The debut of SISSA IV in the zestallen

They’re back.

For over a decade, SISSA has proudly been the only chessclub in the (cold) North to have one team of female players only. After a sabbatical last season, some motivational speeches, and a bit of luck, we happily have a sisters team again this year. 

Once again, the sisters are led by Sophie, skilled enough to always present a complete team to every game, despite the extremely busy schedule of her (chaotic?) players. And this year, the challenge is promising to be consequent, as we got enthusiastic enough to register the team within the zestallen competition. This guarantees more difficulties than in the viertallen one, as we used to reach the finale there. But with at least 4 new players, and Maria, Anne and Ella joining us again, why limiting our numbers and how to not get excited?

The evening starts with a dinner in italia, coincidentally same time and same place as the NOSBO1 team, but much nicer table. 

It follows by an early arrival at the DSC, and this from more than half of the SISSAnen playing tonight – as crazy at it sounds.

After rearranging the tables, our setup is optimal: clocks are easily visible, our infamous pink queens are in place, and we did not forget to use boards with coordinates. The latter is essential, as for this grand (re)debut of the sisters, out of the three new players we welcome tonight, two are playing their first official game. 

The line-up is as follows:

1- Sophie (black)

2- Aurore (white)

3- Rosaline (black)

4- Lydia (white)

5- Nouschka (black)

6- Carolina (white)

It is exciting to know that this season, depending on each sister’s availability, I can be anywhere from board 1 to board 6.

Opponents arrive, welcome speech is given, chess festival gets promoted, and the games finally start. I am extremely curious about how tonight will go, but I know I write that in every report. This time is different though, having a sister team again just has this special je ne sais quoi.

On our last two boards, the atmosphere seems tense. As we approached the start of the games, both Carolina and Nouschka got increasingly quieter, which is not the adjective I’d usually use to describe them. They however keep their composure, and both seem to play calmly a healthy solid opening.

Next to them, Lydia’s opening also initially appears to me as normal, until I notice her knight on h6. It is curious, but I’ve seen her drawing or winning much weirder positions.

Back to my board, I play against a Dutch (player and opening), which I’m quite happy about, as I’ve looked at it (opening) a bit this afternoon with another special Dutch (player). Knowing the evaluation of the first 7 moves is quite comforting. It might not win me the game, but at least it buys me some time before the inevitable panic starts kicking in. 

To my left and to my right, Rosaline and Sophie are both playing the same opening, but into different lines. I don’t recognize Rosaline’s, but I quickly find 2 moves that seem interesting for her, until I notice that both would blunder her queen. I wish I had another special talent. On Sophie’s board, her black pieces look quite solid and promises a strong defense, but they seem however to be lacking a bit of space.

Walking around a bit, I make the necessary Friday evening beer counts:

4/8 for SISSA1,

0/8 for SISSA2,

2/6 for the sisters,

And a notable 4 teas present on the 4 tables of SISSA5.

The games have started more than one hour ago and everyone is still playing. Nouschka and Carolina have been glued to their seats this entire time. First game’s nerves. I remember mine, 3 years ago in Assen, for the début of SISSA3 in KNSB, with all the SISSA teams present (and a third of the players getting there by bike).

It is a unique atmosphere, being alone with your thoughts for hours but playing for a team. Maintaining focus for each of your moves while people walk around as soon as the clock is first pressed. Silently calculating potential lines although all the familiar faces are checking your play.

I really hope they’re gonna enjoy it, regardless of the results.

They both have nicely developed their pieces so far. Unfortunately, Carolina is short one defender for one of her pawns, and it inevitably falls.

For Rosaline, also playing for the sisters for the first time, the situation gets tougher as well: her opponent strategically placed a bishop on d6, which she has no way to dislodge and that prevents her from castling. She maneuvers her pieces around a bit, but I have little hopes that she can get away with this situation.

Lydia is also not castled. I really like the 2 black knights and all the space that they get, until I realize that she is the one playing white. The black pieces are slowly but surely invading her side of the board. 

Olaf makes a face at me after looking at Nouschka’s board. I wonder what Nouschka’s opponent did to break his heart this badly, and the answer is what I feared: Nouschka is down a piece. Is it really bad news though? She’s deep in her thoughts, and believe me, if Nouschka creates complications in a position, you don’t want to be on the receiving end.

But it does not look good for us. Only Sophie and I seem to be holding a position without any disadvantages, but neither is actively winning. 

Lydia and her opponent tidy their pieces and leave the room. The black king stands in the center of the board. Besides a rook and a queen aligned on the same file a few minutes before the end, I am not sure what exactly happened, until Lydia explains:

Opening 😭

Middenspel 😱

Eindspel ☠️. 

0-1

Sophie loses a pawn and trades pieces in an opposite colored bishop endgame that she hopes to hold. 

On my board, the game has been going smoothly so far. My main focus has been to prevent the remaining bishop of my opponent to get any freedom, and I am satisfied with the job I’ve done so far. I believe my position is slightly better, but I don’t have a proper plan yet. Trying to get rid of my weak pawn, I make it complicated for myself, and I end up deciding to give a pawn to release the pressure on my bishop. A move, which according to the engine, to my fellow sissanen, and to my own point of view after the game, sucked. My opponent trades all the pieces but the bishops, and we enter a same-colored bishop endgame where I’m down a pawn, echoing Sophie’s position.

Nouschka’s attack is not enough to compensate for the material she lost: after two hours of play, she loses her first official game, as black, against an experienced player. I know the feeling, and I think she can still be happy with what she did – I know I am.

0-2

On Rosaline’s board, the position got somehow unstuck: no annoying bishop on d6 anymore, black pieces coordinating with each other and a structure that almost traps her opponent’s rook. This woman is full of surprises. If this is what she meant when she told me last week that she’s “not good with black in comparison to white”, I’m not sure I ever want to play black against her.

Sophie’s opponent keeps pushing his pawns, overwhelming her bishop and her king. She can’t hold on to the draw, and only Carolina, Rosaline and I are still playing.

0-3

Is my endgame a draw? Gertjan, Sjoerd and the engine later confirmed that at plenty of moments, it was. I miscalculate a pawn move, and instead of playing solidly for a draw, I give my opponent what he needs to convert his material advantage in an unavoidable win.

He was probably the nicest and most respectful person I ever played an official game against, so I happily go analyze our game with him. 

0-4

Carolina’s position is about to collapse, and there is no real options for counter play. The game is over, after more than two hours. As Nouschka, our second debutante can be proud of her first game. She didn’t let the pressure of losing a pawn get to her and played steadily the entire time. Unfortunately, he was stronger.

0-5

As the sisters, we are here for the game and for the team, and not so much for the win. Still, losing all the games of our first round would really sting. 

Luckily, we have a rock to hold on to, and finally Rosaline prevails. She convincingly turned her comfortable position into a win against a 1784-rated opponent, and saves the honor of the team.

1-5

The legend says that only once, a man had to fill in for the sisters in the viertallen competition. Luckily, those dark times are far away. And even if we didn’t kick-off the NOSBO season with the results we would have hoped for, we couldn’t have had a better challenge to start it than the one of having too many available players.

Welcome to our new sisters. Welkom terug bij onze « oude» sisters.

🌺

by Aurore.