Himal Gusain convincingly clinches 3rd Tours Open 2024

Himal starts 2024 the same way he ended his 2023

IM Himal Gusain was the sole leader 6.5/8 heading into the final round. FM Andrei Filip (ROU), IM Guillaume Lamard (FRA), GM Sergey A Fedorchuk (UKR) and GM Namig Guliyev (AZE) were trailing by a half point at 6/8 each. Himal defeated Filip to become a clear champion. Namig defeated Florian Grezeles (FRA) and Lamard drew against Fedorchuk. Namig and Fedorchuk secured second and third place respectively.

Best Woman and Top 3 (L to R): WGM Tatiana Dornbusch (MNC) 5.5/9, 2nd GM Namig Guliyev (AZE) 7/9, 1st IM Himal Gusain 7.5/9 and 3rd GM Sergey Fedorchuk (UKR) 6.5/9

The prize winners with organizers and France no.1 woman - GM Marie Sebag

"This year, the women were in the spotlight with GM Marie Sebag, France's top female player, who played a simultaneous game versus 26 players, and WGM Tatiana Dornbusch, who won the women's first prize and gave a master class during the week." - François Le Guillou, Tournament Organizer.

Check out the champion, IM Himal Gusain's favorite game of the tournament against GM Sergey Fedorchuk (UKR) from the third round, annotated by Himal himself.

IM Himal Gusain scored an unbeaten 7.5/9, finished a half point ahead of the field and performed at 2651

Players in action

The tournament hall - Salle des Fêtes at Tours Town Hall in Tours, France

Thanks to the tournament organizer - François Le Guillou for sharing photographs and information about the tournament.

A total of 140 players including 4 GMs, 9 IMs and a WGM took part from eleven countries all over the world in this five-day nine round Rating Open A tournament. It was organized by François Le Guillou at Salle des Fêtes at Tours Town Hall in Tours, France from 2nd to 6th January 2024. The time control of the event was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move.

Final standings in Open A

Pl		Nom	Elo	Cat.	Fede	Ligue	Club	Pts	Tr.	Cu.	Perf
1	m	GUSAIN Himal	2457 F	SenM				7½	44½	39	2651
2	g	GULIYEV Namig	2506 F	SenM		CVL	C'Chartres Echecs	7	41½	34	2520
3	g	FEDORCHUK Sergey A.	2550 F	SenM		ARA	Lyon Olympique Echecs	6½	44½	33½	2506
4	m	LAMARD Guillaume	2499 F	SenM		PAC	Cannes Echecs	6½	43½	34½	2466
5	g	DGEBUADZE Alexandre	2441 F	SepM		HDF	Cercle Boulonnais des Echecs	6½	43½	33½	2492
6		VICTOR Julian	2216 F	CadM				6½	39	28½	2293
7	g	LALIC Bogdan	2349 F	SepM		ARA	Le Champ du Fou	6	44	32½	2333
8	m	FILIP Lucian-Ioan	2369 F	SenM		ARA	Club d'Echecs d'Annemasse	6	43½	30½	2329
9	f	FILIP Andrei	2250 F	CadM				6	42½	31½	2281
10		MIDY Robin	2154 F	SenM		PDL	Echiquier Club Le Mans	6	40	29	2163
11		BOUVET Florian	2221 F	SenM		PDL	Echiquier Club Le Mans	6	39½	30½	2282
12	m	BUJISHO Benjamin	2353 F	SenM		PDL	Cercle d'Echecs de Nantes	6	39½	30½	2244
13	f	SAADA Julien	2265 F	SenM		NAQ	Poitiers-Migne Echecs	6	38½	26½	2179
14		LEVREBON Florian	1900 F	SenM		CVL	Echiquier Tourangeau	6	38	29½	2129
15		MASSET Jacques	1983 F	SenM		CVL	Echiquier Tourangeau	6	37	30	2106