15 May 2015
Tomashevsky and Jakovenko win their first games in Khanty-Mansiysk
Other first round games are drawn at the concluding stage of the FIDE Grand Prix.
Deputy Governor of Ugra Alexey Putin makes honorary first move of the tournament
The first round of the concluding stage of the FIDE Grand Prix was played in the Ugra Chess Academy on May 14. Deputy Governor of Ugra Alexey Putin made honorary first move in Jakovenko-Giri.
The leader of the series Evgeny Tomashevsky outplayed Baadur Jobava. In the Chebanenko System of the Slav the Georgian grandmaster achieved a large advantage as White, but later missed a strong blow in the center, which gave Black the initiative. Jobava tried to turn the tables by creating huge complications, but Tomashevsky parried all the threats and finished the game with a mating attack.
Dmitry Jakovenko and Anish Giri played the Ragozin Defense. Giri made an inaccuracy in the middlegame, giving the opponent's bishop pair too much freedom, which resulted in an extra pawn for White. In the four-rook ending Jakovenko converted his material advantage, showing excellent endgame technique.
Girschuk-Svidler, Karjakin-Nakamura, Vachier-Lagrave-Gelfand, and Caruana-Dominguez were drawn.
Round 1 standings:
1-2. Tomashevsky and Jakovenko – both 1, 3-10. Caruana, Nakamura, Grischuk, Karjakin, Svidler, Gelfand, Dominguez, and Vachier-Lagrave – all 0.5, 11-12. Jobava and Giri – both 0.
Round 2 pairings:
Gelfand-Nakamura, Giri-Karjakin, Dominguez-Jakovenko, Svidler-Caruana, Tomashevsky-Grischuk, Vachier-Lagrave-Jobava.
