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Gibtelecom Masters, 24 January - 2 February 2006

Last Edited: Wednesday February 8, 2006 6:33 PM
 

Download games (all rounds) in PGN format (zipped). Official website: http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/

On the spot reports: John Saunders

Rounds 9-10 - 'King Kiril' Dominates Gibraltar

Tournament organiser Brian Callaghan congratulates winner Kiril Georgiev (centre) while Gibtelecom CEO Tim Bristow looks on
Tournament organiser Brian Callaghan congratulates winner Kiril Georgiev (centre) while Gibtelecom CEO Tim Bristow looks on

Well, I did promise on the spot reports, didn't I. I'm afraid that the last few days in Gibraltar were too hectic for further reporting, and not helped by some more connectivity problems. Anyway, the answer to the question 'can nothing stop Kiril Georgiev' proved to be an emphatic 'no'. In round nine he played perhaps his most impressive game, sweeping Sergey Volkov from the board.

Volkov,S (2629) - Georgiev,K (2645) [E25]
Gibtelecom Masters Gibraltar (9.1), 01.02.2006

Sergey Volkov (left) faces Kiril Georgiev
Sergey Volkov (left) faces Kiril Georgiev

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 f3 d5 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 c5 7 cxd5 Nxd5

7...exd5 was played in Gheorghiu-Fischer, Havana Olympiad 1966, but resulted in a rare loss for the great American.

8 dxc5

Though this rather mars his pawn structure, White can hope to get free play for his bishops in this well-respected line.

8...Qa5 9 e4 Ne7 10 Be3 0-0

Recapturing a pawn with 10...Qxc3+ 11 Kf2 0-0 12 Ne2 etc, is generally reckoned to give White a healthy initiative.

11 Qb3 Qc7 12 Rb1

Various moves have been suggested here, including 12 a4 and 12 Nh3. 12 Bb5 was played in Timman-Karpov, match game 3, 1990, and continued 12...Nec6 13 Rd1 Na5 14 Qb4 e5 and Black had achieved a fairly comfortable position, despite being a (doubled) pawn down.

12...Nd7

12 ..Nbc6 was played by the Shredder program against Volkov in 2003. Volkov lost that game, but Georgiev probably feared an improvement.

13 Qc4 Ne5 14 Qb5

14 Qb3 Nd7 15 Qc4 Ne5 16 Qb3 , draw agreed, was Khenkin-Anand, Bundesliga 2003.








14...f5!? 15 Be2 Bd7!?

Quite a violent pair of moves from a player who was leading the tournament by half a point and might have been expected to play it safe. To this point in the tournament, Georgiev had played positional chess, but here he shows he is prepared to play more riskily when the circumstances demand.

16 Qxb7 Qa5 17 Bd4 N7c6 18 Qa6 Qd8! 19 exf5

Fritz wants to play 19 Bxe5 Nxe5 20 f4 Ng6 but White would have a few tricky problems to solve in this line.

19...Nxd4 20 cxd4 Qh4+ 21 Kf1 Qxd4 22 Qd6 Qe3 23 Re1

The position after 23 fxe6 Ng4 24 Nh3 Bxe6 25 Re1 is hard to assess. Black certainly has some play for his two pawns.

23 ..Rxf5 24 Ba6 Qxa3 25 Bb7?

Under pressure, White goes wrong. He should try 25 Rxe5 Rxe5 26 Qxe5 Qxa6+ 27 Kf2 when he is still in the game and the position is probably about level.

25 ..Bb5+ 26 Ne2 Raf8! 27 Be4

Black concentrates all his forces against the pawn on f3, the only defender between the white king and oblivion. 27 Qxe6+ Kh8 changes nothing, for instance 28 Be4 Nxf3! 29 Bxf5 Nd4! produces as deadly a collection of pins and forks as I can ever remember seeing.








27...Nxf3! 28 Bxf5 Rxf5 29 Qxe6+ Rf7 30 Qc8+ Rf8 31 Qe6+ Kh8 32 Qe7

Forcing the rook off the f-file but it doesn't make any difference in the long run.

32...Re8 33 Qxe8+ Bxe8 34 Rd1

White's position is now hopeless. 34 gxf3 Qxf3+ 35 Kg1 Bc6 is the end.

34...Kg8 35 h4 Nd2+ 36 Ke1 Ne4 37 Rh3 Qxc5 38 Nd4 Bh5 0-1

This win left Georgiev a full point clear of the field. But in this case, 'the field' was Emil Sutovsky, who would be many people's choice of a man whom you could rely on for a decisive result if your life depended on it. Emil was only slightly handicapped by having the black pieces; he can attack with either colour. In round nine he had beaten Zoltan Gyimesi with some forceful play culminating in a knight sacrifice on e6, so he was clearly running into good form. Georgiev tried to snuff the life out of the final round game by playing the line against the King's Indian where you exchange on e5 and take the queens off. The remaining pieces were quickly hoovered off, leaving a level king and pawn ending where Georgiev had doubled e-pawns. Sutovsky cleverly offered to undouble them, but at the cost of imbalancing the structure. Georgiev preferred to let a pawn go than risk this imbalance. His judgment once again proved to be faultless and he had no difficulty in keeping Sutovsky at bay thereafter.

Thus Georgiev finished first, a whole point clear of Short and Sutovsky. A magnificent achievement, and yet another success for a Bulgarian player following their world championship, woemn's world championship and world senior championship successes of the last few months. He won £6,000. The two second-placed players received £3,500 each; both could be reasonably pleased with their efforts, though they did not cross swords with too many of their expected rating rivals. Short's only game with a 2600+ player was his win against Korchnoi who was exhausted after his eighth round marathon. We should also mention the trio of women players, world champion Antoaneta Stefanova, ex-champion Zhu Chen and former European women's champion Natalia Zhukova, who tied for the women's prize on 6½. Incidentally, the women's prizes are to increase considerably at next year's Gibtelecom Masters, going up from £1,500 to an impressive £10,000. Perhaps that might entice a Polgar or two to Gibraltar in 2007? The overall prize fund is going up from £30,000 to £65,000, and players of all ratings will have access to substantial prizes.

4th Gibtelecom Chess Festival
Gibtelecom Masters
Date of congress: 24/01/2006 to 02/02/2006
                              Nat Ti FIDE  R  O  U  N  D  S
Pos Player                    lty tl Rtng   1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9    10   A   B  C     D     E     F
  1 GEORGIEV,Kiril........... BUL g  2645 b64=  b92+  w22+  w28+  b26+  b34=  w13+   w4+  b10+   w3=  8½ 10  8½ 2538  6.50  2.00

  2 SHORT,Nigel.............. ENG g  2676 w36+  b34=  w18=  b45=  w23+  b21=  w22+  b12=  w15+  b11+  7½ 10  7½ 2485  7.50  0.00
  3 SUTOVSKY,Emil............ ISR g  2624 w24=  b87+  w47+  b34-  w46+  b22=  w33+  b52+   w8+   b1=  7½ 10  7½ 2458  7.20  0.30

  4 AKOPIAN,Vladimir......... ARM g  2704 b40+  w26=  b20+   w8=  b30=  w28+  w56+   b1-  b25=  w29+  7  10  7  2533  7.30 -0.30
  5 ARESHCHENKO,Alex......... UKR g  2670 bye=  w86+  b73+  w19=  b20=  w38=  b40+  b34=  w18+  w10=  7   9  6½ 2480  6.75 -0.25
  6 EFIMENKO,Zahar........... UKR g  2666 bye=  w75+  b44+  w26-  b68+  w20=  b38=  w16+  b28=  w25+  7   9  6½ 2457  6.93 -0.43
  7 GUREVICH,Mikhail......... TUR g  2629 w46+  b56=  w27+  b17+  w34-  b47+  w18+   b8=  w11=  b13=  7  10  7  2531  6.30  0.70
  8 GYIMESI,Zoltan........... HUN g  2602 w52+  b16+  w25=   b4=  w36+  b10=  w34+   w7=   b3-  w28+  7  10  7  2540  5.90  1.10
  9 SHIROV,Alexi............. ESP g  2709 w23=  b66+  w62+  b57=  w18=  b56-  w45+  b21=  w47+  b34+  7  10  7  2461  8.10 -1.10
 10 VOLKOV,Sergey............ RUS g  2629 b51+  w20-  b86+  w53+  b12+   w8=  b14+  w26+   w1-   b5=  7  10  7  2497  6.80  0.20

 11 AL-MODIAHKI,Mohamad...... QAT g  2579 b63+  w38+  b28=  w14-  b64+  w51+  b25=  w30+   b7=   w2-  6½ 10  6½ 2512  5.90  0.60
 12 BELLON LOPEZ,Juan........ ESP g  2415 w13-  b91+  w74+  b84+  w10-  b92+  b19+   w2=  b29=  w14=  6½ 10  6½ 2440  4.70  1.80
 13 BOLOGAN,Viktor........... MDA g  2661 b12+  w28-  b64+  w59+  b40+  w15+   b1-  w25=  b26=   w7=  6½ 10  6½ 2495  7.20 -0.70
 14 KOBALIA,Mikhail.......... RUS g  2654 w55+  b18=  w56+  b11+  w15=  b24=  w10-  b36+  w34=  b12=  6½ 10  6½ 2501  7.00 -0.50
 15 KORCHNOI,Viktor.......... SUI g  2608 b50=  b74+  w68+  w25+  b14=  b13-  w36=  w38+   b2-  w40+  6½ 10  6½ 2487  6.60 -0.10
 16 PAVLOVIC,Milos........... SCG g  2494 w43+   w8-  b75=  b54+  w48-  b84+  w49+   b6-  w45+  b55+  6½ 10  6½ 2344  7.00 -0.50
 17 PELLETIER,Yannick........ SUI g  2579 b37=  b79+  w23+   w7-  b50-  w86+  b51=  w59+  b40=  w38+  6½ 10  6½ 2383  7.50 -1.00
 18 SANDIPAN,Chanda.......... IND g  2522 b53+  w14=   b2=  w32+   b9=  w50+   b7-  w64+   b5-  w52+  6½ 10  6½ 2496  5.40  1.10
 19 SPRAGGETT,Kevin.......... CAN g  2581 w31+  b27=  w33+   b5=  w24-  b42+  w12-  b96+  w23=  b36+  6½ 10  6½ 2406  7.30 -0.80
 20 STEFANOVA,Antoaneta...... BUL g  2499 w49+  b10+   w4-  b43+   w5=   b6=  w52-  b42+  w55=  b46+  6½ 10  6½ 2450  5.70  0.80
 21 SUNDARARAJAN,Kidambi..... IND m  2495 b32=  w73-  b95+  w75+  b37+   w2=  b31=   w9=  b52=  w54+  6½ 10  6½ 2336  7.10 -0.60
 22 ZHU,Chen................. CHI g  2482 b69=  w98+   b1-  w87+  b35+   w3=   b2-  w51=  b37+  w26+  6½ 10  6½ 2382  6.40  0.10
 23 ZHUKOVA,Natalia.......... UKR wg 2432  b9=  w35+  b17-  w78+   b2-  w75+  b37=  w70+  b19=  w63+  6½ 10  6½ 2377  5.80  0.70

 24 AABERG,Anton............. SWE    2383  b3=  w58+  b30=  w98+  b19+  w14=  b26-  w29-  b69=  w61+  6  10  6  2404  4.70  1.30
 25 AL SAYED,Mohamad N....... QAT m  2470 w84+  w29+   b8=  b15-  w66+  b57+  w11=  b13=   w4=   b6-  6  10  6  2541  4.00  2.00
 26 ARIZMENDI MARTINEZ,Julen. ESP g  2534 w39+   b4=  w81+   b6+   w1-  b48+  w24+  b10-  w13=  b22-  6  10  6  2495  5.50  0.50
 27 CMILYTE,Victorija........ LTU m  2475 b82+  w19=   b7-  w89=  b61+  w31-  b87+  w50+  b51=  w30=  6  10  6  2351  6.70 -0.70
 28 CRAMLING,Pia............. SWE g  2515 w96+  b13+  w11=   b1-  w45+   b4-  w39+  b31+   w6=   b8-  6  10  6  2507  5.10  0.90
 29 GANGULY,Surya............ IND g  2579 w45+  b25-  w65+  b39=  w52-  b54+  w48+  b24+  w12=   b4-  6  10  6  2374  7.60 -1.60
 30 KUNTE,Abhijit............ IND g  2551 w48+  b68=  w24=  b96+   w4=  b52=  w55+  b11-  w46=  b27=  6  10  6  2431  6.60 -0.60
 31 QUILLAN,Gary............. ENG    2356 b19- w110+  b98-  w77+  b89+  b27+  w21=  w28-  b70=  w62+  6  10  6  2268  6.20 -0.20
 32 SCHUURMAN,Petra.......... NED f  2234 w21=  b60=  w97+  b18-  w73=  b55-  w99+  bye=  b98+  w64+  6   9  5½ 2235  4.50  1.00
 33 SHAW,John K.............. SCO m  2432 b70=  w77+  b19-  w91+  b82=  w53+   b3-  w37=  b39=  w69+  6  10  6  2286  7.00 -1.00
 34 SPEELMAN,Jon............. ENG g  2539 b59+   w2=  b69+   w3+   b7+   w1=   b8-   w5=  b14=   w9-  6  10  6  2574  4.50  1.50

