Elephant Chess Cup 1 - Everything Thread

by **South Newlandia** » Sat Jun 12, 2021 9:57 am

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

Signup Thread

Format:
The Elephant Chess Cup is a new chess event. Teams will be playing in teams of four, 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 final on Sunday (13:00, 16:00).

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. After that, the top two teams in the standings will play in the final, with the team playing first having draw odds. There will also be placement games for 3rd, 5th, and 7th, with draw odds for the higher placing teams.

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 17:30 and 19:00 UTC every matchday.

June 18th: MD1 and 2
June 20th: MD3 and 4
June 22nd: MD5 and 6
June 24th: MD7 and 8
June 26th: MD9
June 28th: Final and placement games

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:
(the team listed first has white on boards two and four)

Felinetopia – Arjunnagar
South Newlandia – Newolo
Quemorr Isles – Sannyamathland
Mertagne – Raspotochje
Bollonich/Græntfjall - Quebec and Shingoryeo
New Jacobland - Natanians and Nosts
Hebitaka – Eshialand
Norrhem - Shell Shock Troop Clan
The Grearish Union – Sylestone
Atheara - Dotivija/Srednjaci

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

by **South Newlandia** » Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:00 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. Considering it’s the weekend, you might be able to get tickets to a soccer game of Jecken Newport, who have replaced Newport United as the strongest soccer team in the city, or 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 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.

If any of you need/want additional info about anything, please feel free to ask me, I’m always happy to help! :)

by **Shell Shock Troop Clan** » Sun Jun 13, 2021 5:57 am

First board: Omar Torres. Hometown: Lago del Espíritu. This is in the northern half of the area that used to be the "western occupied territories" that weren't Aguazul proper; since unification/democracy, they've officially been treated on equal grounds, although many westerners can kind of have a chip on their shoulder about "maybe people don't think we're real citizens, well screw them." It's possible Torres is one of them, it's also possible he will play it cool and hope to land a contract in somewhere that chess is a bigger deal. Likes fork tactics.

Second board: Ginés Atocha. Hometown: Trecelunas. Enjoys streaming games and talking trash about his opponents; reflective of the "new generation" (perhaps both of chess and Shell Shock Troop Clan more generally) who does things "for the memes." Will try any unconventional approach at least once, until someone makes a colorful diagram showing him why he's stupid.

Third board: Alexis Merino. Hometown: Ciudagua (part of the sprawling "Supercentro" in the south-central area that can arguably be considered a super-mega-city with ingrown suburbs). Resolutely and publically Roman Catholic. During the dictatorship this would not have been worthy of comment because it was the official state religion, although how effectively the dictatorship could enforce that or anything else is iffy. However, with liberalization and the rise of Pentecostalism and atheism etc., devotion to the saints is now somewhat more notable. Clearly fed up with Atocha's streaming antics, and the subject of much mockery from Atocha. It's unclear if Merino is stoically turning the other cheek or just too clueless to notice he's the butt of the joke. Disappointingly, doesn't go for the Ruy Lopez or open bishop-friendly tactics as much as you'd think.

Fourth board: Chavela Sabina. Hometown: Condadore (also part of the Supercentro, though less central than Ciudagua). Shell Shock Troop Clan's top-ranked female player might be their best player outright...in classical time controls. As it is, in rapid settings she tends to freeze and panic, usually winds up playing for a draw. A conservative player who seeks to methodically bring her rooks into play.

Alternate: Josefina Bayamón. Hometown: Grisolon. Really should just be here to organize logistic stuff and take notation, etc. However, she tends to have a fatalistic "anything that can go wrong will" attitude to organized sports, and has ensured that she is registered to compete in case any of the starters are unavailable.

If you RP first, feel free to do pretty much anything, but if it would have long-term consequences for my players/country, ask me first. Chess-related humor and absurdity is very much encouraged, if you are so inclined.

by **Felinetopia** » Sun Jun 13, 2021 11:06 am

Feline Chess Team

Country Name: The Union of Felinetopia
Country Short Name: Felinetopia
Country Trigram: FET

The Union of Felinetopia is an economic and sporting union of three feline nations: the Small Cat Alliance, the Lynx Union, and the Cheetah Republic. All sapient felines are welcome in Felinetopia and are free to move to any nation within the Union. Felinetopia traces it history back to the original Felinetopia that exist decades ago in the same land. While there some things that Felinetopian leaders do not want to emulate such as the oppressive communist regime, they do want to bring back the peace and prosperity of the old days when Felines support each other rather than fight each other. One step bring back Feline unity is to return Felines to the multiversal sporting competition which Felinetopian officials hope brings unity amongst felines both in the union and out. The Elephant Chess Cup in South Newlandia gave Felinetopia that opportunity to build feline unity. Felinetopian officials wishes luck to all competitors and will be cheering on the Feline Chess Team from Purrlin.

The Team

First Board
Name: Begonia Arden
Nation: Small Cat Alliance
Specie: House Cat
Sex: Female
Age: 5
Favorite Opening: Vienna Game (White), Sicilian Defense (Black)
Begonia is one of the brightest feline chess players. Achieving Feline Grandmaster before turning 1, Begonia has earned various feline chess trophies and is the current feline chess champion. She currently coaches chess at the Purrlin Chess Academy, one of the most prestigious chess schools in the union.

Second Board
Name: Klaus Santicus
Nation: Lynx Union
Specie: Eurasian Lynx
Sex: Male
Age: 2
Favorite Opening: King's Gambit (White), Bogo-Indian defense (Black)
A young up and coming chess player in Felinetopia. He has won the most recent Feline Speed Chess Championship and has placed highly in the Lynx Chess Open. He is an aggressive player that has caught many Felines off-guard but more experienced players have turned that aggressiveness against him.

Third Board
Name: Lazzlo Moosler
Nation: Lynx Union
Specie: Bobcat
Sex: Male
Age: 7
Favorite Opening: Italian Game (White), Alekhine's Defense (Black)
Lazzlo is a veteran in chess and is a major figure in the Feline chess world. Achieving Feline Grandmaster at 2, Lazzlo has dominated the chess scene in the Lynx Union and is a sought after teacher. He is a regular title contender in Feline Chess Open. He is now looking forward to competing on the multiverse stage.

Fourth Board
Name: Mowju Seamster
Nation: Cheetah Republic
Specie: Cheetah
Sex: Female
Age: 1
Favorite Opening: Queen's Gambit (White), Benko Gambit (Black)
Mowju is a brilliant chess prodigy taught by Lazzlo. She excels at controlling the center of the board, limiting her opponents ability to attack. Her mother is incredibly supportive of her dream to be the Feline and possibly Multiverse chess champion.

Subsitutes

Name: Mello Dottie
Nation: Cheetah Republic
Specie: Cheetah
Sex: Female
Age: 8
Favorite Opening: English Opening (White), Benoni Defense: Modern (Black)
Mello is a middle-aged grandmaster with some wins to her name such as the Hormewz Speed Chess Championship. She is the head software engineer of the Black Pawn chess engine at Spieler which has given her unique insights into the game. Some have accused her of cheating by using the Black Pawn chess engine but all investigations have turned up have found those allegations to be unfounded.

Name: Zane Plaire
Nation: Small Cat Alliance
Specie: House Cat
Sex: Male
Age: 4
Favorite Opening: Ruy Lopez opening (White), Pirc Defense (Black)
Zane is an ordinary chess grandmaster from Pawston. He has won the Pawso Open but has finished no higher than 6th in the Small Cat Chess Championship leading many to question his inclusion in the team. Many cats speculated that his inclusion has more to do with politics than merit as he is the Ambassador of First Contact for Felinetopia.

