2010 WUC Chess Update: Status Quo Maintained

Marijn Otte (NED)ZURICH – Two long fights between the leaders, but no decision – after round four nobody was left with a clean score in the World University Chess Championships in Zurich. Ilya Khmelniker from Israel had been the surprise of the first third of the men’s tournament. However, before round 4 his chances to hold his own against the great tournament favorite Wang Yue were not considered too high, given that the Chinese boasted a 250 points advantage in Elo rating and had the White pieces. Unimpressed, Khmelniker chose a sharp variation of the Grünfeld Defence, sacrificing his b7-pawn early on. Despite an immediate exchange of queens, Wang Yue remained in the defensive for a long time.

Ilya Khmelniker (ISR)Nevertheless, step by step he managed with careful play to neutralize the opponent’s initiative. The game reached a turning point at move 25. Just when he was about to finally complete his development, Wang Yue oversaw a very simple tactical combination based on a knight fork. Within three moves the game turned completely: suddenly Khmelniker was a pawn up instead of a pawn down. As material was reduced to one wing, though, Wang Yue just managed to save himself into a draw. The two leaders were joined by the untitled Mongolian Bayarsaikhan Gundavaa, who beat his second grandmaster in a row, Susanto Megaranto. The trio on 3.5 points is followed by nine players with half a point less.

Sopiko Guramishwili (GEO)The top game in the women’s tournament was less dramatic but no less interesting. The Slovak Zuzana Borosova put her opponent from Russia under strong pressure. Zoja Severiukhina tenaciously fought back. In order to fend off a worse fate, she eventually had to cede a pawn on the kingside for which she obtained some counter-chances on the queenside, especially as White’s knight was caught in an offside position. When the two players agreed a draw on move 33, Borosova was still a pawn up but evidently unhappy with the recent development of the game. Fearing that she might even get in danger, she preferred to split the point.

Monika Seps (SUI)Since the closest rivals did not win either, Borosova and Severiukhina keep the lead. They are followed by a group of six players, among them the local star Monika Seps who won a beautiful counter-attacking game against the German Sarah Hoolt.

The tournament, which is unusually rich in attractive tactical games, is daily followed by many dozens of chess aficionados from the greater Zurich area. But also in the countries of the participants the progress of the tournament is watched closely. During each round up to two thousand spectators are counted who follow the games online at www.wucc2010.ch.

(Source: Richard Forster, 2010 WUCC Media Services)

Anuar Ismagambetov (KAZ) 

IN THE MEANWHILE …

Peter ‘Pete’ Meier

Seychelles Present for the First Time at WUC Chess

Peter ‘Pete’ Meier plays under the flag of the Seychelles – a tiny archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Pete is happy to have this occasion of playing a tournament at an international level. Having to fight from the underdog’s position in every game and facing such strong opponents is an excellent opportunity to improve his chess skills. So far Pete is quite satisfied with his tournament. Although his third round game was the first in which he obtained something tangible, he is confident that he can reach his aims. The first goal is to play at least 8 games without heavy miscalculations (irrespective of the final outcome) and the second – to score three victories.

Mr. Eder, Mr. Chikh & Mr. Gjeloshaj

FISU Delegates invited to SUI – ENG
Some sponsors of the Swiss University Sports Federation (SUSF) and three FISU Delegates were invited by Credit Suisse, main sponsor of the SUSF and also business partner of FISU, to the qualification match of UEFA EURO 2012 between Switzerland and England in the St. Jakob Park in Basel. FISU Vice-President Hassan Chikh, also CISCA Chair of the 2010 WUC Chess in Zurich, FISU Assessor and WUCCOC Member Leonz Eder and Kolë Gjeloshaj and FISU Director Educational Services and Development, were personally invited to watch this football game which Switzerland lost with 1:3. A crowd of 37,500 spectators filled the St. Jakob Park.

RESULTS

Men
Top boards of round 4: GM Wang Yue (China) – IM Khmelniker (Rus) draw. GM Jumabayev (Kaz) – GM Ismagambetov (Kaz) draw. GM Megaranto (Indo) – Gundavaa (Mgl) 0:1. IM Miljkovic (Srb) – IM Jurcik (Svk) draw. GM Nikolov (Bul) – Mohajerin (Iran) 1:0.
Top standings: 1. Khmelniker, Wang Yue and Gundavaa, 3. 4. Jumbayev, Jurcik, Nikolov, Ismagambetov, Benidze (Geo), Miljkovic, Pruijssers (Ned), Lysyj (Rus) and Pitra (Indo), 3 (57 participants).

Women
Top boards of round 4: WIM Borosova (Svk) – WIM Severiukhina (Rus) draw. WGM Tsereteli (Geo) – IM Munguntuul (Mgl) draw. WGM Guramishvili (Geo) – Lkhamsuren (Mgl) 1:0.
Top standings: 1. Severiukhina and Borosova, 3.5. 3. Guramishvili, Tsereteli, Yanjindulam (Mgl), Stojanovic (Srb), Drljevic (Srb) and Seps (Sui), 3 (39 participants).

Live games at www.wucc2010.ch