Following two days of short, fierce and close battles the preliminary groups of the ACP Masters in Ashdod has finally reached a clear conclusion with no need for further tie-breakers.
Here are the results in group A:
Round 1: Jakovenko- Gelfand 0.5: 0.5; Guseinov- Georgiev 1:0; Sevian- Nepomniachtchi 0:1;
Round 2: Jakovenko- Guseinov 1:0; Georgiev-Sevian 0:1; Gelfand- Nepomniachtchi 0.5:0.5.
Round 3: Sevian- Jakovenko 1:0; Guseinov-Gelfand 0:1; Nepomniachtchi – Georgiev 1:0
Round 4: Jakovenko-Nepomniachtchi 0.5: 0.5; Guseinov-Sevian 1:0; Gelfand- Georgiev 0.5:0.5
Round 5: Georgiev-Jakovenko 0.5:0.5; Nepomniachtchi – Guseinov 0.5:0.5; Sevian-Gelfand 0:1.
Final standings: Gelfand & Nepomniachtchi 3.5 each; Jakovenko & Guseinov 2.5 each; Sevian 2; Georgiev 1
And here are the results in group B:.
Round 1: Smirin- Rapport 0:1; Sutovsky – Bacrot 0.5: 0.5; Ivanchuk- Eljanov 0.5: 0.5;
Round 2: Smirin- Sutovsky 1:0; Bacrot – Ivanchuk 0:1; Rapport- Eljanov 0:1;
Round 3: Ivanchuk- Smirin 0.5: 0:5 ; Sutovsky – Rapport 0.5: 0.5 ; Eljanov-Bacrot 0:1;
Round 4: Smirin-Eljanov 1:0; Sutovsky – Ivanchuk 0:1; Rapport- Bacrot 0.5:0.5;
Round 5: Bacrot-Smirin 1:0; Eljanov – Sutovsky 1:0; Ivanchuk- Rapport 0.5:0.5.
Final standings: Ivanchuk 3.5; Bacrot 3; Smirin,Eljanov & Rapport 2.5 each; Sutovsky 1.
The pairs for the semi-finals are: Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine) – Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia) and Etienne Bacrot (France) – Boris Gelfand (Israel). Ivanchuk and Bacrot play white in the first game.
The semi final matches will be played on Wednesday, December 9th at Kivunim centre starting from15.00 local time. Each match will be consisted of two rapid games of 15 minutes each with 10 seconds increment from move 1. Watch the games live!
The cross tables as well as all games may be found in PGN format at the games department of the tournament’s official website.
Enjoy the photo report below, kindly provided by Moshe Slav.
