Iweta Rajlich tops two World Champions at First Saturday
By IM Miklos Orso
Playing in the First Saturday GM tournament held April 9-16, the greatest inspiration
for Iweta Rajlich was her lovely 21 month old little son while successfully
fighting for her second GM norm. “I was in a difficult situation against
GM Miso Cebalo (Senior World Champion 2009) but when my son Waclav Andrej appeared
in the room in the arms of my husband, I was lifted to heaven and found all
the saving moves that proved to be so important later.”
IM Iweta Rajlich, married to Vasik Rajlich, author of Rybka, found
divine inspiration seeing her baby boy.
She returned to competitive chess last December and achieved her second GM
norm (the first was achieved also at the First Saturday held in Budapest 2006)
winning this unique GM event that could boast of the participation of two active
World Champions.
GM Miso Cebalo (CRO) was Senior World Champion in 2009. In addition Fodor
Tamas Jr. who was U10 Word Champion (Oropesa del Mar 2001) was also playing.
Final standings of First Saturday GM tournament
Rk |
Name |
Pts |
Fed |
M/F |
Rtg |
Perf |
1 |
IM
Rajlich, Iweta |
7.0 |
POL |
F |
2422 |
2616 |
2 |
GM
Simonian, Hrair |
6.0 |
ARM |
M |
2469 |
2516 |
3 |
FM
Fodor, Tamas Jr. |
5.5 |
HUN |
M |
2482 |
2470 |
4 |
GM
Cebalo, Miso |
5.0 |
CRO |
M |
2442 |
2437 |
5 |
GM
Varga, Zoltan |
5.0 |
HUN |
M |
2440 |
2437 |
6 |
Szabo,
Bence |
4.5 |
HUN |
M |
2317 |
2408 |
7 |
IM
Rodriguez, Rafael |
4.0 |
ESP |
M |
2266 |
2371 |
8 |
GM
Flumbort, Andras Dr. |
3.5 |
HUN |
M |
2530 |
2304 |
9 |
IM
Estrada Nieto, Julian |
3.5 |
MEX |
M |
2306 |
2329 |
10 |
FM
Bach, Matthias |
1.0 |
GER |
M |
2315 |
2057 |
The IM section brought no norms since fighting against seven experienced IMs
was too hard a task for the candidates. The closest to succeeding was Padhya
Saumil (IND).
Padhya Saumil
The winner was IM Szeberenyi Adam who came ahead of IM Galyas Miklos, winner
of the Budapest Spring Festival Open just a week earlier.
IM Szeberenyi Adam won the IM tournament
Final standings of First Saturday IM tournament
There were two more groups with intense fights for rating points. The event
was played in the recently renewed large Conference Hall of the MEDOSZ Hotel
in Budapest which welcomes chess-players now with a bright, air-conditioned
playing site.
MEDOSZ hotel tournament hall after the renovation
Legendary GM Pal Benko, 84 years young, observes the game of Ms. Wang
The next First Saturday tournaments are scheduled for May 5-16. See the First
Saturday website for more information.
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