The 77th Individual Chess Championship of Spain was held from 29th September to 7th October at the Hotel Gloria Palace de San Agustín on Gran Canaria.
124 players competed in the 9-round Swiss event, including 8 Grandmasters.
Grandmasters Julen Luis Arizmendi and Miguel Munoz Pantoja won their last round games to finish the tournament on shared first place with 7,5 points each. Arizmendi is declared champion on better tie-break criteria.
GM Oleg Korneev took the bronze thanks to the superior tie-break in the group of players with 7 points each.
Munoz Pantoja (reigning Catalan champion) and Korneev have recently switched to Spanish chess federation from Peru and Russia respectively.
Also on 7 points is the last year champion Alvar Alonso Rosell, who this time took the award for the best U20 player. IM David Anton Guijarro is fifth overall and best U18 player.
The local chess fans are delighted that their own WGM Sabrina Vega Gutierrez claimed the top women prize.
Final standings (top finishers):
1. GM Arizmendi Martinez Julen Luis VAL 2560 – 7.5
2. GM Munoz Pantoja Miguel CAT 2476 – 7.5
3. GM Korneev Oleg CAN 2596 – 7
4. IM Alonso Rosell Alvar CAT 2529 – 7
5. IM Anton Guijarro David MAD 2546 – 7
6. GM Alsina Leal Daniel CAT 2528 – 7
7. GM Perez Candelario Manuel EXT 2575 – 6.5
8. IM Larino Nieto David CAT 2487 – 6.5
9. IM Forcen Esteban Daniel ARA 2469 – 6.5
10. IM Recuero Guerra David AST 2450 – 6.5
11. IM Gonzalez De La Torre Santiago VAS 2442 – 6.5
12. IM Cuenca Jimenez Jose Fernando AND 2487 – 6.5
13. GM Romero Holmes Alfonso VAS 2508 – 6
14. Camacho Collados Marcos AND 2436 – 6
15. IM Garrido Dominguez Jesus AND 2396 – 6
16. Tejedor Fuentes Enrique CNT 2287 – 6
17. WGM Vega Gutierrez Sabrina CAN 2364 – 6
18. GM Todorcevic Antic Miodrag CAN 2420 – 6
19. FM Suarez Garcia Carlos AST 2274 – 6
20. Martin Hernandez Ruben CAN 2171 – 6
21. WIM Nicolas Zapata Irene VAL 2193 – 6
22. Alonso Valiente Alexis CAN 2049 – 6
23. IM Camarena Gimenez Rufino VAL 2393 – 6
24. Menendez Rey Francisco Javier AST 2229 – 6
25. Zamarbide Inarrea Daniel NAV 2192 – 6
26. WIM Vega Gutierrez Belinda CAN 2206 – 6
Where’s Shirov and Paco VP?