In the first classical game Alexander Moiseenko, who had white, sacrificed a piece but made a mistake in a complicated position. As a result he had to give up the second piece for some contra play but the compensation was not enough. Even so Moiseenko managed to equalize a score by winning the second classical game. The match was decided in rapid.  Viktor Laznichka won comfortably with white and managed to fix the general victory by giving perpetual check in the second game.

Andrei Volokitin and Viktor Laznichka will meet in the final tomorrow on the 5^th of January.

Players who were eliminated from the B-group continue playing in normal open tournament (C-group). Former World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova, who defeated IM Mikel Huerga Leache, shares the first place together with Vera Gonzalez-Quevedo Reynaldo. 10 players share the third place half a point behind. The last round of C-group will be held on 5^th of January.

Viktor Laznichka shared his emotions after the match with Alexander Moiseenko:

I think the first classical game, where my opponent sacrificed a piece, was completely winning for me. He might have some compensation but I think it’s not enough. I didn’t see how he can even equalize a position. I think I’m at least better. So my opponent could have better chose Bf4, Bg3 but still my position seemed to me slightly better. The second game was just incredible! It was totally equal but I saw I was winning with black and I’ve got nervous a little bit. I started to play for a draw, changed some pieces but its nonsense of course – I should have continued to play normal chess.

Q. What did you feel before the rapid? How did you manage to calm down after those tough games?I just knew that I was completely idiot and I had to play again! (Laughing) I knew I had to perform well. Of course I was angry but with such a mood you can resign immediately. I should have recovered fast. In rapid I’ve got comfortable edge with white and initiative, so it was quite easy to win after f5. In the game with black pieces I had a better position all the time. Even so I’ve got a bit nervous again because the situation reminded me the previous classical games. Fortunately I managed to make a draw in this game.

Q. What do you think about new Basque system?

It’s fun to play here and I like the idea. I don’t need to count elo points, so I can just simply play chess. I think preparation doesn’t play that crucial role here if we compare with normal chess. So I think this format fits my style.

Armageddon match consists of two blitz games, played simultaneously. During the drawing of lots Alexander Moiseenko chose black pieces and 5 minutes in both games. Etienne Bacrot had 6 minutes and white pieces in both game but had to score 1.5 points in the match in order to win. The first game was drawn quite fast and Moiseenko, who needed to make a half a point, managed to mate his opponent in the second game.  As a result two Ukrainian participants Alexander Moiseenko and Andrey Volokitin will play against Viktor Laznicka and Leinier Dominguez Perez  in semi-final.

The last round was held in B-group today. Four out five matches were finished in classic – Loek Van Wely, Ivan Cheparinov, Tigran Gharamian, Christian Bauer won their matches, while Antoaneta Stefanova and Andrei Shchekachev drew both games and had to play tie-breaks. Former World Champion lost the match with 1.5:0.5 score in rapid.

Andrei Volokitin about his match with Ruslan Ponomariov:  “The match was very tough and both games were complicated, In the first game I sacrificed a pawn but my opponent didn’t defend very well  and I’ve got a very big advantage. In the second game suddenly  I  managed to make a draw . I think Ruslan could have played stronger, I think he played too fast in one moment.  Basque system is very interesting and not typical. It has right to exist.  I like to play chess in general, so I feel comfortable to play so many games. The more the better!”

Only 10 participants left in B-group after the fourth round.  All of them will play the last decisive matches on 3^rd of January. Players who lost today were redirected to C-group. One of the top-players of B-group Sergey Fedorchuk unexpectedly lost against Alejandro Hoffman, who caught him in the opening, with 2:0 score.

Players continue sharing their thoughts about a new format of the event and their matches.

Julia Granda Zuniga:

“It was a very tough match today because it’s very-very difficult to play simultaneously two games against such a strong player. I didn’t prepare for my games and I received very bad positions in the openings, especially in the game with white pieces. His position was almost winning but my opponent didn’t play precisely, so I kept the position. In the second game I was slightly better but he took some risk and after that I’ve got some edge. At that moment his time advantage was very big – I had only 5 minutes left in both games and he had one hour in each one. He offered draws in both games but I refused to accept it thinking that my only chance to win can be in with normal control because Shakhriyar plays in rapid and blitz even stronger. Tournament goes well for me So far, I didn’t expect such result. The funny thing is when I play tennis I use both hands usually. Here I use one hand to make moves and another one to write in score sheets. I’m satisfied with my result so I hope there will be more tournaments like that in future.”

Loek Van Wely:

“Once I participated in the tournament where we played on six boards at the same time and it was more like simul. Some theoretical battles could even happen on some boards. It was much more important to play quickly there and put time pressure on your opponent. Still it’s also kind of tricky to play on two boards. I believe its better not to play fast here. You should not be destructed by your opponent who makes moves on the other board as well. Although, if there is an obvious move on the other board you can make the move quickly but in general it’s better to keep on thinking about your position. The only situation when it’s possible to switch all the time is when you have time trouble. In any case it’s not so simple somehow to play here.  I lost to Sebastian Maze in the previous round. We had two very tough games in normal time control and in rapid it was even worse. It’s possible to play on “autopilot” but in those games it was difficult to calculate all the variations. I was better in one rapid game but I had to play accurately which was not easy to do with that time control. You look to one board then to another one and somehow you don’t see clearly any more. I believe people will like this format and we are going to see more tournaments with Basque system. In my opinion it’s a fairer format. There is a chance to play against the same opponent with both colors. In open tournament you play with black against weaker opponent and he is happy to make a draw with you for example while you have to win. I don’t know why weaker players doing it but many of them just happy to make a draw with stronger opponent and they don’t want to fight. Playing here I don’t care about this problem because I also have my game with white pieces. If my opponent wants to make a draw with white I’ll be happy to make a draw but he is still going to suffer in another game (laughing).  I also believe it’s good for chess because your opponent always have to show something if he wants to win.

