Prague Open: GM Kourkoulos-Arditis on the brink of victory

by Johannes Fischer
3/7/2024 – Greek grandmaster Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis is on the verge of victory at the Karel Janecek Open, which is being held as part of the Prague Chess Festival. With one round to go, he has 7.5 out of 8, and is one point ahead of six players with 6.5 out of 8. In round 8, Kourkoulos-Arditis scored an important win with Black in a theoretically interesting and tactically rich game. | Photo: Johannes Fischer
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

Prague Chess Festival, Karel Janecek Open, Round 8

A draw with White in the final round against Bulgarian IM Tsvetan Stoyanov is all that separates 25-year-old Greek grandmaster Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis from winning the Karel Janecek Open Prague 2024. It would be one of the biggest successes of his career so far. He became Greek Champion in 2019 and won the highly competitive Open in Paleochora in 2020, when he was still an IM, but finished ahead of a number of grandmasters, but none of these tournaments enjoy the same prestige as the Prague Open.

With an Elo rating of 2556, Kourkoulos-Arditis, who became a GM in 2023, was seeded sixth in Prague.

In round 8, he won a crucial game with Black against Norwegian grandmaster Elham Amar.

Amar, Elham25550–1Kourkoulos-Arditis, Stamatis2547
Karel Janecek Open 2024
Prague06.03.2024[Johannes Fischer]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 d5 8.a4 dxe4 9.axb5 Bg4 10.bxc6 exf3 11.gxf3 Bh3 12.Re1 0-0 13.Ra5 Qd6 14.b4 Bxf2+ 15.Kxf2 e4 16.Kg1 Rae8 17.Re3 Nh5 18.Rg5 Qh6 19.f4 Nxf4 20.Rgg3 f5
If you are wondering about the creative play of both sides - up to this point both sides were following well-known predecessors. But after the 21st move, they had to think for themselves. 21.d3 Bg4 22.Qf1 Nh5 White is a piece up, but the position is highly complex and full of tactical possibilities. 23.Rg2 Here the engines recommend the difficult to see 23.Bb3+ Kh8 24.Bf7! with advantage for White, e.g. Rxf7 25.Rxg4 and Black's attack lost a lot of momentum. 23...Qxc6 24.dxe4 fxe4 25.Bb3+ Be6?! Better was 25...Kh8 26.Qc4 Qd7 27.Rxe4 Bh3 and Black has excellent compensation for his piece. 26.Bxe6+?! And here the engines indicate 26.Qd1 e.g. Nf4 27.Ba4 Qa8 28.Bxe8 Nxg2 29.Kxg2 Qxe8 30.Rg3 White parried Black's attack and should win. 26...Qxe6 27.Qd1 Nf4 28.Rgg3 Rd8 29.Nd2 Kh8 30.c4 Qf6 31.Rxe4 Nd3
32.Rxd3? This looks like panic.. After 32.Rf3 Qg6+ 33.Rg3 Qf5 34.Rf3 the game could end with a draw by repetition. 32...Rxd3 Now Black is better. White has two pieces for the rook, but White's king is exposed and White's queenside pawns are weak. 33.Qe2 Rd4 34.Rxd4 Qxd4+ 35.Kg2 Qc3 36.Qe7 Rg8 37.Qe1 Qxb4 Now Black's a pawn is very stong - Black is winning. 38.Qe3 Rd8 39.c5 Qg4+ 40.Kf2 Qd1 41.Nf3 Qc2+ 42.Kg3 h6 43.Bd2 Qf5 44.Ba5 Rd3 45.Qe2 Qg5+ 46.Kf2 Qxc5+ 47.Kg2 Rd6 48.Be1 Qd5 49.Bg3 Re6 50.Be5 a5 51.Qb2 Rb6 52.Bxg7+ Kg8 53.Qc2 Rc6 54.Bc3 Qc4 55.Qd2 Qxc3 56.Qd5+ Kh7 57.Qd7+ Qg7+ Liquidating into a won queen ending. White offers stubborn resistance, but in the end Black managed to convert. 58.Ng5+ hxg5 59.Qxc6 Qe5 60.h3 Kg7 61.Kh1 Kf7 62.Qd7+ Kf6 63.Qc6+ Ke7 64.Kg2 Qe2+ 65.Kg3 Qe3+ 66.Kg2 Qd2+ 67.Kh1 Qe1+ 68.Kg2 Qe5 69.Kh1 Kd8 70.Kg2 Qf5 71.Kg1 Qb1+ 72.Kg2 Qf5 73.Kg1 Kc8 74.Kg2 Kb8 75.Kg1 Qb1+ 76.Kh2 Qb4 77.Qe8+ Kb7 78.Qg8 Qf4+ 79.Kg2 a4 80.Qd5+ Kb6 81.Qg8 c5 82.Qd8+ Kb5 83.Qe8+ Kb4 84.Qe1+ Kc4 85.Qe2+ Kc3 86.Qe7 Qd4 87.Qa7 Kb2 88.Qb6+ Kc1 89.Qa7 a3 90.h4!? White gives his last pawn to have stalemate tricks. gxh4 91.Kh1 Kb2 92.Qb6+ Ka1 93.Qb3 Qb2 94.Qf3 c4 95.Qf1+ Qb1 96.Kh2 h3 97.Qf8 Qb2+ 98.Kxh3 c3 99.Qf1+ Ka2 100.Qf7+ Qb3 101.Qf2+ c2+ 102.Kh2 Qb2 103.Qf7+ Ka1 0–1

