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Fortune
Teller - 3rd installment
As of February 6, 2004
By ICCF-IM Valer Eugen Demian
Thanks go to ICCF-GM Arno
Nickel for his help with this edition of the Fortune Teller. You've
got 6 out of 7 league A qualifiers from this instalment Arno, so you
have to share the blame one more time :-)
- Group 16
- A - Finally a
Rochade 5171 - C. Connection 26.0 (1) team capable to win it all.
They must score something in the last game as Sagittarius 24.0 (2)
holds the tiebreak advantage. My prediction is Rochade will score
the full point...
- B - CCI 22.5
(0) will get another crack at league A together with the Czech team.
- C - Email Chess
- Krosno 21.0 (0) is in league C for sure. After that things get
really messy in a hurry! Magic4 18.5 (3), King's Defenders 17.5
(4), Pegas 16.0 (6), Pangea Chess Club 15.5 (8) and to a lesser
extend Almaty-Kazakhstan 13.5 (5) have lots of games to play between
themselves. Five teams fighting for 3 spots; what a combo for league
C!
- D - The Men from
U.N.C.L.E. 17.5 (0) - is that a new planet? - are out of the C league
picture. They do have momentarily more points than some of the above,
but don't let that mislead you. In my opinion they desperately need
a better board 4 for next season and beyond. Curi Rumi 12.0 (3)
at least has won a match.
Group 17- A - Imperium
Szachów - Polinia 30.0 (0) confirmed their top seed position winning
with a nice round up score.
- B - Chess Crystals
25.5 (3) and Slovan Bratislava 24.5 (4) complete a Slav connection
sweep of the top 3 places in this group.
- C - Masters of
the IECG 22.0 (2) held their own with a weaker line-up considering
what IECG is capable to field. More power to this foursome! Supernovae
21.5 (2) has scored worst than expected. Schachclub Friesen Lichtenberg
20.5 (1) and Rochade 5171 - Cobras 17.5 (0) scored well for their
strength.
- D - Rikis 14.0
(2), Veteran Fighters 13.0 (0), Chess Today Bishops 12.5 (1) and
...e5xd4 11.0 (1) have scored as much as they could.
Group 18- A - Long before
everyone else ChessBaseUserClub 31.5 (2) took matters into their
own hands. The result so far? Top league spot and 10 wins (perfect
record). They are going to be huge in league A next season and then
some!
- B - Surprisingly
Gaia 22.5 (1) and especially Chess Allies 21.0 (2) have legitimate
chances to league B together with Wicked Bishops 21.5 (1). Throw
in the mix ICT International 17.5 (5) and try to guess on the outcome.
Well, two of these will come empty handed for sure. Anyone gutsy
enough to predict who those might be?...
- C - Zugzwang
Bocholt IV 21.0 (0) is in. Chess Mail Keres 19.5 (2) has ˝ point
more and an extra game to finish, but El Peon Travieso 19.0 (1)
has more wins so far. Chess Mail needs 50% from remaining 2 to play
in league C.
- D - CXEB-I 16.0
(0) and Knight Fighters 13.0 (2) fought to the bitter end. Syopes
9.5 (0) were basically playing less board 4 most of the tournament.
Group 19- A - I can bet
Penelopa 27.0 (2) has secured the top spot easier than even they
expected.
- B - Will put
my money on Vesuvian Chess Team 22.0 (3) and Cebichess 21.0 (3)
to surpass Petrochess 22.0 (0).
- C - Sfr. 1957
Huelzweiler 19.5 (1) is in for sure. Les Chevaliers 19.0 (1) and
Caissa and Friends 18.5 (3) have the opportunity to give Chess Club
Moravce 17.0 (2) a ticket to league D. The Slovaks are playing their
last 2 games versus top teams and this is not good news for their
slim hopes.
- D - Flanco Sur
16.0 (2), Rochade 5171 - Wizards 14.5 (3) and Chess Mail Muzio 13.5
(0) will be looking for a new magic this upcoming season to climb
the mountain from the bottom.
Group 20- A - Lithuania
ChessClub "Baltijos Lyga" 31.0 (2) is a team taking things seriously.
If their score cannot convince you, please also visit their web
pages!
- B - The Beatles
24.0 (5) are coming from Germany like in the glorious old days and
are heading to league B. Forster SC 95 23.5 (4) will join them with
the board 4 game between themselves counting only for bragging rights.
- C - Eridano Chess
Team 22.0 (0), BR Knights 21.0 (0) finished above 50% and in league
C. Partenope Scacchi Italia 19.0 (2) and another German team SV
Saxonia Bernsbach 19.0 (0) are all equal: both qualified in league
C, same number of points, tie match between them two and no worries
one way or another.
- D - Szachowa
Vistula Chess Monthly 14.5 (4), Hamar Optimists 12.5 (1) Samarachess
12.0 (3) and NBC Northern Pride 9.5 (0) are a surprising quartet
heading into the murky waters of league D.
Group 21- A - Margiris
30.5 (1) is the second club from Lithuania qualified for the top
league. I find this truly amazing!
- B - 64for4 25.5
(0) get B this time together with CSM Cluj - ROMANIA 24.5 (0). The
Romanians have scored a solid all around result.
- C - Schachfreunde
St. Wendel 23.5 (0) edges Titanic Team 23.5 (0) on tiebreak, but
go hand in hand into league C. Capea II 19.5 (0) and Blue Danube
Rookies 18.0 (1) are joining them even with fewer points.
- D - Odenwalder
Bauern 17.0 (0) lost all hopes on board 1. Inka Chess Club 14.0
(1), Imperium Szachow - Rzeszow 12.5 (1) and Rochade 5171 - Squirrels
10.0 (0) were no match for their opponents.
Group 22- A - The artists
from Rochade 5171 - Chess Composers 27.5 (0) are the best of their
club. Who would have thought that? Anyone wishes to bet against
them next season?
- B - HSG Uni Rostock
26.0 (0) and Novokuznetsk 25.0 (0) grabbed the best spots left.
- C - Zugzwang
Bocholt I 24.5 (0) have to be disappointed with their final result.
However I don't think Chessclub Norma 23.5 (1) and Lotus 19.5 (0)
were realistically hoping for more. C.S. Universitatea Craiova 18.0
(3) plays a decisive 2 games versus their rivals Svitosi 17.5 (2).
These games will decide everything, including a tiebreak situation.
- D - Brazilians
Chessfriends 17.5 (0) could not hold on until the end. An Eneber
10.5 (0) was handicapped by board 2. Los Chalanes 7.5 (0) did what
they could and that was not much.
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