The Reykjavik Open has its first sole leader. Ukrainian Pavel Eljanov won his game against Ivan Cheparinov and is the only player that stands at 5.5/6.
Participants / Follow the games live
The most important game of the day was also the most exciting. Pavel Eljanov came on top after a double-edged tactical struggle. Ivan Cheparinov was not afraid to advance his army forward, but this plan finally backfired as he compromised his king’s protection. Eljanov found precise moves to prove his advantage and got the victory after 31 moves.
There are seven players that are half a point behind the leader. Two of them arrived to this position after winning their games today: Gawain Jones and Stelios Halkias.
Gawain Jones achieved a 39-move victory with the black pieces over Hannes Stefansson. The Englishman won a pawn on the queenside and then converted his advantage to join the chasing pack. Tomorrow he has a difficult task as he plays against Chinese star Yu Yangyi.
Stelios Halkias, on the other hand, got a win by forfeit as his opponent failed to come to the board on time. The weekend rounds are starting earlier than usual, at 13:00 CET instead of the “regular” 16:30. FM Adarsh Jayakumar was obviously unaware of the schedule as he missed today’s game and lost this important game.
The former US Champion GM Yuri Shulman bravely attacked the superstar Ding Liren. The Chinese conceded bishops’ pair to ruin white’s pawn structure but Shulman sacrificed an exchange and pushed the black pieces to the back rank. Ding Liren understood the danger and quickly returned the material to transpose into the opposite-colored bishop ending which was soon drawn.
GM Ivan Sokolov is a “professor” on the pawn structures as proven by the huge success of the books he wrote on the subject. He knew exactly what he was doing in the game against IM Irina Krush and “naively” allowed black to destroy his center with f5-f4 push. However, it turned out that black pawns were much weaker and Sokolov easily netted one extra to convert the game into a winning ending.
The famous Internet blitzer Yaacov Norowitz unleashed his trademarked Nf3, Bf4, e3 setup against the Polish GM Marcin Dziuba (2602). Norowitz got the initiative with two passers on the queenside. Dziuba defended persistently and eventually managed to salvage a draw by activating both his rook and king.
“Even Steven” Blitz Tournament
One of the side events of the Reykjavik open is the “Even Steven” blitz tourney, which has an interesting set of rules:
A nine round ”5-minute“ plus 1-second blitz tournament with time odds, where a total of 10-minute playing time is divided between opposing players, depending on the ELO ranking. For each 100-point difference in ELO ranking, there will are two-minute difference in with a maximum difference of 8 minutes (1 minute and 9 minutes).
So, for example, a 2200-rated player will thus have 8 minutes against a 2500-rated player, who will have 2 minutes, but each will enjoy the 1-second increment time per move.
Yaacov Norowitz obtained first place after scoring 6.5/9 points. Chessdom commentator Aman Hambleton from Canada came second with 6 points, after edging Egyptian Omar Salama on tie-breaks. Coincidentally, Norowitz and Hambleton face each other tomorrow in the main open.
