Malta Chess Open from November 17

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hello everyone,

Malta is not a country that you would associate with chess very easily. There's a nice chess open happening there from November 17 with 180 players from around the world (including only 30 home players). It is the third Malta International Chess Open, hosted at the Canifor Hotel in Buġibba between from November 17 to 23. Malta is a republic in the Mediterranean Sea 80 km (50 mi) south of Sicily. 

Backed by the sponsorship of the Malta Tourism Authority and Cheverny Investments Ltd, the chess event has grown over the years. A lot of chess players from UK, Germany, Canada, USA, Ecuador, Faroe Islands, and even India and Mongolia are playing this time around.

Of the Maltese contingent, the highest-rated player is newly-crowned national champion Joseph Gauci. He will be closely followed by national team members Robert and Patrick Zerafa. Other notable players include former Malta no.1 Peter Sammut Briffa, Clarence Psaila (the co-organiser along with Chessorg) and Duncan Vella. They are all among the top 10 highest FIDE-rated players on the island.

The favourite for the Malta Open title is Grand Master Bartolomej Heberla. He is top seed with rating of 2556 and is also the reigning Malta Chess Open Champion. However, Heberla will have to contend with over 20 other titled players throughout the nine-round, Swiss-system tournament if he is to retain the honour.

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Malta Chess Open: GM Heberla Bartlomiej wins on Tiebreak

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

GM Heberla Bartlomiej has won the 2nd Malta Chess Open on tiebreak versus GM Petrov Marian. Both scored a total of 7,5 points each, but Heberla took the trophy on higher tie-break. A total of 159 players from 28 countries took part in the chess event that has found support from Malta Touristic Agency and Cheverny International. A total of 12 GMs and seven IMs came to the island to play the chess tournament south of Sicily.

Players from the north of Europe were especially attracted by 20 degree and many hours of sunlight. Maltese culture and history could be explored during the day as the games began at 5 p.m.

Daniel Lam from Hong Kong, Torres und Quinteros from Venezuela have traveled a long distance to play this tournament.

In round 7 GM Brynell has had the lead but lost his game against GM Burmakin. The next day GM Epishin beat the new #1 Burmakin.

In the end Grandmasters Heberla Bartlomiej and Petrov Marian shared the first place with 7,5 points each, but Heberla took the trophy on higher tie-break.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com

Don't miss Chess Queen™  

YouTube Channel