It's unique in the long history of Corus, and possibly in any big round robin event: with one round to go, no less than six players share the lead with 7 points out of 12 games: Aronian, Carlsen, Dominguez, Karjakin, Movsesian and Radjabov. In the last round, which will start at 12:30 CET tomorrow, everything will be decided.What was theoretically possible before the start of the penultimate round has become a reality: the four leaders Aronian, Dominguez, Movsesian and Radjabov drew their games while their closest rivals Carlsen and Karjakin, half a point behind them, won. Before we look at today's round, let's first answer the question that will be on everyone's mind. The prize fund (1. € 10,000 2. € 7,000 3. 3,500 4. 2,500 5. 2,000 6. 1,500) is always divided among shared winners, but there can only be one winner (who will be the first qualifier for the 2nd Grand Slam in Bilbao later this year). So how will this be decided? Well, the tiebreak rules are:1. head-to-head game(s)
2.
Sonneborn-Berger points
3. number of Black gamesTomorrow's round has Kamsky-Movsesian, Dominguez-Karjakin, Smeets-Aronian, Wang Yue-Carlsen and Radjabov-Stellwagen so we should probably consider Radjabov as a slight favorite here. That half a point against Smeets could become highly valuable!The first winner of the day was Karjakin, who was well prepared for Adams' novelty 15...exd4. "After 20.b4 I already have a big advantage," he said after the game. Black's pieces on the queenside got terribly clustered and in the end White's bishop pair and passed pawn were far too much to handle for Black.Carlsen and Smeets followed a recent game between Ivanchuk and Topalov but with 11.Bd3 the Norwegian got "a position where you can play, which was what I wanted today", he said at the press conference. 17...Bg7 surprised him because "even if the attack won't be decisive I'll always have a pleasant positional advantage." As always, more details will be available in the video!
Of today's draws, Aronian-Morozevich was by far the best. 12...c5!? was a deviation from an old Sosonko game and although it looked better for White, Black was probably doing fine all the time. With 31...Qc5 and 34...h4 he could have posed some problems for White, but in the end it was a dynamically balanced position.With one round to go, Short finally had to allow one player to join him in the lead. Kasimdzhanov beat l'Ami in a complex game while the Englishman drew with Efimenko. The other player on half a point, Caruana, surprisingly drew his game in eleven moves today. Perhaps he wanted to start preparing for his last-rounder against Short. Kasimdzhanov has Black against Motylev tomorrow.
In the C group things are more or less decided already. In their crucial encounter, So beat Hillarp Persson and the Phillipine is now a point clear of Anish Giri, who won again (against Leon Hoyos). But... who knows. So has Howell as an opponent, so it's not so easy. By the way, amazingly, there were no draws in this round
again, while yesterday only one game ended peacefully in C. The drawing percentage there is a mere 27%!Here are all of today's games for replay:
GM Group A | | GM Group B |
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GM Group C |
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Schedule & results Grandmaster Group A
Round 1 - Saturday 17.01.2009 |
D. Stellwagen - S. Movsesian ¬?-¬? |
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M. Carlsen - T. Radjabov ¬?-¬? |
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L. Aronian - Wang Yue ¬?-¬? |
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V. Ivanchuk - J. Smeets 0-1 |
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S. Karjakin - A. Morozevich 1-0 |
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L. van Wely - L. Dominguez ¬?-¬? |
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G. Kamsky - M. Adams ¬?-¬? |
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Round 2 - Sunday 18.01.2009 |
S. Movsesian - M. Adams 1-0 |
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L. Dominguez - G. Kamsky ¬?-¬? |
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A. Morozevich - L. van Wely 1-0 |
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J. Smeets - S. Karjakin ¬?-¬? |
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Wang Yue - V. Ivanchuk 0-1 |
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T. Radjabov - L. Aronian ¬?-¬? |
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D. Stellwagen - M. Carlsen ¬?-¬? |
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Round 3 - Monday 19.01.2009 |
M. Carlsen - S. Movsesian ¬?-¬? |
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L. Aronian - D. Stellwagen ¬?-¬? |
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V. Ivanchuk - T. Radjabov 0-1 |
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S. Karjakin - Wang Yue ¬?-¬? |
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L. van Wely - J. Smeets ¬?-¬? |
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G. Kamsky - A. Morozevich 1-0 |