 35 AGDESTEIN,Emil........... NOR    2053 114+  b23-  w49+  b52=  w22-  bye=  b66+  b46-  w42=  b84+  5½  8  4  2303  1.52  2.48
 36 ARAKHAMIA-GRANT,Ketevan.. GEO m  2426  b2-  w41+  b61+  w82+   b8-  w70+  b15=  w14-  b43+  w19-  5½ 10  5½ 2409  5.20  0.30
 37 ASHTON,Adam.............. ENG    2321 w17=  b85+  w57-  b60+  w21-  b74+  w23=  b33=  w22-  b76+  5½ 10  5½ 2345  4.70  0.80
 38 BAKRE,Tejas.............. IND g  2480 w54+  b11-  w60+  b66=  w39+   b5=   w6=  b15-  w48+  b17-  5½ 10  5½ 2423  5.80 -0.30
 39 BORCHGREVINK,Harald...... NOR    2265 b26- w115+ b103+  w29=  b38-  w83+  b28-  w75+  w33=  b47=  5½ 10  5½ 2326  4.20  1.30
 40 CARLSSON,Pontus.......... SWE m  2430  w4-  b93+  w92+  b42+  w13-  b79+   w5-  b56+  w17=  b15-  5½ 10  5½ 2431  5.00  0.50
 41 DUNN,Andrew.............. ENG    2188 b78=  b36- w106+  w64-  b88+  w44=  b85-  w67+  b68+  w50=  5½  9  4½ 2244  3.78  0.72
 42 GOKHALE,Anupama.......... IND wm 2198 b68- w104+  b94+  w40- b100+  w19-  b89+  w20-  b35=  w98+  5½  9  4½ 2231  4.05  0.45
 43 GOMES,Mary Ann........... IND wm 2231 b16- w100+  b99+  w20-  b83=  w62+  b64-  w90+  w36-  b74+  5½ 10  5½ 2213  5.30  0.20
 44 GROOTEN,Herman........... NED m  2365 w57=  b90+   w6-  b65+  w56-  b41=  w79+  bye=  b54-  w80+  5½  9  5  2292  5.40 -0.40
 45 KLINOVA,Masha............ ISR m  2353 b29- w116+  b83+   w2=  b28-  w73+   b9-  w82+  b16-  w85+  5½ 10  5½ 2347  5.10  0.40
 46 LAGOWSKI,Patryk.......... POL m  2393  b7-  w99= b110+  w63+   b3-  w87=  b61+  w35+  b30=  w20-  5½ 10  5½ 2307  6.20 -0.70
 47 MCNAB,Colin.............. SCO g  2456 b81= w103+   b3-  w93+  b62+   w7-  b63=  w53+   b9-  w39=  5½ 10  5½ 2334  6.70 -1.20
 48 MOHOTA,Nisha............. IND wg 2318 b30- w107+  b72= w103+  b16+  w26-  b29-  w86+  b38-  w73+  5½ 10  5½ 2306  5.20  0.30
 49 NADIG,Kruttika........... IND wm 2237 b20- w105+  b35-  w94+  b80=  w72+  b16-  w92+  b64=  w51=  5½ 10  5½ 2209  5.40  0.10
 50 PEEK,Marcel.............. NED m  2375 w15=  b65=  w90+  b62=  w17+  b18-  w57=  b27-  w66+  b41=  5½ 10  5½ 2345  5.40  0.10
 51 ROY CHOWDHURY,Saptarshi.. IND m  2393 w10-  b78+  w76+  b73+  w57=  b11-  w17=  b22=  w27=  b49=  5½ 10  5½ 2387  5.10  0.40
 52 SPECK,Nicholas........... AUS    2371  b8-  w95+  b80+  w35=  b29+  w30=  b20+   w3-  w21=  b18-  5½ 10  5½ 2407  4.50  1.00
 53 SWATHI,Ghate............. IND wg 2244 w18- b111+ w101+  b10-  w90+  b33-  w65+  b47-  w79+  b56=  5½ 10  5½ 2273  4.60  0.90
 54 VAN DEN BERSSELAAR,Jeroen NED    2222 b38- w102= b116+  w16-  b93+  w29-  b73+  w72+  w44+  b21-  5½ 10  5½ 2249  4.60  0.90
 55 WELLING,Gerard........... NED m  2405 b14-  w71+  b89=  w72=  b98+  w32+  b30-  w85+  b20=  w16-  5½ 10  5½ 2295  6.50 -1.00
 56 WELLS,Peter.............. ENG g  2501 bye+   w7=  b14-  w69+  b44+   w9+   b4-  w40-  b63=  w53=  5½  9  4½ 2480  4.77 -0.27

 57 AGREST,Evgenij........... SWE g  2591 b44=  w80+  b37+   w9=  b51=  w25-  b50=  w63=  bye=        5   8  4½ 2404  5.92 -1.42
 58 BAENA,Antonia............ ESP    2019 117+  b24-  w84-  b92- w112+  b76=  w74=  b80=  b93=  bye+  5   7  2  2176  2.03 -0.03
 59 BAKKER,Sven.............. NED    2308 w34- b106+  w67+  b13-  w79-  b71+  w80+  b17-  w62-  b91+  5   9  4  2263  5.04 -1.04
 60 CANNON,Richard........... ENG    2087 b89+  w32=  b38-  w37- b110+  w63-  b82- w117+  b86+  w70=  5   9  4  2224  2.88  1.12
 61 CHICO,Jorge Flores....... ESP    2136 123- b112+  w36-  b97+  w27-  b94+  w46-  b78+  w96+  b24-  5   9  4  2238  3.24  0.76
 62 DUNN,Alan................ NZL    2076 126+  w70+   b9-  w50=  w47-  b43-  bye=  w89+  b59+  b31-  5   8  3½ 2306  1.68  1.82
 63 HOUSKA,Jovanka........... ENG m  2355 w11- b122+  w85+  b46-  w74=  b60+  w47=  b57=  w56=  b23-  5   9  4  2364  4.41 -0.41
 64 KOBESE,Watu.............. RSA m  2397  w1=  b76+  w13-  b41+  w11-  b81+  w43+  b18-  w49=  b32-  5  10  5  2362  5.50 -0.50
 65 MOHAMED,Mehdi Aithmido... MAR    2107 109+  w50=  b29-  w44-  b78= w108+  b53-  w66- b100+ b120+  5   9  4  2161  3.78  0.22
 66 SISASK,Jesper............ ENG    2196 108+   w9-  b71+  w38=  b25-  w68=  w35-  b65+  b50-  w93+  5  10  5  2265  4.00  1.00
 67 STOCK,Toby............... ENG    2083 104+  w81-  b59- w109+  b70-  w69- w116+  b41- w115+  b92+  5   8  3  2125  3.52 -0.52
 68 TISSIR,Mohamed........... MAR    2444 w42+  w30=  b15-  b81+   w6-  b66=  w92=  b84=  w41-  b90+  5  10  5  2309  6.80 -1.80
 69 TSCHAROTSCHKIN,Michael... GER    2227 w22=  b72+  w34-  b56-  w71=  b67+  w90=  b76+  w24=  b33-  5  10  5  2281  4.20  0.80
 70 WALTON,Alan J............ ENG c  2197 w33=  b62- w122= b101+  w67+  b36-  w78+  b23-  w31=  b60=  5   9  4½ 2217  4.23  0.27

 71 CAFOLLA,Peter............ IRL    2080 122=  b55-  w66- w102+  b69=  w59-  b88=  w93- b104+ w108+  4½  8  3  2115  3.60 -0.60
 72 COIMBRA,Margarida........ POR wf 2083 119+  w69-  w48=  b55=  w84=  b49-  w81+  b54-  b92=  w75=  4½  9  3½ 2241  2.61  0.89
 73 GILBERT,Jessie LC........ ENG wf 2098 118+  b21+   w5-  w51-  b32=  b45-  w54- b101+  w81+  b48-  4½  9  3½ 2288  2.25  1.25
 74 GOODGER,Martyn........... ENG    2135 b88+  w15-  b12- w113+  b63=  w37-  b58= w108= b103+  w43-  4½ 10  4½ 2172  4.50  0.00
 75 GROFFEN,Hans............. NED    2185 w97+   b6-  w16=  b21-  w99+  b23- w107+  b39-  w83=  b72=  4½ 10  4½ 2223  4.50  0.00
 76 HUTCHINSON,Norman........ ENG    2118 105+  w64-  b51- w100- b113+  w58= b103+  w69- b110+  w37-  4½ 10  4½ 2100  5.30 -0.80
 77 OBERS,Frits.............. NED    2080 124+  b33-  w96-  b31- w107= b115= w120+  b87-  w88+  b79=  4½  9  3½ 2083  4.50 -1.00
 78 PANNEKOEK,Willem-Jan..... NED    2083 w41=  w51- b115+  b23-  w65=  w82+  b70-  w61-  b90= b113+  4½ 10  4½ 2147  4.10  0.40
 79 ROCA,Juan Ocana.......... ESP    2125 113+  w17-  bye=  bye=  b59+  w40-  b44- w100+  b53-  w77=  4½  8  3½ 2206  3.12  0.38
 80 SCHRAMM,Bernd............ GER    2126 111+  b57-  w52- b114+  w49=  bye=  b59-  w58= b108+  b44-  4½  8  3  2210  3.04 -0.04
 81 SMITH,Andrew Phillip..... IRL f  2200 w47=  b67+  b26-  w68-  b91+  w64-  b72- w114+  b73- w111+  4½  9  3½ 2235  4.05 -0.55
 82 SPENCE,David............. ENG    2221 w27- b120+ w114+  b36-  w33=  b78-  w60+  b45-  def- w103+  4½  8  3½ 2229  3.92 -0.42
 83 STRAUB,Peter............. GER    2086 w87- b124+  w45- b111+  w43=  b39-  w84-  b95+  b75=  bye=  4½  8  3  2159  3.20 -0.20
 84 THIPSAY,Bagyashree....... IND wm 2219 b25- w119+  b58+  w12-  b72=  w16-  b83+  w68=  b85=  w35-  4½  9  3½ 2240  4.23 -0.73
 85 VEA,Blikra Odin.......... NOR    2099 102+  w37-  b63- w122- b119+ w100+  w41+  b55-  w84=  b45-  4½  8  3½ 2182  3.12  0.38
 86 VEGA,Osuna Enrique....... ESP c  2192 101+   b5-  w10-  b99= w116+  b17-  w95+  b48-  w60- b110+  4½ 10  4½ 2187  5.10 -0.60

 87 EL AMARI,Khaled.......... MAR    2137 b83+   w3-  bye=  b22- w115+  b46=  w27-  w77+              4   7  3½ 2256  2.38  1.12
 88 ELAMRI,Leila............. MAR    1921 w74- b123- w104= b118+  w41-  b91=  w71=  bye=  b77-  bye+  4   6  1  2129  1.38 -0.38
 89 FELLOUSI,Abdelaziz....... MAR    2132 w60- b118+  w55=  b27=  w31- b122+  w42-  b62-  w94+  def-  4   7  2  2228  2.59 -0.59
 90 FOX,Anthony.............. IRL    2104 100+  w44-  b50- w105+  b53- w109+  b69=  b43-  w78=  w68-  4   9  3  2188  3.42 -0.42
 91 GIACOPELLI,Vincenzo...... GER    2102 115=  w12- b107+  b33-  w81-  w88= b110=  b99+  bye=  w59-  4   9  3½ 2098  4.59 -1.09
 92 GUERRERO,Carlos.......... ESP    2160 b94+   w1-  b40-  w58+ b122+  w12-  b68=  b49-  w72=  w67-  4   9  3  2247  3.42 -0.42
 93 GUSKI,Dietmar............ GER    2106 107=  w40- b102+  b47-  w54-  b95- w105+  b71+  w58=  b66-  4  10  4  2087  5.30 -1.30
 94 HAMER,Martyn............. ENG    2000 w92- b117+  w42-  b49- w114+  w61- b109+  w98-  b89- w116+  4   7  1  2131  2.24 -1.24
 95 HELIN,Mikael............. SWE    1970 bye=  b52-  w21- b115- w118+  w93+  b86-  w83- b117= b112+  4   6  1  2136  1.68 -0.68
 96 JAIME MONTALVAN,Luis..... ESP f  2242 b28- w113+  b77+  w30-  bye=  bye=  b98+  w19-  b61-  def-  4   7  3  2270  3.22 -0.22
 97 MATTO,Manuel............. GIB    1954 b75- w126+  b32-  w61- b109- w119+ b100- w102= b111= w114+  4   6  1  2014  2.52 -1.52
 98 NIMMY,A George........... IND    2123 120+  b22-  w31+  b24-  w55- b117+  w96-  b94+  w32-  b42-  4   9  3  2243  3.06 -0.06

 99 AGREST,Inna.............. SWE    2030 106=  b46=  w43-  w86=  b75- w105+  b32-  w91-  bye+        3½  7  2  2172  2.17 -0.17
100 ALMER,Julia.............. SWE    1848 w90-  b43- w117+  b76+  w42-  b85-  w97+  b79-  w65-  bye=  3½  8  2  2113  1.44  0.56
101 FRANCISCO,Carame Gonzalez ESP    1978 b86- w109+  b53-  w70- b117- b102= w104+  w73- b114= w106=  3½  5   ½ 2100  1.65 -1.15
102 GUERRERO,Fernando Navaro. ESP    1768 w85-  b54=  w93-  b71- b105= w101=  bye=  b97=  def- w126+  3½  7  2  2031  1.26  0.74
103 HICKMAN,John............. ENG    2082 112+  b47-  w39-  b48- w111+ b116=  w76- b107+  w74-  b82-  3½  9  2½ 2132  3.87 -1.37
104 HULLIGAN,Steve........... ENG         w67-  b42-  b88= w110= b108- w111= b101- w124+  w71- b115+  3½  9  2½ 1987        1821
105 JACOBSEN,Maria Pitz...... NOR    1879 w76-  b49- w124+  b90- w102=  b99-  b93- w106+ w112=  bye=  3½  6   ½ 2059  1.56 -1.06
106 NUNEZ,Millan Gonzalez.... ESP         w99=  w59-  b41- b116- w124+ b107-  bye= b105- w120+ b101=  3½  8  2  2007        1814
107 REPPEN,Ellisiv........... NOR    1851 b93=  b48-  w91- w108=  b77= w106+  b75- w103- b116=  bye=  3½  8  2  2084  1.68  0.32
108 SBIA,Bachir.............. MAR    1989 w66- b114- w118= b107= w104+  b65- w115+  b74=  w80-  b71-  3½  7  2  2041  3.01 -1.01
109 SOLOMON,Ajoy............. ENG         w65- b101- w120+  b67-  w97+  b90-  w94- b111-  bye= b124+  3½  8  2  2004        1811
110 SUURONEN,Petri........... FIN    1931 bye=  b31-  w46- b104=  w60- b112+  w91= b120+  w76-  w86-  3½  7  1½ 2136  1.68 -0.18
111 VILLENA PEREZ,Jorge...... ESP    1915 b80-  w53- b126+  w83- b103- b104=  bye= w109+  w97=  b81-  3½  6   ½ 2115  1.44 -0.94

112 JAMILA,Yougane........... MAR         103-  w61- b113- w126+  b58- w110- b119+ w116= b105=  w95-  3   8  1  1981        1659
113 KUENITZ,Klaus............ GER    1901 w79-  b96- w112+  b74-  w76- b114- w124+ b115- b118+  w78-  3   6  0  2082  1.56 -1.56
114 NAVARRO,Antonio Garcia... ESP         b35- w108+  b82-  w80-  b94- w113+  bye=  b81- w101=  b97-  3   9  2½ 2047        1881
115 PHILLIPS,Gordon.......... GER    1790 b91=  b39-  w78-  w95+  b87-  w77= b108- w113+  b67- w104-  3   9  3  2054  1.62  1.38
116 RAUTANEN,Sari............ FIN    1929 bye=  b45-  w54- w106+  b86- w103=  b67- b112= w107=  b94-  3   7  1  2101  1.89 -0.89
117 SLIMANI,Abderezzak....... MAR         b58-  w94- b100- b120+ w101+  w98-  bye=  b60-  w95=  def-  3   8  2½ 1990        1849

