Groenendijk - Vipulis
Jan Groenendijk (archive photo) won virtually every tournament he participated in during 2023
Photograph: G. van Dijk

Groenendijk - Vipulis

To applet

Draw?? Almost everything won, right?

Author: Jan Groenendijk
01-11-2023

Dear readers! I doubted for a while about which of my games from the last few months would be best suited for this occasion. Between July 2nd and 29th, I played no fewer than 28 games, exactly as many as there were days in that period. The adventure began with the Riga Open (July 2nd to 8th). After a few days of rest, I continued with the Rotterdam Open (July 16th to 22nd) and finished with the Nijmegen Open (July 23rd to 29th). A fun detail was that it was the first time I participated in the Nijmegen Open since I moved to Nijmegen almost six years ago…

The reason I had scheduled so many games in succession wasn’t just because I’m a passionate draughts player—it was also to somewhat simulate the upcoming World Championship, which consists of 19 games over 16 days. For the 19 consecutive games, the Riga tournament wasn’t even strictly necessary; the tournaments in Rotterdam and Nijmegen alone were enough. In fact, it was uncertain for a long time whether I would even participate in the Riga Open. Besides being a professional draughts player, I am also a master's student in Physics and Astronomy, and the Riga tournament fell right between my exams for the fourth term and the resits for the same term. I had made an agreement with the organizers that I would base my participation on my exam results. I could earn 21 credits, but if things went terribly wrong (which I didn’t entirely rule out), I would skip the tournament to better prepare for the resits. Fortunately, all my worries turned out to be unfounded—I passed three of the four exams, earning 18 of the 21 credits, and immediately informed the organizers that I would participate.

Making Live Difficult

Because I had to book a flight at the last minute, one of the only remaining affordable options was a flight that arrived a day earlier in Riga. This wasn’t a huge disaster—there was one assignment I still needed to submit, and I preferred to finish it before the tournament started. I spent most of my one free day on it. The course was called Modeling of Real-World Complex Systems. I got so absorbed that, by evening, I decided to finish the assignment in one sitting. I submitted it just before midnight, and with all my study-related worries out of the way, I felt ready for the tournament.

The transition from such an intense study period to a checkers tournament doesn’t always go smoothly, as was the case that time. I played in the first round against the Latvian youth player Klavs Norenbergs and delivered one of my most tamest, uninspired games in a long time. I didn’t dare to make any decisions, and the decisions I did make were often for the wrong reasons. I wanted—just like in the past—to do everything perfectly, and as a result, I hesitated for minutes over even simple development moves.

This game had two consequences. The first and most important was that I realized I hadn’t enjoyed my first game at all. That was the first thing that had to change. I find joy in making my opponents’ lives as difficult as possible. I enjoy complicated games that require a lot of calculation, and precise calculations. And I enjoy it when I can trust myself and my intuition. From that moment on, my only goal was to finish all my games with the feeling that I had enjoyed myself. The results were less important, although I trusted that they would come naturally if I enjoyed the process. (This sounds more like a conversation I would have with my coach, Rik, than an introduction to a game analysis…)

Old Style

The second consequence of my first game was that I immediately realized I would need to perform something a bit special to win the tournament, without putting too much pressure on myself. What I mean by that is: after a draw in the first round, you often need to beat a grandmaster later in the tournament if you want to stay at the top. This wasn’t something to panic about, but it was something to keep in mind when the time came. The priority for me was to get my old style of play back on track, the one that had brought me success in the European Championship, Dutch Championship, and Drancy Open.

Without going into too much detail, I managed to do that quite well! I won convincingly against Ukrainian talent Danylo Sokolov, Oleksandr Honhalskiy, and, in an incredibly tense game, against grandmaster Jos Stokkel. In between, I had two cautious draws against Jitse Slump and Wouter Sipma. After five rounds, I was already at a +3 score, which showed that I was on the right track, and it certainly felt that way.

