Leinier Dominguez won a strong 12-player rapid event in St. Petersburg on Sunday. The Cuban grandmaster edged out local hero Peter Svidler on tie-break as both finished on 7.5/11. Another St Petersburg citizen finished third: Nikita Vitiugov.

Leinier Dominguez | Photos © Ray Morris-Hill

A strong rapid event took place last weekend in St. Petersburg. The websites of the St Petersburg chess federation and the Russian Chess Federation haven't presented much information, but the field of participants is enough reason to pay attention to it with a short report. The 12-player round robin had (in order of the final standings) Leinier Dominguez, Peter Svidler, Nikita Vitiugov, Evgeny Alekseev, Alexander Khalifman, Ildar Khairullin, Maxim Matlakov, Vadim Zvjaginsev, Ernesto Inarkiev, Aleksandr Shimanov, Zahar Efimenko and Sergei Movsesian.

Leinier Dominguez, who finished 10th at the FIDE Grand Prix in London last Wednesday, apparently travelled from there to the Russian city. The Cuban didn't start well (two draws and a loss against Matlakov) but then found his form. He defeated Movsesian, then drew with Svidler, Khalifman and Vitiguov and finished with four victories, against Khailrullin, Alekseev, Shimanov and Zvjaginsev.

Peter Svidler, who had to withdraw from the London Grand Prix at the last minute, could be found behind the chess board again. He did well, staying undefeated and beating Alekseev, Shimanov, Inarkiev and Efimenko. In the end it turned out that Dominguez' tie-break was a little better.

Games

PGN file

St Petersburg Rapid Cup 2012 | Final standings