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 **Mertagne** » Mon Jun 14, 2021 2:11 am

The Chess Association of Mertagne Presents...

The Mertagnian National Chess Team
For the Elephant Chess Cup I

The Players

Board One
Name: Mr. Aldreus Tikdannin
Hometown: Dannin, Dannmarsh, Mertagne
Age: 31
Bio: Aldreus Tikdannin is the current Chess Champion of Mertagne, having won the hastily-arranged national tournament just one month before the start of the Elephant Chess Cup. Aldreus, who is a civil engineer in addition to being a chess player, is known for playing a defensive style of chess that one sly reporter in the local news described as "a building process cautiously keeping within the regulations of local planning permission, until you enter and find that that the welcome mat has been replaced with a snake pit". Sometimes overeager to bait the opponent into a trap, Tikdannin is however a highly effective chessplayer and the best that Mertagne currently has to offer.

Board Two
Name: Ms. Saerah Garstern
Hometown: Audsley, Horsehead Island, Dannmarsh, Mertagne
Age: 20
Bio: Lucky enough to be able to dedicate time to chess, Saerah Garstern hails from the affluent city of Audsley. The grand-daughter of natural gas baron Hjemley Garstern, Saerah has a sharp mind that she's been able to apply to the chess game from the age of seven. Favouring a highly attacking strategy, developed from having a cadre of buttling staff she wanted to beat as fast as possible as a child, Saerah is looking to eviscerate her opponents with the same ferocity here in Newport, South Newlandia.

Board Three:
Name: Dr. Janns Yeoman
Hometown: Blackave, Yethal, Mertagne
Age: 55
Bio: Dr. Janns Yeoman is the Head of the Institute for Computer Science at Mendibeltza University, one of Mertagne's best educational institutions. The most senior member of the team by far, Janns's role in the fledgling team is akin to that of a guardian, looking out for the more energetic and sporadic younger members of the team. Considered a bit of a dinosaur by his peers, his use of rather old chess techniques tends to trip up the younger generation of Mertagnian players who, frankly, would never have planned for them. This has led him to pick up a few surprising chess wins in the past, but whether the international game is as focused on the contemporary remains to be seen...

Board Four:
Name: Ms. Carys Burgess
Hometown: New Fligsive, Plitterland, Mertagne
Age: 29
Bio: Carys Burgess has climbed both the ranks of the CAM and the social ladder through her exceptional chess playing. Born in one of the poorest areas of New Fligsive, Carys began beating older men playing Chess in New Fligsive's Browne Park at the age of 10 after school, making a handsome sum of ducats to support her family in doing so. Scouted out and offered a scholarship to University College New Fligsive, she graduated at the top of her class in Microbiology, and now works as a lab technician in a microbial desalination plant. The chess streak in her never ended, however, and she arrives in Newport to round the team off on Board Four.

The Aides

Substitute One
Name: Mr. Robert Eiger
Hometown: Basterra, Freskovia, Mertagne
Age: 21
Bio: Robert "The Boy" Eiger is a high ranking chess player for the CAM, but famously crashed out of the previous national tournament after a shock upset. He was offered a place as a substitute, and while outwardly he's hoping to never be selected, inside he's hungry for the chance to prove his chess skills on the international stage.

Substitute Two
Name: Mr. Arnado Kreene
Hometown: Neorudo, Touchpoint, Mertagne
Age: 35
Bio: Arnado is a bit of an unknown in the chess world in Mertagne, having played in several tournaments that many of the key names in Mertagnian chess didn't participate in. This unorthodox chess upbringing is in stark contrast to his style of play, which is incredibly by the book and very rarely deviates from established plays. Here in more of a clerical and administrative capacity, he's prepared to step in to play if the unlikely happens, but will most likely be spending most of his time sampling the culture of other nations both on and off the board.

The 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: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes, but if you're planning something big, send me a TG first - maybe we could collaborate?

by **Eshialand** » Mon Jun 14, 2021 8:40 am

The Eshian National Chess Team

Board 1: Jason SEVERN
Age: 22
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: 31
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: 33
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: 27
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 **Atheara** » Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:02 pm

The National Athearan Chess Team

Atheara is not too well known for chess in the Multiverse, however it is well known that Atheara has an actual history in the game. The Astena Chess Championships have been the National peak of chess tournaments in Atheara. Now the committe have gathered four players for Atheara to compete in the Elephant Chess Cup, and see if these players can bring Atheara glory on the chessboard.

Player 1: Carlos Devyn
Having participated in the Garvida Chess Championships last time and finishing third in his group didn't felt like an accomplishment. Which is why Devyn is back with his slightly agressive and quick playstyle. Which is sure to be able to shock the chess board, due to the fact that he focuses on a mix of force and combination of pieces.

Age: 35
Favourite Openings:
Birds Opening, Kings Gambit (White)
French Defense, Closed Sicilian; Traditional Main Line (Black)

Player 2: Dushev Akarpovick
After losing to Devyn several times, he decided to join with him on a journey for chess glory. Both are rivals to the bitter end, but are willing to work together if it's for the sake of National Pride. His defensive playstyle is surely going to mix up the psyche of other players because it revolves with the way his openings work.

Age: 32
Favourite Openings:
English Opening, Kings Pawn; Ponziani (White)
Caro Kann; Exchange, Open Sicilian; Najdorf (Black)

Player 3: Aelena Svetrachka
One of Athearas most young and currently prestigious talents, Aelena has a very mixed way of dealing with chess. She tends to start with a solid position that can, at her timing, completely start a new attack that seems to appear from thin air. And she usually plays gambits very, very often and resolidify her position and play the waiting game.

Age: 24
Favourite Openings:
Queens Gambit, Sicilian; Grand Prix Attack (White)
Englund Gambit, Kings Gambit; Falkbeer Countergambit (Black)

Player 4: Selena Mlyawtaski
Everyone knows that Selena has always been the rigorous one when it comes down to chess, so when she heard about the Tournament, she wanted to be picked. She was, and now she will prove that she deserves the place by playing chess in an interesting way, and that is to play by restricting movement and having a neutral playstyle.

Age: 23
Favourite Openings:
Kings Pawn; Danish Gambit, Dresden Opening (White)
Dutch Defense, Nimzo-Indian Defense (Black)

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 TG me or DM me first.
Godmod other events: Yes, but TG me or DM me first.

by **Dotivija** » Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:36 am

DOTIVIAN/SREDNJACIAN UNION OF CHESS FEDERATIONS

Considering that the Dotivian Chess Federation and the Srednjaci Chess Federation will play under Dotivan / Srednjacian united chess federations, we had the honor to present the chess players who will represent us.

DOTIVIAN CHESS PLAYERS

DINARA IVEZIĆ : Dinara is 29 years old, she was born in the town of Vukojevac. Ever since she was a little girl, she started doing gymnastics. After one exercise on the beam, she fell and broke her ankle. In the moments when she could not move due to injury, she played chess with her cousin. She liked chess very much and as soon as she had the opportunity, she went to the chess club "Vukovi" where she stayed. Dinara first competed under the age of 12 and lost in qualifying. As early as the following month she performed at the “Crystal Tournament” for under-15s where she passed the qualifiers and made her way to the quarterfinals. She was 11 then. Soon that year, at the final Masters tournament of all ages, she won the Masters for under-12s and played the semifinals for under-15s. Her career has grown since then. In the senior competition, there are eight titles won in the strongest tournaments, but there are no Masters. Her best ranking is third place at the national level, seventh place at the regional level and 22nd place in the world.
On Garvida Chess championship, Dinara finish in group stage, five matches with one win.