Standings after 6 rounds – Main Open:
1 | GM | Eljanov Pavel | UKR | 2678 | 5.5 |
2 | GM | Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | FRA | 2715 | 5.0 |
3 | GM | Giri Anish | NED | 2722 | 5.0 |
4 | GM | Yu Yangyi | CHN | 2688 | 5.0 |
5 | GM | So Wesley | PHI | 2684 | 5.0 |
6 | GM | Gajewski Grzegorz | POL | 2644 | 5.0 |
7 | GM | Jones Gawain C B | ENG | 2637 | 5.0 |
8 | GM | Halkias Stelios | GRE | 2566 | 5.0 |
9 | GM | Socko Bartosz | POL | 2643 | 4.5 |
10 | GM | Cheparinov Ivan | BUL | 2709 | 4.5 |
11 | IM | Gretarsson Hjorvar Steinn | ISL | 2509 | 4.5 |
12 | GM | Baklan Vladimir | UKR | 2609 | 4.5 |
13 | GM | Ipatov Alexander | TUR | 2569 | 4.5 |
14 | GM | Shulman Yury | USA | 2563 | 4.5 |
15 | IM | Wei Yi | CHN | 2501 | 4.5 |
16 | GM | Yilmaz Mustafa | TUR | 2531 | 4.5 |
17 | GM | Dziuba Marcin | POL | 2602 | 4.5 |
18 | GM | Solak Dragan | TUR | 2603 | 4.5 |
19 | WGM | Tan Zhongyi | CHN | 2466 | 4.5 |
20 | GM | Navara David | CZE | 2710 | 4.5 |
21 | GM | Grandelius Nils | SWE | 2566 | 4.5 |
22 | GM | Ding Liren | CHN | 2709 | 4.5 |
23 | NM | Norowitz Yaacov | USA | 2432 | 4.5 |
24 | GM | Maze Sebastien | FRA | 2556 | 4.5 |
25 | WGM | Wang Jue | CHN | 2375 | 4.5 |
26 | GM | L’ami Erwin | NED | 2622 | 4.5 |
27 | GM | Bu Xiangzhi | CHN | 2675 | 4.5 |
28 | GM | Amin Bassem | EGY | 2631 | 4.5 |
29 | WGM | Huang Qian | CHN | 2478 | 4.5 |
30 | GM | Williams Simon K | ENG | 2498 | 4.5 |
31 | GM | Kveinys Aloyzas | LTU | 2533 | 4.5 |
32 | GM | Kuzubov Yuriy | UKR | 2622 | 4.5 |
33 | GM | Xiu Deshun | CHN | 2530 | 4.5 |
34 | GM | Danielsen Henrik | ISL | 2507 | 4.5 |
35 | GM | Sokolov Ivan | NED | 2644 | 4.5 |
36 | IM | Arngrimsson Dagur | ISL | 2375 | 4.5 |
37 | IM | Li Wenliang | CHN | 2411 | 4.0 |
38 | GM | Stefansson Hannes | ISL | 2496 | 4.0 |
39 | FM | Jayakumar Adarsh | USA | 2271 | 4.0 |
40 | IM | Kislik Erik Andrew | USA | 2359 | 4.0 |
41 | IM | Lou Yiping | CHN | 2468 | 4.0 |
42 | IM | Schreiner Peter | AUT | 2439 | 4.0 |
43 | IM | Guramishvili Sopiko | GEO | 2414 | 4.0 |
44 | GM | Oleksienko Mikhailo | UKR | 2568 | 4.0 |
45 | IM | Bartholomew John | USA | 2435 | 4.0 |
46 | IM | Diermair Andreas | AUT | 2407 | 4.0 |
47 | GM | Olafsson Fridrik | ISL | 2416 | 4.0 |
48 | GM | Esen Baris | TUR | 2565 | 4.0 |
49 | WGM | Saduakassova Dinara | KAZ | 2312 | 4.0 |
50 | FM | Gislason Gudmundur | ISL | 2329 | 4.0 |
51 | IM | Zumsande Martin | GER | 2419 | 4.0 |
52 | FM | Bjerke Richard | NOR | 2131 | 4.0 |
53 | FM | Kvisvik Brede | NOR | 2314 | 4.0 |
54 | WGM | Kashlinskaya Alina | RUS | 2350 | 4.0 |
55 | FM | Hambleton Aman | CAN | 2472 | 4.0 |
56 | IM | Muir Andrew J Mr | SCO | 2313 | 3.5 |
57 | WGM | Guo Qi | CHN | 2431 | 3.5 |
