The College of Chicago (UChicago) booked their first win of the season over the College of Virginia (UVA) by a margin of 11-5, with GM Praveen Balakrishnan‘s 4/4 and GM Awonder Liang‘s 3/4 all however securing the match for his or her staff.

Week 4 of the CCL will start on October 14 at 2:00 p.m. ET / 20:00 CEST / 11.30 p.m. IST.

With the CCL fall season now effectively and really underway, followers are capable of get a clearer image as to which groups can be prone to progress to the six-team playoffs commencing in November. UTD and Saint Louis College have each began completely whereas Mizzou has scored two wins and one slim loss. For the remaining groups, each 5+2 recreation will make a distinction in separating them from the pack.

Mizzou 7 – 9 UTD

Mizzou has been an indomitable power within the CCL’s fall season so far however confronted its first vital velocity bump in UTD on Saturday. With each groups boasting lineups together with three GMs and an IM, the match regarded even on paper. Given Mizzou board one GM Mikhail Antipov‘s performances in current weeks, it was doubtless that UTD would wish a number of of their gamers to step up.

As anticipated, the groups had been neck and neck within the early levels of the match and the factors had been cut up 2-2 in spherical one after 4 decisive video games. Pressured by low time, IM Andrei Macovei missed a golden alternative to make it 3-1 for UTD towards GM Luka Budisavljevic, who scrupulously transformed when Macovei slipped.

Spherical two produced three extra decisive video games and the primary draw of the match, permitting UTD to put up a one-point benefit on the midway mark. The board ones for each groups, Goustav and Antipov, had been capable of reside as much as their seeding and rating essential wins for his or her groups. 

The important thing recreation of the spherical although was GM Rahul Srivatshav‘s victory over GM Raja Harshit, the place the UTD board 4 venomously struck with black within the aptly named Sicilian Protection: 4 Knights, Cobra Variation.

With the match nonetheless within the stability, the pre-season title hopefuls Mizzou regarded to equalize the scores however as a substitute slumped to a 3-1 loss in spherical three. Antipov, Harshit, and IM Josiah Stearman fell whereas Budisavljevic chalked up the only real victory for his staff.

Surging to his third straight victory, Koustav performed imaginatively on the white aspect of the Nimzo-Indian Protection and confirmed victory over a struggling Harshit in 27 strikes. Although the sport was quick and void of any singular flashes of brilliance, it showcased the best way to punish small errors made by even the strongest gamers. Our Sport of the Day has been analyzed by GM Rafael Leitao. 

Type-wise, UTD’s dominant efficiency implied that they’d procure the only level required to win the match in spherical 4 nevertheless issues nearly went awry early as Antipov and and Harshit confirmed wins for Mizzou on the highest boards. Antipov-Koustav was a tense battle and the ultimate place, which resulted in Koustav’s solely loss, confirmed the Indian GM with two queens however unable to cease checkmate!

UTD’s depth ultimately received them over the road although as Srivatshav and GM Ivan Shitco had been capable of win and draw respectively, confirming a 9-7 scoreline between the 2 season frontrunners.

UChicago 11 – 5 UVA

Robust pairings in weeks one and two for UChicago and UVA (each groups misplaced to Mizzou) left them exterior of the highest six going into their week three match. On paper, UChicago was the heavy favourite because of their two GMs, Awonder Liang, and Balakrishnan, whereas UVA’s greatest probability lay in-depth alongside their not-so-secret weapon, the underrated FM Jason Morefield on board one.

UChicago fulfilled their favourite standing in spherical one with a 3-1 victory, with wins for Liang, Balakrishnan, and ominously, Kole Moses over UVA’s board one Morefield. Liang managed to steal the present regardless of the upset as he performed 1…Na6, generally known as the Lemming Protection, earlier than losing three additional tempi shifting his knight backward and forwards.

Commentator Joe Lee would later state: “I feel Awonder (Liang) awoke and selected violence immediately.”

“After 4 strikes I’ve no weaknesses in my place…” 🧠

Awonder Liang explains his 1…Na6 2…Nb8 3…Na6 4…Nb8 opening! #CCL pic.twitter.com/bcnTchJPbd

— CollegiateChessLeague (@CollegiateChess) October 7, 2023

Spherical two was essentially the most equal matchup of the day and every end result fell the way in which of the ranking favourite. Balakrishnan, who was the one participant to safe an ideal rating in week three, produced an excellent ultimate transfer towards UVA’s Jason Briegel that was paying homage to the well-known “Gold Cash Sport“, albeit, not fairly as spectacular.

Balakrishnan confirmed intent to keep up perfection when he selected to play the Fashionable Protection in spherical three, goading Morefield into castling queenside and letting ways resolve the sport.

In the meantime on board one, Liang performed the hardly ever seen Australian Protection after which determined to waste just a few extra tempi firstly of his recreation towards NM Owen McCoy. The American prodigy solely managed a attract his recreation however a 2.5-1.5 staff rating left UChicago a win away from a match victory.

A grandmaster-level opening! https://t.co/GxVOnJ5gkC #CCL pic.twitter.com/XDbfk67BAR

— CollegiateChessLeague (@CollegiateChess) October 7, 2023

UChicago didn’t maintain again within the ultimate spherical of the day, including 3.5-0.5 to take the match with a convincing 11-5 scoreline. Morefield was the one member from UVA that was capable of maintain a draw and impressively, that was towards Liang.

For UChicago, the match win was a much-needed bounce again after a troublesome begin whereas for UVA, the 0-2 begin leaves them with plenty of work to do in an effort to qualify for the playoffs later within the 12 months.

All Video games | Week Three

The CCL is the premier on-line chess competitors for faculty college students. The CCL Fall Season is a staff occasion that began on September 23 and includes a $25,000 prize fund.

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