WGP Lausanne: Side events at the International House of Sportt
Two side events took place this weekend alongside the Women’s FIDE Grand Prix in Lausanne. They were organized by FIDE and the Swiss Chess Federation with the help of local clubs and held in the premises of the International House of Sport, where FIDE has its office since May 2019. The “1st FIDE rapid open of the Olympic Capital” brought together 54 participants on Saturday, including seven titled players. Three of them scored 6 points in 7 games: GM Pavel Tregubov from Russia, GM Rodrigo Vasquez Schroeder from Chile, and local FM Aurelio Colmenares. The Russian took first place on tie-break. A rapid tournament for girls under 18 years old was organized among 22 participants on Sunday, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. French University champion Estée Aubert won the event with the perfect score of 9 out of 9, ahead of both Swiss representatives Gülüzar Hüseynova (8 points) and Angie Pecorini (7 points). FIDE constantly makes endeavors to work with local federation or clubs in order to contribute to the popularization and development of chess on a larger scale. Tournaments such as these side events provide incentives, attract amateurs to the royal game while giving them the opportunity to closely watch great champions in action. Pictures in high resolution are available for the press at our official Flickr account. Text: Yannick PelletierPhotos: David LladaContact: press@fide.com
WSTCC 2020: 5th round will be played!
Today´s round 5 will be played. Playing halls will be divided into smaller parts. Visitors will not be allowed to go to the playing halls. Based on the resolution of the Czech government, all events with more than 100 people will be restricted. To follow this, playing halls will be divided into smaller, separated parts. Visitors will not be allowed to go to the playing halls. Further information will be provided before the start of the game. FIDE General Director Emil Sutovsky: “A lot of efforts and good cooperation with Czech organizers allowed us to split the venue into six different zones, complying with the demands of Czech authorities. Thanks to the chief organizer of the event, Jan Mazuch, and his team, to Ozgur Solakoglu – the chairman of FIDE events commission, to my old time Prague-based comrade Evgeny Neimer who came up with some important ideas and help.” Special thanks from the entire chess community to the Deputy Minister of Health of the Czech Republic Roman Prymula who, besides being a FIDE master, is also an epidemiologist – the biggest authority of the country in this field. He personally supervised the situation of the World Senior Team Championship. Mr. Prymula also assisted before the tournament started: when there was a shortage of sanitizers and masks, he helped the organizer to get supplies, so the tournament could follow all the advice and recommendations from the medical commission.
WSTCC 2020 Round 4: Two leaders emerge in both categories
The fight for the top position is getting more and more intense at the World Senior Team Chess Championship in Prague. Round 4 saw the leaders clash in both 50+ and 65+ categories. 50+ category Six teams came to Round 4 with 100% result, but after the dust settled, only two squads can boast of four victories in four matches. The defending champion team USA made short work of England 1 3-1, with Alex Shabalov winning his fourth game in a row (he has had a clean sore so far). Czech Republic 1 prevailed over Iceland thanks to the victory by Michal Konopka on the fourth board. The match Lasker Schachstiftung GK vs. Slovakia was drawn – the teams exchanged blows on the first and fourth boards. Czech Republic 2 somewhat unexpectedly beat Yamal 2½ – 1½. USA and Czech Republic 1 are leading the field and will face each other in Round 5. Standings after Round 4: 1. USA – 82. CZECH REPUBLIC 1 – 83. LASKER SCHACHSTIFTUNG GK – 74. SLOVAKIA – 75. YAMAL – 66. MOSCOW – 67. CANADA – 68. USA TOO – 69. ENGLAND 1 – 610. ISLAND – 6 65+ category Similarly, there are only two leaders left in the older category. In Round 4 Russia crushed France 3½ – ½ (only Anatoly Vaisser managed a draw on the first board); Germany 1 downed Czech Republic 1, whereas one of the leaders Israel suffered a painful defeat in the match vs. Schachfeunde Leipzig. Russia and Germany 1 tops the standings both with a 100% score and will face off in Round 5. Standings after Round 4: 1. RUSSIA – 82. GERMANY 1 – 83. SCHACHFREUNDE LEIPZIG – 74. GERMANY 3 – 65. GERMANY 2 – 66. ISRAEL – 67. CZECH REPUBLIC 1 – 68. AUSTRIA 1 – 69. EPPINGEN – 610. HUNGARY – 6 Photo: Vladimir Jagr
