European Individual Chess Championship 2021

[Christopher Kreuzer]

It is worth playing through the win by Vincent Keymer over David Navara, as the assessment swings about a fair bit. Navara missed some chances to draw, but it was a very difficult position to play with the White king so exposed.

[Angus French]

Further to the post above on the positive Covid case the organisers issued an official statement:

"After round three we were approached by a player who expressed that he had symptoms of Covid-19. He went through all the necessary tests and was declared by the doctors as a positive case. As consequence, everyone who was in contact with him was examined by the tracing team of the Icelandic Directorate of health and the chief epidemiologist of Iceland. Following that, it was decided that two other players had to be put in quarantine as a safety measure for the players involved and for every other participant. The players were informed verbally as well as in written form by the decision of the Directorate of health in Iceland. The players’ respective chess federations were also informed."

The statement is here.

The player is unnamed and my first thought is: was he (or she?) wearing a mask for the three games he presumably played? If not, he (with the permission of the organiser) may have put others at greater risk of infection - not only opponents (who will have been at most risk due to their proximity) but everyone else in the playing area as the virus is airborne and capable of travelling many meters... I wonder have all players and organisers etc. subsequently had PCR tests (according to a Health Protocol statement for the event, PCR tests were due to be carried out as a matter of routine after round 5)?

[Mick Norris]

round 8 report

Demchenko takes the lead and plays Keymer in round 10

[Chris Rice]

Round 10 results and a draw on top board sees Demchenko retain the sole lead on 8/10. The chasing pack consisting of Deac, Keymer and Vocaturo are a half a point back going into the last round. Gawain won today to move to 5.5 with Lorin and Edmund on 5 and playing each other in Round 11.

Round 11 pairings. Top boards:

1 GM Deac Bogdan-Daniel (2639) 7½ 8 GM Demchenko Anton (2597)
2 GM Keymer Vincent (2602) 7½ 7½ GM Vocaturo Daniele (2630)
3 GM Mamedov Rauf (2654) 7 7½ GM Sarana Alexey (2643)

[David Sedgwick]

I wonder have all players and organisers etc. subsequently had PCR tests (according to a Health Protocol statement for the event, PCR tests were due to be carried out as a matter of routine after round 5)?

Happily the entire tournament tested negative after Round 5.

Malcolm Pein, in his Daily Telegraph Column on Thursday 2nd September.

In my opinion the organisers are to be congratulated on a very successful event conducted in sensible playing conditions.

[Angus French]

I wonder have all players and organisers etc. subsequently had PCR tests (according to a Health Protocol statement for the event, PCR tests were due to be carried out as a matter of routine after round 5)?

Happily the entire tournament tested negative after Round 5.

Malcolm Pein, in his Daily Telegraph Column on Thursday 2nd September.

In my opinion the organisers are to be congratulated on a very successful event conducted in sensible playing conditions.

Ah, I don't have access to Malcolm's report.

I wondered though, since the positive test occurred before round 4, whether the PCR tests for all players etc. might have been carried out sooner than after round 5?

Also, given that players were permitted not to wear masks at the board and that SARS-CoV-2 is airborne and can travel, is it fair to say that the playing conditions were sensible?... I see that Icelandic Government regulations effective from 28 August (two days after the start of the tournament; I don't know what existed before) state:

Face masks

Face masks must be worn indoors wherever the one-metre social distancing rule cannot be observed between people who are not closely linked, including at events where attendees are seated in assigned seats.

Assuming the above applied, could it be said that opponents across a board were more than a meter apart?

[Paul Cooksey]

over the board, it looks like the impressive Keymer has found the winning idea to join Demchecko on 8.5, so someone is going to have to get out their calculator to determine the winner

edit: no idea what Christopher is talking about below

[Christopher Kreuzer]

EDIT: {yes, no idea!}

What is the tiebreak?

[Paul Cooksey]

Opponents' rating minus the lowest

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Oh, so surely can be calculated now. I'll follow the cricket while someone does that...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Can someone explain to me the draw on board 1 where Demchecnko (Black) willingly gave up the exchange for a pawn and White acquiesed to a draw. Seems a bit strange.

Deac, Bogdan-Daniel (ROU) - Demchenko, Anton (RUS)
European Individual Championship - Reykjavik Open 2021 round 11
½-½

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Nbd2 d5 4. Nb3 Bg7 5. Bf4 Nbd7 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Nxc5 8. Nxc5 Qa5+ 9. c3 Qxc5 10. Qd4 Qxd4 11. exd4 O-O 12. a4 a5 13. Ne5 Ne4 14. Be2 g5 15. Be3 f6 16. Nd3 b6 17. O-O Bd7 18. Rfe1 Rfc8 19. f3 Nd6 20. Nf2 Rab8 21. Bc1 Kf7 22. f4 h6 23. Bh5+ Kf8 24. Bf3 e6 25. fxg5 hxg5 26. h4 gxh4 27. Bf4 Nf7 28. Bxb8 Rxb8

[LawrenceCooper]

Can someone explain to me the draw on board 1 where Demchecnko (Black) willingly gave up the exchange for a pawn and White acquiesed to a draw. Seems a bit strange.

Deac, Bogdan-Daniel (ROU) - Demchenko, Anton (RUS)
European Individual Championship - Reykjavik Open 2021 round 11
½-½

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Nbd2 d5 4. Nb3 Bg7 5. Bf4 Nbd7 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Nxc5 8. Nxc5 Qa5+ 9. c3 Qxc5 10. Qd4 Qxd4 11. exd4 O-O 12. a4 a5 13. Ne5 Ne4 14. Be2 g5 15. Be3 f6 16. Nd3 b6 17. O-O Bd7 18. Rfe1 Rfc8 19. f3 Nd6 20. Nf2 Rab8 21. Bc1 Kf7 22. f4 h6 23. Bh5+ Kf8 24. Bf3 e6 25. fxg5 hxg5 26. h4 gxh4 27. Bf4 Nf7 28. Bxb8 Rxb8

I don't see a good way for black to avoid giving up the exchange and presumably white felt that black had sufficient compensation/was happy with a draw to qualify?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Thanks. Didn't see the tactical refutation of 27...Kd7. (But what about 27...Rc6? I suppose 28.b4 or 28.c4) I had also forgotten that those below the top placings are also attempting to qualify for something (the World Cup?), so that makes sense. I think Demchenko also knew that a draw was sufficient to come first on tie-break.

[David Sedgwick]

Also, given that players were permitted not to wear masks at the board and that SARS-CoV-2 is airborne and can travel, is it fair to say that the playing conditions were sensible?

I did say that "In my opinion ... the playing conditions were sensible."

I have made it clear in previous threads that I do not share your opinions on these issues.

[JustinHorton]

Anyway if you think that's controversial check out events in São Paolo this afternoon