The Biel International Chess Festival ended on July 30. In the Grandmaster
group Alexander Morozevich scored a resounding victory, clearing the field
by a full 1.5 points. Actually only India's Sasikiran was anywhere close to
the Russian GM. FIDE ex world champion Ruslan Ponomariov, Switzerland's Yannick
Pelletier and France's Etienne Bacrot were all a point behind Sasikiran. England's
Luke McShane brought up the rear half a point behind that group. Morozevich's
Elo performance was 2863.
Final standing of the GM Group
In the Accentus Ladies Tournament the clear winner was Tatiana Kosintseva,
who just three weeks ago won the Russian
Women's Championship in Kazan.
Final standings of the Accentus Ladies Tournament
Picture report
By Thomas Pähtz
GM Thomas Pähtz is the father of Germany's top women player, Elisabeth
Pähtz. He accompanied his daughter to the Biel Chess Festival and played
in the Masters
Section (won by Bauer, Avrukh, Shariyazdanov, Rustemov and Eljanov). He
sent us the following pictorial report.
At the start of the tournament Elisabeth played a simul on the MobiCat, the
largest Catamaran driven by solar power.
Elli, suffered from mild sea-sickness during the long simul, enjoys some fresh
air and the beautiful view of the lake in Biel.
Elisabeth Pähtz and Monica Seps, the two German-speaking participants
of the Ladies tournament
The men's section, just before the start of the games
And for the first time the ladies playing on the stage
The Ladies: Iweta Radziewicz, Eva Repkova, Elisabeth Pähtz, Monika Seps,
Kateryna Lahno, Tatiana Kosintseva.
And the Gentlemen: Luke McShane, Alexander Morozevich, Ruslan Ponomariov, Yannick
Pelletier, Etienne Bacrot, Krishnan Sasikiran
The winner of the Ladies section: Tatiana Kosintseva
Kateryna Lahno, the highest rated player, produced a disappointing result
Eva Repkova of Slovakia finished 3-5 together with Elli Pähtz and Kathy
Lahno
The winner Alexander Morozevich produced some of the most exciting chess we
have seen this year
India's second rated GM Krishnan Sasikiran, who also showed some very imaginative
play and a sometimes almost suicidal will to win.
Ruslan Ponomariov, who was certainly not satisfied to end three full points
behind Morozevich
Swiss GM Yannik Pelletier who played well above his 2597 rating expectation
Etienne Bacrot, who was once the world's youngest grandmaster, today resides
above the magic 2700 mark
Swiss amateur Monika Seps stated at over 300 Elo points behind the other participants
– and scored a dismal 0/10 points.
A parting picture of Elisabeth Pähtz taking by a proud and doting father
