Reports | February 13, 2012 12:00

Anton Korobov leads Aeroflot Open after round 6

Anton Korobov leads Aeroflot Open after round 6

Anton Korobov leads the Aeroflot Open after six rounds. The Ukrainian grandmaster won four games and drew two, and is half a point ahead of his compatriot Pavel Eljanov, Mateusz Bartel of Poland and Fabiano Caruana of Italy.

Anton Korobov in round 6, with Fabiano Caruana in the background and also chief arbiter Geurt Gijssen | Photo © Russian Chess Federation

Event Aeroflot Open | PGN via TWIC
Dates February 7th-15th, 2012 with a blitz tournament on February 16th, 2012
Location Moscow, Russia
System 9-round Swiss, different groups
Players Top players in the A group include  Evgeny Tomashevsky, Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Le Quang Liem, Francisco Vallejo, Baadur Jobava,Krishnan Sasikiran and Pavel Eljanov
Rate of play in group A 100 minutes for 40 moves plus 50 minutes for 20 moves plus 15 minutes to finish the game, with an additional 30 second increment from move 1
Prize fund The total prize fund is 122,500 euro (or 150,000 euro if the blitz tournament afterwards is included) with a first priz in the A group of 20,000 euro. 
Tiebreaks For tournaments A and B: the number of games played with Black. Byes and forfeited games will be considered as games played with White. Then the average of the opponents' ratings minus the highest and the lowest rating. For tournament C: the Buchholz score

In this report we'll give an update of the 11th Aeroflot Open in Moscow, where thus far six rounds have been played. In our previous report we covered the first three rounds. 

At the moment Anton Korobov is in sole lead with 5/6. The 26-year-old Ukrainian hasn't been mentioned a lot here at ChessVibes, but every now and then he scores a good result. His career's best performance so far was winning the strong Nakhchivan Open in Azerbaijan last year, where Korobov finished half a point ahead of Zoltan Almasi (Hungary), Paco Vallejo (Spain), Ivan Sokolov (The Netherlands) and Alexander Ipatov (Spain).

At the Aeroflot Open the current tournament leader won an excellent game in round 4 against top seed Fabiano Caruana, who tried the Volga/Benkö Gambit.

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Two times winner Le Quang Liem dropped another half point in a sharp but short encounter with Parimarjan Negi of India.

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The following game ended in a draw but was extremely interesting:

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In the next game we see two generations of Armenian chess players facing each other.

 

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In the next game we have Melkumyan again, whose name you might remember from our recent Bundesliga report, where we pointed out that Levon Aronian allowed him to play board 1 for Berlin. After the example below, the theoreticians should perhaps dub this h4+g4 stuff the 'Armenian Approach' of the Queen's Gambit Declined (although it was Botvinnik who started the whole thing half a century ago!):

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Fabiano Caruana bounced back with a nice, tactical ending:

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Le Quang Liem had to say goodbye to his dream of winning the tournament for the third consecutive time. He lost against 46-year old, former FIDE World Champion Alexander Khalifman:

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Somehow we always keep an eye on Baadur Jobava's games. The Georgian GM never shies away from sharp positions:

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In the 6th round Korobov again showed how strong he his with 1.d4.

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Caruana usually plays 1.e4 but he used 1.d4 (well, a 1.d4 opening) to beat Melkumyan:

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Krishnan Sasikiran went all or nothing against Mateusz Bartel, and in the end he got nothing:

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Le Quang Liem is completely out of form:

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If we look at the standings, we see more players who are having problems in this strong group, for instance Mohamad Al-Modiahki (1/6), Boris Savchenko (1.5/6) and Gadir Guseinov (2/6).

The Aeroflot Open runs until February 15th, and has three rating groups. The first prize in group A, for players stronger than 2549 Elo, is € 20,000.