Garbelia
Hudson Moore (Sylestone)1 - 0 Dinara Ivezić
Werner Huber (South Newlandia) 1 - 0 Dinara Ivezić
Dinara Ivezić 1 - 0 Ivan Yelsov (Sannyamathland)
Dinara Ivezić 0 - 1 Marius (Geektopia)
Jelena Tabak 1 - 0 Dinara Ivezić

[b]TIN MUŽINIĆ : Tin is a young player who is 23 years old. Make up for your lack of experience with intelligence. He is currently leading the standings in the domestic championship. In the last four tournaments in the country, Tin won all four. it is about a chess player who is on an upward trajectory. He has also won one international tournament in his young career. has won 9 national tournaments of which 6 this season. He also competed in the Garvida Chess Championships but finished last, 24th.
But he showed that he is an exceptional talent, because in that tournament he managed to play a draw with the Grandmaster from Raspotochje, Ivan Habijanić.

Garbelia

Tin Mužinić 0 - 1 Hari Roy (Hebitaka)
Daniel Paradžik (Srednjaci) 1 - 0 Tin Mužinić
Tin Mužinić ½ - ½ Henry Reque (Islands Of Ventro)
Tin Mužinić ½ - ½ Ivan Habijanić (Raspotochje)
Elissa Tanas (Fahran) 1 - 0 Tin Mužinić

[/b]

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.

Garbelia
Ivan Habijanić ( Raspotochje) 1 - 0 Daniel Paradžik
Daniel Paradžik 1 - 0 Tin Mužinić ( Dotivija)
Daniel Paradžik 1 - 0 Hari Roy(Hebitaka)
Daniel Paradžik 1 - 0 Elissa Tanas (Fahran)
Henry Reque (Islands Of Ventro) 1 - 0 Daniel Paradžik

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.

Garbelia
Marius (Geektopia) 0 - 1 Jelena Tabak
Hudson Moore 1 - 0 Jelena Tabak
Werner Huber 1 - 0 Jelena Tabak
Ivan Yelsov 1 - 0 Jelena Tabak
Jelena Tabak 1 - 0 Dinara Ivezić

GARBELIA CHAMPIONSHIP RANKINGS

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 **Raspotochje** » Tue Jun 15, 2021 6:28 am

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. Raspotochje is a young country, eager for promotion in the world and chess is a great promotion. Grandmasters around the world will gather and try to win the title of best chess nation. Follow all matches through our website and cheer for ours players. We believe in the good results of our chess reprezentatives".

IVAN HABIJANIĆ: 32 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

EDITA VUKOREPAC: 26 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. Last season, Ivan Habijanić was better by only 1.5 points and became the champion.
On Garbelia Championship Edita finished in group stage, but overall she finished on 7th place.

TOMISLAV GRNELIĆ : this young talented chess player is only 20 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.

DARJAN KNINSKY : Darjan is the oldest in our national team, he is 34 years old and he received an invitation for national qualifications because of his successes this year. Darjan never had any notable results before. In some weaker tournaments he would reach the semifinals. On the strongest he came to the second or third round. His best ranking in the national chess league is 17th.
This season Darjan is playing the best chess of his life. In the final of the "Blue Queen" tournament in Kotiga, played a month ago, Darjan defeated Edita Vukorepac in the semifinals and lost to Ivan Habijanić in the final. This tournament won him a staggering 1,380,000. He deserved an invitation to the qualifying tournament which he won. There were 8 chess players who were ranked from fourth to 12th place in the national chess rankings.

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 **Eshialand** » Wed Jun 16, 2021 3:20 pm

It Isn't all Black and White...

"Uh... what?"
"It's simple, King William. I'd like to fund my chess team's travel to Newport, South Newlandia."
"A chess team?"
"But of course! Look, you supported the Eshian soccer team to get people to exercise their bodies... now, I want to exercise their brains."

Lazlo Herrefur was a very serious-looking man, who looked like he didn't know how ridiculous his idea sounded to the 18-year-old monarch.

"Look, even if I did like this idea... flights to Esportiva don't exactly come cheap, you know."
"You don't have to pay, you're the king! Look, just think of it as a weekend excursion, nothing more."
"Uhhh..."
"If you'd like, here's the list of nations who will be participating."

The king took the piece of paper that Mr. Herrefur handed him, and started to smile.

"You know what? I'd love to fund an Eshian chess team."

One week later...

"Hey, King William! Did you hear who Eshialand's first opponent in the Elephant Chess Cup is going to be?" It was Michael, your over-excitable assistant, barging into your office.
"No, no I didn't."
"It's Hebitaka!"

This name instantly brought back memories of the king's beloved soccer team, who had faced a team from Hebitaka in World Cup Qualifying twice, both ending in 2-1 wins for the away team. Their mixed record left a score to settle between the two teams, at least in his eyes, and that score would get to be settled over the chessboard.

by **Atheara** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 1:19 am

The Road That Has No End

Type: POV, Dialogue
Time: ???? Hours before the ECC begins.

POV: Aeden Lainhessel

I sighed as i sit down at my office, and see the current situation we are in. Atheara had signed up for the Elephant Chess Cup in Newport, South Newlandia. But it was a bit of a pain to actually get the players to able to cooperate. They were bickering about whether the Caro Kann or Sicilian is better, like i care about it. Aelena and Selena were talking about girl stuff before they headed off to Newport. Not only that, i have to also deal with the criticism of the Football Team after being last in their Group in the Cup of Harmony, and somehow had let in seven goals against Xanneria.

The people had too high of expectations and too much faith. But they wouldn't listen to us, nor the association managing the team. There is only one person left that i could ask to state that "The team tried their best" or something like that.

The President herself.

Most would not know how Atheara works, thinking it is a quasi-Dictatorship, which is technically true, but there is also a reason why. In the Universe Atheara is in, Democracies had been failing. Why have someone voted in just to make things worse, when someone who is responsible can take the mantle alone?

Sure, there are a few setbacks, but Atheara has survived through hell and back. Plus, every person who has a seat is able to give advise when needed. Because the President must know that no man or woman can rule alone. Plus, ministries also seek advise or help from the President him/herself when needed.

I picked up the phone, pressing the numbers, and started the call. It was immediately picked up, meaning that she was having her free time.

"Aeden, how many times must i say to not call me when i am having my freetime?" A rather deep yet feminine voice asked.

"Sorry maam, but this has relations to the Football team you requested yourself." I told.

She sighed before asking "What about the team?" she asked in a bit of dissapointment. I knew she watched the team play and absolutely got murdered in that Xanneria game, so she was a bit dissapointed.

"Apparently the criticism of the team is going overflow, and i need you to calm the populace down by making a statement. The association tried but failed. And in other news, the Chess team has taken off to Newport, in participating for the ECC" i stated.

"Fine then, i will personally state about the situation. Also, which countries are participating that we had met before?" she asked, with no hint of emotion.

"Apparently our rivals, Eshialand, are also participating. The Grearish Union is also participating and will face Sylestone, which i recall have no history in chess. Sannyamathland is also participating. And our first opponents will be the joint team from Dotivija and Srednjaci" i told.

"Tell the players to start studying on the flight. I want them to be prepared without having to be stressed by the fact that they have no International experience" she stated coldly.

"Yes maam."

She ended the call. I then messaged each of them and told them to study. Atheara needed to divert the populace from the struggling football team, and maybe chess was the right sport to do it.

by **Srednjaci** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:25 am

CHESS IS BACK !

