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
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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.

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)

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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
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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

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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".
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