Vassily Ivanchuk wins Cap d'Agde Chess Tournament beating Hikaru Nakamura

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Vassily Ivanchuk

Hi Everybody,

Vassily Ivanchuk has won the Cap d' Agde Tournament defeating defending champion Hikaru Nakamura. Incidentally, Nakamura beat Ivanchuk last year to win the title. In the final, the champion beat Nakamura 1.5-0.5 yesterday.

The 9th Chess encounters Nationales and Internationales of Cap d’Agde took place from October 23-31. There were initially 16 players in two separate groups (round-robins) from which the best four of each made it to the knockout phase. The time control was 25 minutes plus 10 seconds increment.

The knockout semi-final results were as follows.

Thursday

1. Hikaru Nakamura-Jon Ludvig Hammer 2-0

2. Bu Xiangzhi-Yannick Pelletier 1.5-0.5

Friday

1. Nguyen Ngoc Truong-Le Quang Liem 2-4

2. Judit Polgar-Vasily Ivanchuk 0-2

Saturday

1. Hikaru Nakamura-Le Quang Liem 3-1

2. Vassily Ivanchuk-Bu Xiangzhi 2-0

Sunday Final

Vassily Ivanchuk-Hikaru Nakamura 1.5-0.5

Here is Ivanchuk's nice final game. You can run the moves through our pgnplayer or watch in flash below.

PGN: 1. e4 e5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 f5 4. d3 d6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. g3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. fxe5 dxe5 9. Bg5 h6 10. Be3 O-O 11. O-O fxe4 12. dxe4 Be6 13. a3 Kh7 14. Kh1 a6 15. Bg1 Rf7 16. Qe2 Nd4 17. Qd3 Nxf3 18. Qxf3 Rd7 19. Rad1 Bg4 20. Rxd7 Bxf3 21. Rxd8 Bxg2+ 22. Kxg2 Rxd8 23. Be3 g5 24. h3 Kg6 25. g4 c6 26. Rf2 b5 27. Rd2 Rxd2+ 28. Bxd2 Bf8 29. Kf3 h5 30. Ne2 hxg4+ 31. hxg4 Nd7 32. Nc1 c5 33. Na2 Nb8 34. c4 bxc4 35. Nc3 Nc6 36. Nd5 Nd4+ 37. Ke3 Kf7 38. Nb6 Ke6 39. Nxc4 Be7 40. Ba5 Nb5 41. Kd3 Nd6 42. Nxd6 1-0

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Cap d'Agde Chess Meeting down to knockout stage

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Speed of thought: Hikaru Nakamura

Find more great photos of top

chess players at www.chesspics.com

Hi Everyone,

Despite all the excitement in Nanjing we're not really forgetting what's up in Cap d'Agde at the two-stage tournament there with some of the best chess players of the world.

The tournament has reached its second - the knockout stage. The top four players have qualified from each group. You can pick up more details at the official website here. The knockouts will be played from Thursday, October 28, 2010.

Group A

1. Nakamura, Hikaru g USA 2733 6½

2. Bu Xiangzhi g CHN 2695 5½

3. Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son g VIE 2633 4

4. Polgar, Judit g HUN 2682 3½

5. Edouard, Romain g FRA 2636 3

6. Karpov, Anatoly g RUS 2619 2½

7. Kosintseva, Nadezhda m RUS 2565 2½

8. Milliet, Sophie m FRA 2388 ½

Group B

1-2. Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2754 5½

1-2. Le Quang Liem g VIE 2694 5½

3-4. Pelletier, Yannick g SUI 2592 4

3-4. Hammer, Jon Ludvig g NOR 2633 4

5-6. Gharamian, Tigran g FRA 2658 3

5-6. Lahno, Kateryna g UKR 2539 3

7. Zhu Chen g QAT 2480 2

8. Kosintseva, Tatiana g RUS 2573 1

Here is another set of interesting games from the previous rounds. Enjoy! You can see the moves in our pgnplayer or simply watch in flash below.

