Max Warmerdam wins Vergani Cup

by André Schulz
1/8/2021 – At the beginning of the year the Vergani Cup was played in the picturesque town of Bassano del Grappa, close to the Italian Alps. Max Warmerdam from the Netherlands won the over-the-board tournament and secured his third grandmaster norm and the title! | Photo: Google

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Vergani Cup

The chess festival in Vergani took place from January 3 to January 7 and was played over-the-board. Before entering the tournament, all participants had to present a PCR test, which could be no more than three days old. The festival offered three open tournaments for players of various strengths. The A-Open attracted 50 participants, including several grandmasters and a number of ambitious young players such as the US American Hans Moke Niemann (17), the Dane Jonas Buhl Bjerre (16), and Daniel Dardha (15) from Belgium.

The tournament was hosted by the local Hotel Palladium. The prize fund was not too impressive, but the picturesque surroundings and the picturesque town surely motivated some players to participate. And maybe they just felt like playing chess over-the-board again.

After five rounds, the Algerian Bilel Bellahcene led with four wins and a draw, followed by Hans Moke Niemann, Jonas Buhl Bjerre, Luca Moroni and Max Warmerdam. In round 6 Bjerre won against Bellahcene while Warmerdam defeated Eduardo die Benedetto, and with 5.0/6 Bjerre and Warmerdam were the new leaders. The duel between these two was an exciting game, which Max Warmerdam won in the end.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Nxd7 5.0-0 Ngf6 6.Qe2 e6 7.c3 Be7 8.d4 0-0 9.Rd1 Rc8 10.e5 Ne8 11.dxc5 Nxc5 12.Na3 d5 13.Nb5 a6 14.Nbd4 Nc7 15.Bf4 Na8 16.h4 b5 17.g3 Nb6 18.Kg2 Ne4 19.Ng5 Nxg5 20.hxg5 Bxg5 21.Rh1 h6 22.Rh5 Bxf4 23.gxf4 Qe8 24.f5 exf5 25.Rah1 Nc4 26.f4 Rc6 27.Nxf5 Rg6+ 28.Kf1 Qd7
A tense position. White attacks but his king is quite exposed. Chances are equal - thinks the machine. 29.b3 29.Nxh6+ is premature: gxh6 30.Rxh6 Rxh6 31.Rxh6 Kg7 32.Qh5 and Black now has Ne3+ 33.Ke2 Qf5 29...Rc8 Black had no time to play 29...Nb6 : 30.Nxh6+! gxh6 31.Rxh6 Rxh6 32.Rxh6 Kg7 33.Qh5 und Matt. 30.bxc4 Rxc4 White is a piece up but has to defend against Black's counterattack. 31.Qd2 31.Nxh6+ Rxh6 32.Rxh6 Rxf4+ yields nothing. 31...Rg4 32.Nd4 b4 33.cxb4 Qc7 33...g5!? 34.Ne2 34.R5h3!? 34...Rgxf4+ 34...Rc2 35.Qd3 Rxa2 with compensation for Black. 35.Nxf4 Rc1+ 36.Ke2 Rc2 37.Nd3 Qc4 38.Qxc2 Qxc2+ 39.Ke3 By giving his queen for two rooks, White took the sting out of Black's attack and the black pawns are helpless against the white pieces. Black can only hope for a perpetual. Qxa2 40.Rg1 Qc4 40...Kf8 41.Rf5 and the f-pawn will fall. 40...d4+!? 41.Kxd4 Qe6 41.Rxh6 Qe4+ 42.Kd2 d4 43.Rg3 g6 Protecting the a-pawn. 44.Rh2 Qd5 45.Rf2 a5 46.bxa5 Qxa5+ 47.Ke2 Qa2+ 48.Kf1 Qd5 49.Rgf3 Qe4 50.Kg1 Qg4+ 51.Kh2 Qh4+ 52.Kg2 Qg4+ 53.Kh2 Qh4+ 54.Rh3 Qe4 55.Rg2 Kg7 56.Rhg3 Qh4+ 57.Kg1 Qe4 58.Rf2 Kg8 59.Rf4 Qe2 60.Rgf3 g5 61.Rg3 61.Rxf7+- 61...Kf8 62.Rf2 Qe4 63.Rff3 Ke7 64.Kf2 Qh4 65.Kg2 Ke8 66.Nf2 Ke7 67.Rh3 Trapping the queen - Black resigned. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Warmerdam,M2506Bjerre,J25511–02021B525th Vergani Cup January 20217.1

Warmerdam defended his lead in round eight with a draw against Czech Grandmaster Thai Dai Van Nguyen and was half a point ahead of his rivals before the ninth and last round, in which he had to play against Hans Moke Niemann. Bilel Bellahcene had also chances to win the tournament – if he defeated Checa Nikolas (USA) and Max Warmerdam lost.

