Who Will Take the Title? Elllobregat Open 2024 Down to the Wire
In the 8th round of the Elllobregat Open Chess 2024, the top board encounter featured Israel’s Grandmaster Yahli Sokolovsky against Chile's top-seeded Grandmaster Cristobal Henriquez Villagra. Playing with the black pieces, Yahli employed the Queen's Gambit Declined Exchange Variation. In an intense yet short battle, both players agreed to a draw after just 17 moves in a sharp position. This result allowed Yahli to maintain his sole lead with 6.5 points from 8 rounds, while Cristobal follows closely with 6 points.
The round witnessed only four decisive games among the top 10 boards, with the remaining six matches ending in draws.
On the second board, Israel’s GM Ido Gorshtein and Germany’s GM Martin Kraemer played a balanced game that concluded in a draw, leaving both with 5.5 points each.
The third board also ended peacefully, as Bulgaria’s IM Tsvetan Stoyanov and Sweden’s IM Seo Jung Min drew their encounter. Stoyanov now has 5.5 points, while Seo stands at 5 points.
On the fourth board, Israel’s IM Or Bronstein delivered an impressive performance by defeating Spain’s GM Julen Luis Arizmendi Martinez in the Nimzo-Indian Defense. Playing with the white pieces, Or secured victory in 34 moves, marking his second consecutive win against a GM. With a live performance rating of 2533, he is inching closer to achieving his GM norm.
Spain’s FM Javier Habans, the current World Under-16 Champion, bounced back on the sixth board after his previous round loss. Playing with the white pieces in the English Opening, Javier overcame IM Artiom Stribuk in 47 moves. With a live performance rating of 2567, Javier remains in the hunt for both GM and IM norms.
Other results from the top boards :
Poland’s GM Marcin Tazbir and Spain’s GM Josep Manuel Lopez Martinez drew their game on the fifth board.
On the seventh board, IM Sebastian Felipe Sanchez drew with Iran’s GM Mahdi Gholami Orimi.
Hungary’s GM Adam Kozak secured a victory on the eighth board, defeating IM Edward Song in a clean tactical display.
Bulgaria’s GM Momchil Petkov and Spain’s FM Daniel Tabuenca Mendataurigoitia played out a peaceful draw on the ninth board.
- On the tenth board, GM Savva Vetokhin capitalized on an endgame mistake to defeat IM Eline Roebers, climbing to 5.5 points.
Among the Indian players, WIM Tejaswini G scored an important victory against Van Der Hagen, Loek of the Netherlands after suffering a loss in the previous round. This win keeps her chances alive for securing a WGM norm in the tournament.
Meanwhile, WCM Charvi A faced a setback, losing to Spain’s Roca Planas, Edgar, but continues to impress with her overall performance in the tournament.
Rank after Round 8
| Rk. | SNo | Name | sex | FED | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | n | w | we | w-we | K | rtg+/- | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | GM | Sokolovsky, Yahli | ISR | 2516 | Rishon Letzion | 7 | 0 | 38 | 41,5 | 35,25 | 8 | 7 | 4,92 | 2,08 | 10 | 20,8 | ||
| 2 | 2 | GM | Henriquez Villagra, Cristobal | CHI | 2594 | CHILE | 6,5 | 0 | 40 | 43,5 | 34,25 | 8 | 6,5 | 5,58 | 0,92 | 10 | 9,2 | ||
| 3 | 6 | GM | Gorshtein, Ido | ISR | 2528 | Kfar Saba Chess Club | 6 | 0 | 38,5 | 43 | 29,75 | 8 | 6 | 5,09 | 0,91 | 10 | 9,1 | ||
| 4 | 29 | FM | Habans Aguerrea, Javier | ESP | 2402 | Oberena | 6 | 0 | 36,5 | 39,5 | 27,00 | 8 | 6 | 4,05 | 1,95 | 10 | 19,5 | ||
| 5 | 4 | GM | Kraemer, Martin | GER | 2576 | SC Heimbach Neuwied | 6 | 0 | 35,5 | 39 | 27,75 | 8 | 6 | 5,55 | 0,45 | 10 | 4,5 | ||
| 6 | 17 | IM | Stoyanov, Tsvetan | BUL | 2465 | BULGARY | 6 | 0 | 33 | 36,5 | 27,00 | 8 | 6 | 5,31 | 0,69 | 10 | 6,9 | ||
| 7 | 21 | IM | Bronstein, Or | ISR | 2440 | Rishon LeZion | 6 | 0 | 32 | 35 | 24,00 | 8 | 6 | 5,04 | 0,96 | 10 | 9,6 | ||
| 8 | 9 | GM | Quintiliano, Renato R. | BRA | 2507 | Escola de Xadrez de Osasco | 5,5 | 0 | 37,5 | 41 | 26,00 | 8 | 5,5 | 4,57 | 0,93 | 10 | 9,3 | ||
| 9 | 19 | GM | Lopez Martinez, Josep Manuel | ESP | 2455 | CE | 5,5 | 0 | 37 | 39,5 | 24,25 | 7 | 4,5 | 3,99 | 0,51 | 10 | 5,1 | ||
| 10 | 14 | GM | Tazbir, Marcin | POL | 2493 | POLAND | 5,5 | 0 | 35 | 39 | 26,25 | 8 | 5,5 | 5,35 | 0,15 | 10 | 1,5 | ||
| 11 | 31 | IM | Sanchez, Sebastian Felipe | COL | 2376 | CE Mollet | 5,5 | 0 | 33,5 | 37 | 24,50 | 8 | 5,5 | 3,83 | 1,67 | 10 | 16,7 | ||
| 12 | 11 | GM | Vetokhin, Savva | FID | 2502 | FIDE | 5,5 | 0 | 33,5 | 36,5 | 23,00 | 8 | 5,5 | 5,69 | -0,19 | 10 | -1,9 | ||
| 13 | 25 | IM | Sorensen, Hampus | SWE | 2419 | SK Rockaden | 5,5 | 0 | 33,5 | 36 | 24,50 | 8 | 5,5 | 5,21 | 0,29 | 10 | 2,9 | ||
| 14 | 37 | FM | Molenda, Marcin | POL | 2359 | POLAND | 5,5 | 0 | 32,5 | 35,5 | 23,00 | 8 | 5,5 | 4,64 | 0,86 | 10 | 8,6 | ||
| 15 | 3 | GM | Kozak, Adam | HUN | 2591 | Magyarország | 5,5 | 0 | 32,5 | 34,5 | 22,25 | 8 | 5,5 | 6,29 | -0,79 | 10 | -7,9 | ||
| 16 | 10 | IM | Seo, Jung Min | SWE | 2505 | SK Rockaden | 5,5 | 0 | 32 | 35,5 | 23,50 | 8 | 5,5 | 5,63 | -0,13 | 10 | -1,3 |
With only two rounds remaining, Yahli Sokolovsky continues to lead the field, but with Cristobal Henriquez Villagra and others close behind, the final rounds promise a thrilling finish. Players also have opportunities to secure coveted norms and boost their standings in this prestigious tournament.
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