2015 Euro Ch Rd6: A junta at the top
3/3/2015 – After more than one round of wait-and-see, the sixth round of the European Championship turned up the heat as heads rolled at the top. Both early leaders, Anton Korobov and David Navara, lost as rivals took their fates in their own hands to take over the lead, and there are now four new top dogs at 5.0/6, with Ian Nepomniachtchi at the helm. Illustrated report.
The European championship is half way to go and business start warming up with not less than four decisive games on the top five boards. Moreover, the proud Ukrainian leader Anton Korobov was finally beaten falling victim to excellent preparation by the former European champion Ian Nepomniachtchi.
Leader Anton Korobov fell to...
... the Hooded Avenger, Ian Nepomniachtchi.
Three of his nearest rivals were also defeated, such as top seed Czech David Navara by Polish Mateusz Bartel, while Ukrainian Yuri Vovk lost to the current European Champion Alexander Motylev and Polish Robert Kempinski by Armenian Gabriel Sargissian all of whom share the lead.
Mateusz Bartel was another big winner in round six, beating top-seed David Navara with black
Although there is a European Women Championship, numerous females also come to the Open
event to gain hardened experience. 16-year-old Alexandra Goryachkina is one, and has 3.5/6.
Israeli Maka Mdivani (2105) has 2.0/6
The best Israeli players so far are GMs Ilya Smirin and Emil Sutovsky and the highly surprising untitled Pinchas Kantraji who beat another former European champion, Croatian Zdenko Kozul. Young Israelis Ariel Erenberg and Ohad Kraus astonished by beating GM Gil Popilski and IM Sergey Chekhov.
Gabriel Sargissian has joined the lead after three consecutive wins
Gabriel Sargissian demolished Robert Kempinski in a line the Polish player is an expert in, showing deep preparation and excellent understanding. White got a huge space advantage which he then converted into an unstoppable central pawn roller.
Gabriel Sargissian vs Robert Kempinski:
In the fore is Vladimir Akopian, who drew and now has 4.0/6, while David Howell on board 17,
beat Karen Grigoryan and is now in the group a half point behind the leaders, wtih 4.5/6
Standings after six rounds
|
Rk
|
SNo
|
Ti.
|
Name
|
FED
|
Rtg
|
Pts
|
TB
|
|
1
|
4
|
GM
|
Nepomniachtchi Ian |
2714
|
5.0
|
2611
|
|
|
2
|
22
|
GM
|
Motylev Alexander |
2665
|
5.0
|
2598
|
|
|
3
|
20
|
GM
|
Sargissian Gabriel |
2668
|
5.0
|
2586
|
|
|
4
|
39
|
GM
|
Bartel Mateusz |
2631
|
5.0
|
2514
|
|
|
5
|
84
|
GM
|
Stefansson Hannes |
2573
|
4.5
|
2653
|
|
|
6
|
11
|
GM
|
Korobov Anton |
2687
|
4.5
|
2651
|
|
|
7
|
37
|
GM
|
Najer Evgeniy |
2634
|
4.5
|
2645
|
|
|
8
|
51
|
GM
|
Bukavshin Ivan |
2622
|
4.5
|
2637
|
|
|
9
|
60
|
GM
|
Goganov Aleksey |
2605
|
4.5
|
2629
|
|
|
10
|
69
|
GM
|
Duda Jan-Krzysztof |
2591
|
4.5
|
2611
|
|
|
11
|
3
|
GM
|
Eljanov Pavel |
2727
|
4.5
|
2605
|
|
|
12
|
65
|
GM
|
Shimanov Aleksandr |
2594
|
4.5
|
2595
|
|
|
13
|
33
|
GM
|
Volokitin Andrei |
2646
|
4.5
|
2588
|
|
|
14
|
30
|
GM
|
Smirin Ilia |
2650
|
4.5
|
2580
|
|
|
15
|
45
|
GM
|
Sutovsky Emil |
2626
|
4.5
|
2574
|
|
|
16
|
38
|
GM
|
Dubov Daniil |
2632
|
4.5
|
2560
|
|
|
17
|
128
|
|
Iljiushenok Ilia |
2450
|
4.5
|
2544
|
|
|
18
|
44
|
GM
|
Lupulescu Constantin |
2626
|
4.5
|
2541
|
|
|
19
|
35
|
GM
|
Popov Ivan |
2639
|
4.5
|
2537
|
|
|
20
|
23
|
GM
|
Howell David W L |
2663
|
4.5
|
2533
|
Report by Yachanan Afek and Albert Silver
Photos by Yoav Nis
LinksThe games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 13 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs. |
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