECC (backed by the 500,000 player base listed in the TCF Ratings) was finally heard and granted by the TJUN-ia Sporting and Olympic Committee (TSOC), meaning the International Community could compete in the ECC for the very first time. While our chess pedigree is certainly untested against the very best the world has to offer, we will certainly try nonetheless...

TCF Rating System (Elo)
Professionals
Grandmaster of the International Community (GIC): 3001+
International Master (IM): 2751-3000
TCF Master (TM): 2501-2750
Candidate Master (CM): 2001-2500
---------------------------------------------------
Semi-Professionals
Class A (CA): 1801-2000
Class B (CB): 1601-1800
Class C (CC): 1401-1600
Class D (CD): 1201-1400
Class E (CE): 1001-1200
---------------------------------------------------
Amateurs
Class F (CF): 801-1000
Class G (CG): 601-800
Class H (CH): 401-600
Class I (CI): 201-400
Class J (CJ): 101-200
Rookie (R): under 100

This is how Chess is organised here in TJUN-ia, with 15 titles and 3 overall Tiers to cover all 500,000+ players who play Chess in TCF-affiliated or run tournaments and leagues. This system was created by the TCF to encourage more professionalism within the game and runs on a simple formula: 2 points per win, 1 for a draw, -1 for a loss and -2 for a loss in 30 or fewer combined moves (or the "15 each" rule). If you take part in any TCF related event, then you can add to your Rating with 0 given to those making their TCF debuts at any given level. Because this system has only been in effect for about 8 years, only 1000 players total have reached the Professional Tier - with no one so far coming close to attaining the highest title of them all: Grandmaster of the International Community (GIC). However, it has been decreed that if anyone can claim an ECC for TJUN-ia, they would get GIC status on the spot - which would certainly be an incentive for many in the game. For our participation in any edition of the ECC, the TCF will be using a "3+1" mentality - Three Professionals, One Semi-Pro.

Board 1 - Yevgeny Solovyanenko

Age: 35
Place of Residence: Pivdennyy Kordon/Yuzhnaya Granitsa, NAU Zone
TCF Rating: International Master (2803)

There are two IMs in TJUN-ian Chess, both of which are a class above the rest at this point and both fighting to become the first GIC in our history. One of the more powerhouse regions in the sport is the NAU, which always seem to take a liking to the sport alongside the CSTO and CEA. Yevgeny Solovyanenko is certainly a powerhouse in his own right, a cunning fox of a player who always thinks tactically and plays the game like that as well. He's certainly in an interesting position right now entering this tournament due to where he is from - PdK-YG currently trying to figure out if they are more Ukrainian, Russian or a mix of the two - Donbaser if you will. Yevgeny is Ukrainian in a mostly-Russian city, but that doesn't mean his mind will be clouded during this time. He's been through worse before...and you can trust him on that.

Board 2 - Tshering Gyeltshen

Age: 18
Place of Residence: Trashiyangtse, CEA Zone
TCF Rating: International Master (2759)

Chess has a knack for not being a sport based on age, where anyone and everyone can become great if they can play the game well enough. That can certainly be shown in our 2nd IM, with our 35-year-old Ukrainian being contrasted by...an 18-year-old Bhutanese player. Tshering Gyeltshen is his name and at 18 years old, he's already won 3 CEA Championships in a region usually dominated by players from larger cities like Tiankong and Hindubharat. He's certainly done very very well for someone both so young and from a city like Trashiyangtse, mostly Buddhist and considered one of the happiest places in the entire International Community. With this in mind, many consider this young gun to be Chess' answer to one Joe Katsi - a player who always plays with a smile and play for the love of the sport. How effective that will work in an environment like this remains to be seen.

Board 3 - Anne Christian-Warren

Age: 22
Place of Residence: New Adamstown/Adamstaun, UO Zone
TCF Rating: Candidate Master (2498)

Apart from the two IMs and a few dozen TCF Masters (TMs), most of the Pro Players in the TCF are in a big class of CMs - and one of the best in that field has been chosen for Board 3 here. Anne Christian-Warren is a very interesting player in her own right - the highest-rated female player in the TCF and a rare athlete in any sport from New Adamstown, making her Pitkerner. She certainly likes to be known as someone who represents her heritage and the blood of the HMS Bounty with pride, playing her game like a pirate as well - win no matter what, go for broke and all that jazz. It will be interesting to see how far that'll take her in a team format...

Board 4 - Margarita Altamiranda

Age: 26
Place of Residence: Ciudad Calamar, UAC Zone
TCF Rating: Class A (1907)

The TCF decided to hold a tournament featuring the best players from Classes A-E to determine the 4th and final entry into the ECC and in the end, Margarita Altamiranda managed to win it all. Class A but on the way to CM status, Margarita is 26 and hails from Cuidad Calamar in the UAC zone - a city and region not really seen as a Chess powerhouse by any means. Despite that, she's certainly a talent that can break into the Pro Tier in the future and plays with that Latin flair we all expect - quick and powerful at the same time.

by **Kyzhurkistan** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 1:36 pm

Board 1. Ilyas Zhusupov (54 years old, ELO 2509)
The veteran of the line-up, Zhusupov is an experienced player who has been a giant on the domestic scene for over three decades now. He is not just one of the few who has managed to complete the Triple Crown in a single year, but he achieved this a record breaking six times. Add to that a reign of seventeen years (with a small interruption for the Shock of Oshat) as a national champion and you could truly call Ilyas Zhusupov the greatest Kyzhurki chess player of all time. Since a year or five, his dominance came to an end but Zhusupov remained a major candidate for the victory in every local tournament. Even if he just had his first ever streak of ten Triple Crown tournaments without a win. The style from Zhusupov is usually described as frivolous, inspired and original. But in a single game, this can range from a brilliant move into a daft decision, especially as preparation is not his forté.

Board 2. Gulnaz Omurzakova (33 years old,ELO 2618)
Out of respect for the man who shaped the domestic scene, national champion Omurzakova will play at the second board. This grandmaster eventually became the one to cut short the reign of Zhusupov and after a hiatus, she won the national title back three years ago. Last year she only managed to win a single of the Triple Crown trophies, but the season before was all hers with three out of three triumphs. Known for her approachability and quips, she is an important ambassador for the game and doesn’t consider herself too important to give clinics in schools and youth clubs. That, combined with her notable choice in outfits, has earned her the nickname ‘the Black and White Queen’. Omurzakova is a modern, well-rounded player who puts a lot of effort in studying the opposition and newer techniques. But she is not afraid to think outside of the box when circumstances require it and dares to take a risk.

