Tregubov Triumphs at First European Championship
29-year-old Pavel Tregubov (Russia, 2620) won the European Championship on tiebreaks over 3 other players. Finishing with 8 points were Tregubov, Aleksandrov, Malakhov, and Kharlov. Aleksandrov had a chance to win outright but lost to Tregubov in the final round, causing the 4-player pileup.
Aleksandrov-Tregubov
Needing to score the full point to win the tournament, Tregubov played the Stonewall Dutch. But instead of aiming for the king, Tregubov expanded on the queenside, winning white's rook sitting helplessly on a1. Aleksandrov brought his queen back to stop the bleeding, but it was already too late. He resigned in 30 moves giving the championship to Tregubov.
Final Round 11 Results
Aleksandrov - Tregubov 0-1
Lutz - Markowski ˝-˝
Kharlov - Milov 1-0
Galkin - Malakhov ˝-˝
Chernin - Krasenkow ˝-˝
Yakovich - Smirin 0-1
Georgiev - Miles ˝-˝
Beliavsky - Hertneck ˝-˝
Fedorov - Gershon 1-0
Tiviakov - Conquest 1-0
Final Standings
Tregubov Pavel 8.0
Aleksandrov Aleksej 8.0
Markowski Tomasz 8.0
Kharlov Andrei 8.0
Lutz Christopher 7.5
Smirin Ilia 7.5
Malakhov Vladimir 7.5
Chernin Alexander 7.5
Fedorov Alexei 7.5
Galkin Alexander 7.5
Tiviakov Sergei 7.5
Website: http://www.scacchivda.com/
13 July 2000
Round 10: Aleksandrov Arrives at the Top
Alexei Aleksandrov (BLR, 2591) defeated Markowski to take the sole lead with 8 points after 10 rounds. Markowski trails with 7.5. The final round is Friday.
Markowski-Aleksandrov
Markowski achieved a nice position out of his 1. g3 opening, up a pawn with a passed d-pawn. Aleksandrov countered on the open g-file. Markowski jettisoned his d-pawn so his knight could get to d5, but it backfired and Aleksandrov emereged up the exchange. Markowski gave up in 41 moves.
Round 10 Results
Markowski - Aleksandrov 0-1
Malakhov - Kharlov ˝-˝
Milov - Lutz ˝-˝
Tregubov - Chernin ˝-˝
Azmaiparashvili - Galkin 0-1
Conquest - Georgiev ˝-˝
Gershon - Beliavsky ˝-˝
Miles - Fedorov ˝-˝
Krasenkow - Berg 1-0
Leaders After Round 10
Aleksandrov Aleksej 8.0
Markowski Tomasz 7.5
Tregubov Pavel 7.0
Milov Vadim 7.0
Lutz Christopher 7.0
Kharlov Andrei 7.0
Malakhov Vladimir 7.0
Chernin Alexander 7.0
Galkin Alexander 7.0
12 July 2000
Round 9: Markowski Trips Tregubov for the Lead
Tomasz Markowski (Poland, 2568) tripped Tregubov in Round 9, and is now the sole leader with 7.5 points. Aleksandrov is in second with 7. There are only 2 rounds remaining.
Aleksandrov-Milov was a Nimzo-Indian where white picked off a pawn near the time control, then was ready to take another for 2 passed pawns on the queenside when Milov resigned.
Lutz-Smirin was a Sicilian where white sacked a knight on f7, doubled rooks on the f-file and threatened mate in 7 when black resigned after 36 moves.
Chernin-Timman began as a Catalan; Timman sacrificed a piece early for a passed c-pawn. Chernin defended and wound up with 3 pieces for a rook. Timman resigned in 39 moves.
Beliavsky-Miles was a Nimzovich defense with the pawns locked up. Drawn in 44 moves.
