Chess (August): Wang Hao sqeeks by Magnus to win Biel [View all]

[Jack Rabbit]

The JR Chess Report and Gloat Free Scores theme music: Merrick, The Look Sharp, Be Sharp March (From a broadcast of The Gillette Cavalcade of Spots).

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[font size="4"]Wang Hao sqeeks by Magnus to win Biel[/font]


[font size="1"]Photo by Datti 4 in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wang_Hao_%28chess%29.JPG)
(Public Domain)
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Chinese grandmaster Wang Hao survived three losses in ten rounds -- two of them to his nearest rival, world número uno Magnus Carlsen -- to win the Grandmaster tournament at the 49th annual Biel Chess Festival, completed just minutes ago in Bern Canton, Switzerland.

Magnus started the day in first place with Wang Xiansheng in striking distance in second place. However, while Wang won his game from Viorel Bologan, who entered the event in the third round when Alexander Morozevich withdrew over health concerns, Magnus could only draw against French GM Etienne Bacrot in spite of his heroic effort to conjur a win out of a drawn ending as he has done so often before.

Wang Xiansheng benefitted from his six victories and only one draw and the fútbol place ranking system that rewards those who win more and penalizes those who draw too often. Under this method (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw), Wang Xiansheng scored 19 points. Magnus scored four wins, no losses and six draws for 18 points. Under the traditional chess tournament ranking system (a full point for a win and a half point for a draw), Magnus would have finished first with 7 points, just ahead of Wang Xiansheng with 6½. Under the trraditional system, the day would have started with Magnus in first place by a full point, needing only to avoid loss to finish a clear first.

American national champion Hikaru Nakamura and Dutch national champion Anish Giri finished tie for third at 16 points each (both had four wins, two losses and four draws).


[font size="4"]Other Events Underway[/font]

Dutch Open, Dieren This just in: Jan Smeets has won the Dutch Open. The final round was plaeyd today.

Politiken Cup, Helsignør, Denmark Ends Sunday. Helsignør is also to us bardophiles as Elsinore, the scene of the Bard's Hamlet. Leading with six points each after seven rounds: Ivan Cheparinov (Bulgaria), Stelios Halkias (Greece), Jonny Hector (Sweden) and Robert Markus (Serbia).

81st Ukrainian Championships, Kiev Ends Tuesday. Andrei Volokitin leads with 5 points out of six.

World Junior Championships, Athens Twelve rounds beginning today thru 14 August (9 August is a rest day). Reigning Chinese national champion Ding Liren is the top seed in the general group; in the girls' group the top seeds are Anastasia Bodnaruk (Russia) and defending champion Deysi Cori Tello (Peru).


[font size="4"]Upcoming in August[/font]

Russian National Championships, Moscow 3-13 August. Peter Svidler is the defending champion in the general competition; Valentina Gunina is the women's champion.

Chess Olympics, Istanbul 27 August-10 September. The Tea Partiers are going to have a hissy. Of the ten players making up the US general and women's squads, there are only two natural born citizens (Hikaru Nakamura and Ray Robson) and neither of them was born on American soil.