But both games on the top boards ended in a draw, which was probably Warmerdam wanted – he won the tournament and scored his third and final grandmaster norm.

Max Warmerdam | Photo: Alina l'Ami (Archive)

Final standings

Rk. Name Pts.  TB1 
1 Warmerdam Max 7,0 49,0
2 Bellahcene Bilel 6,5 52,0
3 Niemann Hans Moke 6,5 49,0
4 Moroni Luca Jr 6,5 49,0
5 Nguyen Thai Dai Van 6,5 48,0
6 Checa Nicolas 6,0 49,5
7 Di Benedetto Edoardo 6,0 47,0
8 Sebenik Matej 6,0 42,0
9 Dardha Daniel 5,5 51,0
10 Bjerre Jonas Buhl 5,5 48,0
11 Mendonca Leon Luke 5,5 46,5
12 Krasteva Beloslava 5,5 37,0
13 Horvath Dominik 5,0 47,0
14 Sonis Francesco 5,0 45,0
15 Beerdsen Thomas 5,0 45,0
16 Lumachi Gabriele 5,0 44,0
17 Muetsch Annmarie 5,0 44,0
18 Dobrikov Marco 5,0 43,0
19 Bettalli Francesco 5,0 41,0
20 Mitran Anthony Cristian 5,0 40,0
21 Song Julien 5,0 39,5
22 Yu Jennifer 5,0 38,0
23 Rindone Andrea 5,0 35,5
24 Solomon Kenny 4,5 44,0

