Kovalenko wins the Keres Memorial - ACP Open

by Johannes Fischer
1/10/2016 – With a strong finish Igor Kovalenko became sole winner of the Keres Memorial - ACP Open in Tallinn. He started the last day with 6.5/8, sharing second place with four other players. But after winning against Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Peter Svidler he only needed a draw against Boris Gelfand in the final round to take sole first place with 9.0/11.
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The Keres Memorial - ACP Open is an 11-round rapid tournament organised by the Association of Chess Professionals, the  Estonian Chess Federation and the Kalev Sports Association. Each player has 15 minutes for the whole game and gets an additional 10 seconds per move.

The crucial game for Igor Kovalenko came in round ten. He played with white against top seed Peter Svidler, won the game and started the last round as sole leader. In the last round Kovalenko decided to play it safe and made a quick draw against Boris Gelfand. This safe approach paid off because Kovalenko's closest rivals failed to win their games and Kovalenko became sole tournament winner. Half-a-point behind followed David Howell from England, Boris Gelfand from Israel and Surya Shekhar Ganguly from India. Howell, who had led the field after day two, became second on tie-break. Place three went to Gelfand.

The proud winner: Igor Kovalenko

After a few moves they shook hands again.

Final standings after 11 rounds

Rg. Snr     Name sex Land Elo Pkt.  Wtg1   Wtg2 
1 2
 
 GM Kovalenko Igor   LAT 2734 9,0 73,5 67,5
2 10
 
 GM Howell David W L   ENG 2646 8,5 73,5 67,5
3 3
 
 GM Gelfand Boris   ISR 2733 8,5 73,0 67,5
4 11
 
 GM Ganguly Surya Shekhar   IND 2615 8,5 71,0 65,0
5 14
 
 GM Duda Jan-Krzysztof   POL 2603 8,0 76,0 70,0
6 12
 
 GM Georgiev Kiril   BUL 2612 8,0 76,0 69,5
7 1
 
 GM Svidler Peter   RUS 2736 8,0 75,5 69,0
8 6
 
 GM Berkes Ferenc   HUN 2685 8,0 73,0 67,0
9 9
 
 GM Motylev Alexander   RUS 2651 8,0 72,5 67,0
10 27
 
 GM Kosteniuk Alexandra w RUS 2514 8,0 71,0 65,5
11 20
 
 GM Tregubov Pavel V.   RUS 2566 8,0 71,0 65,0
12 16
 
 GM Miton Kamil   POL 2597 8,0 69,0 63,5
13 19
 
 GM Neiksans Arturs   LAT 2579 8,0 69,0 63,0
14 8
 
 GM Vitiugov Nikita   RUS 2665 7,5 73,5 67,0
15 18
 
 GM Mikhalevski Victor   ISR 2590 7,5 73,0 67,0
16 5
 
 GM Matlakov Maxim   RUS 2686 7,5 73,0 66,5
17 35
 
 GM Yevseev Denis   RUS 2442 7,5 71,0 65,5
18 17
 
 GM Jumabayev Rinat   KAZ 2590 7,5 70,5 64,5
  26
 
 GM Romanov Evgeny   RUS 2529 7,5 70,5 64,5
20 4
 
 GM Fridman Daniel   GER 2688 7,5 69,5 63,5
21 13
 
 GM Sutovsky Emil   ISR 2604 7,5 68,5 62,5
22 21
 
 GM Rakhmanov Aleksandr   RUS 2564 7,5 67,0 61,5
23 7
 
 GM Eljanov Pavel   UKR 2683 7,5 64,5 59,0
24 38
 
 GM Balashov Yuri S   RUS 2423 7,0 72,0 66,5
25 22
 
 GM Lintchevski Daniil   RUS 2549 7,0 70,0 64,0
26 24
 
 GM Goganov Aleksey   RUS 2545 7,0 69,5 64,0
27 29
 
 IM Sveshnikov Vladimir   LAT 2467 7,0 68,0 62,5
28 44
 
 IM Kashtanov Ruslan   RUS 2379 7,0 67,5 62,5
  45
 
   Putka Verners   LAT 2366 7,0 67,5 62,5
30 28
 
 GM Kulaots Kaido   EST 2484 7,0 67,0 61,5
31 32
 
 GM Lanka Zigurds   LAT 2456 7,0 65,5 60,5
32 34
 
 GM Novik Maxim   RUS 2454 7,0 65,0 61,0
33 15
 
 GM Postny Evgeny   ISR 2601 7,0 64,0 58,5
34 36
 
 GM Cramling Pia w SWE 2432 7,0 63,5 59,0
35 62
 
   Laimins Lauris   LAT 2247 7,0 63,5 58,5
36 57
 
   Dubrovin Robert   EST 2286 7,0 59,5 54,5
37 78
 
   Nestor Kaarel   EST 2181 7,0 56,5 53,5
38 31
 
 GM Volodin Aleksandr   EST 2457 6,5 71,5 66,5

...177 players

Emil Sutovsky, European Champion 2001 and President of the Association of Chess Professionals, which
organised the tournament together with the  Estonian Chess Federation and the Kalev Sports Association.
Sutovsky finished 21st with 7.5/11.

Peter Svidler

Alexandra Kosteniuk won the women's prize.

The second women's prize went to Pia Cramling from Sweden, the third women's prize went to Rout Padmini from India.

