David Howell dominates in Leiden

by Johannes Fischer
7/29/2015 – Just before the start of the British Championship GM David Howell proved to be in splendid form. He smoothly won an open in Leiden in the Netherlands that took place from 18th to 26th July with 8.5/9. With this result Howell for the first time in his career has more than 2700 elo in the live rating list. But at the start of the tournament he really had to sweat.
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David Howell receives the winner's check

Howell dominated the tournament from beginning to end. He started by winning his first five games and then slowed down with a draw against GM Evgeny Postny from Israel. However, after this draw he played with renewed energy and in round six he countered the entertaining gambit play of Indian IM Arghyadip Das with a surprising bishop sacrifice and a fine tactical display.

 
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1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 b5 4.a4 c6 5.Nc3 a6 6.axb5 cxb5 7.Nxb5 axb5 8.Rxa8 Bb7 9.Ra1 e6 10.Be2 Nf6 11.Nf3 Nxe4 12.0-0 Nc6 13.b3 A novelty in this sharp line. Na5 14.Bxc4!? Definitely a surprising move. White is an exchange up but gives the bishop for two pawns. In the arising position Black has two pieces for rook and pawn but the knight on a5 has trouble to come back into the game. bxc4 15.bxc4 Nc3?! Black sacrificed an exchange in the opening and is still in "fast forward mode". However, his knights find no targets in White's camp and lack coordination. More circumspect was 15...Be7 or 15...Nc6 though White in both cases has nothing to complain about. 16.Qd3 Bb4 16...Bxf3? 17.Qxc3 Be2 18.Re1+- 17.d5 Interrupts the diagonal of the bishop on b7 to have time to exploit the precarious position of the black pieces on the queenside. Nb3?! This knight attack is more than Black's position can bear. Safer was 17...Ba6 18.Ba3! Nc5 19.Qe3 Qa5 20.Bb2 N3a4 21.Bxg7 Rg8 22.Bd4 Rg4 23.Rfb1 Emphasizing the bad position of Black's pieces. Re4 24.Qg5 Rxd4 Black gives the exchange but that does not really help. 25.Nxd4 Bc3 26.Qg8+ Ke7 27.Rxb7+ 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Howell,D2698Das,A24571–02015D209th Leiden Open A 20157.1

In round eight he continued in similar style and after one slight inaccuracy by his opponent Boris Chatalbashev he overran the Bulgarian GM with a vigorous attack:

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 b6 5.e3 Ne4 6.Qc2 Bb7 7.Bd3 f5 8.0-0 Bxc3 9.bxc3 0-0 10.Nd2 Qh4 11.f3 Nxd2 12.Bxd2 d6 13.Rae1 Nd7 14.e4 f4 15.Qa4 Qe7 16.g3 A new attempt in a well-known variation that soon leads to a curious and rarely seen pawn formation. g5 17.h4 gxh4 18.gxf4 Kh8 19.Kf2 h3 20.Ke2 Rg8 21.Rh1 Rg3 22.Be3 Nf6 23.Bf2?! This attempt to drive out the black rook backfires. Komodo recommends 23.d5 with an equal position. 23...Nh5! 24.Bxg3 Nxg3+ 25.Ke3 Qh4! Black refrains from winning back the exchange immediately and prefers to increase the pressure. The main threat is ...Rf8. 26.Qb5 Hopes to transfer the queen to the kingside, but... e5! Black prevents such ideas and now has a winning position. 27.Qd7 After 27.dxe5 Rf8 Black is winning, e.g. 28.Be2 Qxf4+ 29.Kd3 Nxe2 30.Rxe2 Qxf3+ 27...Qxf4+ 28.Kf2 Qd2+! 29.Be2 After 29.Kxg3 Rg8+ White has to give his queen to avoid mate. 29...Nxe4+ 30.fxe4 Rf8+ 31.Kg3 Bc8! 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Chatalbashev,B2516Howell,D26980–12015E219th Leiden Open A 20158.1

