No change at the top in Poikovsky

Both leader Dmitry Jakovenko and second-placed Sergey Karjakin drew and stay ahead in the 11th Karpov Poikovsky.
However behind them is a group of four players: Alexander Riazantsev as well as today's winners Victor Bologan, Emil Sutovsky and Nikita Vitiugov.

Sergey Rublevsky is having a tough time of late. Today for instance, he became confused against Nikita Vitiugov whilst still in the opening, and got into a fatal tangle and had to resign on move 23.

Confidence is so important and Rublevsky's has clearly been shaken by a couple of White losses.

Vitiugov crushed Rublevsky.
Arkadij NaiditschGermany26860.5-0.5Alexander MotylevRussia2704
Nikita VitiugovRussia27071-0Sergei RublevskyRussia2704
Dmitry JakovenkoRussia27250.5-0.5Alexander RiazantsevRussia2674
Victor BologanMoldavia26681-0Baadur JobavaGeorgia2715
Ivan SokolovBosnia-Herzegovina26540-1Emil SutovskyIsrael2661
Sergey KarjakinRussia27390.5-0.5Alexander OnischukUSA2699

Jakovenko didn't want to take any risks and offered a draw quite early.

Naiditsch-Motylev wasn't much longer but there the prospects of opposite bishops in a simplified position didn't seem to offer good winning chances.

The other draw was a completely different story, Sergey Karjakin pressed long and hard in a rook ending and although he made progress, Onischuk defended dourly, timed his counter-attack well and held his nerve.

PositionNameCountryRatingWorld rankingAgePoints after nine rounds
1stDmitry JakovenkoRUS272521266
2ndSergey KarjakinRUS273914205.5
3rd-6thNikita VitiugovRUS270732235
3rd-6thAlexander RiazantsevRUS267458245
3rd-6thVictor BologanMDA266864385
3rd-6thEmil SutovskyISR266175325
7thArkadij NaiditschGER268647244.5
8th-9thBaadur JobavaGEO271526264
8th-9thAlexander OnischukUSA269938344
10th-11thIvan SokolovBIH265483413.5
10th-11thAlexander MotylevRUS270434303.5
12thSergei RublevskyRUS270433353

So Karjakin is still behind Jakovenko, but three players have caught Riazantsev and are now in equal third one point behind the leader.

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You may also like to investigate the following site Chesspro However it is in Russian!

Sutovsky won with his beloved Grünfeld

The tenth round will start tomorrow (Saturday) at 10am (London), 11am (Paris) or 3pm (local time).


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