Sparkassen Chess Trophy 2023 R7: Aryan Chopra rejoins the lead

by Shahid Ahmed - 01/07/2023

GM Leon Luke Mendonca drew his game against the Germany no.3 GM Alexander Donchenko. GM Aryan Chopra defeated GM Harshit Raja in a grueling battle. The latter's inaccuracy in the same color bishop endgame proved fatal for him. Thus, Donchenko, Aryan and GM Frederik Svane (GER) are the three leaders at 6/7 each at the conclusion of the seventh round of Sparkassen Chess Open A. WGM Dinara Wagner (GER) has emerged sole leader 5.5/7 in the Sportland NRW Cup. Vladimir Kramnik and Dmitrij Kollars missed their respective wins Pavel Eljaov (UKR) and Fabiano Caruana (USA) respectively. Both games ended in draws. Kramnik is still in sole lead 2.5/4, followed by Eljanov and Caruana at 2/4 each. Round 8 Open and Sportland NRW Cup, NC World Masters Round 5 starts today at 3 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST. Photos: Official site

Sportland NRW Cup: Dinara Wagner emerges sole leader

After a draw against the legendary GM Michael Adams (ENG), GM Raja Rithvik R scored a win against compatriot IM Harikrishnan A Ra to get back in pursuit at 5.5/7. Raja Rithvik will face Leon in the penultimate eighth round. They are followed by GM Harshit Raja, IM Muthaiah Al, FM Karthik Rajaa, GM Pranav Anand and IM Sammed Jaykumar Shete at 5/7 each.

Sparkassen Chess Trophy 2023 Open A: GM Aryan Chopra is in a three-way lead 6/7

Sparkassen Chess Trophy 2023 - 50th International Dortmund Chess Days

Open A: Aryan - Harshit: 1-0

The only rated game between GM Aryan Chopra (2626) and GM Harshit Raja (2510) took place in April 2019. It ended in a draw. Harshit ended up having a slightly inferior rook and same color bishop endgame against Aryan.

Position after 53...f5

One of the toughest thing to is inaction. If Black did not go for 53...f5 break, it was not easy for White to improve his position. The only breakthrough he had was f4. 54.gxf5 Rxf5 55.Rg1 Kg6 56.Rg4 Rf3 57.Rxg5+ Kf6 58.Rg4 Rxh53 59.Bg5+ Kf5 60.Rxh4 Rxh4 61.Bxh4 gave Black some fighting chances.

Position after 65.Kxd5

White king intends to capture the b7-pawn. Thus he went 65.Kxd5. Black bishop alone is not enough to save the pawns. 65...Ke2 is the only way for Black to save the game. 65...Bd2 66.Kd6 and now it is too late for the black king to save the game. White can let go of the b4-pawn as 66...Bxb4 67.Kc7 is winning for White. The game continued 66...Ke4? 67.Kc7 Bxb4 68.Kxb7 and it's over.

GM Leon Luke Mendonca - GM Alexander Donchenko (GER): 0.5-0.5

Leon and Donchenko analyzing their game

Sportland NRW Cup 2023: WGM Dinara Wagner has gained sole lead 5.5/7

Stefan Koth, Managing Director of the organising club Initiative Pro Schach e.V., made the first move on Kramnik-Eljanov's board

Kramnik - Eljanov, NC World Masters

Position after 39...Rxa2

One of the best chances, Vladimir Kramnik had in the fourth round of NC World Masters against Pavel Eljanov (UKR) was after 39...Rxa2. White wants to promote the e-pawn and ensure it does not get captured by black's bishop. Find out how white could have achieved it in the above diagram.

Vladimir Kramnik had a great opportunity to increase his sole lead

Caruana - Kollars

Position after 40.Qd5+

The defending champion, Dmitrij Kollars (GER) thought that he is better off repeating moves instead of pushing for a win. 40...Kh8 41.Qc5 Kg8 42.Qd5+ Kh8 43.Qc5 Kg8 44.Qd5+ and the game ended in a draw. His opponent, Fabiano Caruana (USA) mentioned in a post-game interview, "I think I am quite fortunate to have made a draw."

