grandcoach.com

Hello everybody! Just returned from France where played some games in Top-16 (main French League). I was lucky to play in Paris (frankly speaking in one of it's suburbs Ville de Clichy-la-Garenne) so metro was the only transport I used after having my flight. But I got dead-luck - I was not able to find my hotel for a lot of time coming out the metro. The funniest was that hotel is just 400 meters away Porte de Clichy metro station and is easily visible. Do you think I am an idiot? Well possibly yes,  but let me hold my defense! When you get out of the subway you can just go right or left or of course go straight. I got a reference from Google maps that my hotel is near Avenue de Porte de Clichy (I had to follow this avenue like for 300 meters to get to the hotel.) So I decided to go left (oh what a mistake that took an 1.5 hour of my time). Oh what a luck! On the left side I saw a street-sign Avenue de Clichy. I knew that I had to follow Avenue de Porte de Clichy but can it be any difference!? "They simply do not want to write the full name" - was my decision! I followed that avenue and here is the new luck-new billboard where it was written that two Ibis hotels are around here! Of course I had some doubt if I am following the right hotel, but anyway! I was following and following Avenue De Clichy and at last understood I was leading astray. I decided to return to that billboard and try it once more. At last I saw some magnificent Ibis hotel just on the hill. I saw it but It was enclosed within all its territory. So I tried different ways-and can't come into. I saw car-ways but so no pedestrian ways. Anyway I was sure it was my hotel-it was nice with great view on the Tour Eiffel. At last I managed to get there! At last...but... on the reception I got informed its not that Ibis I need. I got totally confused and began to follow new and new vain directions. At last I got back to metro station and found a map. Understood really nothing and followed  new wrong way. At last I returned back to the map and decided to analyze it in more proper way. I saw that Avenue de Clichy and Avenue de Porte de Clichy are two different streets that lay one on the left and second on the right side of Porte de Clichy Metro Station. So I decided simply look to the right... and of course simply saw my hotel!

   But now let's speak about chess. Top 16 is usually played in two phases (3 games in first+4 games in second). 16 teams are divided into 2 groups ("A" and "B") 8 teams each. So 7 games are played in each group using robin system. After that first and last 4 teams from group "A" and "B" are merged with their corresponders.(4 winners from group "A" + 4 winners from group "B";etc). Group of winners is called Poule Haute and Group  of Losers:) is called Poule Basse. Teams play only with that teams they never played before and preceding results are taken into account. Last two teams from Poule Basse leave the Championship. This year my team Mulhouse Philidor plays in strong"B" (ah this pairings) group. I was invited on 1st phase, but this one contained only 2 games, because of bankruptcy of one of the teams.

So we had to face 2 strong teams: Clichy (Jakovenko, Fressinet; etc) and Metz Fischer (Riasantsev, Postny). I had to play with black with Sebastien Maze (2554) in first game and with Jacques Elbilia (2402) in second one. First game I drew and second one I won. 1,5 of 2! Nice result! But to pity my team had no big luck!  We lost 0-3 to Clichy (8 boards, draws are not taken into account) and drew 2-2 with Metz Fischer. I suggest a puzzle to solve from my game.

Vovk,Y (2545) - Elbilia,J (2402)

TOP 16 GpB Clichy FRA (3), 28.03.2010

With his last move my opponent moved his rook from f8 to e8. How to use it?

Check your solution here.

Also I got some new experience in Paris! I found that there is a Temple of Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church! I couldn't miss that opportunity and visited that place (but to pity temple was closed) and make a little photo- reporting from this little Ukrainian island in Paris! Sorry for bad quality - I used my telephone for it! Have a fun and good luck!

video