LIDIJA STRAHIJA : Dear viewers, welcome to the show dedicated to chess. Chess is back on the big doors and small screens and we can proudly say that we will broadcast the matches from the competition. This is the first edition of the Elephant Chess Cup and the Srednjaci Chess Federation will perform united with the Dotivia Chess Federation. We will ask our best chess player why this is so and what results we expect. Daniel Paradžik is with us in the studio. Daniel is welcome.

DANIEL: Thank you. good evening to you and your viewers.

REPORTER: Daniel, it's been a long time since the last international chess tournament in Garbelia. What do you expect from this tournament?

DANIJEL: These are two completely different competitions. Garvida was primarily for individual competition, teams are fighting here.

REPORTER: Yes, teams against teams.

DANIEL: That's right

REPORTER: Were the Middle Ages able to enter this competition on their own?

DANIEL: This is primarily about the fact that we do not have an Iraqi with international accreditation, as an international chess master or grandmaster. There are only two of us in the country. Dotivia has a similar position.

REPORTER: where did that cooperation actually come from?

DANIEL: That's right. Other countries with a strong chess tradition have a lot more players with international titles and we don't.

REPORTER: Atheara is our first opponent ...

DANIEL: Atheara is an awkward and solid opponent, I believe that the match will be like that. It is very important to stay focused in every move.

REPORTER: We can't help but go back to the Garvida / Garbelia competition. Very little was missing for the semifinals then ...

DANIEL: Yes, it was a little lacking. The group was very heavy. I did my best but it just didn’t go. However, I do not regret a moment.

REPORTER: Being in the top 10 is no small thing

DANIJEL: There are small differences between, say, the fourth and the tenth. But that is secondary at this point. I repeat, this is a new competition.

REPORTER: Thank you for this interview and interview. We wish you good luck.

DANIJEL: thank you vm.

by **Graintfjall** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:53 am

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 27 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.

* 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 **Bollonich** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:51 am

The Bollonischian and Græntfjaller 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 Elephant Chess Cup in South Newlandia presents itself as an opportunity to display Bollonich’s chess prowess on an international stage. The ECC would also be seen by the Bollonischian Government a good opportunity to mend relations with Rushmori neighbours Græntfjall too. Relations between two nations that had become extremely fragile during the communist regime in Græntfjall. The GCF also found this a great opportunity to eventually have players work together as a team in the ECC which could be the beginning of great Bollonischian-Græntfjaller collaboration. Chess or Tafl as it known is Græntfjall is also popular and there is strong history of the sport in Græntfjall. The BAC-GCF joint team goes into the Elephant Chess Cup with a strong team of 4 players who would hopefully impress in the upcoming tournament.

Players
Clara Josep (BOL) - 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 29 year old Clara Josep is overall ranked 1st in Rapid in Bollonich. She is also a highly ambitious and successful standard player with great success in longer time limits to domestically. The Elephant Chess Cup will be a great opportunity for her to gain international experience and exposure. She also has a great record in the online platforms as she is ranked in the top 5 on playchess.org and 1st on Chess Bollonich. In her youth she trained at the Ferguson Chess Academy at Akusha.
Favourite Opening - Van't Kruijs Opening (White), Caro Kann (Black)

Felip Oliver (BOL) - Felip is a young 17 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 inches 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 8th in Bollonich in Rapid however his ranking on other platforms are way better as should be expected with him being 1st on playchess.org and 2nd on Chess Bollonich after losing to Clara in a best of 3 match up.
Now they shall team up, two players who know each others game and have faced each other multiple times shall be fighting for glory side by side.
Favourite Opening - Ruy Lopez (White), Sicilian Defence (Black)

Ánýá Klæðskera-gleði (GRÆ) - 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 27 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.
* 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).

Reynir Ýrarsson (GRÆ) - 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.

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 **Eshialand** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 11:07 am

The Opening

Date: Friday, December 3rd, 2021
Time: 9:30 AM

The members of the Eshian chess team are eating breakfast at a local diner, mentally preparing themselves for their next match, when all of a sudden, Lazlo Herrefur walls in.

Lazlo Herrefur: "So, how are you all feeling about your first match?"
Jason Severn: "Really nervous, and you standing here isn't really helping with that..."
Lazlo: "My apologies for taking an interest in my team. And how about the rest of you?"
Mary Nerata: "To be completely honest, we don't even know who we're up against. Sure, we know they're from Hebitaka, but that's about it... that really worries me."
Alan Blaine: "Don't mind her, the unknown seems to spook her a lot... I myself am feeling pretty good! Sure, I'm not exactly what you'd call a morning person, but as long as I give it my all, I know I'll do well."
Lazlo: "And you, Stephanie?"

Stephanie is dead silent, focusing on a practice game she's playing on her phone.

Lazlo: "Well that just about answers my question. Well, I must be off, I have some organizational work to get done."
Alan: "Why don't you stay and have an omelette? They're really good here..."
Lazlo: "No, I really must get going. I really do have work to get done."

Mr. Herrefur walks away, intently staring at a clipboard.

Alan: "Well that guy's a real bundle of joy..."
Mary: "I mean, if he has work to do, he kinda has to do it, he can't just take a break and have an omelette..."
Jason: "I don't trust people who don't leave enough time in their life for the little things, you know?"

Stephanie looks up from her phone as if this comment was directed at her. "Oh yeah? This practice is helping me get into the groove of things!"
Jason: "I didn't mean... never mind..."

by **Bollonich** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 1:26 pm

Hello! Chess

Preview : Elephant Chess Cup
For the upcoming Elephant Chess Cup we have seen the Bollonischian Association of Chess and the Græntfjaller Chess Federation have sent a joint team with 2 representatives from each nation. We see our very own Clara Josep shall be representing Bollonich along with Felip Oliver who are joined by Ánýá Klæðskera-gleði and Reynir Ýrarsson from Græntfjall. The reason for this partnership seems to be purely diplomatic and to build better sporting relations between two sports loving nations. This tournament shall follow the Casaran system as what has been the usual for chess competitions. The joint Bollonischian and Græntfjaller team come up against the Quebecois team in the first game. This competition would require display of grit as players from reputed rivals Eshialand and Sylestone also compete along with teams from Mertagne, Atheara and Srednjaci.

1) Clara Josep (BOL)
2) Ánýá Klæðskera-gleði (GRÆ)
3) Reynir Ýrarsson (GRÆ)
4) Felip Oliver (BOL)

Solve It! Leaderboard
For the duration of the Elephant Chess Cup, we here at Hello! Chess have decided to create a weekly leaderboard of budding chess players from all over the multiverse. All that you need to do is solve the chess puzzle posted here hourly solve it, and mail your answers to hellochess@gigomail.com along with your name and address.

White to move

by **Norrhem** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 3:30 pm

The NSF (Norrhems Schackförbund - Norrhemian Chess Federation) is proud to send a delegation to the first Elephant Chess Cup in their first international foray into chessing.

