Will Harikrishna win Prague Masters for the second year in-a-row?
Pentala Harikrishna scored a crucial win in the penultimate round of 5th Prague International Chess Festival 2023 Masters. He defeated Hao Wang for the first time in nearly six years in a rated game. The China no.3 went wrong in the endgame, Harikrishna being an expert in that phase, had no trouble seizing his opportunity and scoring his first win of the event. He is now just a half point behind the leaders Bogdan-Daniel Deac (ROU) and Ray Robson (USA) at 5/8 each. The Romanian defeated Thai Dai Van Nguyen to join the lead with Robson. In the Karel Janeček Open, GM Deep Sengupta won against IM Mai Narva (EST) to join the lead with GM Tomas Polak (CZE) and IM Jakub Fus (POL). Deep will face the top seed GM Vojtech Plat (CZE) in the final round. Round 9 Masters, Challengers and Open starts today at 11 a.m. local time, 2:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Petr Vrabec/Prague International Chess Festival
Deep in a three-way lead 7/8
GM Deep must win the last round and hope the top board result works out in his favor to win the tournament, as he does not have the best tie-break scores among the leaders. Seven players including IM Anwesh Upadhyaya is at 6.5/8. He is followed by GM Mitrabha Guha, FM Sharan Rao and IM Ameya Audi at 6/8 each.
Masters: Harikrishna - Hao: 1-0
The only time Pentala Harikrishna (2704) defeated Hao Wang (CHN, 2722) in a Classical rated game was back in 2005, almost 18 years ago. The last time Harikrishna won against Hao was in February 2016 in a rated Blitz game. It was time for him to get that statistics in his favor.
Harikrishna's strong suit is endgame. One cannot afford to make a tiny bit of inaccuracy. Black played the inoccuous 36...h5 37.fxg5 Bxg5 38.h4 Re3 39.Rb2 Bf6 40.Rbc2 Kg6 41.Bf3 Re6 42.Rd2 Rae5 43.Rc8 Ra5 44.Rd7 White sacrificed to attack on Black's vulnerable king Rxa4 45.Rg8+ Kh6 46.Bxh5 Rd4 47.Rf7 Rdd6 48.Kh3 and White won.
Deep - Mai
45.c5 created two split pawns on c and e-file for White. GM Deep Sengupta (2473) converted his advantage comfortably against IM Mai Narva (EST, 2387) to win the game and become one of the three leaders 7/8 heading into the final round.
Schedule
The Round-Robin tournaments will take place from 21st to 30th June 2023. Every day except the last round, games will start at 3 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST). Monday 26th June is a rest day. The ninth round game on 30th June will start at 11 a.m. local time, 2:30 p.m. IST.
Replay live stream
Replay Round 8 Masters games
Replay Round 8 Challengers games
Replay Round 8 Open games
Masters Round 8 results