With this victory Howell had won the tournament with one round to spare. But he finished with a technical defensive win against Marian Petrov in round nine.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 e6 4.d4 d5 5.exd5 exd5 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.0-0 Nge7 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.Nb3 Bb6 11.Re1 Bg4 12.Be3 Re8 13.Bd3 Ng6 14.Bxg6 hxg6 15.Bxb6 Rxe1+ 16.Qxe1 Qxb6 17.Nfd4 a5 18.h3 Bd7 19.Nxc6 bxc6 20.Qe7 a4 21.Qa3 Re8 22.Qxa4 Re2 23.Qd4 Qb8 24.c4 Re4 25.Qd2 Rxc4 26.Rc1 Rb4 27.Nc5 Bf5 28.b3 Rh4 29.Qe3 Qb4 30.a4 Kh7 31.Kh2 d4 32.Qg3 d3 33.Nxd3 Bxd3 34.Qxd3 c5 35.Rc4 Qb8+ 36.Qg3 1–0
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Howell,D2698Petrov,M24871–02015B309th Leiden Open A 20159.1

Final results

Rank Name Score Fed. M/F Rating TPR W-We BH SB
1 GM Howell, David W L 8.5 ENG M 2698 2895 +1.42 51.5 48.0
2 GM Postny, Evgeny 7.0 ISR M 2642 2675 +0.57 52.5 39.75
3 GM Nikolic, Predrag 6.5 BIH M 2601 2621 +0.50 53.0 35.0
4 GM Chatalbashev, Boris 6.0 BUL M 2516 2543 +0.48 52.5 31.75
5 GM Tiviakov, Sergei 6.0 NED M 2639 2512 -1.03 51.0 32.25
6 GM Milov, Leonid 6.0 GER M 2462 2491 +0.60 51.0 29.5
7 IM De Jong, Jan-Willem 6.0 NED M 2448 2478 +0.53 50.0 31.5
8 IM Das, Arghyadip 6.0 IND M 2457 2526 +0.97 49.5 30.0
9 Pijpers, Arthur 6.0 NED M 2433 2431 +0.16 45.5 28.25
10 GM Petrov, Marian 5.5 BUL M 2487 2383 -0.82 47.0 25.75
11 Van Overdam, Julian 5.5 NED M 2367 2351 -0.02 46.5 26.25
12 FM Erwich, Frank 5.5 NED M 2361 2319 -0.17 45.5 25.5
13 Johansson, Gunnar 5.5 SWE M 2223 2236 +0.23 39.0 21.25
14 Wallgren, Ulf 5.5 SWE M 2141 2160 +0.31 36.0 20.75
15 Oosterom, Erik 5.5 NED M 2043 2221 +1.95 35.0 18.25
16 Van der Marel, Bert 5.0 NED M 2161 2411 +2.55 50.0 24.0
17 IM Van Delft, Merijn 5.0 NED M 2428 2241 -1.81 44.5 23.75
18 FM Gindi, Shachar 5.0 ISR M 2336 2256 -0.74 44.0 20.0
19 Wilschut, Peter 5.0 NED M 2238 2205 -0.37 41.5 22.0
20 Van der Raaf, Erik 5.0 NED M 2110 2164 +0.36 41.5 20.0
21 IM Palit, Somak 5.0 IND M 2360 2201 -1.53 41.0 20.75
22 FM Heemskerk, Wim 5.0 NED M 2175 2199 +0.28 41.0 20.0
23 Den Hartog, Marijn 5.0 NED M 2088 2137 +0.36 40.0 21.0
24 Halfhide, Sebastian 5.0 NED M 2091 2234 +1.51 40.0 19.0
25 Polak, Alexander 5.0 NED M 2114 2153 +0.44 37.5 16.75
26 FM Happel, Henk 5.0 NED M 2107 2144 +0.27 34.5 16.25

