The opening of the 2012 Polish Extra League
The first three rounds of the QUATRA Polish Team Chess Championship 2012 took place in Warsaw, in the modern Olympic Centre, well known to chess fans due to the European Rapid Chess Championship in 2005. In the previous year Polish Extra League changed its formula and the tournament is now divided into three sessions. In each session all teams play three matches, each in the host city of last year’s medalists. The next session takes place 14‑16 September in Gorzów Wielkopolski (last year bronze medalist) and the last one 28‑30 September in Katowice (last year silver medalist). The sponsor of the first session of the championship was Biuro Informacji Kredytowej BIK (Credit Information Office), while QUATRA is the titular sponsor of the whole tournament. Wasko HetMan Szopienice Katowice and Baszta Żnin lead the tournament after three rounds.
In the 90’s the Polish chess scene was dominated by two clubs – Stilon Gorzów Wielkopolski (six gold medals and one bronze medal) and Polonia Warszawa (two gold medals, four silver and one bronze). Winning the championship in 1999 Polonia started its hegemony, winning all events until 2007, when a remarkable rival appeared - Wasko HetMaN Szopienice Katowice, who dominated the league in 2007, 2008 and 2010, with the remaining events won by Polonia.
Bartlomiej Macieja, top board for Polonia Warszawa
Before the tournament start, Wasko (average 2591 Elo) and Polonia Warszawa (average Elo 2575) seemed to be the clear favorites threatened only by Polonia Votum Wrocław (2558). Other medal candidates include Stilon Gorzów Wielkopolski (2501), Pasjonat Dankowice (2499) and Baszta MOS Żnin (2462).
Bartosz Socko beat Gregory Gajewski in the opening round clash
While the team ratings may not seem especially impressive, but it should be noted that each team consists of five men and one woman. Apart from that, Poland is one of the few European countries with a foreign player limit – teams may include only one foreign player in each match. On one hand this rule decreases the tournament level, as not many top foreign players can be’ imported’ (like in Germany’s Bundesliga) but on the other hand clubs are forced to invest in national players and young talents. Top players include Radosław Wojtaszek (2717, Polonia Wrocław), David Navara (2706, Wasko), Mateusz Bartel (2677, Polonia Wrocław), Yuriy Kryvoruchko (2676, Stilon) but the unquestionable star of this year QUATRA Extra League is GM Anna Muzychuk (2598) who has been an undoubted reinforcement for Polonia Warszawa. The team lists have almost not changed at all in comparison to the previous year, only Polonia Warszawa has decided to strengthen their woman’s board with Anna Muzychuk and Karina Szczepkowska‑Horowska. All together 32 GMs (two above 2700 and ten over 2600), 21 IMs, 11 WGMs (among them two GMs, two IMs) and 4 WIMs are participating.
David Navara was the top rated player in the league
The first session of the QUATRA Extra League was organized by the last year gold medalist Polonia Warszawa in the Olympic Centre in Warsaw. The playing conditions were very good, the tournament venue was spacious and open for spectators. Moreover, in addition to all games transmitted via the Internet crucial clashes were broadcast on a big screen in the hall, so fans could keep up with affairs on the boards. In parallel with the team event a big children tournament took place in the same venue. It must have been very demanding for the organizers to combine such two events, but the outcome was very positive. The QUATRA Extra League drew hundreds of spectators, among them a lot of children, many of whom got the opportunity to see grandmasters for the first time in their life. The organizational success is nothing surprising, if taken into consideration that these tournaments were organized by Mrs. Maria Macieja, who has already dealt with much bigger events such as the European Rapid and Blitz Championships. Needless to say she has already simply accustomed chess lovers to a high organization level.
