Biel R10: Alekseev catches Dominguez, wins tiebreak

by ChessBase
7/31/2008 – What a turn of events! Russian GM Evgeny Alekseev caught the leader, Cuban GM Leinier Dominguez, who had been coasting to sole victory. Alekseev beat Pelletier, while Dominguez succumbed to revitalised French GM Etienne Bacrot. Magnus Carlsen was unable to overcome Alexander Onischuk's defence. In the tiebreak Alekseev won the second blitz game to take overall victory. Express report.

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The 41st Biel International Chess Festival took place from July 20th - 31st, 2008. The Grandmaster Tournament is a category 18 event with an average rating of 2686.

Round 10: Thursday, July 31, 2008
Evgeny Alekseev 
1-0
 Yannick Pelletier
Magnus Carlsen 
½-½
 Alexander Onischuk
Etienne Bacrot 
1-0
 Leinier Dominguez

In the nerve-racking tiebreak two 15-minute rapid games were drawn, so two blitz games at 5 minutes plus two seconds increment were played. The first was a draw, the second, a wild struggle, Alekseev was victorious, with 18 seconds left on his clock.

Dominguez Perez,L (2708) - Alekseev,Evgeny (2708) [C65]
41st Festival GM Playoff Biel SUI (4), 31.07.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Re1 Bb6 8.h3 Ne7 9.Nbd2 c6 10.Ba4 Ng6 11.Nf1 h6 12.Ng3 Re8 13.d4 Qc7 14.Bc2 Be6 15.Be3 Rad8 16.Qc1 Kh7 17.Bd3 c5 18.Nf5 Bxf5 19.exf5 Nf8 20.Bb5 Re7 21.dxe5 dxe5 22.Qc2 e4 23.Nd2 Qe5 24.f3 Qxf5 25.fxe4 Qg6 26.Bf2 Ne6 27.Nf3 Nf4 28.Nh4 Nxh3+ 29.Kf1 Qg4 30.e5+ g6 31.exf6 Rxe1+ 32.Bxe1 c4 33.Qe2 Qf4+ 34.Nf3 Rd3 35.Bd2 Be3

Leinier Dominguez, who had been leading by a full point in the final rounds, is a piece up and can win the event with 36.Be3. Instead he incurs the ultimate tragody of stumbling at the finish line: 36.Bxc4?? Rxd2 37.gxh3 Rxe2 38.Kxe2 Qxc4+ 39.Kxe3 Qe6+ 40.Kf2 Qxf6 41.Re1 Qb6+ 42.Kg3 Qxb2 43.Re7 Kg7 44.Re3 Qxa2. It is hopeless, Alekseev has much more time on the clock. 0-1. [Click to replay or download the tiebreak games]

Full report and pictures to follow...

Final standings

All results, games and reports

Round 1: Sunday, July 22, 2008
Evgeny Alekseev 
1-0
 Etienne Bacrot
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
 Yannick Pelletier
Leinier Dominguez 
½-½
 Alexander Onischuk
Round 2: Monday, July 21, 2008
Evgeny Alekseev 
½-½
 Magnus Carlsen
Yannick Pelletier 
½-½
 Leinier Dominguez
Etienne Bacrot 
½-½
 Alexander Onischuk
Round 3: Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Leinier Dominguez 
½-½
 Evgeny Alekseev
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
 Etienne Bacrot
Alexander Onischuk 
1-0
 Yannick Pelletier
Round 4: Thursday, July 24, 2008
Yannick Pelletier 
0-1
 Evgeny Alekseev
Alexander Onischuk 
½-½
 Magnus Carlsen
Leinier Dominguez 
1-0
 Etienne Bacrot
Round 5: Friday, July 25, 2008
Evgeny Alekseev 
½-½
 Alexander Onischuk
Magnus Carlsen 
½-½
 Leinier Dominguez
Etienne Bacrot 
1-0
 Yannick Pelletier
Round 6: Saturday, July 26, 2008
Etienne Bacrot 
1-0
 Evgeny Alekseev
Yannick Pelletier 
0-1
 Magnus Carlsen
Alexander Onischuk 
0-1
 Leinier Dominguez
Round 7: Monday, July 28, 2008

Magnus Carlsen 

0-1
 Evgeny Alekseev

Leinier Dominguez 

1-0
 Yannick Pelletier

Alexander Onischuk 

0-1
 Etienne Bacrot
Round 8: Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Evgeny Alekseev 
0-1
 Leinier Dominguez
Etienne Bacrot 
½-½
 Magnus Carlsen
Yannick Pelletier 
½-½
 Alexander Onischuk
Round 9: Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Alexander Onischuk 
0-1
 Evgeny Alekseev
Leinier Dominguez 
½-½
 Magnus Carlsen
Yannick Pelletier 
½-½
 Etienne Bacrot
Round 10: Thursday, July 31, 2008
Evgeny Alekseev 
1-0
 Yannick Pelletier
Magnus Carlsen 
½-½
 Alexander Onischuk
Etienne Bacrot 
1-0
 Leinier Dominguez

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