Andrey Vovk wins 31st Andorra Open

Ukrainian grandmaster Andrey Vovk is the new champion of the Andorra open. He finished in sole first place with 7.5 points. The event took place on 20-28th July at the Sant Gothard Hotel in Erts (La Massana).

Vovk was the only player with 6.5 points that won his last round game, against the young Frenchman Eric Gaudineau. The game was a Ruy Lopez where white won a clear positional advantage. However, the Frenchman created complications on the kingside, which forced white to play accurately. The Ukrainian player did not falter and simplified the position to reach a rook endgame that he converted easily.

Regarding the second place, seven players tied on 7 points.

Players with 6.5 points, Eduardo Iturrizaga and Renier Vazquez, were the first to arrive at this score after drawing their game in just 10 moves, thus resigning chances to win the tournament.

However, the game played on the third board between grandmasters Marc Narciso and Maxim Rodshtein was very disputed. The Catalan player was able to win a pawn in the middlegame, but the truth is that his rival achieved a more than reasonable counterplay and finally the position was simplified to a theoretical opposite-colored bishops endgame that was completely drawn.

Finally, the exact order defined by the tiebreaker criteria was: 2. Maxim Rodshtein (ISR), 3. Renier Vazquez (ESP), 4. Eduardo Iturrizaga (SOLD) 5th. David Norwood (AND), 6th. Marc Narciso (ESP), 7th. Yannick Gozzoli (FRA) and 8th. Vladimir Hamitevici (MDA).

The prize for the best game went to International Master Lawrence Trent, thanks to his victory over Icelandic grandmaster Heddin Steingrimsson.

Rating categories winners:

Second place – 1849: Louis Pignataro (FRA)
First place – 1849: Bárbara Sánchez (ESP)
Second place 1850-1999: Isabelle Abello (FRA)
First place 1850-1999: Oriol Sánchez Urpí (ESP)
Second place 2000-2149: José Manuel Nieves (ESP)
First place 2000-2149: Jonathan Edwards (SCO)
Second place 2150-2299: Daniel Laclau (FRA)
First place 2150-2299: Bryan Macias (ECU)

Andorran Chess Federation

Final standings (top finishers):

1 Vovk Andrey GM UKR 2567 7.5

2 Rodshtein Maxim GM ISR 2641 7
3 Vazquez Igarza Renier GM ESP 2571 7
4 Iturrizaga Eduardo GM VEN 2643 7
5 Norwood David R GM AND 2491 7
6 Narciso Dublan Marc GM ESP 2536 7
7 Gozzoli Yannick GM FRA 2523 7
8 Hamitevici Vladimir IM MDA 2482 7

9 Gaudineau Eric FRA 2358 6.5
10 Lopez Martinez Josep Manuel GM ESP 2547 6.5
11 Demuth Adrien IM FRA 2463 6.5
12 Tania Sachdev IM IND 2430 6.5
13 Steingrimsson Hedinn GM ISL 2557 6.5
14 Massoni Michael IM FRA 2373 6.5
15 Peralta Fernando GM ARG 2622 6.5
16 Wegerle Joerg IM GER 2445 6.5
17 Macias Murillo Bryan IM ECU 2298 6.5

18 Felgaer Ruben GM ARG 2586 6
19 Cuenca Jimenez Jose Fernando IM ESP 2477 6
20 Cabrera Alexis GM ESP 2525 6
21 Trent Lawrence IM ENG 2420 6
22 Alonso Rosell Alvar GM ESP 2550 6
23 Riff Jean-Noel IM FRA 2427 6
24 Devereaux Maxim L IM NOR 2356 6
25 Camacho Collados Marcos ESP 2421 6
26 Guerra Tulcan Lenin FM ECU 2372 6
27 Midoux Sebastien FRA 2329 6
28 Laclau Daniel FRA 2294 6
29 Berkovich Mark A IM ISR 2375 6
30 Edwards Jonathan SCO 2086 6
31 Llaneza Vega Patricia WIM ESP 2232 6

32 Burg Twan IM NED 2479 5.5
33 Arizmendi Martinez Julen Luis GM ESP 2580 5.5
34 Kjartansson Gudmundur IM ISL 2444 5.5
35 Barbot Pierre FM FRA 2355 5.5
36 Sanchez Jerez Emilio Miguel FM ESP 2215 5.5
37 Ibarra Jerez Jose Carlos GM ESP 2538 5.5
38 Abello Sebastien FRA 2335 5.5
39 Kogan Artur GM ISR 2570 5.5
40 Swan Iain FM SCO 2251 5.5
41 Jerez Perez Alfonso IM ESP 2393 5.5
42 Sreeves Clement SCO 2251 5.5
43 Peray Sebastien FRA 2218 5.5
44 Silva Rodriguez Fernando ESP 2174 5.5
45 Sahl Sheila Barth WIM NOR 2229 5.5
46 Ballester Llagaria Luis Eduardo ESP 2259 5.5
47 Lillo Castany Victor FM ESP 2328 5.5
48 Torres Sanchez Jose ESP 2363 5.5
49 Midonet Matthieu FRA 2157 5.5
50 Berthelot Yannick FM FRA 2314 5.5
51 Nieves Cabanes Jose Manuel ESP 2068 5.5