The 9th International Meurthe and Moselle Chess Festival took place this weekend in Nancy, France with 202 players in total and very strong field including ex-world champion Kasimdzhanov, French stars Bacrot, Fressinet, top Indian Harikrishna, and Germany's top three players, Naiditsch, Meier, and Fridman.

The goal of surpassing 200 players was achieved

The top ten boards

Ex-world champion Kasimdzhanov facing Fressinet came in 2nd-7th with 7.0/9

The event determined the Champion of France in rapid games though open to all players.

The event was a great success for Laurent Fressinet, who is already the Absolute French Champion in title, and who not only took the title of French Rapid champion, as the best-scoring French player, but also crushed the blitz field with an incredible 10.5/11.

Harikrishna facing Fressinet in the last round. The Frenchman successfully converted
the endgame to take the title.

A crowd gathers to see the final minutes of Bacrot-Meier in round four. Bacrot won.

The overall winner of the rapid tournament was German GM Daniel Fridman, who took sole first with 7.5/9.

German GMs Daniel Fridman and Arkadij Naiditsch drew in the third round

Veteran Swedish GM Ulf Andersson, facing French GM Bauer, came in second with
7/9, edging out five others by virtue of tiebreak.

French GM-star Etienne Bacrot also gave a simul : 18 wins, 2 draws, and no losses

He had few difficulties and imposed a lossless 19-1 score

Pictures courtesy of IM Christophe Philippe

Video reports

Final rapid standings

• Click here for full results

Final blitz standings

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Official tournament site