There are many interesting match-ups in round 7 of the Thailand Open 2013 – 13th Bangkok Chess Club Open – held from 14-22 April at the Dusit Thani Pattaya.
Former BCC Open Champion Sune Berg Hansen bested sole leader Rogelio Antonio on 5.5/6 while IM Wang Chen used the White pieces well to draw another former BCC Open Champion in Jan Gustafsson, and Mark Paragua was upset by Pattaya resident Gerhard Schebler who arrived late covered with water from the Songkran Festival.
Australia’s No. 1 Zhao Zong-Yuan defeated veteran Ralf Akesson and India’s IM Saptarshi Roy drew Darwin Laylo.
A large chasing pack on 4.5/6 were hoping the group ahead of them dropped points and by winning, defending champion Nigel Short, Koneru Humpy, Oliver Barbosa, Lu Shanglei, Susanto Megaranto, Adam Horvath and Jozsef Horvath remained close to the top.
So, going into round 8 we have a total of 14 in contention, Hansen, Zhao, and Schebler on 6/7 and Short, Gustafsson, Humpy, Lu Antonio, the two Horvaths, Megatanto, Laylo, Saptashi and Wang on 5.5/7.
Top round 8 pairings:
GM Schebler Gerhard 2445 – GM Hansen Sune Berg 2561
GM Short Nigel D 2697 – GM Zhao Zong-Yuan 2537
GM Gustafsson Jan 2621 – GM Horvath Adam 2509
IM Wang Chen 2485 – GM Koneru Humpy 2597
IM Wan Yunguo 2494 – GM Lu Shanglei 2562
GM Megaranto Susanto 2541 – IM Saptarshi Roy 2426
News and photo gallery by Peter Long (click on thumbnail for full size)