PGN: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb6 6. Qe2 d6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Be3 O-O 9. O-O-O Be6 10. f3 Nd7 11. g4 Nde5 12. Rg1 Bc4 13. Qf2 Bxf1 14. Rgxf1 Nc4 15. Bxb6 axb6 16. Kb1 N4a5 17. f4 Nxb3 18. cxb3 f6 19. h4 Qe7 20. Qg2 Rae8 21. Nd5 Qxe4+ 22. Qxe4 Rxe4 23. Nxc7 Nd4 24. Nd5 Ne2 25. a3 b5 26. b4 h5 27. gxh5 Ng3 28. Rfe1 Rxe1 29. Rxe1 Nxh5 30. Re6 Rc8 31. Rxd6 Rc4 32. f5 Rxh4 33. Rb6 Ng3 34. Ne7+ Kh7 35. Rxb5 Rh1+ 36. Kc2 Rf1 37. Rxb7 Nxf5 38. Nxf5 Rxf5 39. b5 Kh6 40. a4 Rf2+ 41. Kb3 Rf3+ 42. Ka2 Rf4 43. Ka3 Rf1 44. b6 1-0

PGN: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Nf3 Na6 7. O-O e5 8. Re1 Qe8 9. Bf1 Bg4 10. d5 Nb4 11. Be2 a5 12. Be3 Nh5 13. h3 Bd7 14. c5 Na6 15. cxd6 cxd6 16. Nd2 Nf4 17. Nc4 Qe7 18. Bf1 Nc5 19. Rc1 g5 20. Nb6 Rad8 21. Nxd7 Nxd7 22. g3 Ng6 23. Be2 Bf6 24. Bg4 Rc8 25. Qa4 Nc5 26. Qxa5 Nd3 27. Bxc8 Rxc8 28. Red1 Nxc1 29. Rxc1 Qd7 30. Kh2 Nf4 31. gxf4 exf4 32. Qb5 Qe7 33. Bd2 Be5 34. Kg2 Kg7 35. Qe2 Kg6 36. Qg4 Rc4 37. h4 Rd4 38. Be1 h6 39. Qf5+ Kg7 40. Nb5 Rd3 41. Rc7 f3+ 42. Kh3 Qf6 43. Qxf6+ Kxf6 44. Bc3 h5 45. hxg5+ Kxg5 46. Bxe5 dxe5 47. Rxf7 1-0

PGN: 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 e6 4. g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. d4 cxd4 8. Qxd4 d6 9. Rd1 a6 10. e4 Nbd7 11. b3 O-O 12. Ba3 Nc5 13. e5 dxe5 14. Qxd8 Rfxd8 15. Nxe5 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 Bf8 17. f4 Ncd7 18. Bxf8 Kxf8 19. Nd3 Rac8 20. Rac1 Ng4 21. Re1 Nc5 22. Nxc5 Rxc5 23. Ne4 Rcc8 24. Re2 Rd3 25. h3 Ne3+ 26. Kf2 Nf5 27. g4 Ne7 28. Rc3 Rd1 29. Rcc2 Rd3 30. Re3 Rd1 31. Rd2 Rxd2+ 32. Nxd2 Nc6 33. Rd3 Ke7 34. a3 Na5 35. Kf3 h6 36. h4 b5 37. c5 Nc6 38. Ke4 b4 39. axb4 Nxb4 40. Rd4 Nd5 41. Rc4 Rb8 42. f5 Rb5 43. fxe6 Kxe6 44. g5 hxg5 45. hxg5 f5+ 46. gxf6 gxf6 47. Nf3 f5+ 48. Kd4 Ne7 49. Kc3 Nc6 50. b4 a5 51. bxa5 Rxa5 52. Nd4+ Nxd4 53. Kxd4 Ra8 54. Rb4 Rd8+ 55. Kc4 Ke5 56. Rb7 f4 57. Rf7 Rd1 58. c6 Rc1+ 59. Kb5 Rb1+ 60. Ka6 Ra1+ 61. Kb7 Rb1+ 62. Kc8 Ke4 63. c7 f3 64. Kd8 Rc1 1/2-1/2

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

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Also see her personal blog at

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Nice chess games from Cap d'Agde Chess Tourney

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2010

Hello Everyone,

Here is another set of nice games from the ongoing Cap d'Agde Chess Tournament in scenic France. Enjoy. You can run the moves in our pgnplayer or watch in flash below.

