Wojtaszek and Socko win Polish Championships

by Johannes Fischer
4/7/2016 – Radoslaw Wojtaszek and Monika Socko were the rating favorites at the Polish Championships in Poznan and they both lived up to their roles. Wojtaszek won the "Lotto Men's Championship" with 6.5/9, half a point ahead of Kacper Piorun. Monika Socko won the "Budimex Women's Championship" with 7.0/9, a full point ahead of her closest rival Jolanta Zawadzka.
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Lotto Men's Championship

The Polish Championship took place from 29th March to 7th April and was a ten player round-robin tournament. Round eight, the penultimate one, turned out to be crucial. Before the round, top seed Radoslaw Wojtaszek had 5.0/7 and was half a point ahead of the field. In round eight he defended his lead by beating Marcel Kanarek with Black - and with entertaining play.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nb3 Retreating the knight before it is chased away by ...e5. However, while this move avoids the heavily analysed main lines it does not put any pressure on Black. Nbd7 7.g4N A novelty on move seven - a rare event in the Najdorf. h6 8.Bg2 b5 Black counters White's aggression with some aggression of his own. 9.h4 9.e5? Nxe5 10.Bxa8 Bxg4 is not really an option. 9...b4 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.exd5 Ne5 12.f3 g6 13.Be3 Bg7 14.Bd4 0-0 15.g5 a5 16.gxh6 Bxh6 17.h5 White does not care much about the safety of his own king because he hopes to attack Black's king. But it is hard to believe that this strategy can be successful - after all, White's rooks are not connected, the knight on b3 will need a lot of time before he can join the attack and Black is better developed. Bf4 18.Nc1 Bg3+ 19.Kf1 Ba6+ 20.Ne2 Qd7 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Bh3 Qb5 23.Be6+ Kg7 24.Kg2 There was no adequate defense against the threat ...Rxf3. After the text-move Black liquidates to a better endgame. Qxe2+ 25.Qxe2 Bxe2 26.Kxg3 Rxf3+ 27.Kg2 Rf4 28.Be3 Bf3+ 29.Kg3 Bxh1 30.Bxf4 Be4 Black is a pawn up and White has no real threats. 31.Bg5 Re8 32.Kf4 Bxc2 33.Rh1 Nd3+ 34.Ke3 Nc5 35.Bh6+ Kf6 36.Rf1+ Bf5 37.Bxf5 gxf5 38.Rg1 Ke5 39.Rd1 Rg8 40.Bf4+ Kf6 41.Kf3 Rg4 42.Rd2 Nd7 43.b3 Ne5+ 44.Ke3 Ng6 45.Bh2 Re4+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kanarek,M2532Wojtaszek,R27130–12016B90imp8.2

Radowlas Wojtaszek, Polish Champion 2016

Half a point behind Wojtaszek followed Kacper Piorun and Jan-Krzystzof Duda with 4.5/7. They both had hopes to finish on second place (with dreams of becoming first) which would help them to a guaranteed spot on the Polish national team in the Olympiad in Baku later this year. They played each other in round eight and in this important game Piorun showed how valuable good preparation can be.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.f4 Qc7 8.Qf3 b5 9.0-0-0 Bb7 10.Bd3 g6 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Bg7 13.Nc6 Bf6 14.h4 Rc8 15.Be4
A new move. Piorun was excellently prepared - up to here he had hardly used any time at all. Duda in contrast was less familiar with the position and was already way behind on the clock. 15...h6 16.h5! A piece sacrifice that Piorun probably analysed at home. gxh5 17.Rxh5 hxg5 18.fxg5 Rg8 Trying to cling to the piece backfires because f7 is too weak, e.g. 18...Rxh5 19.Qxh5 Bg7 20.Rf1 or 18...Bg7 19.Rxh8+ Bxh8 20.Rf1 19.gxf6 Nxf6 20.Rf1 Rf8 21.Rh3 Nxe4?! Better was 21...Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Bxc6 23.Bxf7+ Kd8 24.Qe2 Bd7= 22.Qxe4 Bxc6 23.Rc3
23...Qd8?! Duda who had to defend from the very start of the game finally errs. The engines give 23...f5 24.Qf3 Qa5 25.dxc6 Qxa2 26.Ra3 Qc4 27.Rxa6 with a roughly balanced position as best. 24.dxc6± Now White is clearly better: the passed pawn on c6 is strong, Black's king is vulnerable and Black's rooks are not connected. e6 25.g4 d5 26.Qd4 a5 27.a3 Qd6 28.Qb6 b4 29.axb4 axb4 30.Rc5 Now White wins a pawn which he converts without too much trouble. Rg8 31.Qb7 Qc7 32.Qxb4 Ra8 33.Qf4 Qxf4+ 34.Rxf4 Ke7 35.b4 Rgc8 36.c4 dxc4 37.Rfxc4 Ra6 38.b5 Rb6 39.Kc2 Kd6 40.Kc3 Rbb8 41.Kb4 Kc7 42.Rd4 Kb6 43.g5 Rc7 44.Rd7 Rbc8 45.Rxc7 Rxc7 46.Rc3 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Piorun,K2655Duda,J26521–02016B94imp8.3

Well prepared: Kacper Piorun

As chance would have it Wojtaszek and Piorun now faced each other in the final round and both were happy with a quick draw. For Wojtaszek a draw was enough to become Polish Champion 2016 and for Piorun a draw was enough to win silver and gain a spot on the national team.