Standings after 8 rounds

Rk. SNo Name FED Rtg Pts.  TB1   TB2  K rtg+/-
1 6
GM Kourkoulos-Arditis, Stamatis GRE 2556 7,5 40,5 44 10 17,2
2 34
GM Neuman, Petr CZE 2390 6,5 39,5 43 10 27,8
3 29
IM Xiang, Zeyu CHN 2407 6,5 39 43 10 20,4
4 8
GM Bharath, Subramaniyam H IND 2515 6,5 37,5 41,5 10 8,5
5 2
GM Sethuraman, S.P. IND 2603 6,5 37,5 41,5 10 -2,8
6 17
IM Stoyanov, Tsvetan BUL 2465 6,5 37 41 10 6,9
7 20
IM Isik, Alparslan TUR 2452 6,5 37 40,5 10 10,4
8 9
GM Polak, Tomas CZE 2506 6 39,5 43 10 1,3
9 4
IM Amar, Elham NOR 2567 6 39 43 10 -1,7
10 27
IM Ilamparthi, A R IND 2414 6 39 42,5 10 10,7
11 1
GM Safarli, Eltaj AZE 2614 6 38 42 10 -4,3
12 21
IM Zhao, Yuanhe CHN 2449 6 37,5 41 10 6,5
13 15
GM Barbosa, Evandro Amorim BRA 2491 6 37 40,5 10 2,4
14 71
Rohit, S IND 2215 6 37 40,5 40 100,8
15 25
GM Jarmula, Lukasz POL 2434 6 36 39,5 10 0,7
16 40
FM Abdilkhair, Abilmansur KAZ 2357 6 34,5 38,5 20 12,8
17 50
FM Cieslak, Patryk POL 2300 6 34 37,5 20 21,8
18 47
FM Chinguun, Sumiya MGL 2319 6 33 35,5 20 21
19 5
GM Li, Di CHN 2563 5,5 40,5 44 10 -4,9

... 263 participants (Source: chess-results)

