Interhall Games 2007-2008: Chinese Chess

4 days, 8 rounds. That's what it will take for a team to reach the finals. Our team managed to win all 7 qualifying rounds and reached semi.

Andrew after winning his first game

Our score for the qualifying rounds

Having reached semi, hall 4 now have to win hall 13 to get a place in the finals.

Hall 4 against Hall 13

Meeting expectations, our team managed to win hall 13, with a score of 4:1 and secured a place in the finals against hall 9, the defending champion. Pleased that they have made it into the finals, our players joked bout conceding as hall 9 has very strong players. Of course, they decided to fight on for the champ.

And this is when the action started getting more tense. Because any mistake made can just mean a defeat, the games went more slowly as compared to those previously played.

Hall 4 against Hall 9

Each player focused all, if not most of their mind and heart in the game, hoping to secure a point for the team and ultimately, become the winning team of ihg c chess. It was about 1 hour before we see a pair finished a game.

No good...0:1 for hall 4. But our strongest players are still in game so there is still hope for hall 4. Next up, our c chess captain emerged winner in his game. That's 1:1 for hall 4. Not long after, another pair ended. 1:2 for hall4. Now the atmosphere got tense as it was a close fight for the last 2 games. To win, hall 4 have to win the last 2 matches.

Our hall players and supporters observing one of the two remaining games

The last 2 games finished with draws. The end result, hall 4 got second for c chess with a marginal score for the finals of 2:3. Out of the 5 games for finals, we managed to win 1 and drawed 2.

But...what do we have here? Second for c chess and a medal for hall 4. Great job guys! And a special mention to our captain Kaifa, who won all his games in this competition.