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Photo credit: Volker Mai |
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During the first round of chess, “Tigertad,†one of the world’s ten best players in bullet chess, was able to disorganise his opponent’s preparations: a skilful move adaptation of the Dragon variation of the Sicilian Defence caused confusion for Andreas “D†Schneider of Berlin. The fight was underway and at the sold-out Salon Ost, the crowd was roaring for its favourite.
During the first round of boxing, the Bulgarian continued to assert himself and “D†was hit a few times with some hard blows. After a serious slip-up made by “Tigertad†in chess, “D†was then surprisingly able to devise an opposing strategy and also gained visible strength in the ensuing boxing round. But it just wasn’t enough: in a defeated position and with only 20 seconds remaining, the local matador eventually capitulated in the ninth round. Tihomir “Tigertad†Titschko is the first European Heavyweight Champion in Chessboxing. |
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L | W |
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Titschko wins via chess - submission (Round 9) |
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[Event "1st European Chessboxing Championship"]
[Site "Salon Ost, Berlin, Germany"]
[Date "2005.10.01"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Andreas 'D' Schneider"]
[Black "Tihomir 'Tigertad' Titschko"]
[Result "*"] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 {Andreas: The first bad surprise for me. By changing the move order Tigertad avoids my opening preparation. I analysed more than hundred games of Tihomir and wanted to play the Rossolimo.} 3.c3 Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 d6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 O-O 8.h3?! {Berger: To carefully played, because there was no reason to fear Bg4. Better was the immediate 8.Bd3 , followed by 0-0.} 8...a6 9.Be2?! {Berger: Not really a mistake, but still 9.Ld3 was better. Andreas: It was clear that the Bishop belongs to d3.But i was afraid of the black maneuver Nc6-b4xd3. The russian IM Yakov Meister played it against me four years ago but the position now was different. } 9...b5 10.O-O? {Berger: A mistake because White loses the important pawn e4 without compensation.} 10...b4 {Andreas: Now it comes out that Be2 was not good. I'm losing e4.I thought: Shit, positionally i can give up.And this in the first round.} 11.Na4 Nxe4 12.Rc1 {(End of Round One)} 12...Nd7 13.Qb3 Ndf6? {Berger:With the second move after the boxing round the first mistake by Tihomir. A mistake he would not have done under normal circumstances. Black gives the pawn back, although it was easy to defend him with a5. Andreas:Tiger landed some heavy punches to my head and i had concentration problems. I was surprised.Black gives back the pawn for faster development.A pragmatic decision. I counted only 13.a5 } 14.Qxb4 Be6 15.b3 Nd5?! {Berger: From here on Black makes moves which are improving whites position.} 16.Qe1 Bd7 17.Nb2 a5 18.Bc4 Nxe3 19.Qxe3 { Andreas: Surprisingly my position is ok again.I won the pawn back and my rooks are coming on the open lines. All i have to do is to improve the Knight on b2.} 19...Nf6 20.Rfe1 d5 21.Bf1 {Andreas:The bishop wants to go to d3 , but there he is blocking the knight.So he has to go back to f1.} 21...e6 {(End of Round Three)} 22.Nd3 a4 23.b4 a3 {Andreas: Black must avoid a2-a3.} 24.Nc5 Rb8? {Andreas: Black is also making mistakes.The pawn on a3 is hanging. I´ve seen that but wanted to get him with the rook.In the next five-six moves i spent much of my time. It was clear that i was better and i wanted to play secure without giving him counterplay.Tigertad played fast and clever.} 25.Rb1? {Berger: Qxa3!} 25...Ne4 26.Nxe4? {Berger: Gives Black counterplay against d4. Still 26.Qxa3 was better. Andreas: I only thought:What is he playing ? I´m getting d5 and the pawn on a3 is not running away. But now Black´s bishop-pair is becoming strong.} 26...dxe4 27.Qxe4 Qb6 28.Ne5 Ba4? {Berger: A mistake.The only place for the bishop is b5.Now White could have gained a huge advantage by playing 29.b5. The threats are then Nd7 and Rb4. } 29.Re3? Rfd8 30.Rxa3 Rxd4 31.Qe3 Rxb4 {Andreas: What happened ? I was frustrated.I blewed my position in a few moves.But where did i played wrong ? I still thought that i was better, because of my a-pawn.A wrong judgement.And i was getting out of time. } 32.Qxb6? {Berger: White gives away the chance to get a endgame with small winning chances. 32.Rxb4 Qxb4 33.Nxf7! Kxf7 34.Qa7+ Rb7 35.Qxa4 Qxa4 36.Rxa4²} 32...R8xb6 33.Rxb4 Rxb4 34.Nd3 Rd4 35.Nc5 Bc6 {(End Round five)} 36.Rd3 Kf8 37.Rxd4 Bxd4 38.Nb3 Ba7 {Andreas: Black is better.He has the bishop-pair and my freepawn is countless..} 39.Bc4 Ke7 40.Kf1 Kd6 41.f3? {Berger: The last and decisive mistake.White cuts himself of his own pawns. He should have played g3 and h4. With nice technique black converts now his advantage..} 41...h5 42.Ke2 h4 43.Kd3 Ke5 {Andreas: Here it came to my mind that my position is really worse. Black is threatening King f4-g3xg2, and also pawns f5-g5-g4 with breaking up whites position.And i have only two minutes left.} 44.Nc1 f5 45.Ne2 g5 46.Bb3 {Andreas: Desperation ! I didnt saw the last chance to fight for a draw with Nc3 and Ke2, although Whites position is really worse.} 46...g4 {(End of Round Seven)} 47.hxg4 fxg4 48.f4+ {Andreas: It was clear that i am lost. I had 50 seconds left and cannot avoid that Black gets a Queen. Maybe i can make it in the last boxing round.}48...Kf5 49.Ng1 Bxg1 50.Ke2 Bxg2 51.a4 h3 52.a5 h2 53.a6 h1 {Andreas: I resigned with 20 seconds on the clock.The boxing round two minutes away.
Congratulation to my opponent Tihomir. He was better.} |