Aeroflot Open 2012 | Group A | Round 6 standings

Rank Name Score Fed. M/F Rating TPR W-We Col.Bal. Rat-HiLo
1 GM Korobov, Anton 5.0 UKR M 2660 2925 +1.91 2 2650.3
2 GM Eljanov, Pavel 4.5 UKR M 2690 2822 +0.99 0 2631.8
3 GM Bartel, Mateusz 4.5 POL M 2658 2829 +1.32 0 2627.8
4 GM Caruana, Fabiano 4.5 ITA M 2736 2831 +0.70 2 2639.5
5 GM Rodshtein, Maxim 4.0 ISR M 2634 2767 +1.07 0 2663.0
6 GM Esen, Baris 4.0 TUR M 2534 2788 +2.04 0 2651.8
7 GM Tomashevsky, Evgeny 4.0 RUS M 2740 2747 +0.07 0 2644.3
8 GM Khalifman, Alexander 4.0 RUS M 2632 2757 +1.00 0 2641.0
9 GM Alekseev, Evgeny 4.0 RUS M 2670 2755 +0.67 0 2637.3
10 GM Andreikin, Dmitry 4.0 RUS M 2688 2745 +0.43 0 2623.0
11 GM Fedoseev, Vladimir 4.0 RUS M 2525 2741 +1.74 0 2618.3
12 GM Bu, Xiangzhi 4.0 CHN M 2670 2734 +0.49 0 2610.5
13 GM Melkumyan, Hrant 4.0 ARM M 2620 2734 +0.90 0 2607.0
14 GM Safarli, Eltaj 4.0 AZE M 2638 2728 +0.72 0 2605.3
15 GM Iordachescu, Viorel 4.0 MDA M 2651 2735 +0.66 0 2602.8
16 GM Sokolov, Ivan 4.0 NED M 2641 2790 +1.21 2 2688.0
17 GM Balogh, Csaba 4.0 HUN M 2665 2751 +0.66 2 2619.5
18 GM Zherebukh, Yaroslav 3.5 UKR M 2594 2728 +1.13 0 2689.3
19 GM Gajewski, Grzegorz 3.5 POL M 2616 2688 +0.65 0 2663.0
20 GM Rakhmanov, Aleksandr 3.5 RUS M 2593 2702 +0.93 0 2649.8
21 GM Robson, Ray 3.5 USA M 2596 2683 +0.76 0 2649.3
22 GM Socko, Bartosz 3.5 POL M 2636 2685 +0.44 0 2645.8
23 GM Sethuraman, S.P. 3.5 IND M 2529 2703 +1.45 0 2641.5
24 GM Nisipeanu, Liviu-Dieter 3.5 ROU M 2647 2695 +0.42 0 2637.0
25 GM Jobava, Baadur 3.5 GEO M 2704 2683 -0.15 0 2628.0
26 GM Sasikiran, Krishnan 3.5 IND M 2700 2684 -0.10 0 2627.5
27 GM Zhigalko, Sergei 3.5 BLR M 2658 2679 +0.20 0 2624.0
28 GM Zvjaginsev, Vadim 3.5 RUS M 2688 2672 -0.10 0 2617.0
29 GM Khismatullin, Denis 3.5 RUS M 2664 2673 +0.10 0 2616.8
30 GM Popov, Ivan 3.5 RUS M 2599 2659 +0.52 0 2603.0
31 GM Nepomniachtchi, Ian 3.5 RUS M 2735 2641 -0.71 0 2589.8
32 GM Bocharov, Dmitry 3.5 RUS M 2611 2650 +0.35 0 2574.5
33 GM Ragger, Markus 3.5 AUT M 2655 2607 -0.33 0 2567.0
34 GM Sandipan, Chanda 3.5 IND M 2628 2633 +0.07 0 2566.8
35 GM Zhou, Jianchao 3.5 CHN M 2619 2597 -0.14 0 2523.8
36 GM Gupta, Abhijeet 3.5 IND M 2652 2698 +0.42 2 2646.5
37 GM Sjugirov, Sanan 3.5 RUS M 2622 2680 +0.52 2 2635.3
38 IM Grigoryan, Karen H. 3.5 ARM M 2482 2613 +0.88 2 2607.0
39 GM Pap, Gyula 3.0 HUN M 2533 2614 +0.67 -2 2606.3
40 GM Grigoriants, Sergey 3.0 RUS M 2570 2584 +0.11 -2 2597.5
41 GM Ghaem Maghami, Ehsan 3.0 IRI M 2570 2619 +0.41 0 2636.5
42 IM Yilmaz, Mustafa 3.0 TUR M 2521 2629 +0.87 0 2629.8
43 IM Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi 3.0 IND M 2513 2629 +0.95 0 2628.5
44 WGM Ju, Wenjun 3.0 CHN F 2552 2623 +0.58 0 2619.0
45 GM Iturrizaga, Eduardo 3.0 VEN M 2649 2619 -0.25 0 2607.5
46 GM Salgado Lopez, Ivan 3.0 ESP M 2618 2595 -0.18 0 2604.0
47 GM Akopian, Vladimir 3.0 ARM M 2685 2595 -0.73 0 2590.8
48 GM Morovic Fernandez, Ivan 3.0 CHI M 2582 2593 +0.08 0 2589.0
49 GM Negi, Parimarjan 3.0 IND M 2641 2594 -0.38 0 2580.5
50 GM Jumabayev, Rinat 3.0 KAZ M 2573 2583 +0.07 0 2580.5
51 GM Kobalia, Mikhail 3.0 RUS M 2673 2577 -0.78 0 2577.0
52 GM Tukhaev, Adam 3.0 UKR M 2537 2558 +0.18 0 2572.3
53 GM Khairullin, Ildar 3.0 RUS M 2638 2585 -0.43 0 2561.8
54 GM Ni, Hua 3.0 CHN M 2641 2559 -0.68 0 2559.5
55 GM Shomoev, Anton 3.0 RUS M 2570 2548 -0.18 0 2543.5
56 IM Gundavaa, Bayarsaikhan 2.5 MGL M 2493 2553 +0.43 -2 2613.0
57 GM Mamedov, Rauf 2.5 AZE M 2636 2478 -1.33 -2 2532.8
58 GM Zhigalko, Andrey 2.5 BLR M 2576 2583 +0.03 0 2659.8
59 GM Adhiban, B. 2.5 IND M 2561 2598 +0.26 0 2645.3
60 GM Le, Quang Liem 2.5 VIE M 2714 2573 -1.19 0 2632.8
61 GM Vallejo Pons, Francisco 2.5 ESP M 2705 2548 -1.31 0 2611.3
62 GM Szabo, Krisztian 2.5 HUN M 2547 2463 -0.55 0 2602.8
63 GM Dubov, Daniil 2.5 RUS M 2498 2538 +0.29 0 2600.0
64 GM Jankovic, Alojzije 2.5 CRO M 2568 2514 -0.46 0 2589.0
65 GM Alsina Leal, Daniel 2.5 ESP M 2535 2508 -0.25 0 2579.0
66 GM Lu, Shanglei 2.5 CHN M 2516 2529 +0.08 0 2579.0
67 GM Gopal G.N. 2.5 IND M 2566 2424 -0.94 0 2551.8
68 GM Solak, Dragan 2.5 TUR M 2613 2489 -1.03 0 2551.0
69 GM Ipatov, Alexander 2.5 TUR M 2586 2479 -0.92 0 2516.0
70 GM Ponkratov, Pavel 2.0 RUS M 2611 2500 -0.88 0 2632.8
71 GM Cori, Jorge 2.0 PER M 2489 2474 -0.13 0 2602.0
72 IM Venkatesh, M.R. 2.0 IND M 2499 2470 -0.21 0 2592.0
73 GM Bukavshin, Ivan 2.0 RUS M 2517 2351 -0.99 0 2579.5
74 GM Bosiocic, Marin 2.0 CRO M 2580 2441 -1.13 0 2553.3
75 GM Yu, Yangyi 2.0 CHN M 2631 2414 -1.75 0 2520.5
76 GM Guseinov, Gadir 2.0 AZE M 2634 2399 -1.88 0 2519.8
77 GM Aleksandrov, Aleksej 2.0 BLR M 2612 2660 +0.26 2 2632.7
78 GM Harika, Dronavalli 1.5 IND F 2516 2420 -0.70 0 2615.3
79 GM Pridorozhni, Aleksei 1.5 RUS M 2555 2369 -1.43 0 2577.5
80 IM Shyam, Sundar M. 1.5 IND M 2462 2381 -0.59 0 2572.5
81 WGM Shen, Yang 1.5 CHN F 2447 2202 -1.18 0 2556.3
82 GM Ulibin, Mikhail 1.5 RUS M 2587 2210 -2.08 0 2549.0
83 GM Savchenko, Boris 1.5 RUS M 2609 2375 -1.85 0 2545.3
84 WGM Paikidze, Nazi 1.0 GEO F 2411 2304 -0.70 0 2568.3
85 GM Al-Modiahki, Mohamad 1.0 QAT M 2567 2287 -2.07 0 2554.8
86 GM Inarkiev, Ernesto 0.0 RUS M 2689 0 +0.00 6 0.0