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M. Adams - L. Dominguez ¬?-¬? |
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Round 4 - Tuesday 20.01.2009 |
S. Movsesian - L. Dominguez ¬?-¬? |
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A. Morozevich - M. Adams ¬?-¬? |
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J. Smeets - G. Kamsky ¬?-¬? |
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Wang Yue - L. van Wely ¬?-¬? |
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T. Radjabov - S. Karjakin ¬?-¬? |
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D. Stellwagen - V. Ivanchuk ¬?-¬? |
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M. Carlsen - L. Aronian ¬?-¬? |
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Round 5 - Thursday 22.01.2009 |
L. Aronian - S. Movsesian 1-0 |
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V. Ivanchuk - M. Carlsen ¬?-¬? |
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S. Karjakin - D. Stellwagen 1-0 |
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L. van Wely - T. Radjabov 1-0 |
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G. Kamsky - Wang Yue ¬?-¬? |
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M. Adams - J. Smeets ¬?-¬? |
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L. Dominguez - A. Morozevich 1-0 |
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Round 6 - Friday 23.01.2009 |
S. Movsesian - A. Morozevich 1-0 |
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J. Smeets - L. Dominguez ¬?-¬? |
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Wang Yue - M. Adams 0-1 |
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T. Radjabov - G. Kamsky 1-0 |
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D. Stellwagen - L. van Wely ¬?-¬? |
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M. Carlsen - S. Karjakin ¬?-¬? |
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L. Aronian - V. Ivanchuk ¬?-¬? |
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Round 7 - Saturday 24.01.2009 |
V. Ivanchuk - S. Movsesian 0-1 |
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S. Karjakin - L. Aronian ¬?-¬? |
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L. van Wely - M. Carlsen ¬?-¬? |
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G. Kamsky - D. Stellwagen ¬?-¬? |
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M. Adams - T. Radjabov ¬?-¬? |
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L. Dominguez - Wang Yue ¬?-¬? |
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A. Morozevich - J. Smeets 1-0 |
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Round 8 - Sunday 25.01.2009 |
S. Movsesian - J. Smeets ¬?-¬? |
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Wang Yue - A. Morozevich 1-0 |
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T. Radjabov - L. Dominguez ¬?-¬? |
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D. Stellwagen - M. Adams ¬?-¬? |
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M. Carlsen - G. Kamsky ¬?-¬? |
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L. Aronian - L. van Wely ¬?-¬? | |
V. Ivanchuk - S. Karjakin 1-0 |
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Round 9 - Tuesday 27.01.2009 |
S. Karjakin - S. Movsesian 1-0 |
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L. van Wely - V. Ivanchuk ¬?-¬? |
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G. Kamsky - L. Aronian 0-1 |
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M. Adams - M. Carlsen ¬?-¬? |
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L. Dominguez - D. Stellwagen 1-0 |
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A. Morozevich - T. Radjabov ¬?-¬? |
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J. Smeets - Wang Yue ¬?-¬? |
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Round 10 - Wednesday 28.01.2009 |
S. Movsesian - Wang Yue ¬?-¬? |
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T. Radjabov - J. Smeets ¬?-¬? |
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D. Stellwagen - A. Morozevich ¬?-¬? |
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M. Carlsen - L. Dominguez 1-0 |
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L. Aronian - M. Adams 1-0 |
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V. Ivanchuk - G. Kamsky ¬?-¬? |
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S. Karjakin - L. van Wely ¬?-¬? |
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Round 11 - Friday 30.01.2009 |
L. van Wely - S. Movsesian 0-1 |
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G. Kamsky - S. Karjakin 1-0 |
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M. Adams - V. Ivanchuk ¬?-¬? |
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L. Dominguez - L. Aronian 1-0 |
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A. Morozevich - M. Carlsen ¬?-¬? |
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J. Smeets - D. Stellwagen ¬?-¬? |
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Wang Yue - T. Radjabov 0-1 |