Round 9 Results
Tregubov - Markowski 0-1
Aleksandrov - Milov 1-0
Lutz - Smirin 1-0
Beliavsky - Miles ˝-˝
Fedorov - Conquest ˝-˝
Chernin - Timman 1-0
Kharlov - Hertneck 1-0
Lobron - Malakhov 0-1
Fressinet - Krasenkow ˝-˝
Godena - Azmaiparashvili 0-1
Georgiev - Kempinski 1-0
Leaders After Round 9
Markowski Tomasz 7.5
Aleksandrov Aleksej 7.0
Tregubov Pavel 6.5
Milov Vadim 6.5
Lutz Christopher 6.5
Kharlov Andrei 6.5
Chernin Alexander 6.5
Malakhov Vladimir 6.5
11 July 2000
Round 8: Tregubov, Milov, Markowski Lead
Tregubov and Milov drew their game while Markowski won, leaving the three of them in a tie for the lead with 6.5 points after Round 8 of the first European Championship.
Milov-Tregubov was a queen pawn opening where black won a pawn for the early edge, but Milov got it back to return the position to equality. They drew in 43 moves.
Markowski-Kharlov was an English where white got a big edge out of the opening. Kharlov gave up after 36 moves.
Aleksandrov received a gift from Gershon when the latter botched a winning endgame.
Round 8 Results
Milov - Tregubov ˝-˝
Markowski - Kharlov 1-0
Lobron - Fedorov ˝-˝
Malakhov - Chernin ˝-˝
Hertneck - Lutz ˝-˝
Aleksandrov - Gershon 1-0
Timman - Georgiev 1-0
Krasenkow - Vallejo Pons ˝-˝
Smirin - Mikhalevski 1-0
Lalic - Beliavsky 0-1
Leaders After Round 8
Tregubov Pavel 6.5
Milov Vadim 6.5
Markowski Tomasz 6.5
Aleksandrov Aleksej 6.0
Kharlov Andrei 5.5
Timman Jan 5.5
Lutz Christopher 5.5
Conquest Stuart 5.5
Smirin Ilia 5.5
Beliavsky Alekxander 5.5
Fedorov Alexei 5.5
Hertneck Gerald 5.5
Chernin Alexander 5.5
Malakhov Vladimir 5.5
Lobron Eric 5.5
Miles Anthony 5.5
10 July 2000
Round 7: Tregubov & Milov Win, Still Leaders
Tregubov and Milov won to keep their lead in the first European Championship. Both have 6 points after 7 rounds. Right behind with 5.5 are Kharlov and Markowski.
Tregubov quickly got an edge over Hertneck's Benko Gambit, which featured queenside castling by black! Up a pawn with the queens off, it was just a matter of technique to push a passed pawn for the win in 45 moves.
After a Closed Sicilian, Markowski got a bishop to e6 supported by a passed pawn on d5. When his queen got to f7, Smirin resigned in 28 moves.
Against Kharlov, Timman played the Nimzo-Indian with d5 and Qf5, removing the queens early. But it wasn't enough for a draw. In a rook+pawn ending, Timman decided to give away his a-pawn. It cost him the game, as by the time he was handed white's a-pawn, his kingside soldiers were dead meat. Kharlov won in 46 moves.
Round 7 Results
Tregubov - Hertneck 1-0
Beliavsky - Milov 0-1
Markowski - Smirin 1-0
Georgiev - Malakhov ˝-˝
Kharlov - Timman 1-0
Lutz - Aleksandrov ˝-˝
Bauer - Krasenkow ˝-˝
Gershon - Azmaiparashvili 1-0
Fedorov - Fressinet 1-0
Mikhalevski - Morovic Fernandez ˝-˝
Tiviakov - Lobron 0-1
Romanishin - Conquest ˝-˝
Leaders After Round 7
Tregubov Pavel 6.0
Milov Vadim 6.0
Kharlov Andrei 5.5
Markowski Tomasz 5.5
Georgiev Kiril 5.0
Aleksandrov Aleksej 5.0
Lutz Christopher 5.0
Hertneck Gerald 5.0
Fedorov Alexei 5.0
Gershon Alik 5.0
Malakhov Vladimir 5.0
Lobron Eric 5.0
Chernin Alexander 5.0
8 July 2000
Round 6: Tregubov, Milov, Hertneck Lead
Pavel Tregubov and Vadim Milov joined Gerald Hertneck in the lead after Round 6. Each has 5 points. 9 players trail with 4.5
Tregubov played an innocent QGD against Azmaiparashvili, which got him to a rook and minor piece endgame. With material even, Tregubov got 2 passed pawns and queened one of them, leaving him with a rook and pawn against white's 3 connected pawns. Azmaiparashvili gave up in 56 moves.
