1211 Kormyrian Chess Chamionship Finals

The championship match has begun in an expanded format of 24 games.  The Challenger, ex-champion Sir Reginald Hartewell, hopes to prevent Father Edwin Haroldson from becoming the first person to win three consecutive championships.  The longer match should favor the challenger who is two decades younger than Father Haroldson.  At the quarter mark, the score is 3-3, all games ending in draws.  The weather is not favoring the champion, who does not do well with high temperatures.

With the cooler weather, a much lighter Father Haroldson has taken a slim lead, winning  game 12 playing of all things an Evan's Gambit.  In their previous match, Haroldson played nothing but Giuoco Pianos, while as black he played the stolid Caro-Kann defense.  In game 11 he played a new opening for him, the French Defense.  At the halfway mark the score stands 6.5 - 5.5 with one win for Haroldson and eleven draws.

After draws in games 13-15, the next three games saw an eruption of fireworks.  Game 16 resulted in a win for Haroldson, who resurrected the Max Lange Attack to bring off the point.  In the following game, Hartewell showed his mettle by handing the champion his first defeat in four years, beating Haroldson at his own game, playing a purely positional  Tarrash French, which the champion could never equalize.  Game 18 was another victory for Haroldson who assayed the exchange variation of the Ruy Lopez and won a precisely played ending.

The 19th though 21st games resulted in draws.  The score as of Thursday stands in the champion's favor +3 -1 =17 for 11 1/2 points, with 12 1/2 needed to win the match.  Hartewell has the unenviable necessity of winning the remaining three games to once again become champion.

Game 22 of the match proved conclusive, with Haroldson playing a safe line and Hartewell forced to seek complications to provide some sort of winning chances.  The Game ended in a Haroldsn victory after 37 moves, concluding the3 match at +4 -1 =17 for 12 1/2 points for the Champion.  Fr. Haroldson has the honor of being the first player to win three consectutive championsps.  He alluded to the more than 60 battles the two men have had, never asking or giving quarter, all the while enriching Kormyrian chess, when he called them "The grandest of masters."

The champion stunned the crowd when he announced that he would not defend his title next year, suggesting the format be changed to a three year cycle to enable players to enjoy their lives and fulfill their obligations.  Looking gaunt (numerous healers and physicians have attended him during the past three weeks, but all that can be said with certainty is that he has lost 15 pounds over the course of the match and has very little appetite), but smiling, Haroldson and Hartewell,  grabbed a board and pieces, along with a pitcher of beer, and sat down to discuss the match.

Dear Father Haroldson,

My heartiest congratulations on your victory.

Sincerely,