Poikovsky: Three-Way Tie, Two Rounds To Go
With two rounds to go, three players are in shared first place at the strong Karpov Tournament in Poikovsky, Russia: Ernesto Inarkiev (Russia), Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine) and Alexander Motylev (Russia). This group is on 4.5 points, and a full point ahead of four other GMs: Emil Sutovsky (Israel), Dmitry Jakovenko (Russia), Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia) and Alexander Onischuk (USA).
The 14th edition of the "Karpov tournament", named after the 12th World Champion, takes place between August 27th and September 6th in Poikovsky, Russia. This city is located in the Nefteyugansk region of the Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous area, about 150km eastern of Khanty-Mansiysk. Its name comes from the nearby river Poyka. The population is close to 30,000 people and the main economic drive is the extraction of oil and gas.
Like in previous years, the tournament is a 10-player round robin. Viktor Bologan, Ivan Cheparinov, Pavel Eljanov, Ernesto Inarkiev, Dmitry Jakovenko, Viktor Laznicka, Alexander Motylev, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Alexander Onischuk, and Emil Sutovsky play. After seven rounds there is a three-way tie for first place between Inarkiev, Motylev and Eljanov.
An interesting game from the first round was Inarkiev-Sutovsky; a rare case where Black castles queenside after the fianchetto of his king's bishop. Taking on d4 was probably too risky and in general Black should probably have played 12...0-0.
Here's a good game from the only American participant, played in round 4.
A miniature like the following is not something you see every day at this level.
Alexander Motylev is working often as a second to one of Russia's top players, and he can sometimes be found at top events as a photographer as well! In the game below he shows his attacking skills:
This was a great fight as well:
Pavel Eljanov seems to have the best chance to win the tournament, as he's playing tail-enders Viktor Laznicka and Ivan Cheparinov in the last two rounds.
Karpov Tournament (Poikovsky) 2013 | Round 7 standings
| # | Player | Rating | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | Points | SB |
| 1 | Eljanov,Pavel | 2702 |  |
0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 4.5/7 | 16.50 | ||
| 2 | Motylev,Alexander | 2663 | 1 | |
½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 4.5/7 | 16.00 | ||
| 3 | Inarkiev,Ernesto | 2693 | 0 | ½ | |
1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 4.5/7 | 13.75 | ||
| 4 | Sutovsky,Emil | 2660 | 0 | ½ | 0 | |
½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 3.5/7 | 11.75 | ||
| 5 | Jakovenko,Dmitry | 2724 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | |
1 | ½ | ½ | 3.5/7 | 11.50 | ||
| 6 | Nepomniachtchi,Ian | 2723 | ½ | ½ | ½ | |
½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 3.5/7 | 11.25 | ||
| 7 | Onischuk,Alexander | 2667 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | |
½ | 1 | ½ | 3.5/7 | 11.25 | ||
| 8 | Bologan,Viktor | 2672 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | |
0 | 1 | 3.0/7 | |||
| 9 | Laznicka,Viktor | 2677 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | |
½ | 2.5/7 | |||
| 10 | Cheparinov,Ivan | 2678 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | |
2.0/7 |
