Alexandra Botez wins five in-a-row, gains sole lead

WFM Alexandra Botez (CAN) will face CM Joel Paul Ganta in the sixth round.

GM Yair Parkhov (ISR) is the sole leader with a perfect score 5/5

Yair - Niclas, Round 4

Position after 35...Bg7??

GM Niclas Huschenbeth (GER, 2607) made a positional mistake 35...Bg7?? His opponent, GM Yair Parkhov (ISR, 2513) found the correct continuation 36.h5 Bxe5 37.dxe5 Ne7 38.Rd1 Qe8 39.Qg5 Rd8 40.Rd6 Rxd6 41.exd6 and White won.

Bharath Subramaniyam H - Alan Pichot (ESP): 0.5-0.5

Fedoseev - Yair, Round 5

Position after 41...Kg6

The fatigue of double round took a toll on GM Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO, 2702). He captured a pawn incorrectly on b7 42.Nxb7?? positional mistake allowed entry of black rook via c-file Rcc2 43.Rf4 Kf6 44.g4 g5 45.Rf3 Kg6 46.Nc5 fxg4 47.Rf8 g3 48.Nd3 gxf2 49.Nxe5+ Kh5 and Black won the game in the next few moves.

GM Yair Parkhov (ISR) stuns GM Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) in Round 5 | Video: ChessBase India

GM Yair Parkhov (ISR) defeated GM Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) to maintain his sole lead | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

GM Alan Pichot (ESP) capitalized on his opponent GM Lorenzo Lodici's (ITA) incorrect positional decisions in the endgame | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Chigaev - Sonis

Position after 42.Rxf6

After a back and forth play in the rook endgame, there was a beautiful defense for GM Francesco Sonis (ITA, 2580). It was certainly not easy to find. 42...Re7 43.Rf5 e3 44.fxe3 Rxe3 45.Rh5+ Kg7 46.Rxh4 Re5 and it is a draw. To free up his rook, White must either sacrifice his g-pawn or force himself getting a doubled h-pawn. Unfortunately Black could not find it. He played 42...Rb5 and went to lose the game against GM Maksim Chigaev (ESP, 2647).

Most amazing defense you'll witness in Round 5 of Sardinia World Chess Festival 2024 | Video: ChessBase India

GM Maksim Chigaev (ESP) won an extremely well contested battle against GM Francesco Sonis (ITA) | Photo: Niklesh Jain

GM Bharath Subramaniyam H drew with GM Ediz Gurel (TUR)
Final moments: Alexander Becker - WFM Alexandra Botez | Video: ChessBase India
If I lose to my sister in front of tens of thousands, I'll never hear the end of it - WFM Alexandra Botez | Video: ChessBase India

WFM Alexandra Botez (CAN) played for over nine hours, won both of her games to emerge sole leader 5/5 | Photo: Niklesh Jain

FIDE Deputy Chair and European Chess Union Deputy President - WGM Dana Reizniece-Ozola (LAT) made the ceremonial first move on GM Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) and GM Yair Parkhov's (ISR) board
Final moments: Alessia Natoli (POL) - Federico Maida (ITA) | Video: ChessBase India

For more Round 4 and Round 5 photos, please click at the respective links. Lots of exciting, interesting game videos and interviews of GM Yair Parkhov (ISR) and WFM Alexandra Botez (CAN) will be published soon, stay tuned!

Replay live stream

Replay Round 4 live commentary by GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko (UKR) and WCM Alexandra Prado (BOL) | Video: UniChess
Replay Round 5 live commentary by GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko (UKR) and WCM Alexandra Prado (BOL)  | Video: UniChess

Replay Round 4-5 Open A games

Replay Round 4-5 Open B games

Replay Round 4-5 Open C games

Round 5 Open A results

Bo.No. NameRtgPts.ResultPts.NameRtg No.
11
GMFedoseev Vladimir26903½0 - 14IMParkhov Yair2513
20
25
GMPichot Alan26443½1 - 03½GMLodici Lorenzo2565
14
319
IMErdogmus Yagiz Kaan25403½½ - ½3½GMDardha Daniel2630
8
49
GMChigaev Maksim26213½1 - 03½GMSonis Francesco2562
15
525
GMVelten Paul24813½½ - ½3½GMMoussard Jules2610
10
621
GMMikhalevski Victor25063½0 - 13½GMMoroni Luca Jr2580
12
713
GMGurel Ediz25783½½ - ½3½GMBharath Subramaniyam H2544
18
83
GMShevchenko Kirill267531 - 03½IMKilic Eray2429
38
935
IMBen Ari Yannay243630 - 13GMVan Foreest Jorden2668
4
1040
FMKanov Nikola24233½ - ½3GMLagarde Maxime2640
6
117
GMMurzin Volodar263231 - 03IMOlsen Filip Boe2440
34
1211
GMHuschenbeth Niclas260730 - 13IMAizenberg Benny2409
46
1363
IMLewtak Damian234330 - 13GMSivuk Vitaly2551
16
1423
IMSokolovsky Yahli249031 - 03GMIbrayev Nurlan2368
55
1524
IMZhalmakhanov Ramazan249031 - 03FMVergara Anton Diego2387
53

Details

Standings after Round 5

Rk.SNo NameTypsexFEDRtgIPts. TB1  TB2  TB3  TB4 
120
IMParkhov YairISR25135131213,002445
29
GMChigaev MaksimESP26214,51613,514,252416
35
GMPichot AlanESP26444,515,513,513,502452
412
GMMoroni Luca JrITA25804,5151313,502313
518
GMBharath Subramaniyam HU18IND2544416,514,512,252443
625
GMVelten PaulFRA2481416,51412,502488
724
IMZhalmakhanov RamazanKAZ24904161312,502447
813
GMGurel EdizU18TUR2578415,513,512,002394
910
GMMoussard JulesFRA2610415,513,511,752419
108
GMDardha DanielBEL2630415,513,511,502428
1119
IMErdogmus Yagiz KaanU18TUR25404151311,502377
123
GMShevchenko KirillROU2675414,512,511,502336
1316
GMSivuk VitalySWE2551414,51211,002343
1423
IMSokolovsky YahliU18ISR249041411,511,252321
157
GMMurzin VolodarU18FID2632413,511,510,252365

Details

Round 6 Open A pairings

Bo.No. NameRtgPts.ResultPts.NameRtg No.
120
IMParkhov Yair251354½GMPichot Alan2644
5
212
GMMoroni Luca Jr25804½4½GMChigaev Maksim2621
9
316
GMSivuk Vitaly255144GMShevchenko Kirill2675
3
44
GMVan Foreest Jorden266844IMErdogmus Yagiz Kaan2540
19
518
GMBharath Subramaniyam H254444GMMurzin Volodar2632
7
68
GMDardha Daniel263044IMSokolovsky Yahli2490
23
710
GMMoussard Jules261044IMZhalmakhanov Ramazan2490
24
846
IMAizenberg Benny240944GMGurel Ediz2578
13
96
GMLagarde Maxime26403½4GMVelten Paul2481
25
1038
IMKilic Eray24293½3½GMFedoseev Vladimir2690
1
112
GMSjugirov Sanan26893½3½IMLevin Guy2451
33
1214
GMLodici Lorenzo25653½3½IMDegraeve Remy2432
37
1350
IMVantika Agrawal23983½3½GMSonis Francesco2562
15
1481
FMTudor Henry Edward22793½3½GMMikhalevski Victor2506
21
1522
IMRozen Eytan24993½3½FMKanov Nikola2423
40

Details

Links

Sardinia Chess Festival: Official site, fb page and instagram

Tournament details