Some comments from the Match

So we're off and running!

The Marshall Chess Club has generously offered their premises as the location for Knights matches every season. It is an historic chess institution, and they have coffee, which is phenomenal.

So around an hour and a half into the match nothing dramatic has happened. As far as I can tell everything looks ok on every board. In fact, it doesn't appear like any particular board is out of the opening phase yet.

On board 1, Giorgi and Joel entered a classical Nimzo-Indian where Joel voluntarily relenquished the bishop pair but succeeded in creating some queenside pawn weaknesses.

On board 2 Dean and Pascal arrived at a fianchetto KID. Dean seems to be employing a strategy where he will principally limit Black's counterplay, instead of initating any potential attacks of his own. This line is notoriously difficult to beat and Dean is as patient as they come, so hopefully Pascal can avoid any passivity.

On board 3, Matt looks totally comfortable, both position wise, and lounged on the plush crimson Marshall seat. The opening was a Kan Sicilian where white fianchettoed his light squared bishop to bring additional support to the d5 square. But if Victor can make his eventual d5 break work then he should certainly be no worse.

On board 4, Yaacov and Arthur are in a fairly unbalanced position. Yaacov employed the rare Nf6 variation in the mainline Caro-Kann, recapturing on f6 with the g pawn. Hopefully he can manufacture some kind of attack down that half-open file, or even try to organize something on the queenside.

To close to call at this point. More to come.