The winners

Games

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.0-0 Bg7 6.Re1 Nh6 7.c3 0-0 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.e5 Bg4 11.Nbd2 f6 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Nxf3 fxe5 14.Bxh6 Bxh6 15.Rxe5 Bg7 16.Re6 Qd7 17.Qe2 Rfe8 18.Re1 Bf6 19.Qd2 Rac8 20.b4 Kg7 21.Nh2 Rf8 22.Ng4 Rf7 23.h4 Rd8 24.h5 g5 25.h6+ Kf8 26.Ne5 Bxe5 27.R1xe5 Rf6 28.Qxg5 Qxe6 29.Rxe6 Rxe6 30.Qf5+ Rf6 31.Qxh7 Ke8 32.g4 Kd7 33.g5 Rff8 34.g6 Rh8 35.Qxh8 Rxh8 36.g7 Rg8 37.Kf1 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Svidler,P2751Narva,M20851–02016B31Paul Keres Memorial 20151.1
Rauk,T2152Kovalenko,I26800–12016A40Paul Keres Memorial 20151.2
Gelfand,B2735Zhuk,I20561–02016E17Paul Keres Memorial 20151.3
Muutnik,V2098Fridman,D26240–12016D45Paul Keres Memorial 20151.4
Matlakov,M2682Sarapik,K20321–02016B00Paul Keres Memorial 20151.5
Makin,K1918Berkes,F26520–12016B14Paul Keres Memorial 20151.6
Eljanov,P2760Grinblat,A21411–02016D30Paul Keres Memorial 20151.7
Kopsa,P2035Vitiugov,N27210–12016B40Paul Keres Memorial 20151.8
Motylev,A2656Linik,Y21221–02016C19Paul Keres Memorial 20151.9
Medar,M1984Howell,D26850–12016A47Paul Keres Memorial 20151.10
Kashtanov,R2346Svidler,P27510–12016B90Paul Keres Memorial 20152.1
Kovalenko,I2680Putka,V23071–02016C42Paul Keres Memorial 20152.2
Krupenski,J2406Gelfand,B27351–02016E46Paul Keres Memorial 20152.3
Fridman,D2624Kazakovskiy,V23871–02016E11Paul Keres Memorial 20152.4
Petursson,M2509Matlakov,M26820–12016B14Paul Keres Memorial 20152.5
Berkes,F2652Vovk,I22871–02016D00Paul Keres Memorial 20152.6
Kukk,S2201Eljanov,P27600–12016A01Paul Keres Memorial 20152.7
Vitiugov,N2721Haimovich,T23771–02016C55Paul Keres Memorial 20152.8
Mastrokoukos,G2309Motylev,A26560–12016D12Paul Keres Memorial 20152.9
Howell,D2685Shishkov,A23701–02016A13Paul Keres Memorial 20152.10
Svidler,P2751Kulaots,K25710–12016A04Paul Keres Memorial 20153.1
Sveshnikov,V2371Kovalenko,I26801–02016B06Paul Keres Memorial 20153.2
Ladva,O2404Fridman,D26240–12016D43Paul Keres Memorial 20153.3
Matlakov,M2682Novik,M2477½–½2016D80Paul Keres Memorial 20153.4
Volodin,A2484Berkes,F2652½–½2016A90Paul Keres Memorial 20153.5
Eljanov,P2760Cramling,P2523½–½2016E17Paul Keres Memorial 20153.6
Sveshnikov,E2504Vitiugov,N27210–12016C02Paul Keres Memorial 20153.7
Motylev,A2656Balashov,Y2408½–½2016C95Paul Keres Memorial 20153.8
Yevseev,D2526Howell,D26850–12016A35Paul Keres Memorial 20153.9
Ganguly,S2660Mesropov,K24061–02016C10Paul Keres Memorial 20153.10
Fridman,D2624Tregubov,P25821–02016A05Paul Keres Memorial 20154.1
Vitiugov,N2721Lintchevski,D2563½–½2016D27Paul Keres Memorial 20154.2
Howell,D2685Kantans,T2513½–½2016A34Paul Keres Memorial 20154.3
Goganov,A2591Ganguly,S26601–02016A29Paul Keres Memorial 20154.4