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a4 Bd7 9.c3 0-0 10.d3 Na5 11.Bc2 c5 12.Nbd2 Re8 13.Nf1 Nc6 14.Ng3 Bf8 15.h3 Rc8 16.Be3 h6 17.axb5 axb5 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 cxd4 20.Nxd4 Nb4 21.Bb3 d5 22.exd5 Nbxd5 23.Ndf5 Nxe3 24.Rxe3 Rxe3 25.Nxe3 Bc6 26.Qxd8 Rxd8 27.Rc1 Be8 28.Kf1 g6 29.Rd1 Rc8 30.Nd5 Nxd5 31.Bxd5 Be7 32.Ne4 Rc2 33.Ra1 Rc8 34.Ke2 Kf8 35.Rd1 b4 36.Bb3 Bb5+ 37.Ke3 Re8 38.Kf4 Bd8 39.Bd5 f5 40.Ng3 Bg5+ 41.Kf3 Rd8 42.h4 Bf6 43.Bb3 Rxd1 44.Bxd1 Bxh4 45.Ke3 Bd8 46.Be2 Bc6 47.Bf3 Bb5 48.Be2 Bb6+ 49.Kd2 Ba4 50.f3 Bc7 51.Nf1 Bf4+ 52.Ne3 h5 53.Bd3 Ke7 54.Ke2 Kd6 55.Bc4 Be5 56.Bf7 Bb5+ 57.Kd2 Bf4 58.Bxg6 Ke5 59.g3 Bxg3 60.Nxf5 Bf4+ 61.Ke1 Bd7 62.Bxh5 Bxf5 63.Bf7 Bc2 64.Ke2 Kd4 65.Bg8 Bc1 66.Bf7 b3 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Halfhide,S2091Howell,D26980–12015C889th Leiden Open A 20151.1
Postny,E2642Den Hartog,M2088½–½2015E719th Leiden Open A 20151.2
Ratsma,R2088Tiviakov,S26390–12015B019th Leiden Open A 20151.3
Nikolic,P2601Bebchuk,L20721–02015D589th Leiden Open A 20151.4
Van Halderen,H2052Milov,L24620–12015A569th Leiden Open A 20151.5
Das,A2457Van der Scheer,H20491–02015B629th Leiden Open A 20151.6
Oosterom,E2043De Jong,J24480–12015E919th Leiden Open A 20151.7
Pijpers,A2433Van Briemen,W20411–02015C199th Leiden Open A 20151.8
Van der Meer,K2038Van Delft,M2428½–½2015E849th Leiden Open A 20151.9
Van Overdam,J2367Dellert,L18351–02015C459th Leiden Open A 20151.10
Knudsen,M2026Erwich,F2361½–½2015E149th Leiden Open A 20151.11
Campbell,I2005Gindi,S23361–02015D009th Leiden Open A 20151.13
Visser,H2272Veenendaal,L19931–02015B129th Leiden Open A 20151.14
Jongste,D1976Sorensen,B22171–02015C039th Leiden Open A 20151.17
Overeem,M2216Erwich,F19741–02015A409th Leiden Open A 20151.18
Bishoen,B1968Kolodkin,D22080–12015B209th Leiden Open A 20151.19
Kerkvliet,M2186Bakker,J19561–02015D309th Leiden Open A 20151.20
Heemskerk,W2175Holwijn,M19521–02015A049th Leiden Open A 20151.22
Hawkins,J1942Van der Marel,L21610–12015C509th Leiden Open A 20151.23
De Mooij,M1929Wallgren,U21410–12015B339th Leiden Open A 20151.25
Howell,D2698Visser,H22721–02015D159th Leiden Open A 20152.1
Tiviakov,S2639Johansson,G22231–02015B409th Leiden Open A 20152.2
Overeem,M2216Nikolic,P26010–12015A219th Leiden Open A 20152.3
Milov,L2462Kerkvliet,M21861–02015B019th Leiden Open A 20152.4
Kolodkin,D2208Das,A2457½–½2015B519th Leiden Open A 20152.5
De Jong,J2448Heemskerk,W21751–02015B079th Leiden Open A 20152.6
Van der Marel,L2161Pijpers,A2433½–½2015A019th Leiden Open A 20152.7
Wallgren,U2141Van Overdam,J23670–12015B409th Leiden Open A 20152.8
Gindi,S2336Jongste,D19761–02015A169th Leiden Open A 20152.9
Van der Raaf,E2110Postny,E26420–12015B109th Leiden Open A 20152.10
Chatalbashev,B2516Happel,H21071–02015A139th Leiden Open A 20152.11
