Niemann and Bellahcene lead in Djerba

The 4th Djerba Chess Festival (18 to 25 February 2024) is currently taking place in Tunisia. The centrepiece of the event is the Djerba Masters with the eight participants Hans Niemann, Aryan Tari, Jules Moussard, Vasyl Ivanchuk, Daniel Dardha, Marc'Andria Maurizzi, Bilel Bellahcene and Divya Deshmukh as the only female representative in the field.

Set against the picturesque backdrop of the island of Djerba, off Tunisia's Mediterranean coast, the festival features a wide range of tournaments and competitions, including a Blitz Championship, an Amateur Open, a Masters Open, a Children's Tournament and a series of outdoor activities.

The Masters Tournament, the highlight of the festival, will be played over seven rounds, with a time limit of 90 minutes for the entire game, plus 30 seconds per move. Organised by businessman Chokri Saidi (Go Event) and tournament director Chaher Miladi, the tournament will be presided over by chief arbiter Bechir Messaoudi.

Chokri Saidi opens the tournament

With an average rating of 2591, the Masters has a strong field and promises exciting games.

In the first round of the Djerba Masters, American grandmaster Hans Moke Niemann won against Norwegian Aryan Tari.

Niemann vs Tari

Divya Deshmukh from India lost with White against Bilel Bellahcene and his French Defense.

On the other two boards, Marc'andria Maurizzi and Daniel Dardha made two draws with the black pieces against living legend Vasyl Ivanchuk and 2022 tournament winner Jules Moussard respectively.

In round 2, Tari Aryan scored the only win against Divya Deshmuk. Daniel Dardha and Marc'Andria Maurizzi drew, as did Jules Moussard and Hans Niemann, who played an exciting and dramatic game.

The game between Bilel Bellahcene and Vasyl Ivanchuk also ended without a winner.

The island of Djerba has a chequered history and has been ruled by various powers over the years. For a long time it was a pirate base. Since the 1960s, it has been developed for tourism thanks to its pleasant climate.