Georgiev,K2624Romanov,E26171–02016A47Paul Keres Memorial 20154.5
Kulaots,K2571Sutovsky,E2647½–½2016B35Paul Keres Memorial 20154.6
Duda,J2660Kosteniuk,A25501–02016E18Paul Keres Memorial 20154.7
Mikhalevski,V2528Sveshnikov,V23711–02016E04Paul Keres Memorial 20154.8
Krupenski,J2406Matlakov,M26820–12016E46Paul Keres Memorial 20154.9
Berkes,F2652Lanka,Z2439½–½2016A46Paul Keres Memorial 20154.10
Duda,J2660Fridman,D26241–02016D35Paul Keres Memorial 20155.1
Mikhalevski,V2528Georgiev,K2624½–½2016A13Paul Keres Memorial 20155.2
Motylev,A2656Goganov,A25911–02016C67Paul Keres Memorial 20155.3
Matlakov,M2682Kulaots,K25711–02016A40Paul Keres Memorial 20155.4
Sutovsky,E2647Vitiugov,N27210–12016B12Paul Keres Memorial 20155.5
Lintchevski,D2563Howell,D26850–12016D02Paul Keres Memorial 20155.6
Kantans,T2513Svidler,P27510–12016B90Paul Keres Memorial 20155.7
Yevseev,D2526Kovalenko,I26800–12016E04Paul Keres Memorial 20155.8
Mustaps,M2308Berkes,F26520–12016B12Paul Keres Memorial 20155.10
Vitiugov,N2721Duda,J2660½–½2016E21Paul Keres Memorial 20156.1
Howell,D2685Matlakov,M26821–02016A14Paul Keres Memorial 20156.2
Georgiev,K2624Motylev,A2656½–½2016D12Paul Keres Memorial 20156.3
Kovalenko,I2680Mikhalevski,V2528½–½2016A20Paul Keres Memorial 20156.4
Svidler,P2751Goganov,A25911–02016C65Paul Keres Memorial 20156.5
Romanov,E2617Gelfand,B27350–12016A32Paul Keres Memorial 20156.6
Fridman,D2624Gunina,V24961–02016D17Paul Keres Memorial 20156.7
Berkes,F2652Kosteniuk,A2550½–½2016A07Paul Keres Memorial 20156.8
Miton,K2612Ladva,O24041–02016E00Paul Keres Memorial 20156.9
Lanka,Z2439Jumabayev,R26070–12016C90Paul Keres Memorial 20156.10
Duda,J2660Howell,D2685½–½2016D37Paul Keres Memorial 20157.1
Motylev,A2656Svidler,P2751½–½2016B48Paul Keres Memorial 20157.2
Gelfand,B2735Georgiev,K2624½–½2016E15Paul Keres Memorial 20157.3
Jumabayev,R2607Fridman,D26241–02016E11Paul Keres Memorial 20157.4
Mikhalevski,V2528Vitiugov,N2721½–½2016A06Paul Keres Memorial 20157.5
Matlakov,M2682Miton,K26120–12016D11Paul Keres Memorial 20157.6
Volodin,A2484Kovalenko,I26800–12016D37Paul Keres Memorial 20157.7
Berkes,F2652Lintchevski,D25631–02016D00Paul Keres Memorial 20157.8
Ganguly,S2660Balashov,Y2408½–½2016E11Paul Keres Memorial 20157.9
Neiksans,A2607Mindlin,A24211–02016C84Paul Keres Memorial 20157.10
Howell,D2685Jumabayev,R26071–02016A33Paul Keres Memorial 20158.1
Miton,K2612Duda,J2660½–½2016C69Paul Keres Memorial 20158.2
Svidler,P2751Mikhalevski,V25281–02016C77Paul Keres Memorial 20158.3
Kovalenko,I2680Motylev,A26561–02016A11Paul Keres Memorial 20158.4
Vitiugov,N2721Gelfand,B27350–12016E21Paul Keres Memorial 20158.5
Georgiev,K2624Berkes,F2652½–½2016A47Paul Keres Memorial 20158.6
Fridman,D2624Neiksans,A2607½–½2016E20Paul Keres Memorial 20158.7