Petrov,M2487Van der Meer,K20381–02015B319th Leiden Open A 20152.12
Van Delft,M2428Knudsen,M20261–02015B079th Leiden Open A 20152.13
Erwich,F2361Roozendaal,M19891–02015B109th Leiden Open A 20152.14
Den Hartog,M2088Palit,S23600–12015C609th Leiden Open A 20152.15
Wilschut,P2238Corstjens,R19531–02015A169th Leiden Open A 20152.16
Van der Elburg,F2185Vreeburg,J19011–02015A039th Leiden Open A 20152.17
Bebchuk,L2072Bishoen,B19680–12015B729th Leiden Open A 20152.23
Milov,L2462Howell,D26980–12015C119th Leiden Open A 20153.1
Van Overdam,J2367Tiviakov,S2639½–½2015C079th Leiden Open A 20153.2
Nikolic,P2601De Jong,J24481–02015D229th Leiden Open A 20153.3
Postny,E2642Gindi,S23361–02015E069th Leiden Open A 20153.4
Palit,S2360Chatalbashev,B25160–12015B079th Leiden Open A 20153.5
Wilschut,P2238Petrov,M2487½–½2015A109th Leiden Open A 20153.6
Das,A2457Van der Elburg,F21851–02015B479th Leiden Open A 20153.7
Pijpers,A2433Kolodkin,D22081–02015B949th Leiden Open A 20153.8
Van der Marel,L2161Van Delft,M24281–02015A019th Leiden Open A 20153.9
Polak,A2114Erwich,F23610–12015C509th Leiden Open A 20153.10
Visser,H2272Van Halderen,H2052½–½2015B909th Leiden Open A 20153.11
Brantjes,Y1937Overeem,M22160–12015B329th Leiden Open A 20153.13
Kerkvliet,M2186Holwijn,M19521–02015E169th Leiden Open A 20153.14
Van Drunick,J1919Heemskerk,W21750–12015E719th Leiden Open A 20153.15
Dellert,L1835Wallgren,U21411–02015C069th Leiden Open A 20153.17
Jongste,D1976Van der Raaf,E21100–12015C039th Leiden Open A 20153.18
Roozendaal,M1989Sorensen,B22170–12015A409th Leiden Open A 20153.19
Halfhide,S2091Erwich,F19741–02015B809th Leiden Open A 20153.21
Corstjens,R1953Den Hartog,M20881–02015C779th Leiden Open A 20153.22
Ratsma,R2088Veenendaal,L19931–02015B109th Leiden Open A 20153.23
De Mooij,M1929Van der Scheer,H20490–12015B709th Leiden Open A 20153.24
Vreeburg,J1901Bebchuk,L20721–02015D379th Leiden Open A 20153.27
Howell,D2698Nikolic,P26011–02015C079th Leiden Open A 20154.1
Erwich,F2361Postny,E26420–12015B019th Leiden Open A 20154.2
Tiviakov,S2639Das,A2457½–½2015C429th Leiden Open A 20154.3
Chatalbashev,B2516Pijpers,A24331–02015A079th Leiden Open A 20154.4
Petrov,M2487Van der Marel,L21610–12015C509th Leiden Open A 20154.5
Heemskerk,W2175Milov,L24620–12015A109th Leiden Open A 20154.6
De Jong,J2448Overeem,M22161–02015E739th Leiden Open A 20154.7
Gindi,S2336Kerkvliet,M21861–02015A149th Leiden Open A 20154.8
Dellert,L1835Wilschut,P2238½–½2015C069th Leiden Open A 20154.9
Van Delft,M2428Halfhide,S2091½–½2015C789th Leiden Open A 20154.10
Van Halderen,H2052Palit,S23601–02015A409th Leiden Open A 20154.11
Van der Scheer,H2049Visser,H22720–12015A319th Leiden Open A 20154.12
Bishoen,B1968Johansson,G22230–12015A099th Leiden Open A 20154.13
Sorensen,B2217Ratsma,R20881–02015A059th Leiden Open A 20154.14
Kolodkin,D2208Vreeburg,J19010–12015B089th Leiden Open A 20154.15