Now, slowly but surely, we come to the game I want to discuss. After the calm morning game against Sipma, I played the seventh round in the afternoon against Raimonds Vipulis. Vipulis (who also played a draw in the first round of the tournament!) played that morning against Yuri Bobkov, and, seemingly out of nowhere, he won in a very impressive way in a classical game. After six rounds, he was in the lead with 10 points. And in the afternoon, I was paired against him. Now, the second consequence I had just described resurfaced from the back of my mind. Now was my chance to make up for the mistake I made in the first round and take the lead from him. This was the moment!

The Sharpest Move

have a fairly good head-to-head record against Vipulis. Before this game in Riga, I had played three regular games against him, with only one ending in a draw at the World Cup in my hometown of Wageningen (which I followed up by winning the tiebreak). I won the other two games—one was a wild encounter in the third round of my first World Championship in Emmen in 2015, and the other was a thrilling game at the 2021 World Championship in Tallinn. I find Vipulis a difficult player to read. He’s an incredibly solid grandmaster; he knows how to build positions well and has excellent technique. In a quiet positional game, he doesn’t make many mistakes. But what I find striking (and also fun!) about his style is that occasionally, he just can’t resist making the sharpest move on the board or playing aggressively when he feels the position calls for it. However, when a complex position arises and he has to make important decisions, it takes him a lot of time. Especially when he can’t or doesn’t dare to trust his positional instincts.

A good example is my game against him from 2021. In the World Championship final, I think he wanted me to pay dearly for trying to beat him, so his opening against me was a bit cautious. I played provocatively, luring him into attacking, and he took the bait, playing as aggressively as possible. That probably wasn’t his original plan, but it happened. (With this entire psychoanalysis, I should add the disclaimer that I might be completely wrong, but this is how I interpreted it.)

Now we were in a somewhat similar situation. He was a point ahead, and he also knows that, in principle, I am a dangerous opponent for him. I assumed he would do everything he could to secure at least a draw and maintain his lead in the tournament. I prepared myself to make some provocative choices during the game, knowing that I might have to accept a slightly worse position at some point to provoke him into an interesting game. Let’s see how it all unfolded…

1.32-28...I used to be a big fan of 1. 34-29, until one of my trainers made it clear to me that 1. 34-29 is a draw move. I'm starting to understand more and more what he meant by that. That's why I preferred 1. 32-28 in this game – and many other games this past summer! 1....19-232.28x1914x23Not necessarily the answer I expected, but in my opinion, not necessarily a bad answer given the circumstances. I can now always choose to raise the pressure with 35-30. 3.37-3210-144.35-30...I decide to play it almost immediately. The biggest disadvantage of 4.41-37in my opinion, is 4....16-215.35-3021-27and I don't see how White could ever find a way to create chances. In my opinion, Black is positioned too beautifully. Against someone whom I expect will be playing for a draw, I’m more than happy to avoid this variant. 4....20-25Vipulis doesn’t want to start playing passively on move 4 and responds with 20-25, as is expected. 5.41-375-10I was satisfied with this move. That doesn’t necessarily say anything about its value, though! A bit less solid now is 5...16-21because of 6.47-41!21-267.32-2823x328.37x2826x379.41x32with good attacking prospects for White. This was my main reason for including 4. 35-30. More solid, though, would have been 5...14-19but perhaps Vipulis avoided this due to a variant like, 6.40-35The idea behind 5... 14-19 is 6.33-2915-207.40-3520-248.29x2025x14and Black has a nice central position. 15-207.44-405-108.50-4420-24Better is 17-219.34-2925x3410.29x2010-1411.39x3014x3412.40x2923x3413.44-39and Black finds himself in a somewhat more passive position. 6.33-29...This move was purely and simply intended to provoke the game variation. I’m particularly satisfied that I judged that correctly. 6.46-4114-19

