The European Chess Championship for men, taking place in Eforie Nord, Romania, is reaching its climax. Participants are highly focused on the three remaining rounds, which are decisive in many respects, Idman.biz reports.
Notably, grandmasters are competing not only for podium finishes but also for spots in the World Cup.
The competition has reached its peak, and the standings have intensified the battle.
The difference between the leader and the players ranked in the “Top 50” is just one point, making the results of each game crucial, especially for Azerbaijani grandmasters.
In this context, Nicat Abasov, who has won two consecutive games and earned six points, is only half a point behind the leader. His current 19th place is somewhat provisional, as 18 players share the same score, and tiebreakers are calculated based on additional criteria. A victory in the next round could potentially propel Abasov into the top ten.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Ahmadzada, Aydin Suleymanli, and Mahammad Muradli are only half a point behind Abasov. Nothing is lost for them yet. Muradli is one of the most resilient players in the European Championship, with five wins, two losses, and one draw. After two consecutive losses, Muradli’s win over Bulgarian Svetan Stoyanova has kept his World Cup hopes alive.
Süleymanlı, following his disappointing performance at the “Aeroflot Open” tournament in Moscow, is competing in this championship with determination. His victory over fellow Azerbaijani Misraddin Iskenderov in the seventh round and his draw with Israeli Yakov Sokolovski have earned him a total of 5.5 points, putting him half a point behind the “Top 23.”
All players in the top five of the tournament standings have accumulated 6.5 points, but Georgian Baadur Jobava is currently in the lead.
Zaki Feyzullayev
Idman.biz
