The 5th Marathon International Rapid Chess Tournament was held on 7th-8th June, 2014 at Mega Mall Rabat in Rabat, the capital and the fifth largest city of Morocco, situated on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regrer.
The Morocco Chess Festival was opened by the former World Champion GM Viswanathan Anand and started with a 17 round Swiss Blitz Open with a time control 5 minutes per player.
Dutch GM Loek Van Wely grabbed the trophy with 17,5/21 points, leaving the nearest followers a full point behind.
The podium was completed by GM Robin Van Kampen and GM Eric Hansen who collected 16,5/21 points each.
The best placed Moroccan player is IM Ali Sebbar, who played the World Cup in Norway 2013 and lost to Karjakin 0,5-1,5 in the first round. Sebbar came eighth with 13,5/21 points.
The top 4 boards in the Blitz Tournament were streamed on a big screen so that players could follow it live. The games were also broadcasted in the internet. Replay the games with triple engine analysis here.
On the 8th June GM Vishy Anand and the 2012 World Junior Champion GM Alexander Ipatov gave a simultaneous exhibition on 25 boards each. Anand performed 23,5, losing only against Clement Stahl and drawing with Michael Bon. Ipatov was very efficient and gave away only one draw.
The second day of the festival continued with an exhibition blitz match between Anand and Ipatov. The final result was 1,5-0,5 in favor of the ex World champion.
Q&A session with Vishy Anand attracted many Chess fans and players. The national chess scene and participants gave Vishy their support for his next steps, insisting they were very sensitive to his great, humble, down-to-earth attitude.
Anand reassured that he is also looking forward to regain the World Champion crown. The champion discussed the possible ways of developing chess on a country level, for example Chess in Schools. He was enchanted by Morocco and admitted that he would be glad to come back for the next edition of the Rabat Marathon International Chess Tournament.
Special thanks to the Tournament Director Mr Youssef Iraqui and GM Alex Ipatov for the detailed information and picturesque report, that you may see below!
Tournament website/ Replay the games with triple engine analysis/ Enjoy 2014 Anand’s games, commented by the Chess Insider experts
GM Alexander Ipatov
Alex shared with Chessdom his short feedback about the 5th Rapid Rabat Marathon:
“I had never been to Morocco before and my main impression about this country is that people are full of hospitality and always ready to help. Concerning the tournament, it has been organized on top level, however, chess in Morocco is not so popular and developed yet. Despite being just a blitz tournament, four top boards were broadcasted live on world’s leading chess platforms and also there was a video coverage on a big screen in the playing hall. Many thanks to Youssef Iraqui and team of his assistants for their efforts and self-dedication. I really hope, this event and especially a visit of Vishy Anand would inspire Moroccan children to start playing chess :) Until next time!”
GM Alex Ipatov in Morocco
The Vishy effect
Day 2: All eyes on Anand
Day 2: Anand resting before blitz
Anand makes the first move, looking at the 4 tables pgn screen
4 screens, worked fine even for blitz!
GM Christian Bauer was first seed according to the Blitz ELO
The Dutch derby
GM Ipatov faces GM Bauer
112 players, all ages
- GM Van Wely, GM Van Kampen and GM Eric Hansen took the first prizes in the Blitz event
Andrea Zechner (Austria) is the best female player