This is the position that often occurs from the 1. 32-28 19-23x23 opening when White plays 6. 35-30 on the sixth move instead of the fourth. I have encountered this position quite frequently, both with White and Black. It often continues with... 7.33-299-14Another good option is 10-148.40-3517-229.31-2722x3110.36x2711-1711.30-2419x3012.35x2414-20with exciting Roozenburg variations, which I didn’t want to explore further here. My experience, however, is that White is actually the only one who really has to be cautious in this variation, and only has chances if it’s the first time the Black player encounters this position (which I considered highly unlikely in Vipulis's case). 8.40-353-99.45-4023-28!Also possible is
17-2110.31-2621-2711.32x2116x2712.50-4511-1713.37-3118-2214.29x1812x2315.30-2419x3016.35x2423-28!as Schwarzman once played against me. This leads to interesting play for both sides, although I completely messed it up in that game. 10.32x2319x2811.30-2416-21!Less strong is 14-20?12.31-27!10-1413.38-3325-3014.33x2230x19*15.42-3817x2816.29-2318x2917.34x32With a significant advantage for White due to the missing black golden piece and the classical structure of the position. 12.31-2617-22!13.26x1712x21with better play for Black 6....16-21!?This was exactly the response I was more or less hoping for. This is known as 'the move' that Black should play in this position, now that White has not yet played 46-41, but to me, that doesn’t seem all that clear. A week later, in the Rotterdam tournament, Wim Kalis continued here against me with 6...14-197.40-359-148.45-403-9A)Unfortunately, I couldn’t come up with anything better than to steer towards the 'normal' variant with 9.46-419...23-2810.32x2319x2811.39-33?!28x3912.44x33with exciting play; B)Less strong seemed to me 9.38-33because of 9....16-21!10.43-3823-28!11.32x2319x2812.33x2217x28C)And even less strong seemed to me 9.30-2419x3010.35x2414-1911.40-3519x3012.35x249-1413.38-3314-1914.32-2714.44-40?19x3015.40-3523-28!and Black has one piece more. 19x3015.27-2217x2816.33x2218x2717.29x94x1318.31x2210-14!after which the White outpost on 22 comes under considerable pressure. Black, at least, can never lose... 7.31-2611-168.40-35...The intention of Black's sixth move lies in the short variant 8.37-317-119.31-2723-28!10.32x2321x3211.38x2713-19and White is in a very bad position. I was already glad that I had managed to trick my opponent into 6...16-21. The black fist adds an extra element of tension, and Black must think carefully about when to launch the attack with 21-27x27. 8....6-119.46-41...
9....14-20The beginning of a series of at least unusual moves. It made much more sense not to touch the long wing yet, and to go on the attack with 9...21-2710.32x2116x27I probably would have continued with 11.37-3211-1612.32x2116x2713.41-377-1114.30-24A)with which White plays on the open square 7. By closing Black's square 7 with piece 1, 17-22 would no longer be an option, and Black's mobility would be restricted. If Black keeps square 7 open, he must take the move 37-31! into account, forcing Black to choose between closing the position with 17-22 or shifting the attack to square 28. 14-2015.45-401-716.50-459-14after which White can choose between: A1)or first attack once more with 17.37-3217...11-1618.32x2116x2719.42-377-1120.48-42with a very explosive position, as Black can hardly prevent his outpost from being moved to 28 via the attack 37-31; A2)or an immediate attack with
17.37-3114-194-918.31x2218x2719.29x1813x2220.42-3720x2921.34x2314-2022.39-348-1323.23-1812x2324.36-3127x3625.34-3025x3426.40x27with somewhat easier play for White. 18.31x2219x3019.35x2417x2820.36-31with again a very explosive position (and exactly what I was looking for). B)A very solid option suggested by my computer is 14...1-615.37-3215.37-3117-22!16.42-3723-28with good play for Black.