Board 3. Farkhat Kalykov (30 years old, ELO 2533)
The omega to the alpha that is Omurzakova, the unremarkable Kalykov never won his way in the hearts of the Kyzhurki chess fans. Not only is he man of few words, he will limit interaction with opposition, press and the organization to the bare required minimum. On top of that, his style on the board rarely attracts much onlookers as he is a very defensive player who will rather prey on a mistake from the opposition rather than creating the opportunity himself. However, this has lead to opponents underestimating and undervaluating Kalykov. He is a true pitbull and his dedicated training will allow him to spot the smallest of opportunities. Risks will not be taken, but he can drag a remise out of any situation and is not afraid to do so. An additional nuisance to the opponents is his tendency to walk around during games, often murmuring to himself whilst contemplating the options.

Board 4. Zhanna Pazylova (21 years old, ELO 2449)
The Golden Girl of the selection and the hope for all Kyzhurki chess aficionados. This year marked her first triumph in a Triple Crown tournament and by all accounts, it is the first of many to follow. Pazylova’s father, Erzed Pazylov, knew his way around the board and was the one to interrupt Zhusupov’s series of domestic triumphs at the Shock of Oshat but he himself is the first to admit that his daughter already outranks him on talent alone. Devouring chess literature since a young age, Pazylova might be already the most flexible player in terms of the different tactical approaches she masters, but could overplay her hand when under pressure. Nonetheless, she combines great creativity with a deep theoretical knowledge and puts it all on the board with a certain flair. Some considered it a little early to bring her to the Elephant Chess Cup as she is only ranked eighth domestically, but this experience could be her definitive breakthrough.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: No
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes

by **Insulamia** » Thu Feb 24, 2022 5:57 am

Board 1:
Name: GM Jean-Claude Laruelle
ELO: 2659
Age: 50
Notes: Laruelle has maintained an ELO between 2620 and 2690 for 31 years. He speaks both French and Spanish, but barely knows any English at all, despite it being one of two official languages in Insulamia. He received the Insulamia Medal in 2010 for his lengthy chess career. He has won most national chess tournaments that he participates in. One of his sons, Michel, died in 2002 in a car accident while on holiday in the United States. He has written several books on chess including a novel about a fictional chess prodigy (L'Ouverture d'Henri, 2014)
Laruelle likes playing the Giuoco Piano (and Evan's Gambit). He generally likes slower openings and usually doesn't trade much until the late middlegame or endgame.
Laruelle has a humorous personality. He sometimes trash talks opponents (in French, even to those who don't speak the language) in a friendly way but always maintains respect for them.

Board 2:
Name: IM Jacques Cheng
ELO: 2480
Age: 28
Notes: Cheng is of Chinese heritage and his real name is Haoran. He is a second-generation immigrant to Insulamia and speaks French, Chinese, and English (with a slight accent). He makes chess videos on YouTube in French (and sometimes English), with over 200,000 subscribers.
Cheng is much more aggressive and risky (but very strategic) compared to Laruelle. He likes playing 1. d4 and the Queen's Gambit with white. With black, his openings are much more varied, but he usually plays the Sicilian against 1. e4 and the Albin Countergambit against the Queen's Gambit. The endgame is Cheng's strongest point, famously calculating a mate in 40 at the 2013 FIDE World Cup.

Board 3:
Name: IM Catherine Wilson-Miller
ELO: 2467
Age: 32
Notes: Wilson-Miller is not married (the barrelled surname comes from her parents) but raises an adopted girl named Lilly. She speaks both English and French. She is an animal rights activist and a women's rights activist. Her work in activism earned her Insulamian of the Year in 2014.
Wilson-Miller usually plays 1. e4 and the Sicilian Defense. She has memorised lots of opening theory and will exploit any mistakes that her opponents make in it. She rarely resigns unless she has an overwhelming disadvantage or she sees a forced mate. This has led to some famous comebacks, like her win against a grandmaster when down three pawns in 2005.
Wilson-Miller is calm (she does yoga) and friendly. She will often strike up lengthy conversations with opponents after games, even when she should be getting some sleep.

Board 4:
Name: IM Lachlan Harris
ELO: 2578
Age: 12
Notes: Harris is, obviously, an outlier in terms of age. He started playing chess at 4, won the nationals of his age group for the first time at 6, and joined the national team at 10. He is considered by many to be a chess prodigy, having beaten Laruelle when he first joined the national team. He speaks English and is learning French at school. He attends Rushton Public Secondary School in Elliot-upon-Whybrow.
Harris likes playing novelty moves and random openings to throw off players who have studied theory. He most often starts with 1. e4 and 2. e5. He never resigns, even when he is completely losing, often to annoy his opponent. He plays moves very quickly and has won countless blitz and bullet tournaments.
Harris plays very casually, even falling asleep once during a classical game. He barely speaks at all to adults, resorting mostly to head shakes and nods. With those of a similar age to him, however, he is very chatty.
Harris, despite having a rating greater than everyone in the national team apart from Laruelle, is placed at board 4 because of his age and lack of experience.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: No
Godmod other events: No

OOC: I apologise in advance if I got some things wrong about openings and chess theory, I know a bit about chess but I'm not an expert. I have an ELO probably around 700, and these characters' ratings are far beyond my comprehension.

Edit 1: gave Cheng, Wilson-Miller and Harris IM titles

by **Natanians and Nosts** » Thu Feb 24, 2022 5:54 pm

Magnus Carolus Mihailescu - 1st table
Openings:van't Kruijs,Giuoco Piano,Giuoco Molto Piano,Italian
Deffences:French,Englund gambit,Italian game:Two Knights Defence
Only Natanian and Nost to play chess at the Olympics.Started playing chess from childhood at the school,and tought to his siblings.His father,who played in his own infancy,realized that his kids had potential and talent,sought ways he could make his kids grow in chess.His older sister became good really fast and repeatedly defeated him,what incentivized him to become strongr,and he finally beat her when he turned 16.Of his parent's three kids,only his younger sister did not pursue chess profissionalizations,focusing on an academic career instead.He became Natanians and Nosts' Chess Champion,for the first time,at age 20.He also participated at the NationStates Chess Classic in 2015 and regularly plays football with his friends.

Mihai Ion Antonescu - 2nd table
Openings:Trompowski attack,Benko,Portuguese,King's gambit
Deffences:Modern defence,Englund gambit,Fried Fox
Born in N-City,he was taught chess by his grandfather and grew up playing with his siblings.He started playing in competitions for his school and was invited by the then-current champion to train under him on the club he played.He went to college to study biological sciences,and on the year he earned his Barchelor of Sciences degree,he also became Natanians and Nosts' Chess Champion.Tied with Jake Woods (Coldfield) as first-place on blitz at the Natanian Chess Tournament in 2017.