Vassily Ivanchuk

PGN: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. Nc3 Ne4 7. Qc2 Nxc3 8. bxc3 d6 9. O-O Nd7 10. a4 a5 11. Rd1 Qc8 12. d5 e5 13. Bh3 Qd8 14. e4 Bc8 15. Be3 Nf6 16. Bxc8 Qxc8 17. Bg5 Nh5 18. Bxe7 Kxe7 19. Qe2 g6 20. c5 bxc5 21. Nd2 Nf6 22. Nc4 Qa6 23. Qd3 Nd7 24. Rab1 Rhb8 25. Rxb8 Rxb8 26. Nxe5 Qxd3 27. Nc6 Ke8 28. Rxd3 Rb1 29. Kg2 Ra1 30. Nxa5 Rxa4 31. Nc6 Rxe4 32. Kf3 Nf6 33. h3 h5 34. h4 Kd7 35. Nb8 Kc8 36. Nc6 Ra4 37. Kg2 Kd7 38. Nb8 Ke8 39. Nc6 Ra2 40. c4 Ng4 41. Rf3 f5 42. Kg1 Rc2 43. Rf4 Ne5 44. Na5 Rc1 45. Kh2 Kd7 46. g4 hxg4 47. h5 Nf3 48. Rxf3 gxf3 49. hxg6 Ke7 50. Kg3 Kf6 0-1

Hikaru Nakamura

PGN: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 a5 10. d4 a4 11. Bc2 Bd7 12. Nbd2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Ng3 h6 15. Bd2 Qc8 16. Bd3 Qb7 17. Qc2 g6 18. b4 Bg7 19. a3 Rac8 20. Rac1 Kh7 21. Be3 Ng8 22. Qe2 Rb8 23. h4 Kh8 24. dxe5 Bg4 25. exd6 cxd6 26. Qd1 Qe7 27. h5 gxh5 28. Nf5 Qf6 29. Nxg7 Qxg7 30. Be2 Ne5 31. Nxe5 dxe5 32. Bxg4 hxg4 33. c4 bxc4 34. Rxc4 g3 35. Qh5 gxf2+ 36. Bxf2 Nf6 37. Qf3 Re6 38. Rec1 Qg6 39. Qf5 Kg7 40. Rd1 Ng4 41. Rd7 Nxf2 42. Qxg6+ Rxg6 43. Kxf2 Rbb6 44. Rc3 Rbd6 45. Rxd6 Rxd6 46. b5 Rd2+ 47. Kg1 Rb2 48. Rc4 Rxb5 49. Rxa4 Rb2 50. Kf1 Kg6 51. Rb4 Ra2 52. Rb3 Kg5 53. Rf3 f6 54. Rf5+ Kg6 55. Rf3 h5 56. Rg3+ Kh6 57. Rf3 Kg5 58. Rf5+ Kg6 59. Rf3 Rc2 60. Rg3+ Kf7 61. Rh3 Kg6 62. Rg3+ Kh6 63. Rf3 Kg5 64. Rg3+ Kh6 65. Rf3 Kg7 66. Rg3+ Kf7 67. Rh3 Rc4 68. Re3 h4 69. Kf2 Kg6 70. Kf3 Kg5 71. Rb3 Rc1 72. Rb8 Rc3+ 73. Kf2 Rxa3 74. Rh8 Kg4 75. Rh6 Ra2+ 76. Kg1 Kg5 77. Rh8 Ra4 78. Rg8+ Kf4 79. Rh8 Rxe4 80. Rxh4+ Kf5 81. Rh8 Rf4 82. Ra8 Rb4 83. Ra6 Rb2 84. Kh2 Kg5 85. Re6 Rb5 86. Kg3 f5 87. Re8 Rb3+ 88. Kf2 Kf4 89. Ra8 Rb4 90. Ra2 e4 91. Ra3 Rb2+ 92. Kf1 e3 93. Ra8 Rf2+ 94. Kg1 Rd2 95. Kf1 Ke4 96. Ra4+ Rd4 97. Ra2 f4 98. Ke2 Rb4 99. Rc2 Rb1 100. Rc4+ Kf5 101. Rc8 Rb2+ 102. Kf1 Rf2+ 103. Kg1 Ke4 104. Ra8 Rb2 105. Kf1 Kd3 106. Rd8+ Kc3 107. Rd7 Rf2+ 108. Kg1 Rd2 109. Re7 Rd1+ 110. Kh2 Kd2 111. Rd7+ Ke1 112. Rf7 e2 113. Rxf4 Kd2 0-1