With 5.5/9 Mateusz Bartel shared third and fourth place
with Jan-Krzysztof Duda but had the better tie-break.

Jan-Krzyzstof Duda

Final standings

Games

 
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1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 c5 6.Nge2 Nc6 7.d3 0-0 8.0-0 Ne8 9.Be3 Nc7 10.d4 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Bd7 12.f4 a5 13.Ndb5 Ne6 14.Rc1 f5 15.exf5 gxf5 16.Rf2 b6 17.Rd2 Rb8 18.Nxd6 exd6 19.Rxd6 Ncd4 20.Bxd4 Nxd4 21.Rxd4 Bxd4+ 22.Qxd4 Be6 23.Nd5 h6 24.Re1 Bxd5 25.Bxd5+ Kh7 26.Re6 Re8 27.Rd6 Re1+ 28.Kg2 Qxd6 29.Bg8+ Rxg8 30.Qxd6 Rge8 31.Qf6 R1e2+ 32.Kh3 R2e6 33.Qf7+ Kh8 34.a4 R8e7 35.Qxf5 Kg7 36.c5 Rf6 37.Qd5 bxc5 38.Qxc5 Rb7 39.Qxa5 Rxb2 40.Qc7+ Kg8 41.a5 Rf7 42.Qd8+ Rf8 43.Qd5+ Kh7 44.Qe4+ Kg8 45.Qg6+ 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Piorun,K2655Kanarek,M25321–02016A15imp1.1
Klekowski,M2432Wojtaszek,R27130–12016D12imp1.2
Tomczak,J2603Duda,J26520–12016B90imp1.3
Swiercz,D2665Dragun,K2594½–½2016D85imp1.4
Gajewski,G2633Bartel,M2625½–½2016A06imp1.5
Duda,J2652Swiercz,D2665½–½2016C67imp2.1
Dragun,K2594Gajewski,G2633½–½2016C54imp2.2
Piorun,K2655Klekowski,M24320–12016A05imp2.3
Kanarek,M2532Bartel,M2625½–½2016D10imp2.4
Wojtaszek,R2713Tomczak,J26031–02016E21imp2.5
Klekowski,M2432Kanarek,M2532½–½2016A10imp3.1
Bartel,M2625Dragun,K2594½–½2016A05imp3.2
Swiercz,D2665Wojtaszek,R2713½–½2016B90imp3.3
Tomczak,J2603Piorun,K2655½–½2016C95imp3.4
Gajewski,G2633Duda,J2652½–½2016D45imp3.5
Kanarek,M2532Dragun,K2594½–½2016C92imp4.1
Wojtaszek,R2713Gajewski,G26331–02016E21imp4.2
Piorun,K2655Swiercz,D26651–02016C65imp4.3
Klekowski,M2432Tomczak,J2603½–½2016E15imp4.4
Duda,J2652Bartel,M2625½–½2016D10imp4.5
Dragun,K2594Duda,J26520–12016B90imp5.1
Bartel,M2625Wojtaszek,R27131–02016B90imp5.2
Swiercz,D2665Klekowski,M24320–12016B46imp5.3
Tomczak,J2603Kanarek,M2532½–½2016B32imp5.4
Gajewski,G2633Piorun,K26550–12016D85imp5.5
Tomczak,J2603Swiercz,D26650–12016B90imp6.1
Piorun,K2655Bartel,M2625½–½2016C58imp6.2
Wojtaszek,R2713Dragun,K25941–02016A17imp6.3
Kanarek,M2532Duda,J2652½–½2016B83imp6.4
Klekowski,M2432Gajewski,G2633½–½2016D38imp6.5
Dragun,K2594Piorun,K2655½–½2016C95imp7.1
Duda,J2652Wojtaszek,R2713½–½2016B17imp7.2
Swiercz,D2665Kanarek,M25321–02016B12imp7.3
Gajewski,G2633Tomczak,J26030–12016E21imp7.4
Bartel,M2625Klekowski,M24321–02016B46imp7.5
Klekowski,M2432Dragun,K25940–12016D41imp8.1
Kanarek,M2532Wojtaszek,R27130–12016B90imp8.2
Piorun,K2655Duda,J26521–02016B94imp8.3
Swiercz,D2665Gajewski,G26331–02016C84imp8.4
Tomczak,J2603Bartel,M2625½–½2016C18imp8.5
Duda,J2652Klekowski,M24321–02016B33imp9.1
Wojtaszek,R2713Piorun,K2655½–½2016D97imp9.2
Dragun,K2594Tomczak,J26031–02016A17imp9.3
Gajewski,G2633Kanarek,M2532½–½2016E94imp9.4
Bartel,M2625Swiercz,D2665½–½2016B90imp9.5

Budimex Women's Championship

Monika Socko

In the women's tournament Monika Socko was top seed and clear favorite. She indeed dominated the tournament from beginning to end and before the ninth and final round she was first with 6.5/8, one point ahead of Jolanta Zawadska. However, these two were to play in the final round and with a win Zawadzka would catch up to Socko. Zawadzka tried hard to gain an advantage but could not overcome Socko's solide defense and after 57 moves had to agree to a draw. Thus, Socko finished first with 7.0/9 (six wins, two draws, one loss). while Jolanta Zawadzka won silver with 6.0/9. Bronze went to Iweta Rajlich who scored 5.0/9.

