2015 Euro Ch Rd7: A mob at the top

The signal to the start of the seventh round of the European championship in Jerusalem was given yesterday by IA Eliahu Levant, the 87 years old mythological director of Beer-Sheva club, the pioneer who emigrated from St. Petersburg in the early seventies to build up from scratch a chess empire in the capital of the Negev, the southern desert of Israel. 

IA Eliahu Levant, the 87 years old mythological director of Beer-Sheva club bangs the cymbal

Following multiple draws at the top the lead was reinforced by those who managed to emerge winners in the seventh rounds. Both matches between the leaders Motylev- Nepomnianchtchi; Bartel- Sargissian ended peacefully leaving all four at the lead. However they  were joined by the five winners in the sub-top group: Ukrainian Anton  Korobov inflicted on Israeli Emil Sutovsky his first defeat in an eventful and exciting battle to return to the lead following a short absence.

Emil Sutovsky had a good start but fell to leader Anton Korobov

Anton Korobov - Emil Sutovsky

Although Korobov successfully converted his advantage against Sutovsky, he
missed a chance to end the game with a beauty. You are warned in advance
that it is not easy, but the solution is at the end. White to play and win.

The inability of any player to really set himself apart from the rest can be seen in the standings where nine players now share the lead with 5.5/7, ranked only according to the tiebreaks, followed by a huge field of 21 more players at 5.0/7. As a result, within a half point, there are essentially 30 players in the lead or right behind, with four rounds to go. The title is wide open and it is really anyone's for the grabbing. While a number will only be concerned with the actual qualification for the forthcoming World Cup, others will be eyeing the podium and title.

Andrei Volokitin is now one of the leaders with 5.5/7 and a 2784 performance

Nikita Vitiugov has struggled a bit and has 4.5/7

FIDE arbiter Oded Ross shared a tale from round three regarding the game between Anton Korobov and Turkish GM Dragan Solak.

As shared in the report on round three, the Turkish grandmaster resigned
in this position, essentially lost as show in the analysis. What was not known,
was that it was not because he just assumed Korobov would find the win.

As FA Oded Ross explains, "Having played Rb8 and Ra8 earlier in the game, the Turkish grandmaster actually castled in this position! After being noted by the arbiter and the befuddled Korobov that castling is illegal and he has to make a move with his king, Solak promptly resigned, albeit in a lost position anyhow, as you show."

Preparing to fight for the podium by all means necessary

The daily sensation was the victory of the unknown young Israeli player Ohad Kraus over Armenian GM Hrant Melkumian who is almost 500 rating points higher! Things are expected to become even more complicated in the rounds to come as the race for the 23 qualification tickets to the World Cup and for the prize fund of 120,000 Euros is about to enter its decisive stage.

Solution to Korobov-Sutovsky:

Standings after seven rounds

Click for complete standings

Report by Yachanan Afek and Albert Silver
Photos by Yoav Nis

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN The 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.