Games

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 3 c5 5:37 2.Nf3 10 Nc6 5 3.Bb5 11 g6 6 4.0-0 1:15 Bg7 9 5.Nc3 5 d6 16 6.e5 1:51 dxe5 2:19 7.Bxc6+ 23 bxc6 5 8.Re1 55 Qc7 1:19 The position is equal. 9.d3 11 c4 18 10.h3 17 Dodges Bg4 Much worse is 10.dxc4 f5 10...cxd3 18 11.cxd3 4 Be6 1:28 12.Qe2 1:35 Nf6 2:02 13.Nxe5 1:18 Nd5 5:14 Repels Bf4 14.Nxd5 5:12 Qxe5 1:38 15.Qxe5 2:25 Bxe5 8 This pair of bishops is nice. 16.Nxe7 14 Kxe7 3:34 17.Rxe5 15 Rhd8 1:28 18.Re3 3:07 Rd5 4:04 19.Kf1 3:09 Rad8 14:04 20.Ke2 41 Kf8 43 21.g4 1:30 Ra5 7:07 22.a4 3:06 Bb3 16:55 23.Ra3 2:04 Rb8 17 24.Re4 2:04 Bd5 49 25.Rd4 2:48 Bg2 1:50 26.Bh6+ 2:35 Ke7 3:05 27.b4 3:19 c5 6:31 28.bxc5 2:29 Bf4 is the strong threat. Rxc5 0 29.Ra2 8:22 Against Rb2+ g5 3:56
...Rb6! would now be deadly. 30.f4 1:18 f6 3:58 Black should play 30...Rd5 31.Rxd5 31.Bxg5+ f6= 31...Bxd5 31.Kf2 4:25 Bxh3? 4:56       31...Rd5± 32.Re2+ Kd6 33.Rxd5+ Bxd5 34.fxg5 fxg5 35.Bxg5 Rb3 32.Kg3 0 Bf1 2:36 Prevents Re2+. 33.Rf2 0 Weighted Error Value: White=0.08 (flawless) /Black=0.36. Loses game: --- Black=1 Mistake: --- Black=1 Inaccurate: White=2 Black=3 OK: White=14 Black=9 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Safarli,E2604Nesse,D20021–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.1
Phatak Aanjaneya1974Bernadskiy,V25660–12024Karel Janecek Open 20241.2
Amar,E2555Kudrytskyi,S19921–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.3
Ilandzis,S1925Li,D25630–12024Karel Janecek Open 20241.4
Kourkoulos-Arditis,S2547Tesar,J17581–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.5
Tolhuizen,L1993Heberla,B25460–12024Karel Janecek Open 20241.6
Bharath Subramaniyam H2515Taus,M19941–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.7
Pousada Garcia,V1965Polak,T25250–12024Karel Janecek Open 20241.8
Popovic,D2504Topencik,B18741–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.9
Bezeyko,O1851Sadzikowski,D24970–12024Karel Janecek Open 20241.10
Kraus,T2484Hanak,T19691–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.11
Sofronie,V1927Maksimovic,B24970–12024Karel Janecek Open 20241.12
Quintiliano,R2493Kurek,P19911–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.13
Belenkaya,D2202Gierhardt,V16891–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.14
Csonka,B2480Botez,A19771–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.15
Kanakova,N2169Botez,A17091–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.16
Toniolo,S2030Barbosa,E24910–12024Karel Janecek Open 20241.17
Hurtak,O1958Stoyanov,T24650–12024Karel Janecek Open 20241.18
Simacek,P2456Bigabylov,Z19721–02024Karel Janecek Open 20241.19
Lever,E2199Safarli,E26040–12024Karel Janecek Open 20242.1
Sethuraman,S2594Welling,G22241–02024Karel Janecek Open 20242.2
Bernadskiy,V2566Chkhaidze,N2209½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20242.3
Bravetti,A2227Amar,E25550–12024Karel Janecek Open 20242.4
Li,D2563Garcia Martinez,M21871–02024Karel Janecek Open 20242.5
Rohit S2174Kourkoulos-Arditis,S25470–12024Karel Janecek Open 20242.6
Heberla,B2546Budrewicz,K21841–02024Karel Janecek Open 20242.7
Nemitz,A2223Bharath Subramaniyam H25150–12024Karel Janecek Open 20242.8
Polak,T2525Leskiewicz,I21671–02024Karel Janecek Open 20242.9
Koffeman,T2186Popovic,D25040–12024Karel Janecek Open 20242.10
Sadzikowski,D2497Assylov,M22880–12024Karel Janecek Open 20242.11
Sevcik,M2201Kraus,T2484½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20242.12
Maksimovic,B2497Kanakova,N21691–02024Karel Janecek Open 20242.13
Kratochvil,V2177Quintiliano,R24930–12024Karel Janecek Open 20242.14
Sahithi Varshini M2173Csonka,B2480½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20242.15
Stoyanov,T2465Mohylnyi,S21801–02024Karel Janecek Open 20242.16
Barbosa,E2491Belenkaya,D22021–02024Karel Janecek Open 20242.17
Botez,A1977Milner,R1710½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20242.18
Botez,A1709Bezeyko,O1851½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20242.19
Safarli,E2604Sofronie,J23952024Karel Janecek Open 20243.1
Safarli,E2604Sofronie,I2422½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20243.1
Neuman,P2398Sethuraman,S25941–02024Karel Janecek Open 20243.2
