Akopian, Matlakov, and Malakhov lead EICC after round 8

Akopian, Matlakov, and Malakhov lead EICC after round 8

Round 8 of the European Individual Chess Championship saw a change of leaders. The R7 sole leader Sergei Azarov lost his game to Vladimir Malakhov to hand him a joint first place with Maxim Matlakov and Vladimir Akopian. They are with 6,5/8 three rounds before the end of the championship.

The leaders are closely followed by a group of 17 players with 6,0/8, among them are GM Gawain Jones, GM Yuriy Kuzubov, GM Nikita Vitiugov, GM Etinne Bacrot, GM Laurent Fressinet, GM Ernesto Inarkiev, GM Mikhail Kobalia, GM Francisco Vallejo, GM Dmitry Andreikin, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, GM Baadur Jobava, GM Sergei Azarov, GM Anton Korobov, GM Andrei Volokitin, GM Igor Khankin, and GM Andrei Istratescu.

Within 1 point of the leaders are 31 players, among them the 2700 club members GM Caruana, GM Naiditsch, GM Jakovenko, GM Laznicka, FM Movsesian, etc.

Live games with analysis /Pairings round 8 / Results and standings round 8 / Pairings round 9