WGP Round 7: Status quo maintained in Lausanne
The seventh round produces only one decisive result when Anna Muzychuk overcomes Alexandra Kosteniuk. Both Alina Kashlinskaya and Aleksandra Goryachkina remain in the lead. The free day definitely instilled fighting intentions into most players, as two games lasted more than 5 hours on Monday. Yet, as many as five games ended with a draw. Only Anna Muzychuk managed to earn the full point. She quickly got an edge in a queenless position of the Petroff and skillfully increased the pressure. She convincingly converted the ensuing bishop vs. knight endgame with an extra pawn into a full point. Her opponent Alexandra Kosteniuk is thus falling back to the last place in this tough tournament. Both leaders managed to stay in front thanks to solid draws with the black pieces. The encounter between Antoaneta Stefanova and Alina Kashlinskaya finished very early when the Bulgarian decided to repeat moves in a well-known line of the Catalan Opening. Mariya Muzychuk ventured upon the entertaining and aggressive Evans Gambit against Aleksandra Goryachkina but the Russian reacted well and achieved equality, after which the game was drawn in a bishop endgame. The longest game of the day brought together Marie Sebag and Ju Wenjun. The fight went deep into the endgame but never significantly shifted to one side or another. The World Champion still struggles in Lausanne, as she has not won a single game yet. Harika Dronavalli did not achieve much against Zhansaya Abdumalik and even had to be careful, after Black found the ingenious move 16…e4. The Indian defended strenuously and secured the draw on move 30. The game between Pia Cramling and Nana Dzagnidze was balanced over the course of five hours. The Georgian sacrificed a pawn in order to simplify in an endgame, where all pawns were on the kingside. The Swedish legend pushed for a while, though without creating any serious chances. Results of round 7: Antoaneta Stefanova (BLG) – Alina Kashlinskaya (RUS) ½-½Harika Dronavalli (IND) – Zhansaya Abdumalik (KAZ) ½-½Anna Muzychuk (UKR) – Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS) 1-0Mariya Muzychuk (UKR) – Aleksandra Goryachkina (RUS) ½-½Pia Cramling (SWE) – Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) ½-½Marie Sebag (FRA) – Ju Wenjun (CHN) ½-½ Standings after round 7: 1-2. Alina Kashlinskaya (RUS) and Aleksandra Goryachkina (RUS) – 4½3-6. Harika Dronavalli (IND), Anna Muzychuk (UKR), Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) and Zhansaya Abdumalik (KAZ) – 47-8. Pia Cramling (SWE) and Mariya Muzychuk (UKR) – 3½9. Ju Wenjun (CHN) – 310.-11. Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL) and Marie Sebag (FRA) – 2½ 12. Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS) – 2 Program of round 8, 10 March at 3 pm: Alina Kashlinskaya (RUS) – Ju Wenjun (CHN)Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) – Marie Sebag (FRA)Aleksandra Goryachkina (RUS) – Pia Cramling (SWE)Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS) – Mariya Muzychuk (UKR)Zhansaya Abdumalik (KAZ) – Anna Muzychuk (UKR)Antoaneta Stefanova (BLG) – Harika Dronavalli (IND) Follow all the action live with commentary by grandmasters Mikhail Gurevich and Keti Tsatsalashvili on the tournament website http://wgp2019.fide.com. Pictures in high resolution are available for the press at our official Flickr account. Text: Yannick PelletierPhotos: David LladaContact: press@fide.com