58 | GM | Thorhallsson Throstur | ISL | 2441 | 3.5 |
59 | IM | Krush Irina | USA | 2460 | 3.5 |
60 | IM | Andersen Mads | DEN | 2462 | 3.5 |
61 | GM | Kristjansson Stefan | ISL | 2486 | 3.5 |
62 | IM | Smith Axel | SWE | 2485 | 3.5 |
63 | WGM | Mammadova Gulnar | AZE | 2369 | 3.5 |
64 | IM | Kjartansson Gudmundur | ISL | 2430 | 3.5 |
IM | Mikkelsen Nikolaj | DEN | 2421 | 3.5 | |
IM | Hagen Andreas Skytte | DEN | 2411 | 3.5 | |
67 | IM | Ris Robert | NED | 2407 | 3.5 |
68 | WGM | L’ami Alina | ROU | 2362 | 3.5 |
69 | WGM | Cherednichenko Svetlana | UKR | 2307 | 3.5 |
Wang Yiye | CHN | 2226 | 3.5 | ||
71 | IM | Bekker-Jensen Simon | DEN | 2405 | 3.5 |
72 | FM | Handler Lukas | AUT | 2369 | 3.5 |
73 | Christiansen Johan-Sebastian | NOR | 2071 | 3.5 | |
74 | IM | Thorfinnsson Bjorn IM | ISL | 2386 | 3.5 |
75 | Omarsson Dadi | ISL | 2212 | 3.5 | |
76 | IM | Prosviriakov Vladimir | USA | 2297 | 3.5 |
77 | Karason Askell O | ISL | 2235 | 3.5 | |
78 | WGM | Mamedjarova Turkan | AZE | 2280 | 3.5 |
79 | Schou-Moldt Thomas | DEN | 2236 | 3.5 | |
80 | WCM | Roberts Lynda | WLS | 1903 | 3.5 |
81 | WFM | Frisk Ellinor | SWE | 2197 | 3.5 |
82 | Thorhallsson Gylfi | ISL | 2141 | 3.5 | |
83 | FM | Ekeberg Carl Fredrik | NOR | 2274 | 3.5 |
84 | Palmqvist Fredrik | SWE | 2050 | 3.5 | |
85 | CM | Herbold Manfred | GER | 2125 | 3.5 |
86 | Drill Frank | GER | 2124 | 3.5 | |
87 | IM | Urkedal Frode | NOR | 2473 | 3.5 |
88 | Steindorsson Sigurdur P. | ISL | 2235 | 3.5 | |
89 | Van Heirzeele Daniel | BEL | 2125 | 3.5 | |
90 | IM | Bjarnason Saevar | ISL | 2133 | 3.5 |
91 | FM | Malmdin Nils-Ake | SWE | 2281 | 3.5 |
92 | Bergsson Stefan | ISL | 2180 | 3.5 | |
93 | Halldorsson Jon Arni | ISL | 2222 | 3.5 | |
94 | Wahlbom Magnus | SWE | 2279 | 3.5 | |
95 | IM | Miedema David – | NED | 2364 | 3.5 |
96 | Helin Mikael | SWE | 1910 | 3.0 | |
97 | Beeke Bob | NED | 2257 | 3.0 | |
98 | Finnbogadottir Tinna Kristin | ISL | 1871 | 3.0 | |
99 | IM | Borsos Bogdan | UKR | 2260 | 3.0 |
Bird Andrew | AUS | 2223 | 3.0 | ||
101 | Tari Aryan | NOR | 2263 | 3.0 | |
102 | Doell Detlef | GER | 2044 | 3.0 | |
103 | WFM | Thorsteinsdottir Gudlaug | ISL | 2041 | 3.0 |
104 | Ragnarsson Johann | ISL | 2046 | 3.0 | |
105 | Marentini Marcel | SUI | 2069 | 3.0 | |
106 | FM | Bewersdorff Oliver | GER | 2335 | 3.0 |
107 | Ornolfsson Magnus P. | ISL | 2169 | 3.0 | |
108 | Maack Kjartan | ISL | 2136 | 3.0 | |
109 | FM | Cubas Pons Juan Miguel | ESP | 2284 | 3.0 |
110 | Rodriguez Fonseca Jorge | ESP | 2009 | 3.0 | |
111 | Karlsson Robin | SWE | 1980 | 3.0 | |
112 | Jonsson Olafur Gisli | ISL | 1870 | 3.0 | |
113 | Isaksson Per | SWE | 2016 | 3.0 | |