11-1616.32x2116x2717.42-37
17....17-2118.26x1712x21and now, for example, 19.39-336-1120.44-3914-2021.45-4011-1622.47-428-1223.50-452-724.37-3121-2625.31x2218x2726.29x1812x2327.42-3720x2928.33x247-11with a completely equal position. It is highly questionable whether 17...17-21x21 would ever come to anyone's mind, so I won't pay much attention to it further. Instead of immediately going on the attack with 9...21-27x27, Black can also effectively wait an extra move with 1-610.45-4021-2711.32x2116x27After 12.37-32, Black has now the extra option 12....17-2113.26x1712x21Several games (Baljakin - Sadowska, Sipma - Stokkel) continued with 14.32-2823x3215.36-3127x3616.38x16with exciting play. All in all, I was by no means dissatisfied with the course of the game, but technically, Black is probably best off shifting his attack to 28 at some point. It is absolutely not certain that this would result in a worse position for Black. Black still has the golden piece, so often Black still has the opportunity to wriggle out of the closed structure of the position with maneuvers like 10-14-19 followed by 25-30. The plan that Vipulis chooses in the game does not seem strong to me 10.45-409-14!?11.50-453-912.30-2421-27?In my opinion, this move deserves a question mark. It looks tense, but Black could still relatively forcefully aim for an equal position through 12...1-613.32-2813.38-33?25-3014.34x2523x3415.40x2918-2316.29x1820x2723x3214.37x2821-27!15.28-2317-21!16.26x1711x2217.41-377-1118.37-3111-1719.42-3713-1920.24x138x2821.29-2420x2922.34x2117x26The fragmented nature of Black's position is now more than adequately compensated through his development advantage of 9 tempi. After the move of the game, it is difficult to keep the position truly equal. 13.32x2116x2714.37-3114-19With the absence of piece 3, it is often unrealistic to allow the outpost to be shifted to 28. A small variant for illustration: 14...1-615.31x2217x2816.41-3711-1717.37-31!6-1118.31-2717-2214-19?19.27-21!19x3020.35x24+-19.47-4122x3120.36x2711-1621.42-37!25-3022.34x2523x3423.39x3020x2924.27-2116x2725.38-3227x3826.43x34and White has won a 'healthy' piece. 15.31x2218x2716.29x1813x22!17.24x139x18
18.41-37...After this change of scenery, a new phase of the game begins. Black has a strong attack that is not in any real danger, But the concession is that Black's position feels unbalanced. Ideally, Black would form a strong center to reinforce his attack, but his own piece on 25 does not contribute favorably to that. Black cannot fortify his center from the 1/7/12/18 line in the next few moves, which would improve the balance of his position. Therefore, Vipulis first prepares this maneuver. 18....10-1419.38-3314-1920.37-3118-23!Well played! After the logical move 20...8-1321.42-38!Black can no longer reinforce his center from the right wing, as both 21...18-23 and the preparatory move 21...4-9 are simply prevented. What remains is 19-23after which, I had planned to continue consistently with 22.35-30!4-923.40-35and now, for example 23....9-1424.44-4014-1925.47-42!20-2426.34-2923x3427.40x2025x1428.45-4019-2318-23?29.40-3414-2030.33-29!20-2531.42-3711-1632.38-33!23-2833.43-382-834.37-32!28x3735.31x4213-1936.30-24!19x3037.35x2437....18-2338.29x1812x2339.49-437-1240.34-29!23x3441.39x3025x3442.33-2822x3343.38x40with brilliant winning chances for White. Of course, I didn’t look that deeply. I only recognized the plan 35-30, 40-35, 44-40; that keeps the blockage of the black right wing at its maximum. Vipulis' move was better. 21.42-384-922.47-42?...