Amar,E2555Harshavardhan G B23920–12024Karel Janecek Open 20243.3
Ivanov,M2356Li,D25630–12024Karel Janecek Open 20243.4
Kourkoulos-Arditis,S2547Shagbazyan,T2403½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20243.5
Svanda,O2369Heberla,B2546½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20243.6
Bharath Subramaniyam H2515Abdilkhair,A23571–02024Karel Janecek Open 20243.7
Kusa,J2350Polak,T2525½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20243.8
Popovic,D2504Roubalik,J23511–02024Karel Janecek Open 20243.9
Jares,M2314Maksimovic,B2497½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20243.10
Quintiliano,R2493Chinguun,S23191–02024Karel Janecek Open 20243.11
Mis,M2301Barbosa,E24910–12024Karel Janecek Open 20243.12
Balabayeva,X2282Stoyanov,T24650–12024Karel Janecek Open 20243.13
Simacek,P2456Senthil Maran K22750–12024Karel Janecek Open 20243.14
Daakshin Arun2309Muthaiah AL24640–12024Karel Janecek Open 20243.15
Isik,A2452Novotny,M22601–02024Karel Janecek Open 20243.16
Belenkaya,D2202Stefan,I1772½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20243.17
Mathisen,P1639Botez,A19770–12024Karel Janecek Open 20243.18
Hurtak,O1958Botez,A17091–02024Karel Janecek Open 20243.19
Li,D2563Harikrishnan.A.Ra2448½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20244.1
Ilamparthi A R2426Bharath Subramaniyam H25151–02024Karel Janecek Open 20244.2
Xiang,Z2418Popovic,D25041–02024Karel Janecek Open 20244.3
Harshavardhan G B2392Quintiliano,R24931–02024Karel Janecek Open 20244.4
Barbosa,E2491Neverov,V2423½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20244.5
Stoyanov,T2465Kalogeris,I24271–02024Karel Janecek Open 20244.6
Muthaiah AL2464Neuman,P23980–12024Karel Janecek Open 20244.7
Senthil Maran K2275Isik,A2452½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20244.8
Shagbazyan,T2403Safarli,E26040–12024Karel Janecek Open 20244.9
Bernadskiy,V2566Svanda,O23691–02024Karel Janecek Open 20244.10
Lohia,S2354Kourkoulos-Arditis,S25470–12024Karel Janecek Open 20244.11
Heberla,B2546Kusa,J23500–12024Karel Janecek Open 20244.12
Polak,T2525Jares,M23141–02024Karel Janecek Open 20244.13
Tan,J2310Kraus,T2484½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20244.14
Maksimovic,B2497Cieslak,P2325½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20244.15
Sorm,D2279Csonka,B24800–12024Karel Janecek Open 20244.16
Smietanska,W1968Belenkaya,D22020–12024Karel Janecek Open 20244.17
Botez,A1977Garcia Martinez,M21870–12024Karel Janecek Open 20244.18
Botez,A1709Tolhuizen,L19931–02024Karel Janecek Open 20244.19
Xiang,Z2418Stoyanov,T24651–02024Karel Janecek Open 20245.1
Harshavardhan G B2392Zhao,Y2461½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20245.2
Neuman,P2398Ilamparthi A R2426½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20245.3
Safarli,E2604Kilic,E2439½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20245.4
Harikrishnan.A.Ra2448Bernadskiy,V2566½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20245.5
Neverov,V2423Li,D25630–12024Karel Janecek Open 20245.6
Kourkoulos-Arditis,S2547Jarmula,L24341–02024Karel Janecek Open 20245.7
Chkhaidze,N2209Polak,T25250–12024Karel Janecek Open 20245.8
Kusa,J2350Barbosa,E2491½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20245.9
Csonka,B2480Senthil Maran K2275½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20245.10
Isik,A2452Kokoszczynski,J22721–02024Karel Janecek Open 20245.11
Cieslak,P2325Sethuraman,S2594½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20245.12
Amar,E2555Simek,P22911–02024Karel Janecek Open 20245.13
Bharath Subramaniyam H2515Serrano Salvador,E22811–02024Karel Janecek Open 20245.14
Popovic,D2504Novotny,M2260½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20245.15
Kraus,T2484Vojta,J22521–02024Karel Janecek Open 20245.16
Belenkaya,D2202Sadzikowski,D2497½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20245.17
Al Ibrahim,A1911Botez,A19770–12024Karel Janecek Open 20245.18
Botez,A1709Hujo,J19501–02024Karel Janecek Open 20245.19
Li,D2563Xiang,Z2418½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20246.1
Zhao,Y2461Kourkoulos-Arditis,S25470–12024Karel Janecek Open 20246.2
