Winter 2003 Bughouse chess gathering Czech Republic - Hradec Kralove

Winter bughouse chess tournaments in the Czech Republic
TJ Slavia Hradec Kralove 28.-29.12 2002

At first I wish to announce, we have several good pictures and at least 1 good minivideo (640x480) from this gathering, however it can't be all placed on this web due space restrictions. Some of the pictures are here
Everything was played on digital clocks. Each of the players could choose where to sit, and in the case both teams wanted to play against concrete opponents, it was randomly determined before the games which team could sit first. As a special price for all buggers in both days was CD with 20000 bughouse games (classic DB 1998-2000 in both formats and 2002 over 2100 and some special selections) in bpgn and all the bughouse software found on the internet and infos. We hope now everybody has all for playing bughouse both OTB and on the net.

Saturday 28.12. 2002

On Saturday the singles tournament with changing partners was played. The winner was awarded with special trophy : battle pawn. Picture is coming soon :-)
It was played using "Z-system" (shortly: players are sorted after each round based on points and progress, then the first four make up group A, next four group B etc. Then the games are played in each group, so that player seeded #1 partners seed #3 and plays against #2 and #4. In group A however, #1 partners #4 and plays against #2 and #3. We played 20 two-game rounds, after which the first five players advance to the finale to compete for the 1st place. The finale was played each versus each one game (15 combinations). The points from basic part of tournament were not counted in the finale. The basic part of the tournament was won by Matejus (Martin Tajovsky from TJ Slavia Hradec Kralove), who is nr. 1 in Czech Republic OTB bughouse chess rating list (based on all official tournaments played in the year 2002 in Czech Rep., including matches versus Fermy+CreepingDeath team). Finale was won by Alamar (Jiri Jezbera, also from TJ Slavia HK, at present the player with highest best on FICS among the czechs.) Congratulations to the trophy pawn :) Ivanek (third highest best czech on FICS) played first time over the real chessboard so he only warmed up.

The final order of the tournament:
1. Jiri Jezbera (Alamar on FICS), Hradec Kralove, 8 points from 12 games.
2. Martin Tajovsky (Matejus on FICS), Hradec Kralove, 7 (12).
3.-5. Ondrej Pridal (not on FICS), Brno, Tomas Kulhanek (not on FICS) and Josef Jiruse (Jiruse on FICS), both Hradec Kralove.

6. Ivan Letal (Ivanek on FICS), Breclav
7. Roman Prymula (not on FICS), HK
8. Dusan Skaloud (SKAcz on FICS), HK
9. Pavel Mencik (Wir on FICS), Brno
10. Marek Krasa (Sandokanom on FICS), HK
11. Katerina Krejcova (not on FICS, the only girl in the tournament)
12. Ivos Slesinger (Ivos on FICS), HK

Sunday 29.12 2002

On Sunday there were 3 team tournaments played. In the first round Wir+Countryman scored 1-3 against the favorites Matejus+Jiruse, which could be considered surprise. However this team played not very well and finished third. The addition game for the first place was played between Ivanek+SKAcz and Alamar+Sandokanom teams, (1-0), so Ivanek wons his very first OTB tournament.
In the second tournament the best team in the Czech Republic Alamar+Matejus dominated: they won all the games (20 of 20) After the tournaments additional match was played between Alamar+Matejus and Ivanek+SKAcz, 10-0 was the result. Ivanek+SKAcz were second and Jiruse+Wir third in the second tournament. It seems that at present there is not any stronger team in the Czech Rep., perhaps only Nachod winners of biggest tournament in Czech local version of bughouse (holandany) - Petr Cechura + Michal Cerha could possibly challenge this team.
The third tournament was quite tight, as almost every team scored some poitns against every other - there are only 2 zeros in the entire tournament. Finally the winners were Matejus+Jiruse with considerable gap, Alamar+Sandokanom were second and Ivanek+Wir third.

Highlights:

  • In the first tournament Sandokanom partnered Katerina. In one game, Katerina - angelic girl - after his non-stop talking, she stopped him unexpectedly: "Shut up, please!".
  • Wir partnered Ivanek and when I walked around, Wir had 3 knights on the board already, though he still waited for the fourth and asked repeatedly: "Can you give me the knight please? I need knight". When I walked around several minutes later, I heard him again: "Knight?" So Ivanek gave him one, but then after 2 moves maybe, he asked once more: "Can You give me a knight?" I told him he needs a special chess set, where at least 8 knights of each color are present, perhaps only then he might be happy.
  • Alamar partnered with Sandokanom is always a lot of fun. Alamar often uses Sandokanom like the bots on FICS, to play fast opening and then he starts his simul. After the opening is over it could very often be heard: "play this and this and sit", "moment", "this play and that and sit". There is a minivideo which shows this scene magnificiently. Matejus called this team "puppet theatre".


Details :

Sunday 29.12.2002
Tournament 1
Tajovsky Martin (HK) [Matejus]
Jiruse Josef (HK) [Jiruse]		. 1 4 2 3 4 14 3.
Letal Ivan (Breclav) [Ivanek]
Skaloud Dusan (HK) [SKAcz]		 3. 1 3 4 4 15 1.
Jezbera Jiri (HK) [Alamar]
Krasa Marek (HK) [Sandokanom]		 0 3 . 4 4 4 15 2.
Cerha Michal (Nachod) [-----]
Kubelova Sona (Krnov) [-----]		 2 1 0.2 3 8 4.
Mencik Pavel (Brno) [Wir]
Stursa David (HK) [Countryman]		 1 0 0 2 . 2 5 5.
Doubrava Pavel (HK) [-----]
Koros Ladislav (HK) [-----]		 0 0 0 1 2. 3 6.
Finale: Letal+ Skaloud x Jezbera + Krasa 1:0

Tournament 2
Tajovsky Martin (HK) [Matejus]
Jezbera Jiri (HK) [Alamar]		.4 4 4 4 4 20 1.
Letal Ivan (Breclav) [Ivanek]
Skaloud Dusan (HK) [SKAcz]		 0. 4 4 4 4 16 2.
Doubrava Pavel (HK) [-----]
Krasa Marek (HK) [Sandokanom]		 0 0. 4 1 4 9 4.
Cerha Michal (Nachod) [-----]
Kubelova Sona (Krnov) [-----]		 0 0 0 . 1.5 3 4.5 5.
Mencik Pavel (Brno) [Wir]
Jiruse Josef (HK) [Jiruse]		 0 0 3 2,5. 4 9.5 3.
Stursa David (HK) [Countryman]
Koros Ladislav (HK) [-----]		 0 0 0 1 0. 1 6.
Bonus official match Matejus+Alamar x Ivanek+SKAcz 10:0

Tournament 3
Tajovsky Martin (HK) [Matejus]
Jiruse Josef (HK) [Jiruse]		. 4 5 5.5 6 20.5 1.
Mencik Pavel (Brno) [Wir]
Letal Ivan (Breclav) [Ivanek]		 2.2.54.5 4 13 3.
Jezbera Jiri (HK) [Alamar]
Krasa Marek (HK) [Sandokanom]		 1 3.5 .63.5 14 2.
Cerha Michal (Nachod) [-----]
Kubelova Sona (Krnov) [-----]		 0.5 1.5 0.2 4 5.
Skaloud Dusan (HK) [SKAcz]
Doubrava Pavel (HK) [-----]		 0 2 2.5 4.8.5 4.