The played move might not really deserve a question mark, because it is such a logical move and it’s not immediately clear what the exact difference is between this move and 22.47-41!That detail only became clear on the next move, but I didn’t realize it during the game. I mainly just wanted to shift 47 to 37, as that gives White more options and forces Black to make difficult choices. What still seemed reasonable for Black was the configuration 23-2823.41-379-13after which I strongly considered the continuation 24.35-30!?From a technical perspective, it seems better 24.34-3025x3425.40x2919-2426.44-40after which Black might best choose to cut his losses with 26....11-1627.40-3417-2128.26x1722x1129.31x2228x17with an approximately equal position. 20-2425.40-3513-1826.44-4015-2027.38-32!?27x2928.34x3225x3429.39x3018-2330.32-2712-18Maybe a bit of wishful thinking, but from a distance, this still had the impression of a strategy, with that vague fork lock formation and the immobile black position on the left wing. However, my computer completely disagrees with me. You live and you learn. 22....8-13?The detail in question was that, with the previous White move, Black could now straighten out the position, by 22...12-18!23.42-377-1224.37-32and now the 'Boomstra offer' 24....9-13!25.32x2111-16White now technically has nothing better than 26.31-2722x3127.36x2717-2228.34-3025x3429.40x2923x3430.39x3022x3131.26x3716x2732.33-2818-2333.38-3227x3834.43x32after which, a draw is likely to occur soon. Because this is so disappointing, I probably would have tried to find another plan after 22...12-18 (something along the lines of 23. 34-30x29x30). However, I could have avoided all these difficulties by playing 47-41! on move 22, after which 22...12-18 would simply be prevented. 23.42-3711-16?A very important detail I had placed my hopes on during the game is that 23...12-18, surprisingly enough, more or less costs a piece! White weaves a particularly tricky king shot into the position: 24.37-32!7-1225.32x2111-1626.48-42!16x2727.42-371-7
(other moves make little difference) 28.38-32!!27x2929.31-2722x4230.43-3842x3331.39x2823x3232.34x3A brilliant bonus now is that White threatens with a combination on both sides of the board. For example, the following could happen: 32....20-2433.35-30!24x3534.26-2117x2635.3x43with excellent chances for White in the endgame. Vipulis' move gave me the opportunity to execute a brilliant plan (if I may say so myself...). Better, however, is still to aim for the sacrifice with: 23...13-1824.37-329-1325.32x2111-16although White can now indeed play well 26.31-2722x3127.36x27with a clear advantage after 27....17-2228.34-29!22x3129.26x3716x2730.29-2420x2931.33x2419x3032.35x247-1133.39-3411-1734.34-2923x3435.40x29and so on. 24.33-29!13-18Forced. Black's other options result in losing a piece: 24...12-1825.29-24!19x3026.35x2420x2927.38-3329x3828.43x12+-24...2-825.29x1812x2326.34-3025x3427.40x18and Black is unfortunate that after 27....17-2128.26x2813x4229.31x22he has to capture back with his nearly promoted piece. 29....42x3130.36x27+-25.39-33!9-1326.44-39!20-24Most likely the best. Even worse is 26...7-1127.29-24!20x2928.33x2419x3029.35x2423-2830.37-32!28x3731.31x42The best move for Black is probably to exchange back miserably with 31...13-19, as 31....22-28?32.34-30!25x3433.40x2917-2234.38-3313-1935.24x1318x936.42-37followed by 37.48-42 and 38.42-38, costs a full piece. 27.29x2025x1428.35-30...This seems like the right moment to talk about one of the most important elements of this game: the clock. To begin with, I’m mainly referring to my opponent’s clock. If we had played this game 10 years ago, the game would have turned into a real spectacle from this point on, with both of us struggling to survive in this complicated position with only a few minutes left on the clock. No time to calculate, even though it was clearly necessary. Pieces flying across the board—can you imagine it? The main priority would have been simply to reach the 45th move, and from there, I would have had to hope I hadn’t thrown away too much of my advantage.