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | PGN | ||||
1 | 10 | 2704 | GM | HARIKRISHNA Pentala | 1 - 0 | GM | WANG Hao | 2722 | 9 | PGN | ||
2 | 1 | 2653 | GM | NGUYEN Thai Dai Van | 0 - 1 | GM | DEAC Bogdan-Daniel | 2693 | 8 | PGN | ||
3 | 2 | 2690 | GM | KEYMER Vincent | ½ - ½ | GM | GELFAND Boris | 2668 | 7 | PGN | ||
4 | 3 | 2689 | GM | NAVARA David | ½ - ½ | GM | ROBSON Ray | 2689 | 6 | PGN | ||
5 | 4 | 2711 | GM | SHANKLAND Sam | ½ - ½ | GM | MARTIROSYAN Haik M. | 2685 | 5 | PGN |
Standings after Round 8
Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | Rtg | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | ||
1 | 8 | GM | DEAC Bogdan-Daniel | ROU | 2693 | 5 | 1 | 19,50 | 5 | |
2 | 6 | GM | ROBSON Ray | USA | 2689 | 5 | 0 | 18,25 | 5 | |
3 | 10 | GM | HARIKRISHNA Pentala | IND | 2704 | 4,5 | 0 | 17,50 | 4 | |
4 | 3 | GM | NAVARA David | CZE | 2689 | 4 | 1,5 | 16,50 | 3 | |
5 | 5 | GM | MARTIROSYAN Haik M. | ARM | 2685 | 4 | 1,5 | 15,50 | 4 | |
6 | 4 | GM | SHANKLAND Sam | USA | 2711 | 4 | 1,5 | 15,50 | 3 | |
7 | 2 | GM | KEYMER Vincent | GER | 2690 | 4 | 1,5 | 14,75 | 3 | |
8 | 9 | GM | WANG Hao | CHN | 2722 | 3,5 | 0 | 13,50 | 5 | |
9 | 7 | GM | GELFAND Boris | ISR | 2668 | 3 | 0,5 | 12,25 | 5 | |
10 | 1 | GM | NGUYEN Thai Dai Van | CZE | 2653 | 3 | 0,5 | 12,25 | 3 |
Round 9 pairings
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | PGN | ||||
1 | 5 | 2685 | GM | MARTIROSYAN Haik M. | GM | HARIKRISHNA Pentala | 2704 | 10 | ||||
2 | 6 | 2689 | GM | ROBSON Ray | GM | SHANKLAND Sam | 2711 | 4 | ||||
3 | 7 | 2668 | GM | GELFAND Boris | GM | NAVARA David | 2689 | 3 | ||||
4 | 8 | 2693 | GM | DEAC Bogdan-Daniel | GM | KEYMER Vincent | 2690 | 2 | ||||
5 | 9 | 2722 | GM | WANG Hao | GM | NGUYEN Thai Dai Van | 2653 | 1 |
Challengers Round 8 results
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | PGN | ||||
1 | 10 | 2645 | GM | GLEDURA Benjamin | 0 - 1 | GM | PULTINEVICIUS Paulius | 2530 | 9 | PGN | ||
2 | 1 | 2609 | GM | BARTEL Mateusz | 1 - 0 | GM | AKASH G | 2483 | 8 | PGN | ||
3 | 2 | 2436 | IM | STALMACH Richard | 1 - 0 | IM | VYKOUK Jan | 2467 | 7 | PGN | ||
4 | 3 | 2409 | FM | FINEK Vaclav | 1 - 0 | GM | L'AMI Erwin | 2645 | 6 | PGN | ||
5 | 4 | 2611 | GM | PECHAC Jergus | ½ - ½ | GM | MOTYLEV Alexander | 2597 | 5 | PGN |
Standings after Round 8
Rk. | SNo | Name | FED | Rtg | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | ||
1 | 1 | GM | BARTEL Mateusz | POL | 2609 | 5,5 | 0 | 18,75 | 3 | |
2 | 5 | GM | MOTYLEV Alexander | ROU | 2597 | 5 | 0 | 18,25 | 4 | |
10 | GM | GLEDURA Benjamin | HUN | 2645 | 5 | 0 | 18,25 | 4 | ||
4 | 9 | GM | PULTINEVICIUS Paulius | LTU | 2530 | 5 | 0 | 17,75 | 5 | |
