On Day 3, Team Ireland faced the very strong Team Greece (mean Elo-point difference was -218, 28% chance of winning), but Ireland managed to keep the surprises for a while. On Board 4, Mr. Fitzsimons won a very instructive game in a relatively less known Sicilian Defence variations. He managed to increase the initial advantage with a mature and thoughtful play which gave Ireland a hope. Board 1 delivered a draw relatively easily, and it was sure soon enough that Board 3 will lose. So, the final decision was left to Board 2. There Ireland had a chance to even win the game, but the game turned into a very positional play where Black found a way to break White’s defences. So, the end result was 1½-2½ to Greece.
Nonetheless, we can learn from the won and the lost game, too. One of the lessons we can learn from the Fitzsimons vs. Mastrovasilis game is that one of the parties makes a mistake in the opening by losing a tempo, only a very active play can provide the result we expect there. Secondly, if there is no connection between the pieces, or no harmony then a concentrated attack can demolish the opposing army. The following game is a proof of both.
In Board 2, the following position appeared after move 33. The Black Queen has no escape, so White has some advantage there. Nonetheless, Black’s position is not hopeless. Black occupied the semi-open F-file where the White King is, and there is a superior and active bishop pair, too. Last but not least, the White Queen is hiding, blocked away well enough. The Queen is just crying in the corner, she is so alone.
The first couple of moves are straightforward. Black captures the knight on E4, and then the rook which takes the Queen. After that it is a bit complicated. My reasoning would be: exchange pieces as soon as possible in order to bring out the advantage between the quality of the pieces, namely simplify if we can into a Queen against a Rook and Bishop end game. However, Black isolates the Queen almost hermetically. After losing the knight on E4, White’s pieces are not communicating. Moreover, the King is still under fire by 3, and the Queen is the only, but not very effective aid there. Computer analysis shows that probably this is a better line, but I just showing here that it is very awkward position with White. The only hope is to get better if White sacrifices the pawns on the King’s side to open up the Queen, while the King escapes towards B1. Would you like to play that?
So, Mr. Kanyamarala decided to pressure ahead with 35. Rg6 (see the variation before). Unfortunately, it provides Black an opportunity to go against the White King, and if White is not careful enough, that leads to a win.