118 CASTILLA,Jose Lopez...... ESP         b73-  w89- b108=  w88-  b95- b120- w126+  bye= w113- b119=  2½  7   ½ 1986        1564
119 GILL,William............. IRE         w72-  b84- w125- b124+  w85-  b97- w112-  bye= b126= w118=  2½  5  0  2087        1410

120 AMAYA,Millan Gonzalez.... ESP    1892 b98-  w82- b109- w117- b126+ w118+  b77- w110- b106-  w65-  2   5  0  2092  1.20 -1.20
121 JAMIESON,Ian............. SCO    2005                                          b126+ b124+        2   0  0
122 MCGRANE,Stephen.......... ENG         w71=  w63-  b70=  b85+  w92-  w89-                          2   6  2  2171        2046
123 SCHILLER,Eric............ USA f  2188 b61+  w88+                                                  2   2  2  2029  1.42  0.58

124 LECHUGO,Francisco Garci.. ESP         b77-  w83- b105- w119- b106- w126+ b113- b104- w121- w109-  1   5  0  1990        1313
125 SEDGWICK,David........... ENG    2079            b119+                                            1   0  0

126 MIHAJLOVA,Diana.......... ENG         w62-  b97- w111- b112- w120- b124- b118- w121- w119= b102-   ½  6  0  1935        1258

Round  9

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 VOLKOV,Sergey    2629 (6½)  0 - 1  GEORGIEV,Kiril   2645 (7)    10   8
  2 GUREVICH,Mikhail 2629 (6)   ½ - ½  AL-MODIAHKI,Moha 2579 (6)     9  16
  3 SUTOVSKY,Emil    2624 (6)   1 - 0  GYIMESI,Zoltan   2602 (6)    11  13
  4 AL SAYED,Mohamad 2470 (5½)  ½ - ½  AKOPIAN,Vladimir 2704 (5½)   31   2
  5 SHORT,Nigel      2676 (5½)  1 - 0  KORCHNOI,Viktor  2608 (5½)    3  12
  6 ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2670 (5½)  1 - 0  SANDIPAN,Chanda  2522 (5½)    4  22
  7 CRAMLING,Pia     2515 (5½)  ½ - ½  EFIMENKO,Zahar   2666 (5½)   23   5
  8 ARIZMENDI MARTIN 2534 (5½)  ½ - ½  BOLOGAN,Viktor   2661 (5½)   21   6
  9 KOBALIA,Mikhail  2654 (5½)  ½ - ½  SPEELMAN,Jon     2539 (5½)    7  20
 10 GANGULY,Surya    2579 (5½)  ½ - ½  BELLON LOPEZ,Jua 2415 (5½)   17  38

 11 SHIROV,Alexi     2709 (5)   1 - 0  MCNAB,Colin      2456 (5)     1  32
 12 SPRAGGETT,Kevin  2581 (5)   ½ - ½  ZHUKOVA,Natalia  2432 (5)    15  35
 13 CARLSSON,Pontus  2430 (5)   ½ - ½  PELLETIER,Yannic 2579 (5)    36  18
 14 KUNTE,Abhijit    2551 (5)   ½ - ½  LAGOWSKI,Patryk  2393 (5)    19  41
 15 STEFANOVA,Antoan 2499 (5)   ½ - ½  WELLING,Gerard   2405 (5)    25  39
 16 SPECK,Nicholas   2371 (5)   ½ - ½  SUNDARARAJAN,Kid 2495 (5)    45  26
 17 ROY CHOWDHURY,Sa 2393 (4½)  ½ - ½  CMILYTE,Victorij 2475 (5)    42  30
 18 HOUSKA,Jovanka   2355 (4½)  ½ - ½  WELLS,Peter      2501 (4½)   48  24
 19 PAVLOVIC,Milos   2494 (4½)  1 - 0  KLINOVA,Masha    2353 (4½)   27  49
 20 ASHTON,Adam      2321 (4½)  0 - 1  ZHU,Chen         2482 (4½)   50  28

 21 BAKRE,Tejas      2480 (4½)  1 - 0  MOHOTA,Nisha     2318 (4½)   29  51
 22 BORCHGREVINK,Har 2265 (4½)  ½ - ½  SHAW,John K.     2432 (4½)   53  34
 23 GOMES,Mary Ann   2231 (4½)  0 - 1  ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2426 (4½)   59  37
 24 KOBESE,Watu      2397 (4½)  ½ - ½  NADIG,Kruttika   2237 (4½)   40  57
 25 TSCHAROTSCHKIN,M 2227 (4½)  ½ - ½  AABERG,Anton     2383 (4½)   60  43
 26 VAN DEN BERSSELA 2222 (4½)  1 - 0  GROOTEN,Herman   2365 (4½)   61  46
 27 WALTON,Alan J    2197 (4)   ½ - ½  QUILLAN,Gary     2356 (4½)   66  47
 28 TISSIR,Mohamed   2444 (4)   0 - 1  DUNN,Andrew      2188 (4)    33  69
 29 PEEK,Marcel      2375 (4)   1 - 0  SISASK,Jesper    2196 (4)    44  67
 30 BAKKER,Sven      2308 (4)   0 - 1  DUNN,Alan        2076 (4)    52  93

 31 SWATHI,Ghate     2244 (4)   1 - 0  ROCA,Juan Ocana  2125 (4)    54  76
 32 CHICO,Jorge Flor 2136 (4)   1 - 0  JAIME MONTALVAN, 2242 (4)    73  55
 33 NIMMY,A George   2123 (4)   0 - 1  SCHUURMAN,Petra  2234 (4)    77  58
 34 VEA,Blikra Odin  2099 (4)   ½ - ½  THIPSAY,Bagyashr 2219 (4)    83  63
 35 AGDESTEIN,Emil   2053 (4)   ½ - ½  GOKHALE,Anupama  2198 (4)    94  65
 36 GIACOPELLI,Vince 2102 (3½)  ½ - ½  Bye                          82 BYE
 37 GILBERT,Jessie L 2098 (3½)  1 - 0  SMITH,Andrew Phi 2200 (3½)   84  64
 38 VEGA,Osuna Enriq 2192 (3½)  0 - 1  CANNON,Richard   2087 (3½)   68  85
 39 GROFFEN,Hans     2185 (3½)  ½ - ½  STRAUB,Peter     2086 (3½)   70  86
 40 GUERRERO,Carlos  2160 (3½)  ½ - ½  COIMBRA,Margarid 2083 (3½)   71  87

 41 HICKMAN,John     2082 (3½)  0 - 1  GOODGER,Martyn   2135 (3½)   90  74
 42 SBIA,Bachir      1989 (3½)  0 - 1  SCHRAMM,Bernd    2126 (3½)   98  75
 43 SUURONEN,Petri   1931 (3½)  0 - 1  HUTCHINSON,Norma 2118 (3½)  102  78
 44 GUSKI,Dietmar    2106 (3½)  ½ - ½  BAENA,Antonia    2019 (3½)   80  96
 45 FOX,Anthony      2104 (3½)  ½ - ½  PANNEKOEK,Willem 2083 (3)    81  88
 46 FELLOUSI,Abdelaz 2132 (3)   1 - 0  HAMER,Martyn     2000 (3)   114  97
 47 ALMER,Julia      1848 (3)   0 - 1  MOHAMED,Mehdi Ai 2107 (3)   110  79
 48 STOCK,Toby       2083 (3)   1 - 0  PHILLIPS,Gordon  1790 (3)    89 111
 49 OBERS,Frits      2080 (3)   1 - 0  ELAMRI,Leila     1921 (3)    92 104
 50 VILLENA PEREZ,Jo 1915 (3)   ½ - ½  MATTO,Manuel     1954 (2½)  105 101

 51 HULLIGAN,Steve        (2½)  0 - 1  CAFOLLA,Peter    2080 (2½)  117  91
 52 AGREST,Inna      2030 (2½)  1 - 0  Bye                          95 BYE
 53 NAVARRO,Antonio       (2½)  ½ - ½  FRANCISCO,Carame 1978 (2½)  122  99
 54 SLIMANI,Abderezz      (2½)  ½ - ½  HELIN,Mikael     1970 (2½)  124 100
 55 RAUTANEN,Sari    1929 (2½)  ½ - ½  REPPEN,Ellisiv   1851 (2½)  103 109
 56 JACOBSEN,Maria P 1879 (2½)  ½ - ½  JAMILA,Yougane        (2½)  108 118
 57 CASTILLA,Jose Lo      (2)   0 - 1  KUENITZ,Klaus    1901 (2)   113 106
 58 NUNEZ,Millan Gon      (2)   1 - 0  AMAYA,Millan Gon 1892 (2)   123 107
 59 MIHAJLOVA,Diana       (0)   ½ - ½  GILL,William          (1½)  121 115
 60 LECHUGO,Francisc      (1)   0 - 1  JAMIESON,Ian     2005 (1)   119 128

 61 AGREST,Evgenij   2591 (4½)  ½ - ½  Bye                          14 BYE
 62 SOLOMON,Ajoy          (2)   ½ - ½  Bye                         125 BYE
 63 SPENCE,David     2221 (3½)  0 - 1  Bye                          62 BYE
 64 GUERRERO,Fernand 1768 (2½)  0 - 1  Bye                         112 BYE

Round 8

Firstly, an apology for the late appearance of reports on rounds 7 and 8. I've been having connectivity problems but, thanks to some help from my computer savvy colleague FM Manuel Weeks, I am now back in communication with the world.

Can nothing stop Kiril Georgiev? In round 8, the redoubtable Bulgarian won again, this time defeating 2700+ Vadlimir Akopian. This was not a candidate for the best game prize but it once again showed off Georgiev's refined positional technique to good effect. He now leads on 7/8. In clear second on 7½ is Russian GM Sergey Volkov, who beat Spanish GM Julen Arizmendi, whose creatvity with his pawns did not work as well as in his earlier efforts. Mohamad Al Modiahki and Emil Sutovsky also won to join the group on 6. It is interesting to note that none of the seven players rated over 2650 in this tournament now have a realistic chance of first place. Only the players on 6 and above can hope to reach the likely winning score of 8 or 8½. All six players with 6 or more are rated under 2650, with Qatar GM Mohamad Al Modiahki being the lowest rated at 2579.

Kiril Georgiev     Sergey Volkov
Leaders: Georgiev 7/8 and Volkov 6½/8

Round  8

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 GEORGIEV,Kiril   2645 (6)   1 - 0  AKOPIAN,Vladimir 2704 (5½)    8   2
  2 GYIMESI,Zoltan   2602 (5½)  ½ - ½  GUREVICH,Mikhail 2629 (5½)   13   9
  3 VOLKOV,Sergey    2629 (5½)  1 - 0  ARIZMENDI MARTIN 2534 (5½)   10  21
  4 BELLON LOPEZ,Jua 2415 (5)   ½ - ½  SHORT,Nigel      2676 (5)    38   3
  5 SPEELMAN,Jon     2539 (5)   ½ - ½  ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2670 (5)    20   4
  6 BOLOGAN,Viktor   2661 (5)   ½ - ½  AL SAYED,Mohamad 2470 (5)     6  31
  7 SPECK,Nicholas   2371 (5)   0 - 1  SUTOVSKY,Emil    2624 (5)    45  11
  8 AL-MODIAHKI,Moha 2579 (5)   1 - 0  KUNTE,Abhijit    2551 (5)    16  19
  9 SUNDARARAJAN,Kid 2495 (4½)  ½ - ½  SHIROV,Alexi     2709 (4½)   26   1
 10 EFIMENKO,Zahar   2666 (4½)  1 - 0  PAVLOVIC,Milos   2494 (4½)    5  27

 11 ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2426 (4½)  0 - 1  KOBALIA,Mikhail  2654 (4½)   37   7
 12 KORCHNOI,Viktor  2608 (4½)  1 - 0  BAKRE,Tejas      2480 (4½)   12  29
 13 AABERG,Anton     2383 (4½)  0 - 1  GANGULY,Surya    2579 (4½)   43  17
 14 SANDIPAN,Chanda  2522 (4½)  1 - 0  KOBESE,Watu      2397 (4½)   22  40
 15 QUILLAN,Gary     2356 (4½)  0 - 1  CRAMLING,Pia     2515 (4½)   47  23
 16 WELLS,Peter      2501 (4½)  0 - 1  CARLSSON,Pontus  2430 (4)    24  36
 17 AGREST,Evgenij   2591 (4)   ½ - ½  HOUSKA,Jovanka   2355 (4)    14  48
 18 JAIME MONTALVAN, 2242 (4)   0 - 1  SPRAGGETT,Kevin  2581 (4)    55  15
 19 PELLETIER,Yannic 2579 (4)   1 - 0  BAKKER,Sven      2308 (4)    18  52
 20 GOKHALE,Anupama  2198 (4)   0 - 1  STEFANOVA,Antoan 2499 (4)    65  25

 21 ZHU,Chen         2482 (4)   ½ - ½  ROY CHOWDHURY,Sa 2393 (4)    28  42
 22 CMILYTE,Victorij 2475 (4)   1 - 0  PEEK,Marcel      2375 (4)    30  44
 23 MCNAB,Colin      2456 (4)   1 - 0  SWATHI,Ghate     2244 (4)    32  54
 24 SHAW,John K.     2432 (4)   ½ - ½  ASHTON,Adam      2321 (4)    34  50
 25 ZHUKOVA,Natalia  2432 (4)   1 - 0  WALTON,Alan J    2197 (4)    35  66
 26 WELLING,Gerard   2405 (4)   1 - 0  VEA,Blikra Odin  2099 (4)    39  83
 27 LAGOWSKI,Patryk  2393 (4)   1 - 0  AGDESTEIN,Emil   2053 (4)    41  94
 28 THIPSAY,Bagyashr 2219 (3½)  ½ - ½  TISSIR,Mohamed   2444 (3½)   63  33
 29 KLINOVA,Masha    2353 (3½)  1 - 0  SPENCE,David     2221 (3½)   49  62
 30 MOHOTA,Nisha     2318 (3½)  1 - 0  VEGA,Osuna Enriq 2192 (3½)   51  68