Van der Elburg,F2185Knudsen,M2026½–½2015A039th Leiden Open A 20154.16
Van der Raaf,E2110Corstjens,R19530–12015C029th Leiden Open A 20154.18
Hawkins,J1942Oosterom,E20430–12015D049th Leiden Open A 20154.21
Brantjes,Y1937Van Briemen,W20410–12015C159th Leiden Open A 20154.22
Den Hartog,M2088Van der Meer,K20381–02015B489th Leiden Open A 20154.24
Van der Marel,L2161Howell,D26980–12015A019th Leiden Open A 20155.1
Postny,E2642Chatalbashev,B25161–02015A569th Leiden Open A 20155.2
Milov,L2462Tiviakov,S2639½–½2015C119th Leiden Open A 20155.3
Nikolic,P2601Van Overdam,J23671–02015D449th Leiden Open A 20155.4
Das,A2457Gindi,S23361–02015B239th Leiden Open A 20155.5
Pijpers,A2433De Jong,J2448½–½2015C419th Leiden Open A 20155.6
Corstjens,R1953Erwich,F23610–12015C709th Leiden Open A 20155.7
Visser,H2272Polak,A2114½–½2015B129th Leiden Open A 20155.8
Wilschut,P2238Van Halderen,H20521–02015A289th Leiden Open A 20155.9
Johansson,G2223Dellert,L1835½–½2015A809th Leiden Open A 20155.10
Vreeburg,J1901Sorensen,B22172015A409th Leiden Open A 20155.11
Happel,H2107Petrov,M24870–12015A439th Leiden Open A 20155.12
Oosterom,E2043Van Delft,M24280–12015E989th Leiden Open A 20155.13
Overeem,M2216Vistisen,L21591–02015A559th Leiden Open A 20155.14
Kerkvliet,M2186Weiland,H18901–02015E629th Leiden Open A 20155.15
Halfhide,S2091Van der Elburg,F21850–12015B449th Leiden Open A 20155.16
Knudsen,M2026Kolodkin,D22080–12015D859th Leiden Open A 20155.18
Palit,S2360Nguyen,K19861–02015B509th Leiden Open A 20155.19
Howell,D2698Postny,E2642½–½2015C479th Leiden Open A 20156.1
Das,A2457Nikolic,P26011–02015C159th Leiden Open A 20156.2
Tiviakov,S2639Wilschut,P22381–02015C089th Leiden Open A 20156.3
Chatalbashev,B2516Van der Marel,L21611–02015E219th Leiden Open A 20156.4
De Jong,J2448Milov,L2462½–½2015A819th Leiden Open A 20156.5
Erwich,F2361Van Overdam,J23671–02015B409th Leiden Open A 20156.6
Petrov,M2487Overeem,M22161–02015C559th Leiden Open A 20156.7
Sorensen,B2217Pijpers,A24330–12015A079th Leiden Open A 20156.8
Van Delft,M2428Kerkvliet,M21861–02015B019th Leiden Open A 20156.9
Gindi,S2336Vreeburg,J19011–02015B089th Leiden Open A 20156.10
Van der Elburg,F2185Visser,H22720–12015A039th Leiden Open A 20156.11
Polak,A2114Johansson,G22230–12015B499th Leiden Open A 20156.12
Dellert,L1835Palit,S23600–12015B069th Leiden Open A 20156.13
Kolodkin,D2208Van Briemen,W20411–02015C159th Leiden Open A 20156.14
Heemskerk,W2175Corstjens,R1953½–½2015A139th Leiden Open A 20156.15
Wallgren,U2141Van Drunick,J19191–02015C449th Leiden Open A 20156.16
Van Halderen,H2052Happel,H21071–02015A849th Leiden Open A 20156.18
Weiland,H1890Halfhide,S20910–12015C459th Leiden Open A 20156.20
Bebchuk,L2072Jongste,D19760–12015B449th Leiden Open A 20156.22
Brantjes,Y1937Van der Raaf,E21100–12015C009th Leiden Open A 20156.23