51 players

Games

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Be3 h5 9.Nd5 B90: Sicilian Najdorf: Unusual White 6th moves, 6 Be3 Ng4 and 6 Be3 e5. Bxd5 10.exd5 Nbd7 11.Qd2 The position is equal. g6 12.Be2 12.0-0-0 gains popularity. a5       13.Rc1 13.a4 13...a4= 14.Na1
14...Ng8N Predecessor: 14...Qa5 15.c4 Qxd2+ 16.Bxd2 Bh6 17.Nc2 h4 18.Na3 Ke7 19.Bxh6 Rxh6 20.Kd2 Nh5 0-1 (51) Ter Sahakyan,S (2575)-Kuzubov,Y (2643) Minsk 2014 15.c4 Bh6 16.Nc2 Bxe3 17.Nxe3 f5 18.0-0 f4 19.Nd1 Ne7 20.Bd3 Nc5 21.Bc2 Nf5 22.Bxf5 gxf5 23.Nc3 Rg8 24.Kh1 h4 25.Nb5 Kd7 26.h3 Rg3 27.b4 axb3 28.axb3 Qg5
Hoping for ...e4. 29.Rc2 Strongly threatening b4. e4! And now ...exf3 would win. 30.Nd4 Black must now prevent b4. e3? White leaves nothing to chance now. 30...Qf6= 31.Qb4+- Rg8? 31...Re8 32.Ra1 Ke7 32.Ne6!      
Deflection 32...Nxe6 33.Qxb7+ Nc7 34.c5 Rxg2 35.c6+ Ke8 ( -> ...Rg1+) 36.Qc8+ Qd8 37.Rxg2 Rxg2 38.Qxd8+ Kxd8 39.Kxg2 Nxd5       Endgame KR-KN 40.Rd1 e2 41.Re1 Nc3 41...Kc7 42.Rxe2 Kxc6 42.Kf2 Kc7 43.Rc1 Nb5 44.Rc4 d5 45.Rc5 Nd4 46.Rxd5 Nxf3 47.Kxe2 Ng1+ 48.Kf1 Nxh3 49.Rxf5 White mates. f3 50.Rxf3 Ng5 51.Rf4 h3 52.Rh4 Kxc6 53.Rh6+ Kd7 54.Ke2 Ne6 55.Kd2 Ng5 56.Kc2 Kc7 57.Rh5 Ne4 58.Rxh3 Kc6 59.Rh4 Kd5 60.Kd3 Nf6 61.b4       Nd7 62.Rh5+ Kc6 63.Kc4 Nb6+ 64.Kb3 Kb7 65.b5 Nc8 66.Rh7+ Kb6 67.Kb4 Na7 68.Rh6+ Kb7 69.Kc5 Nc8 70.Rh7+ Kb8 71.b6 Weighted Error Value: White=0.08/Black=0.29 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Brilej,J2218Bernadskiy,V26191–02021B905th Vergani Cup January 20211.1
Basso,P2561Calavalle,G22121–02021D445th Vergani Cup January 20211.2
Senner,P2201Nguyen,T25710–12021C005th Vergani Cup January 20211.3
Moroni,L2562Atanasov,A21441–02021D855th Vergani Cup January 20211.4
Nilssen,E2174Bjerre,J2551½–½2021D245th Vergani Cup January 20211.5
Mendonca,L2516Costa,L21651–02021E615th Vergani Cup January 20211.6
Mitran,A2157Checa,N25270–12021D005th Vergani Cup January 20211.7
Bellahcene,B2510Rindone,A-1–02021C175th Vergani Cup January 20211.8
Ruaro,C-Toniolo,S-1–02021D275th Vergani Cup January 20211.9
Brotto,A1921Pace,G16991–02021C415th Vergani Cup January 20211.10
Horvath,D2446Basso,P2561½–½2021A405th Vergani Cup January 20212.1
Nguyen,T2571Di Benedetto,E2386½–½2021D375th Vergani Cup January 20212.2
Solomon,K2364Moroni,L25620–120215th Vergani Cup January 20212.3
Fecker,N2329Mendonca,L25160–120215th Vergani Cup January 20212.4
Checa,N2527Krasteva,B2315½–½2021D245th Vergani Cup January 20212.5
Yu,J2315Bellahcene,B25100–12021E145th Vergani Cup January 20212.6
Warmerdam,M2506Song,J23061–020215th Vergani Cup January 20212.7
Moroni,L2562Dardha,D2487½–½2021D385th Vergani Cup January 20213.1
Mendonca,L2516Sonis,F2483½–½2021D385th Vergani Cup January 20213.2
Niemann,H2472Checa,N25271–02021D155th Vergani Cup January 20213.3
Bellahcene,B2510Lumachi,G22971–02021C775th Vergani Cup January 20213.4
Muetsch,A2236Warmerdam,M25060–12021C455th Vergani Cup January 20213.5
Basso,P2561Nguyen,T2571½–½2021E395th Vergani Cup January 20213.6
Di Benedetto,E2386Horvath,D2446½–½2021A925th Vergani Cup January 20213.7
Orfini,N2278Bjerre,J25510–12021B225th Vergani Cup January 20213.8
Brotto,A1921Scagliarini,L19071–02021B315th Vergani Cup January 20213.9
Zarpellon,D1916Pigato,A17251–02021A045th Vergani Cup January 20213.10
Warmerdam,M2506Bellahcene,B25100–12021B905th Vergani Cup January 20214.1
Dardha,D2487Niemann,H2472½–½2021A465th Vergani Cup January 20214.2
Sonis,F2483Moroni,L2562½–½2021A415th Vergani Cup January 20214.3
Nguyen,T2571Mendonca,L2516½–½2021E325th Vergani Cup January 20214.4
Yu,J2315Basso,P25610–12021A105th Vergani Cup January 20214.5
Bjerre,J2551Fecker,N23291–02021D785th Vergani Cup January 20214.6
Checa,N2527Song,J23061–02021A615th Vergani Cup January 20214.7
Dobrikov,M2301Sebenik,M2501½–½2021B335th Vergani Cup January 20214.8
