I was speechless and dazed after the game. This was the first time I faced a grandmaster, and I stood my ground, but…
GM Pacher M (2391) vs S. Tomic (1859), 2019 Doprastav Open, Bratislava, Round 1, 04/18/2019
As it always happens in open Swiss tournaments, you either play someone much weaker or someone much stronger n round 1 if you’re rated close to 1900. I usually face 2300 or 1500 players. Doprastav Open was the first type because I was in the lower half of the table.
I was glad to see that I was to play a GM, and with the black pieces too. That really meant that there was no pressure. I had nothing to lose and was expected to lose. I knew potential opponents for round one in advance so I prepared.
I prepared for GM Pacher too. I knew every opening he played and I knew that he either plays the Two Knights or the Advance against the Caro Kann. So I prepared for ten days before the tournament.
I was in my prep and never gone wrong in the opening. I was equal. White had a tiny edge but nothing major. I was lower on time though. Then he went for a queenside attack and started pressing forward. I defended well and didn’t miss too much. And then it happened. I finally figured out a way to untangle my pieces and castle and saw one possibility for him. I also saw that it was no good.
He played it. And I won a piece. And then the madness sarted.
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