WCH round 1

It is too much to give good or bad words to every game that was played. Too much words also already given to the Kees Thijssen-incident before the start of the tournament, but it was nice for the news papers and the telly.

The battle that we can expect shall be delicious for us, spectators, but very energy draining to the players and probably even level draining.

This round brought big points for Baljakin and Gérard Jansen.

Hans Jansen played a system against Baljakin that had an unhealthy appearance.

It really didn`t look all that good, but because it was Hans Jansen nobody dared to frown the brows. Baljakin had taken his lesson from the last Dutch CH seriously, where he had been bewitched against the same player in a superior position.

This time he kept the brains clear and paid no attention anymore to unnescessary thoughts, which led fluidly to the following position:

Baljakin-H.Jansen

It was white to move. Hans Jansen plays this kind of positions frequently, meaning the constellation 16,17 and 22. He combines this with posession of square 24 .

When you teach young players strategy, usually a teacher with integrity tells his pupil not to play this way, simply because he wants to keep him/her happy. No tears and all that stuff, you know, but decent results.

What I really like in the game as Hans Jansen plays it, is that it is often unconventional and quite provocative, leading to interesting psychological

disturbances. He is prepared to take risk and we all like that courage.

I didn`t like his next move and I give it a ? sign, not because I can underbuild this with good know how, but simply because it is an ugly phenomenon to my eyes.

He played: 24. ...1-6?

At some occasion the black player used his point 24 as a spear to conquer field 29. In this game Baljakin took in the first place 29 and later 24. The decision came later:

It is black to play again. As you can see, white took great profit from the situation. Black tried to fill up the gaps and played:

32. ...2-8

White answered with:

33. 45-40! ...

The point now is that black can not play ...17-21:

34.28x17 21x32 35.38x27 12x32 36.33-28! 32x23 37. 24-19 13x24 38. 26-21 etc.

White+

Black therefore played ...14-19, but lost a piece and the game after 34. 42-37 19x30 35. 28-23 etc.

For Gérard Jansen it was the first time he won from Clerc in an official game. It was a very difficult game, with lots of need for making calculations, estimations and taxations. In the later midgame Gérard Jansen succeeded to give his position the greater mobility and led his advantage to an impressive victory.

Impressive also was the victory from Nicault. Against Anykeyev the French player took completely controll over the game with great play.

I don`t think some players took me seriously ,here in Amsterdam, when I said this player is from at least the same strength as Cordier, but now they have a good example of what I meant to say.

Enough now, today we have two rounds. Good reason to prepare with some sleep.

Paul Oudshoorn.