Australian GM David Smerdon emerged as the outright winner of the 6th Batavia tournament which ended on Sunday in the well known Cafe in Amsterdam despite a last round defeat that finally left none of the participants unbeaten.

The winner scored 6 points out of his nine games after losing rather quickly to Belgian IM Steven Geirnaert.

Nevertheless Smerdon was lucky to keep an unshared tournament victory after the runner-up IM Twan Burg lost to GM Sipke Ernst in a won position.

In the prize-giving tournament organizer and café owner Peter Tames thanked all those who helped to make the tournament a successful and memorable one, praised the fighting spirit of all participants and the very pleasant social and sportive atmosphere throughout the entire event.

Arbiter Aart Strik handled the prize giving and awarded the two IM norm diplomes to Alina Lámi and Jorden van Foreest.

The plans for the seventh edition of the tournament are underway.

Report by IM Yochanan Afek

Final standings:


1. GM Smerdon David AUS 2508 – 6,0
2. IM Burg Twan NED 2494 – 5,5
3-4. FM Van Foreest Jorden NED 2371 and GM Williams Simon ENG 2449 – 5,0
5. WGM L’Ami Alina ROU 2398 – 4,5
6-8. GM Ernst Sipke NED 2575, IM Van Delft Merijn NED 2423 and IM Van Eijk Sander NED 2438 – 4,0
9-10. IM Geirnaert Steven BEL 2391 and GM Peng Zhaoqin NED 2398 – 3,5
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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