Elephant Chess Cup 4 - Everything Thread

by **Bollonich** » Tue May 31, 2022 10:47 pm

thanks to Qasden for the logo

WELCOME TO THE FOURTH ELEPHANT CHESS CUP IN FERMONT, BOLLONICH

Signup Thread Third Edition

Format:
The Elephant Chess Cup is a rapid 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 (10:00, 12:00, 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.

For seeding and matchup generation, I shall be using Ko-oren’s Casaran Scheduler. The system will sort teams by regular tie breakers up to board points, following which teams will be sorted by alphabet. Then, the first team shall play the second team and the third team the fourth team and such. However, suppose the 1st and 2nd teams have already played, the 1st team will play the third team.

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 1000 hours UTC and 1100 hours UTC.

June 8th: MD1 and 2 (Friday 10:00, 12:00 ICly)
June 10th: MD3 and 4 (Friday 16:00, 18:00 ICly)
June 13th: MD5 and 6 (Saturday 10:00, 12:00 ICly)
June 15th: MD7 and 8 (Saturday 16:00, 18:00 ICly)
June 17th: MD9 (Sunday 10:00 ICly)
June 20th: Quarterfinals (Sunday 12:00 ICly)
June 22nd: Semifinals(Sunday 16:00 ICly)
June 24th: 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 Bollonischian 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)

Chartania - Insulamia
Civia Welephilostopia - Chinese USSR
Tralfamdore - South Newlandia
Eud Mirabilis - Khacia
Srednjaci - Strayaroos
TJUN-ia - Sarzonia
Græntfjall - Sannyamathland
The Cordian Isles - Bollonich
Kriegiersien - Poafmersia
Magnecia - Eshialand
The Divine Sonne - Raspotochje
New Eestiball - Bollonischian Maribaya

If you have any questions or doubts, feel free to contact me by telegram or discord. And special thanks to South Newlandia for letting me base this OP of his previous OPs for the ECC. Best of luck everyone!

by **Bollonich** » Tue May 31, 2022 10:49 pm

host info

by **Srednjaci** » Tue May 31, 2022 11:42 pm

CHESS TEAM OF SREDNJACI

DANIJEL PARADŽIK : He is 33 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.At last edition of this event, he finished in seventh position with his teammates.

JELENA TABAK : Jelena Tabak does not have great achievements, but she won several tournaments in which Danijel Paradžik did not participate. Jelena is 26 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.At last edition of this event, she finished in seventh position with his teammates.

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 23-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.At last edition of this event, he finished in seventh position with his teammates.

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 19 years and two months old. Today, this young chess player is 18 years and 9 months old.At last edition of this event, she finished in seventh position with his teammates.

FIRST MATCH
Srednjaci - Strayaroos

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 **Graintfjall** » Wed Jun 01, 2022 11:52 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 32 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 **Insulamia** » Sat Jun 04, 2022 12:36 am

FDÉDI
Chess Federation of Insulamia | Féderation d'Échecs d'Insulamie

WIP; more information available at: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=515776&p=39388301#p39388301

Roster

Board 1:
⠀GM⠀ JEAN-CLAUDE LARUELLE

Information

Preferred name: Jean-Claude
ELO: 2651
Gender: Male
Age: 50
Playing style: Slow opening, hesitant to trade early
Openings: Giuoco Piano, Evan's Gambit
Personality: Humorous, trashtalks opponents in French even if they do not speak French but always maintains respect for his opponents
Other notes: Received the Insulamia Medal in 2010, authored several books on chess, speaks French and Spanish fluently but not English very well

Board 2:
⠀IM⠀ CATHERINE ALEXANDRIA WILSON-MILLER

Information

Preferred name: Cathy
ELO: 2512
Gender: Female
Age: 32
Playing style: Memorised theory, usually unwilling to resign
Openings: Sicilian Defense
Personality: Calm and friendly, often strikes up long conversations with opponents after games
Other notes: Has an adopted daughter named Lilly, women's and animals' rights activist, Insulamian of the Year 2014, speaks French and English

Board 3:
⠀IM⠀ HAORAN (JACQUES) CHENG

Information

Preferred name: Jacques
ELO: 2511
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Playing style: Aggressive, risky but strategic, strong at endgames
Openings: Queen's Gambit, Albin Countergambit
Personality: Will try to avoid conversation but will happily engage in it if prompted
Other notes: Chinese heritage, chess Twitch streamer and Youtuber with over 450,000 combined subscribers, speaks French, Mandarin, English

Board 4:
⠀IM⠀ LACHLAN FLYNN HARRIS

Information

Preferred name: Lachlan
ELO: 2581
Gender: Male
Age: 12
Playing style: Novelty moves in the opening to throw off opponents, plays moves very quickly, never resigning often to annoy opponents
Openings: Varied, often 1. e4 e5
Personality: Very casual, will rarely speak to adults and only if absolutely necessary
Other notes: Chess prodigy, joined national team at age 10, placed at board 4 due to lack of experience, speaks English and is learning French