Anatoly Karpov

PGN: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. a3 h6 13. d5 Nb8 14. Nf1 c6 15. dxc6 Bxc6 16. Ng3 Nbd7 17. Bc2 d5 18. exd5 Bxd5 19. Nf5 Qc7 20. Nh2 Qc6 21. Ne3 Be6 22. Nhg4 Rad8 23. Nf5 Bd5 24. Qd3 Kh8 25. Qg3 Nxg4 26. hxg4 Nc5 27. Bg5 Rc8 28. Be3 Na4 29. Rab1 Ba2 30. Ra1 Bd5 31. Bxa4 bxa4 32. Rad1 Bb3 33. Rd2 f6 34. Qh4 Kg8 35. f3 Red8 36. Ree2 Bc4 37. Rf2 Qb7 38. Bxh6 gxh6 39. Qxf6 Qf7 40. Nxh6+ Bxh6 41. Rxd8+ Rxd8 42. Qxd8+ Kh7 43. g5 Bg7 44. g3 Qe6 45. Rh2+ Kg6 46. Rd2 Qh3 47. Qd6+ Be6 48. Rg2 Kxg5 49. f4+ Kg6 50. Rf2 Bf6 51. fxe5 Bg5 52. Qd3+ Kg7 53. Qf3 Be7 54. Qb7 Bd7 55. Qd5 Be6 56. Qb7 Bd7 57. Qa7 Bg5 58. Qd4 Be6 59. Rh2 Qxg3+ 60. Rg2 Qe1+ 61. Kh2 Kh6 62. c4 Qf1 63. Kg3 Qe1+ 64. Kh2 Be3 0-1

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

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Also see her personal blog at

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Nice chess games from 9th Cap d'Agde Chess Meeting

Chess news and chess trivia blog (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 201o

Hello Everyone,

The 9th Cap d'Agde Chess Tournament that began on Saturday includes two groups of eight players competing in a round robin tournament as part of the first stage which will last till Tuesday. After that possible tie-breaks will take place.

Top four finishers in each group will qualify for the knockout finals. The knockout matches will be played from Thursday, October 28th to Sunday, October 31st, 2010.

List of participants:

GM Vasily Ivanchuk (2754) Ukraine

GM Hikaru Nakamura (2733) USA

GM Xiangzhi Bu (2695) China

GM Liem Le Quang (2694) Vietnam

GM Judith Polgar (2682) Hungary

GM Tigran Gharamian (2658) France

GM Romain Edouard (2636) France

GM Jon Ludvig Hammer (2633) Norway

GM Truong Nguyen Ngoc (2633) Vietnam

GM Anatoly Karpov (2619) Russia

GM Yannick Pelletier (2592) Switzerland

GM Tatiana Kosintseva (2573) Russia

WGM Nadezhda Kosintseva (2565) Russia

GM Kateryna Lahno (2539) Ukraine

GM Zhu Chen (2480) Qatar

IM Sophie Milliet (2388) France

Cap d'Agde is one of the largest leisure ports on the French Mediterranean. Development as a tourist resort started in the 1970s before which time the only buildings at the Cap were small houses typically used for weekends by local people.

You can find a lot of information and photos at the official website here. Meanwhile, here is the first set of some nice games from the first stage of the tournament.

You can run the moves in our pgnplayer or watch in flash below. Enjoy!

Judith Polgar

PGN: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. d4 fxe4 5. Nxe5 Nxe5 6. dxe5 c6 7. Be2 Qa5+ 8. Bd2 Qxe5 9. Bc3 Qg5 10. Bh5+ Kd8 11. g3 d5 12. Bd4 Nf6 13. Be2 Bd6 14. c4 Rf8 15. Nc3 Qf5 16. Qd2 Be6 17. O-O-O Ke7 18. Rhf1 Rad8 19. f3 Qg6 20. fxe4 dxe4 21. Qe3 Qh6 22. Qxh6 gxh6 23. Bxa7 Ra8 24. Be3 Ng4 25. Bxg4 Bxg4 26. Rxf8 Rxf8 27. Bxh6 Ra8 28. Re1 Kd7 29. Nxe4 Bb4 30. Bd2 Bxd2+ 31. Kxd2 Bf3 32. Nc5+ Kc7 33. Rf1 Bh5 34. Ne6+ Kd6 35. Nf4 Bg4 36. a3 Ra4 37. h3 Bc8 38. Kc3 b5 39. cxb5 cxb5 40. Rd1+ Kc6 41. Rd4 Ra7 42. Rd5 Bxh3 43. Rh5 Bg4 44. Rh6+ Kc7 45. Rxh7+ Kb6 46. Nd5+ Ka6 47. Rxa7+ Kxa7 48. Nf6 Be6 49. g4 Kb6 50. Kb4 Kc6 51. g5 Bf7 52. Ne4 Bg6 53. Nc3 Bd3 54. b3 Kb6 55. Nd5+ Kc6 56. Nf4 Bh7 57. g6 Bg8 58. Nh5 Kd6 59. Nf6 1-0