 31 BORCHGREVINK,Har 2265 (3½)  1 - 0  GROFFEN,Hans     2185 (3½)   53  70
 32 NADIG,Kruttika   2237 (3½)  1 - 0  GUERRERO,Carlos  2160 (3½)   57  71
 33 GOMES,Mary Ann   2231 (3½)  1 - 0  FOX,Anthony      2104 (3½)   59  81
 34 HUTCHINSON,Norma 2118 (3½)  0 - 1  TSCHAROTSCHKIN,M 2227 (3½)   78  60
 35 VAN DEN BERSSELA 2222 (3½)  1 - 0  COIMBRA,Margarid 2083 (3½)   61  87
 36 MOHAMED,Mehdi Ai 2107 (3)   0 - 1  SISASK,Jesper    2196 (3)    79  67
 37 DUNN,Andrew      2188 (3)   1 - 0  STOCK,Toby       2083 (3)    69  89
 38 EL AMARI,Khaled  2137 (3)   1 - 0  OBERS,Frits      2080 (3)    72  92
 39 PANNEKOEK,Willem 2083 (3)   0 - 1  CHICO,Jorge Flor 2136 (3)    88  73
 40 GOODGER,Martyn   2135 (3)   ½ - ½  SBIA,Bachir      1989 (3)    74  98

 41 DUNN,Alan        2076 (3)   1 - 0  FELLOUSI,Abdelaz 2132 (3)    93 114
 42 SCHRAMM,Bernd    2126 (3)   ½ - ½  BAENA,Antonia    2019 (3)    75  96
 43 ROCA,Juan Ocana  2125 (3)   1 - 0  ALMER,Julia      1848 (3)    76 110
 44 HAMER,Martyn     2000 (3)   0 - 1  NIMMY,A George   2123 (3)    97  77
 45 SMITH,Andrew Phi 2200 (2½)  1 - 0  NAVARRO,Antonio       (2½)   64 122
 46 CAFOLLA,Peter    2080 (2½)  0 - 1  GUSKI,Dietmar    2106 (2½)   91  80
 47 AGREST,Inna      2030 (2½)  0 - 1  GIACOPELLI,Vince 2102 (2½)   95  82
 48 FRANCISCO,Carame 1978 (2½)  0 - 1  GILBERT,Jessie L 2098 (2½)   99  84
 49 CANNON,Richard   2087 (2½)  1 - 0  SLIMANI,Abderezz      (2½)   85 124
 50 HELIN,Mikael     1970 (2½)  0 - 1  STRAUB,Peter     2086 (2½)  100  86

 51 REPPEN,Ellisiv   1851 (2½)  0 - 1  HICKMAN,John     2082 (2½)  109  90
 52 AMAYA,Millan Gon 1892 (2)   0 - 1  SUURONEN,Petri   1931 (2½)  107 102
 53 MATTO,Manuel     1954 (2)   ½ - ½  GUERRERO,Fernand 1768 (2)   101 112
 54 JAMILA,Yougane        (2)   ½ - ½  RAUTANEN,Sari    1929 (2)   118 103
 55 VILLENA PEREZ,Jo 1915 (2)   1 - 0  SOLOMON,Ajoy          (2)   105 125
 56 PHILLIPS,Gordon  1790 (2)   1 - 0  KUENITZ,Klaus    1901 (2)   111 106
 57 JACOBSEN,Maria P 1879 (1½)  1 - 0  NUNEZ,Millan Gon      (2)   108 123
 58 HULLIGAN,Steve        (1½)  1 - 0  LECHUGO,Francisc      (1)   117 119
 59 MIHAJLOVA,Diana       (0)   0 - 1  JAMIESON,Ian     2005 (0)   121 128
 60 GROOTEN,Herman   2365 (4)   ½ - ½  Bye                          46 BYE

 61 SCHUURMAN,Petra  2234 (3½)  ½ - ½  Bye                          58 BYE
 62 ELAMRI,Leila     1921 (2½)  ½ - ½  Bye                         104 BYE
 63 CASTILLA,Jose Lo      (1½)  ½ - ½  Bye                         113 BYE
 64 GILL,William          (1)   ½ - ½  Bye                         115 BYE

Round 7

This was a bloodthirsty round which saw off the challenges of a number of the leading players. Viktor Bologan overreached against Kiril Georgiev and was not given a second chance. The Bulgarian thus became joint leader. Any chance of an English winner faded in the Gibraltar sunshine as Jonathan Speelman went down in flames against Zoltan Gyimesi, and Peter Wells fell to Vladimir Akopian. Further down the list, look out for Julen Arizmendi's crisp finish against Anton Aaberg.

One interesting feature of this year's congress has been a fun poker event, sposnored by 32red.com. One familiar face turning up for this was English IM Angus Dunnington, who has joined the exodus from chess to poker. The poker evening was won by Odin Blikra Vea of Morway, who finally saw off the challenge from England's Martyn Hamer. Curiously the Norwegian has also beat the Englishman in both of the Challengers tournaments: a clear case of victimisation.

Angus DunningtonStewart ReubenOdin Blikra VeaMartyn Hamer
And you thought this was a chess tournament? Left to right: poker pro Angus Dunnington,
dealer Stewart Reuben, poker winner Odin Blikra Vea, runner-up Martyn Hamer

Round  7

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 GEORGIEV,Kiril   2645 (5)   1 - 0  BOLOGAN,Viktor   2661 (5)     8   6
  2 GYIMESI,Zoltan   2602 (4½)  1 - 0  SPEELMAN,Jon     2539 (5)    13  20
  3 AKOPIAN,Vladimir 2704 (4½)  1 - 0  WELLS,Peter      2501 (4½)    2  24
  4 KOBALIA,Mikhail  2654 (4½)  0 - 1  VOLKOV,Sergey    2629 (4½)    7  10
  5 GUREVICH,Mikhail 2629 (4½)  1 - 0  SANDIPAN,Chanda  2522 (4½)    9  22
  6 AL SAYED,Mohamad 2470 (4½)  ½ - ½  AL-MODIAHKI,Moha 2579 (4½)   31  16
  7 ARIZMENDI MARTIN 2534 (4½)  1 - 0  AABERG,Anton     2383 (4½)   21  43
  8 SHORT,Nigel      2676 (4)   1 - 0  ZHU,Chen         2482 (4)     3  28
  9 CARLSSON,Pontus  2430 (4)   0 - 1  ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2670 (4)    36   4
 10 BAKRE,Tejas      2480 (4)   ½ - ½  EFIMENKO,Zahar   2666 (4)    29   5

 11 SUTOVSKY,Emil    2624 (4)   1 - 0  SHAW,John K.     2432 (4)    11  34
 12 KORCHNOI,Viktor  2608 (4)   ½ - ½  ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2426 (4)    12  37
 13 SPRAGGETT,Kevin  2581 (4)   0 - 1  BELLON LOPEZ,Jua 2415 (4)    15  38
 14 KUNTE,Abhijit    2551 (4)   1 - 0  WELLING,Gerard   2405 (4)    19  39
 15 STEFANOVA,Antoan 2499 (4)   0 - 1  SPECK,Nicholas   2371 (4)    25  45
 16 QUILLAN,Gary     2356 (4)   ½ - ½  SUNDARARAJAN,Kid 2495 (4)    47  26
 17 SHIROV,Alexi     2709 (3½)  1 - 0  KLINOVA,Masha    2353 (3½)    1  49
 18 PEEK,Marcel      2375 (3½)  ½ - ½  AGREST,Evgenij   2591 (3½)   44  14
 19 GANGULY,Surya    2579 (3½)  1 - 0  MOHOTA,Nisha     2318 (3½)   17  51
 20 ROY CHOWDHURY,Sa 2393 (3½)  ½ - ½  PELLETIER,Yannic 2579 (3½)   42  18

 21 CRAMLING,Pia     2515 (3½)  1 - 0  BORCHGREVINK,Har 2265 (3½)   23  53
 22 PAVLOVIC,Milos   2494 (3½)  1 - 0  NADIG,Kruttika   2237 (3½)   27  57
 23 HOUSKA,Jovanka   2355 (3½)  ½ - ½  MCNAB,Colin      2456 (3½)   48  32
 24 ASHTON,Adam      2321 (3½)  ½ - ½  ZHUKOVA,Natalia  2432 (3½)   50  35
 25 KOBESE,Watu      2397 (3½)  1 - 0  GOMES,Mary Ann   2231 (3½)   40  59
 26 EL AMARI,Khaled  2137 (3)   0 - 1  CMILYTE,Victorij 2475 (3)    72  30
 27 TISSIR,Mohamed   2444 (3)   ½ - ½  GUERRERO,Carlos  2160 (3)    33  71
 28 CHICO,Jorge Flor 2136 (3)   0 - 1  LAGOWSKI,Patryk  2393 (3)    73  41
 29 GROOTEN,Herman   2365 (3)   1 - 0  ROCA,Juan Ocana  2125 (3)    46  76
 30 BAKKER,Sven      2308 (3)   1 - 0  SCHRAMM,Bernd    2126 (3)    52  75

 31 SWATHI,Ghate     2244 (3)   1 - 0  MOHAMED,Mehdi Ai 2107 (3)    54  79
 32 NIMMY,A George   2123 (3)   0 - 1  JAIME MONTALVAN, 2242 (3)    77  55
 33 TSCHAROTSCHKIN,M 2227 (3)   ½ - ½  FOX,Anthony      2104 (3)    60  81
 34 FELLOUSI,Abdelaz 2132 (3)   0 - 1  GOKHALE,Anupama  2198 (3)   114  65
 35 WALTON,Alan J    2197 (3)   1 - 0  PANNEKOEK,Willem 2083 (3)    66  88
 36 SISASK,Jesper    2196 (3)   0 - 1  AGDESTEIN,Emil   2053 (3)    67  94
 37 VEA,Blikra Odin  2099 (3)   1 - 0  DUNN,Andrew      2188 (3)    83  69
 38 SCHUURMAN,Petra  2234 (2½)  1 - 0  AGREST,Inna      2030 (2½)   58  95
 39 GILBERT,Jessie L 2098 (2½)  0 - 1  VAN DEN BERSSELA 2222 (2½)   84  61
 40 SPENCE,David     2221 (2½)  1 - 0  CANNON,Richard   2087 (2½)   62  85

 41 STRAUB,Peter     2086 (2½)  0 - 1  THIPSAY,Bagyashr 2219 (2½)   86  63
 42 COIMBRA,Margarid 2083 (2½)  1 - 0  SMITH,Andrew Phi 2200 (2½)   87  64
 43 VEGA,Osuna Enriq 2192 (2½)  1 - 0  HELIN,Mikael     1970 (2½)   68 100
 44 GROFFEN,Hans     2185 (2½)  1 - 0  REPPEN,Ellisiv   1851 (2½)   70 109
 45 BAENA,Antonia    2019 (2½)  ½ - ½  GOODGER,Martyn   2135 (2½)   96  74
 46 HICKMAN,John     2082 (2½)  0 - 1  HUTCHINSON,Norma 2118 (2½)   90  78
 47 SUURONEN,Petri   1931 (2)   ½ - ½  GIACOPELLI,Vince 2102 (2)   102  82
 48 STOCK,Toby       2083 (2)   1 - 0  RAUTANEN,Sari    1929 (2)    89 103
 49 ELAMRI,Leila     1921 (2)   ½ - ½  CAFOLLA,Peter    2080 (2)   104  91
 50 OBERS,Frits      2080 (2)   1 - 0  AMAYA,Millan Gon 1892 (2)    92 107

 51 SOLOMON,Ajoy          (2)   0 - 1  HAMER,Martyn     2000 (2)   125  97
 52 SBIA,Bachir      1989 (2)   1 - 0  PHILLIPS,Gordon  1790 (2)    98 111
 53 ALMER,Julia      1848 (2)   1 - 0  MATTO,Manuel     1954 (2)   110 101
 54 GUSKI,Dietmar    2106 (1½)  1 - 0  JACOBSEN,Maria P 1879 (1½)   80 108
 55 FRANCISCO,Carame 1978 (1½)  1 - 0  HULLIGAN,Steve        (1½)   99 117
 56 KUENITZ,Klaus    1901 (1)   1 - 0  LECHUGO,Francisc      (1)   106 119
 57 GILL,William          (1)   0 - 1  JAMILA,Yougane        (1)   115 118
 58 CASTILLA,Jose Lo      (½)   1 - 0  MIHAJLOVA,Diana       (0)   113 121
 59 DUNN,Alan        2076 (2½)  ½ - ½  Bye                          93 BYE
 60 VILLENA PEREZ,Jo 1915 (1½)  ½ - ½  Bye                         105 BYE

 61 GUERRERO,Fernand 1768 (1½)  ½ - ½  Bye                         112 BYE
 62 NAVARRO,Antonio       (2)   ½ - ½  Bye                         122 BYE
 63 NUNEZ,Millan Gon      (1½)  ½ - ½  Bye                         123 BYE
 64 SLIMANI,Abderezz      (2)   ½ - ½  Bye                         124 BYE

Round 6

The top board game between Speelman and Georgiev was drawn fairly quickly today, allowing the two players to be sure of joint first place at the end of the round. Another top board clash between Peter Wells and Alexei Shirov was also over very quickly, but ended in a decisive result. Peter Wells is the author of Winning with the Trompowski but it was soon evident that his opponent had not read the book. Shirov played down a known bad line, which involved "winning" the exchange but at an exorbitant cost. The game diverged from theory (Hodgson-van der Wiel, Amsterdam 1994) when Black played 12...Qc2 but this proved to be even worse than the move played in the game mentioned above. After 13 Qe3, Black realised that his queen was permanently immured in the corner and that there was no way that he could defend his king from a mighty attack down the e-file - so he resigned and vacated the tournament hall. Many people expressed surprise at this gap in the Hispano-Latvian's opening knowledge.

Wells versus Shirov - short and sweet (but not for Alexei)
Wells versus Shirov - short and sweet (but not for Alexei)

The battle of the two Viktors ended in a win for the younger one. Bologan built up an impressive spatial advantage and crowned with it an attractive knight for pawn sacrifice. Even so, Viktor the Venerable was not so easily vanquished. It took another equally impressive sacrifice - coincidentally also knight for pawn - to rock him back on his heels. A very impressive game by Bologan, which could rival Efimenko-Arizmendi when it comes to the best game prize.

Kiril GeorgievViktor BologanJonathan Speelman
The three leaders: Kiril Georgiev, Viktor Bologan, Jonathan Speelman - each has 5/6.