But it’s 2023! After the move of the game, I still had almost 20 minutes left! What a luxurious position I found myself in. Everything I described earlier applied only to my opponent in this case, who had just 3 minutes left after his previous move! I could still take my time to calculate the win when the moment called for it. But, above all, I could take a moment to enjoy the state of blind panic my opponent was experiencing. I wrote in the introduction that I derive joy from making things as difficult as possible for my opponents in draughts, and that I especially love making their lives miserable. This was one of those moments! I felt like I had done everything right in this game so far; I had provoked him into sharp play, something he might not have wanted at all, given his top position. I had managed my time well, while all the problems I had created for my opponent had cost him so much time that he now had almost none left. I had my opponent exactly where I wanted him. I also knew full well that I couldn’t take this too lightly; on the contrary, that would have been dangerous. I had to stay focused, continue managing my own time well, and, most importantly, avoid becoming naive. I had to keep asking him the same difficult questions as before. But I also realized at this point that I was very close to a practical win. So much for what was going through my mind as I watched Vipulis’ clock tick down from about three minutes to two and a half. His next move was an immediate positional blunder. 28....14-20?
Black's position is now critical. But I dare say that after the move of the game, it is over on a higher level. Better was 28...2-8!after which White's best continuation is 29.40-3523-2830.37-32!28x3731.31x42A)18-23?32.30-24!19x3033.35x24and White has excellent chances. Here are a few examples: A1)The best option seems to be 13-1834.34-2923x3435.39x3018-23although, for example, after 36.45-4012-1837.24-1923-2838.19x1015x439.30-2428x3940.43x348-1341.24-20It is hard to see any way for Black to stop a White breakthrough. A small variant: 41....18-2313-1942.34-3018-2343.40-357-1244.30-2419x3045.35x24+-42.42-37!7-1243.37-3112-1844.34-301-745.40-357-1246.49-43and Black has ended up in an unpleasant, zugzwang-like situation. A2)Bad is 33...23-28?34.42-3713-1835.45-40!1-6After 18-23decides the slow plan 36.40-3512-1837.35-30!8-1338.30-2513-1939.24x1318x940.33-291-641.29x1822x1342.34-297-1243.38-33!17-2244.26-21+-36.34-2918-2337.29x1812x2338.40-346-1139.33-29!14-20Of 8-1240.29x1812x2341.37-317-1242.24-1912-1843.19x1015x444.34-30+-40.29x1820x4041.18-138x1942.37-3228x3743.39-3440x2944.38-3329x3845.43x1+-A3)Also worse is 33...12-1834.34-2923x3435.39x308-1236.45-4013-1937.24x1318x938.42-37!9-1339.37-317-1140.33-29!B)A probably better line is 31...19-2332.30-2513-1933.45-4014-2034.25x1419x10with White still maintaining good surrounding opportunities, as Black will never be able to successfully execute 23-28 followed by 17-21x21. 29.30-24!...After investing about 10 minutes, I found a strong plan. I was convinced that this was a winning position. The move of the game, further thins out Black's weak left wing, while the wreckage on the right wing (particularly the entire line 1/7/12/18/23) remains untouched. 29....20x2930.33x2419x3031.34x2513-1932.40-3415-2033.25x1419x1034.39-3310-1435.45-407-11
Up to this point, I had calculated everything when I played 29. 30-24!, but I hadn’t considered the move of the game for even a second. I now expected 35...23-2836.34-3028x3937.43x3418-232-8?38.40-35!18-2339.30-2423-2840.48-43!7-1141.26-2117x2642.38-3227x3843.43x2338.30-24!23-2839.37-32!28x3740.31x4212-18A sideline that I—apparently rightfully—did not examine too closely during the game is 2-841.34-30!8-1342.42-37!12-1843.37-31with an almost winning position for White. For example: 43....7-1244.40-341-745.48-4318-2346.30-2512-1847.24-207-1248.20x913x449.38-3323-2850.33-29+-41.24-19!14x2342.34-30I recognized this sacrifice, and it seemed almost decisive to me during the game. However, I missed one detail: after 42....2-843.30-248-13Also loosing is 23-2944.24x3318-2345.49-43!7-1246.40-3512-1847.35-308-1348.30-2513-1949.25-20+-44.24-2022-28!White still has to execute the sacrifice 45.38-33!Because after 45.40-34?a very tricky continuation follows: 17-21!46.26x177-1247.17x1923x2548.42-3716-21!49.48-4318-2350.43-3921-2651.38-3326-31!52.37x2628-32=28x3946.49-43+-For a brief moment, it crossed my mind: 'If only I hadn’t spent 10 minutes calculating 35...23-28 in detail. Your opponent only has 2 minutes left; he’s guaranteed to do something you don’t expect. You need to save your time for a later moment, when he’s made the decisive mistake!' Thoughts like this flash through my mind—all perfectly valid points. On the other hand, you can never be 100 percent certain when someone has truly made the decisive mistake.