Polak,T2525Harshavardhan G B2392½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20246.3
Ilamparthi A R2426Isik,A2452½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20246.4
Safarli,E2604Neuman,P2398½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20246.5
Bernadskiy,V2566Kalogeris,I24270–12024Karel Janecek Open 20246.6
Muthaiah AL2464Amar,E25550–12024Karel Janecek Open 20246.7
Kilic,E2439Bharath Subramaniyam H25150–12024Karel Janecek Open 20246.8
Kusa,J2350Kraus,T2484½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20246.9
Senthil Maran K2275Quintiliano,R2493½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20246.10
Barbosa,E2491Harikrishnan.A.Ra2448½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20246.11
Rohit S2174Csonka,B2480½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20246.12
Stoyanov,T2465Mis,M2301½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20246.13
Sethuraman,S2594Balabayeva,X22821–02024Karel Janecek Open 20246.14
Heberla,B2546Sorm,D22791–02024Karel Janecek Open 20246.15
Daakshin Arun2309Popovic,D25041–02024Karel Janecek Open 20246.16
Hu,Z1776Belenkaya,D22020–12024Karel Janecek Open 20246.17
Botez,A1977Radzimski,A21970–12024Karel Janecek Open 20246.18
Narr,K2007Botez,A17091–02024Karel Janecek Open 20246.19
Kourkoulos-Arditis,S2547Xiang,Z24181–02024Karel Janecek Open 20247.1
Amar,E2555Ilamparthi A R24261–02024Karel Janecek Open 20247.2
Isik,A2452Li,D2563½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20247.3
Bharath Subramaniyam H2515Kalogeris,I24271–02024Karel Janecek Open 20247.4
Neuman,P2398Polak,T2525½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20247.5
Harshavardhan G B2392Sethuraman,S25940–12024Karel Janecek Open 20247.6
Svanda,O2369Safarli,E26040–12024Karel Janecek Open 20247.7
Mikes,J2358Heberla,B25461–02024Karel Janecek Open 20247.8
Kraus,T2484Chinguun,S2319½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20247.9
Maksimovic,B2497Kusa,J2350½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20247.10
Quintiliano,R2493Rohit S2174½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20247.11
Tan,J2310Barbosa,E2491½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20247.12
Csonka,B2480Daakshin Arun23091–02024Karel Janecek Open 20247.13
Chkhaidze,N2209Stoyanov,T24650–12024Karel Janecek Open 20247.14
Mis,M2301Zhao,Y24610–12024Karel Janecek Open 20247.15
Harikrishnan.A.Ra2448Senthil Maran K22751–02024Karel Janecek Open 20247.16
Belenkaya,D2202Roubalik,J2351½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20247.17
Benci,J1938Botez,A19771–02024Karel Janecek Open 20247.18
Botez,A1709Janik,M19711–02024Karel Janecek Open 20247.19
Amar,E2555Kourkoulos-Arditis,S25470–12024Karel Janecek Open 20248.1
Polak,T2525Bharath Subramaniyam H2515½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20248.2
Zhao,Y2461Safarli,E2604½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20248.3
Sethuraman,S2594Harikrishnan.A.Ra24481–02024Karel Janecek Open 20248.4
Li,D2563Neuman,P23980–12024Karel Janecek Open 20248.5
Xiang,Z2418Csonka,B24801–02024Karel Janecek Open 20248.6
Stoyanov,T2465Mikes,J23581–02024Karel Janecek Open 20248.7
Sofronie,I2422Isik,A24520–12024Karel Janecek Open 20248.8
Bernadskiy,V2566Harshavardhan G B2392½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20248.9
Nguyen,P2404Sadzikowski,D2497½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20248.10
Ivanov,M2356Kraus,T2484½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20248.11
Abdilkhair,A2357Maksimovic,B24971–02024Karel Janecek Open 20248.12
Kusa,J2350Quintiliano,R2493½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20248.13
Barbosa,E2491Jares,M23141–02024Karel Janecek Open 20248.14
Chinguun,S2319Simacek,P24561–02024Karel Janecek Open 20248.15
Simek,P2291Neverov,V2423½–½2024Karel Janecek Open 20248.16
Babula,V2529Belenkaya,D22020–12024Karel Janecek Open 20248.17
Botez,A1977De Martino,D18551–02024Karel Janecek Open 20248.18
Bravetti,A2227Botez,A17091–02024Karel Janecek Open 20248.19

Tournament page

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".
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.