Alexandr Fier wins Marcel Duchamp Cup in Montevideo

Fier wins last-round game to clinch title

By Julieta López

Uruguay recently hosted the sixth edition of the Marcel Duchamp Cup, which ran from the 3rd to the 11th of February. The event attracted 134 players from 12 countries and distributed over $6,000 in prizes.

The impressive Red and Gold Rooms of the Montevideo City Hall saw fierce competition over the nine-day event, with prominent players such as GMs Alexandr Fier and Everaldo Matsuura from Brazil, Neuris Delgado from Paraguay, Carlos García Palermo from Italy, Aleksa Strikovic from Serbia, and Alejandro Hoffman from Uruguay participating. Other notable chess players included IM Pablo Ismael Acosta, winner of the event’s fourth edition, and the legendary Argentine player and coach WGM Claudia Amura, who returned to the competition this year. A total of 33 titled players were present at the tournament.

Heading into the ninth and final round, GM Carlos García Palermo was the sole leader with 7 points and had to face IM Pablo Acosta, who had 6 points at that time. On board 2, GM Alexandr Fier, the only player half a point behind García Palermo, faced Aleksa Strikovic. In the end, both players who had white won their respective games, and current Brazilian champion Alexandr Fier finished unbeaten at the top of the leaderboard with 7½/9 points, securing his first victory in this competition. GM Carlos García Palermo finished second, and was followed by IM Pablo Ismael Acosta in third place. Local players FM Manuel Larrea and IM Claudio Cóppola won their final games to end the tournament with 7/9 points.

WFM Candela Francisco

WGM Claudia Amura

The top two places in the women’s category did not see any major surprises as WFM Candela Francisco and WGM Claudia Amura, who were the favourites to take the top spots, finished first and second respectively, both with 6/9 scores. In third place finished the up-and-coming Nahiara Fabra, and fourth place went to WCM Natalia Silva Rosas, with both players collecting 4½/9 points.

IM Leon Piasetski

In the Senior category (+65), Canadian IM Leon Piasetski took first place with 6 points. German representative Norbert Krueger finished second with 5½ points, while local representative Jaime Escofet took third place with 5 points.

The tournament, organized by IM-IO Bernardo Roselli Mailhe, had IA Sabrina de San Vicente as the chief arbiter. De San Vicente was also in charge of the transmission of the first 32 electronic boards. The event would not have been possible without the great contribution of Argentines Tomás Darcyl and Ricardo Costianovsky, who sponsored it, as well as the support of FIDE through its FIDE Open Aid Project that made it possible to improve the tournament conditions and incorporate prizes for the women’s and senior categories (+65).

In parallel with the tournament, open and free talks were held on February 6-10, covering different topics, from chess and psychology to chess and mathematics.

The playing hall at the Montevideo City Hall

The podium

The winners of the women’s category

The strongest among the seniors

Find more photos here.

Final standings

...134 players

All available games

Links

• Full technical info at Chess-Results
• Photo gallery