WCM Day 5 from Medina,Ohio

[Alan Millhone]

Hello Everyone:

Got access to hotel computer this morning. Todays round will begin a little later as Cape Town radio in South Africa is going to call Lubabalo and do a live interview with him. It has been exciting to sit and watch these two board tacticians at work each game. The ending have been fantastic to watch and several times both have gone a piece down to later recover and clear the board to a drawn position. I want to thank Mr. Alex for doing updates for me as I send him information from my Blackberry from the playing room between games when time permits. Usually a ten minute break is taken between games. Locally at a grocery store I bought some fresh apple cider which neither has had before and they both love it ! I brought along a big cooler and keep it in playing room stocked with bottled water,soft drink and of course the cider

Watch for updates as play begins about an hour later today. Today begins game 17 with Ron commanding the red pieces. To date Tommie Wiswell would be smiling as his " Old Faithful" has been played every game so far. Raining hard today here in Medina and a good day to stay inside and play and watch the beautiful game of Checkers/Draughts.

Also Mr. Niederhoffer has a nice article by Mr. John Acker and a photo of the players on his " Daily Speculations " web site. My thnaks to Mr. Niederhoffer for doing this. Stay tuned today for further results as they happen.

Sincerely:
Alan Millhone
Match Referee for King-Kondlo World Title Match

[Alex_Moiseyev]

as Cape Town radio in South Africa is going to call Lubabalo and do a live interview with him.

I am very glad to read this, because for Lubabalo it is extremely important and crucial to get recognition in his own country and solve successfully conflict with his National Federation and Sport Department.

Regards,

Alex

[Alex_Moiseyev]

G17 - draw.

Alan Millhone wrote:

"Ron reds glasgow draw. One hour game in 25 moves."

Stay on

Alex

[Alex_Moiseyev]

G18 - draw.

Alan Millhone wrote: "SDC in nine minutes and 14 moves to a draw"

It seems like Lubabalo yet was unable to solve "SDC problem" and Ron easy (so far) takes draws with white.

Total score - 18 draws, no losses.

Stay on for later news ...

Regards,

Alex

[Ingo_Zachos]

We all know Ron Kings's merits in the SDC.
I would suppose that we should call the following line:
1. 11-15 24-19
2.15x24 27x20

The Barbadian SDC, as obvouisly Ron did not only revived this line, but he has the merit of using it at the highest level even aginst the very best.
And he stuck to it and stubbornly defended it against all attempts to refute it.

What do you think?

Greetinx from rainy Dortmund, Germany

Ingo Zachos

[Ingo_Zachos]

No, John.
You r abolutely wrong.

GAYP is about chosing the right opening.
Kondlo sticks to his 11-15, and maybe Ron is siolid on that.
BTW:
It is a TITLE match, and the fact that Ron King strives for a draw with white, and not more, clearly shows how he rates his opponent.
He is not going to "mix it up".
It is up to Kondlo now to find a way out for the deadly bite.
Maybe switching to the Double Corner or Bristol could be a solution or a new line, provided he has one.
Anyway, it is like a catfight or a fight between two snakes:
It is about avoiding the deadly bite.
Ron would play differently in a tournament, but this is match strategy.
BTW:
Certain 2-move and 3-move pp-lovers also played 40 draws in a row, most of them pp or prepared lines.
It is not a qustion of style, but of match situation and stakes.
As a Poker player I would say Ron King is expected to play tight, and Kondlo has to take the risk.
But not risk at all costs, so we see "Betonvarianten" ,ie rock-solid lines.
That also explains why Kondlo took the 11-8 Glasgow:
It is his chance to mix it up.

Greetinx from rainy old Europe,

Ingo Zachos

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Ha-Ha !!! You guys make me a day They play normal professional GAYP match and got alot of critics. It is necessary to understand that GAYP allows only very limited scope. People understood this more than 100 years ago and first mix style match was played in 1896 (or 1897 ?). You can't push them make unsafe moves. Match strategy dictate them how to play.

Lubabalo is known as a book player and can't vary much out of PP. This was certainly not enough to beat Ron (so far!). One time when he tried something untested, he've got into loss I agree with John proposals - GAYP must be abended and removed from WCDF calendar as well as title.

This title was already dropped somewhere in 30's-40's and even later Wiswell efforts didn't help much to restore respect.

People started to play modern GAYP, when Oldbury putted some money & many players forget PP or didn't study it seriously !

Anyway ... match is not over yet. lets wait and see.

Regards,

Alex

[Ingo_Zachos]

Dear Alex,
the decline of draughts in the UK began exactly when they introduced 2 move restriction.
Decline of Checkers in the US began with 3-move, so GAYP may be the better try.
The only real problem (that is also true for chess) is that the players play for a "perfect" game and think that the key to success is not to lose, as you said in the posting about the British Open, Alex.
The reason for the decline of checkers/draughts is not the style, but the attiude of the players!
If they only intend to play dull, then the game will become dull.

