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Fier proud winner of the 2nd Latin American Cup

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Alexandr Fier (23) won the 2nd Latin American Chess Cup. The Brazilian Grandmaster edged out Diego Flores on tiebreak after both finished at 7.5/9. The tournament, held in Uruguay, was one of the most important of the continent.

Alexandr Fier receiving the Cup | Photo © Graciela Manteiga

Event2nd Latin American Cup | Chess Results | PGN
DatesNovember 1st-6th, 2011
LocationMontevideo, Uruguay
System9-round Swiss
PlayersTop rated players were Lazaro Bruzón, Eduardo Iturrizaga, Diego Flores, Sandro Mareco, Alexander Fier, Neuris Delgado, Ruben Felgaer and Damián Lemos
Rate of play90 minutes for the game plus 30 seconds increment starting from the first move

By Carlos A. Ilardo

The Brazilian grandmaster Alexandr Fier won the 2nd Copa Latinoamericana (2nd Latin American Cup) on tiebreak. The tournament was held in the Antel building of the Communucations Tower in Montevideo, Uruguay.

The winner finished on 7,5/9, just like 28-year old GM Diego Flores of Argentina. In the final round the two players drew in just 14 moves and this result immediately sealed the result of the tournament.

For me there was no advantage in taking the draw; to win the tournament I should have beaten Fier,

said Diego Flores.

However, I didn't like my position after the opening and therefore I decided to accept his draw offer. In fact losing or drawing was the same for me, because I thought the Cuban Bruzon beat Rodriguez of Uruguay and overtake me in the standings. But the everything changed; I drew the game and then Bruzon couldn't win his game, and so I kept my 2nd place and won an interesting prize,

said the former Argentine Champion moments before the closing ceremony would start in the Auditorium of the Antel company.

This is how six intesive days finished, some of them with double-play sessions (in the morning and in the afternoon). It was a great international open tournament - the most important of the continent, with a US $30,000 prize fund, that brought together 214 players of 11 different nationalities. It was organized by the Uruguay Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE and directed by IM Bernardo Roseelli.

After finishing one of the most important tournaments of his career, in a conversation for ChessVibes Alexandr Fier said:

It's too early to make an analysis. I can sau that it was a very strong tournament with the strongest players of South America, including top players Lazaro Bruzon (Cuba) and Eduardo Iturrizaga (Venezuela). I think I did well and I'll win back 16 Elo points which I lost in my previous tournament in Indonesia. Thanks to my victory I will arrive at 2593 and this makes me happy.

I don't know if there was one game that was the best; perhaps the most important one was my win against Iturrizaga in round 8. I liked the one against Felgaer the most, and the most difficult was perhaps against Bruzon.

It was clearly highest prize I won so far, except what I got from the World Cup. With this prize I'm sure of a good time during the coming holidays!

All Fier games

PGN file

Latin American Cup 2011 | Final standings (top 30)

#TitleNameFedRtgPts.TB1TB2TB3TB4TB5
1GMFier AlexandrBRA25737.50.545.056.5458.045.75
2GMFlores DiegoARG26027.50.544.055.0444.543.00
3GMBruzon Batista LazaroCUB26897.00.045.557.5465.543.25
4GMDelgado Ramirez NeurisCOL25707.00.043.556.0440.542.25
5GMPerez Ponsa FedericoARG24847.00.043.054.5447.040.75
6GMFelgaer RubenARG25737.00.042.054.0433.039.75
7GMRodriguez Vila AndresURU24817.00.041.052.5444.038.75
8GMLemos DamianARG25427.00.038.048.5428.536.50
9IMReal De Azua ErnestoARG24597.00.037.547.5401.035.00
10IMMahia GustavoARG23866.50.042.054.0443.036.50
11GMAlonso SalvadorARG24836.50.041.553.5435.536.25
12GMHernandez Carmenates HoldenCUB25646.50.041.553.0424.536.75
13GMMareco SandroARG25836.50.041.052.5419.535.75
14GMSlipak SergioARG24406.50.041.051.0434.035.00
15GMCori JorgePER24826.50.040.552.5441.535.25
16GMCubas Jose FernandoPAR25366.50.040.051.5423.535.50
17GMIturrizaga EduardoVEN26566.50.039.551.0440.034.50
18IMDos Santos RamiroARG24536.50.039.048.5422.033.25
19FMEspinoza Palomino WillyamPER22736.50.037.548.5396.532.75
20NMOddone CristhianURU21976.50.035.546.0407.529.75
21IMFusco LeonardoARG23836.00.040.551.0414.032.50
22FMLarrea ManuelURU23276.00.040.051.5410.529.50
23IMValdes Escobar AlvaroCHI23856.00.040.049.5419.029.75
24IMLujan CarolinaARG23616.00.039.050.0420.031.25
25FMBassan RemoVEN22556.00.039.049.0413.030.00
26FMKrysa LeandroARG23966.00.038.049.5406.031.25
27IMTristan LeonardoARG24416.00.038.049.0404.030.00
28IMClaverie RaulARG24836.00.038.048.5401.031.25
29 Rioseco Pinochet FernanCHI21926.00.038.048.0414.029.50
30WGMCori T DeysiPER24146.00.037.048.0407.527.50

Lazaro Bruzon Batista (Cuba, 2689)

Ruben Felgaer (Argentina, 2573)

Eduardo Iturrizaga (Venezuela, 2656)

And the winner... Alexandr Fier (Brazil, 2573)

Photos © Graciela Manteiga

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