Seeing the hall full at 10am was a reassuring sight, with everyone keen to begin their second round games. Our commentator, IM Lawrence Trent, was another whose journey here was delayed by a whole day due to fog (in Lawrence’s case, flying from Berlin). To our delight there was a ”mystery guest” in the building too, as GM Matthew Sadler spent most of the day here, watching the games and also commentating. Thanks, Matthew!
The analysis room is a lively place to be. The bookstall is also set up here, Francis Bowers with us for the second year running, while upstairs in the café the lunchtime period was particularly busy.
Perhaps the biggest surprise result in this round was the defeat of top seed GM Pengxiang Zhang by IM Mads Vestby-Ellingsen. One person attending the Congress who we can be sure is pleased with this outcome is Anniken Vestby, Mads’s mother, who also happens to be President of the Norwegian Chess Federation! The game was one of the last to finish.
Vignir Stefansson repeated a promising Queen sacrifice he has played before, but faced a determined Freddy Gordon who did not buckle under pressure. The Icelander later slipped, and Freddy may have stood better, but a draw was agreed.
Shreyas Royal won a stylish game, sending a knight into a cul-de-sac from where it had to be sacrificed – but after which Black needed to tread with extreme care. This game is one that Matthew and Lawrence enjoyed looking at in the commentary room.
Dutch FM Tim Grutter played actively with Black against GM Pierre Laurent-Paoli, securing a half point. GM Danny Gormally gradually took the upper hand in a tough duel with young Emils Steiners. Every board in the Masters is ”live”, which makes it easy to follow or catch up with games later, but those of us here at the Congress can also enjoy the cut and thrust of skirmishes in the three parallel Con Power tournaments, with plenty at stake and many worthy battles. The spirit of 1066 is still very much with us!
Photograph by Anniken Vestby