Reserves (will flesh out more later)

- Pamela of the Cross (2174)

- Harry Day (1987)

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, if I agree over telegramme
Godmod other events: Yes, if I agree over telegramme

by **TJUN-ia** » Sat Jun 04, 2022 9:52 am

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

Well, well, well...if it isn't chess. More specifically, the Elephant Chess Cup. Last year, 4 of TJUN-ia's many chess players were invited by the TCF to come to South Newlandia and compete as a team, the Jaguar Knights, in the 3rd ECC. No one really knew what to expect in a tournament such as this, once where every board mattered, but we somehow managed to do pretty well and come home with a bronze medal. 3rd on debut...you don't see that every day. Now, those same 4 players are back and looking to try and build upon that initial success at a new venue in Fermont, Bollonich - home of the defending champs and the only nation to win the first 3 ECCs (1-2 w/Graintfjall, 3 as Bollonich).

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: 36
Place of Residence: Pivdennyy Kordon/Yuzhnaya Granitsa, NAU Zone
TCF Rating: International Master (2903)
ECC3 Record: 6-3-3

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 seems 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 becoming the shining light of a city that is currently stunned with events over in U1 and U2, with their fellow Russians and Ukrainians engaged in unthinkable conflict. A majority in PdK-YG are appalled with what is going on and as a Ukrainian himself, you don't need to ask Yevgeny what his opinion is. But still, he has to play on and he now finds himself within 100 points of becoming our first ever GIC - a feat that deserves to go to a community like his.

Board 2 - Tshering Gyeltshen

Age: 19
Place of Residence: Trashiyangtse, CEA Zone
TCF Rating: International Master (2833)
ECC3 Record: 5-3-4

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...a 19-year-old Bhutanese player. Tshering Gyeltshen is his name and at 19 years old, he's already won 4 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 plays for the love of the sport. He ended up with the least wins out of the 4 last time out, but it was a team effort overall and Tshering will hope to continue playing his game no matter the tasks at hand.

Board 3 - Anne Christian-Warren

Age: 23
Place of Residence: New Adamstown/Adamstaun, UO Zone
TCF Rating: TCF Master (2522)
ECC3 Record: 6-4-2

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. She actually ended up with the best record of the 4, her gun-ho tactics causing all sorts of chaos, and that would culminate in her eventual progression to the rank of TCF Master - the first woman to achieve the feat. With that in mind, she will hope to rule the Chess High Seas no matter what.

Board 4 - Margarita Altamiranda

Age: 27
Place of Residence: Ciudad Calamar, UAC Zone
TCF Rating: Class A (1967)
ECC3 Record: 6-3-3

Margarita Altamiranda is still the TCF's Semi-Pro entry and that only goes to show how much backing they have for her. Class A but on the way to CM status, Margarita is 27 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. She was certainly respectful last time and will hope to continue that showing this time around.

by **Raspotochje** » Sun Jun 05, 2022 12:26 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

BEST RESULT AT ECC : 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
Winner - East Slavona Open - beat Danijel Paradžik 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.

BEST RESULT AT ECC : 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
FINAL of Vukojevac open - beaten by Xiyu Su

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.

BEST RESULT AT ECC : 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
1/2 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 recived a call in to the team last season for the Elephant Chess Cup 3. 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.

BEST RESUL AT ECC : ELEPHANT CHESS CUP 3- TEAM SIXTH PLACE

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 **Kriegiersien** » Sun Jun 05, 2022 2:29 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 in the last edition and now came back after being assured to get a better player for spot number 4 in the team, to win this time.

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 and third Elephant Cup together with Hubertus Schimmel with not too many losses.

4.
Clemens Anand

A young Bodybuilder and former E-Sport Pro playing RTS-Games, called "The Muscle" there, he later wanted to become Chess Boxing Champion. He then found out that his Chessskills were superior to his boxing skills and that losing in chess was less painfull.
After becoming clear Champion of the annual Kriegiersien Open in the Juniors Amateur Edition, he was nominated as player number 4 for the team.

RP-Permissions: Everything allowed we can work with

by **StrayaRoos** » Sun Jun 05, 2022 3:22 pm

StrayaRoos Team
Yuka Nut
Tim Ling
Kim Ling
Rue Poa

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 **The Divine Sonne** » Mon Jun 06, 2022 10:44 am

The Divine Sonnen Chess Team

Klaus Becker
A 25-year-old who the Divine Sonnen Government sought out due to his performance is his school's chess team at the age of 16. He has been training for several years under a program funded by the Divine Sonnen Board of Sport to increase his chess skill and knowledge. His rating stands at 2305 and after playing for several years against computers developed for specific training he is ready to make his debut in the world scene of chess.

