Vaclav Finek wins Czech Open 2024
The biggest talent of Czech chess, fourteen-year-old IM Vaclav Finek (2452), emerged as the winner of the 2024 Czech Open. The 2024 edition of the Czech Open in Pardubice, supported by the FIDE Aid Package, took place from July 19-27 and brought together 721 players from 37 countries. The festival included four main 9-round Swiss tournaments with classical time control. A – Pardubice Open In a major sensation, the main event saw the triumph of 9th seed Vaclav Finek and 24th seed IM Ameya Audi of India. Both pulled off crucial final-round victories over GM Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (Romania) and Valentyn Prokofiev (Ukraine), respectively and tied for first place with an excellent score of 7.5/9. Just a half-point of Buchholz advantage separated the champion, Vaclav Finek (pictured below, left), from the runner-up, Ameya Audi. As many as four players shared third place scoring (7/9), with GM Jiri Stocek of the Czech Republic completing the podium. “I think I played an awesome tournament, and I was especially pleased with the 100% win rate with white pieces,” said Vaclav Finek in a short interview. IM Klaudia Kulon (pictured below) from Poland became the best woman of the event. Klaudia achieved a great performance 2509 and finished in 6th place. Four norms of the international title were fulfilled in the main tournament: the IM norm by Petr Gnojek (CZE), Valentyn Prokofiev, and Vladyslav Fishchuk (both from Ukraine). The norm of WIM goes to Noga Orian (ISR). Final standings: 1 IM Finek, Vaclav CZE 2452 7½ 2 IM Audi, Ameya IND 2381 7½ 3 GM Stocek, Jiri CZE 2528 7 4 GM Zanan, Evgeny ISR 2476 7 5 IM Hrbek, Stepan CZE 2402 7 6 IM Kulon, Klaudia POL 2379 7 7 GM Nisipeanu, Liviu-Dieter ROU 2583 6½ 8 FM Prokofiev, Valentyn UKR 2337 6½ 9 IM Pulpan, Jakub CZE 2383 6½ 10 IM Noe, Christopher GER 2520 6½ Complete final standings Pardubice Open B – MOTORGAS OPEN Ukrainian Roman Tyshniuk became the only foreign player to win one of the main events. He came out on top in the Motorgas Open, scoring 7.5/9. Jachym Hrbek had the same score but finished second due to an inferior tiebreak, while Inchan Park (KOR, 7/9) was third. Final standings B- Motorgas Open C – GASCO OPEN The tournament under 1700 was won by 11-year-old Jan Kozusnik (CZE, 8/9), ahead of Hyunbin Choi (KOR, 8/9) and Oskar Gresek (CZE, 7/9). Final standings C – GASCO Open 30+ STAPRO OPEN The Czech players dominated the tournament for players aged 30, occupying the podium. First became Miroslav Muron (7.5/9), followed by Vit Zemlicka (7/9) and Tomas Vesely from the local club Rapid Pardubice (7/9). Final standings 30+ STARPRO Open Photos: Czech Open Official website: czechopen.net/en/