Dragan Solak and Kubra Ozturk new Turkish Champions

The Turkish Chess Championship was held 29 January-5 February, 2012 in  Kemer, Antalya (Turkey). There were 309 participants (52 more than last year), including 19 titled players (4 GMs, 6 IMs, 6 FMs and 3 CMs).

By Anastasia Karlovich

Dragan Solak became the winner of the Turkish Championship after his victory in the last round against youngster Ege Koksal. It was the first Turkish Championship for Solak, who recently completed the transfer from the Serbian Chess Federation to the Turkish Chess Federation. He will be representing the Turkish national team in the next Olympiad.

IM Mert Erdogdu made a draw against Ogulcan Kanmazalp and finished second. 18-year-old IM Firat Burak took the bronze medal. The Turkish Chess Federation and general sponsor Is Bank provided a prize fund of about 12,500 Euro.

Kubra Ozturk was the winner of the women's tournament. In the 9th round the leaders of the tournament Kubra Ozturk and Betul Yildiz won their games, and had to play tie-break in order to determine the winner. Eight-times Turkish Champion Betul Yildiz won the first game of the playoff, in which both players had ten minutes for the whole game and five seconds increment per move. In the second game her team mate Kubra Ozturk managed to equalize the score. The Championship was decided in an Armageddon game: Kubra Ozturk managed to win the game and title. Busra Arig took the bronze medal.