Fletcher Meyer
Standing at a solid rating of 2053, Fletcher is a 16-year-old chess prodigy in the making. Through a youth program by the Divine Sonnen Board, Fletcher was chosen after a series of tests to determine how capable younger people would be at developing skills needed to help the Divine Sonnen exceed in the chess world.

Lt. Hans Schäfer
A 42-year-old veteran of the Divine Sonnen Armed Forces, Lt. Schäfer was noticed when at the age of 25 he was beating everyone in his unit in games of chess. Over the years he would eventually raise up the ranks of the armed forces and upon retirement was offered a position as a player in the Divine Sonnen Chess Team. He has a rating score of 2542.

Günter Koch
Günter is a 29-year-old with a rating score of 2294. Not much is known about Günter as the Divine Sonnen has nothing on his besides his chess history records from the Department of Sport and his birth certificate. According to his teammates and those who have come into contact with Günter he seems very anti-social. Some say that he gives off a weird "Vibe" and is described as "Creepy" despite his amazing chess capability.

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: Ask first
Godmod other events: Ask first

by **Bollonich** » Mon Jun 06, 2022 12:44 pm

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. The Bollonischian Association of Chess following the border skirmish with Græntfjall made the tough decision to send solely a Bollonischian delegation to the Elephant Chess Cup. Regardless of these new developments, the domination continued as we won yet another edition of the Elephant Chess Cup defeating the Eshian Owls in the finals once again. The question remains, will Bollonich continue to dominate the chess landscape as it comes to its shores for the 4th Elephant Chess Cup.

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 - 2791

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 - 2689

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 - 2815

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 - 2701

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 **New Eestiball** » Mon Jun 06, 2022 2:01 pm

New Eestiballian ECC Roster
FIDE-style ratings
New Eestiball has historically been a good chess-playing nation, however it's never competed in the ECC. Several IMs are on this team. As was in WC91, all sports players are numbered doorknobs, after the incident where the hockey captain was sent a poisoned letter.
Board #1: 818 (2630) GM
818 is the strongest chess player in New Eestiball, and is a strong grandmaster. They will break from well-studied openings early, which has boosted them.
Favorite openings: Hungarian Opening (White) and Pirc Defense (Black)
Board #2: 453 (2541) IM
453 only needs 1 more win vs a GM to become a GM, and plays in the style of Tal, sacrificing to win.
Favorite openings: English Opening (White) and Sicilian Defense (Black)
Board #3: 186 (2489) IM
186, over the course of this tournament, could become a GM as well if they defeat 2 GMs and have an overall good tournament. They have a solid defensive strategy, but are not a strong attacking player, preferring traps.
Favorite openings: Vienna (White) and Slav Defense (Black)
Board #4: 253 (2427) IM
253 plays the Bird, and has won many games with it. They hope to be promoted to board 3 by the end of this.
Favorite openings: Bird's Opening (White) and Traxler Counter-Attack (Black)

by **South Newlandia** » Mon Jun 06, 2022 5:01 pm

Elephant Chess Cup 4 – South Newlandian roster

Chess is the 4th-most popular sport in South Newlandia, behind football, baseball, and the other football. Many children learn chess at a young age, and quite a few choose to pursue chess professionally. However, following the success of South Newlandia at the other sports, especially compared to the disappointing results the chess team was able to produce, chess is slipping in popularity further. Nevertheless, the Elephants will once again be trying to field a competitive a competive team; this time in Fermont, Bollonich, the home of the three-time champions.
All South Newlandians usually feel more comfortable in open positions, which can be a weakness against skilled opponents. The four players know each other well; most of them have played in multiple ECCs already, and with a limited supply of chess players in South Newlandia, the strongest players tend to keep running into each other. The four are all good friends, and will be fighting for the team above their own score.

Board 1:
Cecilia Blossom, 26
Blossom used to be one of the biggest talents in South Newlandian chess history. Despite her young age, she had been taking the country by storm, including winning several local tournaments and becoming a role model for many South Newlandian children. Ultimately, she didn’t quite live up to her sky-high potential, but she is a very talented chess player regardless. 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; however, Blossom is also known to create chaos early by playing interesting side-lines.

Board 2:
Lisa Morgen, 33
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; she likes to sit back a bit at first and let the opponent come to her.

Board 3:
Robert Kane, 44
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:
Adam Esteban, 17
The young talent of the South Newlandian team. He doesn’t have the experience the others on the team have, but he’s extremely talented, a great attacker that still gets carried away in his attacks too often, and finds himself in time trouble frequently. He likes to play really aggressively from the get-go, and you’ll likely see him employ fancy new openings he doesn’t quite understand properly yet.

