️ IOCA Blitz Online Tournament – 6/9 & Valuable Lessons!

I recently played the IOCA Blitz Online Tournament, a 9-round event with 74 players and a time control of 5 minutes + 2 seconds increment. 🌍♟️

It was a strong event with players from different islands competing in fast-paced chess! 🌍♟️

🏆 Tournament Winner:
Congratulations to Etienne Riviere, the Reunion Champion, who finished with 8/9.

He tied for 1st place with Alfene Ambdullah from Comoros (also 8/9), but Etienne won the tournament thanks to a better tiebreak score. 👏

My result:
📊 Final score: 6/9
🏅 Tied for 6th place, finished 9th on tiebreaks among 74 players

I had some interesting moments throughout the tournament:

⚔️ Round 2 vs Etienne Riviere
I reached a winning position against the eventual tournament winner! However, I had only around 5 seconds left on the clock. In the time scramble, I blundered and the game slipped away. 😅

A reminder that in blitz, time management is just as important as finding the best moves.

🔥 Round 9
I lost my last game, but fortunately, the result was changed because my opponent was later banned for cheating, and I received the full point.

The game itself had an interesting moment. Even though I was down a Rook and a pawn, I had a dangerous attack with:
19...h4! ♟️⚔️

The position was full of attacking chances and tactical ideas.

You can check all my games from the tournament here:

Overall, I’m happy with the experience, the fighting spirit, and the lessons learned from this blitz tournament. 💪

I thank God Jesus for this result and for giving me strength throughout my chess journey. 🙏

Psalm 28:7
"The Lord Jesus is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." ❤️

Thank you for your support! More chess adventures coming soon. ♟️🔥

God bless 🙏