The Players

Board One
Name: Malva Westermark
Hometown: Svartstrand
Age: 27
Bio: Malva Westermark is a young prodigy in Norrhemian chess and is known for her unusual style of play, which has taken several of her opponents by surprise, unfocusing them enough to take advantage. There is no way of knowing, if she'll be able to do the same on an international stage, but she surely is willing to try!
Favourite Openings: King's Fianchetto Opening (white), Nimzowitsch Defence (black)

Board Two
Name: Ture Strömberg
Hometown: Brattholt
Age: 74
Bio: Strömberg is an old, grey wolf, who has been playing chess for longer than most participants in the Cup have been alive. He is known for his very slow deliberations, usually running almost the full extent of his allotted time. Compared to Westermark he is considered a very conservative player.
Favourite Openings: Ruy Lopez (white), Najdorf Defense (black)

Board Three
Name: Melina Aubynn
Hometown: Arlsfara
Age: 41
Bio: Melissa is the current reigning chess champion of Norrhem and is known for being so taciturn that some people swear she can't speak. Instead she will fix her gaze upon her opponent as if trying to discern their thoughts, which has unnerved opposing players before.
Favourite Openings: Englund Gambit (white), The Scandinavian (black)

Board Four
Name: Hjalmar Rönnfors
Hometown: Lagarfors
Age: 37
Bio: Rönnfors is a bit of a mystery as he showed up at a tournament one day completely without credentials and just started to play. He plays some of the most aggressive chess Norrhemian chess pundits have ever seen, so it remains to be seen how this will work in international play. He also has caused a stir every now and then by trying to bring his "good luck charm" with him to the table, which is a two-handed broadsword.
Favourite Openings: Danish Gambit (white), Icelandic Gambit (black)

Ze purrmissions: As long as nobody gets killed or seriously injured, gopher it, just maybe let me know ahead of time.

by **Mertagne** » Fri Jun 18, 2021 4:58 am

From the "journal" of Arnado Kreene...

The plane ride from Neorudo to Newport was very long. This was compounded by the fact that Mertagnian airlines currently only travel to two nations in Esportiva - The Licentian Isles and Runtenbach. TLI was a smidge closer to South Newlandia, and as such the first leg of our journey took us from Neorudo to Abingdon. I took the time on the plane to get to know some of the other team members, as I had never met any of them before. They all found it quite strange that they'd never met me before, and when their questions became too much I deflected and said that I'd spent a lot of time playing chess on the internet.

The first member of the team I befriended was Eiger. Known affectionately as "The Boy", Robert hails from Basterra, and carries with him the fury and the gumption of his Audioslavian heritage. I should take a moment to mention that everyone here is very smart - chess players often are - but there seems to be something cold behind Eiger's eyes. He told me that he's unhappy he's simply a substitute for this tournament, as he crashed out of the national seeding tournament for this event in the second round. He talked my ear off with excuses about how it had happened, stopping short of claiming his opponent had cheated. His opponent, for what it's worth, crashed out in the next round after facing Janns Yeoman, and during the plane ride I noticed the two were rather chummy.

Yeoman, being the eldest of the bunch, is a bit past it in my opinion. Mind is there, still sharp as a needle, but he's definitely a bit past his peak. 20 years ago, when he was my age, he would have been far better than I am today, which is certainly saying something. He seems harmless enough, and managed to regale everyone with stories about what life was like before the Insulation (which all sounded a bit farfetched to me - he was about 5 when it happened, and it's not like the writing wasn't on the wall several years before). Only the young ones were really interested - I guess living in that strained time for a bit longer than everyone else was enough for me.

Back to young ones, and Saerah Garstern, granddaughter of Hjemley Garstern, is also present on the trip. I didn't get much of a chance to talk to her one-on-one, but it'll be interesting to see how much she knows about her grandfather's company. I would assume not much, as it seems she's led a sheltered life on Horsehead Island while her grandfather was out toiling in the Shrikethe Gas Fields to the east, but things pass down that I hope to pick up during the tournament.

Someone who I'm absolutely not interested in is Tikdannin. He's supposed to be the best of us, but my gosh, talking to him is like listening to an air conditioning unit. Comes with the territory, I suppose. He's a civil engineer by trade, and I can't think of a more boring job. I doubt he's got anything interesting to share, but I'll keep my ear to him in case he comes out with something surprising.

Burgess, the final member of the team, is definitely someone that would have been picked up by the organisation if she had wanted to be. I tried to take a look through the records to see if she'd been contacted, but everything was rather classified. Par for the course in my line of work. Anyway, she went from zero to hero through chess, and the subject can be a bit emotional for her sometimes. She's got some good empathy, though, and seemed concerned for Eiger after he'd said his excuses for being a substitute.

The stopover in Montfort, however, revealed some interesting developments. It seems The Licentian Isles suffered an equally devastating event during which access from the Isles was blocked for a period of 150 years. I know what you're thinking - it hasn't been 150 years since Mertagne last contacted them - but that's why it was weird. Some sort of time nonsense, which, if you've read the reports surrounding the events of the Foxchester Amendment, is something that's rather commonplace nowadays. The people of TLI didn't really want to talk about it, so I'll have to see what people know in South Newlandia.

Touching down in South Newlandia, we took a bus to the venue of the tournament - The Ivory Crown Hotel in Newport. Newport seems to be a fairly cosmopolitan city that shares a similar history to Mertagne, in that it's a melting pot of migrants from far-flung nations. On the way to the hotel, Garstern claimed she'd never been on a bus before, which made me roll my eyes. We arrived and were shown to our rooms on the fourth floor. Much to my annoyance, everyone received their own room, which will make my mission much harder to complete. I am nothing if not adaptable, however, and have decided to reduce the number of listening devices per room from 3 to 1. I'm very short on equipment currently, and I am scheduled to collect the rest at one of the docks in Newport in a dead drop the night before Matchday 1. It is my hope that it can be installed during Matchday 1 (I will have plenty of time - chess games are not fast, and I am not scheduled to play), with a full surveillance operation functional by the next day. I've successfully managed to shirk most of my responsibilities to the CAM off to Robert Eiger, who seem very keen to exert some responsibility over the national chess organisation, and this has allowed me to gain vital time to complete my mission.

I will keep you, my handler, updated with any developments via the usual encrypted channels.

by **South Newlandia** » Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:36 pm

Elephant Chess Cup – South Newlandian roster

Chess remains the 3rd-most popular sport in South Newlandia, behind football and baseball, although gridiron is catching up in recent years. Many children learn chess at a young age, and quite a few choose to pursue chess professionally. That number has dropped off a bit in the last years, so the South Newlandian Chess Association is now attempring to show the public that chess players can be stars, too. What better way to do that then with a big international tournament?
All South Newlandians usually feel more comfortable in open positions, which can be a weakness against skilled opponents. All of them are eager to play for their country, and will try their best to be competitive, but these expectations might be holding them back, too.

Board 1:
Lisa Morgen, 27 (Walstreim Lions)
Morgen is one of those players who are really, really fast. She’s not at the very top in Classical, but in the faster time controls, she really excels. She sometimes plays a bit too fast, but it works out well for her. Her favourite openings are the Caro-Kann with both sides, as well as the Slav with Black.

Board 2:
Cecilia Blossom, 20 (St. Riecarn Monks)
Blossom is one of the biggest talents for South Newlandian chess. Despite her young age, she is already close to the very top of the country. She is easily able to keep calm under pressure, and likes to create chaos on the board, especially when up on the clock. Her opening repertoire includes the Italian with both colours.

Board 3:
Robert Kane, 38 (Elephant Valley Chess)
Kane is one of the more experienced South Newlandian professionals, and has a solid opening knowledge regardless of the situation. When he was a bit younger, he used to win national titles frequently, and he is still a good player and great mentor. He likes to play the English with white and e6-b6 setups with the black pieces.

Board 4:
Maria Sally, 28 (Newport Rooks)
Sally, playing for the local Rooks, is playing on the last board for the team. She does get into time trouble a lot, but few players are as good at working under pressure as Sally is. She prefers the Italian with white, and frequently plays into the Albin Countergambit with black.