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** » Tue Jun 07, 2022 3:18 pm

The team had agreed to meet up in Newport before taking the plane to Bollonich. For one, there’s only so many choices for airports in South Newlandia – three, to be exact. Only Newport and Elephant Valley had flights to Bollonich at all, and Newport seemed like the most logical place. The four team members wanted to take the trip together, and since Adam and Lisa were living near Newport anyway, it just made sense. It would be the first time they would travel abroad together as a team: Many of them had been playing in various tournaments abroad for years, but the Elephant Chess Cup had never left South Newlandia before.
“Are you nervous, Adam?”, Robert asked. The 44-year-old had promised Adams parents, who was still a teenager after all, that he, Lisa and Cecilia would take good care of their son. “Kinda. It’s my first flight.” “You’ve never been outside of Esportiva before?” “Never really had a reason to.” “Fair enough. Don’t worry, it’s a fairly painless process, don’t be afraid to ask if you’ve got any questions.” “Thanks.”
The four easily got through the airport. Leaving South Newlandia, they wouldn’t have to get through any customs just yet; that would wait until they returned. Of course, they’d probably have to get checked thoroughly in Rushmore. Robert opened his backpack, took out a water bottle, and put it back in after drinking about a third of the bottle.
They went to give up their baggage. It was a short line, but they’d have to wait for a few minutes. Robert thought about how he really hoped the airline wouldn’t lose his suitcase again. There’s probably a reason why they call it “giving up” your baggage. Might as well – Robert had mindlessly taken his backpack off his shoulders, and lost grip for just a second. Having forgotten to properly close the backpack minutes earlier, he watched as everything inside scattered all over the airport floor. Quickly, all four scrambled to get everything back inside the backpack. Cecilia handed him his book on studying difficult endgames, Lisa handed him his light rain jacket he always carried on him just in case, while Adam held out a little stuffed elephant. Out of the corner of his eye, Robert could see Adam smiling.

by **Bollonich** » Wed Jun 08, 2022 3:00 am

That's the first cutoff

Round 1
Chartania ½–3½ Insulamia
Civia Welephilostopia ½–3½ Chinese USSR
Tralfamdore 1½–2½ South Newlandia
Eud Mirabilis 3–1 Khacia
Srednjaci 2½–1½ StrayaRoos
TJUN-ia 3–1 Sarzonia
Græntfjall 2–2 Sannyamathland
The Cordian Isles ½–3½ Bollonich
Kriegiersien 2–2 Poafmersia
Magnecia 2–2 Eshialand
The Divine Sonne 1–3 Raspotochje
New Eestiball 3–1 Bollonischian Maribaya

                                Pld    W    D    L    PF    PA    PD    Pts  
1  Bollonich                      1    1    0    0    3.5   0.5   +3      2
   Chinese USSR                   1    1    0    0    3.5   0.5   +3      2
   Insulamia                      1    1    0    0    3.5   0.5   +3      2
4  Eud Mirablis                   1    1    0    0    3     1     +2      2
   New Eestiball                  1    1    0    0    3     1     +2      2
   Raspotochje                    1    1    0    0    3     1     +2      2
   TJUN-ia                        1    1    0    0    3     1     +2      2
8  South Newlandia                1    1    0    0    2.5   1.5   +1      2
   Srednjaci                      1    1    0    0    2.5   1.5   +1      2
10 Eshialand                      1    0    1    0    2     2      0      1
   Græntfjall                     1    0    1    0    2     2      0      1
   Kriegiersien                   1    0    1    0    2     2      0      1
   Magnecia                       1    0    1    0    2     2      0      1
   Poafmersia                     1    0    1    0    2     2      0      1
   Sannyamathland                 1    0    1    0    2     2      0      1
16 Strayaroos                     1    0    0    0    1.5   2.5   -1      0
   Tralfamdore                    1    0    0    0    1.5   2.5   -1      0
18 Bollonischian Maribaya         1    0    0    0    1     3     -2      0
   Khacia                         1    0    0    0    1     3     -2      0
   The Divine Sonne               1    0    0    0    1     3     -2      0
   Sarzonia                       1    0    0    0    1     3     -2      0
21 Chartania                      1    0    0    0    0.5   3.5   -3      0
   Civia Welephilostopia          1    0    0    0    0.5   3.5   -3      0
   The Cordian Isles              1    0    0    0    0.5   3.5   -3      0

Round 2 Matchups
Bollonich - Chinese USSR
Insulamia - End Mirabilis
New Eestiball - Raspotochje
TJUN-ia - South Newlandia
Srednjaci - Eshialand
Græntfjall - Kriegiersien
Magnecia - Poafmersia
Sannyamathland - Strayaroos
Tralfadmore - Bollonischian Maribaya
Khacia - The Divine Sonne
Sarzonia - Chartania
Civia Welephilostopia - The Cordian Isles

