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Here we go then
with this 17-point match, semi-final number two, of this year’s
tremendously successful Nordic Open. 154 hopeful Gammoners are
down to just three. Denmark’s Hans Christian Mathiesen awaits the
winner of this match.
Austria’s Rzymann goes in as something of an underdog when
compared to the juggernaut that is Jacobowitz but starts early on
with a tangy gammon for 5-1, quickly pulled back to 5-5 by JJ.
We pick up the action in the scintillating 8th game of the match
with JJ leading 7-6. It starts with a blitzy cube from JJ, and TR
is briefly squealing with two in the air and a 4-point board. But
a gorgeous 22 enters both men and lashes out on his 5-point. TR
suddenly looking hot here. Soon he has a cash with three JJ
checkers in the air, but he misses it! Then his position
deteriorates and he cubes at just 60-40! Wow. Then TR fans on a
three-point board several times in a row, and with JJ marshalling
his troops we could be looking at a snowman (8-cube). Soon it
evolves from a blot-hitting fest into a holding game with TR on
JJ’s 4-point, and JJ owning the golden anchor. But hey, there’s
another twist here, JJ’s time in this game has gone from 15
minutes to under 8. Finally, JJ’s superior position gives him the
8-cube, and it’s a slim take. However, perhaps with one eye on
JJ’s time (7:16), TR passes for 6-11; but this is an even match
folks because of the tick-tock-tick-tock effect.
Game 9: TR ships in a blitzy cube, easy take though. The game
swings violently from side to side before, bang, a superb 54
fly-shot gives TR some gammon chances with JJ holding the 5-point,
and a lot of freight to shift in the outfield. He keeps fanning as
TR scuttles his men in and starts his bear-off. He clears his
6-point and gammons up over 90%. But then JJ in four rolls goes 44
55 44, and suddenly he can save the ‘g’ if TR finds an ace; but he
rolls 32, and it’s a breath-taking gammon. 11-9 to JJ. Has JJ’s
error rate started to rise with his time problems? Oh, you betcha’.
Ghoulish fanning by TR in the next brings us to 12-10, and in Game
11 it’s Burger King for the whole family, as TR’s dismal pass is a
triple whopper with cheese and a sprinkling of onions, as Magriel
might say. 13-10. Could the match be slowly slipping away for the
Austrian now? He gets miserably trapped on JJ’s 3-point in the
next; at least the 4-point is open. TR gets a shot! But misses.
Then he gets another one! But misses that one too. That gap on the
4-point has meant TR is playing a phantom 3-4 back game. Then,
wow, a third apple falls from the tree, last chance this. TR HITS,
and then inexplicably misses his market with the 4-cube next roll
(slim pass), and comes to his senses the roll after. 13-12 to JJ
who is starting to play looser and looser as he addresses his time
problems which are not so serious now at 4:24.
The next swings quickly to TR, 13-13, and so does the next, but
then, whoaaaa, a super-duper JJ joker off the roof, enters, hits
in the outfield, and turns a 2-point board, into a 4-point board.
Some roll that, and TR winces at the miscarriage of justice. 14-13
to JJ.
Into Game 15 now and JJ has one man back stranded behind TR’s
growing 4-prime. He ain’t gonna be taking any paperweights that
come his way that’s for sure… over flies the cube right on cue,
and JJ TAKES!! What on earth was that?? Easily the dodgiest piece
of cube action I’ve even seen in top flight backgammon. TR is
65.4% but with 26.6% gammons. JJ knows he is the stronger player
than TR; how can he give him such a carte blanche chance to take
the match? The computer comes up with a skull and cross bones, and
screams that it’s a triple blunder. The blitz from TR is swift and
severe. However… this isn’t quite over. TR finds an awkward 66
when stuck on JJ’s bar point, and has to make the ace and leave
the 2-point open for JJ to enter. JJ finds the deuce, but has to
leave TR 6s and 4s to hit back. TR finds an ugly 53, which opens
up two blots, and JJ is able to pick them both up. However, he has
a blot in board and TR finds the hit from the bar and a
devastating ‘hoover manoeuvre’ entails. JJ is closed out with 4 on
the roof, and it’s a sensational end to a fabulous match. Was that
the worst take of JJ’s career, given the moment, given the match?
It certainly has a case. The stats tell us Jacobowitz went into
the match at 66.9-33.1% favourite. Error rates 5.4 Jacobowitz, 8.2
Rzymann
The action as we
await the final is stimulating. After the iconic Mochy cruises
through his semi-final and final to win the Consolation (you
can’t keep a good man down, huh?); there’s a delightful
exhibition match under the lights, for 10,000 USD between Gus
Hansen and Sander Lyllof. 5 pointer, 3 minutes in the time bank.
Sander romped into a 3-0 lead but burnt a lot time in so doing.
Then Gus roared back and rather outwitted an unusually tense
Sander to take the match 5-3. Great entertainment, and a fine
illustration about what top-level, high stakes BG is all about.
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