I agree John, that is not a very good example of our game, and I also want to see some blood.
Maybe we should take the baseball bats and place us at the side of the players;-)
Joking aside, it is time for action, and I still hope we will see some action.

Ingo

[Alex_Moiseyev]

it is time for action, and I still hope we will see some action.

Me too !

Last 2 games eneded with fast unevenful draws. Alan Millhone wrote:

G19. Ron with reds played souter to a draw in half hour in 29 moves

G20. SDC along old pp lines. Five minute game and 15 moves

Total score: 20 draws and no losses.

Regards,

Alex

[Alan Millhone]

Hello Everyone:

Ron jumps 28-19 every time and am certain he would not vary with Kondlo in this match. Film crew with us today and will be here tomorrow filming,etc. Dr. Beckwith will be on hand all day and part of the day and Mr. Joe LoConti (sponor of this match). Four more games tomorrow and outcome is anyone's guess !
It has been my pleasure being match referee and watching these two players at the board. Tomorrow's last day begins at 9 AM and I will email Mr. Alex of results as they occur.

On Sunday evening Lubabalo and myself will travel back up this way as I have tickets to Browns and Steelers game and Lubabalo is quite excited to see his first pro football game and see 60,000 screaming fans. We need some of that in our game................... Ron King may be coming as well to game.

Sincerely:
Alan Millhone
King/Kondlo Match Referee

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Tomorrow's last day begins at 9 AM and I will email Mr. Alex of results as they occur.

No way

Tomorrow me and my second son Paul (13) are planning to visit Clevelend. We want to be in Medina approximately around 10-11 AM, communicate and see the games for half-one hour. Then we plan to go to Clevelend Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame for 3-4 hours, and finally come back to Medina to see end of match and participate in Closing Ceremony and then return to Columbus !

See you there, folks !

Regards,

Alex

[tommyc]

Well whatever of think of the good or the bad because of this contest no one is getting any wins,in my opinion at this point this a moral victory for Lubabalo as King cannot better him nor does he need to but with just 4 games left my bet is one of these men will try to win it for the bragging rights tho time is running out.

The arguments put forward by Moiseyev and Ingo are just poppycock,of course GAYP will remain and not b/c certain players cannot get creedence over another in a given contest and perhaps no blood leting will occur like in the Collesuem of Roman times,but purely for the reason that this format is the essence of draughts long before these guys got on their high horse and thought they were something. Gayp is the building blocks of the games ,the foundation ,if King and Kondlo arent prepared to play suicide checkers so what!! is anyone surprised ,i doubt it.

Does there have to be a winner ? yes, and as far as im concerned Kondlo is the winner at this point!!!

Alex dint have any faith in Kondlo before this contest now his opinion is "sitting on the fence" to see wat happens ..........hindsight is a wonderful thing!!

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Does there have to be a winner ? yes, and as far as im concerned Kondlo is the winner at this point!!!

If match will be tied, they will split prize money and Ron retain title like he always did in the past 17 years.. Thats all about. Lubabalo will return back to line. Anything else - just speculations.

And more ... It is extremely important and crucial for Ron to keep title. Losing it would be catastrophic for him He has strong government support, and all this support is based only on his title. All his declarations about promotions checkers on Barbados - fake and unrealistic dreams. If tomorrow Lubabalo wins match, all so-called promotion on Barbados will be signifcantly dropped to zero ground.

If we understand this - we can't blame him. He had a goal - keep title and he achieved it (if tomorrow match ends with draw indeed!)t. If Lubabalo had goal - to drew match, he also may achieve it, but I seriously suspect that it was his intention.

He (Lubabalo) was unable to construct sufficient match strategy and opening choice, and failed at this point.

===================================================================================
Here is just an example ... 11-15, 24-19, 15-24, 28-19, 7-11 ?!! ... how about this? ... Continue ... 19-15, 10x19, 23x7, 3x10. See diagram

White to move.


Nothing really wrong here for white and position is totally even. However, this is new and fresh positionI which would force Ron working. I never seen or played this before and can't remember this in PP. I comeup with this move 7-11 when I read next frustrated report from Alan and looked at that damn position on the board after trade. This is much better than 11-8 which Lubabalo played in game#13 and get into lost.

Checkers is an ocean, and all you need to do - swim in right directions

Regards,

Alex

[william]

you hit it on the nail Tommy,

If all games end in draws then Kondolo will be the winner of this ty. as he will have proven that he is of world class talent despite the doubts on his level of play AND including his successful ''asskicking ''tournement last week ,which should have led some hot heads to reconsider thinking before speaking up so loudly.