Round  6

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 SPEELMAN,Jon     2539 (4½)  ½ - ½  GEORGIEV,Kiril   2645 (4½)   20   8
  2 BOLOGAN,Viktor   2661 (4)   1 - 0  KORCHNOI,Viktor  2608 (4)     6  12
  3 AABERG,Anton     2383 (4)   ½ - ½  KOBALIA,Mikhail  2654 (4)    43   7
  4 VOLKOV,Sergey    2629 (4)   ½ - ½  GYIMESI,Zoltan   2602 (4)    10  13
  5 WELLS,Peter      2501 (3½)  1 - 0  SHIROV,Alexi     2709 (3½)   24   1
  6 AKOPIAN,Vladimir 2704 (3½)  1 - 0  CRAMLING,Pia     2515 (3½)    2  23
  7 SUNDARARAJAN,Kid 2495 (3½)  ½ - ½  SHORT,Nigel      2676 (3½)   26   3
  8 ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2670 (3½)  ½ - ½  BAKRE,Tejas      2480 (3½)    4  29
  9 EFIMENKO,Zahar   2666 (3½)  ½ - ½  STEFANOVA,Antoan 2499 (3½)    5  25
 10 MCNAB,Colin      2456 (3½)  0 - 1  GUREVICH,Mikhail 2629 (3½)   32   9

 11 ZHU,Chen         2482 (3½)  ½ - ½  SUTOVSKY,Emil    2624 (3½)   28  11
 12 AGREST,Evgenij   2591 (3½)  0 - 1  AL SAYED,Mohamad 2470 (3½)   14  31
 13 AL-MODIAHKI,Moha 2579 (3½)  1 - 0  ROY CHOWDHURY,Sa 2393 (3½)   16  42
 14 SPECK,Nicholas   2371 (3½)  ½ - ½  KUNTE,Abhijit    2551 (3½)   45  19
 15 MOHOTA,Nisha     2318 (3½)  0 - 1  ARIZMENDI MARTIN 2534 (3½)   51  21
 16 SANDIPAN,Chanda  2522 (3½)  1 - 0  PEEK,Marcel      2375 (3½)   22  44
 17 GOKHALE,Anupama  2198 (3)   0 - 1  SPRAGGETT,Kevin  2581 (3)    65  15
 18 CMILYTE,Victorij 2475 (3)   0 - 1  QUILLAN,Gary     2356 (3)    30  47
 19 SHAW,John K.     2432 (3)   1 - 0  SWATHI,Ghate     2244 (3)    34  54
 20 ROCA,Juan Ocana  2125 (3)   0 - 1  CARLSSON,Pontus  2430 (3)    76  36

 21 ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2426 (3)   1 - 0  WALTON,Alan J    2197 (3)    37  66
 22 GUERRERO,Carlos  2160 (3)   0 - 1  BELLON LOPEZ,Jua 2415 (3)    71  38
 23 WELLING,Gerard   2405 (3)   1 - 0  SCHUURMAN,Petra  2234 (2½)   39  58
 24 VAN DEN BERSSELA 2222 (2½)  0 - 1  GANGULY,Surya    2579 (2½)   61  17
 25 PELLETIER,Yannic 2579 (2½)  1 - 0  VEGA,Osuna Enriq 2192 (2½)   18  68
 26 THIPSAY,Bagyashr 2219 (2½)  0 - 1  PAVLOVIC,Milos   2494 (2½)   63  27
 27 SISASK,Jesper    2196 (2½)  ½ - ½  TISSIR,Mohamed   2444 (2½)   67  33
 28 ZHUKOVA,Natalia  2432 (2½)  1 - 0  GROFFEN,Hans     2185 (2½)   35  70
 29 SMITH,Andrew Phi 2200 (2½)  0 - 1  KOBESE,Watu      2397 (2½)   64  40
 30 LAGOWSKI,Patryk  2393 (2½)  ½ - ½  EL AMARI,Khaled  2137 (2½)   41  72

 31 DUNN,Andrew      2188 (2½)  ½ - ½  GROOTEN,Herman   2365 (2½)   69  46
 32 CANNON,Richard   2087 (2½)  0 - 1  HOUSKA,Jovanka   2355 (2½)   85  48
 33 KLINOVA,Masha    2353 (2½)  1 - 0  GILBERT,Jessie L 2098 (2½)   49  84
 34 GOODGER,Martyn   2135 (2½)  0 - 1  ASHTON,Adam      2331 (2½)   74  50
 35 BORCHGREVINK,Har 2265 (2½)  1 - 0  STRAUB,Peter     2086 (2½)   53  86
 36 NADIG,Kruttika   2237 (2½)  1 - 0  COIMBRA,Margarid 2083 (2½)   57  87
 37 GOMES,Mary Ann   2231 (2½)  1 - 0  DUNN,Alan        2076 (2½)   59  93
 38 PANNEKOEK,Willem 2083 (2)   1 - 0  SPENCE,David     2221 (2½)   88  62
 39 CAFOLLA,Peter    2080 (2)   0 - 1  BAKKER,Sven      2308 (2)    91  52
 40 STOCK,Toby       2083 (2)   0 - 1  TSCHAROTSCHKIN,M 2227 (2)    89  60

 41 HAMER,Martyn     2000 (2)   0 - 1  CHICO,Jorge Flor 2136 (2)    97  73
 42 MCGRANE,Stephen       (2)   0 - 1  FELLOUSI,Abdelaz 2132 (2)   120 114
 43 SLIMANI,Abderezz      (2)   0 - 1  NIMMY,A George   2123 (2)   124  77
 44 HUTCHINSON,Norma 2118 (2)   ½ - ½  BAENA,Antonia    2019 (2)    78  96
 45 MOHAMED,Mehdi Ai 2107 (2)   1 - 0  SBIA,Bachir      1989 (2)    79  98
 46 FOX,Anthony      2104 (2)   1 - 0  SOLOMON,Ajoy          (2)    81 125
 47 VEA,Blikra Odin  2099 (2)   1 - 0  ALMER,Julia      1848 (2)    83 110
 48 RAUTANEN,Sari    1929 (1½)  ½ - ½  HICKMAN,John     2082 (2)   103  90
 49 HELIN,Mikael     1970 (1½)  1 - 0  GUSKI,Dietmar    2106 (1½)  100  80
 50 GIACOPELLI,Vince 2102 (1½)  ½ - ½  ELAMRI,Leila     1921 (1½)   82 104

 51 PHILLIPS,Gordon  1790 (1½)  ½ - ½  OBERS,Frits      2080 (1½)  111  92
 52 AGREST,Inna      2030 (1½)  1 - 0  JACOBSEN,Maria P 1879 (1½)   95 108
 53 REPPEN,Ellisiv   1851 (1½)  1 - 0  NUNEZ,Millan Gon      (1½)  109 123
 54 GUERRERO,Fernand 1768 (1)   ½ - ½  FRANCISCO,Carame 1978 (1)   112  99
 55 MATTO,Manuel     1954 (1)   1 - 0  GILL,William          (1)   101 115
 56 JAMILA,Yougane        (1)   0 - 1  SUURONEN,Petri   1931 (1)   118 102
 57 HULLIGAN,Steve        (1)   ½ - ½  VILLENA PEREZ,Jo 1915 (1)   117 105
 58 NAVARRO,Antonio       (1)   1 - 0  KUENITZ,Klaus    1901 (1)   122 106
 59 AMAYA,Millan Gon 1892 (1)   1 - 0  CASTILLA,Jose Lo      (½)   107 113
 60 LECHUGO,Francisc      (0)   1 - 0  MIHAJLOVA,Diana       (0)   119 121

 61 JAIME MONTALVAN, 2242 (2½)  ½ - ½  Bye                          55 BYE
 62 SCHRAMM,Bernd    2126 (2½)  ½ - ½  Bye                          75 BYE
 63 AGDESTEIN,Emil   2053 (2½)  ½ - ½  Bye                          94 BYE

Round 5

At last we have a manageable number of leaders, namely two. Jonathan Speelman is less active as a player these days and his rating has gone down considerably in recent years. But he has been in great form here in Gibraltar and beaten two super-grandmasters (Sutovsky and Gurevich) in consecutive rounds. After the game, another English grandmaster (who shall be nameless - but his initials are PW) teased Jonathan when I asked him (JS) for a soundbite: "just say this is the first time he has beaten two super-GMs in a row since 1987!". Jon himself said "how many London buses can come along at the same time?" Apologies to any non-Londoners out there, but this is an oblique reference to a common saying in the English capital that "you wait all day for a bus and then three come along at the same time". This oblique piece of self-deprecation is typical of the affable London grandmaster.

Jon beat Mikhail Gurevich after taking the b2 pawn with his queen early on in the game. But the pawn was not really hot, and not even lukewarm as it turned out. Speelman consolidated his position and went to score a solid win in his best style.

The co-leader is Kiril Georgiev, who is demonstrating a nice line in positional wins with Black. His second round winning strategy against a sub-220 player caught the eye - swap off the queens and then grind them in the endgame. In round five he decided a slow grind was also the right treatment for Spanish GM Julen Arizmendi, who had shown his creative tactical prowess in the previous round. So it was a slow Berlin Defence. The way Georgiev activates the queenside pawns was quietly impressive.

View of the venue - the Caleta Hotel - from the top of the rock of Gibraltar
View of the venue - the Caleta Hotel - from the top of the rock of Gibraltar (photo © 2006 BCM)

But never mind the chess, here is a quick travelogue on the wonderful peninsula of Gibraltar. The venue, the Caleta Hotel, is on the east (Mediterranean) side of Gibraltar, looking out to sea, with views of the Spanish Costa del Sol as well as the more distant port of Ceuta, which is a Spanish enclave set into the land mass of Morocco. Gibraltar is the meeting place of two mighty continents, and has a fascinating history. It is also an interesting place to explore if you enjoy natural history. Millions of migrating birds cross the rock back and forth every year and it is a paradise for birdwatchers. I enjoy birdwatching myself (without being an expert) and enjoyed a few hours yesterday (Saturday) watching the skies with my trusty binoculars. During the course of the day I spotted a peregrine falcon and a very large raptor, which was either an eagle or something like a honey buzzard, hovering and soaring above the rock. I've also seen a number of smaller birds such as black redstarts and stonechats. When you visit this lovely place, don't forget to bring your binoculars.

A Barbary macacque looks out over Gibraltar
A Barbary macacque looks out over Gibraltar (photo © 2006 BCM)

Of course, Gibraltar is famous for its apes. They are not strictly speaking apes but monkeys - barbary macacaques to be precise - and about 250 of them live wild on the rock. They are the only wild apes/monkeys living wild on the whole continent, so they say. Having said that, they are not afraid of humans and will approach tourists, especially if they think they might have some food (feeding them is illegal and liable to a hefty fine). Occasionally they venture down from the rock and pay house calls. One player in the tournament discovered that a plastic bag in his bathroom had been stolen and he found a trail of dropped articles which led out to the balcony. The monkey had entered via the balcony (they can shin up walls with no difficulty). Unluckily for the poor simian, the plastic bag it nicked contained only disposible razors - which would have made a most unappetising meal.

Hope I've whetted your appetite for a visit to the Gibtelecom Masters. It's a great tournament, in an excellent hotel, and the weather is certainly a lot better than in freezing Britain right now.

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 KOBALIA,Mikhail  2654 (3½)  ½ - ½  KORCHNOI,Viktor  2608 (3½)    7  12
  2 ARIZMENDI MARTIN 2534 (3½)  0 - 1  GEORGIEV,Kiril   2645 (3½)   21   8
  3 GUREVICH,Mikhail 2629 (3½)  0 - 1  SPEELMAN,Jon     2539 (3½)    9  20
  4 SHIROV,Alexi     2709 (3)   ½ - ½  SANDIPAN,Chanda  2522 (3)     1  22
  5 KUNTE,Abhijit    2551 (3)   ½ - ½  AKOPIAN,Vladimir 2704 (3)    19   2
  6 STEFANOVA,Antoan 2499 (3)   ½ - ½  ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2670 (3)    25   4
  7 CARLSSON,Pontus  2430 (3)   0 - 1  BOLOGAN,Viktor   2661 (3)    36   6
  8 BELLON LOPEZ,Jua 2415 (3)   0 - 1  VOLKOV,Sergey    2629 (3)    38  10
  9 GYIMESI,Zoltan   2602 (3)   1 - 0  ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2426 (3)    13  37
 10 ROY CHOWDHURY,Sa 2393 (3)   ½ - ½  AGREST,Evgenij   2591 (3)    42  14

 11 SPRAGGETT,Kevin  2581 (3)   0 - 1  AABERG,Anton     2383 (3)    15  43
 12 SHORT,Nigel      2676 (2½)  1 - 0  ZHUKOVA,Natalia  2432 (2½)    3  35
 13 TISSIR,Mohamed   2444 (2½)  0 - 1  EFIMENKO,Zahar   2666 (2½)   33   5
 14 SUTOVSKY,Emil    2624 (2½)  1 - 0  LAGOWSKI,Patryk  2393 (2½)   11  41
 15 KOBESE,Watu      2397 (2½)  0 - 1  AL-MODIAHKI,Moha 2579 (2½)   40  16
 16 GANGULY,Surya    2579 (2½)  0 - 1  SPECK,Nicholas   2371 (2½)   17  45
 17 PEEK,Marcel      2375 (2½)  1 - 0  PELLETIER,Yannic 2579 (2½)   44  18
 18 CRAMLING,Pia     2515 (2½)  1 - 0  KLINOVA,Masha    2353 (2½)   23  49
 19 GROOTEN,Herman   2365 (2½)  0 - 1  WELLS,Peter      2501 (2½)   46  24
 20 ASHTON,Adam      2331 (2½)  0 - 1  SUNDARAJAN,Kidam 2495 (2½)   50  26

 21 PAVLOVIC,Milos   2494 (2½)  0 - 1  MOHOTA,Nisha     2318 (2½)   27  51
 22 AGDESTEIN,Emil   2053 (2½)  0 - 1  ZHU,Chen         2482 (2½)   94  28
 23 BAKRE,Tejas      2480 (2½)  1 - 0  BORCHGREVINK,Har 2265 (2½)   29  53
 24 AL SAYED,Mohamad 2470 (2½)  1 - 0  SISASK,Jesper    2196 (2½)   31  67
 25 DUNN,Alan        2076 (2½)  0 - 1  MCNAB,Colin      2456 (2½)   93  32
 26 SPENCE,David     2221 (2)   ½ - ½  SHAW,John K.     2432 (2½)   62  34
 27 CHICO,Jorge Flor 2136 (2)   0 - 1  CMILYTE,Victorij 2475 (2)    73  30
 28 NIMMY,A George   2123 (2)   0 - 1  WELLING,Gerard   2405 (2)    77  39
 29 FELLOUSI,Abdelaz 2132 (2)   0 - 1  QUILLAN,Gary     2356 (2)   114  47
 30 HOUSKA,Jovanka   2355 (2)   ½ - ½  GOODGER,Martyn   2135 (2)    48  74

