Vokhidov and Lazavik trail by half a point
Daniil Dubov has taken the sole lead at the KazChess Masters in Almaty after scoring consecutive victories in rounds five and six. The Russian grandmaster has collected 4½ points from 6 games and stands half a point ahead of Shamsiddin Vokhidov and Denis Lazavik.
The tournament had initially been led by the Kazakh duo of Edgar Mamedov and Denis Makhnev, who both reached 2½/3. In Thursday's fourth round, however, Lazavik joined them at the top of the standings by defeating Vokhidov. Co-leaders Mamedov and Makhnev both drew their games, while 14-year-old Mark Smirnov scored his second consecutive victory, this time against Sauat Nurgaliyev.
Rounds five and six brought an unusual coincidence. Both days featured three decisive games, and the winners were exactly the same: the tournament's three highest-rated participants, Mahammad Muradli (2662), Dubov (2654) and Vokhidov (2649).
Round 5 results
Round 6 results
GM Blohberger presents a complete two-part repertoire for Black: practical, clear, and flexible – instead of endless theory, you’ll get straightforward concepts and strategies that are easy to learn and apply.
The King’s Indian Defence has been one of the most dynamic and popular responses to 1.d4 for decades. Legends such as Garry Kasparov, Bobby Fischer, and Hikaru Nakamura have employed it at the highest level – and it continues to fascinate today, as it offers Black not only solidity but also rich attacking and counterattacking opportunities. Its special advantage: the King’s Indian is a universal system, equally effective against 1.d4, 1.c4, and 1.Nf3. Grandmaster Felix Blohberger, multiple Austrian Champion and experienced second, presents a complete two-part repertoire for Black. His approach: practical, clear, and flexible – instead of endless theory, you’ll get straightforward concepts and strategies that are easy to learn and apply.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: London System
Shamsiddin Vokhidov | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase
Their routes of the three top seeds to the consecutive victories had been rather different. Muradli had started with two losses and two draws, so his back-to-back wins allowed him to return to a fifty-percent score. Dubov, meanwhile, had collected one win and three draws before his latest successes, which have taken him to an undefeated 4½/6. Vokhidov had a more uneven start, with two wins, a draw and a loss, and has now climbed to 4/6.
Lazavik is the only player other than Dubov to remain undefeated, drawing his games in rounds five and six. The Belarusian GM is now tied for second place with Vokhidov. The early co-leaders Mamedov and Makhnev, meanwhile, have both suffered their first defeats and now stand on 3½/6, one point behind Dubov.
Sunday's seventh round will see all three frontrunners playing with the black pieces. With three rounds remaining, Dubov has a narrow advantage, while the two Kazakh players who set the early pace remain within striking distance.
How grandmasters win without fireworks: GM Jan Markos shows you 11 very practical tips from "How to play in a lost position" to "Be patient like Carlsen" that will improve your tournament chess.
Most chess books teach you what to think about. This series teaches you what to actually do when the clock is running and the result is on the line. Compiled from GM Jan Markos's acclaimed "Practical Tips for the Tournament Player" column in ChessBase Magazine, Volume 1 covers the decisions every tournament player faces before the position ever gets complicated: how you use your time, how you handle pressure, and how you think when the stakes are real.
Free Video Sample: How to use your time effectively
Standings after round 6
All games
Schedule
- 26–31 October: Rounds 1–6, starting at 11:00 AM CET / 6:00 AM ET / 3:30 PM IST
- 1–2 November: Rounds 7–8, starting at 11:00 AM CET / 5:00 AM ET / 3:30 PM IST
- 3 November: Round 9, starting at 7:00 AM CET / 1:00 AM ET / 11:30 AM IST
Links
.jpeg)
.jpeg)