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my lineup: Yes
Decide board results: Yes
Decide moves made: Yes, but I’d also love to collaborate on this!
Godmod game events: Please do ask first
Godmod other events: Please do ask first

by **South Newlandia** » Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:43 pm

This is the first cutoff of the Elephant Chess Cup! I'm gonna be taking a while for this, here's some music for the wait :)

Match 1 – Friday, 11:00

Results:
(the team listed first has white on boards two and four)

Felinetopia 3½–½ Arjunnagar
South Newlandia 2–2 Newolo
Quemorr Isles 2–2 Sannyamathland
Mertagne 2–2 Raspotochje
Bollonich/Græntfjall 3–1 Quebec and Shingoryeo
New Jacobland 1½–2½ Natanians and Nosts
Hebitaka 1–3 Eshialand
Norrhem 3–1 Shell Shock Troop Clan
The Grearish Union 1½–2½ Sylestone
Atheara 2–2 Dotivija/Srednjaci

Table:

P                          Pld    W   D   L      PF     PA   PD   Pts 
 1 Felinetopia               1    1   0   0     3.5    0.5   +3     2
 2 Bollonich/Græntfjall      1    1   0   0       3      1   +2     2
   Eshialand                 1    1   0   0       3      1   +2     2
   Norrhem                   1    1   0   0       3      1   +2     2
 5 Natanians and Nosts       1    1   0   0     2.5    1.5   +1     2
   Sylestone                 1    1   0   0     2.5    1.5   +1     2
 7 Atheara                   1    0   1   0       2      2    0     1
   Dotivija/Srednjaci        1    0   1   0       2      2    0     1
   Mertagne                  1    0   1   0       2      2    0     1
   Newolo                    1    0   1   0       2      2    0     1
   Quemorr Isles             1    0   1   0       2      2    0     1
   Raspotochje               1    0   1   0       2      2    0     1
   Sannyamathland            1    0   1   0       2      2    0     1
   South Newlandia           1    0   1   0       2      2    0     1
15 New Jacobland             1    0   0   1     1.5    2.5   −1     0
   The Grearish Union        1    0   0   1     1.5    2.5   −1     0
17 Hebitaka                  1    0   0   1       1      3   −2     0
   Quebec and Shingoryeo     1    0   0   1       1      3   −2     0
   Shell Shock Troop Clan    1    0   0   1       1      3   −2     0
20 Arjunnagar                1    0   0   1     0.5    3.5   −3     0

Match 2 Pairings – Friday, 13:00

Felinetopia – Bollonich/Græntfjall
Eshialand – Norrhem
Natanians and Nosts – Sylestone
Atheara – Mertagne
Dotivija/Srednjaci – Newolo
Raspotochje – Quemorr Isles
Sannyamathland – South Newlandia
New Jacobland – The Grearish Union
Quebec and Shingoryeo – Hebitaka
Shell Shock Troop Clan – Arjunnagar

Match 2 - Friday, 13:00

Results:
(the team listed first has white on boards two and four)

Felinetopia 1½–2½ Bollonich/Græntfjall
Eshialand 3–1 Norrhem
Natanians and Nosts 2–2 Sylestone
Atheara 1–3 Mertagne
Dotivija/Srednjaci 2½–1½ Newolo
Raspotochje 2½–1½ Quemorr Isles
Sannyamathland ½–3½ South Newlandia
New Jacobland 1½–2½ The Grearish Union
Quebec and Shingoryeo 3–1 Hebitaka
Shell Shock Troop Clan 3–1 Arjunnagar

Table:

P                          Pld    W   D   L      PF     PA   PD   Pts 
 1 Eshialand                 2    2   0   0       6      2   +4     4
 2 Bollonich/Græntfjall      2    2   0   0     5.5    2.5   +3     4
 3 South Newlandia           2    1   1   0     5.5    2.5   +3     3
 4 Mertagne                  2    1   1   0       5      3   +2     3
 5 Dotivija/Srednjaci        2    1   1   0     4.5    3.5   +1     3
   Natanians and Nosts       2    1   1   0     4.5    3.5   +1     3
   Raspotochje               2    1   1   0     4.5    3.5   +1     3
   Sylestone                 2    1   1   0     4.5    3.5   +1     3
 9 Felinetopia               2    1   0   1       5      3   +2     2
10 Norrhem                   2    1   0   1       4      4    0     2
   Quebec and Shingoryeo     2    1   0   1       4      4    0     2
   Shell Shock Troop Clan    2    1   0   1       4      4    0     2
   The Grearish Union        2    1   0   1       4      4    0     2
14 Newolo                    2    0   1   1     3.5    4.5   −1     1
   Quemorr Isles             2    0   1   1     3.5    4.5   −1     1
16 Atheara                   2    0   1   1       3      5   −2     1
17 Sannyamathland            2    0   1   1     2.5    5.5   −3     1
18 New Jacobland             2    0   0   2       3      5   −2     0
19 Hebitaka                  2    0   0   2       2      6   −4     0
20 Arjunnagar                2    0   0   2     1.5    6.5   −5     0

Match 3 Pairings – Friday, 16:00

Eshialand - Bollonich/Græntfjall
South Newlandia - Mertagne
Dotivija/Srednjaci - Natanians and Nosts
Sylestone - Raspotochje
Norrhem - Felinetopia
Quebec and Shingoryeo - Shell Shock Troop Clan
Newolo - The Grearish Union
Quemorr Isles - Atheara
Sannyamathland - New Jacobland
Arjunnagar - Hebitaka

by **Eshialand** » Fri Jun 18, 2021 2:43 pm

A Royal Start
Hebitaka 1-3 Eshialand
Eshialand 3-1 Norrhem

Date: Friday, December 3rd, 2021
Time: 2:30 PM

Once again, the Eshian chess team finds themselves gathered in the same diner as before, this time to order lunch.

Jason: "So, those were some crazy games, huh?"
Stephanie: "Maybe yours were, but my practice paid off well for me. Unlike you, I managed to get two wins."
Jason: "Look, Malva Westermark is better than ya think!"
Stephanie: "Yeah, sure she is, you should keep telling yourself that, maybe it'll make up for the fact that you're the only one of us who's lost a game so far..."
Alan: "Shut up Stephanie, we don't need you insulting Jason! He lost, so what? We all lose sometimes!!"
Stephanie: "Maybe you do..."

Stephanie dives back into her phone to squeeze in a couple more practice games, as Alan mumbles under his breath "man, she really is a jerk..."

Just then, Lazlo Herrefur returns to the diner.

Jason: "Oh look, that weird guy's back..."
Lazlo: "Hello team! How is everyone doing?"
Alan: "Some of us better than others."
Lazlo: "Well, I was very impressed with your performances back there. That game between Mary and Ture Strömberg especially surprised me, I mean WOW!"
Mary: "Um, thanks?"
Lazlo: "And Jason, your performance against the player from Hebitaka was impeccable! That Columbus Variation gave me chills!"
Jason: "Well, it's all in the--"
Lazlo: "And you Alan, your play against Melina Aubynn was a breath of fresh air!"
Alan: "It's all in the knight sacrifice!"
Lazlo: "And Stephanie, both of your games were simply divine! You really are one of the best players in the country!"
Stephanie, without even looking up from her phone, replies "one of the?".
Alan: "Come on Stephanie..."
Lazlo: "I sense some tension between the four of you... maybe I should leave."
Jason: "Why not stay and have some--"
Lazlo: "No, I really must leave. I can't just have lunch when there is work to be done! Good luck in your next match!"

Lazlo leaves in a huff, again staring at that clipboard.

Jason: "By the way, who are we playing?"
Alan: "According to this, we'll be playing the joint team from Bollonich and Græntfjall, the only other team to have won both of their matches so far..."
Mary: "Oh joy..."

