Raj Bhopal and Alastair White from the Edinburgh Chess Club represent Scotland in the over 65’s World SeniorTeam Championships in Kraków, Poland in June/July 2024
over 65 team was ranked 22 of 33 teams and finished 24. A report about the team’s performance has been prepared by Rob McAndrew, captain, and will appear in the August issue of the Chess Scotland magazine. Here is an account of how the Edinburgh Chess Club players fared. Chess-Results Server Chess-results.com – FIDE World Senior Team Chess Championships 65+
In round 1 FM Hans Joachim Vattar played the kingside fianchetto against Raj’s Scandinavian defence. On move 13 Raj was outwitted by 1 ‘only’ move he had not seeny,a Zwischenzug, and lost in 25 moves. In round 2 he outplayed Zara Marks in a rooks and opposite coloured bishop ending arising from the English opening. In round 3 he played the Scandinavian defence against FM Bengt Hammer, again meeting the kingside fianchetto but responding with a queenside fianchetto. A difficult struggle ended with defeat on move 49. In round 4 he had a bye but beat Rudy Van Kemenade in round 5 in a Bogo Indian setup, the key move being his queen bravely and rightly capturing the opponent’s a2 pawn while facing a kingside attack. In round 6 Thomas Falk offered a draw on move 17 in an advantageous position, which Raj accepted gratefully. In round 7 Raj had defended tenaciously against Peter Wood’s closed Sicilian to survive the opening and middle game and was in a disadvantageous rook and pawn ending but had to create miracles for the team to draw. Miracles happened with many routes to victory but on move 69 he missed a tactic and the game was drawn. In round 8. He faced FM Robert Gibbons’ English opening, missing the one good chance to create winning chances in a bishop and 5 pawns versus night and 5 pawns ending. He played 6 blacks and 1 white finishing with 3.5/7 with a tournament performance rating of 2012, just slightly above his starting rating of 1991.
Alastair had had his arm twisted to join the team, and was the oldest player in the team on a difficult top board. Ian round 1 laying a London System for the first time against an FM he got an inferior position and never recovered. In round 2 his WFM opponent showed how dangerous she was with a relentless attack and although he was better he failed to cope with the tactics. In round 3 against Sweden’s IM top board Alastair played creatively and at one point had a winning attack. However, his opponent defended resolutely and eventually Alastair folded. In round 4 playing black against a GM, Alastair got another good position and was offered a draw which he accepted. In round 5 against an untitled player for first time, Alastair I correctly sacrificed on f7 to bring his opponent’s king into the open. A king hunt followed with several further good sacrifices and when the enemy king was forced to f3 he had an easy forced mate in four. Unaccountably, Alastair played too quickly, blundered and lost. This could have been his ‘immortal’ game! In round 7, at the critical moment Alastair should have sacrificed his queen for knight and rook with an advantageous position but chickened out and played a losing move. In round 9, playing an experienced WGM, a symmetrical English opening gave a drawish position and a draw was agreed. Following a good result in Slovenia in the European Senior team Championships, this was a disappointing tournament for Alastair. Family illness was weighing upon his mind. Undoubtedly, he will spring back.