Pavel Eljanov sole leader of Reykjavik

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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