5 | 7 | IM | VYKOUK Jan | CZE | 2467 | 4 | 1 | 15,00 | 5 | |
6 | 6 | GM | L'AMI Erwin | NED | 2645 | 4 | 0 | 14,75 | 5 | |
7 | 3 | FM | FINEK Vaclav | CZE | 2409 | 3,5 | 1 | 11,50 | 3 | |
8 | 4 | GM | PECHAC Jergus | SVK | 2611 | 3,5 | 0 | 13,50 | 3 | |
9 | 2 | IM | STALMACH Richard | CZE | 2436 | 3 | 0 | 12,50 | 3 | |
10 | 8 | GM | AKASH G | IND | 2483 | 1,5 | 0 | 6,75 | 5 |
Round 9 pairings
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | PGN | ||||
1 | 5 | 2597 | GM | MOTYLEV Alexander | GM | GLEDURA Benjamin | 2645 | 10 | ||||
2 | 6 | 2645 | GM | L'AMI Erwin | GM | PECHAC Jergus | 2611 | 4 | ||||
3 | 7 | 2467 | IM | VYKOUK Jan | FM | FINEK Vaclav | 2409 | 3 | ||||
4 | 8 | 2483 | GM | AKASH G | IM | STALMACH Richard | 2436 | 2 | ||||
5 | 9 | 2530 | GM | PULTINEVICIUS Paulius | GM | BARTEL Mateusz | 2609 | 1 |
Round 8 Open results
Bo. | No. | Name | FED | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Name | FED | Rtg | No. | PGN | ||||
1 | 13 | IM | Fus, Jakub | POL | 2426 | 6½ | ½ - ½ | 6 | Psyk, Radoslaw | POL | 2417 | 16 | PGN | |||
2 | 3 | GM | Polak, Tomas | CZE | 2503 | 6 | 1 - 0 | 6½ | IM | Ozenir, Ekin Baris | TUR | 2374 | 32 | PGN | ||
3 | 7 | GM | Sengupta, Deep | IND | 2473 | 6 | 1 - 0 | 6 | IM | Narva, Mai | EST | 2387 | 30 | PGN | ||
4 | 22 | IM | Grabinsky, Aaron | USA | 2407 | 5½ | 0 - 1 | 5½ | GM | Plat, Vojtech | CZE | 2516 | 1 | PGN | ||
5 | 23 | GM | Jurcik, Marian | SVK | 2405 | 5½ | 1 - 0 | 5½ | IM | Kosakowski, Jakub | POL | 2485 | 4 | PGN | ||
6 | 37 | IM | Anwesh, Upadhyaya | IND | 2353 | 5½ | 1 - 0 | 5½ | IM | Adair, James R | ENG | 2442 | 10 | PGN | ||
7 | 17 | IM | Baenziger, Fabian | SUI | 2414 | 5½ | 1 - 0 | 5½ | IM | Tsolakidou, Stavroula | GRE | 2373 | 34 | PGN | ||
8 | 33 | FM | Deuer, Marius | GER | 2374 | 5½ | 1 - 0 | 5½ | IM | Heimisson, Hilmir Freyr | ISL | 2413 | 18 | PGN | ||
9 | 69 | FM | Antova, Gabriela | BUL | 2259 | 5½ | ½ - ½ | 5½ | FM | Peyrer, Konstantin | AUT | 2411 | 20 | PGN | ||
10 | 2 | GM | Mitrabha, Guha | IND | 2507 | 5 | 1 - 0 | 5½ | CM | Panek, Bartosz | POL | 2188 | 103 | PGN |
Standings after Round 8
Rk. | SNo | Name | sex | FED | Rtg | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | K | rtg+/- | ||
1 | 3 | GM | Polak, Tomas | CZE | 2503 | Sachovy klub Moravska Slavia | 7 | 39,5 | 44 | 38,50 | 10 | 9,7 | ||
2 | 13 | IM | Fus, Jakub | POL | 2426 | Polska | 7 | 37 | 40,5 | 33,50 | 10 | 15,7 | ||
3 | 7 | GM | Sengupta, Deep | IND | 2473 | 7 | 36 | 40 | 35,00 | 10 | 9,7 | |||
4 | 1 | GM | Plat, Vojtech | CZE | 2516 | SK JOLY Lysa nad Labem, z.s. | 6,5 | 40,5 | 44 | 34,50 | 10 | 4 | ||