Fabiana Caruana interview after his 1.b4!? game | Video: Dortmund Chess Channel

Replay 50th International Dortmund Chess Days 2023 Day 7 Live commentary by GM Artur Yusupov and WIM Fiona Steil-Antoni | Video: Dortmund Chess Channel

Replay Sportland NRW Cup Round 7 games

Replay Sparkassen Chess Trophy Open A Round 7 games

Replay NC World Masters Round 4 games

Sparkassen Chess Trophy Open A Round 7 results

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	8	GM	Mendonca,Leon Luke,	2623	5	½ - ½	5½	GM	Donchenko,Alexander,	2667	2
2	6	GM	Aryan Chopra,	2626	5	1 - 0	5	GM	Raja Harshit,	2510	18
3	9	GM	Svane,Frederik,	2622	5	1 - 0	5	IM	Samunenkov,Ihor,	2499	20
4	3	GM	Adams,Michael,	2666	4½	½ - ½	5	FM	Seemann,Jakub,	2446	31
5	23	IM	Dudin,Gleb,	2486	4½	1 - 0	4½	GM	Ponomariov,Ruslan,	2664	4
6	7	GM	Svane,Rasmus,	2625	4½	1 - 0	4½	IM	Vogel,Roven,	2461	27
7	32	IM	Guo,Arthur,	2445	4½	½ - ½	4½	GM	Wagner,Dennis,	2616	10
8	11	GM	Safarli,Eltaj,	2609	4½	1 - 0	4½	IM	Janzelj,Tim,	2453	29
9	15	GM	Kobo,Ori,	2556	4½	1 - 0	4½	IM	Souhardo Basak,	2400	45
10	39	IM	Parvanyan,Ashot,	2425	4½	½ - ½	4½	GM	Bailet,Pierre,	2513	16

Details

Standings after Round 7

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	RtgN	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2
1	2	GM	Donchenko,Alexander,	GER	2667	2656	OSG Baden-Baden	6	31,5	176
2	6	GM	Aryan Chopra,	IND	2626	0		6	31	173
3	9	GM	Svane,Frederik,	GER	2622	2622	Hamburger SK von 1830 eV	6	29,5	169
4	8	GM	Mendonca,Leon Luke,	IND	2623	2606	Hamburger SK von 1830 eV	5,5	31,5	171,5
5	15	GM	Kobo,Ori,	ISR	2556	0		5,5	28	172,5
6	22	GM	Raja Rithvik R,	IND	2488	0		5,5	27,5	163,5
7	7	GM	Svane,Rasmus,	GER	2625	2625	Hamburger SK von 1830 eV	5,5	27,5	162,5
8	11	GM	Safarli,Eltaj,	AZE	2609	0		5,5	27,5	161
9	23	IM	Dudin,Gleb,	FID	2486	2453	SV Deggendorf	5,5	27,5	159,5
10	31	FM	Seemann,Jakub,	POL	2446	0		5,5	27	159,5
11	1	GM	Blübaum,Matthias,	GER	2673	2673	SF Deizisau	5	32	171
12	3	GM	Adams,Michael,	ENG	2666	2631	OSG Baden-Baden	5	30,5	163,5
13	18	GM	Raja Harshit,	IND	2510	0		5	29	155,5
14	32	IM	Guo,Arthur,	USA	2445	0		5	28,5	164
15	13	IM	Laurent-Paoli,Pierre,	FRA	2572	2572	SC Ötigheim	5	28	159,5
16	10	GM	Wagner,Dennis,	GER	2616	2616	SC Viernheim 1934 e.V.	5	28	159
17	35	IM	Muthaiah AL,	IND	2439	0		5	28	156
18	37	IM	Wadsworth,Matthew J,	ENG	2431	0		5	28	154
19	16	GM	Bailet,Pierre,	FRA	2513	0		5	27,5	160
20	39	IM	Parvanyan,Ashot,	GER	2425	2393	SK Doppelbauer Kiel von 1910 e.V	5	27,5	158,5