 31 BAKKER,Sven      2308 (2)   0 - 1  ROCA,Juan Ocana  2125 (2)    52  76
 32 SWATHI,Ghate     2244 (2)   1 - 0  FOX,Anthony      2104 (2)    54  81
 33 SCHRAMM,Bernd    2126 (2)   ½ - ½  NADIG,Kruttika   2237 (2)    75  57
 34 SCHUURMAN,Petra  2234 (2)   ½ - ½  GILBERT,Jessie L 2098 (2)    58  84
 35 STRAUB,Peter     2086 (2)   ½ - ½  GOMES,Mary Ann   2231 (2)    86  59
 36 COIMBRA,Margarid 2083 (2)   ½ - ½  THIPSAY,Bagyashr 2219 (2)    87  63
 37 ALMER,Julia      1848 (2)   0 - 1  GOKHALE,Anupama  2198 (2)   110  65
 38 WALTON,Alan J    2197 (2)   1 - 0  STOCK,Toby       2083 (2)    66  89
 39 MCGRANE,Stephen       (2)   0 - 1  GUERRERO,Carlos  2160 (2)   120  71
 40 TSCHAROTSCHKIN,M 2227 (1½)  ½ - ½  CAFOLLA,Peter    2080 (1½)   60  91

 41 GUSKI,Dietmar    2106 (1½)  0 - 1  VAN DEN BERSSELA 2222 (1½)   80  61
 42 GIACOPELLI,Vince 2102 (1½)  0 - 1  SMITH,Andrew Phi 2200 (1½)   82  64
 43 VEGA,Osuna Enriq 2192 (1½)  1 - 0  RAUTANEN,Sari    1929 (1½)   68 103
 44 ELAMRI,Leila     1921 (1½)  0 - 1  DUNN,Andrew      2188 (1½)  104  69
 45 GROFFEN,Hans     2185 (1½)  1 - 0  AGREST,Inna      2030 (1½)   70  95
 46 EL AMARI,Khaled  2137 (1½)  1 - 0  PHILLIPS,Gordon  1790 (1½)   72 111
 47 PANNEKOEK,Willem 2083 (1½)  ½ - ½  MOHAMED,Mehdi Ai 2107 (1½)   88  79
 48 SUURONEN,Petri   1931 (1)   0 - 1  CANNON,Richard   2087 (1½)  102  85
 49 KUENITZ,Klaus    1901 (1)   0 - 1  HUTCHINSON,Norma 2118 (1)   106  78
 50 GILL,William          (1)   0 - 1  VEA,Blikra Odin  2099 (1)   115  83

 51 HICKMAN,John     2082 (1)   1 - 0  VILLENA PEREZ,Jo 1915 (1)    90 105
 52 OBERS,Frits      2080 (1)   ½ - ½  REPPEN,Ellisiv   1851 (1)    92 109
 53 BAENA,Antonia    2019 (1)   1 - 0  JAMILA,Yougane        (1)    96 118
 54 HAMER,Martyn     2000 (1)   1 - 0  NAVARRO,Antonio       (1)    97 122
 55 SBIA,Bachir      1989 (1)   1 - 0  HULLIGAN,Steve        (1)    98 117
 56 SLIMANI,Abderezz      (1)   1 - 0  FRANCISCO,Carame 1978 (1)   124  99
 57 SOLOMON,Ajoy          (1)   1 - 0  MATTO,Manuel     1954 (1)   125 101
 58 JACOBSEN,Maria P 1879 (1)   ½ - ½  GUERRERO,Fernand 1768 (½)   108 112
 59 HELIN,Mikael     1970 (½)   1 - 0  CASTILLA,Jose Lo      (½)   100 113
 60 NUNEZ,Millan Gon      (½)   1 - 0  LECHUGO,Francisc      (0)   123 119

 61 MIHAJLOVA,Diana       (0)   0 - 1  AMAYA,Millan Gon 1892 (0)   121 107
 62 JAIME MONTALVAN, 2242 (2)   ½ - ½  Bye                          55 BYE

Round 4

Another great day's chess in Gibraltar. Don't miss the excellent live broadcasts coming directly from the tournament hall. The moves as they happen, webcam pictures and live commentary from GM Stuart Conquest - and you can put your questions to Stuart directly and see them answered live online! Yesterday we saw a brilliant victory by Spanish GM Julien Luis Arizmendi against Ukrainian GM Zahar Efimenko. Afterwards online visitors were able to enjoy his comments on the game live online. Incidentally Julien speaks English with a perfect American accent and is a superb commentator. This game is unmissable and could well come to be known as the 'Pearl of Gibraltar'. Visit the Official website: http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/

Julien Luis Arizmendi demonstrates his brilliant win against Zahar Efimenko
Julien Luis Arizmendi demonstrates his brilliant win against Zahar Efimenko (photo © 2006 BCM)

Round  4

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 AGREST,Evgenij   2591 (2½)  ½ - ½  SHIROV,Alexi     2709 (2½)   14   1
  2 AKOPIAN,Vladimir 2704 (2½)  ½ - ½  GYIMESI,Zoltan   2602 (2½)    2  13
  3 ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2670 (2½)  ½ - ½  SPRAGGETT,Kevin  2581 (2½)    4  15
  4 EFIMENKO,Zahar   2666 (2½)  0 - 1  ARIZMENDI MARTIN 2534 (2½)    5  21
  5 AL-MODIAHKI,Moha 2579 (2½)  0 - 1  KOBALIA,Mikhail  2654 (2½)   16   7
  6 GEORGIEV,Kiril   2645 (2½)  1 - 0  CRAMLING,Pia     2515 (2½)    8  23
  7 PELLETIER,Yannic 2579 (2½)  0 - 1  GUREVICH,Mikhail 2629 (2½)   18   9
  8 SPEELMAN,Jon     2539 (2½)  1 - 0  SUTOVSKY,Emil    2624 (2½)   20  11
  9 KORCHNOI,Viktor  2608 (2½)  1 - 0  AL SAYED,Mohamad 2470 (2½)   12  31
 10 KLINOVA,Masha    2353 (2)   ½ - ½  SHORT,Nigel      2676 (2)    49   3

 11 BOLOGAN,Viktor   2661 (2)   1 - 0  BAKKER,Sven      2308 (2)     6  52
 12 VOLKOV,Sergey    2629 (2)   1 - 0  SWATHI,Ghate     2244 (2)    10  54
 13 BORCHGREVINK,Har 2265 (2)   ½ - ½  GANGULY,Surya    2579 (2)    53  17
 14 JAIME MONTALVAN, 2242 (2)   0 - 1  KUNTE,Abhijit    2551 (2)    55  19
 15 SANDIPAN,Chanda  2522 (2)   1 - 0  SCHUURMAN,Petra  2234 (2)    22  58
 16 GOMES,Mary Ann   2231 (2)   0 - 1  STEFANOVA,Antoan 2499 (2)    59  25
 17 SISASK,Jesper    2196 (2)   ½ - ½  BAKRE,Tejas      2480 (2)    67  29
 18 GOKHALE,Anupama  2198 (2)   0 - 1  CARLSSON,Pontus  2430 (2)    65  36
 19 ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2426 (2)   1 - 0  SPENCE,David     2221 (2)    37  62
 20 THIPSAY,Bagyashr 2219 (2)   0 - 1  BELLON LOPEZ,Jua 2415 (2)    63  38

 21 GILBERT,Jessie L 2098 (2)   0 - 1  ROY CHOWDHURY,Sa 2393 (2)    84  42
 22 AABERG,Anton     2383 (2)   1 - 0  NIMMY,A George   2123 (2)    43  77
 23 DUNN,Alan        2076 (2)   ½ - ½  PEEK,Marcel      2375 (2)    93  44
 24 SPECK,Nicholas   2371 (2)   ½ - ½  AGDESTEIN,Emil   2053 (2)    45  94
 25 LAGOWSKI,Patryk  2393 (1½)  1 - 0  HOUSKA,Jovanka   2355 (2)    41  48
 26 WELLS,Peter      2501 (1½)  1 - 0  TSCHAROTSCHKIN,M 2227 (1½)   24  60
 27 SUNDARAJAN,Kidam 2495 (1½)  1 - 0  GROFFEN,Hans     2185 (1½)   26  70
 28 VAN DEN BERSSELA 2222 (1½)  0 - 1  PAVLOVIC,Milos   2494 (1½)   61  27
 29 ZHU,Chen         2482 (1½)  1 - 0  EL AMARI,Khaled  2137 (1½)   28  72
 30 CMILYTE,Victorij 2475 (1½)  ½ - ½  FELLOUSI,Abdelaz 2132 (1½)   30 114

 31 MCNAB,Colin      2456 (1½)  1 - 0  GUSKI,Dietmar    2106 (1½)   32  80
 32 SMITH,Andrew Phi 2200 (1½)  0 - 1  TISSIR,Mohamed   2444 (1½)   64  33
 33 SHAW,John K.     2432 (1½)  1 - 0  GIACOPELLI,Vince 2102 (1½)   34  82
 34 ZHUKOVA,Natalia  2432 (1½)  1 - 0  PANNEKOEK,Willem 2083 (1½)   35  88
 35 WELLING,Gerard   2405 (1½)  ½ - ½  COIMBRA,Margarid 2083 (1½)   39  87
 36 DUNN,Andrew      2188 (1½)  0 - 1  KOBESE,Watu      2397 (1½)   69  40
 37 MOHAMED,Mehdi Ai 2107 (1½)  0 - 1  GROOTEN,Herman   2365 (1½)   79  46
 38 CANNON,Richard   2087 (1½)  0 - 1  ASHTON,Adam      2331 (1½)   85  50
 39 MOHOTA,Nisha     2318 (1½)  1 - 0  HICKMAN,John     2082 (1)    51  90
 40 QUILLAN,Gary     2356 (1)   1 - 0  OBERS,Frits      2080 (1)    47  92

 41 NADIG,Kruttika   2237 (1)   1 - 0  HAMER,Martyn     2000 (1)    57  97
 42 FRANCISCO,Carame 1978 (1)   0 - 1  WALTON,Alan J    2197 (1)    99  66
 43 AGREST,Inna      2030 (1)   ½ - ½  VEGA,Osuna Enriq 2192 (1)    95  68
 44 GUERRERO,Carlos  2160 (1)   1 - 0  BAENA,Antonia    2019 (1)    71  96
 45 MATTO,Manuel     1954 (1)   0 - 1  CHICO,Jorge Flor 2136 (1)   101  73
 46 GOODGER,Martyn   2135 (1)   1 - 0  KUENITZ,Klaus    1901 (1)    74 106
 47 NAVARRO,Antonio       (1)   0 - 1  SCHRAMM,Bernd    2126 (1)   122  75
 48 HUTCHINSON,Norma 2118 (1)   0 - 1  ALMER,Julia      1848 (1)    78 110
 49 FOX,Anthony      2104 (1)   1 - 0  JACOBSEN,Maria P 1879 (1)    81 108
 50 VEA,Blikra Odin  2099 (1)   0 - 1  MCGRANE,Stephen       (1)    83 120

 51 VILLENA PEREZ,Jo 1915 (1)   0 - 1  STRAUB,Peter     2086 (1)   105  86
 52 STOCK,Toby       2083 (1)   1 - 0  SOLOMON,Ajoy          (1)    89 125
 53 CAFOLLA,Peter    2080 (½)   1 - 0  GUERRERO,Fernand 1768 (½)    91 112
 54 REPPEN,Ellisiv   1851 (½)   ½ - ½  SBIA,Bachir      1989 (½)   109  98
 55 PHILLIPS,Gordon  1790 (½)   1 - 0  HELIN,Mikael     1970 (½)   111 100
 56 HULLIGAN,Steve        (½)   ½ - ½  SUURONEN,Petri   1931 (½)   117 102
 57 RAUTANEN,Sari    1929 (½)   1 - 0  NUNEZ,Millan Gon      (½)   103 123
 58 CASTILLA,Jose Lo      (½)   0 - 1  ELAMRI,Leila     1921 (½)   113 104
 59 AMAYA,Millan Gon 1892 (0)   0 - 1  SLIMANI,Abderezz      (0)   107 124
 60 LECHUGO,Francisc      (0)   0 - 1  GILL,William          (0)   119 115

 61 JAMILA,Yougane        (0)   1 - 0  MIHAJLOVA,Diana       (0)   118 121
 62 ROCA,Juan Ocana  2125 (1½)  ½ - ½  Bye                          76 BYE

Round 3 results

No surprises today: most of the top players reasserted themselves. Check out Emil Sutovsky's entertaining win against Colin McNab. Adams Ashton missed a difficult chance against GM Evgeny Agrest.

