GMT-Masters: Mishra stays ahead of Lê and Martirosyan
The top two in the Biel GMT-Masters met today – and decided not to challenge each other too much. Abhimanyu Mishra and last year's winner Lê Quang Liêm agreed on a draw relatively quickly, after 22 moves, by repetition. As the same scenario, a draw by repetition, was repeated a little later in the game between third-placed Martirosyan and Praggnanandhaa, the trio Mishra, Lê and Martirosyan remains at the top of the GMT-Masters. The duel between the last-placed players, Keymer vs Shankland, which would have allowed the winner to catch up with the leaders, also resulted in a draw.
GMT-Masters: Interim Ranking
|
Rank |
Name |
Games |
Classical |
Rapid |
Blitz |
Total |
|
1 |
GM Abhimanyu MISHRA |
8 |
9 ½ |
4 |
|
13 ½ |
|
2 |
GM LÊ Quang Liêm |
8 |
7 |
5 |
|
12 |
|
3 |
GM Haik MARTIROSYAN |
8 |
4 ½ |
7 |
|
11 ½ |
|
4 |
GM PRAGGNANANDHAA R |
8 |
3 |
5 |
|
8 |
|
5 |
GM Vincent KEYMER |
8 |
3 |
5 |
|
8 |
|
6 |
GM Sam SHANKLAND |
8 |
3 |
4 |
|
7 |
GMT-Challengers: Vaishali and Bjerre win
Vaishali Rameshbabu continued her excellent run in the GMT-Challengers today. While her brother Praggnanandhaa has yet to get going in the GMT-Masters, Vaishali is now the only one of all participants in the two GMT tournaments to have won all three classical games – and this as the player with the lowest Elo rating! In today's game against Ihor Samunenkov, however, she benefited from the fact that her opponent first failed to capitalise on a mistake and then made several of his own. In second and third place are Salem Saleh and Alexander Donchenko, who ultimately played out a draw in today's direct duel after the Emirati had a slight advantage. Jonas Bjerre, the top seeded player in the GMT-Challengers, was able to make a leap forward today, finally winning his first points in classical chess after two defeats. He defeated Marc'Andria Maurizzi by gaining a steadily growing advantage in the middlegame and then realising it with aplomb.
GMT-Challengers: Interim Ranking
|
Rank |
Name |
Games |
Classical |
Rapid |
Blitz |
Total |
|
1 |
GM VAISHALI Rameshbabu |
8 |
12 |
5 |
|
17 |
|
2 |
GM Saleh Salam |
8 |
9 ½ |
6 |
|
15 ½ |
|
3 |
GM Alexander DONCHENKO |
8 |
5 ½ |
7 |
|
12 ½ |
|
4 |
GM Jonas BJERRE |
8 |
4 |
5 |
|
9 |
|
5 |
GM Marc'Andria MAURIZZI |
8 |
1 ½ |
4 |
|
5 ½ |
|
6 |
GM Ihor SAMUNENKOV |
8 |
1 ½ |
3 |
|
4 ½ |
Master Tournament MTO and Amateur Tournament ATO
After four rounds of the Master Tournament MTO, there is still a lot to play for. Most of the favourites are still close together, with ten players leading the table with 3 ½ out of a possible 4 points each. The best women are currently IM Bibisara Assaubayeva, WIM Alua Nurman and WIM Xeniya Balabayeva, all from Kazakhstan, with 3 points each. The best Swiss players in the tournament are currently FM Moritz Collin and FM Teimur Toktomushev with 2 ½ points each.
Three rounds have now been played in the Amateur Tournament ATO and eight participants remain who have not yet conceded any points, including Nicola Schmid, Simon Kuenzli, Lukas Oestmann and Anton Kuenzi from Switzerland.
Outlook: Praggnanandhaa vs. Keymer – both must score
Tomorrow sees another day of classical chess on the programme for the four two-week tournaments. In the two GMT Grandmaster Triathlons, the tension is mounting as to which four players will qualify for the final phase – now it's important not to miss the boat. In the GMT-Masters, this applies in particular to Praggnanandhaa and Vincent Keymer, currently equal fourth on points, who will meet directly tomorrow. Martirosyan will play Mishra in white and a win would give him the chance to reclaim the lead from the young American. Finally, Shankland will play against Lê Quang Liêm.
In the GMT Challengers, Vaishali will be challenged by Maurizzi, who will play with white and aim for his first win to stay in the race. The same applies to Samunenkov, who is bottom of the table, except that he will have to try to do so with black against Salem Saleh. Finally, Bjerre and Donchenko will meet
The fifth round will be played in the Master Tournament MTO and the fourth in the Amateur Tournament ATO.
Beauty Award MTO, ATO
Every day, the best games from MTO and ATO are voted for on social media.
Winner MTO RD3: IM Shiyam Thavandiran (2387) vs. GM Alessio Valsecchi (2488) 1-0
Winner ATO RD2: Arejou Wenger (1875) vs. Jonas Rossi (1760) 1-0
Games of the winners:
https://www.bielchessfestival.ch/Tournaments/Open-Tournaments/ISF-Beauty-Awards.html
Pictures of the Biel International Chess Festival are available under the following link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/143150736@N02/collections/72157722912417534/
On the evening of each day of the Festival, the OC sends out a media report on the day's events.