Ion Carolus Petrescu - 3rd table
Openings:Ruy López,King's Indian Attack,Russian game,Hammerschlag
Deffences:King's Indian Defence,Englund gambit,Scheveningens Sicilian
Born 27 years ago,Ion Carolus Petrescu played chess with his relatives whenever his parents took him and his siblings to their grandparent's home.Although chess was only a passion for a great part of his life,during middle and high school,he started to play competitively and fared quite well,right before he enrolled grad school for a M.Sc.,he was vice-champion domestically and was second on blitz at the Natanian Chess Championship,the following year,he managed to become Natanians and Nosts' Chess Champion the following year,during his first year of master's research.

Magnus Mihai Vnuk - 4th table
Openings:Amsterdam attack,van't Kruijs,Bird
Deffences:Sicilian Dragon,Dutch,Alekhine
Respected throughout the nation,he comes from a chess family,where the game is taught generation by generation,although he is only the third to pursue professionalization,and his only daughter is the fifth in the family.Undoubtedly the strongest player in Natanian and Nosts during the 2000's,several times champion;he decided to focus more on coaching and spreading chess through the nation,even though whenever he plays,he does it fiercely.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup:
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: If you want anyone playin the bongcloud,or the double bong cloud as black,it's alright!Other things try to be realistic,or at least plausible but funny.
Godmod other events: Be somewhat realistic

by **Bollonich** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 5:43 am

The Bollonischian Chess Team

The Bollonischian Association of Chess

Chess is a recreational sport in Bollonich which most children in Bollonich are exposed to mainly for recreational purposes. Chess has always been famous in Bollonich and has a rich history with number of great players in the region of Rushmore. Chess as a sport is highly respected and players are considered in high order in society and given much more respect than most sportspeople, even more than footballers. What has really propelled the popularity of sport in Bollonich is the development and refinement of online chess. With online chess large numbers of people can easily play against people from the other side of the globe and compete at competitive levels from their homes itself. It also provides exposure to new players and various opportunities for more unorthodox forms of the game. Originally standard games were the most popular form of time control in Bollonich however with growth of online chess the drift to shorter time controls like Rapid (15 minutes) and even Blitz or Bullet have become increasingly popular.
The combined Bollonischian Græntfjaller team which participated in the first edition of Elephant Chess Cup was among some of the best chess players in the world. The four men and women however were very well prepared as they did very well in the casaran stage. Competition however was stiff as going into the last match, Mertagne’s players had already bagged first and recovery from 1 point behind Raspotochje seemed unlikely. Raspotochje’s players however had other plans as they suffered a defeat to Shell Shock Troop Clan demoting them to third in the stage meaning they would have to fight it out with Eshialand for 3rd place. Ourselves would emerge victorious in a fabulous battle against Mertagne to the death as the joint team took 1st place in the inaugural Elephant Chess Cup. The side which had been formed with underlying political motives had outdone all expectations. The second edition of the Elephant Chess Cup would feature the same joint delegation taking part in Newport. We comfortably made the semifinals in a strong showing by the players facing off against Polkopia whom we comfortably defeated in a dominant showing. To face us in the final were the four Eshian chess players ready for a tough fight, but so were we. With all of our experience we came out on top in a gruelling set of 4 matches securing our second successive title.

This time however, the Bollonischian Association of Chess has decided to send solely a Bollonischian delegation to the 3rd edition of the Elephant Chess Cup. This team too will not be shy as to its intentions in the tournament and will definitely try to get the three peat for Bollonich.

Players
Clara Josep - Clara is part of a generation of female chess players, who are huge talents. Female chess players barely existed in Bollonich 50 years before however with advancements in gender equality in Bollonich we have seen more and more women like Clara who have taken up chess. Clara is a generational talent in between a large generation of great women chess players. Competitions in Bollonich have since changed their format to make it open to both men and women instead of having separate categories. The 33 year old Clara Josep is overall ranked 1st in Rapid in Bollonich. She is also a highly ambitious and successful classical player with great success in longer time limits too domestically. In her youth she trained at the Ferguson Chess Academy at Akusha. Her performance in the first Elephant Chess Cup against some of the best in the multiverse has been described as the best chess tournament showing for any Bollonischian player in history. She was also a crucial factor in retaining the title in the 2nd edition of the Elephant Chess Cup.
Favourite Opening - English Opening (White), Caro Kann (Black)
Classical ELO - 2784

Felip Oliver - Felip is a young 21 year old chess player who initially made his name in Bollonischian chess through the method of online chess by the username of ChessKing003. He rose to stardom stature in chess very soon as his natural talent for chess could be easily seen in the games he payed online beating highly revered chess players of the nation. His rise to such a level in chess often prompted the question of who this mystery player was, such a player who could comfortably defeat some of the best players out there. Soon Oliver started appearing in tournaments rising through the BAC ranks while simultaneously doing the same on various online chess websites. It were these websites that initially peaked his interest in the sport of chess. He is currently ranked 3rd in Bollonich in Rapid. Oliver was not shy in revealing his natural game in the Elephant Chess Cups as he played a vital role in the team's victorious display.
Favourite Opening - Ruy Lopez (White), Sicilian Defence (Black)
Classical ELO - 2706

Brian Hayes - Brian is an experienced 39 year old player who is arguably the best classical player in Bollonich. His love for chess is deep-rooted in his childhood and upbringing as his parents were some of the early chess legends of Bollonich. He quickly rose through the ranks as a kid in the classical format. He started dabbling in the shorter formats of the game only after he earned his Grandmaster title and is highly resourceful in the shorter time formats as well despite not being able to maintain his high level of play. He is a notable alumni of the Fermont Chess Association for whom he has delivered multiple great games in domestic club events. He is also the Bollonischian Chess Champion having reclaimed his title in the latest Bollonischian Chess Championship from Clara.
Favourite Openings - Giuoco Piano Game (White), Grünfeld Defense (Black)
Classical ELO - 2801

Laura Parish - Laura is a childhood friend of Clara as both of them developed a friendship at a very young age over common interests such as chess. Her development in the game however was not as rapid as Clara as she struggled to balance academics with chess. However with the assistance of Clara and her so called Wonder Year her rise to chess stardom was sealed as both herself and Clara were members of the Ferguson Chess Academy. She is an attacking player who has a keen eye for tactical patterns and is often hailed as one of the best endgame players in Bollonich. She is a reputed Rapid player with good success in the time control.
Favourite Openings - Catalan Opening (White), King’s Indian Defence (Black)
Classical ELO - 2665