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Round 12 - Saturday 31.01.2009 |
S. Movsesian - T. Radjabov ¬?-¬? |
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D. Stellwagen - Wang Yue ¬?-¬? |
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M. Carlsen - J. Smeets 1-0 |
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L. Aronian - A. Morozevich ¬?-¬? |
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V. Ivanchuk - L. Dominguez ¬?-¬? |
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S. Karjakin - M. Adams 1-0 |
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L. van Wely - G. Kamsky ¬?-¬? |
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Round 13 - Sunday 1.02.2009 |
G. Kamsky - S. Movsesian |
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M. Adams - L. van Wely |
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L. Dominguez - S. Karjakin |
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A. Morozevich - V. Ivanchuk |
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J. Smeets - L. Aronian |
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Wang Yue - M. Carlsen |
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T. Radjabov - D. Stellwagen |
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[TABLE=597]
Schedule & results Grandmaster Group B
Round 1 - Saturday 17.01.2009 |
Hou Yifan - R. Kasimdzhanov 0-1 |
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K. Sasikiran - E. l'Ami ¬?-¬? |
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D. Reinderman - F. Vallejo Pons 0-1 |
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N. Short - J. Werle ¬?-¬? |
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A. Volokitin - F. Caruana ¬?-¬? |
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H. Mecking - Z. Efimenko 0-1 |
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A. Motylev - D. Navara 0-1 |
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Round 2 - Sunday 18.01.2009 |
R. Kasimdzhanov - D. Navara ¬?-¬? |
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Z. Efimenko - A. Motylev ¬?-¬? |
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F. Caruana - H. Mecking 1-0 |
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J. Werle - A. Volokitin ¬?-¬? |
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F. Vallejo Pons - N. Short 0-1 |
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E. l'Ami - D. Reinderman ¬?-¬? |
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Hou Yifan - K. Sasikiran 1-0 |
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Round 3 - Monday 19.01.2009 |
K. Sasikiran - R. Kasimdzhanov 0-1 |
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D. Reinderman - Hou Yifan 1-0 |
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N. Short - E. l'Ami 1-0 |
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A. Volokitin - F. Vallejo Pons ¬?-¬? |
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H. Mecking - J. Werle ¬?-¬? |
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A. Motylev - F. Caruana ¬?-¬? |
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D. Navara - Z. Efimenko 1-0 |
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Round 4 - Tuesday 20.01.2009 |
R. Kasimdzhanov - Z. Efimenko ¬?-¬? |
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F. Caruana - D. Navara 1-0 |
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J. Werle - A. Motylev 0-1 |
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F. Vallejo Pons - H. Mecking 1-0 |
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E. l'Ami - A. Volokitin ¬?-¬? |
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Hou Yifan - N. Short ¬?-¬? |
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K. Sasikiran - D. Reinderman ¬?-¬? |
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Round 5 - Thursday 22.01.2009 |
D. Reinderman - R. Kasimdzhanov ¬?-¬? |
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N. Short - K. Sasikiran 0-1 |
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A. Volokitin - Hou Yifan 1-0 |
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H. Mecking - E. l'Ami ¬?-¬? |
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A. Motylev - F. Vallejo Pons ¬?-¬? |
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D. Navara - J. Werle ¬?-¬? |
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Z. Efimenko - F. Caruana 1-0 |
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Round 6 - Friday 23.01.2009 |
R. Kasimdzhanov - F. Caruana ¬?-¬? |
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J. Werle - Z. Efimenko ¬?-¬? |
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F. Vallejo Pons - D. Navara 0-1 |
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E. l'Ami - A. Motylev 0-1 |
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Hou Yifan - H. Mecking 1-0 |
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K. Sasikiran - A. Volokitin ¬?-¬? |
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D. Reinderman - N. Short 0-1 |
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Round 7 - Saturday 24.01.2009 |