He has shown , as well as a few others ,that with the strong field of players today in the top 15 to 20 ratings system anything can happen , and that very soon someone will be writing a book called SEVENTH!!!!!

WELL DONE KONDOLO ; and well done ron for a well defended match

WILLIAM DOCHERTY

[Ingo_Zachos]

Dear Alex,

I found two games played with 3.7-11, but they both had a different move-order, arising from a Kelso.
They indicate to me that 3.7-11 is bad if you look for winning chances, as the overdevelopemant and the weak single-corner side r positional deficits that give white the initiative.
I would rather try
1.11-15 24-19
2.15x24 28x19
3.10-14, as this keeps an eye on the centre, does not open up the single corner side and now white is still slighlty overdeveloped, which is the key theme of the whole SDC.

Here are the games, quickly annotated and one has to admit they r not of a high calibre, though the beginner might get a very good endgame lesson if he studies games like that with a better player:


1. Rawlinson, P. - Worthington, T.
English Tourney , 1907

1.10-15 24-19 2.15x24 28x19 3.07-10 A different move-oder, but here it is the same landing. 19-15 4.10x19 23x07 5.03x10 22-18 6.12-16 25-22 7.16-19 18-15 8.10-14?! IMAO a clear loss.
[ 8.09-14 is the given move, but white is better due to red being slighly overdeveloped. ]
8...27-23 9.14-18 23x16 10.18x25 29x22 11.08-11 15x08 12.04x20 26-23 13.09-13 23-19 14.06-10 19-16 15.05-09 22-18 16.02-07 30-26 17.01-05 16-12!?
[ 17...26-23! White wins ]
18.07-11 12-08 19.10-14?
[ 19.10-15 with equal chances. ]
19...26-23 20.11-16 08-03!? Promoting too early.
[ He could have held the pieces on 20 and 16 by 20...31-27! with a winning advantage. ]
21.16-19! Secures an equal and indeed drawish ending. 23x16 22.14x23 31-27 23.23-26 03-07 24.26-31 32-28 1-1

2. Vondra,M - Sip,M
Czech Open, 13.3.2005

1.10-15 24-19 2.15x24 28x19 3.07-10 Again tihs different move-order. 19-15 4.10x19 23x07 5.02x11!? mixing it up a little bit more. 22-18 6.11-15 18x11 7.08x15 25-22 8.04-08 30-25 9.08-11 22-18 10.15x22 25x18 11.06-10 26-23 12.09-14 18x09 13.05x14 23-18 14.14x23 27x18 15.01-05 29-25 16.10-14 18x09 17.05x14 Both clearly played to exchange as many pieces as soon as possible. 25-22 18.11-15 22-17 19.14-18 17-14 20.18-22 14-10 21.22-25 21-17 22.25-30 The ending with two kings each side is equal, but red should be careful. 17-13 23.15-18 13-09 24.18-22 09-06 25.22-25 06-01 26.25-29 01-05 27.12-16 05-09 28.16-20 10-06 29.03-08 06-02 30.08-11!? It is a wrong plan to advance the single pieces in this kind of endings.
[ Better to bring the kings to the frontline first: 30.29-25 02-07 31.30-26 31x22 32.25x18 and red should draw this ending.His plan should be to destroy the white base-line, and only then to advance his single pieces. ]
30...09-14 31.11-15!? Another step too far.
[ 31.29-25 14-10! (preventing 30-26) 32.25-22 02-07 33.11-16 10-15 is, however still not that easily a draw as the draw outlined above. ]
31...02-07 32.15-19 14-18!? Not the best plan, as the king on 18 may be exchanged, and thus has to retreat anyway.
[ First, he should have attacked with the other king by 32...07-11 , as now the exchange is dangerous for red: 33.29-25 14-18 34.25-22 18x25 35.30x21 11-15 and white wins. ]
33.30-25 18-14 As we see, 14-18 was just a waste of precious time. 34.25-22 07-11 35.19-23 11-15 36.23-26 15-18 37.22x15 31x22 The resulting ending is another quite equal position. 38.20-24 22-17 39.15-19 14-18 40.29-25 17-14 41.25-21 14-10 42.24-28 10-07 43.21-17 07-02 44.17-21 02-06 45.21-25 06-09 46.25-30 18-22 47.19-16 09-14 48.16-11 14-10 49.11-16 10-15 50.16-20 15-18 51.20-16 18-23 52.16-11?
[ 52.16-20 and red can always use the "backing" of the men on 28 and 32 to avoid the opposition loss. 23-19 53.20-24 19-16 54.24-20 etc. "seesaw"draw. ]
52...23-19 Now it's a loss by opposition. 0-2



Greetinx from rainy old Europe,

Ingo Zachos