Details

Round 8 pairings

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
1	9	GM	Svane,Frederik,	2622	6		6	GM	Aryan Chopra,	2626	6
2	2	GM	Donchenko,Alexander,	2667	6		5½	GM	Svane,Rasmus,	2625	7
3	22	GM	Raja Rithvik R,	2488	5½		5½	GM	Mendonca,Leon Luke,	2623	8
4	23	IM	Dudin,Gleb,	2486	5½		5½	GM	Safarli,Eltaj,	2609	11
5	31	FM	Seemann,Jakub,	2446	5½		5½	GM	Kobo,Ori,	2556	15
6	35	IM	Muthaiah AL,	2439	5		5	GM	Blübaum,Matthias,	2673	1
7	37	IM	Wadsworth,Matthew J,	2431	5		5	GM	Adams,Michael,	2666	3
8	5	GM	Kamsky,Gata,	2659	5		5	IM	Sammed Jaykumar,Shete,	2440	34
9	10	GM	Wagner,Dennis,	2616	5		5	IM	Parvanyan,Ashot,	2425	39
10	12	GM	Prohaszka,Peter,	2585	5		5	IM	Materia,Marco,	2436	36

Details

Sportland NRW Cup Round 7 results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	4	2447	WGM	Wagner,Dinara,	1 - 0	IM	Petrovskiy,Vadim,	2423	10
2	5	2326	FM	Schneider,Jana,	½ - ½	FM	Besou,Hussain,	2325	3
3	6	2429	IM	Köllner,Ruben Gideon,	½ - ½	GM	Karthik Venkataraman,	2548	2
4	7	2462	GM	Saltaev,Mihail,	0 - 1	FM	De Winter,Arthur,	2378	1
5	8	2454	GM	Bagrationi,Alexander,	1 - 0	IM	Souleidis,Georgios,	2419	9

Details

Standings after Round 7

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2
1	4	WGM	Wagner,Dinara,	GER	2447	SC Viernheim 1934 e.V.	5,5	4	17,50
2	6	IM	Köllner,Ruben Gideon,	GER	2429	SF Deizisau	5	4	13,50
3	2	GM	Karthik Venkataraman,	IND	2548		4,5	3	14,50
4	1	FM	De Winter,Arthur,	NED	2378	SV Erkenschwick 1923 e	4	3	13,00
5	9	IM	Souleidis,Georgios,	GRE	2419	Hamburger SK von 1830 eV	3,5	2	11,25
6	3	FM	Besou,Hussain,	GER	2325	LSV Turm Lippstadt	3,5	1	10,75
7	8	GM	Bagrationi,Alexander,	ISR	2454		3	2	7,00
8	10	IM	Petrovskiy,Vadim,	UKR	2423	Sfr. Bad Emstal/Wolfhagen	2,5	1	9,75
9	7	GM	Saltaev,Mihail,	UZB	2462	SV Mülheim-Nord 1931 e	2,5	1	6,25
10	5	FM	Schneider,Jana,	GER	2326	SC Bavaria Regensburg von 1881 e	1	0	3,00

Details

Round 8 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	10	2423	IM	Petrovskiy,Vadim,		IM	Souleidis,Georgios,	2419	9
2	1	2378	FM	De Winter,Arthur,		GM	Bagrationi,Alexander,	2454	8
3	2	2548	GM	Karthik Venkataraman,		GM	Saltaev,Mihail,	2462	7
4	3	2325	FM	Besou,Hussain,		IM	Köllner,Ruben Gideon,	2429	6
5	4	2447	WGM	Wagner,Dinara,		FM	Schneider,Jana,	2326	5

Details

NC World Masters Round 4 results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	4	2753	GM	Kramnik,Vladimir,	½ - ½	GM	Eljanov,Pavel,	2694	1
2	3	2773	GM	Caruana,Fabiano,	½ - ½	GM	Kollars,Dmitrij,	2618	2

Details

Standings after Round 4

Rk.	SNo		Name	Rtg	Club/City	Pts.	TB1	TB2
1	4	GM	Kramnik,Vladimir,	2753		2,5	2	5,00
2	1	GM	Eljanov,Pavel,	2694		2	1	3,75
3	3	GM	Caruana,Fabiano,	2773		2	1	3,25
4	2	GM	Kollars,Dmitrij,	2618		1,5	1	3,50

Details

Round 5 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		Name	Result		Name	Rtg	No.
1	3	2773	GM	Caruana,Fabiano,		GM	Kramnik,Vladimir,	2753	4
2	2	2618	GM	Kollars,Dmitrij,		GM	Eljanov,Pavel,	2694	1

Details

Links

Official site

NC World Masters 2023

Sparkassen Chess Trophy 2023 tournaments

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