Van der Scheer,H2049Havenaar,J20170–12015D029th Leiden Open A 20156.24
Howell,D2698Das,A24571–02015D209th Leiden Open A 20157.1
Postny,E2642Tiviakov,S2639½–½2015E179th Leiden Open A 20157.2
Erwich,F2361Chatalbashev,B25160–12015A109th Leiden Open A 20157.3
Nikolic,P2601Van Delft,M24281–02015D459th Leiden Open A 20157.4
Pijpers,A2433Petrov,M2487½–½2015B239th Leiden Open A 20157.5
Milov,L2462Gindi,S23361–02015A039th Leiden Open A 20157.6
Visser,H2272De Jong,J24480–12015C849th Leiden Open A 20157.7
Johansson,G2223Wilschut,P2238½–½2015D119th Leiden Open A 20157.8
Palit,S2360Wallgren,U21411–02015B019th Leiden Open A 20157.9
Van der Raaf,E2110Kolodkin,D22081–02015B909th Leiden Open A 20157.10
Van der Marel,L2161Van Halderen,H20521–02015A019th Leiden Open A 20157.11
Van Overdam,J2367Polak,A21141–02015B129th Leiden Open A 20157.12
Halfhide,S2091Sorensen,B22171–02015C119th Leiden Open A 20157.13
Kerkvliet,M2186Dellert,L18351–02015A809th Leiden Open A 20157.15
Vreeburg,J1901Heemskerk,W21750–12015E129th Leiden Open A 20157.17
Campbell,I2005Weiland,H18901–02015D029th Leiden Open A 20157.24
Van der Meer,K2038Van Brussel,B18771–02015D159th Leiden Open A 20157.27
Chatalbashev,B2516Howell,D26980–12015E219th Leiden Open A 20158.1
Postny,E2642Milov,L24621–02015D119th Leiden Open A 20158.2
Tiviakov,S2639Nikolic,P26010–12015C559th Leiden Open A 20158.3
De Jong,J2448Das,A2457½–½2015D459th Leiden Open A 20158.4
Petrov,M2487Palit,S23601–02015B569th Leiden Open A 20158.5
Johansson,G2223Pijpers,A24330–12015D119th Leiden Open A 20158.6
Van der Raaf,E2110Erwich,F2361½–½2015D019th Leiden Open A 20158.7
Gindi,S2336Van der Marel,L2161½–½2015A099th Leiden Open A 20158.8
Van Delft,M2428Visser,H2272½–½2015A059th Leiden Open A 20158.9
Howell,D2698Petrov,M24871–02015B309th Leiden Open A 20159.1
Nikolic,P2601Postny,E2642½–½2015D109th Leiden Open A 20159.2
De Jong,J2448Chatalbashev,B2516½–½2015B099th Leiden Open A 20159.3
Das,A2457Pijpers,A2433½–½2015C119th Leiden Open A 20159.4
Van der Marel,L2161Tiviakov,S26390–12015A019th Leiden Open A 20159.5
Milov,L2462Van der Raaf,E21101–02015C119th Leiden Open A 20159.6
Erwich,F2361Van Delft,M2428½–½2015B109th Leiden Open A 20159.7
Van Overdam,J2367Van Halderen,H20521–02015B239th Leiden Open A 20159.8
Palit,S2360Heemskerk,W2175½–½2015B409th Leiden Open A 20159.9

However, not everything in Leiden was easy for Howell. As part of the opening ceremony Howell and Loek van Wely played a blitz match while simulating bike-riding. On top of that they had to answer questions by Dutch GM John van der Wiel. Loek van Wely, who is notorious for his physical fitness, was much better at this kind of multi-tasking than the eventual tournament winner.

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Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

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