 

left to right - Viktorija Cmilyte, Zhu Chen, Pia Cramling, Antoaneta Stefanova, Natalia Zhukova
Top women players in Gibraltar: left to right - Viktorija Cmilyte, Zhu Chen, Pia Cramling, Antoaneta Stefanova, Natalia Zhukova
(photo © 2006 BCM)

 

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 GYIMESI,Zoltan   2602 (2)   ½ - ½  AL SAYED,Mohamad 2470 (2)    13  31
  2 CRAMLING,Pia     2515 (2)   ½ - ½  AL-MODIAHKI,Moha 2579 (2)    23  16
  3 STEFANOVA,Antoan 2499 (2)   0 - 1  AKOPIAN,Vladimir 2704 (1½)   25   2
  4 GILBERT,Jessie L 2098 (2)   0 - 1  ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2670 (1½)   84   4
  5 SHIROV,Alexi     2709 (1½)  1 - 0  DUNN,Alan        2076 (2)     1  93
  6 SHORT,Nigel      2676 (1½)  ½ - ½  SANDIPAN,Chanda  2522 (1½)    3  22
  7 GROOTEN,Herman   2365 (1½)  0 - 1  EFIMENKO,Zahar   2666 (1½)   46   5
  8 KOBALIA,Mikhail  2654 (1½)  1 - 0  WELLS,Peter      2501 (1½)    7  24
  9 GEORGIEV,Kiril   2645 (1½)  1 - 0  ZHU,Chen         2482 (1½)    8  28
 10 GUREVICH,Mikhail 2629 (1½)  1 - 0  CMILYTE,Victorij 2475 (1½)    9  30

 11 SUTOVSKY,Emil    2624 (1½)  1 - 0  MCNAB,Colin      2456 (1½)   11  32
 12 KORCHNOI,Viktor  2608 (1½)  1 - 0  TISSIR,Mohamed   2444 (1½)   12  33
 13 ASHTON,Adam      2331 (1½)  0 - 1  AGREST,Evgenij   2591 (1½)   50  14
 14 SPRAGGETT,Kevin  2581 (1½)  1 - 0  SHAW,John K.     2432 (1½)   15  34
 15 PELLETIER,Yannic 2579 (1½)  1 - 0  ZHUKOVA,Natalia  2432 (1½)   18  35
 16 KUNTE,Abhijit    2551 (1½)  ½ - ½  AABERG,Anton     2383 (1½)   19  43
 17 TSCHAROTSCHKIN,M 2227 (1½)  0 - 1  SPEELMAN,Jon     2539 (1½)   60  20
 18 ARIZMENDI MARTIN 2534 (1½)  1 - 0  SMITH,Andrew Phi 2200 (1½)   21  64
 19 KOBESE,Watu      2397 (1½)  0 - 1  BOLOGAN,Viktor   2661 (1)    40   6
 20 GANGULY,Surya    2579 (1)   1 - 0  MOHAMED,Mehdi Ai 2107 (1½)   17  79

 21 BAKRE,Tejas      2480 (1)   1 - 0  CANNON,Richard   2087 (1½)   29  85
 22 VEGA,Osuna Enriq 2192 (1)   0 - 1  VOLKOV,Sergey    2629 (1)    68  10
 23 GROFFEN,Hans     2185 (1)   ½ - ½  PAVLOVIC,Milos   2494 (1)    70  27
 24 CARLSSON,Pontus  2430 (1)   1 - 0  GUERRERO,Carlos  2160 (1)    36  71
 25 CHICO,Jorge Flor 2136 (1)   0 - 1  ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2426 (1)    73  37
 26 BELLON LOPEZ,Jua 2415 (1)   1 - 0  GOODGER,Martyn   2135 (1)    38  74
 27 FELLOUSI,Abdelaz 2132 (1)   ½ - ½  WELLING,Gerard   2405 (1)   114  39
 28 ROY CHOWDHURY,Sa 2393 (1)   1 - 0  HUTCHINSON,Norma 2118 (1)    42  78
 29 PEEK,Marcel      2375 (1)   1 - 0  FOX,Anthony      2104 (1)    44  81
 30 SCHRAMM,Bernd    2126 (1)   0 - 1  SPECK,Nicholas   2371 (1)    75  45

 31 NIMMY,A George   2123 (1)   1 - 0  QUILLAN,Gary     2356 (1)    77  47
 32 HOUSKA,Jovanka   2355 (1)   1 - 0  VEA,Blikra Odin  2099 (1)    48  83
 33 STRAUB,Peter     2086 (1)   0 - 1  KLINOVA,Masha    2353 (1)    86  49
 34 COIMBRA,Margarid 2083 (1)   ½ - ½  MOHOTA,Nisha     2318 (1)    87  51
 35 BAKKER,Sven      2308 (1)   1 - 0  STOCK,Toby       2083 (1)    52  89
 36 HICKMAN,John     2082 (1)   0 - 1  BORCHGREVINK,Har 2265 (1)    90  53
 37 SWATHI,Ghate     2244 (1)   1 - 0  FRANCISCO,Carame 1978 (1)    54  99
 38 OBERS,Frits      2080 (1)   0 - 1  JAIME MONTALVAN, 2242 (1)    92  55
 39 AGDESTEIN,Emil   2053 (1)   1 - 0  NADIG,Kruttika   2237 (1)    94  57
 40 SCHUURMAN,Petra  2234 (1)   1 - 0  MATTO,Manuel     1954 (1)    58 101

 41 AGREST,Inna      2030 (1)   0 - 1  GOMES,Mary Ann   2231 (1)    95  59
 42 SPENCE,David     2221 (1)   1 - 0  NAVARRO,Antonio       (1)    62 122
 43 BAENA,Antonia    2019 (1)   0 - 1  THIPSAY,Bagyashr 2219 (1)    96  63
 44 HAMER,Martyn     2000 (1)   0 - 1  GOKHALE,Anupama  2198 (1)    97  65
 45 CAFOLLA,Peter    2080 (½)   0 - 1  SISASK,Jesper    2196 (1)    91  67
 46 HELIN,Mikael     1970 (½)   0 - 1  SUNDARAJAN,Kidam 2495 (½)   100  26
 47 SUURONEN,Petri   1931 (½)   0 - 1  LAGOWSKI,Patryk  2393 (½)   102  41
 48 RAUTANEN,Sari    1929 (½)   0 - 1  VAN DEN BERSSELA 2222 (½)   103  61
 49 WALTON,Alan J    2197 (½)   ½ - ½  MCGRANE,Stephen       (½)    66 120
 50 DUNN,Andrew      2188 (½)   1 - 0  NUNEZ,Millan Gon      (½)    69 123

 51 GUERRERO,Fernand 1768 (½)   0 - 1  GUSKI,Dietmar    2106 (½)   112  80
 52 REPPEN,Ellisiv   1851 (½)   0 - 1  GIACOPELLI,Vince 2102 (½)   109  82
 53 PHILLIPS,Gordon  1790 (½)   0 - 1  PANNEKOEK,Willem 2083 (½)   111  88
 54 SBIA,Bachir      1989 (0)   ½ - ½  CASTILLA,Jose Lo      (0)    98 113
 55 ELAMRI,Leila     1921 (0)   ½ - ½  HULLIGAN,Steve        (0)   104 117
 56 MIHAJLOVA,Diana       (0)   0 - 1  VILLENA PEREZ,Jo 1915 (0)   121 105
 57 KUENITZ,Klaus    1901 (0)   1 - 0  JAMILA,Yougane        (0)   106 118
 58 SOLOMON,Ajoy          (0)   1 - 0  AMAYA,Millan Gon 1892 (0)   125 107
 59 JACOBSEN,Maria P 1879 (0)   1 - 0  LECHUGO,Francisc      (0)   108 119
 60 ALMER,Julia      1848 (0)   1 - 0  SLIMANI,Abderezz      (0)   110 124

 61 GILL,William          (0)   0 - 1  SEDGWICK,David   2079 (0)   115 127
 62 ROCA,Juan Ocana  2125 (1)   ½ - ½  Bye                          76 BYE
 63 EL AMARI,Khaled  2137 (1)   ½ - ½  Bye                          72 BYE

Round 2 results

A remarkably good round for the women players. Pia Cramling beat Viktor Bologan, world champion Antoaneta Stefanova beat Sergey Volkov, and England's Jessie Gilbert beat 2495-rated Kidambi Sundararajan.

Round  2

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 AKOPIAN,Vladimir 2704 (1)   ½ - ½  ARIZMENDI MARTIN 2534 (1)     2  21
  2 SPEELMAN,Jon     2539 (1)   ½ - ½  SHORT,Nigel      2676 (1)    20   3
  3 BOLOGAN,Viktor   2661 (1)   0 - 1  CRAMLING,Pia     2515 (1)     6  23
  4 SANDIPAN,Chanda  2522 (1)   ½ - ½  KOBALIA,Mikhail  2654 (1)    22   7
  5 WELLS,Peter      2501 (1)   ½ - ½  GUREVICH,Mikhail 2629 (1)    24   9
  6 VOLKOV,Sergey    2629 (1)   0 - 1  STEFANOVA,Antoan 2499 (1)    10  25
  7 PAVLOVIC,Milos   2494 (1)   0 - 1  GYIMESI,Zoltan   2602 (1)    27  13
  8 CMILYTE,Victorij 2475 (1)   ½ - ½  SPRAGGETT,Kevin  2581 (1)    30  15
  9 AL-MODIAHKI,Moha 2579 (1)   1 - 0  BAKRE,Tejas      2480 (1)    16  29
 10 AL SAYED,Mohamad 2470 (1)   1 - 0  GANGULY,Surya    2579 (1)    31  17

 11 TISSIR,Mohamed   2444 (1)   ½ - ½  KUNTE,Abhijit    2551 (1)    33  19
 12 SISASK,Jesper    2196 (1)   0 - 1  SHIROV,Alexi     2709 (½)    67   1
 13 ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2670 (½)   1 - 0  VEGA,Osuna Enriq 2192 (1)     4  68
 14 EFIMENKO,Zahar   2666 (½)   1 - 0  GROFFEN,Hans     2185 (1)     5  70
 15 GUERRERO,Carlos  2160 (1)   0 - 1  GEORGIEV,Kiril   2645 (½)    71   8
 16 EL AMARI,Khaled  2137 (1)   0 - 1  SUTOVSKY,Emil    2624 (½)    72  11
 17 GOODGER,Martyn   2135 (1)   0 - 1  KORCHNOI,Viktor  2608 (½)    74  12
 18 AGREST,Evgenij   2591 (½)   1 - 0  SCHRAMM,Bernd    2126 (1)    14  75
 19 ROCA,Juan Ocana  2125 (1)   0 - 1  PELLETIER,Yannic 2579 (½)    76  18
 20 ZHU,Chen         2482 (½)   1 - 0  NIMMY,A George   2123 (1)    28  77

 21 HUTCHINSON,Norma 2118 (1)   0 - 1  KOBESE,Watu      2397 (½)    78  40
 22 MOHAMED,Mehdi Ai 2107 (1)   ½ - ½  PEEK,Marcel      2375 (½)    79  44
 23 FOX,Anthony      2104 (1)   0 - 1  GROOTEN,Herman   2365 (½)    81  46
 24 VEA,Blikra Odin  2099 (1)   0 - 1  ASHTON,Adam      2331 (½)    83  50
 25 SUNDARAJAN,Kidam 2495 (½)   0 - 1  GILBERT,Jessie L 2098 (1)    26  84
 26 CANNON,Richard   2087 (1)   ½ - ½  SCHUURMAN,Petra  2234 (½)    85  58
 27 COIMBRA,Margarid 2083 (1)   0 - 1  TSCHAROTSCHKIN,M 2227 (½)    87  60
 28 STOCK,Toby       2083 (1)   0 - 1  SMITH,Andrew Phi 2200 (½)    89  64
 29 MCNAB,Colin      2456 (½)   1 - 0  HICKMAN,John     2082 (1)    32  90
 30 SHAW,John K.     2432 (½)   1 - 0  OBERS,Frits      2080 (1)    34  92

 31 DUNN,Alan        2076 (1)   1 - 0  WALTON,Alan J    2197 (½)    93  66
 32 ZHUKOVA,Natalia  2432 (½)   1 - 0  AGDESTEIN,Emil   2053 (1)    35  94
 33 AABERG,Anton     2383 (½)   1 - 0  BAENA,Antonia    2019 (1)    43  96
 34 ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2426 (0)   1 - 0  DUNN,Andrew      2188 (½)    37  69
 35 GUSKI,Dietmar    2106 (½)   0 - 1  CARLSSON,Pontus  2430 (0)    80  36
 36 GIACOPELLI,Vince 2102 (½)   0 - 1  BELLON LOPEZ,Jua 2415 (0)    82  38
 37 PANNEKOEK,Willem 2083 (½)   0 - 1  ROY CHOWDHURY,Sa 2393 (0)    88  42
 38 WELLING,Gerard   2405 (0)   1 - 0  CAFOLLA,Peter    2080 (½)    39  91
 39 LAGOWSKI,Patryk  2393 (0)   ½ - ½  AGREST,Inna      2030 (½)    41  95
 40 SPECK,Nicholas   2371 (0)   1 - 0  HELIN,Mikael     1970 (½)    45 100

 41 QUILLAN,Gary     2356 (0)   1 - 0  SUURONEN,Petri   1931 (½)    47 102
 42 KLINOVA,Masha    2353 (0)   1 - 0  RAUTANEN,Sari    1929 (½)    49 103
 43 MOHOTA,Nisha     2318 (0)   1 - 0  REPPEN,Ellisiv   1851 (½)    51 109
 44 BORCHGREVINK,Har 2265 (0)   1 - 0  PHILLIPS,Gordon  1790 (½)    53 111
 45 MCGRANE,Stephen       (½)   0 - 1  HOUSKA,Jovanka   2355 (0)   120  48
 46 NUNEZ,Millan Gon      (½)   0 - 1  BAKKER,Sven      2308 (0)   123  52
 47 VILLENA PEREZ,Jo 1915 (0)   0 - 1  SWATHI,Ghate     2244 (0)   105  54
 48 JAIME MONTALVAN, 2242 (0)   1 - 0  KUENITZ,Klaus    1901 (0)    55 106
 49 NADIG,Kruttika   2237 (0)   1 - 0  JACOBSEN,Maria P 1879 (0)    57 108
 50 GOMES,Mary Ann   2231 (0)   1 - 0  ALMER,Julia      1848 (0)    59 110

 51 VAN DEN BERSSELA 2222 (0)   ½ - ½  GUERRERO,Fernand 1768 (0)    61 112
 52 AMAYA,Millan Gon 1892 (0)   0 - 1  SPENCE,David     2221 (0)   107  62
 53 THIPSAY,Bagyashr 2219 (0)   1 - 0  GILL,William          (0)    63 115
 54 GOKHALE,Anupama  2198 (0)   1 - 0  HULLIGAN,Steve        (0)    65 117
 55 JAMILA,Yougane        (0)   0 - 1  CHICO,Jorge Flor 2136 (0)   118  73
 56 CASTILLA,Jose Lo      (0)   0 - 1  FELLOUSI,Abdelaz 2132 (0)   113 114
 57 LECHUGO,Francisc      (0)   0 - 1  STRAUB,Peter     2086 (0)   119  86
 58 SLIMANI,Abderezz      (0)   0 - 1  HAMER,Martyn     2000 (0)   124  97
 59 NAVARRO,Antonio       (0)   1 - 0  SBIA,Bachir      1989 (0)   122  98
 60 MATTO,Manuel     1954 (0)   1 - 0  MIHAJLOVA,Diana       (0)   101 121

 61 FRANCISCO,Carame 1978 (0)   1 - 0  SOLOMON,Ajoy          (0)    99 125
 62 SCHILLER,Eric    2188 (1)   1 - 0  ELAMRI,Leila     1921 (0)   126 104
Round 1 Results
Round  1

