Favoured Country Status

 Sometimes we have a favourite opponent (or 'customer') who we invariably do well against. Or an opponent we just enjoy playing. 

Once I started playing in chess olympiads, I also found that against certain countries I did well against. On the other hand I suspect there were players who found Papua New Guinea an enjoyable pairing, and not just from recent history.

As mentioned previously I played a tournament in Appletreewick (on the Yorkshire Moors). I was beaten in the qualifying stage by Colm Barry, and again in the final.  He mentioned that he had represented Ireland at chess olympiads in the 1980's and a little research turned up the fact that I wasn't the only PNG player he enjoyed beating! Here is a game from the the 1982 Chess Olympiad, where PNG meat Ireland in the second round

Markov,Joseph - Barry,Colm (2220) [B07]
Luzern ol (Men) Luzern (2), 31.10.1982

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bd3 Bg4 5. d5 g6 6. O-O Bg7 7. c4 O-O 8. Be3 Nh5 9. h3 Bc8 10. Qd2 f5 11. Bg5 Qe8 12. Bh6 f4 13. Bxg7 Kxg7 14. Be2 Nf6 15. Nc3 Na6 16. Rae1 Nc5 17. Bd1 a5 18. Bc2 g5 19. Nb5 g4 20. hxg4 Nxg4 21. Nxc7 Qh5 22. Rb1 Rf6 23. Rfe1 Rh6 24. Kf1 Qh1+ 25. Ng1 Rh2 26. f3 Ne3+ 27. Rxe3 fxe3 28. Qxe3 Qxg2+ 29. Ke1 Qxc2 30. Rd1 Qg2 31. Ne2 Rh1+ 32. Kd2 Rxd1+ 33. Kxd1 Rb8 34. Nb5 Qg6 35. a3 Bd7 36. b4 axb4 37. axb4 Bxb5 38. cxb5 Nd7 39. f4 Qg4 40. Kd2 b6 41. Qc3 Re8 42. Qc7 Kg8 43. Qxd6 exf4 44. Nxf4 Rxe4 0-1