8.2 Jauregui vs. Vela (The game)

In another tough fight, the french survived once again against the galactic preparation.

I planned to play the Tarrasch in case of 3.Nd2 and even though Juan Pablo had the advantage pretty much during the whole game, I was able to keep it level all the time and was never in great danger of losing.

I did feel the pressure and had to spend large amount of time playing precise and some times even a little risky. The game faded into a Rook and Bishop versus Rook and Knight ending with pawns on both sides of the board, but again, I was able to position my pieces defensively in the best squares, and Jauregui decided not to risk too much in this ending where the knight could become active if a slip had happened on his part...

And now, here is the game:

Next to last game: 8.2 Jauregui vs. Vela

There are only 2 games left to finish the Spanish Torture Match of 2011, and this game coming up between El Galactico with White, and The Aztec warrior with Black will be crucial in every aspect of the competition.

It doesn't matter what the result will be, but win, draw or loss, it will define who stays in the fight for first place...and who leaves the race...to finish second or third.

This will also be the last official game for Juan Pablo in the Match. After 15 tough battles he has gathered 7.5 points, or 50%. Not bad at all really, especially if one takes into account that he has participated in a Match like this one for the very first time in his chess career...

Anyways, he needs to win!! Anything else, a loss or even a draw are not enough for him anymore.

He has to win!! There's no tomorrow.

In my case my situation is not so drastic, though it's very important too!

A win for me, meaning obviously a full point, would be the best to be able to go into the very last battle against El Mambi with several advantages: The white pieces, half a point over him, the pressure on him to win the game with black, etc, etc...  But I'm getting ahead of myself...way ahead!

Mr. Jauregui, fighting the French...Again!

First, I have to be able to defend with precision against the rage of Juan Pablo's White's army. I need to be ready to counterattack with exactitude if the chance appears. I have to play an active defense with chances of counter-play. If I can't do that, or to put it better, if I am not able nor allowed to do that, his chances of victory will increase dramatically.

Now, we must take into account though, that we will be playing the French Defense once again!

My beautiful, beautiful French!

Jose just killed me a couple of games back against my French, but this time is Jauregui's turn to try to destroy it...Will he do it?

I know that he is studying hard and deeply to prepare for such an important and defining moment...

So far he has been unable to defeat my black pieces, but does that mean that he can't win this time?? Of course not!!

He has all the knowledge and ambition to destroy my favorite defense at the most tense moment for both of us!

That's why I have been checking out a couple of set ups that where I didn't use the most precise plans in the past, and a few more that I would like to employ, if the chance arises.

The game will take place at Jauregui's beautiful and perfect chess environment, in his house, on Monday November the 7th. at around...I don't know, 6 or 7 pm.

In my opinion this game will be electrifying and some sparks will start flying off right after or even at the beginning of the opening phase.

The result?? Impossible to predict!

The will power in both contenders??...Up to the sky, no doubt!
One of us will end his dreams of winning the Match, the other one will finish second or third depending on the result of last game Vela vs. Ramirez.

1.e4 e6: Black is better, already...

My destiny is not guaranteed but at least is still in my hands. This is my most important French defense in the match, and I'm ready. As soon as see 1.e4 at the board I know I'm ready!!

So, come on my friend!

Let's try once more to kill each other at the board!! 

It'll be FUN!!

Lets fight!!

-Paco Vela.

Last game of round 7, Ramirez vs. Vela (1-0)

Ramirez played a great game using his white pieces to beat my french defence. This is most probably the best and cleanest of all my losses in this Match.

If I had to pick my "best" loss I would pick this one, so far! At least up until now...

He never let go of the initiative, he never allowed me any counter-play...This is how you play against the French!

It's very difficult to make so many precise moves as white to maintain the attack going but if it happens, then the difficulty comes around to the other side and black is likely to fail somewhere, since the defense is tough, and the pressure and the effectiveness of White's attack will crack the most stubborn black army almost every time...

That's what happened here. Jose won in great style against the defense that he hates the most and the one he's statistically less likely to beat, but he did it nonetheless!

Congratulations my friend! You now regain the leadership and the better chances to become the Champion this year, but don't become overconfident.

There's still one more round to go,two more games per player, so this is not decided yet!

The last 3 games are going to be full-bloody battles. I don't think we'll see any draws, if any, they'll be fought out to the last pawn! We'll see...

Meanwhile, here is the game:

The French Defense's honor survives once more!!!! (0-1)

Next game: Jauregui vs. Vela (Rd.6, board 2)

Finally, the game between Juan Pablo and me (Vela) will be played next Thursday August 11th. We tried to make it happened before but personal situations and changes in working schedules kept making it impossible to realized this battle over the board.
 Now, when Jauregui was very close to losing against Ramirez, I have to fight him really hard with my beloved French Defense.

Because it seems that everything is ready for another 1.e4 e6 opening, since Jauregui has kept his promise of playing 1.e4 against me in our last 3 games where he's got white...(!)

So in this case the question is not if I am prepared to face whatever Juan Pablo comes up with, versus my beloved French Defense, the real question is, WILL HE BE PREPARED?? 

I am certain that he will have a nice little surprise for me, and I say little because I have played pretty much anything under the sun against my French.... Sometimes it works and I am crushed as Ramirez would say "like a cockroach" though most of the time, the cockroach runs away, rolls over, screams and yells out...only to go back on his feet and 'exterminate' the attacker!!

So, once more, we'll see what happens!!

It will be difficult, even more so this time when the standings play such a big role because there's only 8 games left in this match, and no more half points can be wasted, much less full points.

One thing is for sure: I can only be glad to have this couple of friends as my opponents, who present me with the hardest, most difficult tests in every phase of my game, and now Jauregui will be, as usual, a formidable adversary to beat, or maybe even just to defend against, in what I -and some others- consider one of my main strong points: To have the Black pieces against 1.e4, playing my favorite French Defense, and get the kind of game that I love!

Without anything else to add, let me just say: Let the great storm on my black King BEGIN!!!