Players who lost their matches today will be redirected to C-tournament.

The next rounds of A, B and C tournaments will be held on 2^nd of January 2012 at 3 p.m.

Happy New Year!

The top players continue sharing their impressions about the tournament and games.

GM Etienne Bacrot: Yesterday it was quite easy match because I played against opponent with 1700 elo. Today the match was complicated. At the end I’ve got two slightly better positions and had more time but before it was unclear. I was trying to play fast today but let’s see what will be in the next matches. I didn’t have any special preparation for this tournament because I didn’t have time. I think it’s not a bad idea to play here – one game can be boring but with two games we’ll have some fun (laughing). It’s also nice to have New Year Eve here.

GM Alexander Moiseenko: The system of the tournament is unusual but interesting. It’s difficult to adapt to those matches because on the one hand you have time to think deeply on positions but on the other hand your attention switches to another game. I think one game becomes more important in one moment. Probably I will face the clearest experiment in time troubles or during the blitz match but until now I didn’t have that possibility and won both matches quietly. It happened to me twice that I started to write moves in different score sheets but in general I don’t feel confused during the games.

In the first match against Darovin Komljenovic I’ve got a comfortable position with Black and a slightly better position with White. Normally I would try to play for victory in such position with Black pieces. Even so when the position, where I had White pieces, became winning I preferred to secure the drawish result in the second game in order to fix the general victory in the match.

The practice shows that weaker players rarely get extra chances playing unusual chess against strong opponents. I think that the top-rated players will show good results here as well because this Basque system doesn’t look too different compare to “normal” one. I can not say that I came here because of the new system. The main reason to participate in the event was an impressive prize fund of course (laughing)! I don’t think that so many strong players will come only because they like the new system. Still I don’t regret to have chance to check that format. I can also say only good words about the tournament organization.

After the second round only 32 players, who won their matches, continue their participation in A-group while the others keep on playing in B-group. Most of the rating favorites won their matches but some of them had to play the tie-breaks (two simultaneous games with 15 min+10 sec per move and in case of draw, two simultaneous blitz games with 5 min+3 sec and an Armageddon game in case of drawish result of previous matches) in order to pass. 3 matches were decided during blitz games: Felix Izeta defeated Eric Prie, Christian Bauer won against Sarhan Gashimov and Fabien Libiszewski was stronger in the match against Daniel Almeida Toledano.

On the second board Shakhriyar Mamedyarov took an upper hand on the local player IM Inigo Argandona Riveiro (2381 Elo). Even so the match went difficult for the player fromAzerbaijanas the first game, where he had white pieces, was drawn in 16 moves and the result of the second one was unclear till the end.  The third round will start at 3 p.m. local time. 32 players will fight for 16 places in A-group.  All players who lose will be redirected to Tournament B.

After the matches some players shared their impressions about their games and expressed their attitude to “Basque system”.

Former World Champion GM Antoaneta Stefanova:

“Actually it was quite funny to play two games against the same opponent. I can say that I enjoyed it. It went well from the beginning. I was playing fast and put some problems to my opponent. After the match my opponent Stefan Loeffler said that in both games he mixed moves in the variations. Still it’s difficult to make conclusions – only one round passed. I’ve never played the tournament like that before, so I expected to be more confused with all those actions – playing, writing moves in different score sheets, pushing buttons on clocks. Loek Van Wely told me he had played the tournament on the six boards against the same opponent. So since we have only two here it can not be so difficult. After playing blindfold games inChinanothing can scare me! As long as I can see the board I can play 10 games at the same time.”

GM Sergey Fedorchuk (Ukraine):

“I participate in such tournament for the first time. I think it’s a very unique tournament and nothing like that had ever happened before. I felt mixed-up at the beginning of the match. I lost the concentration but later on I found the rhythm. I was lucky to play with not a very strong opponent today because I’m afraid it would be more difficult for me. During the game I was confusing moves, score sheets…I was writing wrongs moves, correcting them and of course it distracted me. At least I pushed clocks correctly. I was playing very fast at the beginning thinking that my time will finish very soon but in fact 2 hours are enough even for two games. I believe it’s just new type of game just different one if we compare to “normal” chess. Some players can play better rapid chess; some of them play better blitz, so there will be some players who can play better with that format as well. Some poker players open many tables in computer screen. They play simultaneously everywhere and can control the situation.

GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan)

I’m playing with such format for the first time. It was very difficult to play today but it was an interesting experience for me. In the first game I made a huge mistake. In fact I underestimated my opponent at the beginning. In the second game I had black pieces and had to change queens and play the endgame. I believe White had very good chances even in the end. In the most critical moment, when I played Ng1, my opponent could have chosen Rh7 Bh7 and Rg2. He threatens to take my knight on g1 and play Rg7 at the same moment. I have to play Nf3 Rg7 Kf6 Rh7 and during the game the final position of that variation looked drawish.

I had chance to follow the games of the other players and their matches seemed to be also tough. Vugar Gashimov won easily the first game but had hopeless position in the second one. I think that it doesn’t meter here if you play Black or White. Only if someone manages to make a draw with Black than he might have some advantage. I think it was a good idea to organize a tournament with such system especially during the holidays. Players can enjoy playing chess and have some rest here as well. I think this Basque system is very competitive. I like this format and that’s why I’m here. The idea was created by David Bronstein and if I’m not mistaken he was playing against Mikhail Tal crazy matches on eighth boards simultaneously. I don’t know if this format can be popular in the future but in my opinion to organize this event is already a big success!

All players are advised to get to the tournament hall as soon as posible.