Politiken Cup 2013

Today finished Politiken Cup 2013.
The winner is Indian Grandmaster Negi P.
In the last round he won against Italian GM Brunello S.


Politiken Cup is the biggest open tournament in Scandinavia.
It is by number of players, by number of GMs in the tournament, by the price money.
I played there three times, every year with a good score, but 2010 is especially in my memory, as I became IM there.
It is not easy to play in Helsingör, as in the rule, there were no conditions for International masters, and I was forced to live at home, and travel there every day around 2,5 hours in one way.
It sounds extreme, but it is a way how many players from Scania (Southern Swedish province) plays in Politiken Cup.
The way there is quite interesting also.
It depends where in Scania you live, but almost every line leads to Helsingborg, and from Helsinborg to Helsingör there were regular and frequent ferry lines.
From the ferry you can enjoy a view on the castle which inspired Willian Sakespeare in his most famous tragedy, Hamlet.

From the harbour in Helsingör, playing hall is situated about half an hour by foot, but the way there is very pleasant.....
If you consider that you can prepare on the train to Helsingborg, then 2,5 hours are not so much.
However, I skipped this tournament this time, but yesterday I visited playing venue.
There were very good and tense fights.
When I arrived there, I met Marley Gargamel Grandelius, analysing his game with his opponent, Danish hope, Mads Andersen.
I thought that the game finished in a draw, but Marley showed me that he just blundered the queen sacrifice by his opponent.
He anticipate it in slightly different version.

During my visit, GM Sabino Brunello, won his game against Cheparinov, and Negi went on to win his game against Hrant Melkumyan (he was slightly worse the whole game , until Hrant made a mistake in the endgame).

Today, Negi played the final game against Brunello, and he won in a nice style.

Here is the final table.

Rank after Round 10

Rk.		Name	Gr	FED	RtgI	RtgN	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2	Rp
1	GM	Negi Parimarjan		IND	2634	0	Katernb	9.0	53.5	58.25	2779
2	GM	Cheparinov Ivan		BUL	2678	0		8.0	57.5	55.00	2698
3	GM	Edouard Romain		FRA	2662	0	Chalonnais	8.0	56.0	53.25	2667
4	GM	Hansen Sune Berg		DEN	2549	2557	Helsingør	8.0	53.0	50.75	2607
5	GM	Timman Jan H		NED	2584	0	Porz	8.0	52.5	51.50	2618
6	GM	Brunello Sabino		ITA	2593	0		8.0	52.5	51.00	2627
7	GM	Van Kampen Robin		NED	2595	0		8.0	48.0	46.50	2470
8	GM	Erenburg Sergey		USA	2615	0		7.5	54.5	48.00	2597
9	GM	Melkumyan Hrant		ARM	2632	0	Berlin 1903 e. V	7.5	54.0	47.25	2582
10	IM	Bekker-Jensen Simon		DEN	2414	2412	Philidor	7.5	50.5	46.25	2433
11	GM	Bulski Krzysztof		POL	2534	0	"Hetman"	7.5	50.5	43.25	2549

Here is the position:

Negi Parimarjan - Brunello Sabino

White is much better. His bishop is much more dangerous then Black´s bishop. White can occupy f5 square with his knight. However, Black has a lot of defencive resources.
He made a decision to open the g-file. The position became sharp.

22...Nxh4!?
23. gxh4, Rg6
24. h5, Rg5
25. h4, Rg7
26. Rg1, Rdd7?

Black should try with 26...f5!? but even then, White is better.

27. h6, Rg6
28. h5, Qxh6

29. Qxf6+!

This is probably what Sabino did not seen.

29...Qg7
30. Qf5

Probably in the time trouble he blundered badly with:

30...Rd8??
31. hxg6 1-0

After 30...Qh6 White is better after 31. Qf6+, Qg7 32. Qh4.

A nice achievement by Indian Grandmaster.