Ashdod Retains the Israeli Title

Ashdod Retains the Israeli Title
By Yochanan Afek

The Israeli team champion Ashdod-Ilit defended successfully its national title following a highly tensed last round against the runners up from Beer-Sheva on Friday. Prior to the last round both teams were leading the field on 52 points each.

Here are the board results of the crucial match:

Emil Sutovsky- Maxim Rodshtein 0.5: 0.5
Ilya Smirin- Michael Roiz 1: 0
Yevgeny Miroshnichenko- Nikita Vityugov 0: 1
Viktor Mikhalevsky- Yevgeny Postny 0.5: 0.5
Boris Avrukh- Alon Greenfeld 0.5: 0.5
Vitaly Golod – Ilya Khmelniker 0.5: 0.5

Following this 3:3 total score both teams tied for the first place, however omitting the Bonus points for team victories leaves Ashdod with better board points tie- break and thus the title remains in the southern port city. Rishon Letzion (with GMs Alterman, Kosashvily and Liss) finished third.

At the bottom an unexpected victory 5.5 : 1.5 of the young Porat team (3 brothers and sister Maya reinforced by IMs Jiry Jirka, Nathan Birnboim and Yochanan Afek) over Jerusalem sent the latter to the second division together with the second team of Ashdod and the third team of Beer-Sheva.

Final standings: Ashdod Ilit and Beer-Sheva 55 each; Rishon-Letzion 42.5; Hertzlya (GMs Psakhis, Zifroni, Soffer and Lev) 38; Beer-Sheva B (IMs Caspi and Nabati and GM Ma. Tseitlin) 37.5; Kfar-Saba ( GMs Rosenthalis, Lerner, An. Bikhovsky and Gershon) 37; Petakh-Tikva ( GMs Komarov and Gofshtein and Av. Bikhovsky) 35.5; Tel-Aviv (GMs Manor and Finkel) 34.5; Porat 32; Jerusalem (GMs Oleksienko, Rechlis and Murey) 31.5; Ashdod B (GMs Kantsler and Abargel) 29.5; Beer-Sheva F (GM Tunik) 21.