No easy pairings in Dortmund

Not all the favourites were able to score at the top of the A Open on Saturday. While Matthias Bluebaum, Rasmus Svane and Andrew Hong lived up to their status as favourites with ratings above 2600 and won their games, Dmitrij Kollars and David Navara stumbled and drew.

The first round of the A Open at the Dortmund Chess Festival began on Saturday afternoon on 101 boards. The B Open had already started in the morning, while the five-round International Women's Tournament begins on Sunday at the same time as the A Open. In 6 of these 101 first-round games, the players with the lower Elo ratings won, while 19 games ended in draws. In the first six rounds, players may take a bye, which gives them half a point. Five players made use of this option.

Among the 16 grandmasters in the field, there are 5 grandmasters rated above 2600, which puts them in the tournament spotlight. Matthias Bluebaum travelled to Dresden after playing in Biel in order to watch the German Championship. Now he is back at the board himself.

Rasmus Svane and Dmitrij Kollars had barely any break after the national championship and are playing again straight away in Dortmund. David Navara won the Chess960 tournament held as part of the national event. The fifth GM rated above 2600 in Dortmund is Andrew Hong. Christian Gloeckler (2519) won the Masters Open in Biel and is now also taking part in Dortmund. In the first round, he drew against Batbaatar Baatar (2168), an FM from Mongolia. By winning the Biel Open, Gloeckler achieved his first GM norm.

Round 1 results

Improve your pieces - a winning system you need to know

In this course, we will learn how to identify passively placed pieces in any given situation and how to improve their health by bringing them into active squares.

The tournament organisers write in their report on the first round that there will be no easy tasks in this tournament, and the results of the first round reflect exactly that. Of the players in the top 5 of the starting rank list, Dmitrij Kollars (2627) drew against Nurali Bolashakov (2199), and David Navara (2619) drew against Mauro Tirelli (2199). The two German national team players Matthias Bluebaum (2689) and Rasmus Svane lived up to their status as favourites. Bluebaum defeated Alfred Parvanyan (2200), while Rasmus Svane scored against Robert Prieb (2195).

Czechia's number two is plaaying in Dortmund: David Navara | Photo: Official website

Alfred Parvanyan 0 - 1 Matthias Bluebaum

Had Bluebaum started immediately with gxh4 in this position, White would have had fewer chances of reaching a playable position. From this position onwards, things only went downhill for Parvanyan in the game.

Standings after round 1

The Modern Benko Gambit

The Benko Gambit is back at the very highest level - and it's easy to see why. Black sacrifices a pawn to seize the initiative on the queenside, obtaining long-lasting pressure, active pieces and open files that make life difficult for White.
In modern chess, activity has become one of the most prized ressources of all. Engines have taught us again and again that active piece play, the initiative and dynamic pressure can more than compensate for small material or structural concessions. The Benko Gambit fits this philosophy perfectly. By giving up a pawn early, Black immediately gets exactly what the modern player is looking for: open lines, harmonious development and relentless, long-term pressure on White's queenside. It's a genuine fighting opening, ideal for players who don't want to drift into the quiet, slow-maneuvering waters that 1.d4 so often leads to, but instead prefer to seize the initiative and steer the game into sharp, dynamic and double-edged territory.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample chapter: Alternatives Move 3

...out of a total of 208 participants

• TB1: Buchholz Variable (2023)
• TB2: Sum of variable Buchholz scores

After the first round, Gerhard Nolte is in first place because the variable Buchholz score offsets the Buchholz deficit caused by the bye point. This effect will be reduced by the coming rounds, so it should not have any impact on the top of the standings over the course of the tournament.

Games

A look ahead to round two

As last year's winner of the A Open, the strongest player in the field and Germany's second-best player, Matthias Bluebaum occupies a particularly clear role as favourite in this tournament. In the second round, his opponent is Romouald Mainka (2323).

In round two, ChessBase colleague Bahne Fuhrmann (2282) will play on board 5. He won in the first round against Eryk Ejsymont (2022). In the second round, he will have white against Kacper Piorun (2519).

The International Women's Tournament also begins on Sunday. Dinara Wagner, Song Yuxin, Natalia Buksa and Klaudia Kulon will compete there. In the first round, Dinara Wagner has white against Klaudia Kulon, while Natalia Buksa faces Song Yuxin.

The Bulletproof 1.b3 Repertoire

This compact course is designed specifically for practical play. Instead of overwhelming you with endless theory, it focuses on the critical lines, typical plans, and recurring tactical ideas.
Looking for an opening that gets your opponents thinking on move one? Grandmaster Andy Woodward has relied on 1.b3 for years in blitz and bullet, using it to defeat strong masters and grandmasters who underestimated its hidden venom. While many players dismiss the opening as harmless, they often find themselves caught in unfamiliar positions, tactical traps, and uncomfortable middlegames. This compact course is designed specifically for practical play. Instead of overwhelming you with endless theory, it focuses on the critical lines, typical plans, and recurring tactical ideas that matter most when the clock is ticking.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: King's Indian Setup

Links

• Tournament website
• Chess-Results