Chapter 18: Unpolished Gem
Beginners Second Selection – Third Day
Everything is already set-up. Everyone is ready. It's the third day and the venue were unexpectedly crowded. The teachers were never expecting that the parents of the kids were going to watch them because in the past two days, there is not even one parent visited them.
The parents somehow excited specially those who's in the top rank. The atmosphere in the venue now somehow mix. There are some pressures, calmness, happiness and so on.
Seventh Round started. Csarina and Billy faced each other. Ace faced the kid who talked to them in the restaurant. His name is Bryle who is also one of the undefeated in the selection. He's looking Ace like he would eat him alive.
Ace shook hands with Bryle and smiled to him. Bryle didn't smile but he still looks at him so serious. They started moving the piece from time to time for almost an hour passed they are still even.
Mark (7 points), Ervin (6 points), Randy (6 points) and Chesster (4 points) won their match. Marco loses and currently have five and a half (5.5) points followed by the match of Csarina and Billy, after an hour and a half, Csarina won their match by mating him using back rank mate. Csarina and Billy now have 5.5 points to each other.
On Ace side, they are now on the blitz part of the game which both of them currently have a time of less than five minutes. They move as fast as they can and still, they are still equal.
4 minutes… 3 minutes 30 seconds… 3 minutes… when suddenly Ace sacrificed his rook to Bryle's Knight.
Bryle didn't panic and just accepted the sacrifice of Ace.
2 minutes…
1 minute…
30 second…
20…
10..
5…
4…
3…
2…
1…
Ace sacrificed his bishop to Bryle's pawn checking his king, that's when he panicked and didn't realized that his time was already ended. Ace remaining time was still on less than ten seconds.
Ace smiled and shook hands with Bryle. While Bryle was dumbfounded and still can't believe that he loss by a second only. Ace snapped his hand to Bryle's face. Bryle was now different than before. He now looks Ace at the face with respect and didn't have the serious face anymore.
Ace talk to him and said, "You are good. I have seen your weakness which I exploited."
"Next time I won't lose to you." Bryle replied and now back to his usual self.
Ace now have 7 points and Bryle have 6 points. They got out in the playing area and go back to their teammates. Everyone congratulated Ace for giving Bryle a lesson but Mr. Norly was angry at him.
Mr. Norly said, "You keep on giving him chances to win against you, what are you thinking?"
"Relax teacher. I've already seen his weakness when we are still in middle game phase. I just want to confirm something." Ace replied.
"And what is it?" Mr. Norly followed.
"He is good exploiting his advantages but not to the point that he knows what he is doing. He is an unpolished gem like Chesster teacher." Ace replied.
"So that's it. Okay let me take note of it. But next time you should tell me your plans like that next time." Mr. Norly said.
Ace agreed to him. He asked everyone's matches and he gave them some reminders that the last two rounds were crucial that they don't need to be confident even if they know that they are now on the top 40. There will be chances that they can still fall down if they lose the remaining rounds.
After the seventh round ended. Mr. Andy took advantage the appearance of the parents. He announced that the top forty of the beginners with the intermediate and advance will be staying at the Academy's Dorm. He also said that after the second selection of beginners, the intermediate and advance will start their first round and the beginners will rest and will start tomorrow.
There will be only seven rounds on each category for the final selection. The participants were now motivated that they are now more determine to win their matches.
After the announcement. The pairing of the eight rounds is now posted. The kids already checking their names and started sitting on their boards.
Round eight begins…
Csarina facing Randy. For almost an hour and a half. They decided to have a tie so that both of them can have a chance to enter the top 40. Csarina now have 6 points and randy now have 6.5 points.
Ervin tied his game and now have 6.5 points. Marco and Billy losses and currently have 5.5 points. Chesster on the other hand was showing a brilliant performance. He now has 5 points and currently hacking his self into the top 50.
Ace and Mark also won their game and both of them are the only undefeated now and they are now secured the top three spots.
Mr. Norly congratulated everyone for showing a performance which makes the other teachers in awe. Because Mr. Norly not only secure two top rank but also have a chance that all of his students can enter the final selection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Good to know:
Randy and Csarina's case. In their scenario if you understand it they you are right. They did a game fixing which is prohibited in real life competitions. I would like to tell that I also do that and almost all competitions I joined have that. I am not telling that it is okay to do it but I would like to tell this. Never do game fixing because first, we already know that is it wrong and second, we will loss more than we gain.
Blitz – Blitz is one of the categories in chess which each player has allotted time of 5 minutes or below.