What also constantly goes through my head is the question of whether I could calculate a winning possibility at any given moment—it certainly felt that way. And that’s the most dangerous thing that can happen: you end up hesitating between two thoughts. On one hand, 'I have to trust my instincts now, press forward, and wait for a better moment to use my time!' On the other hand, 'What if my instincts are wrong and I’m missing a better option? If only I had taken the time to look more carefully!! I need to calculate right now!' I gave in to the second thought—a logical choice, but also a big mistake. I calculated almost no variations at all, instead spending 5 minutes hearing a voice in the back of my mind echoing,telling me to press forward, without having any idea what move I should play because I hadn’t calculated. You could say I completely panicked, as I felt the control over the game slipping through my fingers. 36.40-35...I still managed to play this move rather quickly. 36....1-7But at this moment, exactly what I just described happened. My opponent had reached his final minute with 35...07-11 and 36...01-07. His last two moves were, technically speaking, not good moves; they were only good because I hadn’t anticipated them at all. White is still winning in all variations here. 37.35-30...With this move, I went from 5 to 1 minute, and I had no idea how to proceed after 37...23-28, the only possible black move (!!). I just made a move under the pressure of "AAAA, I suddenly have less time than he does!" and this is what came out. A much better move was 37.33-29A)2-8and only now 38.35-30A1)with some variants: 23-2839.38-32!27x3840.43x238-1341.31-27!(I completely missed this sacrifice during the game) 22x4242.48x3713-1917-2243.30-2411-1744.37-3116-2145.23-1914x2346.24-20+-43.30-2519x2844.29-24+-A2)Not much better is 38...8-1339.43-3913-19After 14-20a similar sacrifice follows, just like in an earlier line: 40.30-2513-1941.25x1419x1042.29-2423-2843.37-3228x3744.31x4210-1445.24-19!14x2346.34-30+-40.39-33!23-2841.29-2428x3942.34x43with a painful zugzwang for black. B)37...14-20?38.38-3320-2539.34-30!37....23-2838.43-392-8
A relevant variant is 38...16-2139.30-24and now: A)after 11-16I had my sights set on the sacrifice 40.34-3027-3241.38x2721x4142.36x4716-2143.24-19!14x2344.30-2521-2745.25-2027x3646.20-1428-3247.14-10although I must admit I hadn't yet fully realized just how strong it was. Black has no defense against the plan 48. 10-05 and 49. 48-42 ±. B)An even weaker move is 39...2-8?40.34-308-13After 11-16once again follows 41.24-19!14x2342.30-258-1343.25-2027-3244.38x2721x4145.36x4723-2946.33x2413-1947.24x1318x948.39-34+-41.39-34!28x3942.34x4318-2343.30-2512-1844.37-327-1245.24-2011-1646.20x913x447.43-3923-2848.32x2318x2949.48-4212-1850.39-33+-39.48-43?...Played with about 20 seconds left on the clock. By this point, it wasn’t based on calculation anymore but on pure provocation (or desperation…). White still has a win with 39.30-24!8-1316-2140.34-30and the rest proceeds as in earlier lines. 40.49-44!White can still rely on the important formation 33/39/44 and, with this move, controls the center. 13-1941.24x1318x942.37-32!28x3743.31x4212-1844.33-2822x3345.39x28and, for example, the following could occur: 45....9-1346.34-2913-1947.44-407-1248.40-35!14-2018-2249.38-3316-2150.29-2419x3051.35x24+-49.35-30!All the previous lines after 39. 30-24! are reasonably calculable with enough time on the clock, or at least you can calculate them to a considerable depth. I didn’t have that time here, and what I perhaps regret the most is that I didn’t simply exchange piece 28, with 39.37-32!28x3740.31x42That did cross my mind, and at least I would never again have to worry about the game plan 39...16-21!, which I had recognized as a difficult plan for me. With only a few seconds left on the clock, I decided to play a provocative move instead of a move that would have allowed me to keep the advantage at least until move 45. That way, I would have had another 30 minutes to calculate the win. That, above all, is what I blamed myself for the most after the game. I only needed to maintain the surrounding on the board until the time control, and I failed to do so. After the exchange back 39. 37-32!, the game could, for example, continue with 40....18-2341.42-378-1342.37-3113-1943.30-24!19x3044.34x2523-2845.49-4312-1846.33-29!28-3347.39x2822x4248.31x1342-4749.26-2147x250.21x1with a winning endgame. 39....16-21!
My previous move was entirely based on the assumption that my opponent wouldn’t dare to play this move. However, Vipulis went for it anyway and completely got back into the game. 40.34-29?...Since Vipulis had just under a minute left for the next seven moves, I hoped he wouldn’t dare to play 39...16-21 because of 40.33-29!?and it looks like Black is in trouble. However, Black has the somewhat surprising idea 27-32!41.38x1628-3242.37x2822x35=Probably still comfortably winning in practice, but perhaps not analytically winning was 40.30-24!11-1641.37-32!28x3742.31x42A)27-3243.38x2721x32A1)and White has the choice between two promising options: 44.49-4444...16-2145.42-3732x4146.36x4721-2747.34-30!8-1348.33-2822x3349.39x2818-2250.43-3922x3351.39x2812-1852.30-257-12and my Kingsrow gives the value '0.03', which means that it’s a draw in all lines, but that’s after, for example 53.24-20!?27-32!54.28x3717-2255.20x913x4not immediately obvious to the naked eye. A2)44.24-1914x2345.34-2923x3446.39x3018-2347.30-25Maybe 47.42-3732x4148.36x47is technically a bit stronger, although Black after 48....8-1349.30-247-1150.24-2022-28!51.33x2217x2852.20-1411-1753.43-3916-2154.39-3421-2755.47-4228-3356.14-1027-32still has a narrow draw. 23-2848.33-2932-37!!49.42x3117-2150.26x1712x21and Black achieves a draw in all lines. For example: 51.31-2651.25-2021-2652.31-2722x3153.36x2716-2154.27x1628-32=7-1252.26x1712x2153.25-2028-3254.20-1422-27=B)8-13?43.49-44!27-3244.38x2721x3245.33-28!40....18-23!41.29x1812x2342.30-24...With 7 seconds left for 4 moves, I decided to force a draw as quickly as possible... 42....8-1343.33-2923x3444.39x30...
44....28-3245.37x2822x4246.31x2217x2847.26x67-1148.6x1742-48After spending some time with my head in my hands, lost in thought and staring at the board, we agreed to a draw.

