Vihaan Dawda dominates 46th Barbera del Valles Open B 2024

by Shahid Ahmed - 22/07/2024

14-year-old Vihaan Dawda scored an unbeaten 8/9 to win XLVI Barbera del Valles Open B (<2099) 2024. The teenager finished a half point ahead of the field. Alfons Macaya Ruiz (CAT) scored 7.5/9 to finish second. Josep Sort Sererols (CAT) secured third place 7/9. GM Yuri Solodovnichenko (UKR) won the Open A (>1950) scoring 7.5/9. IM Michel Alejandro Diaz Perez (CUB) and IM Kaustuv Kundu scored 7/9 each. They were placed second and third respectively. The top three prizes in Open A were €1200, €1000 and €800 each, in Open B they were €400, €300 and €250 each. CM Barath Kalyan is the only other Indian to make a top ten finish in Open A. He scored 6/9 to secure seventh place. Photo: Chess Guru Goa Academy

Open A: Yuri Solodovnichenko first, Kaustuv Kundu third

The eventual winner of Open A - GM Yuri Solodovnichenko (UKR) suffered only one loss in the event. It was against WFM Rutuja Bakshi in Round 3. This is Vihaan's third overall and first rating tournament victory of the year.

Top 3 in Open A (L to R): 3rd IM Kaustuv Kundu 7/9, 1st GM Yuri Solodovnichenko (UKR) 7.5/9 and 2nd IM Michel Alejandro Diaz Perez (CUB) 7/9 | Photo: Official site

Champion in Open B - Vihaan Dawda 8/9 | Photo: Chess Guru Goa Academy

Vihaan Dawda before one of his games | Photo: Chess Guru Goa Academy

Vihaan Dawda scored an unbeaten 8/9, finished a half point ahead of the field and gained a staggering 183.6 Elo rating points

Players in action | Photo: Official site

The tournament hall at Barbera del Valles in Barcelona, Spain | Photo: Official site

Replay all available Open A games

A total of 77 players including 7 GMs, 6 IMs, a WGM and a WIM took part from 17 countries across the world in Open A (>1950) category. The nine-day nine-round Swiss League Rating Open tournament was organized by Victor Pont Maria at Barbera del Valles in Barcelona, Spain from 4th to 12th July 2024. The time control of the tournament was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment.

Final Standings in Open A

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	Gr	FED	RtgI	RtgN	Pts.	TB1	TB2
1	5	GM	Solodovnichenko, Yuri			UKR	2481	2578	7,5	36	47
2	4	IM	Diaz Perez, Michel Alejandro			CUB	2486	0	7	38	49,5
3	9	IM	Kaustuv, Kundu			IND	2403	0	7	37	48,5
4	1	GM	Cuartas, Jaime Alexander			COL	2519	2585	6,5	39,5	51
5	3	GM	Alsina Leal, Daniel			ESP	2512	2559	6,5	33,5	42,5
6	25		Fanninger, Leon		B	AUT	2186	0	6	40,5	50,5
7	45	CM	Barath, Kalyan M		C	IND	2086	0	6	37,5	48
8	14	FM	Salinas Tomas, Daniel	U16	A	ESP	2335	2421	6	37	47,5
9	8	GM	Escobar Forero, Alder			COL	2426	2448	6	36	46,5
10	19	FM	Bogdanov, Artyom	U16	A	KAZ	2284	0	6	35,5	46,5

Details

A total of 109 players took part from eight countries across the world in Open B (<2099) category. The nine-day nine-round Swiss League Rating Open tournament was organized by Victor Pont Maria at Barbera del Valles in Barcelona, Spain from 4th to 12th July 2024. The time control of the tournament was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment.

Final standings in Open B

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	Gr	FED	RtgI	RtgN	Pts.	TB1	TB2
1	39		Dawda, Vihaan	U16	D	IND	1801	0	8	41,5	53
2	4	MK	Macaya Ruiz, Alfons	S60		CAT	2010	2159	7,5	37	46
3	2		Sort Sererols, Josep	S60		CAT	2053	2241	7	41,5	53,5
4	34		Om, Batra		D	IND	1833	0	7	41	52,5
5	1	MK	Canal Oliveras, Joan			CAT	2070	2223	7	37	47
6	19		Torrent San Nicolas, Biel	U16	D	CAT	1910	2021	6,5	42,5	54
7	38		Midilesh, Ms	U16	D	IND	1803	0	6,5	41	52
8	22		Llonch Farres, Gerard		D	CAT	1887	2038	6,5	40,5	52
9	82		Thakur, Aarit	U16	E	IND	1639	0	6,5	39	50
10	13		Morais Carreras, Javier		D	CAT	1937	2108	6,5	38,5	49,5