Kashtanov,R2346Ganguly,S26600–12016C07Paul Keres Memorial 20158.8
Tregubov,P2582Yevseev,D25261–02016D10Paul Keres Memorial 20158.9
Balashov,Y2408Rakhmanov,A2648½–½2016A48Paul Keres Memorial 20158.10
Svidler,P2736Howell,D-1–02016C65Paul Keres Memorial 20159.1
Duda,J-Kovalenko,I27340–12016E12Paul Keres Memorial 20159.2
Gelfand,B-Miton,K-1–02016E11Paul Keres Memorial 20159.3
Neiksans,A-Berkes,F-½–½2016A07Paul Keres Memorial 20159.4
Ganguly,S-Tregubov,P-1–02016C19Paul Keres Memorial 20159.5
Kosteniuk,A-Georgiev,K-0–12016B92Paul Keres Memorial 20159.6
Jumabayev,R-Romanov,E-½–½2016A50Paul Keres Memorial 20159.7
Sveshnikov,V-Vitiugov,N-0–12016A45Paul Keres Memorial 20159.8
Volodin,A-Fridman,D-1–02016D25Paul Keres Memorial 20159.9
Matlakov,M-Goganov,A-1–02016A33Paul Keres Memorial 20159.10
Kovalenko,I2734Svidler,P27361–02016A37Paul Keres Memorial 201510.1
Howell,D-Gelfand,B-½–½2016D78Paul Keres Memorial 201510.2
Georgiev,K-Ganguly,S-0–12016E68Paul Keres Memorial 201510.3
Jumabayev,R-Matlakov,M-0–12016A15Paul Keres Memorial 201510.4
Berkes,F-Mikhalevski,V-1–02016A21Paul Keres Memorial 201510.5
Vitiugov,N-Neiksans,A-½–½2016E17Paul Keres Memorial 201510.6
Rakhmanov,A-Motylev,A-½–½2016A20Paul Keres Memorial 201510.7
Lintchevski,D-Sutovsky,E-0–12016B33Paul Keres Memorial 201510.8
Romanov,E-Duda,J-½–½2016A06Paul Keres Memorial 201510.9
Miton,K-Kantans,T-1–02016A65Paul Keres Memorial 201510.10
Gelfand,B-Kovalenko,I2734½–½2016E15Paul Keres Memorial 201511.1
Ganguly,S-Berkes,F-½–½2016B17Paul Keres Memorial 201511.2
Svidler,P2736Miton,K-½–½2016B52Paul Keres Memorial 201511.3
Sutovsky,E-Howell,D-0–12016C60Paul Keres Memorial 201511.4
Matlakov,M-Georgiev,K-0–12016A13Paul Keres Memorial 201511.5
Vitiugov,N-Romanov,E-½–½2016A50Paul Keres Memorial 201511.6
Motylev,A-Kulaots,K-1–02016B27Paul Keres Memorial 201511.7
Duda,J-Lanka,Z-1–02016E81Paul Keres Memorial 201511.8
Kosteniuk,A-Postny,E-1–02016C88Paul Keres Memorial 201511.9
Neiksans,A-Putka,V-1–02016E15Paul Keres Memorial 201511.10
Gelfand,B-Kovalenko,I2734½–½2016E15Paul Keres Memorial 201511.1
Ganguly,S-Berkes,F-½–½2016B17Paul Keres Memorial 201511.2
Svidler,P2736Miton,K-½–½2016B52Paul Keres Memorial 201511.3
Sutovsky,E-Howell,D-0–12016C60Paul Keres Memorial 201511.4
Matlakov,M-Georgiev,K-0–12016A13Paul Keres Memorial 201511.5
Vitiugov,N-Romanov,E-½–½2016A50Paul Keres Memorial 201511.6
Motylev,A-Kulaots,K-1–02016B27Paul Keres Memorial 201511.7
Duda,J-Lanka,Z-1–02016E81Paul Keres Memorial 201511.8
Kosteniuk,A-Postny,E-1–02016C88Paul Keres Memorial 201511.9
Neiksans,A-Putka,V-1–02016E15Paul Keres Memorial 201511.10

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Fotos: Vladimir Barsky

Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

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