The most important matchup of the Extra League took place right in the first round when Polonia Warszawa faced Wasko HetMaN Szopienice. The pairings was quite tight:
Wasko |
Polonia |
| Navara (2706) | B. Macieja (2614) |
| B. Soćko (2635) | G. Gajewski (2622) |
| K. Mitoń (2622) | R. Kempiński (2606) |
| P. Bobras (2550) | M. Olszewski (2522) |
| K. Bulski (2543) | T. Warakomski (2489) |
| M. Soćko (2484) | A. Muzychuk (2598) |
Anna Muzychuk was the fourth highest rated player on her team all around with 2598
Before the match Wasko was probably counting mostly on the point on the first board, and Polonia on the woman’s board, however the host did not start the tournament as they had wished. Though Anna Muzychuk outplayed Monika Soćko, Wasko took revenge on boards two, three and five, winning the match 4-2. Other medal candidates Polonia VOTUM Wrocław and Stilon Gorzów Wielkopolski after tight battles outplayed their opponents only 3.5-2.5. Baszta MOS Żnin and IMPACT TEAM Ostróda won their matches 5-1 and became first leaders.
The most riveting match of the second round was played between Polonia Wrocław and Wasko, albeit Polonia weakened by the lack of Radosław Wojtaszek had little to say in the match. The team from Wrocław is very strong – many believed that with Wojtaszek, Mastrovasilis, Świercz, Zawadzka and reigning Polish champions – Bartel and Rajlich they might fight for gold. Nevertheless, their ‘star list’ is quite short and when one good player cannot play, the whole team ‘suffers’. Because of Wojtaszek’s absence, a talented teen rated 2300 had to play on the board four and Iweta Rajlich on the man’s board but it was not enough. After games on three boards were drawn, Wasko prevailed on the remaining ones, winning clearly 4.5-1.5.
The playing venue
Another interesting match was expected between Stilon and Baszta Żnin – teams that are supposed to fight for a medal, and ended 3.5-2.5 for Baszta.
Polonia Warszawa crushed their opponents 5.5-0.5. The most exciting game of the match was the game between Anna Muzychuk and Anna Szewczak. Muzychuk must have underestimated her opponent rated over 500 Elo less and had to fight over 70 moves to score a whole point. In other matches AZS Politechnika Poznańska Pocztowiec won against IMPACT TEAM Ostróda and ROTMISTRZ TWOJA SZKOŁA Grudziądz against NADNARWIANKA Pułtusk, 4-2 each.
The third round brought the next clash of giants between the two Polonias. This time the team from Wrocław had no chance. Bartel continues his fantastic form, after winning Aeroflot and the Polish championship this year, and simply crashed Macieja in fine style. Nevertheless, on board two, Gajewski also outplayed Dariusz Świercz, the reigning world champion under 20.
There was a time when the female competition was such that
Iweta Rajlich could walk over the opposition. No more.
On other boards positions were more or less equal, only Iweta Rajlich had a fantastic position with various attacking possibilities and big time pressure against Tomasz Warakomski. When everybody expected Iweta to win, she lost the thread, time advantage and got her own queen trapped. Among other games, the fight between Muzychuk and Zawadzka should be noted. In the ‘hedgehog structure’ Muzychuk had a typical space advantage, but Zawadzka took the initiative after pleasing to the eye complications resulting from typical ...d5, though after forced exchanges the position simplified too much to give the Polish Grandmaster real chances for an equalizing victory. The result was 3.5-2.5 for Polonia Warszawa.
In other matches Wasko, Stilon and Baszta beat their opponents 4.5-1.5 and Politechnika Poznańska Pocztowiec scored an even more impressive 5-1 victory.
After first three rounds Wasko and Baszta Żnin lead the leaderboard with three team victories. However, points scored by Wasko are much more remarkable, as the team outplayed main rivals in direct clashes whereas Baszta will have to face the favorites in next matches.
To sum up, chess lovers who decided to spend some of the sunny May afternoons in the Olympic Centre cannot regret it. There were no quick draws, as according to the regulations agreeing for a draw before the move 40 is forbidden. Most games were exciting and tense and spectators could witness not only beautiful attacks and defenses but also complicated endgames.
Decisive matches will be played in September.
Click here for full results.
LinksYou can also use ChessBase 11 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs to replay the games in PGN. You can also download our free Playchess client, which will in addition give you immediate access to the chess server Playchess.com. |
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