5 | 16 | Psyk, Radoslaw | POL | 2417 | 6,5 | 39,5 | 43,5 | 33,50 | 10 | 11,3 | ||||
6 | 32 | IM | Ozenir, Ekin Baris | TUR | 2374 | 6,5 | 39,5 | 42,5 | 32,00 | 10 | 19,3 | |||
7 | 33 | FM | Deuer, Marius | GER | 2374 | Schoenaich | 6,5 | 35,5 | 39 | 31,50 | 20 | 29 | ||
8 | 23 | GM | Jurcik, Marian | SVK | 2405 | 6,5 | 34 | 37,5 | 30,50 | 10 | 7 | |||
9 | 17 | IM | Baenziger, Fabian | SUI | 2414 | 6,5 | 32 | 35 | 28,50 | 10 | 3,4 | |||
10 | 37 | IM | Anwesh, Upadhyaya | IND | 2353 | 6,5 | 30 | 33 | 26,75 | 10 | 7,1 | |||
11 | 2 | GM | Mitrabha, Guha | IND | 2507 | 6 | 37,5 | 41 | 29,75 | 10 | -4,8 | |||
12 | 69 | FM | Antova, Gabriela | w | BUL | 2259 | 6 | 37,5 | 41 | 29,25 | 20 | 43,4 | ||
13 | 8 | IM | Sokolovsky, Yahli | ISR | 2464 | Beer sheva | 6 | 37,5 | 41 | 28,75 | 10 | 1,9 | ||
14 | 45 | FM | Pasti, Aron | HUN | 2335 | Banyas SK Ajka | 6 | 37,5 | 40,5 | 28,00 | 10 | 16,6 | ||
15 | 28 | FM | Agdelen, Huseyin Can | TUR | 2391 | Turkiye | 6 | 37 | 40,5 | 29,25 | 10 | 0,5 | ||
16 | 36 | FM | Domalchuk-Jonasson, Aleksandr | ISL | 2359 | TR | 6 | 37 | 40,5 | 27,75 | 20 | 19 | ||
17 | 30 | IM | Narva, Mai | w | EST | 2387 | 6 | 36,5 | 40 | 28,25 | 10 | 4,4 | ||
18 | 76 | FM | Sharan, Rao | IND | 2248 | Rao's Chess Corner | 6 | 36,5 | 39,5 | 28,25 | 20 | 54 | ||
19 | 29 | FM | Yaniv, Yuval | ISR | 2390 | 6 | 36 | 40 | 28,00 | 20 | 5,4 | |||
20 | 26 | IM | Audi, Ameya | IND | 2393 | 6 | 36 | 39,5 | 27,00 | 10 | 1,7 |
Round 9 pairings
Bo. | No. | Name | FED | Rtg | Pts. | Result | Pts. | Name | FED | Rtg | No. | ||||
1 | 13 | IM | Fus, Jakub | POL | 2426 | 7 | 7 | GM | Polak, Tomas | CZE | 2503 | 3 | |||
2 | 1 | GM | Plat, Vojtech | CZE | 2516 | 6½ | 7 | GM | Sengupta, Deep | IND | 2473 | 7 | |||
3 | 16 | Psyk, Radoslaw | POL | 2417 | 6½ | 6½ | FM | Deuer, Marius | GER | 2374 | 33 | ||||
4 | 32 | IM | Ozenir, Ekin Baris | TUR | 2374 | 6½ | 6½ | IM | Baenziger, Fabian | SUI | 2414 | 17 | |||
5 | 37 | IM | Anwesh, Upadhyaya | IND | 2353 | 6½ | 6½ | GM | Jurcik, Marian | SVK | 2405 | 23 | |||
6 | 29 | FM | Yaniv, Yuval | ISR | 2390 | 6 | 6 | GM | Mitrabha, Guha | IND | 2507 | 2 | |||
7 | 8 | IM | Sokolovsky, Yahli | ISR | 2464 | 6 | 6 | FM | Sharan, Rao | IND | 2248 | 76 | |||
8 | 30 | IM | Narva, Mai | EST | 2387 | 6 | 6 | GM | Petrov, Marian | BUL | 2454 | 9 | |||
9 | 20 | FM | Peyrer, Konstantin | AUT | 2411 | 6 | 6 | FM | Pasti, Aron | HUN | 2335 | 45 | |||
10 | 26 | IM | Audi, Ameya | IND | 2393 | 6 | 6 | CM | Carreto Nieto, Giovanni | MEX | 2182 | 106 |
Time Control
The time control is 90'/40 moves + 30'/end & 30"/move.
Links
Tournament Regulations: Masters, Challengers and Open
Prague Chess Festival: fb. twitter, instagram and youtube