Gharamian and Guichard win French Championship

by Johannes Fischer
8/28/2018 – The victory of Tigran Gharamian (photo) at the French Championships 2018 in Nimes turned into a marathon affair as the Armenian-born French grandmaster claimed the title only after two sets of tiebreaks culminating in an Armageddon game. The Women's Championship was clearer: Pauline Guichard won the title with 7½ out of 9. Second place went to Sophie Milliet, who scored 6½ points. | Photo: Amruta Mokal (archive)
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French Championships 2018

The French Championships 2018 ended in a three-way tie. After the round-robin tournament with ten participants Tigran Gharamian, Yannick Gozzoli and Romain Edouard were first with 6 out of 9 points.

Final standings after nine rounds

Rk. Title Name Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts.
1 GM Romain Edouard 2638   0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 6.0 / 9
2 GM Tigran Gharamian 2614 1   ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 6.0 / 9
3 GM Yannick Gozzoli 2596 ½ ½   ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 6.0 / 9
4 GM Etienne Bacrot 2699 ½ ½ ½   ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 5.5 / 9
5 GM Laurent Fressinet 2645 ½ ½ ½ ½   ½ ½ ½ 1 1 5.5 / 9
6 GM Christian Bauer 2636 ½ ½ 0 1 ½   ½ ½ ½ ½ 4.5 / 9
7 GM Matthieu Cornette 2593 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½   ½ 0 ½ 3.5 / 9
8 GM Sebastien Maze 2612 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½   1 ½ 3.0 / 9
9 GM Jean Pierre Le Roux 2539 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0   ½ 3.0 / 9
10 IM Quentin Loiseau 2417 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½   2.0 / 9

All games

 

A three-way playoff between Gozzoli, Edouard and Gharamian did not break the logjam as Edouard and Gharamian each scored 2½ points.

Playoff results

Rk. Title Name       Pts.
1 GM Romain Edouard   1½ ½½ 2.5
2 GM Tigran Gharamian 0½   11 2.5
3 GM Yannick Gozzoli ½½ 00   1.0

Playoff games

 

Finally, a head-to-head match decided the title in an Armageddon game, giving the French Champion title to Gharamian.

Tiebreak results

Rk. Title Name    
1 GM Tigran Gharamian 011 2.0
2 GM Romain Edouard 100 1.0

Tiebreak games

 

Podium

Podium (L to R): Edouard, Gharamian and Gozzoli | Photo: nimes2018.ffechecs.org

Pauline Guichard made it look easy in the Women's Championship. The 29-year-old won the French championship confidently with 7½ out of 9 despite a defeat against third-placed Cecile Hausernot.

Women's podium

(L to R): Milliet, Guichard and Hausernot | Photo: nimes2018.ffechecs.org

Final standings after nine rounds

Rk. Title Name Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts.
1 WGM Pauline Guichard 2365   1 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 7.5 / 9
2 IM Sophie Milliet 2389 0   1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 6.5 / 9
3 WIM Cecile Haussernot 2198 1 0   1 1 1 1 1 0 0 6.0 / 9
4 WGM Maria Leconte 2224 ½ ½ 0   1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 5.5 / 9
5 WIM Andreea Cristiana Navrotescu 2247 0 0 0 0   1 1 1 1 1 5.0 / 9
6 WIM Natacha Benmesbah 2255 0 ½ 0 0 0   1 1 1 1 4.5 / 9
7 WGM Anda Safranska 2193 0 0 0 ½ 0 0   1 1 1 3.5 / 9
8 WIM Andreea Bollengier 2219 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0   1 1 2.5 / 9
9 WFM Cyrielle Monpeurt 2175 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 0 0   ½ 2.5 / 9
10 WFM Anaelle Afraoui 2041 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 ½   1.5 / 9

All games

 

Translation from German: Macauley Peterson

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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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