Hebitaka 1-3 Eshialand
Severn 1-0 ???
??? ½-½ Nerata
Blaine ½-½ ???
??? 0-1 Jacobson

Eshialand 3-1 Norrhem
Westermark 1-0 Severn
Nerata 1-0 Strömberg
Aubynn 0-1 Blaine
Jacobson 1-0 Rönnfors

by **Sylestone** » Fri Jun 18, 2021 2:44 pm

SYLESTONE NATIONAL CHESS TEAM

TECHNICAL STUFF:

RP Permissions: As long as it has nothing to do with killing, somewhat serious injuries or cheating, godmod away. I’d love it if you did.

Nickname: The Hawthorns

THE PLAYERS:

Board One: Hudson Moore
Age: 27
Hometown: Chamberley
Bio: Hudson Moore is the only member of the Sylestonean National Chess Team who has had previous international experience in the game. He nearly managed to make the semifinals, too, but lost to Ivan Yarsov of Sannyamathland on the final matchday, a result which ensured that South Newlandian Werner Huber would advance in his place. He plays a very aggressive game and a smart opponent can weave in behind him, but he usually prepares for this circumstance. Is very difficult to beat at the best of times.

Board Two: Mason Hickson
Age: 19
Hometown: Avondale
Bio: By far the team’s most orthodox player, Mason Hickson balances out both attack and defence in his style of play. It means that he may be the most predictable player of the team, but he is very good at wearing his opponents’ minds down with his brainy play, weighing out all options before even making a move.

Board Three: Alice Powell
Age: 23
Hometown: Oslolihul
Bio: Hailing from Oslolihul, it is very unsurprising that Alice Powell is considered as, by far, the most unorthodox player on the team. Her secret weapon is her surprise, as she shocks her opponents with dubious moves that may seem bewildering, but often come out well in the long run. She is nigh on impossible to predict, but can often spell her own doom through one uncanny trick too many.

Board Four: Matilda Pearson
Age: 44
Hometown: Betham
Bio: Unarguably the most defensive player on the side, Matilda Pearson’s main tactic is to hold off an opponent until they tire and make a bad move; one that she can exploit. It’s actually quite a risky tactic, and relies on her opponents to make a mistake, but it often happens.

ALTERNATES:

Alternate One: Evan Lowe
Age: 31
Hometown: Cleorough
Bio: Evan Lowe is one of Sylestone’s most avid chess players, but does not really care for the time that goes into taking a turn. His general tactic is to weigh up many of the possible options and go with gut feel. It’s a very risky tactic - even more than that of Moore’s, but it often works. He also has the advantage of “alternate” play, where he can catch his opponent off guard. It will be interesting to see how he goes if he gets a game.

Alternate Two: Josh Hartley
Age: 28
Hometown: Chamberley
Bio: The final player on the team, Josh Hartley is one of Hudson Moore’s closest friends. They have very similar styles - playing very aggressively and trying to catch their opponents off guard. However, unlike Moore, Hartley lacks the ability to judge how good his defence needs to be in order to ward off his opponent. However, he is still a very strong player and often thinks of moves no one else does.

by **Shell Shock Troop Clan** » Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:59 pm

The spectators close in at the edges of Chavela's vision. How is it that the world can narrow to two colors, an eight-by-eight grid, and the rushed, jerky motions between the pieces and the clock--and yet the silhouettes around her still hold so much power? Thokchen Jordan stops another pair of pawns. Chavela squints. They're present physically but can't affect the overall position any time soon, much like the surrounding croud. Move her king towards the center. Punch clock. Jordan's rook claiming another file. Punch. Try not to worry about how much time is left. Punch. Without her scorecard or a pencil to twiddle in her hands she feels empty. Punch. Jordan's pawn structure disconnected. Why? Punch. Keep the king rushing forward. Punch. Those pawns again. If it's a mistake, does he realize she might not be fast enough to take advantage of--

Jordan tensing, irritated, his eyebrows dark. His hand on the clock. Gentle, no punch. Lowers it halfway, as if--

His king tipped on the board. The noise of the other players ratcheting up again, those who haven't moved on to lurk over another table.

Chavela exhales, shakes his sweaty hand. In a slow game she would have seen the blunder, waited long enough to parse it as a blunder, mercilessly take advantage. She would have. That he circumvents formalities is odd, some pat of her still believes--do football managers look at the referee and say "excuse me, sir, I believe our opponents have won this, could you stop wasting everyone's time?"--but tradition nonetheless.

"Well done," says Alexis.

"Thanks," says Chavela, noticing that there is still a decent-sized crowd at her board; there can't be too many games left. "We done?"

"Mhm," Alexis says. "Omar and I also won. Lhadakh beat Ginés."

Chavela exhales again. If they're going to play quickly, there's no time for her to ask about the score during a break, let that rattle her decision as to whether to play for a draw. So much the better.

"Yeah," says Omar. "Maybe Ginés is too annoyed even to do a stream, more's the pity." Alexis, missing the sarcasm, blinks.

Chavela had eked out a draw against Hjalmar Rönnfors in the first round, as had Omar against Malva Westermark. The other two games had gone the way of Norrhem. Perhaps Chavela herself might have been a more straightforward match for either Aubynn's silence or Strömberg's slow pace, but as it was, both of them were able to stymie Ginés and Alexis into time trouble.

A few minutes later, the last games finish, and the electronic scoreboard displays an update; Shell Shock Troop Clan will have Quebec and Shingoryeo in the next round. "It's nice, hmm?" Omar asks.

"Quebec and Shingoryeo?" Chavela blinks. "I don't know anything about them but apparently they also have four points, so. You know. That's how the Casaran works."

Her face burns with embarrassment--Omar Torres of all people does not need her to tell him how the Casaran system works, but he just smiles. "I mean, all that. The computers, the things they hook up to the board. It's much better than, you know, waiting for some old guy to tape the draw to the wall and then a bunch of tall guys crowding around in a dark cafeteria in Valejano."

Valejano, he says, not Trecelunas or Grisolon or anywhere in the old Aguazul, even the small towns. He acts confident, like of course he deserves to be there, with his fancy custom chair and wired-up board. As if there's nothing strange about their flag fluttering along with the others. Who knows? Maybe he's right.

