First Round of Russian Championships Higher League Played in Sochi
It didn't go without surprises.
The first games of the Higher League of the 73rd Russian Championship and the 70th Russian Women's Championship were played in Sochi on October 8. Tournament Director Alexander Tkachev and Chief Arbiter Artem Akhmetov greeted the participants during a short opening ceremony.
Not many rating favourites managed to win at the start of the open event. David Paravyan lost to Maksim Samusenko, while Vadim Zvjaginsev suffered a defeat from Artur Gaifullin. The games Artemiev - Sviridov, Iljiushenok - Esipenko, Predke - Lobanov, Fedoseev - Zabotin, Murzin - Sarana as well as Shuvalova - Alekseev were drawn.
Some games contained nice tactical tricks.
Ponkratov - Makarian
An optimistic 26...c5? was punished by a thematic blow 27. Bxh7!+. Black resigned after 27...Kxh7 28. h6 Ng8 29. hxg7+ Kxg7 30. Qh2 Rfb8 31. Bh6+.
Paravyan - Samusenko
17...Rxa2! 18. Kb1
18. Nxa2 is worse because of 18...Nxd3+ 19. Kb1 Nxe1 20. Rxe1 Qxc2+ 21. Kxc2 Nxd5.
18...Ra7 19. b4?! Nxd3 20. Qxd3 Ra3, and Black has a sizable advantage.
Bimiev - Rozum
24. Be7? Bd4+, and White resigns.
The women's event saw a lot of surprises as well. Anastasia Bodnaruk lost to Margarita Potapova, Mariya Yakimova beat Alina Bivol, Ekaterina Kovalevskaya suffered a defeat from Margarita Schepetkova, Evgenija Ovod was outplayed by Yulia Grigorieva, while Ekaterina Nasyrova bested Daria Charochkina.
Tournament on Chess-Results
Tournament page
Information & photos by Eteri Kublashvili