Round 2 Results
Bollonich 3–1 Chinese USSR
Insulamia 2–2 Eud Mirabilis
New Eestiball 2½–1½ Raspotochje
TJUN-ia 2–2 South Newlandia
Srednjaci 3–1 Eshialand
Græntfjall 1½–2½ Kriegiersien
Magnecia 2–2 Poafmersia
Sannyamathland 1–3 StrayaRoos
Tralfamdore 2½–1½ Bollonischian Maribaya
Khacia 2–2 The Divine Sonne
Sarzonia 2–2 Chartania
Civia Welephilostopia 1½–2½ The Cordian Isles

Round 3 Matchups
Bollonich - New Eestiball
Srednjaci - Insulamia
TJUN-ia - Eud Mirabilis
South Newlandia - Kriegiersien
Chinese USSR - Raspotochje
Strayaroos - Talfamdore
Magnecia - The Cordian Isles
Poafmersia - Græntfjall
Khacia - Sarzonia
Eshialand - Sannyamathland
The Divine Sonne - Chartania
Bollonischian Maribaya vs Civia Welephilostopia

by **The Divine Sonne** » Wed Jun 08, 2022 9:44 am

The Divine Sonne reprimands their players after each lost match, this means that Fletcher, Hans, and Klaus will not be available for interviews or comments on matches until their next game. The Divine Sonne would also like to say that rumors being spread that we do not feed are players as punishment are entirely false and are being spread by Anti-Sonne extremists who wish to see us fail.

Glory to the Divine Sonne!

Glory to the Sonnenkaiser!

by **TJUN-ia** » Wed Jun 08, 2022 12:35 pm

Hello and welcome to the 4th Elephant Chess Cup, coming to you from the Milton Hotel in Fermont, Bollonich. It seems fitting that the defending champions of this competition, the first as a sole team as the other two were won with Graintfjall, would get to host it next time around and with that in mind, It's time for another 3-day blitz that will decide who gets that crown into the next cycle. Chess is always a game where your skills on the ball determine your fate on the board and with a bronze medal to defend, the Jaguar Knights will hope for another playoff run to prove that their debut wasn't a fluke. But how did the first morning go?

Match 1 - vs Sarzonia (N/A), Friday 10am
IM Yevgeny Solovyanenko (1-0) bt SRZ Player 1
IM Tshering Gyeltshen (1-0) bt SRZ Player 2
TM Anne Christian-Warren (1-0) bt SRZ Player 3
CA Margarita Altamiranda (0-1) bt by SRZ Player 4
Final Score: 3-1 (T-4th)

The first game is decided at random, so Sarzonia ended up being drawn as our first opponent. We don't really know the complexities of the Stars we did face, but all we can say is that we went 3-1 and we can describe how the 4 games went overall. Boards 1-3 went really well as the cunning fox of Solovyanenko, the happy Gyeltshen and the swashbuckling Christian-Warren all managed to pull off wins while Semi-Pro Altamiranda was the odd one out, albeit in a tight game with Sarzonia's #4.

Match 2 - vs South Newlandia (T-8th), Friday 12pm
IM Yevgeny Solovyanenko (1-1) bt by Cecilia Blossom
IM Tshering Gyeltshen (1-1-0) drew with Lisa Morgen
TM Anne Christian-Warren (1-1-0) drew with Robert Kane
CA Margarita Altamiranda (1-1) bt Adam Esteban
Final Score: 2-2 (T-5th)

Our performance versus the Stars put us tied-4th in the table, setting up a meeting with tied-8th South Newlandia. The Elephants are the pioneers and creators of this event and so, with that much pedigree, you could certainly expect this contest to be a bit of a challenge.

On Board 1, Solovyanenko took on Cecilia Blossom - a player of chaos who was once touted as one of the young rising stars of South Newlandian chess. That chaos was certainly felt here, confusing our Ukrainian God to a point of no return. She was a deserved winner here, no questions asked.
Board 2 saw Gyeltshen take on Lisa Morgen, a player known for her speed on the draw. That speed would end up being a loose cannon here, sometimes benefitting Morgen and sometimes leaving her vulnerable for the happy-go-lucky Bhutanese young gun. In the end, the draw was taken.
Board 3 was ACW vs Robert Kane, the oldest and most experienced player in the Elephant squad. You know how the Pitkerner likes to play, go big or go home, and while that worked towards the start, Kane's experience got him out of most trouble. Still, a draw is still half a point.
And finally, Board 4 saw Altamiranda take on Adam Esteban, an aggressive young gun at only 17 years old. Esteban is certainly a talent and that aggressive playstyle did work initially, but our Panamanian managed to use her experience and playstyle to trap the kid at his own game and force checkmate. That meant this contest ended 2-2, a draw both sides will take.

