12.18.19 In Rounds 4-6 at the 2019 Deaflympics chess competition, Team USA scored one match point in Round 5 with a 4-0 sweep of Brazil.. That doesn't nearly tell the whole story though. In Round 4 v Uzbekistan, a triple-repeat-of-position draw was there for the taking on Board 2 but not claimed and in Round 6 a win was nearly assured on Board 1 when the top board for Bosnia and Herzegovina achieved a position to force another 3x draw which handed the match point to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Such is chess.

Team Chess Pairings and Results

Round 4 USA v Uzbekistan

Team USA lost a heartbreaker to Uzbekistan by the score of 3 - 1. After Boards 1, 3, and 4 finished the score was Uzbekistan 2 USA 1. The game on Board two was a marathon encounter that lasted 4 hours and 10 minutes and was the next-to-last game to finish in the round. A triple repeat of position occurred which would have secured the match draw for Team USA. Unfortunately, a claim to the arbiter was not lodged, the game continued and was lost by our Board 2 player.

Abraham Glasser 1
Oscar Petrov 0
Branton Stewart 0
Byron Bridges 0

USA 1 - Uzbekistan 3

In Round 5, Team USA blanked Brazil by the sore of 4-0 albeit with one Brazilian forfeit on Board 4. Some pretty games were played and Team USA Chess was happy to notch their first match win.

Round 5 v Brazil

Abraham Glasser 1
Oscar Petrov 1
Branton Stewart 1
Byron Bridges 1F

USA 4 - Brazil 0

In Round 6, it looked like Team USA had the match draw (2-2) in hand as the last board to finish (Abraham Glasser v Ersad Catak) saw white with a sizeable advantage. Unfortunately for Glasser, his opponent was able to achieve a position where a triple repeat of position was unavoidable and the players shook hands for the draw which gave Bosnia and Herzegovina a 2.5 to 1.5 match victory.

Round 6 v Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abraham Glasser 0.5
Oscar Petrov 1
Branton Stewart 0
Byron Bridges 0

USA 1.5 - Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.5

During Team USA's bye round, we traveled to Madesemo to watch the USA v Poland curling match. After a fascinating struggle, Team USA pulled off a hair's breadth victory outscoring Poland 10-9.

December 18th was a rest day. Players got a chance to catch up on sleep, get some exercise, study their games, and refocus for the final three rounds.

Kazakhstan (left) plays Poland in the team chess competition at the 2019 Winter Deaflympics.

During the morning of the chess team's bye round, we made our way up the mountains to Madesimo and the newly build curling venue to take in some action and cheer our team on.

USA Curing Team member, four-time Deaflympian, and silver medalist Calvin Rausch marks the target for an incoming stone in their match with Poland.

Signing in the control booth during the curling match.

It was extremely close and in the end Team USA pulled out a razor's edge win over Poland 10-9.

Unseasonably warm temperatures have created thick fog and low lying clouds around the mountains of Chiavenna.

On the rest day we took full advantage of the wonderful gastronomical delights that Chiavenna has to offer like northern Italian pizza,

incredibly succulent meats and roasted vegetables, and

croissants and cappuccino.

We also got some delicious Italian figs at this downtown farmers market.

Between the chess venue and the Deaflympics hockey arena is Tesoro Museum.

And the Church of St. Francis

The artwork inside the church and museum compound was striking.

Three rounds remain in the 2019 Winter Deaflympics chess competition. Stay tuned for the dramatic conclusion and the Closing Ceremony of the Games from the Province of Sondrio Italy.