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: Only with permission
Godmod other events: Only with permission

by **Bollonich** » Sat Feb 26, 2022 12:08 pm

Bollonich/Græntfjall vs Eshialand, Elephant Chess Cup 2 - A Review

The Elephant Chess Cup has been a greatly successful tournament for the Bollonischian/Græntfjaller team as the four players have successfully won both editions. The latest of the two was in a final against Eshialand in a cracking final between the two sides. The final was what all of the matches had built up to, the casaran stage and the knockouts. The Bollonischians and Græntfjaller players had been here before and knew the gravity of the situation being the defending champions, the Eshians on the other hand were the Challengers, hungry for a jab at the trophy. In this edition we shall be reviewing all four games played in the Final match between Bollonich/Græntfjall and Eshialand in the Elephant Chess Cup.

1. Jason Severn (ESH) ½ - ½ Clara Josep (BOL)
Jason Severn being a disciple of tactical and vibrant chess usually opts for e4 as white to start the game looking to play into the Ruy Lopez or Sicilian both of which he has shown great mastery in. Clara knew this, her usual response to e4 was c6 the Caro-Kann, however she was certain that Severn would have prepared for it. That’s why expecting to face e4, she was prepared with something else, a secret weapon. And when e4 was on the board we saw her unveil this secret weapon, in the form of e6 playing the French. Jason seemed unfazed as it was hard to make out what was going under that very serious glare. Players of this level are obviously aware of their openings, even if they did not necessarily prepare it overnight. Jason blitzed out the next two moves, as the position became an advanced French following d4 and e5 from white. Clara went ahead with the main line with c5, targeting the weak d5 square a common theme for black in the French. With white defending with c3, Clara developed her knight and so did Jason. Now black either plays Bd7, trying to develop the bad French bishop or Qb6 pressuring the d4 square once again. Clara chose to play Qb6 which saw Severn respond with a3 looking to push b4 and strike back on the queen side. Upto a6, the main lines had been followed strictly, however at this point came the first side line of the game as Clara played the not so popular Bd7 looking to develop the bishop which could get activated on the queenside if the knight on c6 ever moved and also clearing the spot for the rook on a8 to come and pressure the soon to be open c-file. Jason did not flinch in his plans as he quickly pushed b4 forcing the c5 pawn to take on d4 as white recaptured with their c3 pawn. Black followed up this series of moves with the move Rc8 justifying moving the bishop to d7. White developed the bishop to e3 which set off three consecutive knight moves for black as they moved their knight to h6 looking to bring it to f5 to pressure the e3 bishop and the d4 square. White developed their other bishop, paying no heed to black’s ideas for their knight and after the knight jumped into f5, white continued with development as they castled put their king into safety. Clara took the bishop on e3 trading her knight for the bishop and doubling white’s e pawns. All of this had been seen before though, however this is when Clara introduced a new idea to the world. In this position, black usually looks to develop their dark squared bishop either with the move Be7 or g6, looking to fianchetto the bishop. Clara however played Ne7 looking to place her knight on f5 targeting the weak e3 pawn and also opening the c-file for her rook. This move took Jason slightly by surprise as he had not looked at this novelty, using some of his time he played the best move, Qd2, prematurely defending the e3 pawn and also looking to develop his knight to c3 which is the exact next move he plays after black’s knight came to f5. This next move could arguably be the move when the match’s result was decided as Clara played another interesting move, a5. This tears the queenside wide open which could result in very confrontational play or even a massive simplification which does happen. After thinking for a long time with only 3 minutes left on his clock, he played rook to b1, completely focusing on the play on the queenside. Clara immediately took the pawn on b4 and with white taking back she again took it back with her bishop. At this we get a crazy tactical sequence, with Jason taking the pawn on d5 with his knight leaving his queen wide open to capture from black’s bishop, however his knight also attacks the black queen and the rook he just moved from f1 pins black’s bishop to her queen. With both sides trading queens, black wins the e3 pawn with her bishop checking the king forcing the king to move to h1. At this point Clara is up a pawn, however she needs to move her rook which is under fire from the white knight which is why she cannot take the d4 pawn under attack by her bishop and knight. Moving her rook to b8 protecting the b7 pawn from a discovered knight when Jason moves his knight. Severn wasted no time in taking the bishop long placed in e7 forcing black’s king to leave his home square. The game at this point was seemingly heading towards a draw as it is nearly impossible for black to hold on to their advantage of the extra pawn on b7 after Ra7 which is what Jason played. Clara brought her other rook to c8, looking to protect her king once the pawn falls and a rook trade occurs. Clara’s king dropped back to d8 and with Jason bring his bishop to b5 threatening too infiltrate in d7. The players repeated moves at this point making a draw, with black blocking all threats with her rook. The reason why the players opted for a draw is because black holds the superior pawn structure with the connect four, something that could be an advantage. However with white always having the option for a rook trade, Clara knew she could not make any progress in the end game with opposite coloured bishops.
Speaking in a press conference after the game Clara expressed that she was fairly happy on getting a draw with the black pieces as it keep the scores level and a quick draw with black is always good for her confidence as she had equalised quickly. Jason on the other hand was not so pleased, he said, “Well, I didn’t expect her to play the French. I had the Caro, Ruy and Sicilian prepared. I could have gone for a win with Nc3 instead of e5 but I expected her to be well versed in the theory there so I just went ahead with the Advanced and it worked out fine.”