Day 2: The room is all set for double simul (Anand + Ipatov)
Day 2: T-shirt says your move Vishy!
Michael Bon and Clement Stahl were successful against Anand
Make your own caption
Tournament director Youssef Iraqui
Final standings:
1 GM Van Wely Loek 2647 NED 17½
2 GM Van Kampen Robin 2478 NED 16½
3 GM Hansen Eric 2576 CAN 16½
4 GM Fridman Daniel 2640 GER 16
5 GM Ipatov Alexander 2629 TUR 15
6 GM Bauer Christian 2670 FRA 14
7 GM Czebe Attila 2419 HUN 13½
8 IM Sebbar Ali 2388 MAR 13½
9 IM Shoker Samy 2575 EGY 13½
10 GM Movsisyan Karen 2477 ARM 13½
11 GM Tregubov Pavel 2515 RUS 13
12 GM Peralta Fernando 2602 ARG 12½
13 GM Horvath Adam 2541 HUN 12½
14 GM Romero Holmes Alfonso 2479 ESP 12½
15 GM Garcia Palermo Carlos 2426 ITA 12½
16 FM Bon Michel 2353 FRA 12½
17 El Bekkali Kamal 1940 MAR 12½
18 Choukri Adel 2207 MAR 12½
19 Tachafine Anouar 0 MAR 12½
20 Kholti Achraf 2100 MAR 12½
21 Ben Ammor Akram 1995 MAR 12½
22 GM Rausis Igor 2511 LAT 12
23 IM El Adnani Mokhliss 2414 MAR 12
24 GM Haddouche Amine 2441 ALG 12
25 IM Onkoud Abdelaziz 2387 MAR 12
26 Nassim Sabah Rahal 1770 MAR 12
27 FM Bouhaddoune Oussama 2247 MAR 12
28 Daoudi Kamal 2135 MAR 12
29 Mouissou Abdesslam 1800 MAR 12
30 Ouakhir Mehdi 2174 MAR 11½
31 Zouizine Rachid 2092 MAR 11½
32 IM Hifad Rachid 2279 MAR 11½
33 Nafri Khalil 2138 MAR 11½
34 Sellak Haddou 1961 MAR 11½
35 Stahl Clement 2155 FRA 11½
36 Arif Mouad 1830 MAR 11½
37 Messala Noureddine 2000 MAR 11½
38 IM Rian Mohamed Moubarak 0 MAR 11½
39 Becham Khalid 2059 MAR 11½
40 Zaitan Hicham 1790 MAR 11½
41 Salaka Youssef 2100 MAR 11
42 Benaddi Mouhssine 2094 MAR 11
43 Alami Khalid 0 MAR 11
44 Maras Housni 2097 MAR 11
45 Akhrouf Lissandine 2040 MAR 11
46 Aissaoui Aziz 1900 MAR 11
47 Ben Yahya Larbi 1841 MAR 11
48 Rajraji Mohamed 0 MAR 11
49 El Baggar Abdelghafour 0 MAR 11
50 Chrigui Mourad 1536 MAR 11
51 Bagri Jaspaul 2121 SUI 10½
52 Thibaud Steinle 2110 FRA 10½
53 FM Draoui Najib 2307 MAR 10½
54 Omari Anas 0 MAR 10½
55 Bendriss Hatim 1832 MAR 10½
56 Mounib Abdelaziz 2140 MAR 10½
57 Aittik Amine 0 MAR 10½
58 Zarkik Abdeslam 0 MAR 10½
59 Ben Fatah Mohammed Mehdi 2104 MAR 10½
60 Amarger Vincent 2035 FRA 10
61 Rian Saad 0 MAR 10
62 Mounib Abdelmajid 2103 MAR 10
63 Gueddar Ali 0 MAR 10
64 El Harrak Abdeslam 1563 MAR 10
65 Saber Yasser 0 MAR 10
66 Zechner Andrea 1900 AUT 10
67 El Fathaoui Jaouad 2080 MAR 10
68 Chrifi Alaoui Mehdi 0 MAR 10
69 El Fezari Mohamed Amine 0 MAR 10
70 Choukri Ayoub 0 MAR 10
71 WFM Arif Fadoua 0 MAR 10
72 Chellaf Abdeslam 0 MAR 9½
73 Bennis Mohamed 0 MAR 9½
74 Sbai Rania 0 MAR 9½
75 El Alami Sidi Otman 0 MAR 9½
76 Zitan Abdelhay 0 MAR 9½
77 Makhlouf Rabie 0 MAR 9½
78 Zelmate Adnane 2036 MAR 9½
79 Al Haik Mohamed 0 MAR 9½
80 Jamari Mehdi 0 MAR 9
81 Chakroun Mohamed 0 MAR 9
82 Alami Halim 2163 MAR 9
83 Guemmah Nasr 1986 MAR 9
84 Zrikem Nassim 1684 MAR 9
85 Sbai Abdeslam 0 MAR 9
86 Alaoui Belghiti Yassine 0 MAR 9
87 Janati Idrissi Abdelkhaled 1558 MAR 9
88 Balhati Samah 0 MAR 9
89 Sembati Nouamane 0 MAR 9
90 ElIbrahimi Hicham 1867 MAR 8½
91 El Kouch El Hassan 0 MAR 8½
92 Akil Taha 0 MAR 8½
93 Sidah Mohamed 1459 MAR 8½
94 Makhlouf Ahlam 0 MAR 8½
95 Ziadi Abdoullah 0 MAR 8½
96 El Fezari Walid 0 MAR 8½
97 Ibn Talib Omar 0 MAR 8
98 Soussi Charaf-Eddine 0 MAR 8
99 Alaoui Belghiti Chaimae 0 MAR 8
100 El Harrak Youssef 0 MAR 8
101 Qariouh Anas 0 MAR 8
102 El Harrak Ahmed 0 MAR 8
103 ElNami Abdalla Khaled 1757 LBA 8
104 Ramli Amina 0 MAR 7½
105 Aatar Ikram 0 MAR 7½
106 Lardi Abdelmalek 0 MAR 7
107 Maskani Filali Omar 0 MAR 6½
108 Marih Bouchra 0 MAR 6
109 Freme Hajar 0 MAR 5½
110 Makhlouf Youssef 0 MAR 3
111 Rezzakh Achraf 0 MAR 2
112 Majdouline Ahmed 1938 MAR 0
