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Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukrainian federation was able to hold its national championships, of course in compliance with the necessary hygiene requirements. The number of participants was limited to a maximum of 40 players. Each player was also required to present a negative Covid-19 test, which could not be more than three days old. Protective masks were compulsory and special medical care was provided.
38 players took part in the nine-round Swiss that was played in the village of Omelnyk, near Kremenchuk.
With two wins, two draws, and another win Anton Korobov started well, but the crucial game of the Championship came in round 7. Korobov had to play with Black against Yuriy Kozubov, number two on the seeding list, and in this important game fortune smiled on Korobov.
White is a pawn up and clearly better.
25.f4 Qe7 26.h3 Qh4 27.Rf1 Qe7 28.e5 Qh4 29.Qe2 g6 30.f5 Perhaps a bit too hasty. 30.Kh2!? Qe7 31.Qb5 was a good alternative.
30...gxf5 31.Rxf5 Qxa4 32.Qf2?! Giving Black too much counterplay. Better was 32.Kh2!? to prepare 33.Qh5.
32...Qa1+ 33.Kh2 White gradually loses control of the game.
33...Rd1 34.Rxf7 Rh1+ 35.Kg3 Qxc3 36.Re7?! Better was 36.Kh4 to follow-up with 37.Qf5.
36...Qxe5+ 37.Kh4 Qe4+ 38.g4
38... Ng5 This move probably came as a shock for White – and he panics.
39.Bxg5? 39.Rxe4 Rxh3# is mate. But the right reaction was 39.Qf7+ Nxf7 40.Rxe4 Ng5 41.Bxg5 hxg5+ 42.Kxg5 Rxh3 and though White still has to fight he should be able to draw.
39...hxg5+ 40.Kg3 Qxe7 White lost a rook. 0–1
After this win Korobov was one point ahead of the field and needed only two draws in the last two rounds to secure the title. After winning the Ukrainian Championships in 2002, 2012 and 2018 it is the fourth title for the 35-year old Korobov.
One point behind Korobov followed six players with 6.0/9 but Kirill Shevchenko and Yury Kozubov finished second and third on tie-break.
The best woman in the Open Championship was Iulija Osmak who scored 5.0/9 and finished 16th.
| Rk. | Name | Elo | Pts. | Tb1 | |
| 1 | GM | Korobov Anton | 2683 | 7,0 | 46,5 |
| 2 | GM | Shevchenko Kirill | 2592 | 6,0 | 44,0 |
| 3 | GM | Kuzubov Yuriy | 2641 | 6,0 | 44,0 |
| 4 | GM | Zubov Alexander | 2589 | 6,0 | 44,0 |
| 5 | GM | Bernadskiy Vitaliy | 2619 | 6,0 | 42,5 |
| 6 | GM | Kovchan Alexander | 2568 | 6,0 | 42,0 |
| 7 | GM | Ovsejevitsch Sergei | 2587 | 6,0 | 39,5 |
| 8 | GM | Solodovnichenko Yuri | 2544 | 5,5 | 42,5 |
| 9 | GM | Zubarev Alexander | 2422 | 5,5 | 41,0 |
| 10 | IM | Peng Li Min | 2428 | 5,5 | 35,0 |
| 11 | IM | Matviishen Viktor | 2506 | 5,0 | 46,0 |
| 12 | IM | Galperin Platon | 2461 | 5,0 | 45,0 |
| 13 | GM | Onischuk Vladimir | 2633 | 5,0 | 43,0 |
| 14 | IM | Polivanov Anatoliy | 2452 | 5,0 | 40,5 |
| 15 | IM | Borsuk Konstantin | 2401 | 5,0 | 39,5 |
| 16 | IM | Osmak Iulija | 2438 | 5,0 | 38,0 |
| 17 | IM | Koziak Vitali | 2428 | 5,0 | 36,5 |
| 18 | GM | Sivuk Vitaly | 2550 | 4,5 | 40,5 |
| 19 | FM | Mosesov Danyil | 2391 | 4,5 | 39,0 |
| 20 | Solovchuk Oleksiy | 2301 | 4,5 | 38,5 | |
| 21 | IM | Buksa Nataliya | 2410 | 4,5 | 36,0 |
| 22 | GM | Golubka Petro | 2487 | 4,5 | 35,0 |
| 23 | FM | Bilych Olexiy | 2318 | 4,0 | 38,0 |
| 24 | WIM | Martynkova Olena | 2222 | 4,0 | 35,5 |
| 25 | FM | Malovanyi Yulian | 2279 | 4,0 | 35,0 |
| 26 | IM | Bakhmatsky Vladislav | 2438 | 4,0 | 32,0 |
| 27 | WGM | Babiy Olga | 2271 | 4,0 | 31,5 |
| 28 | IM | Larkin Vladyslav | 2388 | 3,5 | 36,5 |
| 29 | GM | Neverov Valeriy | 2453 | 3,5 | 35,5 |
| 30 | FM | Berdnyk Mariia | 2324 | 3,5 | 35,0 |
| 31 | GM | Mirzoev Emil | 2480 | 3,5 | 34,5 |
| 32 | FM | Mitusov Semen | 2306 | 3,5 | 32,5 |
| 33 | GM | Shishkin Vadim | 2469 | 3,5 | 29,0 |
| 34 | IM | Frolov Artur | 2405 | 3,0 | 32,5 |
| 35 | FM | Palchuk Andrii | 2149 | 3,0 | 31,5 |
| 36 | Kushko Dmitriy | 2307 | 3,0 | 31,0 | |
| 37 | WGM | Doluhanova Evgeniya | 2229 | 2,5 | 31,5 |
| 38 | IM | Terletsky Oleg | 2246 | 1,5 | 32,0 |
Translation from German: Johannes Fischer