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 Bd7 7. b4 cxd4 8. cxd4 Rc8
9. Be3 Nh6 10. Be2 Nf5 11. O-O Nxe3 12. fxe3 Ne7 13. Qd2 Nf5 14. Nc3 a5 15. Rfb1
axb4 16. axb4 Bxb4 17. Nxd5 Bxd2 18. Nxb6 Bxe3+ 19. Kh1 Rb8 20. Nxd7 Kxd7 21. g4
Ne7 22. Ra7 Rhc8 23. Rbxb7+ Rxb7 24. Rxb7+ Kd8 25. Bb5 Rc7 26. Rb8+ Rc8 27. Rb7
Rc7 28. Rb8+ Rc8 29. Rb7 1/2-1/2

2. Reynir Ýrarsson (GRÆ) ½ - ½ Stephanie Jacobson (ESH)
Reynir was a principled d4 player, however he was aware that he would need to bring something new to the table if he was to have a chance to fight for the win. That is why he decided to start with c4 playing the English. Jacobson had obviously prepared for d4 hence she played Nf3 giving Reynir the option and liberty to transpose into an Indian Game from where she would have multiple possibilities such as the Grünfeld or even a King’s Indian Defence. Reynir decided to not play into her prep playing Nc3 as this would set up quite possibly one of the most exciting games of this final matchup in an up and down battle between two brilliant players. The players are not aware of the situation in the other games so Reynir was looking to win and Jacobson was looking to not take too much risk but she would definitely seize on an opportunity if it presented itself. Jacobson responded to Nc3 with a principled e5 as both players played into the Four Knights English as we were up for some classical English positions. Reynir with the white pieces expressed interest in fianchettoing his light squared bishop as he played g3. Jacobson posed an interesting response here, knowing her preference of knights over bishops it would be expected she would play Bb4 and try to trade White’s knight on c3 for her bishop. She however played Bc5 opting not to attempt that trade which caught Reynir slightly off guard however this was still in his preparation as he continued to blitz out moves. He went on to fianchetto the bishop following which both sides castled and Stephanie solidified her hold in the centre with d6. Reynir played e3 looking to strike in the centre with d4 which he did in the very next move, forcing black’s bishop to b6. He also happened to quickly clarify the position in the centre by pushing his pawn to d5 attacking black’s knight which Jacobson retreated to e7. This might have not been the most accurate way for him to continue the game as b3 would have been a better option, supporting the pawn on c4 and clearing the space for his bishop while retaining the centre pressure. At this point, this position is almost an absolutely new one, which means that it will all come down to the intuition of the players. Reynir decided to secured his queenside playing b3 creating pawn chain on the light squares of 4, setting up to develop his bishop to b2. Jacobson responds with good insight into the position playing h6 which is a waiting move and also prevents a knight coming to g5. Reynir continued development with his bishop as Stephanie decided to play her light squared bishop to g4 pinning the knight, to which Reynir casually responded with h3 and g4 pushing the bishop right back to g6. The situation at this point was very tense, 13 moves had passed with zero trades and as the game moved into the middle game both players could feel the pressure. Reynir brought an interesting idea to the table with the move Na4, which a viewer would normally think had an interesting position idea, well it did as it opened up the dark squared bishop but there was also a fundamental idea to trade the knight for the bishop, something which Stephanie welcomed with open arms as she specialised in closed positions and knight mastery. She brought her bishop in position to take the f3 knight as well leading to a series of trades where Stephanie gave up both her bishops for two Reynir’s knights as both players would now try to make the most of their disposition. Reynir would have been fairly hopeful at this point given the bishop pair is very useful as the position opens up, however the position was currently closed and Jacobson intended to keep it this way. Stephanie began to mobilise in the kingside as she was rearranging her position to perhaps launch a deadly attack. Both sides begun to make small improvements to their positions setting up for their attacks on the respective sides, Reynir on the queenside and Stephanie on the kingside. Stephanie arrived first with her knight on h4 a powerful square as Reynir adamant on holding onto his bishop pair moved the bishop back to h1. She continued to expand with moves such a g5 which is when Reynir makes a potentially fatal mistake in the position. Having been restricted play in the kingside, he looked to the queen side for counterplay as he still wanted to try for a win. This was his mistake however as he needed to go on a defensive right now which he did not allowing f5 which would blow open the play in the kingside. Both sides took the pawn as this now opened up the f file for Stephanie to play on. Here we see Reynir’s bishop partake in an interesting manoeuvre brining trying to bring his dark squared bishop to e1 to remove the powerful knight from h4. Jacobson continued to pressure the f file forcing the rook he had moved a few moves back to return to its position which had now resulted in two wasted tempi from Reynir’s side giving Stephanie an advantage to perhaps attack him further. Stephanie continued to make improvements on the kingside and pressure further by bringing her other rook to the game and also moving her queen forward to attack the undefended h3 pawn. Meanwhile Reynir attempted to break out on the queenside to create threats for Stephanie. With the added pressure on the kingside, he decided to move his bishop unto g2 offering a trade and looking to hold his structure together. With both players’ time dwindling down there seemed to be no end in sight for them. Jacobson simplified in the queen side taking the pawn on a5 which is when Reynir had a potential chance to perhaps turn the tide back a little by taking with the pawn. This might seem counterintuitive at first as it would block his own rook and also split up his pawns, however it would lead to greater pressure down the b file which would virtually freeze black’s possible play. That did not happen though, and the next phase of the game was soon to begin. The Eshian brought her other knight into the game looking to make use of it, which is when a very important moment of the game came with Reynir playing Be1. He was now full prepared to remove black’s knight on h4 so Jacobson had to make a decision, whether to keep it on the board and retreat or to trade it for white’s bishop. She chose wrong, as she wanted to keep it on the board instantly letting go of almost all of her advantage. This was when the tides had turned, as Reynir started to apply pressure on the queenside as he moved his rook into the seventh rank and pushed his pawn to c5 looking to make some pawn breaks. She made yet another wrong decision here electing to greedily grab the pawn on d5 which would open up some potentially dangerous counter play for Reynir involving black’s knight on d5 with some lines where white wins it after pinning it to the king using his queen. She thought she would be shutting all such ideas down with the move e4 by blocking his bishop however he would still have a powerful attack on the knight and at least win back the lost pawn with the moves - Qc4 - Re8, Ra5 - b5, Rxb5. This could have set up a potentially winnable endgame for him as his bishops would be much stronger than her knights. He however missed this idea and instead took on g5, trading pawns followed by a trade of rooks, leading to him getting the pawn on b7 which allowed Jacobson to still remain a pawn up with the move Nxe3. As we saw some tactics flaring following h4-Nf4, the game’s intensity was soon to be doused as we would move towards a virtually drawn endgame which would be a little uncomfortable for Reynir. With the queen’s and more pieces heading off the board the resulting endgame saw black up a pawn, which white was soon to win back but also gave the pawn up again as he knew the position was drawn. An interesting moment in the game was when the players nearly repeated moves around move 57. Jacobson in this position had to move her knight to g7 to block white’s bishop and to prevent a situation where white would be able to queen by checking black’s king. Reynir decided to not repeat and instead just took the knight as Jacobson could perhaps have given up her one pawn advantage to continue the match in a tiring endgame. The position that we saw in the game was much more simple to play as black would be unable to reap the fruits of being a pawn up as white could very easily prevent promotion which is why the players agreed to a draw.
The game was a long and gruelling game for both players with multiple positional ideas and tactical possibilities ending in what is a fair result as both of them gave it their all. This of course keeps the scores level as we look at the next two games where we will be focusing on the game that decided the match.