Zarpellon,D1916Brotto,A19211–02021D305th Vergani Cup January 20214.9
Benedetti,M1895Scagliarini,L1907½–½2021E005th Vergani Cup January 20214.10
Bellahcene,B2510Niemann,H2472½–½2021C675th Vergani Cup January 20215.1
Basso,P2561Warmerdam,M25060–12021A495th Vergani Cup January 20215.2
Moroni,L2562Horvath,D24461–02021A495th Vergani Cup January 20215.3
Sonis,F2483Bjerre,J25510–12021E045th Vergani Cup January 20215.4
Mendonca,L2516Dardha,D2487½–½2021A095th Vergani Cup January 20215.5
Di Benedetto,E2386Checa,N25271–02021D135th Vergani Cup January 20215.6
Krasteva,B2315Bernadskiy,V26190–12021A415th Vergani Cup January 20215.7
Lumachi,G2297Nguyen,T25710–12021D365th Vergani Cup January 20215.8
Brotto,A1921Mattarella,P17231–02021C135th Vergani Cup January 20215.9
Budyi,D1759Mora,L1927½–½2021E905th Vergani Cup January 20215.10
Bjerre,J2551Bellahcene,B25101–02021E045th Vergani Cup January 20216.1
Niemann,H2472Moroni,L2562½–½2021B065th Vergani Cup January 20216.2
Warmerdam,M2506Di Benedetto,E23861–02021C125th Vergani Cup January 20216.3
Bernadskiy,V2619Mendonca,L2516½–½2021A145th Vergani Cup January 20216.4
Nguyen,T2571Beerdsen,T24791–02021D315th Vergani Cup January 20216.5
Dardha,D2487Basso,P25611–02021A405th Vergani Cup January 20216.6
Checa,N2527Sonis,F24831–02021A135th Vergani Cup January 20216.7
Horvath,D2446Sebenik,M25011–02021B335th Vergani Cup January 20216.8
Pigato,A1725Brotto,A19210–12021D225th Vergani Cup January 20216.9
Toniolo,S1997Budyi,D17591–02021C105th Vergani Cup January 20216.10
Warmerdam,M2506Bjerre,J25511–02021B525th Vergani Cup January 20217.1
Moroni,L2562Nguyen,T2571½–½2021D005th Vergani Cup January 20217.2
Bellahcene,B2510Dardha,D24871–02021B305th Vergani Cup January 20217.3
Niemann,H2472Bernadskiy,V26191–02021A405th Vergani Cup January 20217.4
Mendonca,L2516Checa,N2527½–½2021D155th Vergani Cup January 20217.5
Di Benedetto,E2386Solomon,K23641–02021E485th Vergani Cup January 20217.6
Beerdsen,T2479Horvath,D24461–02021B575th Vergani Cup January 20217.7
Krasteva,B2315Muetsch,A2236½–½2021E715th Vergani Cup January 20217.8
Brotto,A1921Toniolo,S1997½–½2021B525th Vergani Cup January 20217.9
Benedetti,M1895Mora,L19271–02021E815th Vergani Cup January 20217.10
Nguyen,T2571Warmerdam,M2506½–½2021E945th Vergani Cup January 20218.1
Moroni,L2562Bellahcene,B2510½–½2021E435th Vergani Cup January 20218.2
Bjerre,J2551Niemann,H2472½–½2021E185th Vergani Cup January 20218.3
Dardha,D2487Di Benedetto,E23861–02021D375th Vergani Cup January 20218.4
Checa,N2527Beerdsen,T24791–02021A875th Vergani Cup January 20218.5
Horvath,D2446Mendonca,L2516½–½2021B975th Vergani Cup January 20218.6
Bernadskiy,V2619Song,J23060–12021C115th Vergani Cup January 20218.7
Dobrikov,M2301Basso,P25611–02021B115th Vergani Cup January 20218.8
Bettalli,F2272Sebenik,M25010–12021D045th Vergani Cup January 20218.9
Muetsch,A2236Sonis,F2483½–½2021B515th Vergani Cup January 20218.10
Niemann,H2472Warmerdam,M2506½–½2021A615th Vergani Cup January 20219.1
Bellahcene,B2510Checa,N2527½–½2021C185th Vergani Cup January 20219.2
Dardha,D2487Nguyen,T25710–12021D275th Vergani Cup January 20219.3
Bjerre,J2551Moroni,L25620–12021A415th Vergani Cup January 20219.4
Mendonca,L2516Krasteva,B2315½–½2021A365th Vergani Cup January 20219.5
Sebenik,M2501Song,J23061–02021E045th Vergani Cup January 20219.6
Di Benedetto,E2386Dobrikov,M23011–02021D765th Vergani Cup January 20219.7
Sonis,F2483Horvath,D2446½–½2021E625th Vergani Cup January 20219.8
Beerdsen,T2479Rindone,A2153½–½2021C185th Vergani Cup January 20219.9
Muetsch,A2236Lumachi,G2297½–½2021C455th Vergani Cup January 20219.10

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Translation from German: Johannes Fischer

André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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