Nadezhda Kosintseva

PGN: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Qb6 8. c3 f6 9. g3 cxd4 10. Nexd4 Nxd4 11. cxd4 fxe5 12. fxe5 Bb4+ 13. Kf2 Be7 14. Kg2 Nb8 15. Bd3 Nc6 16. Rf1 Bd7 17. Rf2 O-O-O 18. Be3 Rdf8 19. a3 g5 20. g4 h5 21. h3 hxg4 22. hxg4 Rh6 23. b4 Rfh8 24. Qd2 a5 25. b5 Na7 26. a4 Kb8 27. Bxg5 Bxg5 28. Qxg5 Rh3 29. Rc1 Rxf3 30. Rxf3 Qxd4 31. Qg7 Rd8 32. Qe7 Rg8 33. Qd6+ Ka8 34. Rf8+ Rxf8 35. Qxf8+ Nc8 36. Rxc8+ Bxc8 37. Qxc8+ Ka7 38. Be2 Qxe5 39. Qc5+ b6 40. Qe7+ Kb8 41. Bf3 Qb2+ 42. Kh3 Qh8+ 43. Qh4 Qc3 44. Qg3+ Kc8 45. Qf4 Kd7 46. g5 Qh8+ 47. Kg3 Qh7 48. Qc1 Kd6 49. Qc6+ Ke5 50. Qxb6 Kf5 51. Qe3 Qc7+ 52. Kg2 Qd8 53. Be2 e5 54. Qf3+ Kxg5 55. Qh5+ Kf4 56. Qg4+ Ke3 57. Qf3+ Kd2 58. Qd3+ Kc1 59. Qc3+ Kb1 60. Qxe5 d4 61. Bd3+ Kb2 62. Qe2+ Ka3 63. Bf5 Kxa4 64. Qc4+ Ka3 65. Qc5+ Kb2 66. Qc2+ Ka3 67. Qc5+ Kb2 68. b6 Qg5+ 69. Kf3 Qe3+ 70. Kg4 Qe2+ 71. Kg5 Qd2+ 72. Kg6 a4 73. Qb5+ Ka3 74. b7 Qg2+ 75. Kf6 Qh2 76. b8=Q Qh6+ 77. Bg6 Qh4+ 78. Kf7 1-0

Hikaru Nakamura

PGN: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 d6 7. g3 e5 8. Bg2 Qe7 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. b4 a5 11. Bb2 Re8 12. b5 Nbd7 13. Nf3 Nb6 14. Qxe5 Be6 15. Nd2 Nxc4 16. Nxc4 Bxc4 17. Qxe7 Rxe7 18. e3 Ne4 19. Rc1 Bxb5 20. Bxe4 Rxe4 21. Rxc7 Bc6 22. O-O Rd8 23. Bd4 h5 24. h4 Rd5 25. Rb1 Rf5 26. Kf1 Re8 27. Ke2 f6 28. Rc1 Rd5 29. Kd3 Rb5 30. a4 Rb3+ 31. Rc3 Be4+ 32. Ke2 Rb2+ 33. Ke1 Ra2 34. R3c4 Bf3 35. R7c5 Ra8 36. Rf5 Bg4 37. Rfc5 Be6 38. Rc1 Rxa4 39. Rxh5 Rb4 40. Rhc5 a4 41. h5 a3 42. h6 a2 43. Rc7 Rxd4 44. Rxg7+ Kh8 45. exd4 a1=Q 46. Rxa1 Rxa1+ 47. Kd2 b5 48. Rg6 Ra2+ 49. Ke3 Ra3+ 50. Ke4 Ra6 51. d5 Bg8 52. Rg7 Rd6 53. Kf5 Bh7+ 54. Kf4 Rxd5 55. g4 Rd4+ 56. Kg3 Rd3+ 57. Kf4 Bg8 58. g5 fxg5+ 59. Kxg5 Rd5+ 60. Kg6 Rd6+ 61. Kg5 Rb6 62. f4 b4 63. f5 b3 64. f6 b2 0-1

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com