It’s a game for mates

Check out the chess – it’s a game for mates
GRANT BRYANT IN QUEENSTOWN
Last updated 05:00 23/01/2012

The stage is set for a thrilling finale at the Queenstown Chess Classic today as the final round of matches begin.

Last night, the clinical Chinese grandmaster Zhao Jun was marginally ahead of compatriot Li Chao, with Li’s game against Lithuanian grandmaster Eduard Rozentalis still to be finished.

Tournament organiser Paul Spiller said a win to Li, ranked among the world’s top 50 players, would put him neck-and-neck with Zhao going into the final round of play. At 8.30pm, the game was still too close to call, he said.

Earlier, Zhao had defeated Bulgarian grandmaster Dejan Bojkov to take first place on seven points out of a possible eight.

With almost 150 contestants from around the world, the tournament attracted many spectators.

Mr Spiller said thousands more were following the competition online: “We’re running live blogs and game coverage, so tens of thousands of chess enthusiasts are watching the action unfold in Queenstown from every corner of the earth. It’s really good for Queenstown, and really good for us, and hopefully we’ll be back to hold it again in the future.”

The event incorporates the New Zealand Chess Championships, with the National Championship title up for grabs and automatic inclusion in the New Zealand Olympiad team if there is an outright, individual winner.

It is the third time since 2006 the event has been held in Queenstown and it was hoped it would host the classic every three years.

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz