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Match 1 Game 1: Khorkov Holds

Match 1 Game 1

21- (Khorkov-Peltier*) 1(22)2 1(23)2[3-12] 2(24)22[3-12] 3(25)24 3(26)25 4(27)4[5-8] 13(28)13[14-17] 3(29)26 1(30)23 4(31)27[5] 13(32)28[14] 6(33)31 6(34)6[7] 9(35)10 9(36)9[11,12] 10(37)36 14(38)32 10(39)37 35(40)39 I

What a fabulous struggle! Jeff Peltier makes it delightfully complicated. Roman Khorkov responds forcefully, quickly steering into a symmetrical position. Then Roman obviously has a win in normal sprouts, but is it a misere win? To some of us it might at first appear not, since the position contains formations of four original spots, and since the n=4 game wins for Left in normal sprouts but not in misere sprouts. But Roman demonstrates the win. A masterful performance by both parties.

Roman and Jeff have quickly begun Game 2. Roman has served 26+ and Jeff has elected to play Right.

In such a short match every game is extremely important!

The question arises, in such intense play, can sprouts masters at this elevated level reach a decisive match result? We might note that there is a crucial difference between chess and sprouts. In chess, it might be in both players' interest to complicate. But in sprouts, this is never true. In Game 2, for instance, Roman served so Jeff is "supposed to" win. There can be no better payoff for Jeff than to win, and he will surely try to pocket a win as efficiently as possible. Roman will naturally seek complexity, but without Jeff's cooperation.

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