Ratata Spanish Squad Eliminate Cramlings, Advance To Final

GM Pepe Cuenca and IM David Martinez ("Ratata Spanish Squad") won 1.5-0.5 against GM Pia Cramling and WFM Anna Cramling ("Team Cramling") and advance to the 2024 Team Chess Battle 2 Final. 

The Cramlings lost the first game after a dubious pawn sacrifice and could have reached tiebreaks when the Spanish team blundered an entire rook in the second game. But after missing it, the Cramlings didn't get another chance and the game ended in a draw.

The last quarterfinal match will be on Wednesday, October 16, 12:30 p.m. ET / 18:30 CEST / 10:00 p.m. IST and will feature IM Levy Rozman and James Canty III ("Team Swole") vs. IM Sagar Shah and IM Tania Sachdev ("Check De India").

Team Chess Battle 2 Bracket

Ratata Spanish Squad 2-0 Team Cramling

Just when you think the pre-game interviews can't get more wholesome, they do. Both teams expressed respect for each other before the games. Cuenca said, "I really admire both of them, Pia and Anna... happy to play against them and it's going to be a fun day for sure." Anna returned the kind words, "You guys are so kind! We both love you both as well!"

There was no friendship on the board, however. The Spanish team won a nice endgame and saved a complicated struggle in the second game—narrowly evading the first armageddon of this season.

"I think we got nothing out of the opening," said Cuenca after the first game, "but this kind of position is still complicated to play with Black" and Team Ratata still had some pressure. The critical moment of the game was Pia's 17...a5?, a pawn sacrifice that Anna questioned briefly before the Cramlings ultimately put it on the board.

White grabbed the pawn and, though there was one moment later where Black could have gotten enough play, ultimately converted the advantage. The white king march—Kc4-c5-b6—culminated nicely with an exchange sacrifice to win.

Pia immediately recognized the mistake after the game. "It could be that this ...a5 was a mistake... we should have played ...Rd8 and we enter this endgame," adding, "and this is what Anna said, so I'm sorry." Anna gracefully said there was no reason to apologize, but this time they now needed to win on demand. And they came close.

A tense Queen's Gambit Declined descended into chaos after the Cramlings plunged in with 16.e4! and later sacrificed a pawn—this time, a sound one. Needing just a draw, the Spanish team steered the complicated game into an equal rook endgame where they hung an entire rook for one move, but the Cramlings didn't notice. No further chance was given.

Both Cuenca and Martinez commented on how fortunate they were in that game. Even earlier, Cuenca called his team "so criminally lucky" because they also missed the fork 43.Nf4+ (with under 10 seconds) but still had a path to equality. As for the rook blunder, Anna said, "It never crossed our mind," and both sides only considered taking the pawn on b7.

The moment Pepe Cuenca realizes they've hung a rook (turn volume down!) 😂. Both sides miss it though!#TeamChess pic.twitter.com/CC5fPx93dX

— chess24 (@chess24com) October 15, 2024

Team Ratata Spanish Squad will be one of the two finalists. Before we reach the second semifinal match, which will be played on Thursday, the last quarterfinal match will be played on Wednesday. Of the three teams that are left, Martinez said: "I want to play versus Levy and I want to win 2-0."

I want to play versus Levy and I want to win 2-0.

—David Martinez

Who will challenge the legendary Spanish commentators for the team crown?

Team Chess Battle is an event where two-player teams can freely communicate while facing other teams in a series of rapid chess games. Eight teams of two players each compete in a single-elimination bracket. Matches consist of two games (the Final is a four-game match) with a 15+10 time control. The event goes from October 7 to October 18 and features a $10,000 prize fund.

Previous coverage:

• Quarterfinals: Ratata Spanish Squad Outclass ChessDojo, Progress To Semifinal Match Vs. Cramlings
• Quarterfinals: Team 'Oh Yes My Queen' Wins With Queen Trap Vs. 'Dandinavian,' Advance To Semifinals
• Quarterfinals: Mother-Daughter Duo Overcome Team ChessKid, Advance To Semifinals
• Team Chess Battle Is Back With Levy Rozman, Anna Cramling, James Canty, And Other Celebrities