Sambuev and Friedel win Thrilling Toronto Tournament

by ChessBase
4/21/2009 – The 2009 PWC Toronto Open Chess Championship took place from April 17th to 19th, 2009 – five rounds Swiss, prize fund $17,000+, entry fee $90 + bring your own clocks. Two players, Russian GM Bator Sambuev, 2498, and US GM Joshua Friedel took first place, with 5.0/5 points, leaving the likes of Nakamura, Perelshteyn and Shabalov in their wake. Illustrated report and games.

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Thrilling Toronto Tournament

Report from Canada by Michael von Keitz

For those familiar with the Canadian chess scene, you may be aware of the reputation for surprise some of our talents possess. For instance, some may recall the defeat Alexei Shirov suffered at the hands of a teenaged Mark Bluvshtein in 2005, or even the draw Bobby Fischer conceded to many-times Canadian Champion Daniel Abraham Yanofsky in 1968. Given this, it should come as no shock that the Toronto Open Chess Championship 2009, held over the April 17-19 weekend, provided some no less stunning results.

With a history dating back to 1960, and likely earlier, the Open has consistently served as an opportunity for the wider Ontario chess community to rub shoulders with some of the best players Canada has to offer. With a number of former Canadian Zonal Champions amongst them, including Kevin Spraggett (Toronto Open winner: 1976, 1978, and 1982) and current Canadian Champion Nikolay Noritsyn (Toronto Open winner: 2006).

With a decision made in the last decade to pursue a more international flavour, the way was paved for the members of the field this year. Not only was the field large, consisting of approximately 250 players over three sections – significant numbers for the Canadian chess scene – but it attracted quality players, including GMs Shabalov and Nakamura, who provided much entertainment value.

That said, Shabalov was placed in an uphill battle for first, upon drawing his second round game against WIM Iryna Zenyuk. However, his woes were not finished there, as – in typical Canadian fashion – the top players were eliminated from contention in the penultimate round: Shabalov losing to Canada’s own FM Goran Milicevic, and Nakamura losing to the current Canadian Junior Champion, IM Artiom Samsonkin. Coupled with GM Eugene Perelshteyn’s defeat to GM Joshua Friedel in the same round, the mood was electrifying entering into the final round on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, Samsonkin’s miraculous run was ended by GM Bator Sambuev, slightly dampening an otherwise noteworthy performance.

On board two Friedel maintained his form and dispatched former Canadian Junior Champion FM Shiyam Thavandiran. So, when the dust had settled, Sambuev and Friedel had swept the field 5-0, standing as joint champions of the Toronto Open for 2009.

Tournament brief

  • 2009 PWC Toronto Open Chess Championship, April 17th to 19th, 2009
  • Location: The Suites at 1 King West, Grand Banking Hall, Financial District, Downtown Toronto.
  • Style: Five round Swiss System, three Sections (Open, < 2000, <1600), CFC rated.
  • Time control:
    • Round 1: 30 moves in 90 minutes, 1 hour for remainder (SD)
    • Rounds 2 to 5: 40 moves in 2 hours, 1 hour for remainder (SD)
  • Prize fund: $17,000+
  • Entry fee: $90 per person. All participants must be, or become, CFC members.
  • Equipment: Bring your own chess sets and clocks. None will be provided.

Final top standings (after five rounds)

1

Sambuev, Bator GM....2584

2605

5.0

2

Friedel, Joshua GM...2537

2561

5.0

3

Milicevic, Goran FM..2340

2381

4.5

4

Nakamura, Hikaru GM..2757

2751

4.0

5

Perelshteyn, Eugene GM..2601

2602

4.0

6

Samsonkin, Artiom IM.2548

2560

4.0

7

Gerzhoy, Leonid IM...2528

2532

4.0

8

Nortisyn, Nikolay IM.2503

2512

4.0

9

Martchenko, Alexander...2272

2309

4.0

10

Shabalov, Alexander GM..2630

2615

3.5

11

Thavandiran, Shiyam FM.2462

2461

3.5

12

Peng, David..........2358

2355

3.5

13

Masse, Hugues........2234

2254

3.5

14

Qin, Ziyi (Joey).....2226

2218

3.5

15

Szalay, Karoly.......2218

2251

3.5

16

Zhou, Haonan.........2203

2227

3.5

17

Gusev, Nikita........2080

2146

3.5

Picture gallery


The playing venue


Co-champion Russian GM Bator Sambuev, 2498


GM Hikaru Nakamura, USA, 2701


GM Eugene Perelshteyn, USA, 2543


IM Artiom Samsonkin, Canada, 2379


Former Toronto Closed and Ontario Closed Champion, FM Eduardo Teodoro, Canada, 2387


A man on a mission: GM Alexander Shabalov, USA, 2569


FM Shiyam Thavandiran, Canada, rated 2291


TD Bryan Lamb, of 2007 Chessbase Christmas Puzzle fame


Chess Federation of Canada President, David Lavin

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