I then analyzed the game with Raimonds for a while, which probably did my state of mind some good. He was (and always is!) very friendly and honestly admitted that he should have lost this game. Somehow, it’s somehow always nice to hear honestly from your strong opponent that they were actually completely outplayed. The contrast with some of the remarks from bystanders—"Wow, Jan... how could you let that win slip? Pretty much everything was winning, right?? How is that even possible??? You must be devastated... This was the tournament victory handed to you on a silver platter!"—was quite stark.

A game with many faces, but afterwards, mine showed mostly disappointment. This was my chance... and I let it slip. Still, there wasn’t much time to dwell on it; just half a day later, I was already facing another grandmaster against whom I now have a pretty solid record: Aleksej Domchev. After a completely chaotic time scramble—where he went for a winning attempt, and I countered it with one of my own—I eventually won the game in an impressive way.

In the end, by the narrowest of margins, I still managed to finish ahead of the bronze medalist Vipulis and the runner-up, my colleague Wouter Sipma (who also played a fantastic tournament!), to claim first place. A few days later, I traveled to Rotterdam for the Rotterdam Open, followed immediately by the Nijmegen Open at home. I was determined to keep the course I had set for myself in Riga, especially sticking to what I had promised myself after the failed first round. In Rotterdam, I played one of my best tournaments ever, finishing in first place with an incredible +7(!) from nine games. In Nijmegen, I found myself on the right side of the board in every game, got practically winning positions against Jitse Slump and Martin Dolfing, and, as the cherry on top, secured the tournament victory by a full point. Physically, I didn’t feel much strain either, even though it was already my 28th game of the month. All in all, it was excellent preparation for the World Championship, though this game against Vipulis did make clear there’s still work to be done. Whatever little angel sat on my shoulder this summer, I’ll do my best to smuggle them along to Curaçao…

To wrap up: it’s better to prepare for a World Championship by winning every tournament than by not doing so. But I try not to put too much weight on that. The most important thing is that, after these three tournaments, I feel like I’m (once again?) on the right path. The three tournament victories weren’t exactly what I had pictured after round one in Riga —my first game of draughts in a month and a half— when I felt compelled to completely rethink my strategy. So there you have it: you’re better off playing draughts with joy—results will follow naturally!