
The 35th Zalakaros Open is played from 27th May to 4th June in the Hotel Karos Spa in Zalakaros, a beautiful little spa town in the Balaton lake region of Hungary. Zalakaros is the smallest town in the country: 1791 people live on an area of just 17.17 square kilometers.
Things are heating up in open the little town of Zalakaros. Rounds five to seven have seen a few interesting turn of events. Initially, GM Vladimir Onischuk surged into the lead with the following positional squeeze:
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Bg5 Be6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qd3 Nc6 11.0-0-0 Qb6 12.Nd5 Bxd5 13.exd5 Nd4 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 15.Qxd4 exd4 16.Bd3 h5 17.Rdf1 Kd7 18.f4 h4 19.Kd2 Rae8 20.a4 Re3 21.a5 Re7 22.b4 Kc7 23.Kc1 Re3 24.Kd2 g5 25.Kd1 g4 26.Kd2 g3 27.h3 Ree8? 27...Bg7 28.Rb1 Bh6 29.Rhf1 Rhe8 29...Re5 30.Kd1 Re3 31.b5 axb5 32.Rxb5 Rhe8 30.b5 axb5 31.Rxb5 R3e5 28.Rb1 Rh5 28...Bg7 29.b5 axb5 30.Rxb5 Bh6 31.Rhb1 29.Rhe1 Rxe1 30.Rxe1 Rh8 31.Rb1 Re8 32.Re1 Rg8 32...Rxe1 33.Kxe1 Be7 34.Ke2 Bf6 35.Kf3 33.Re4 Kd7 34.Ke2 Kd8 35.Kf3 Kc7 36.Re1 Kd7 37.Rb1 Kc7 38.Ke4 Re8+ 39.Kf5 Bd8 40.Ra1 Re3 41.Kg4 Bf6 42.Kf5 Bd8 43.b5 axb5 44.Bxb5 Be7 45.Bd3 Kb8 46.Ra4 Bd8 47.a6 Ka7 48.axb7+ Kxb7 49.Rxd4 Bb6 50.Rb4 Ka7 51.Kf6 Re1 52.Kxf7 Rg1 53.Be4 Bc5 54.Rb3 Rf1 55.Bf3 1–0
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Onischuk,V | 2628 | Aryan,C | 2459 | 1–0 | 2016 | B92 | 35th Zalakaros Open 2016 | 5.3 |
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Vladimir Onischuk - ‘first to lead, first to cede’
Then GM Ivanisevic seized the lead with this following beauty:
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1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.e5 dxe5 7.fxe5 Nfd7 7...Nd5 8.Bc4 Be6 8.h4 c5 9.h5 cxd4 10.hxg6 dxc3? 10...Nxe5 11.Nxe5 hxg6 12.Nxf7 Rxf7 12...Kxf7 13.Ne4 Nc6 14.Bc4+ Ke8 13.Bc4 e6 14.Ne4 Nc6 11.gxf7+ Rxf7 12.Bc4 e6? 12...Qb6 13.Bxf7+ Kxf7 14.Qd5+ e6 15.Ng5+ Ke7 16.Nxe6 Qxe6 17.Bg5+ Nf6 18.Bxf6+ Bxf6 19.Rxh7+ Kf8 20.Qxe6 Bxe6 21.exf6 cxb2 22.Rb1 Nd7 23.Rxb2 Nxf6 24.Rhxb7 13.Bxe6 Qe8 14.Bxf7+ Qxf7 15.Ng5 cxb2 16.Bxb2 Qc4 17.Qh5 Nf8 18.Rh4 Qc7 19.Nxh7 Qa5+ 20.Kf1 Nbd7 21.Nf6+ Bxf6 22.Rg4+ 1–0
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Ivanisevic,I | 2646 | Onischuk,V | 2628 | 1–0 | 2016 | B09 | 35th Zalakaros Open 2016 | 6.1 |
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Ivan Ivanisevic
After seven rounds GM Ivan Ivanisevic, GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov, and GM Levente Vajda are in pole position with 5.5/7. The last two rounds promise to be interesting, particularly so because prizes won’t be shared.

