Round 7 report

…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 a very solid game as white. Pentala saw no realistic winning chances in a barren position and accepted the fully justified draw offer. Gawain was champion!

Parham Maghsoodloo experimented in the opening as black against Dieter Nisipeanu. It quickly resulted in a worse position and soon Dieter had both an extra pawn and a won position. Time trouble made the German lose his way and Parham made a fortunate escape.

Both Nihal Sarin and Tiger Hillarp Persson used a surprising amount of time playing well known theory. Tiger managed to snatch a pawn, but couldn’t convert it into a win and had to settle for the draw.

The tournament’s very last game was Ivan Saric against Nils Grandelius. A seemingly equal middlegame all of a sudden turned lethal for black as another opposite coloured bishop position appeared. Nils missed the devastating Rxe5 and Ivan was winning, but the Swede saved the game miraculously. An entertaining end to and entertaining tournament!

TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament would like to thank the players for taking part and providing the audience with exciting chess every minute of the seven rounds. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the sponsors, partners and the venue Malmö Live.

Final standings Tepe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 2019

Plac.   ELO Nation Points
1. Gawain Jones 2702 England 5
2. Pentala Harikrishna 2730 India
3. Nils Grandelius 2688 Sweden 4
4. Dieter Nisipeanu 2667 Germany
5-6. Nihal Sarin 2598 India 3
5-6. Parham Magsoodloo 2671 Iran 3
7-8. Tiger Hillarp Persson 2563 Sweden
7-8. Ivan Saric 2694 Croatia

The winner is…

After 2 hours of play Gawain Jones secured tournament victory by drawing against Pentala Harikrishna who at least will get a shared 2nd prize half a point behind Gawain.

Gawain Jones
Gawain Jones,England wins Tepe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 2019. Photo: Lars OA Hedlund

Round 6 report

Five days of hard and long games might have taken it’s toll as the play was untamed at times during round 6.

Nils Grandelius sacrificed a pawn for promising compensation in a Rossolimo Sicilian against Nihal Sarin. As Nils was trying to find a way through, Nihal got his queen tangled on the kingside and the Swede put it out of play with 23.Lg5. After that the win was straightforward.

Parham Maghsoodloo and Ivan Saric played a very sharp game that looked like it could swing either way at times. Surprisingly the exchange of blows led to an equal endgame that could only ever end in a draw.

Pentala Harikrishna got a promising position early on against Dieter Nisipeanu’s french defence. But the thematic manoeuvre Ld7-e8-h5 got black out of trouble and the game ended with a rook ending and a draw.

Gawain Jones took the chance break into the solo lead by beating Tiger Hillarp Persson. After a slow start to the game things soon got exciting as a miscalculation by Tiger allowed Gawain to sacrifice his queen for a decisive attack.

This opens up for a very tense final round! Pentala Harikrishna will need to defeat Gawain Jones as black to leapfrog him into 1st place.