114 | Heerde Thomas | GER | 2053 | 3.0 | |
115 | Halldorsson Bragi | ISL | 2180 | 3.0 | |
116 | WFM | Newrkla Katharina | AUT | 2135 | 3.0 |
117 | Hardarson Jon Trausti | ISL | 1853 | 3.0 | |
118 | Mihajlov Svetoslav | NOR | 2071 | 3.0 | |
119 | Ragnarsson Dagur | ISL | 1961 | 3.0 | |
120 | Ofstad Sigurd | NOR | 1985 | 3.0 | |
121 | FM | Andreasen Per Naesby | DEN | 2302 | 3.0 |
122 | Karlsson Mikael Johann | ISL | 1990 | 3.0 | |
123 | Johannesson Oliver | ISL | 1988 | 3.0 | |
124 | Thorsteinsdottir Hallgerdur | ISL | 1960 | 3.0 | |
125 | FM | Thompson Ian D | ENG | 2260 | 3.0 |
126 | Pretterhofer Kiaras | AUT | 1997 | 3.0 | |
127 | Klug Christian | GER | 1894 | 3.0 | |
128 | Frick Renato | LIE | 2075 | 3.0 | |
129 | WIM | Van Weersel Arlette | NED | 2211 | 3.0 |
Kleinert Juergen | GER | 1991 | 3.0 | ||
131 | Ingvason Johann | ISL | 2148 | 3.0 | |
132 | Schadd Jan | NED | 0 | 3.0 | |
133 | Palsson Halldor | ISL | 2078 | 3.0 | |
134 | Bergthorsson Jon Thor | ISL | 2125 | 3.0 | |
135 | Egilsson Fridrik Orn | ISL | 0 | 3.0 | |
136 | Vigfusson Vigfus | ISL | 1985 | 3.0 | |
137 | Thorgeirsson Jon Kristinn | ISL | 1766 | 3.0 | |
138 | Hyotyla Tapio | SUI | 1792 | 3.0 | |
139 | Bjornes Leif | NOR | 1957 | 3.0 | |
140 | Hojgaard Brandur | FAI | 1734 | 3.0 | |
141 | WGM | Ptacnikova Lenka | ISL | 2269 | 2.5 |
142 | FM | Valenti Giuseppe | ITA | 2204 | 2.5 |
143 | Newrkla Alexander | AUT | 1969 | 2.5 | |
144 | Gunnarsson Sigurdur Jon | ISL | 2000 | 2.5 | |
145 | Leimeister Winfried | GER | 1909 | 2.5 | |
146 | Eliasson Kristjan Orn | ISL | 1873 | 2.5 | |
147 | Maggason Oskar Mason | ISL | 1903 | 2.5 | |
148 | Jacobsen Trond | NOR | 1610 | 2.5 | |
149 | Johannsson Orn Leo | ISL | 1953 | 2.5 | |
150 | Andreasen Jakup A.R. | FAI | 1992 | 2.5 | |
151 | Birgisson Ingvar Orn | ISL | 1953 | 2.5 | |
152 | Johansen Arnt-Ole | NOR | 1817 | 2.5 | |
153 | Fivelstad Jon Olav | NOR | 1888 | 2.5 | |
154 | Herda Christoph Dr. | GER | 1915 | 2.5 | |
155 | Sverrisson Nokkvi | ISL | 1990 | 2.5 | |
156 | Johansen Stian | NOR | 2090 | 2.5 | |
157 | Davidsdottir Nansy | ISL | 1479 | 2.5 | |
158 | Evenson Kent | USA | 0 | 2.5 | |
159 | Johannsdottir Johanna Bjorg | ISL | 1872 | 2.5 | |
160 | Kuehnast Volker | GER | 1936 | 2.5 | |
161 | Raddatz Michael | GER | 2075 | 2.5 | |
162 | Saemundsson Bjarni | ISL | 1935 | 2.5 | |
163 | Kristinardottir Elsa Maria | ISL | 1747 | 2.5 | |
164 | Bauza Mercere Eduardo | ARG | 1809 | 2.5 | |
165 | Mihajlov Sebastian | NOR | 2059 | 2.0 | |
166 | Haraldsson Leif | SWE | 2028 | 2.0 | |
Michel Steve | NED | 2008 | 2.0 | ||
168 | Jensen Soren | DEN | 1909 | 2.0 | |
169 | Murray Michael A. | CAN | 2017 | 2.0 | |
170 | Knútsson Lárus | ISL | 2072 | 2.0 | |
