Major upsets at Reykjavik Open
The MP Reykjavik Open started yesterday with 166 participants from 30 countries, including 29 GMs. This year´s tournament is co-sponsored by Deloitte which honors the memory of ex-partner and Icelandic IM Ingi R. Johannsson. The tournament this year is also the Nordic Championship.
With no surprises in the first, the second round saw a few, including WGM Sharevich´s (2323) victory over Icelandic GM Stefansson (2557). Stefansson, who was one of last year´s winners, lost in 25 moves to the Belarusian, after having won his first game in only 10 moves. Separately, Icelandic GM Thorhallsson (2387) beat German GM Gustafsson (2647) in a heavily fought endgame. 32 players have two points after the first rounds, including the following Icelanders: Thorhallsson, GM Danielsen (2533) and IMs Jón Viktor Gunnarsson (2428) and Bragi Þorfinnsson (2417).
The tournament features many of the youngest and most promising chess players in the world, including the world’s youngest GM, Illya Nyzhnik (2530) and 14-year old Bulgarian IM Kiprian Berbatov (2437), a nephew of Manchester United player Dimitar Berbatov. Tomorrow´s line up includes GM Hammer vs. Berbatov, GM McShane vs. GM Williams in the “Battle of Britain,” GM Thorhallsson vs. GM Hess and GM Friedel (no relations with Blackburn´s American keeper) vs. WGM Sharevich.
See all information, including 8 live games, all games in PGN on www.chess.is.
Special thanks to Gunnar Björnsson for the information.
Who is the blonde?