Aleksandr Rakhmanov
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16...Nd5 17.Bd2?! 17.Bc1 Qb4 18.Qa2 18.Qxb4 axb4 19.b3 18...N7b6 19.Rde1 Rfe8 19...e5 20.dxe5 Qxa4 21.Qxa4 Nxa4 22.Re2∞ 19...Qxa4 20.Qxa4 Nxa4 21.c4 20.b3 17...Qxb2 18.Rb1?! 18.Ra1 Qb6 19.Rab1 Qa7 20.Qb3 Rfb8 21.c4 Nb4 22.Rfd1 18...N7b6 19.Qc5? 19.Rxb2 Nxc4 20.Rxb7 e6 21.Bf4 19...Nxa4 20.Rxb2 Nxc5 21.c4 Nc7 22.Rbb1 a4? 22...Ne4 23.Rxb7 Ne6 23.dxc5 a3 24.Ra1? 24.Rxb7 Ne6 25.Ne1 Rfb8 26.Rb6 Nd4 27.Be3 a2 28.Bxd4 Bxd4 29.Nc2 Bxc5 30.Rxb8+ Rxb8 31.Bxc6 Rb2 32.Na1 24...a2 25.Be3 Rfd8 26.Rfc1 Bb2 27.Re1 Ra3 28.Kf1 Na6 29.Ke2 Nb4 0–1
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Horvath,A | 2515 | Rakhmanov,A | 2654 | 0–1 | 2016 | B01 | 35th Zalakaros Open 2016 | 7.2 |
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Among the younger players, IM Rasmus Svane and IM Bogdan Daniel Deac have performed creditably with a performance rating above 2600 and both are close to making a GM norm. However, Indian IM Aryan Chopra and IM Abhimanyu Puranik did even better and both just require one draw from the two last rounds to make a GM norm.

IM Aryan Chopra
Here’s one of Aryan’s victories:
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20...e5 21.Rd5?! 21.Nd6 Be6!? 21...e4 22.Rfd1 Kh7 23.Nxc8 Raxc8 24.Rd7 22.Nxb7 Qb4 23.Nd6 e4 21...Qe7 22.Rd6 Kh7 23.c5 Bd7 23...e4 24.Rfd1 f4 25.f3 Bf5 26.fxe4 Bxe4 27.Bd3 24.Rfd1 Bc6 25.a4 Rf6 26.Bc4 e4 27.Bd5 Qe5 28.Nc7 Rc8 29.Ne6? f4? 29...Bxd5 30.R1xd5 Rxe6! 31.Rxe5 Rxd6 32.f4 Bxe5 33.fxe5 Rd7 30.Qb3? 30.Bxc6 bxc6 31.Nxg7 Kxg7 32.Rd7+ Kh8 33.Qb3 30...e3 31.Bxc6 Rxc6 32.Rxc6 bxc6 33.Nxg7 e2! 34.Re1 Kxg7 35.Qb7+? 35.Qc2 Re6 36.Qd2 35...Rf7 36.Qxc6? 36.Qb3 Re7 36...f3 37.Qd6 Qg5 38.Qd4+ Kh7 39.g3 Qf5 40.Qc4 Rd7 41.Qb3 Qd3 0–1
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Romanov,E | 2641 | Aryan,C | 2459 | 0–1 | 2016 | D43 | 35th Zalakaros Open 2016 | 6.8 |
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IM Abhimanyu Puranik
IM Abhimanyu Puranik has shown solidity and his trademark resourcefulness in worse positions - often outplaying strong opponents between moves 30 to 40. Two examples:
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27...Rfb8 28.h3 h5 29.Rce3 Qd4 30.exd6 exd6 31.Nf3 Qf6 32.Qc3? 32.Re8+ Kg7 33.Rxb8 Rxb8 34.Qa3 Nxc4 35.Qxa7 Rb2 36.Ng5± 32...Qxc3 33.Rxc3 Nxc4 34.Nd4 34.Ng5!? Rb1 35.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 36.Kh2 Rb4 37.a3 Ra4 38.Rb3 34...Ne3 35.Nxf5? 35.Nc6 Nxg2 36.Kxg2 Re4 37.Rxe4 Bxe4+ 38.Kf2 Rb2+ 39.Ke3 Bg2 40.Nxa7 35...Nxf5 36.Ra3 h4 37.gxh4 Nxh4 38.f5 Nxf5 39.Rxa7 Rb2 40.Ra3 Nh4 41.Rg1 R8b4 42.Bf1 Rf4 0–1