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 SHIROV,Alexi     2709 (0)   ½ - ½  ZHUKOVA,Natalia  2432 (0)     1  35
  2 CARLSSON,Pontus  2430 (0)   0 - 1  AKOPIAN,Vladimir 2704 (0)    36   2
  3 SHORT,Nigel      2676 (0)   1 - 0  ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2426 (0)     3  37
  4 BELLON LOPEZ,Jua 2415 (0)   0 - 1  BOLOGAN,Viktor   2661 (0)    38   6
  5 KOBALIA,Mikhail  2654 (0)   1 - 0  WELLING,Gerard   2405 (0)     7  39
  6 KOBESE,Watu      2397 (0)   ½ - ½  GEORGIEV,Kiril   2645 (0)    40   8
  7 GUREVICH,Mikhail 2629 (0)   1 - 0  LAGOWSKI,Patryk  2393 (0)     9  41
  8 ROY CHOWDHURY,Sa 2393 (0)   0 - 1  VOLKOV,Sergey    2629 (0)    42  10
  9 SUTOVSKY,Emil    2624 (0)   ½ - ½  AABERG,Anton     2383 (0)    11  43
 10 PEEK,Marcel      2375 (0)   ½ - ½  KORCHNOI,Viktor  2608 (0)    44  12

 11 GYIMESI,Zoltan   2602 (0)   1 - 0  SPECK,Nicholas   2371 (0)    13  45
 12 GROOTEN,Herman   2365 (0)   ½ - ½  AGREST,Evgenij   2591 (0)    46  14
 13 SPRAGGETT,Kevin  2581 (0)   1 - 0  QUILLAN,Gary     2356 (0)    15  47
 14 HOUSKA,Jovanka   2355 (0)   0 - 1  AL-MODIAHKI,Moha 2579 (0)    48  16
 15 GANGULY,Surya    2579 (0)   1 - 0  KLINOVA,Masha    2353 (0)    17  49
 16 ASHTON,Adam      2331 (0)   ½ - ½  PELLETIER,Yannic 2579 (0)    50  18
 17 KUNTE,Abhijit    2551 (0)   1 - 0  MOHOTA,Nisha     2318 (0)    19  51
 18 BAKKER,Sven      2308 (0)   0 - 1  SPEELMAN,Jon     2539 (0)    52  20
 19 ARIZMENDI MARTIN 2534 (0)   1 - 0  BORCHGREVINK,Har 2265 (0)    21  53
 20 SWATHI,Ghate     2244 (0)   0 - 1  SANDIPAN,Chanda  2522 (0)    54  22

 21 CRAMLING,Pia     2515 (0)   1 - 0  JAIME MONTALVAN, 2242 (0)    23  55
 22 WELLS,Peter      2501 (0)   1 - 0  Bye                          24 BYE
 23 STEFANOVA,Antoan 2499 (0)   1 - 0  NADIG,Kruttika   2237 (0)    25  57
 24 SCHUURMAN,Petra  2234 (0)   ½ - ½  SUNDARAJAN,Kidam 2495 (0)    58  26
 25 PAVLOVIC,Milos   2494 (0)   1 - 0  GOMES,Mary Ann   2231 (0)    27  59
 26 TSCHAROTSCHKIN,M 2227 (0)   ½ - ½  ZHU,Chen         2482 (0)    60  28
 27 BAKRE,Tejas      2480 (0)   1 - 0  VAN DEN BERSSELA 2222 (0)    29  61
 28 SPENCE,David     2221 (0)   0 - 1  CMILYTE,Victorij 2475 (0)    62  30
 29 AL SAYED,Mohamad 2470 (0)   1 - 0  THIPSAY,Bagyashr 2219 (0)    31  63
 30 SMITH,Andrew Phi 2200 (0)   ½ - ½  MCNAB,Colin      2456 (0)    64  32

 31 TISSIR,Mohamed   2444 (0)   1 - 0  GOKHALE,Anupama  2198 (0)    33  65
 32 WALTON,Alan J    2197 (0)   ½ - ½  SHAW,John K.     2432 (0)    66  34
 33 SBIA,Bachir      1989 (0)   0 - 1  SISASK,Jesper    2196 (0)    98  67
 34 VEGA,Osuna Enriq 2192 (0)   1 - 0  FRANCISCO,Carame 1978 (0)    68  99
 35 PANNEKOEK,Willem 2083 (0)   ½ - ½  DUNN,Andrew      2188 (0)    88  69
 36 GROFFEN,Hans     2185 (0)   1 - 0  MATTO,Manuel     1954 (0)    70 101
 37 HAMER,Martyn     2000 (0)   0 - 1  GUERRERO,Carlos  2160 (0)    97  71
 38 CHICO,Jorge Flor 2136 (0)   0 - 1  SCHILLER,Eric    2188 (0)    73 126
 39 ELAMRI,Leila     1921 (0)   0 - 1  GOODGER,Martyn   2135 (0)   104  74
 40 SCHRAMM,Bernd    2126 (0)   1 - 0  VILLENA PEREZ,Jo 1915 (0)    75 105

 41 KUENITZ,Klaus    1901 (0)   0 - 1  ROCA,Juan Ocana  2125 (0)   106  76
 42 NIMMY,A George   2123 (0)   1 - 0  AMAYA,Millan Gon 1892 (0)    77 107
 43 JACOBSEN,Maria P 1879 (0)   0 - 1  HUTCHINSON,Norma 2118 (0)   108  78
 44 GUSKI,Dietmar    2106 (0)   ½ - ½  REPPEN,Ellisiv   1851 (0)    80 109
 45 ALMER,Julia      1848 (0)   0 - 1  FOX,Anthony      2104 (0)   110  81
 46 GIACOPELLI,Vince 2102 (0)   ½ - ½  PHILLIPS,Gordon  1790 (0)    82 111
 47 GUERRERO,Fernand 1768 (0)   0 - 1  VEA,Blikra Odin  2099 (0)   112  83
 48 GILBERT,Jessie L 2098 (0)   1 - 0  CASTILLA,Jose Lo      (0)    84 113
 49 FELLOUSI,Abdelaz 2132 (0)   0 - 1  CANNON,Richard   2087 (0)   114  85
 50 STRAUB,Peter     2086 (0)   0 - 1  EL AMARI,Khaled  2137 (0)    86  72

 51 GILL,William          (0)   0 - 1  COIMBRA,Margarid 2083 (0)   115  87
 53 HULLIGAN,Steve        (0)   0 - 1  STOCK,Toby       2083 (0)   117  89
 54 HICKMAN,John     2082 (0)   1 - 0  JAMILA,Yougane        (0)    90 118
 55 MCGRANE,Stephen       (0)   ½ - ½  CAFOLLA,Peter    2080 (0)   120  91
 56 OBERS,Frits      2080 (0)   1 - 0  LECHUGO,Francisc      (0)    92 119
 57 MIHAJLOVA,Diana       (0)   0 - 1  DUNN,Alan        2076 (0)   121  93
 58 AGDESTEIN,Emil   2053 (0)   1 - 0  NAVARRO,Antonio       (0)    94 122
 59 NUNEZ,Millan Gon      (0)   ½ - ½  AGREST,Inna      2030 (0)   123  95
 60 BAENA,Antonia    2019 (0)   1 - 0  SLIMANI,Abderezz      (0)    96 124

 61 SOLOMON,Ajoy          (0)   0 - 1  MOHAMED,Mehdi Ai 2107 (0)   125  79
 62 ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2670 (0)   ½ - ½  Bye                           4 BYE
 63 EFIMENKO,Zahar   2666 (0)   ½ - ½  Bye                           5 BYE
 64 SUURONEN,Petri   1931 (0)   ½ - ½  Bye                         102 BYE
 65 RAUTANEN,Sari    1929 (0)   ½ - ½  Bye                         103 BYE
 66 HELIN,Mikael     1970 (0)   ½ - ½  Bye                         100 BYE
Round 2 Pairings
Round  2

Bd  WHITE                      Result  BLACK                          PIN
  1 AKOPIAN,Vladimir 2704 (1)     -    ARIZMENDI MARTIN 2534 (1)     2  21
  2 SPEELMAN,Jon     2539 (1)     -    SHORT,Nigel      2676 (1)    20   3
  3 BOLOGAN,Viktor   2661 (1)     -    CRAMLING,Pia     2515 (1)     6  23
  4 SANDIPAN,Chanda  2522 (1)     -    KOBALIA,Mikhail  2654 (1)    22   7
  5 WELLS,Peter      2501 (1)     -    GUREVICH,Mikhail 2629 (1)    24   9
  6 VOLKOV,Sergey    2629 (1)     -    STEFANOVA,Antoan 2499 (1)    10  25
  7 PAVLOVIC,Milos   2494 (1)     -    GYIMESI,Zoltan   2602 (1)    27  13
  8 CMILYTE,Victorij 2475 (1)     -    SPRAGGETT,Kevin  2581 (1)    30  15
  9 AL-MODIAHKI,Moha 2579 (1)     -    BAKRE,Tejas      2480 (1)    16  29
 10 AL SAYED,Mohamad 2470 (1)     -    GANGULY,Surya    2579 (1)    31  17

 11 TISSIR,Mohamed   2444 (1)     -    KUNTE,Abhijit    2551 (1)    33  19
 12 SISASK,Jesper    2196 (1)     -    SHIROV,Alexi     2709 (½)    67   1
 13 ARESHCHENKO,Alex 2670 (½)     -    VEGA,Osuna Enriq 2192 (1)     4  68
 14 EFIMENKO,Zahar   2666 (½)     -    GROFFEN,Hans     2185 (1)     5  70
 15 GUERRERO,Carlos  2160 (1)     -    GEORGIEV,Kiril   2645 (½)    71   8
 16 EL AMARI,Khaled  2137 (1)     -    SUTOVSKY,Emil    2624 (½)    72  11
 17 GOODGER,Martyn   2135 (1)     -    KORCHNOI,Viktor  2608 (½)    74  12
 18 AGREST,Evgenij   2591 (½)     -    SCHRAMM,Bernd    2126 (1)    14  75
 19 ROCA,Juan Ocana  2125 (1)     -    PELLETIER,Yannic 2579 (½)    76  18
 20 ZHU,Chen         2482 (½)     -    NIMMY,A George   2123 (1)    28  77

 21 HUTCHINSON,Norma 2118 (1)     -    KOBESE,Watu      2397 (½)    78  40
 22 MOHAMED,Mehdi Ai 2107 (1)     -    PEEK,Marcel      2375 (½)    79  44
 23 FOX,Anthony      2104 (1)     -    GROOTEN,Herman   2365 (½)    81  46
 24 VEA,Blikra Odin  2099 (1)     -    ASHTON,Adam      2331 (½)    83  50
 25 SUNDARAJAN,Kidam 2495 (½)     -    GILBERT,Jessie L 2098 (1)    26  84
 26 CANNON,Richard   2087 (1)     -    SCHUURMAN,Petra  2234 (½)    85  58
 27 COIMBRA,Margarid 2083 (1)     -    TSCHAROTSCHKIN,M 2227 (½)    87  60
 28 STOCK,Toby       2083 (1)     -    SMITH,Andrew Phi 2200 (½)    89  64
 29 MCNAB,Colin      2456 (½)     -    HICKMAN,John     2082 (1)    32  90
 30 SHAW,John K.     2432 (½)     -    OBERS,Frits      2080 (1)    34  92

 31 DUNN,Alan        2076 (1)     -    WALTON,Alan J    2197 (½)    93  66
 32 ZHUKOVA,Natalia  2432 (½)     -    AGDESTEIN,Emil   2053 (1)    35  94
 33 AABERG,Anton     2383 (½)     -    BAENA,Antonia    2019 (1)    43  96
 34 ARAKHAMIA-GRANT, 2426 (0)     -    DUNN,Andrew      2188 (½)    37  69
 35 GUSKI,Dietmar    2106 (½)     -    CARLSSON,Pontus  2430 (0)    80  36
 36 GIACOPELLI,Vince 2102 (½)     -    BELLON LOPEZ,Jua 2415 (0)    82  38
 37 PANNEKOEK,Willem 2083 (½)     -    ROY CHOWDHURY,Sa 2393 (0)    88  42
 38 WELLING,Gerard   2405 (0)     -    CAFOLLA,Peter    2080 (½)    39  91
 39 LAGOWSKI,Patryk  2393 (0)     -    AGREST,Inna      2030 (½)    41  95
 40 SPECK,Nicholas   2371 (0)     -    HELIN,Mikael     1970 (½)    45 100

 41 QUILLAN,Gary     2356 (0)     -    SUURONEN,Petri   1931 (½)    47 102
 42 KLINOVA,Masha    2353 (0)     -    RAUTANEN,Sari    1929 (½)    49 103
 43 MOHOTA,Nisha     2318 (0)     -    REPPEN,Ellisiv   1851 (½)    51 109
 44 BORCHGREVINK,Har 2265 (0)     -    PHILLIPS,Gordon  1790 (½)    53 111
 45 MCGRANE,Stephen       (½)     -    HOUSKA,Jovanka   2355 (0)   120  48
 46 NUNEZ,Millan Gon      (½)     -    BAKKER,Sven      2308 (0)   123  52
 47 VILLENA PEREZ,Jo 1915 (0)     -    SWATHI,Ghate     2244 (0)   105  54
 48 JAIME MONTALVAN, 2242 (0)     -    KUENITZ,Klaus    1901 (0)    55 106
 49 NADIG,Kruttika   2237 (0)     -    JACOBSEN,Maria P 1879 (0)    57 108
 50 GOMES,Mary Ann   2231 (0)     -    ALMER,Julia      1848 (0)    59 110

 51 VAN DEN BERSSELA 2222 (0)     -    GUERRERO,Fernand 1768 (0)    61 112
 52 AMAYA,Millan Gon 1892 (0)     -    SPENCE,David     2221 (0)   107  62
 53 THIPSAY,Bagyashr 2219 (0)     -    GILL,William          (0)    63 115
 54 GOKHALE,Anupama  2198 (0)     -    HULLIGAN,Steve        (0)    65 117
 55 JAMILA,Yougane        (0)     -    CHICO,Jorge Flor 2136 (0)   118  73
 56 CASTILLA,Jose Lo      (0)     -    FELLOUSI,Abdelaz 2132 (0)   113 114
 57 LECHUGO,Francisc      (0)     -    STRAUB,Peter     2086 (0)   119  86
 58 SLIMANI,Abderezz      (0)     -    HAMER,Martyn     2000 (0)   124  97
 59 NAVARRO,Antonio       (0)     -    SBIA,Bachir      1989 (0)   122  98
 60 MATTO,Manuel     1954 (0)     -    MIHAJLOVA,Diana       (0)   101 121

 61 FRANCISCO,Carame 1978 (0)     -    SOLOMON,Ajoy          (0)    99 125
 62 SCHILLER,Eric    2188 (0)     -    ELAMRI,Leila     1921 (0)   126 104

 

 

 

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