World Senior Chess Championships – Round Nine
The 21st World Senior Chess Championships are being played in Opatija, Croatia, from November 14, 2011 (arrival of the participants) until November 27, 2011 (day of departure).
The Championships are organized by the Chess club “Rijeka” in agreement with Croatian Chess Federation, under the auspices of the Mountain-litoral County, the City of Rijeka and the City of Opatija.
The championship is based on 11 rounds of Swiss system in accordance with the FIDE Tournament Rules and FIDE Rules of Chess.
GM Bojan Kurajica grabbed the lead following a victory against GM Davorin Komljenovic in the ninth round of the Open Championship. Kurajica, according to GM Miso Cebalo a favourite to claim the title, is currently with 7.5 points, half a point ahead of the chasing pack.
The Women Championship is extremely interesting with four players sharing the lead with two rounds to go. WGM Elena Fatalibekova, currently on the 5th place, can also hope to reach the top placement.
Round 9 standings (Open):
1. GM Kurajica Bojan BIH 2532 – 7.5
2-6. GM Vaisser Anatoly FRA 2555, GM Timoscenko Gennadij SVK 2483, GM Kovacevic Vlatko CRO 2482, IM Zhelnin Vladimir V RUS 2430 and IM Okhotnik Vladimir FRA 2427 – 7.0
7-16. GM Komljenovic Davorin CRO 2451, GM Rashkovsky Nukhim N RUS 2517, GM Hulak Krunoslav CRO 2480, GM Chernikov Oleg L RUS 2402, GM Cebalo Miso CRO 2446, IM Danner Georg AUT 2406, FM Mishuchkov Nikolai M RUS 2418, GM Balashov Yuri S RUS 2443, IM Leskovar Mario ARG 2316 and FM Turikov Viktor RUS 2270 – 6.5 etc
Round 10 top pairings (Open):
GM Vaisser Anatoly 2555 – GM Kurajica Bojan 2532
GM Kovacevic Vlatko 2482 – GM Timoscenko Gennadij 2483
IM Okhotnik Vladimir 2427 – IM Zhelnin Vladimir V 2430
GM Rashkovsky Nukhim N 2517 – FM Mishuchkov Nikolai M 2418
IM Leskovar Mario 2316 – GM Hulak Krunoslav 2480
IM Danner Georg 2406 – GM Komljenovic Davorin 2451
FM Turikov Viktor 2270 – GM Cebalo Miso 2446
GM Balashov Yuri S 2443 – GM Chernikov Oleg L 2402
FM Sorensen Bent 2321 – GM Suba Mihai 2458
Round 9 standings (Women):
1-4. WFM Melashvili Nino GEO 2106, GM Gaprindashvili Nona GEO 2360, WIM Strutinskaya Galina N RUS 2277 and WGM Saunina Ludmila RUS 2274 – 6.5
5. WGM Fatalibekova Elena RUS 2285 – 6.0
6-11. WGM Khmiadashvili Tamar GEO 2166, WIM Miednikova Swietlana RUS 2165, WIM Thipsay Bagyashree Sathe IND 2152, WIM Bilunova Rimma I RUS 2151, WIM Titorenko Natalia I RUS 2143 and WIM Mira Helene AUT 2098 – 5.5
Round 10 top pairings (Women):
WGM Fatalibekova Elena 2285 – GM Gaprindashvili Nona 2360
WIM Strutinskaya Galina N 2277 – WIM Miednikova Swietlana 2165
WIM Bilunova Rimma I 2151 – WGM Saunina Ludmila 2274
WFM Melashvili Nino 2106 – WIM Titorenko Natalia I 2143
WGM Khmiadashvili Tamar 2166 – WIM Thipsay Bagyashree Sathe 2152
WFM Bogumil Tatiana 2115 – WIM Mira Helene 2098
WGM Kozlovskaya Valentina 2281 – WIM Fomina Tatyana 2215
Any American?