Pandanet Team Championship - Belgium Battles Back to Secure 2–2 Draw Against South Africa

Monday 23/02 and Tuesday 24/02 marked Round 6 of the Pandanet Team Championship, as Belgium faced South Africa in a crucial showdown between two teams level on points and fighting to gain ground in the standings.

Team Line-up

Lucas, Lucman, Jan, and Renaud.

Monday: Early Setbacks

Boards 3 and 4 were played first on Monday, and South Africa struck early.

On Board 4, Renaud took Black against Andrew Davies (2d) in a hard-fought battle. Renaud applied pressure from the opening, but despite the early initiative, his opponent defended calmly and gradually built a steady lead. Davies maintained control through the middle game, eventually converting his advantage into a win by resignation to give South Africa the first point.

At the same time on Board 3, Jan had White against Chris Welsh. Opting for a slower, solid opening, Jan steered the game toward a long endgame battle. The strategy nearly guaranteed a close finish. Early on, the advantage leaned toward Welsh, but Jan steadily reduced the gap move by move. In the end, however, there simply was not enough board left to complete the comeback, and South Africa secured a 1.5-point win.

The two Monday losses placed maximum pressure on Belgium’s top boards heading into Tuesday.

Tuesday: The Comeback

On Board 2, Lucman faced Aki Zhou (5d) with Black in a game full of momentum swings. After the opening, Lucman built significant influence across the board while White secured solid territory. A sharp fight in the middle of the board forced complications and dictated the direction of the game. He surrounded a key group, shifted his moyo across the board, and compelled another invasion. After a complex and tactical battle, Lucman converted just enough to claim Belgium’s first win by 1.5 points.

All eyes then turned to Board 1.

Lucas, playing White against Victor Chan (7d), who had lost only once all season, delivered a thriller. The game began with a cross opening and quickly evolved into a running fight with multiple weak groups. It was not until move 64 that play shifted to the opposite side of the board. As the east and west sides collided, Lucas found himself in serious trouble — at one stage trailing by 37 points. But the game remained complicated, with a ko fight and unresolved weaknesses still in play.

Lucas mounted a dramatic comeback, killing a key group and leveling the position by move 200. From there, it became a pure endgame battle, and Lucas held his nerve, securing a 3.5-point victory.

Final Result

2–2

After a roller-coaster round filled with fighting games and dramatic swings, Belgium secured a hard-earned 2–2 draw against South Africa.

Looking Ahead

Round 7 awaits on 17/03 (or possibly the week before) against Austria — another team positioned in the lower part of the standings alongside Belgium. It will be another important opportunity to pick up valuable points.

Links

All games: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/rounds/1350
Standings: https://pandanet-igs.com/communities/euroteamchamps/draw/215