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Efimenko,Z | 2656 | Puranik,A | 2452 | 0–1 | 2016 | A05 | 35th Zalakaros Open 2016 | 2.1 |
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27.Qc4 a6! 28.bxa6 Rd2 29.Bc1 29.Rh4 Qxe3 29...Bxh4 30.Qc3 Rd4 30...Qxc6+ 31.Qxc6 31.gxh4 Rg4+ 32.Kh3+- 30.Rf4 Qxa3 31.Rxf6+- 29.Rf1 Rxa2 30.a7+- 29...Rxa2 30.Qxa2 Qxc6+ 31.Kh2 Rb5 32.g4 Be5+ 33.f4 Rc5 34.Rd1 Bf6 35.a7 Rc2+ 36.Rd2 Rxa2 37.Rxa2 Qa8 38.Ra6 Be7 39.Ba3 Bxa3 40.Rxa3 Kf8-+ 0–1
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Medvegy,Z | 2553 | Puranik,A | 2452 | 0–1 | 2016 | A15 | 35th Zalakaros Open 2016 | 5.7 |
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While it might seem as if IM Abhimanyu Puranik was quite fortunate in both games his success in these games is not due to ‘coincidence’ or ‘chance’. I, for one, know IM Abhimanyu’s amazing ability to bounce back from worse positions – in the five games we have played so far (all formats counted) he has managed to outplay me in the later part of the game no less than four times!
A rational person does not believe in coincidences, and there is usually a rational explanation to everything. In this case excellent defensive abilities and excellent nerves in critical moments.

GM Harika Dronavalli leads the Women Challenge with 5.0/7.
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1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 h6 6.Bh4 Bb4+ 7.Nbd2 g5 8.Bg3 Ne4 9.a3 Nxg3 10.hxg3 Bf8 11.Qc2 Bg7 12.0-0-0 c6 13.Kb1 f5 14.Bd3 Qe7 15.Nh2 h5 16.f3 g4 17.e4 fxe4 18.fxe4 dxc4 19.Nxc4 e5 20.d5 Nc5 21.Ne3 Rh6 22.Rhf1 Rf6 23.Rxf6 Bxf6 24.Be2 Qf8 25.b4 Nd7 26.dxc6 Nb6 27.Nd5 Nxd5 28.Rxd5 Be6 29.cxb7 Bxd5 30.exd5 Rd8 31.Qc7 Qe7 32.b8Q 1–0
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Harika,D | 2514 | Shyam,S | 2530 | 1–0 | 2016 | D30 | 35th Zalakaros Open 2016 | 5.8 |
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IM Nomin-Erdene Davaademberel from Mongolia

Another talented young player from Czech Republic: FM Nguyen Thai Dai Van
