6/30/2011 – The top seed GMs have survived mostly unharmed in this South African event, fighting for maximum points in the early rounds, a task not made easy by ambitious youngsters (Nigel Short: "My opponent was rated a thousand points below me but made me work!"). After seven rounds English GM Gawain Jones leads with 6.5 points, followed by 15 players with 60./5 each. Report and videos.
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Commonwealth Chess Championships debut in Africa!
Report by Graham Jurgensen, Convenor of the Championships
A record field of over 700 chess fans (and fanatics) have gathered at Emperors
Palace Hotel Casino and Convention Centre in Ekurhuleni, South Africa for the
hosting of the 2011 Commonwealth & South African Open Chess Championships.
The field boasts more than 40 titled players and is headed by three times past
champion GM Nigel Short from England. There is also a strong Indian contingent
present including former World Junior Chess Champions GM Abhijeet Gupta and
IM Harika Dronovalli.
With two double rounds in two days the start of the 2011 Commonwealth &
South African Open Chess Championships has been brutal and the top players have
been in survival mode as they fight for maximum points in the early rounds.
"It's hard work, you know," says Nigel Short in his interview (Vijay
Kumar's round three report below). "I was outrating my first round opponent
by a thousand points, but still I'm having to work in every game. It's always
difficult when you have juniors who are underrated and improving." Here's
the first-round game Nigel refers to:
A number of up and coming youngsters have impressed to date. IM Sahaj Grover,
who entered the event with an “active” FIDE rating of 2496, secured
a perfect start of 5/5 before drawing with GM Nigel Short in round six. This
has secured him the required rating points to cross the key 2500 rating barrier
and he now requires two further GM norms to secure his GM title.
Twelve-year-old WFM Ivana Maria Furtado (rated 1999) got off to a blistering
start and
found herself paired against GM Abhijit Kunte in the third round, a game she
drew
15-year-old IM Sahaj Grover on the way to a 5.0/5 start
FM Nicholas van der Nat (2308), the reigning SA champion caused the first major
upset when he defeated GM David Smerdon from Australia in round five. In the
background Indian TV journalist Vijay Kumar, whose video reports are given below.
A total of five players achieved a perfect start of 5.0/5, including top seeds
GM Nigel Short and GM Gawain Jones.
Younger players participating in the development section of the championship.
What makes the event special is the fact that the top players are playing in
a single venue with more than 700 amateurs, many of whom are up and coming juniors.
A number of tours have been arranged by the organisers so that visiting players
can get the full African experience whilst in the country. The players will
be visiting the Lion
and Rhino Reserve and the Sterkfontein
Caves in the next few days. Pictures from these excursions will follow in
due course.
In round eight Nigel Short has white against Gawain Jones, Abhijeet Gupta (2604)
plays IM Tanguy Ringoir (2399), Sahaj Grover (2485) plays Jason Davies (2048)
and Niclas Huschenbeth (2502) plays FM Nicholas van der Nat (2308). Watch it
on Playchess.
Video reports by Vijay Kumar
Round three report
Round four report
Round five report
Round six report. Vijay Kumar IBS [Retd] is the former Chief Producer
of
TV News & Sports, Doordarshan Indian TV Network
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