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bc5 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. e3 Re8 8. d4
Bb6 9. d5 Ne7 10. b3 h6 11. Bb2 Bg4 12. h3 Bh5 13. g4 Bg6 14. Na4 Be4 15. Nxb6
Bxf3 16. Qxf3 axb6 17. a4 Ng6 18. Qg3 Qe7 19. f3 Nd7 20. b4 Nh4 21. Bh1 g5 22.
Rfb1 f5 23. gxf5 Nxf5 24. Qf2 Nh4 25. Qe2 Rf8 26. Bc3 Qf7 27. Rf1 Rae8 28. a5
Qf5 29. Bg2 bxa5 30. Rxa5 Nf6 31. Be1 Ng6 32. Ra7 Rb8 33. c5 Nxd5 34. cxd6 cxd6
35. f4 e4 36. fxg5 Qxg5 37. Rxf8+ Rxf8 38. Rxb7 Nxe3 39. h4 Nf4 40. Qa2+ Qd5 41.
Qxd5+ Nfxd5 42. b5 Nxg2 43. Kxg2 Ne3+ 44. Kh2 Rf1 45. Bb4 Rf2+ 46. Kg1 Rg2+ 47.
Kh1 Rb2 48. Bxd6 Nf5 49. Be5 Rb1+ 50. Kg2 e3 51. b6 Nxh4+ 52. Kg3 Nf5+ 53. Kf3
Rb3 54. Rb8+ Kh7 55. Ke2 h5 56. b7 Ng7 57. Bf4 Nf5 58. Be5 Ng7 59. Bxg7 Kxg7 60.
Kf3 h4 61. Re8 e2+ 62. Kg4 Rxb7 63. Rxe2 Rb4+ 64. Kg5 h3 65. Rh2 Rb3 66. Rc2
Rg3+ 67. Kh4 Rg2 1/2-1/2

by **Alezian Union** » Sun Feb 27, 2022 8:08 pm

The Ministry of Sports of the Alezian Union just recently green-lighted the newly made Alezian chess team! Each region held their own regional final where the winner shall join the exclusive four-team Alezian Team and compete in the the international chess cup! Members selected are as follows:

FIRST BOARD
Andi Hasrunnafi Sulaiman (GM) (2577)
One of the best in Alezia, Hasrun has been playing competitively from 1997. It was even rumoured that even looking at him in the eyes would destroy your focus. But it's just a rumour, or perhaps this is true?... Hasrun has championed the North Alezian cup once again after previously winning in 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2009.

SECOND BOARD
Hanne Navidashvili (WIM/IM) (2476)
Hanne is one of the upcoming chess players in Alezia. A recent player, competitively competing since 2019, she has been known to stun everyone, including this time, where she won the Mosin-Naganese preselection for the team. She's known for her habits of tapping her fingers everywhere, but not noticeable enough.

THIRD BOARD
Steven Lodewijk (IM) (2466)
Steven got selected after winning the South Alezian preselection, even though he wasn't fully living in South Alezia at the time. Steven had to compete and live in North Alezia due to the limitations on chess enacted by the South Alezian Military Dictatorship at the time. While that happened, Steven won a lot of matches that he's known as the "Escapee", both for his quick thinking of escaping any locks made by the opponent, and for his quick thinking of escaping the military dictatorship.

FOURTH BOARD
Kharinita Amirana Makarina (WIM/IM) (2451)
Khairinita is the youngest in the team, and also the youngest winner of the Pantabang Islander regional. Aged 17, she was belittled, but she proved her way up. She also understood the assignment pretty quickly and bounds back up from mistakes and makes it a win. She also plays with a show, occasionally she would dress up like Harley Quinn, making her easily noticeable (she did it because she didn't like wearing formal stuff). Whether she'll wear those outfits in South Newlandia is up to her, or the authorities if they have to tell her.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: Contact me on TG or Discord first please! (Discord at Lez#0535)
Godmod other events: Contact me on TG or Discord first please! (Discord at Lez#0535)

by **Apatosaurus** » Sun Feb 27, 2022 8:52 pm

Oesuan Chess Team

The Oesuan Chess Team, formed only last year in December by current Captain Gillian Kadelak, is now competing in the international stage in the Elephant Chess Cup. Chess is a common recreational sport in Apatosaurus.

Players

Gillian Kadelak: Kadelak is the founder of the Oesuan Chess Team, and currently serves as Captain. She is the most proficient of all members of OCT, but has not competed in the international arena. She is most skilled in attacking playstyles.
Age: 27
Gender: Female
Position: Captain

James Clifford: Clifford serves as Deputy Captain to Gillian Kadelak. He was a founding member of the OCT and an upcoming chess player already demonstrating his abilities well. He frequently takes risks and engages in tactics such as using bait liberally, but almost always does so well.
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Position: Deputy Captain

Tisha Francis: Francis is a shy but skilled member of the OCT, and joined only at the end of January. Her playstyle relies on a combination of both attacking and defensive.
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Position: Player

Mitch Todd
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Position: Player
Todd joined OCT at the start of January. His playstyle is largely defensive.

OOC:

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: Yes
Godmod other events: Ask me (telegram to this nation or Discord at Apatosaurus#8045)

by **Eshialand** » Mon Feb 28, 2022 6:07 pm

The Eshian National Chess Team

Oh yeah, it's time for the ~~Copy-Paste Warriors~~ ~~Wisest Owls of them All~~ ~~99% of the Clientele for Flights from Eshialand to South Newlandia~~ ESHIAN NATIONAL CHESS TEAM! After getting third in 2021 and second in 2022, 2023 must be their year, right? That's how patterns work, 3, 2, next is 1! Right? Right????

Board 1: Jason SEVERN
Age: 24
Favorite Openings: Ruy Lopez (White), Sicilian Dragon (Black)
Playstyle: A vibrant attacking style that prioritizes beautiful combinations rather than brute force.

Board 2: Mary NERATA
Age: 33
Favorite Openings: Italian (White), Petroff (Black)
Playstyle: Highly defensive, and unwilling to take too many risks. She'll often offer/accept draws despite being in an unclear position just because it's the safer option.

Board 3: Alan BLAINE
Age: 35
Favorite Openings: Vienna Game (White), Caro-Kann (Black)
Playstyle: Alan's strategy tends to revolve around making the game so complicated that no human can possibly take it apart. In theory, that should work, but in practice, it tends to backfire a lot.