Final standings

Games

 
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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 a5 8.h4 e6 9.g3 Bb4 10.Bg2 Nb6 11.Ne5 h6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Na2 Bd6 14.Qb3 Bc7 15.Rd1 Be4 16.Nc3 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 Nbd5 18.f3 Qb8 19.e4 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Rd8 21.Be3 Bxe5 22.dxe5 Qxe5 23.Bd4 Qb8 24.Bb6 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Qe8 26.Rd2 Kh7 27.c4 Nd7 28.Bf2 b6 29.Qd3 Nc5 30.Bxc5 bxc5 31.e5+ g6 32.Qd6 Rb8 33.Qxc5 Rb4 34.Qxa5 Qb8 35.Rd7 Kg7 36.Qc5 Rb2+ 37.Kh3 Qe8 38.Qd6 Rb8 39.a5 g5 40.a6 gxh4 41.a7 Ra8 42.Rb7 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Szczepkowska-Horowska,K2403Kiolbasa,O23481–02016D17impk1.1
Wozniak,M2154Majdan-Gajewska,J2380½–½2016B63impk1.2
Rajlich,I2389Kulon,K22980–12016E62impk1.3
Socko,M2461Harazinska,E23101–02016E01impk1.4
Kantane,A2310Zawadzka,J24320–12016C64impk1.5
Harazinska,E2310Kantane,A23100–12016D85impk2.1
Szczepkowska-Horowska,K2403Wozniak,M21541–02016A53impk2.2
Majdan-Gajewska,J2380Rajlich,I23890–12016C15impk2.3
Kiolbasa,O2348Zawadzka,J24320–12016C42impk2.4
Kulon,K2298Socko,M24610–12016C05impk2.5
Zawadzka,J2432Harazinska,E2310½–½2016C42impk3.1
Kantane,A2310Kulon,K22980–12016B60impk3.2
Wozniak,M2154Kiolbasa,O23480–12016C45impk3.3
Socko,M2461Majdan-Gajewska,J23801–02016A57impk3.4
Rajlich,I2389Szczepkowska-Horowska,K24031–02016A46impk3.5
Wozniak,M2154Rajlich,I23891–02016C18impk4.1
Majdan-Gajewska,J2380Kantane,A23100–12016C84impk4.2
Kiolbasa,O2348Harazinska,E2310½–½2016C11impk4.3
Kulon,K2298Zawadzka,J2432½–½2016B48impk4.4
Szczepkowska-Horowska,K2403Socko,M24610–12016E04impk4.5
Socko,M2461Wozniak,M2154½–½2016B40impk5.1
Kantane,A2310Szczepkowska-Horowska,K24031–02016B56impk5.2
Harazinska,E2310Kulon,K22981–02016A88impk5.3
Rajlich,I2389Kiolbasa,O2348½–½2016A46impk5.4
Zawadzka,J2432Majdan-Gajewska,J23801–02016B60impk5.5
Szczepkowska-Horowska,K2403Zawadzka,J24321–02016D45impk6.1
Kiolbasa,O2348Kulon,K2298½–½2016B67impk6.2
Majdan-Gajewska,J2380Harazinska,E23100–12016C42impk6.3
Wozniak,M2154Kantane,A23101–02016C47impk6.4
Rajlich,I2389Socko,M24611–02016A46impk6.5
Socko,M2461Kiolbasa,O23481–02016A59impk7.1
Harazinska,E2310Szczepkowska-Horowska,K24030–12016A50impk7.2
Kulon,K2298Majdan-Gajewska,J23801–02016A22impk7.3
Zawadzka,J2432Wozniak,M21541–02016B42impk7.4
Kantane,A2310Rajlich,I23891–02016C00impk7.5
Szczepkowska-Horowska,K2403Kulon,K2298½–½2016E70impk8.1
Wozniak,M2154Harazinska,E2310½–½2016C01impk8.2
Kiolbasa,O2348Majdan-Gajewska,J23800–12016B06impk8.3
Rajlich,I2389Zawadzka,J2432½–½2016D00impk8.4
Socko,M2461Kantane,A23101–02016A25impk8.5
Kulon,K2298Wozniak,M21540–12016A26impk9.1
Kantane,A2310Kiolbasa,O2348½–½2016C63impk9.2
Harazinska,E2310Rajlich,I23890–12016A04impk9.3
Majdan-Gajewska,J2380Szczepkowska-Horowska,K24031–02016C57impk9.4
Zawadzka,J2432Socko,M2461½–½2016B12impk9.5

Pictures: Polish Chess Federation

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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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