IM Greg Shahade and IM Eric Rosen qualified for the quarterfinals of the IM Not A GM Speed Chess Championship after beating IM Anna Zatonskih and IM Elisabeth Paehtz, respectively. Three more matches in the round of 16 will follow on Friday and Saturday on Chess.com/TV.
It seems that a pattern is emerging in the IM Not A GM Speed Chess Championship so far: experience in online chess is a big, big advantage. Shahade and Rosen are more active on Chess.com than their female counterparts, and that might have been one reason for their big victories.
Shahade and Zatonskih tied 3.5-3.5 in the five-minute portion, but in the faster time control, it was Shahade who took the upper hand: 4.5-2.5 in the three-minute and 6-3 in the bullet. The final score was 14-9.
We're starting with a win for Zatonskih, though, chosen as the Game of the Match by commentator GM Robert Hess for Black's splendid endgame technique in one of those endgames where the knight is actually stronger than the bishop:
