U.S. Wins 50+ World Senior Teams; Russia takes 65+

The U.S. team of Alexander Shabalov, Joel Benjamin, Igor Novikov, Jaan Ehlvest, and Alex Yermolinsky is the clear and convincing repeat winner of the 2019 50+ World Senior Team Championships. The Russians won the 65+ Team Championship. Heading into today’s final round, the Americans could have made quick draws and claimed the gold, as they lead Italy by two match points. (Match victories are worth two points in the team standings, while draws are worth one.) But even the first moves of the match with Argentina made clear that our team would not be content to coast to victory.

Top board and team captain Alex Shabalov was rested for the final round, perhaps to preserve his individual medal chances and to boost Joel Benjamin’s. Benjamin came out fighting on first board, essaying the Alekhine’s Defense against Gustavo Mahia. He was already pressing an advantage after 10 moves, and the Argentinian IM was forced to resign after Benjamin made the time control.

[pgn]

[Event "World Senior Teams 50+"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2019.04.24"]
[Round "9.1"]
[White "Mahia, Gustavo"]
[Black "Benjamin, Joel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B04"]
[WhiteElo "2367"]
[BlackElo "2523"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "2019.??.??"]
[WhiteTeam "Argentina"]
[BlackTeam "United States"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "ARG"]
[BlackTeamCountry "USA"]

1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 dxe5 5. dxe5 Bg4 6. Be2 e6 7. c4 Nb4 8.
Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Na3 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 N8c6 11. Bg5+ Kc8 12. Bxc6 Nxc6 13. f4 Bb4+ 14.
Kf1 h6 15. Bh4 g5 16. fxg5 hxg5 17. Bxg5 Nxe5 18. Nc2 Bd6 19. b3 b6 20. Bd2 Kb7
21. Ke2 Rag8 22. Ne3 Bc5 23. g3 Rh3 24. Raf1 Rgh8 25. Rf2 Rxg3 26. h4 Rh5 27.
Rg2 Rxg2+ 28. Nxg2 Be7 29. Be1 Ng6 30. Kf3 f5 31. Nf4 Nxf4 32. Kxf4 Bd6+ 33.
Ke3 e5 34. b4 Kc6 35. Rg1 Be7 36. Kf3 e4+ 37. Kf4 Bxh4 38. Rg6+ Kb7 39. Bxh4
Rxh4+ 40. Kxf5 e3 0-1

[/pgn]

Igor Novikov and Jaan Ehlvest both took quick draws, seeing how Benjamin was fairing on board one, and also trusting in Alex Yermolinsky’s abilities with the White pieces on board four. Yermo didn’t let his teammates down.

[pgn]

[Event "World Senior Teams 50+"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2019.04.24"]
[Round "9.4"]
[White "Yermolinsky, Alex"]
[Black "Grushka, Carlos"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A16"]
[WhiteElo "2508"]
[BlackElo "2251"]
[PlyCount "85"]
[EventDate "2019.??.??"]
[WhiteTeam "United States"]
[BlackTeam "Argentina"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "USA"]
[BlackTeamCountry "ARG"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qa4+ c6 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Qd4 f6 7. e4 Nxc3 8.
Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. bxc3 e5 10. Bc4 Nd7 11. d4 Bd6 12. O-O Re8 13. Re1 b5 14. Bf7 Re7
15. Bb3 Bb7 16. a4 c5 17. dxe5 Nxe5 18. axb5 Kc7 19. Be3 Ng4 20. Bd5 Nxe3 21.
Rxe3 a5 22. bxa6 Rxa6 23. Rxa6 Bxa6 24. c4 Bb7 25. g3 Bxd5 26. exd5 Rxe3 27.
fxe3 Bf8 28. g4 Kd6 29. Kf2 f5 30. gxf5 gxf5 31. Ng5 h5 32. Ne6 Be7 33. Ng7 Ke5
34. Nxh5 Ke4 35. Ke2 Bd6 36. Ng3+ Ke5 37. Kf3 Bf8 38. Ne2 Be7 39. Nf4 Bg5 40.
h4 Bh6 41. Nd3+ Kd6 42. h5 Bg5 43. e4 1-0

[/pgn]

The match win gave the U.S. a three match point cushion over second place Italy and a five point lead over Israel, who took the bronze medal on tiebreaks. It was a dominating performance for the Americans, who will certainly be looking to do the treble in 2020. All five U.S. players earned board medals in addition to their team golds. Shabalov and Yermolinsky won individual gold, while Benjamin, Novikov, and Ehlvest will each bring home bronze.

Board 1
Rk.		Name	Rtg	FED	Team	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	GM	Shabalov Alexander	2510	USA	USA	2739	0	7	86	1
2	GM	Olafsson Helgi	2506	ISL	Iceland 1	2534	0	8	69	5
3	GM	Godena Michele	2459	ITA	Italy	2531	0	8	63	2

Board 2
Rk.		Name	Rtg	FED	Team	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	GM	Minasian Artashes	2472	ARM	Armenia	2592	0	9	78	4
2	GM	Arkell Keith C	2467	ENG	England 1	2532	0	8	75	6
3	GM	Benjamin Joel	2523	USA	USA	2520	0	8	69	1

Board 3
Rk.		Name	Rtg	FED	Team	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	GM	Emms John M	2474	ENG	England 1	2524	0	8	75	6
2	GM	Movsziszian Karen	2485	ARM	Armenia	2509	0	9	72	4
3	GM	Novikov Igor	2563	USA	USA	2461	0	7	64	1

Board 4
Rk.		Name	Rtg	FED	Team	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	GM	Petrosian Arshak B	2470	ARM	Armenia	2494	0	7	71	4
2	IM	Bellia Fabrizio	2447	ITA	Italy	2450	0	8	63	2
3	GM	Ehlvest Jaan	2521	USA	USA	2431	0	7	57	1

Board 5
Rk.		Name	Rtg	FED	Team	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	GM	Yermolinsky Alex	2508	USA	USA	2584	0	7	79	1
2	GM	Thorhallsson Throstur	2425	ISL	Iceland 1	2496	0	7	79	5
3	IM	Bruno Fabio	2433	ITA	Italy	2457	0	8	75	2