 

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Peter Doggers's picture
Author: Peter Doggers

Founder and editor-in-chief of ChessVibes.com, Peter is responsible for most of the chess news and tournament reports. Often visiting top events, he also provides photos and videos for the site. He's a 1.e4 player himself, likes Thai food and the Stones.

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Comments

Jeroen's picture

Jeroen

1 year 4 months ago

"Somehow we always keep an eye on Baadur Jobava's games"
Peter, that's called being a Jobava witness ;)

Septimus's picture

Septimus

1 year 4 months ago

Brilliant!

Thomas's picture

Thomas

1 year 4 months ago

If faster time controls matter, Melkumyan's biggest success so far may be winning the European blitz championship last December. Korobov did also well in the blitz and the subsequent rapid event, even though he fell (just) short of the medals both times.
http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/outsiders-win-european-blitz-and-rapid... (of course I remember that report ...)

iLane's picture

iLane

1 year 4 months ago

"Caruana usually plays 1.e4 but he used 1.d4 to beat Melkumyan: 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3..."
LOL :)))

Peter Doggers's picture

Peter Doggers

1 year 4 months ago

Oops. :-) Well, you know what I mean...

sulutas's picture

sulutas

1 year 4 months ago

Baadur Jobava is a special chess player for me since he is the highest rated player that I have had a chance to see alive in my life back in 2004 in Istanbul (i.e. in the European Youth Championship or something line that), and that is 'somehow' why I also frequently kept an eye on his games and never got disappointed in return - there are two players whose annotated books I would love to buy in future - (i) Aronian (for sure, he should be publishing his games at some point - so, no worry about it), and (ii) Jobava! I wish he had heard this little wish!

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