Johan (White), leading 2-0 in a 5-point match to Zsolt (Black), to play: redouble to 4 or not? If yes, then should Zsolt take?
Eleven players gathered for the August edition (August 28). We had a new player: Alain sent his son into action. Martin is not a regular player but apparently had a good teacher at home. From the top contenders for this year’s title, Eric and Guy were still on holiday but Alain, Johan and Zsolt were determined to earn some valuable championship points.
After two wins, championship leader Alain faced Johan in the third round but had to surrender. In the final, Johan played Zsolt. The match was full of interesting doubling positions and both players used their cameras eagerly to record these. Johan seriously contemplated redoubling in the attached position but, correctly, decided to hold to the cube. With the next roll (4/3) he could close his board and now, with 84% winning chances, had an excellent redouble. Zsolt passed although according to computer analysis this was a borderline take.
Zsolt managed to win the Crawford game with a well-timed double 6 in the bear-off and developed a good position in the next game but finally it was Johan who scored his second victory of the year.
In an improbable way, Alain, Johan and Zsolt all have 44 points in the 2015 championship ranking. They have an 8-point advantage ahead of Eric and Guy.
— ZT