Board 4: Stephanie JACOBSON
Age: 29
Favorite Openings: Ruy Lopez (White), King's Indian (Black)
Playstyle: Stephanie has always believed in the power of knights over bishops, and as such is known for trading away her bishops for her opponent's knights, as well as keeping the game relatively closed in order to show her knights' true potential.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes.
Decide board results: Yes.
Decide moves made: Yes.
Godmod game events: Usually yes, but if you think something is ridiculous you can send me a TG.
Godmod other events: Same as above.

In general, I'm always happy to collaborate, so feel free to TG me about anything!

by **Zug um Zug** » Mon Feb 28, 2022 6:12 pm

Zug um Zug is a recognized puppet state of Zwangzug, founded when the latter nation became "old enough to have its own account," whatever that means. It is unclear if they represent a serious geopolitical entity, a computer simulation run by bored teenagers posting train and/or board game memes, or something in between. Don't take them too seriously.

They boast many talented chess players (at least in their own minds), and for the previous ECC, selected the following based on performance in a speed tournament:

1. Wade Evans
2. Georgina Withington-Fox
3. Mitchell Kennedy
4. Emily Felstead

Alternate: Amy Morris-Hargrave

As they acquitted themselves adequately, and certainly not because this is a sporadic buffer state with no internal affairs of note, they have been permitted to return for the follow-up tournament.

If you RP first--anything goes, though I'd rather you not cause lasting harm to my characters/in my country without running it by me first. But this is a silly puppet, so feel free to be absurd.

by **Eshialand** » Mon Feb 28, 2022 9:24 pm

Another Year, Another Challenge...

"Michael?"
"Yes King William?" the king's assistant replied.
"Do I have any meetings today, perchance?"
"No, of course not, it's a Saturday, you never have meetings on Sa--"

knock knock knock!

"Huh? Who could that be..." Michael asked, wondering just who could possibly be knocking on the office door.
"Wait, what Saturday is this? I'm kind of... not awake right now..." the king replied.
"I could tell by the quantity of drool on last night's paperwork, Your Tiredness..." Michael said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "It appears to be November 4^th."
"Well then it's probably Lazlo Herrefur asking for more chess money... just say yes and send him on his way, would you?"
"I can't just do that, I'm sure he wants to talk to you!"
"Well look at me! I've gotten two hours of sleep using a mountain of paperwork as a pillow, my hair is all over the place, and my eye bags' bags have bags!"

Just then, Michael had an idea. "Do you have a marker by any chance?"

"Uhhhh why are you--"
"No time for explanations, just trust me."

Two minutes later, Michael lets Lazlo into the office, only for him to find that something was definitely... off."
"Um... Michael?"
"Yes Lazlo?"
"Why is the king wearing a lampshade with a smiley face on it?"
"Uh... I don't see anything off, all I see is the king."
"O... kay..."

by **Graintfjall** » Tue Mar 01, 2022 4:02 am

Nation name: Græntfjall
Adjective/demonym: Græntfjaller

Ánýá Klæðskera-gleði, a Kamdyr chess prodigy, has competed on the Græntfjaller men’s circuit for a number of years. The Kamdyr are a nomadic people who mostly inhabit, though do not particularly claim affiliation with, Græntfjall. Traditionally, they lived in yurts, migrating with the seasons, herding buffalos, unicorns, reindeer, dragons, and other animals. Today, many Kamdyr, especially the younger generations, have to some extent integrated with Græntfjaller society, getting jobs and apartments, attending schools and universities. All the same, the Kamdyr retain their distinct ethnic heritage; a notable example of this is that they are among the few exempted from the requirement that all Græntfjaller names be patronymic or matronymic.

The 30 year old achieved grandmaster status while studying mathematics at the prestigious University of Waltenberg, where she later pursued postgraduate studies in econometrics. Now an economist by day, she is one of the most accomplished female players in Græntfjall despite never having entered the National Women’s Championship. Regarded as a calm, composed, and defensively-minded player, she is known for her stalwart and effective defence; she is especially adept at rook endgames. She shows little interest in unusual openings, nearly always opening 1.e4 with white, usually with Lárentíus Arnbjörnsson.* She represented Græntfjall at the Garvida Chess Championship.

Reynir Ýrarsson is the current Græntfjaller men’s champion. A former civil servant – he worked in the Ministry of Transport and is considered the nation’s leading expert on potholes – he now competes full-time in chess. He also writes cryptic crosswords (under the nickname ‘Rowan’) for left-liberal Altendalur newspaper Vestrænnblaðið. His interests include opera, ornithology, and real ale. Reynir is a much more aggressive player than Ánýá, more interested in tactical innovation. He favors a 1.d4 opening with white.

Páll Heiðbergsson is a former chess prodigy who is Græntfjall’s blitz chess champion. A very aggressive player who is among the new generation to make use of computer analyses, frequently bringing prepared variations, Páll is sometimes criticized for not playing as well from simple positions. He works as a ticket clerk at the Græntfjaller National Opera, and is one of the relatively few openly gay men to represent Græntfjall in international sport. Páll switches up his openings a lot between 1.e4, 1.d4, 1.c4 and 1.Nf3, and usually uses prepared variations to promote relentless attack.

Teifion Bradwrsson is a former four-time national champion who was at one time Græntfjall’s youngest ever Grandmaster. Formerly known for his lightning quick style, he has mellowed in his older years and now plays a more balanced style. His unpretentious nature and lack of psychological trickery have made him a popular figure on the chess circuit. A trained electrical engineer by trade, he plays chess professionally now, coaching, and has written four books on chess. A very flexible and adaptable player who switches between 1.e4 and 1.d4 openings almost at whim.

Elína Nathansdóttir is the alternate. The young woman is Græntfjall’s women’s champion (though Ánýá is generally considered the stronger player, she does not compete in the women’s circuit). She holds a postgraduate diploma in the oboe and is a well regarded skier, and her multi-talented approach is reflected in her approach to chess where she favors a balanced style, being neither hyperaggressive nor hyperdefensive. She is somewhat conservative in her openings, nearly always playing 1.e4, but enjoys studying computer variations and can respond to unconventional openings when playing black.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: No. Players are listed in board order.
Decide board results: Yes.
Decide moves made: Yes.
Godmod game events: No.
Godmod other events: No, but TG me if you have something in mind. I am open to any RP collaborations.