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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Be7 7.Be3 b6 8.Be2 Ba6 9.0-0 0-0 10.f5 Bb7 11.fxe6 fxe6 12.Qe1 Rxf3 13.Bxf3 cxd4 14.Bxd4 Nc6 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Bxd5+ Kh8 17.Bc3 Qc7 18.Rf7 Nd8 19.Bxb7 Bc5+ 20.Kh1 Qxb7 21.Rxg7 Kxg7 22.e6+ Nf6 23.Qh4 Kf8 24.Qxf6+ Ke8 25.Rf1 Qd5 26.Qh8+ Ke7 27.Qxh7+ Ke8 28.Qg6+ Ke7 29.Rf7+ Nxf7 30.Qxf7+ Kd8 31.e7+ 1–0
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Nguyen,T | 2438 | Erdos,V | 2577 | 1–0 | 2016 | C11 | 35th Zalakaros Open 2016 | 5.13 |
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Things did not go too well for GM Viktor Erdos
Standings after seven rounds
Rk. |
SNo |
|
Name |
FED |
Rtg |
Pts. |
TB1 |
1 |
12 |
GM |
Vajda Levente |
ROU |
2581 |
5,5 |
30,5 |
2 |
3 |
GM |
Ivanisevic Ivan |
SRB |
2646 |
5,5 |
30,5 |
3 |
2 |
GM |
Rakhmanov Aleksandr |
RUS |
2654 |
5,5 |
29,0 |
4 |
7 |
GM |
Berkes Ferenc |
HUN |
2636 |
5,0 |
31,0 |
5 |
35 |
IM |
Puranik Abhimanyu |
IND |
2452 |
5,0 |
31,0 |
6 |
9 |
GM |
Banusz Tamas |
HUN |
2621 |
5,0 |
30,5 |
7 |
32 |
IM |
Aryan Chopra |
IND |
2459 |
5,0 |
30,0 |
8 |
19 |
IM |
Svane Rasmus |
GER |
2526 |
5,0 |
30,0 |
9 |
22 |
GM |
Harika Dronavalli |
IND |
2514 |
5,0 |
28,5 |
10 |
11 |
GM |
Prohaszka Peter |
HUN |
2593 |
5,0 |
28,5 |
11 |
1 |
GM |
Efimenko Zahar |
UKR |
2656 |
5,0 |
27,5 |
12 |
10 |
GM |
Papp Gabor |
HUN |
2596 |
5,0 |
27,0 |
13 |
25 |
IM |
Deac Bogdan-Daniel |
ROU |
2501 |
5,0 |
27,0 |
14 |
14 |
GM |
Medvegy Zoltan |
HUN |
2553 |
5,0 |
26,5 |
15 |
8 |
GM |
Onischuk Vladimir |
UKR |
2628 |
4,5 |
30,0 |
16 |
5 |
GM |
Romanov Evgeny |
RUS |
2641 |
4,5 |
28,5 |
17 |
4 |
GM |
Kravtsiv Martyn |
UKR |
2641 |
4,5 |
28,5 |
18 |
40 |
FM |
Gazik Viktor |
SVK |
2433 |
4,5 |
28,0 |
19 |
26 |
GM |
Mihok Oliver |
HUN |
2498 |
4,5 |
26,0 |
20 |
15 |
GM |
Szabo Gergely-Andras-Gyula |
ROU |
2548 |
4,5 |
26,0 |
21 |
21 |
GM |
Horvath Adam |
HUN |
2515 |
4,5 |
25,5 |
22 |
31 |
IM |
Korpa Bence |
HUN |
2461 |
4,5 |
25,5 |
23 |
6 |
GM |
Perunovic Milos |
SRB |
2639 |
4,5 |
23,5 |
24 |
55 |
FM |
Costachi Mihnea |
ROU |
2397 |
4,5 |
23,0 |
25 |
47 |
IM |
Dragnev Valentin |
AUT |
2423 |
4,5 |
21,5 |
26 |
23 |
IM |
Andersen Mads |
DEN |
2505 |
4,0 |
28,0 |
27 |
18 |
GM |
Horvath Jozsef |
HUN |
2528 |
4,0 |
27,5 |
28 |
44 |
FM |
Livaic Leon |
CRO |
2428 |
4,0 |
27,5 |
29 |
84 |
WGM |
Kulon Klaudia |
POL |
2304 |
4,0 |
27,5 |
30 |
33 |
GM |
Czebe Attila |
HUN |
2454 |
4,0 |
27,0 |
...113 players
Complete standings at chess-results.com…