T-5th certainly is a good place to start and our players will hope to build upon that in the days so come. We will be back after lunch to take on Eud Mirabilis, so we hope to see you all then. GO JAG KNIGHTS!

by **Kriegiersien** » Wed Jun 08, 2022 4:21 pm

The Chessnut
your portal into chess

Elephant Chess Cup 4

Kriegiersien 2–2 Poafmersia

Græntfjall 1½–2½ Kriegiersien

Great start for the Kriegiersien team.
After drawing themselves to a tie against Poafmersia the surprise came in match 4 against former tournament winner Græntfjall.

Again Collins, Schimmel and Muffin had ended their matches playing the ‘Kriegiersien deep defense’ and drawn, when Clemens Anand played suddenly a different style. First he surprised Elína Nathansdóttir with a 'Southlandian Elephant' opening, getting his rooks in action early, then grinding her down until he was able to convert multiple pawns into queens. With the scorpion pincer move he was able to corne the black king after a long chase.

“I think we saw something really unique and new from Clem, I am proud of our youngster”, said Hubertus Schimmel, while Marin Collins boasted that the young Kriegiersien had learned all that from him.

Now with South Newlandia the next Powerhouse awaits the team.

by **New Eestiball** » Wed Jun 08, 2022 4:28 pm

This was a great first match. Two wins, two draws. Here's a recap of the two games won, the others were quick draws from repeating moves:

818 1-0 Bollonischian Maribaya #1
A great game by 818, playing as Black but still winning. A 1.d4 threw her out of prep, but she was able to pull it off.
Dutch Defense - Leningrad Variation
1.d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. c4 O-O 6. b3 d6 7. Bb2 Na6 8. O-O c6 9. Nc3 Qe8 10. d5 Bd7 11. Nd4 c5 12. Nc2 Nc7 13. Rb1 a6 14. b4 b6 15. h3 g5
White has a spatial advantage, but Black's pieces are well-coordinated.
16. bxc5 bxc5 17. Ba1 f4 18. e3 Qg6 19. Rb7 Rac8?
An infiltration from the Maribayan, however an unwise one.
20. exf4 gxf4 21. Ne2 Ba4!
This sets up a rook trap, which the Maribayan saw too late.
22. Rb3 Bxb3 23. axb3 Nh5 24. Bxg7 Qxg7 25. Qd3 fxg3 26. fxg3 Rxf1+ 27. Bxf1 Qg6 28. Qc3 Qe4 29. Qd2 Rf8
Activating the pieces.
30. Bg2 Qe5 0-1
Ready to trade down to a winning rook vs bishop endgame, the Maribayan resigned.

253 1-0 Maribaya #4 (No commentary, only the top game was being live)
253 used their signature opening well, taking advantage of some tactical mistake to overcome their own opening inaccuracy.
Bird's opening
1.f4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. e4 Bg7 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O e6 7. d3 Nge7 8. c3 O-O 9. Bb3 Rb8 10. a4 a6 11. Nbd2 b5 12. axb5 axb5 13. Qc2 b4 14. Nc4 Qc7 15. e5 dxe5 16. fxe5 bxc3 17. bxc3 Nf5 18. Bxc5 Nxe5 19. Bxf8 Nxc4 20. Bxg7 Nce3 21. Be5 Qxe5 22. Nxe5 Nxc2 23. Rab1 Rxb1 24. Rxb1 Kg7 25. Rb8 Ba6 26. Ra8 Bb5 27. c4 f6 28. cxb5 fxe5 29. b6 1-0
This time, they resigned going into a rook vs knight endgame.

Next up: vs Raspotochje 12pm BST

by **Srednjaci** » Thu Jun 09, 2022 1:16 am

ELEPHANT CHESS CUP 4-FERMONT, BOLLONICH

START WITH TWO WINS!

DAMIRA JELIĆ

Dear viewers, welcome to the show dedicated to the chess. Bollonich, currently the number one chess nation and defendig champions is hosting the fourth Elephant Chess Cup. The chess elite has gathered in the city of Fermont and we are extremely glad to see some who are making their debut.
23 national chess federations are competing this season. The main favorites for the title still remain Bollonich, Græntfjall, Eshialand and TJUNI-ia and in the second row of favorites are Raspotochje, Kriegiersien and our team.
In the last edition of this competition they won only seventh place. Many of our experts think that we can still do much better than seventh place.
Seventh place, however, is not something that would satisfy us. Maybe we can still get a medal this time.
Our team is represented by Danijel Paradžik, Jelena Tabak, Bojan Herceg and perhaps the most talented name, Xiyu Su.