* Lárentíus Arnbjörnsson was a priest who wrote the first known book on chess in the Græntfjaller language. A number of common chess terms are expressed differently by Græntfjallers (who have never heard of somewhere called Spain or some guy called Ruy López).

by **Sannyamathland** » Tue Mar 01, 2022 5:16 am

Board 1:

Name: Grandmaster Talgat Smaiylov

Age: 21

Nationality: Soviet

official rating 2786

Favourite Piece: Bishop

Favourite Opening: Queen's Gambit(as white), Nimzo-Indian Defense(as black)

Career: Talgat Smaiylov was born into a well-off family in Kazakhstan SSR. His father is a high level government official, while his mother is a school teacher. Talgat was introduced to chess at the age of 3, and his interest only grew. He was recognised as a chess prodigy and rapidly improved, winning both local and national tournaments. Finally, at the tender age of 12, he became a Grandmaster, one of the youngest Grandmasters in Sannyamathland's history. The first major tournament that he won was the Moscow City Open, in the year 2018. Subsequently, he began participating and even winning several international tournaments. He won the TATA Steel Chess Tournament in 2020, and came third in the World Blitz in 2021. In the same year, he won the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz as a part of the Grand Chess Tour. His rating and ranking improved rapidly. It reached an all time high with him finally winning the Soviet Chess Championship in 2021, defeating the incumbent champion Alexander Zerev. He became the highest ranked player in Sannyamathland in 2022.

Board 2:

Name: Grandmaster Alexander Zerev

age:28

nationality: Soviet

official rating 2770

Favourite Piece: Queen

Favourite Opening: Ruy Lopez(as white), Petroff Defense(as black)

Career: Zerev learned to play chess at 4 years old. He rapidly developed to be a chess prodigy. He made national headlines after he
defeated Grandmaster Petrov who was then the fifth highest ranked chess player in Sannyamathland, at the age of 12 years. He was subsequently made a Soviet Grandmaster at the age of 13 years, the fourth youngest Soviet Grandmaster in history. His fine form continued until the annual Bomsuk Chess Festival 2016. He won all but 2 games and won the competition by the highest margins in 45 years. He subsequently represented the country in three Chess Olympiads and even came second in the World Blitz 2019. He won the Soviet Chess Championship in 2020, which is considered by many to be one of the toughest chess tournaments in the world. He also participated in Gravida Chess Championship in 2021, but was eliminated from group stage. He also came second in the Soviet Chess Championship in 2021, losing out to the current highest ranked Soviet player, Talgat Smaiylov. Zerev was also a part of the Candidates Tournament 2021 by the virtue of winning the World Grand Prix 2020, but was knocked out from group stage.

Board 3:

Name: Grandmaster Alexei Karjakin

age: 30

nationality: Soviet

official rating 2756

Favourite Piece: Queen

Favourite Opening: Ruy Lopez(as white), Morphy Defense(as black)

Career:Alexei Karjakin was born in Ukraine SSR to a middle-class family. He became seriously involved in chess from the age of 12, a comparatively late age for professional chess players. But his talent ensured his steady growth. Just three years later he had obtained his first GM norm, and became a Grandmaster by the age of 16. Subsequently, he began participating and winning a number of international and national chess tournaments. He won the Moscow Open 4 times in a row from 2010 to 2014, and also won the Soviet Chess Championship twice, once in 2014 and again in 2016. Karjakin participated and won the TATA Steel Chess Tournament in 2016, and also won the Gibratar Chess Tournament in 2018. In 2020, he reached the fourth round of the Fide Grand Pix, finally losing out to Daniel Cuomo of Magnecia. He came second in Soviet Chess Championship in 2020 and also participated in several World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship, although he was not able to break into the Top three anytime.

Board 4:

Name: Grandmaster Anna Gerashimova

age: 26

nationality: Soviet

official rating 2542

Favourite Piece: Knight

Favourite Opening: Sicilian Defense(as white), Morphy Defense(as black)

Career: Anna Gerashimova was born in Russia to a family of military officers. She was introduced to chess at the age of 6 by his father, who was a amateur chess player. Gerashimova was reportedly extremely passionate about chess and rapidly improved. She became a Grandmaster by the age of 18 and began winning several national and international tournaments. She won the Hastings Open in 2018 and also won the FIDE Women's Rapid in 2019. She participated and also won the TATA Steel's Women Open in 2021. The same year, she also participated in Women's Chess Championship and advanced onto the quarter finals before being knocked out. She won the Soviet Women's Chess Championship in 2022, and also won the same tournament in 2021 and 2020. She became the only female player to win Soviet Women's Chess Championship three years in a row. Anna Gerashimova is one of the strongest female Soviet Chess players of all time.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes
Godmod game events: No
Godmod other events: No

by **Tjorl** » Tue Mar 01, 2022 11:05 am

NS-verse Tjorl Lore

Demonym: Tjorlin (noun), Tjorlish (adjective & plural)

Tjorlish National Chess Team

Board 1 - GM Filip Böhme (2722)
Age: 42
Residence: Afoln, Nordplatz
Considered to be Tjorl's best chess player of all time, Böhme is no stranger to prestigious international tournaments. He was Tjorl's representative in a now-defunct international chess championship, which was founded by Tjorl. Böhme's idol while growing up was Tjorlish legend Karl-Heinz Tahtinen, and now he himself serves as an inspiration to a new generation of Tjorlish chess progidies.

Board 2 - GM Marianne Aronsdottir (2634)
Age: 35
Residence: Gatnerby, Kohlermark
Tjorl's first female grandmaster, Aronsdottir has proven a few times that while Filip Böhme is a chess genius, he is not invincible. She has won the Tjorlish National Chess Tournament (TNCT) three times, an impressive feat in Tjorlish sporting history. She is well-loved by chess aficionados all around the nation, as she always seems to be the nicest person alive, no matter what she's doing or where she is.

Board 3 - IM Dan Schultze (2495)
Age: 28
Residence: Feldstadt, K.C.D.
Dan Schultze grew to fame after posting video gaming content on his NSTube channel. However, his chess gameplay drew the attention of many people, because of his unbelievable talent. He continues to aim for that Grandmaster title, and it doesn't seem too far before he finally achieves it. When he's not destroying opponents in chess, he will either be recording videos or doing livestreams on the Internet under the tag '@derchessman'.

Board 4 - IM Amalie Berglund (2417)
Age: 22
Residence: Neu Örebro, Auneland
Currently regarded as Tjorl's biggest chess prodigy since Böhme himself, Berglund has shown immense potential on her path to being Grandmaster. She has a quiet personality: answering the press with very brief answers, barely posting anything on her social media accounts, and simply doesn't seem to like being asked by the media. However, the Tjorlish people have noticed her talent, and she is ready to perform.

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Elephant Chess Cup 3 - Everything Thread

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