JSM: PSY–LauttSSK

The team traveled to Pori to play this important game, and each player raised their hand and gave it a strong effort, to help the team cross the finish line narrowly in the end. Job well done to everyone! Many of the players punched above their weight, scoring crucial points and half points against a strong team.

PSY–LauttSSK 3½–4½

1. Vuorisalo Veli-Matti (2184) – Lehti Juhani (2201) 1–0
2. Olander Aleksi (2155) – Aakio Seppo (2071) ½–½
3. Nordlund Jukka (2135) – Kauppala Pekka (2057) ½–½
4. Hakanen Tuomo (2047) – Sobenin Evgeny (1990) ½–½
5. Koskinen Jukka (1961) – Kumar Ashwin (1997) 0–1
6. Ojala Matias (1942) – Nyrhinen Harri (1950) 1–0
7. Aalto Seppo (1906) – Kivinen Jyrki (1945) 0–1
8. Palenius Jarmo (1881) – Piippo Mikko (1843) 0–1

I didn't get too much time to study the other games, so I cannot say too much. But here is what I observed.

Juhani had the longest game of the match, started with a good position, but then misplayed something in the middle game, and found himself on the passive end of an opposite colored bishop + rook endgame which he couldn't hold on to ultimately.

Seppo (told me after the game) that he had a very theoretical opening, which ended up in a draw.

Pekka had a very sharp attack in the early middle game against his opponent's uncastled king, which really had him sweating on the board and on the clock, but he managed to survive, and ultimate salvage a draw.

Evgeny played in his usual solid style, and everything was going according to plan until his opponent decided to sacrifice a kingside pawn g4 out of nowhere for some kind of "attack". Very dubious in my view. But it did end up creating quite a bit of pressure, and made the game somewhat tricky in the end. A draw was agreed.

I won my own game (Ashwin vs Jukka Koskinen) quite clinically. I got a small advantage early on, and it just grew bigger and bigger as the game progressed with virtually no hiccups. With this game, I have now finally crossed the all-important 2000 rating barrier. Seppo whispered to me later "Welcome to the club". I liked that.

I didn't get a chance to look at Harri's game much, but it looked pretty normal. Something must have gone wrong there.

Jyrki Kivinen had to really hold his nerve to win a Q+3 pawns vs Q+2 pawns endgame. Those can be so tricky, but he kept calm and just continued to apply pressure until his opponent erred.This was a critical win for us, as it sealed our overall win in the match.

Mikko played the Dutch and was out of opening prep on move 3, but managed to outplay his opponent in style and win a quick one for the team.

Cheers!