171 | Billot Daniel | FRA | 1731 | 2.0 | |
172 | Merkesvik Sondre | NOR | 1903 | 2.0 | |
173 | Jablon Stephen | USA | 1896 | 2.0 | |
174 | Kjartansson Dagur | ISL | 1623 | 2.0 | |
175 | de Winter Eric | NED | 1823 | 2.0 | |
176 | Ingason Sigurdur | ISL | 1878 | 2.0 | |
177 | Kruglyak Mikhail | USA | 0 | 2.0 | |
178 | Ghaderi Arman K | NOR | 1827 | 2.0 | |
Jonsson Gauti Pall | ISL | 1519 | 2.0 | ||
180 | Vignisson Ingvar Egill | ISL | 1542 | 2.0 | |
181 | Masson Kjartan | ISL | 1856 | 2.0 | |
182 | Bjeglerud Jarle | NOR | 0 | 2.0 | |
183 | Sundsbo Sigve | NOR | 0 | 2.0 | |
184 | Seim Fredrik | NOR | 1714 | 2.0 | |
185 | Gjertsen Petter | NOR | 0 | 2.0 | |
186 | Hisnay Gregory | USA | 0 | 2.0 | |
187 | Arntsen Frode | NOR | 1840 | 2.0 | |
188 | Holm Fridgeir K | ISL | 1733 | 2.0 | |
Petersen Jakob Alexander | ISL | 1370 | 2.0 | ||
190 | Storesund Henrik | NOR | 1759 | 2.0 | |
191 | Leosson Atli Johann | ISL | 1736 | 2.0 | |
192 | Kolka Dawid | ISL | 1646 | 2.0 | |
193 | Hilmarsson Andri Steinn | ISL | 0 | 2.0 | |
194 | Petersson Baldur Teodor | SWE | 1575 | 2.0 | |
195 | Mehringer Joerg | GER | 1908 | 2.0 | |
196 | Bakkes Frits | NED | 1750 | 2.0 | |
197 | Meier Gerd | GER | 1949 | 2.0 | |
198 | Magnusdottir Veronika Steinun | ISL | 1557 | 2.0 | |
199 | Traustason Ingi Tandri | ISL | 1840 | 2.0 | |
200 | Hrafnsson Hilmir | ISL | 1331 | 2.0 | |
201 | Ragnarsson Heimir Pall | ISL | 1354 | 2.0 | |
202 | Birgisdottir Ingibjorg | ISL | 1783 | 1.5 | |
203 | Pantzar Milton | SWE | 1693 | 1.5 | |
204 | WCM | Orlova Yelizaveta | CAN | 1978 | 1.5 |
205 | Heimisson Hilmir Freyr | ISL | 1693 | 1.5 | |
206 | Bue Gunnar | NOR | 1695 | 1.5 | |
207 | Hauksdottir Hrund | ISL | 1671 | 1.5 | |
208 | Stefansson Vignir Vatnar | ISL | 1652 | 1.5 | |
209 | Ohlsson Mikael | SWE | 1811 | 1.5 | |
210 | Einarsson Oskar Long | ISL | 1613 | 1.5 | |
211 | Palsdottir Soley Lind | ISL | 1393 | 1.5 | |
212 | Thorhallsson Simon | ISL | 1451 | 1.5 | |
213 | Sigurdarson Alec Elias | ISL | 0 | 1.0 | |
214 | Ontiveros John | ISL | 1700 | 1.0 | |
215 | Steinthorsson Felix | ISL | 1449 | 1.0 | |
216 | Bragason Gudmundur Agnar | ISL | 0 | 1.0 | |
217 | Smith Chris P | ENG | 0 | 1.0 | |
218 | Ramtin Raman | IRI | 1661 | 1.0 | |
Kolica Donika | ISL | 1251 | 1.0 | ||
220 | Bakkejord Odd Vidar | NOR | 0 | 1.0 | |
221 | Kristbergsson Bjorgvin | ISL | 1197 | 1.0 | |
222 | Leifsson Thorsteinn | ISL | 1759 | 1.0 | |
223 | Laitamaa Tore Johan Melker | NOR | 0 | 1.0 | |
224 | Magnusson Thorsteinn | ISL | 0 | 1.0 | |
225 | Johannesson Petur | ISL | 0 | 0.5 | |
226 | Bodvarsson Bodvar | ISL | 0 | 0.5 | |
227 | Davidsson Oskar Vikingur | ISL | 0 | 0.0 |