by **Bollonich** » Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:03 am

Hello! Chess

Great performances from Clara and Ánýá as we face Eshialand next

As we hear from Newport, South Newlandia the first 2 matches that were to be held have already taken place and seen a brilliant performance by the combined Bollonischian-Græntfjaller team. As we know, in the first match our players were up against the team from Quebec and Shingoryeo, a country that is well known for their sporting prowess. However something that threw most people off was the fact that the Quebecois players had no identification whatsoever. This meant their backgrounds, favourite openings or specialities were known to no one. These players would be difficult to predict and decipher unless we actually were on the board and looked at their style of play. In the match Ánýá Klæðskera-gleði and Felip Oliver were playing as white. The match between Clara Josep and [REDACTED] took off very quickly as both players played very fast. Surprisingly in a shocking blunder [REDACTED] provided Clara with a huge advantage which she soon capitalised on it giving us a 1-0 lead over Quebec and Shingoryeo. Meanwhile in Reynir Ýrarsson’s game the position they were in was a deadlock with neither player being able to have any advantageous moves. Making a smart decision Reynir Ýrarsson decided to accept [REDACTED]’s draw offer. 2 matches were still on as most matches had already finished. Ánýá and Felip seemed to be engaged in the fights’ of their lives’. Oliver seemed to be at a slight positional disadvantage as his opponent had an open rook file heading into the endgame. Felip however had a few tricks up his sleeve which he wasn’t shy on deploying. Ánýá meanwhile seemed composed and ready. She had everything in her arsenal and was closely finishing off her opponent one move at a time. Ánýá’s game was soon won by her, while Felip managed to escape with a draw. This meant Bollonich and Græntfjall had defeated Quebec and Shingoryeo putting us at second on the table meaning we would face Felinetopia who had defeated Arjunnagar 3½ - ½ in the last round.
The Felines were a formidable side as could be seen in their victory against Arjunnagar and another fact that would no wonder disturb the participants from Bollonich would be that their entire team was made up of actual felines. Now we all know what happened when the Bollonischian Football team faced off against the Sentients from Sylestone, we lost. And a major reason for this was that the players were distracted due to something they had never expected or witnessed. And this was despite having played two friendlies against them. The players knew what sort of play to expect from the Felines, but didn’t know what to expect from “Felines”. Clara and Reynir Ýrarsson would be playing white in this matchup. The matches begun and yet again Clara seemed to dominate from the start. Unlike Ánýá and Felip, Clara was aggressive and outward as a player who would celebrate her victories. And it could be seen in her game as she wasn’t shy is displaying her skill and dominance in the sport of chess. She was up against Begonia a house cat who at first took her back but soon Clara realised that this was just a game of chess and that she had to do her job. Soon following a flurry of quick moves Begonia looked defeated. Her paw was on her face thinking what to do next. She had no idea eventually resigning the game giving Clara yet another important win. Ánýá came up against Klaus Santicus, who like her teammate Clara was an extremely aggressive player, but she had dealt with aggression before. She as usual was calm and composed while slowly dismantling the opposition’s game before providing the killing blow. Things were looking up for the side when a shock hit them. Felip who was playing on the fourth board was taken aback by Mowju’s response to Felip playing the Queen’s Pawn Game. Felip’s attempt to surprise Mowju by playing something different from his usual opening seemed to backfire as Mowju played the Benko’s Gambit an opening Felip didn’t have much knowledge about. Following what was a mediocre performance from Felip, Seamster emerged victorious giving The Felines a chance once again. It all came down to Reynir Ýrarsson and board 3. He was up against Lazzlo a bobcat. The game was close going into 1 minute for each player. Reynir seemed to have a slight advantage on team however Lazzlo might’ve edged him out as soon he had an extra pawn. Time constraints started to kick in for Lazzlo as he was forced to play moves quickly. Due to this whatever advantage he had was reclaimed by Feynir. The game ended as a stalemate as Lazzlo was left with a singular knight and King. This meant the game was drawn and the team had picked up their second win in a row.
This put the BAC-GCF joint team on 2nd place below Eshialand’s team whoo are the only other team to win their two matches. Following the Casaran System this meant that in the next match we would be up against Eshialand who shall pose a real challenge to the team. The player to look out for from their team would definitely be Stephanie Jacobson who managed to win all two of her.

Bollonich/Græntfjall 3-1 Quebec and Shingoryeo
1) [REDACTED] 0-1 Clara Josep (BOL)
2) Ánýá Klæðskera-gleði (GRÆ) 1-0 [REDACTED]
3) [REDACTED] ½-½ Reynir Ýrarsson (GRÆ)
4) Felip Oliver (BOL) ½-½ [REDACTED]

Felinetopia 1½-2½ Bollonich/Græntfjall
1) Clara Josep (BOL) 1-0 Begonia Arden (FET)
2) Klaus Santicus (FET) 0-1 Ánýá Klæðskera-gleði (GRÆ)
3) Reynir Ýrarsson (GRÆ) ½-½ Lazzlo Moosler (FET)
4) Mowju Seamster (FET) 1-0 Felip Oliver (BOL)

Solve It! Leaderboard
We are glad to announce that we got a large number of responses from all over the multiverse including people from the nations of Eshialand, South Newlandia and Maribaya too. The answer for the problem is, as was correctly answered by many people - 1. Qxf7+ Kd8 2. Nxe6+ Kc8 3. Qc7#

The leaderboard for the first problem is as follows:-

1. Logan Allen (Eshialand) - 5
2. Melsiende Elzinga (Bollonich) - 5
3. Sandra Elephantson (South Newlandia) - 5
4. Teemu Moralez (Maribaya) - 5
5. Fotios Hamm (Bollonich) - 3

The rules remain the same, you have solve the chess puzzle posted here hourly solve it, and mail your answers to hellochess@gigomail.com along with your name and address.

White to move

by **Atheara** » Sat Jun 19, 2021 7:13 am

Trouble On The Board

Type: Game Review
Time: ???? Hours after MD 1 and 2

Atheara 2 – 2 Dotivija/Srednjaci
Carlos Devyn 1 - 0 Danijel Paradžik
Selena Mlyawtaski 0 - 1 Jelena Tabak
Dushev Akarpovick 1 - 0 Dinara Ivezić
Aelena Svetrachka 0 - 1 Tin Mužinić

Atheara 1 – 3 Mertagne
Aelena Svetrachka 0 - 1 Saerah Garstern
Carlos Devyn 0 - 1 Carys Burgess
Selena Mlyawtaski 1 - 0 Aldreus Tikdannin
Dushev Akarpovick 0 - 1 Janns Yeoman

The first two matchdays have been, unfavourable for Atheara. As they drew against the joint Dotivija/Srednjaci team and proceeded to lose against Mertagne, but Selena was able to save some grace as she beats Aldreus Tikdannin, Mertagne's National Champion by surprise. Because of the fact that describing what all eight games were like would be, in short, absolutely tiring, and probably difficult with the current scenario we are in, we decided to just give you guys the statistics.

Atheara 2 – 2 Dotivija/Srednjaci

Board One:
Danijel Paradžik (White) vs Carlos Devyn (Black)

Opening: Najdorf, Amsterdam; Sicilian Defense
Moves: 67
Result: Black won by Resignation.

Board Two:
Selena Mlyawtaski (White) vs Jelena Tabak (Black)

Opening: Richter - Veresov Attack
Moves: 54
Result: Black won by Checkmate.

Board Three:
Dinara Ivezić (White) vs Dushev Akarpovick (Black)

Opening: Ragozin; Queens Gambit Declined
Moves: 47
Result: Black won by Checkmate

Board Four:
Aelena Svetrachka (White) vs Tin Mužinić (Black)

Opening: Kings Knight Gambit; Kings Gambit Accepted
Moves: 60
Result: Black won by Resignation

And now for the games against Mertagne. Did i also forgot to tell you that the Athearan team will be studying the openings they need to prepare against? Because the Quemorr Isles have yet to announce who their players are, as they are rumored to be literal walking fish, so that creeps me out. The team will be studying properly and taking some rest. As they had only arrived several hours before the matches had begun, so fatigue was a disadvantage. However, for the foreseeale future, this will no longer be a problem.

Atheara 1 - 3 Mertagne

Board One:
Saerah Garstern (White) vs Aelena Svetrachka (Black)

Opening: Exchange; Caro Kann
Moves: 56
Result:White won by Resignation

Board Two:
Carlos Devyn (White) vs Carys Burgess (Black)

Opening: Froms Gambit; Birds
Moves: 76
Result: Black won by Resignation

Board Three:
Aldreus Tikdannin (White) vs Selena Mlyawtaski (Black)

Opening: Nimzo - Indian Defense
Moves: 59
Result: Black won by Checkmate

Board Four:
Dushev Akarpovick (White) vs Janns Yeoman (Black)

Opening: Symmetrical; English
Moves: 49
Result: Black won by Resignation

We now prepare for the Quemorr Isles.

Elephant Chess Cup 1 - Everything Thread

Elephant Chess Cup 1 - Everything Thread

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