Matamoros Claims Forni di Sopra Open

GM Carlos Matamoros Claims Forni di Sopra Open
1st International Chess Tournament of Forni di Sopra was held on 12-18th June

The 1st International Chess Tournament of Forni di Sopra was held from June 12th to 18th in Forni di Sopra, part of the Friulian Dolomites Natural Park and one of the jewels of the Italian Alps.

The Ovens Valley is surrounded by the Alps on the north and on the south by the Carnian of the Dolomites Mountains of Friuli, which last year was declared World Heritage location. Forni di Sopra is also part of Authentic villages: the houses still retain the typical architecture carnica, evoking the atmosphere of a storybook.

The International Chess Tournament of Forni di Sopra is a result of close collaboration that ties for years the Accademia Internazionale di Scacchi with the Circolo Scacchistico Udinese. ScacchiRandagi helped the tournament with live games broadcast and in many other aspects.

The A section was available to players with an elo above 2000, 9 rounds Swiss system, time control 90’x 40 moves + 30′ + 30”
The B section was open to players with an elo above 1600 ELO (and lower than 2000 ELO), 8 rounds Swiss system, time control 90’x 40 moves + 30′ + 30″
The C section was open to players with an elo under 1600, 8 rounds Swiss system, time control 90’x 40 moves + 30′ + 30″
The total prize money amounts to 10,000 Euro.

Grandmaster Carlos Matamoros of Ecuador won the main tournament by collecting 7.0 points. The second placed GM Manuel Leon Hoyos received an equally loud round of applause for the fighting spirit in the last round when he tried to defeat Matamoros and overtake the first position. The game extended well into the sixth hour of play and eventually finished in a draw. Replay and full crosstables here.

Thirteen players shared the 3rd place with 6.0 points each. GM Rafal Antoniewski (third on Buchholz) and GM Tamas Banusz (4th) won straight in the first three rounds and then drew the rest of the games. Banusz had an incident during the football game and played the second half of the tournament with a pile of cushions under the injured leg.

FM Ivano Ceschia earned an IM norm, while junior Giovanni Sorbera became FSI Master.

Final standings:

1. GM Matamoros Franco Carlos 2542 ECU – 7.0
2. GM Leon Hoyos Manuel 2563 MEX – 6.5
3-15. GM Antoniewski Rafal 2598 POL, GM Banusz Tamas 2555 HUN, IM Sipos Istvan 2423 HUN, IM Okhotnik Vladimir 2486 FRA, GM Gurevich Mikhail 2617 TUR, GM Petkov Vladimir 2517, GM Korneev Oleg 2573 RUS, IM Arnaudov Petar 2449 BUL, GM Papp Gabor 2553 HUN, GM Jaracz Pawel 2575 POL, GM Rotstein Arkadij 2547 GER, IM Stella Andrea 2398 ITA and IM Esserman Marc 2439 USA – 6.0
16-21. IM Stopa Jacek 2460 POL, GM Lazic Miroljub 2471 SRB, IM Collutiis Duilio 2472 ITA, IM Smith Bryan 2481 USA, IM Gaponenko Inna 2455 UKR and IM Meszaros Michal 2414 SVK – 5.5 etc

Riccardo Marsili, student of Accademia Internazionale di Scacchi, wins B Open with impressive 7.5 points (8 rounds).

Lorenzo Lodici (ITA) and Miroslav Tkac (SVK) win C Open (8 rounds) with 6.0 points each.