By a video link from Fermont will be joined by a chess expert who has always accompanied our team. Former player with the title of grandmaster and five-time champion of our country, Vera Hludina.
DAMIRA: Vera, welcome to our show.

VERA: good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to the show.

DAMIRA: two matches are behind us and two victories. We will start with the first match.

Srednjaci 2½–1½ StrayaRoos

DAMIRA : we see that ours had quite a tough opponent.

VERA: yes, Straya Roos proved to be a solid nut and it took a lot of time and nerves to put in to beat them. Xiyu Su and Danijel Paradžik managed to bring two points, Su was actually convincing on the fourth board and that's where we made that winning point. Herceg made a mistake in the start on the third board and later there was no any way to return to the match. Unfortunately, he quickly lost. Tabak did not use the slight advantage she created at the beginning of the match on the second board. Tabak was more specific but the opponent defended brilliantly and after 2 hours of play, Jelena tried to solve the match but in that desire she lost patience and made an a error. Her opponent took advantage of that and managed to draw.

DAMIRA: I have to note that maybe Herceg could be the key this season as well.

VERA: Herceg is a quality player, but in this team he is still the weakest link. And you noticed it well. The team is as strong as its weakest link.

DAMIRA: We will see that best in the second match against last season's runners-up, Eshialand.

Srednjaci 3–1 Eshialand

DAMIRA: a convincing victory against Eshialand. And Herceg managed to break his opponent on the third board.

VERA: yes, in this match we lost the first point right on the first board. Paradžik lost his match but the rest of our players recorded victories. I am amazed at the ease with which Xiyu Su comes to win. Her movements are something I haven’t seen in my career. Such a beauty of play ... she's great.

DAMIRA : Two wins from two matches and a lot more to play. How important is it to enter a competition like this?

VERA: after the first two rounds I was with our team. Their self-confidence is really at a high level and the energy within the team is extremely positive. it is very important to start with such a start because of the general atmosphere within the team.

DAMIRA: when we look at the table after two rounds we see that there were some surprises. Some debutants performed very well.

VERA: Yes, I am very pleased with the chess shown this season as well. New Estiball is a team that started the competition very well. They recorded two victories, one of which was against a strong Raspotochje team. Eshialand and Græntfjall entered the competition slowly. They are not yet at their high maximum. We also expect them to jump in time. It is, for example, a surprise that those two teams recorded only one draw in two matches.
Raspotochje has a win and a surprising defeat while TJUNI-ia and South Newlandia have a win and a draw. I emphasize again, it's just the beginning, there is still a lot to play. But we already see that Straya Roos, New Estibal and the Chinese USSR will be big trouble in this tournament for everyone.

DAMIRA: Mrs. Vera, thank you for calling. We will continue to talk to you during this competition.

VERA: Thank you and I am at your disposal.

DAMIRA:Dear viewers, so much for today with ECC4 from Fermont. Stay with us as our sports activities continue and our cameras will move to hockey.

by **Bollonich** » Fri Jun 10, 2022 3:36 am

CUTOFF

Matchday 3 Results
Bollonich 3½–½ New Eestiball
Srednjaci 1½–2½ Insulamia
TJUN-ia 3–1 Eud Mirabilis
South Newlandia 3–1 Kriegiersien
Chinese USSR 1½–2½ Raspotochje
StrayaRoos 1½–2½ Tralfamdore
Magnecia 1½–2½ The Cordian Isles
Poafmersia 1–3 Græntfjall
Khacia 2–2 Sarzonia
Eshialand 3–1 Sannyamathland
The Divine Sonne 2½–1½ Chartania
Bollonischian Maribaya 1–3 Civia Welephilostopia

Matchday 4 Fixtures
Bollonich - Insulamia
TJUN-ia - Raspotochje
South Newlandia - Srednjaci
Tralfamdore - New Eestiball
The Cordian Isles - Græntfjall
Eshialand - Eud Mirabilis
Kriegiersien - The Divine Sonne
Chinese USSR - StrayaRoos
Magnecia - Civia Welephilostopia
Khacia - Poafmersia
Sarzonia - Sannyamathland
Chartania - Bollonischian Maribaya

Round 4 Results
Bollonich 2–2 Insulamia
TJUN-ia 3½–½ Raspotochje
South Newlandia 3½–½ Srednjaci
Tralfamdore 1½–2½ New Eestiball
The Cordian Isles 2–2 Græntfjall
Eshialand 1–3 Eud Mirabilis
Kriegiersien 2–2 The Divine Sonne
Chinese USSR 1½–2½ StrayaRoos
Magnecia 2–2 Civia Welephilostopia
Khacia 1½–2½ Poafmersia
Sarzonia 1½–2½ Sannyamathland
Chartania 3½–½ Bollonischian Maribaya

Round 5 Matchups
Bollonich - TJUN-ia
South Newlandia - Insulamia
New Eestiball - Eud Mirabilis
The Cordian Isles - StrayaRoos
Græntfjall - Tralfamdore
Kreigiersien - Raspotochje
Poafmersia - Srednjaci
The Divine Sonne - Magnecia
Chartania - Civia Welephilostopia
Eshialand - Chinese USSR
Sannyamathland - Khacia
Sarzonia - Bollonischian Maribaya

by **TJUN-ia** » Fri Jun 10, 2022 10:37 am

Welcome back to the 4th Elephant Chess Cup, coming to you from the Milton Hotel in Fermont, Bollonich. Lunch was certainly taken well by the Jaguar Knights after they managed to grab 3 points from their opening two games. What would the afternoon session bring? Let's find out.

Match 3 - vs Eud Mirabilis (T-5th), Friday 4pm
IM Yevgeny Solovyanenko (2-1) bt EDM Player 1
IM Tshering Gyeltshen (2-1-0) bt EDM Player 2
TM Anne Christian-Warren (1-1-1) bt by EDM Player 3
CA Margarita Altamiranda (2-1) bt EDM Player 4
Final Score: 3-1 (T-2nd)

We ended yesterday in a tie for 5th with Eud Mirabilis and thus, they would be our 3rd opponents of this ECC. This contest would be up against players we certainly weren't familiar with, but I can certainly report on how we managed to play these guys in what turned out to be another 3-1 win. Yevgeny Solovyanenko, Tshering Gyeltshen and Semi-Pro Margarita Altamiranda all managed to pull off wins here, with all three using their play styles to great effect in their contests. The only player that would lose would be Anne Christian-Warren, the PItkerner going a bit too far down the "go big or go home" trait that was exploited to great effect by her opponent. Still, a 3-1 win is still a win all the same and we now found ourselves in the Top 3 for the first time this ECC.

Match 4 - vs Raspotochje (T-5th), Friday 6pm
IM Yevgeny Solovyanenko (2-1-1) drew with Ivan Habijanić
IM Tshering Gyeltshen (3-1-0) bt Edita Vukorepac
TM Anne Christian-Warren (2-1-1) bt Tomislav Grnelić
CA Margarita Altamiranda (3-1) bt Pero Vodović
Final Score: 3.5-0.5 (2nd)

As we have already played South Newlandia in this competition, we instead took on Raspotochje in our final matchup of Friday play. We do have a lot of data on Raspotochje, so this contest was certainly going to be interesting.

On Board 1, Solovyanenko took on Ivan Habijanić - a former rising star who managed to climb back to the top domestically after a hard fall due to personal vices. This game certainly was a good ol' scrap, one where both players were giving it their all and were determined to get the job done...but neither man could. The draw was taken here, a well-earned one at that.
Board 2 saw Gyeltshen take on Edita Vukorepac, the big female star of chess in her homeland and one of the only players to beat the legendary Habijanić thrice on the bounce. This game was certainly fun but in the end, our Bhutanese star did the job and managed to get the win done in around 9 minutes.
Board 3 was ACW vs Tomislav Grnelić, a 22-year-old who is already highly touted back home despite his inexperience. This game was all about getting that experience for Anne's opponent and the Pitkerner was certainly happy to play her way and win. It was as simple as that.
And finally, we had Board 4 and Altamiranda vs Pero Vodović - who's a relative newbie to this team and a talent all the same. Altamiranda's flair was the key here, pulling quick punches and taking pieces out with such efficiency. It was no surprise that the semi-pro completed the victory, giving us a final score of 3.5-0.5 in our favour.

We end the first day 2nd overall, a brilliant stat line to put on the wall, but tougher tests are sure to come on Saturday morning. We shall begin with Bollonich, the hosts and defending champs in what should be a cracker of a game. GO JAG KNIGHTS!

by **New Eestiball** » Fri Jun 10, 2022 4:30 pm

Bollonich, I don't say this in a rude way, it's just your position on the table, perhaps more people would prefer someone independent scorinate your matches?

by **Insulamia** » Fri Jun 10, 2022 8:23 pm

New Eestiball wrote:Bollonich, I don't say this in a rude way, it's just your position on the table, perhaps more people would prefer someone independent scorinate your matches?

???

by **The Divine Sonne** » Sun Jun 12, 2022 10:41 am

Back in the great Divine Sonne, its citizens celebrate our first tournament victory. The entirety of the population of the Divine Sonne sends their support, including many gifts and letters to the players. Fletcher seems to be the most popular and a parade is already being set up for the players' arrival after winning! All players are available for comment and interview upon request.

Glory to the Divine Sonne!

Glory to the Sonnenkaiser!

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