…and it is all over! Seven days filled with combative games is at an end. Gawain Jones claimed first place and the audience has been treated to chess fireworks during the last week. The much anticipated decider between Gawain Jones and Pentala Harikrishna never really got going as Jones played …
Both leaders drew as Nihal Sarin won the battle of the youngsters against Parham Maghsoodloo. The two Swedes faced off with Nils Grandelius having to win twice to secure the whole point. Dieter Nisipeanu tried something different (6.Qf3) in the opening and it misfired, with Gawain Jones gaining the upper …
The two Indian players faced each other and Nihal Sarin, the young underdog, defended well as black against the tournament leader Pentala Harikrishna. A seemingly drawish endgame was reached, but Pentala managed to squeeze out every drop of play – winning through a beautiful bishop sacrifice in an opposite-coloured bishop …
The third round was preceded by the news that Nihal Sarin had reached the magical 2600-level, as the second youngest player ever to do so. A very impressive accomplishment and we expect big things from Nihal in the future! Parham Maghsoodloo took on Tiger Hillarp Persson in a very complicated …