Milov won against Romanishin with an extra passed pawn in a rook+knight endgame. Hertneck-Georgiev was a wild Benoni drawn in 68 moves. Beliavsky smashed through Vallejo's Dutch in 31 moves.
Round 6 Results
Hertneck - Georgiev ˝-˝
Azmaiparashvili - Tregubov 0-1
Timman - Lutz ˝-˝
Aleksandrov - Kharlov ˝-˝
Milov - Romanishin 1-0
Smirin - Gershon 1-0
Beliavsky - Vallejo Pons 1-0
Bauer - Fedorov ˝-˝
Leaders After Round 6
Tregubov Pavel 5.0
Milov Vadim 5.0
Hertneck Gerald 5.0
Georgiev Kiril 4.5
Timman Jan 4.5
Kharlov Andrei 4.5
Aleksandrov Aleksej 4.5
Smirin Ilia 4.5
Markowski Tomasz 4.5
Beliavsky Alekxander 4.5
Lutz Christopher 4.5
Malakhov Vladimir 4.5
7 July 2000
Round 5: Hertneck Hurdles the Field
Gerald Hertneck put the hurt on Federov in Round 5, and emerged as the sole leader of the 1st European Championship with 4.5 points. 10 players trail right behind with 4 points.
Federov answered Hertneck's French with 2. d3. In the endgame, Federov dropped a knight; he expected to get Herneck's in return, but a few checks of the white king prevented that, so he resigned.
Krasenkow played a c5-d6-e5 pawn setup in the Sicilian against Lutz. He got a passed a-pawn, but Lutz rallied his knight over to pick it up. When the smoke cleared, Lutz had passed c- and d-pawns halfway up the board while Krasenkow's passed f-, g-, and h-pawns had hardly moved.
Krasenkow resigned after 44 moves.
Round 5 Results
Fedorov - Hertneck 0-1
Georgiev - Aleksandrov ˝-˝
Romanishin - Timman ˝-˝
Lutz - Krasenkow 1-0
Macieja - Azmaiparashvili 0-1
Chernin - Beliavsky ˝-˝
Smirin - Bauer ˝-˝
Kharlov - Fressinet 1-0
Conquest - Milov 0-1
Tregubov - Lalic 1-0
Leaders After Round 5
Hertneck 4.5
Timman 4.0
Tregubov 4.0
Milov 4.0
Georgiev 4.0
Aleksandrov 4.0
Azmaiparashvili 4.0
Kharlov 4.0
Gershon 4.0
Lutz 4.0
Romanishin 4.0
6 July 2000
Round 4: 6 Players Tied for Lead
Georgiev was joined at the top by 5 other players as the 1st European Championship heated up in Round 4.
Although up a pawn in the ending, Krasenkow had to take a draw with Georgiev. Federov beat Epishin with the King's Indian when Epishin dropped a rook with a passed pawn bearing down on him. Hertneck stopped Galkin's passed a- and b-pawns to pick up the win. Beliavsky's queenside expansion won material after a King's Indian opening, then he withstood Solak's kingside attack. The black checks ran out, leaving Beliavsky up a rook and bishop. Timman won a long rook-and-pawn endgame from Markowski.
Round 4 Results
Krasenkow - Georgiev ˝-˝
Azmaiparashvili - Chernin ˝-˝
Epishin - Fedorov 0-1
Timman - Markowski 1-0
Bauer - Tregubov ˝-˝
Malakhov - Macieja ˝-˝
Aleksandrov - Vallejo Pons 1-0
Sveshnikov - Romanishin 0-1
Hertneck - Galkin 1-0
Simonenko - Kharlov 0-1
David - Smirin 0-1
Beliavsky - Solak 1-0
Milov - Godena 1-0
Leaders After Round 4
Georgiev Kiril 3.5
Fedorov Alexei 3.5
Timman Jan 3.5
Aleksandrov Aleksej 3.5
Romanishin Oleg 3.5
Hertneck Gerald 3.5
(Numerous players tied with 3.0 points)
Round 3: Georgiev Stands Above the Crowd
Kiril Georgiev has a perfect 3-0 score in the first European Championship, and he is closely followed by an entire country of chessplayers with 2.5.
Georgiev countered Anastasian's Caro-Kann with the Advance line, then quickly ripped off the black h-pawn. He then posted a knight on d6, controlling the center. Black never got any queenside counterplay going and it was all over after a tactical shot in 32 moves.
Timman had an easy time on the black side of a French Tarrasch, 3...Nf6 line. The Dutchman sacked his knight on f2, ripping Gelashvili's king position to shreds. It was all over after only 29 moves.
Federov played 6. f3 to Kempinski's Najdorf. Black prevented Be3, but Federov went ahead with the old g4-h4-f4-e5 pawn thrust. With a queen, bishop and rook staring down his king, black threw in the towel after 26 moves.
Round 3 Results
Vallejo Pons - Tregubov ˝-˝
Galkin - Krasenkow ˝-˝
Markowski - Azmaiparashvili ˝-˝
Georgiev - Anastasian 1-0
Macieja - Aleksandrov ˝-˝
Smirin - Epishin ˝-˝
Conquest - Beliavsky ˝-˝
Fedorov - Kempinski 1-0
Kharlov - Lalic ˝-˝
Gershon - Milov ˝-˝
Solak - Morovic ˝-˝
Gelashvili - Timman 0-1
Tiviakov - Bunzmann ˝-˝
Leaders After Round 3:
Georgiev Kiril ( 3 )
Krasenkow Michal (2.5)
Bauer Christian (2.5)
Tregubov Pavel (2.5)
Hertneck Gerald (2.5)
Galkin Alexander (2.5)
Azmaiparashvili Z (2.5)
Chernin Alexander (2.5)
Aleksandrov Aleksej (2.5)
Vallejo Pons F (2.5)
Malakhov Vladimir (2.5)
Macieja Bartlomiej (2.5)
Epishin Vladimir (2.5)
Fedorov Alexei (2.5)
Timman Jan (2.5)
Markowski Tomasz (2.5)
Simonenko Sergei (2.5)
4 July 2000
Parade of Stars at First European Championship
The 1st European Chess Championship runs from July 3-14 in Saint Vincent, Italy.
The top competitors include: Krasenkow, Smirin, Epishin, Timman, Azmaiparashvili, Georgiev, Beliavsky, Tiviakov, and Galkin. The 11-round tournament has 121 entrants.
Among the early leaders with 2-0 after the first two rounds are: Krasenkow, Azmaiparashvili, Galkin, Georgiev, Vallejo Pons, and Epishin.
In Round 1, Galego-Krasenkow began: 1. e4 g6 2. h4 c5 3. h5 Bg7. The game was close until Galego blundered, missing Krasenkow's mate threat. Shirazi hurriedly got the queens off the board after only 6 moves in his game with Azmaiparashvili (Modern defense), but the GM quickly took command and won in only 28 moves.
In Round 2, Krasenkow-Mikhalevski lasted only 15 moves, as black missed a temporary queen sack winning material.
Leaders After Round 2:
VALLEJO PONS Francis 2.0
TREGUBOV Pavel 2.0
GALKIN Alexander 2.0
KRASENKOW Michal 2.0
MARKOWSKI Tomasz 2.0
AZMAIPARASHVILI Zura 2.0
GEORGIEV Kiril 2.0
ANASTASIAN Ashot 2.0
MACIEJA Bartlomiej 2.0
ALEKSANDROV Aleksej 2.0
EPISHIN Vladimir 2.0
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