N. Short - R. Kasimdzhanov 1-0 |
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A. Volokitin - D. Reinderman 1-0 |
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H. Mecking - K. Sasikiran 1-0 |
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A. Motylev - Hou Yifan 1-0 |
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D. Navara - E. l'Ami 0-1 |
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Z. Efimenko - F. Vallejo Pons ¬?-¬? |
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F. Caruana - J. Werle 1-0 |
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Round 8 - Sunday 25.01.2009 |
R. Kasimdzhanov - J. Werle ¬?-¬? |
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F. Vallejo Pons - F. Caruana 1-0 |
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E. l'Ami - Z. Efimenko 1-0 |
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Hou Yifan - D. Navara ¬?-¬? |
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K. Sasikiran - A. Motylev ¬?-¬? |
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D. Reinderman - H. Mecking ¬?-¬? |
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N. Short - A. Volokitin ¬?-¬? |
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Round 9 - Tuesday 27.01.2009 |
A. Volokitin - R. Kasimdzhanov ¬?-¬? |
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H. Mecking - N. Short ¬?-¬? |
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A. Motylev - D. Reinderman ¬?-¬? |
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D. Navara - K. Sasikiran 1-0 |
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Z. Efimenko - Hou Yifan ¬?-¬? |
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F. Caruana - E. l'Ami 1-0 |
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J. Werle - F. Vallejo Pons 0-1 |
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Round 10 - Wednesday 28.01.2009 |
R. Kasimdzhanov - F. Vallejo Pons 1-0 | |
E. l'Ami - J. Werle 1-0 |
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Hou Yifan - F. Caruana ¬?-¬? |
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K. Sasikiran - Z. Efimenko 0-1 |
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D. Reinderman - D. Navara ¬?-¬? |
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N. Short - A. Motylev ¬?-¬? |
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A. Volokitin - H. Mecking ¬?-¬? |
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Round 11 - Friday 30.01.2009 |
H. Mecking - R. Kasimdzhanov 0-1 |
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A. Motylev - A. Volokitin ¬?-¬? |
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D. Navara - N. Short 0-1 |
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Z. Efimenko - D. Reinderman 0-1 |
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F. Caruana - K. Sasikiran 1-0 |
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J. Werle - Hou Yifan ¬?-¬? |
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F. Vallejo Pons - E. l'Ami 1-0 |
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Round 12 - Saturday 31.01.2009 |
R. Kasimdzhanov - E. l'Ami 1-0 |
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Hou Yifan - F. Vallejo Pons 1-0 |
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K. Sasikiran - J. Werle 1-0 |
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D. Reinderman - F. Caruana ¬?-¬? |
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N. Short - Z. Efimenko ¬?-¬? |
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A. Volokitin - D. Navara 1-0 |
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H. Mecking - A. Motylev ¬?-¬? |
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Round 13 - Sunday 1.02.2009 |
A. Motylev - R. Kasimdzhanov |
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D. Navara - H. Mecking |
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Z. Efimenko - A. Volokitin |
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F. Caruana - N. Short |
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J. Werle - D. Reinderman |
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F. Vallejo Pons - K. Sasikiran |
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E. l'Ami - Hou Yifan |
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[TABLE=598]
Schedule & results Grandmaster Group C
Round 1 - Saturday 17.01.2009 |
T. Hillarp Persson - R. Pruijssers ¬?-¬? |
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D. Howell - M. Bosboom 0-1 |
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F. Nijboer - W. So 0-1 |
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O. Romanishin - A. Bitalzadeh 1-0 |
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A. Giri - F. Holzke ¬?-¬? |
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A. Gupta - D. Harika 0-1 |
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E. Iturrizaga - M. Leon Hoyos 1-0 |
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Round 2 - Sunday 18.01.2009 |
R. Pruijssers - M. Leon Hoyos 1-0 |
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D. Harika - E. Iturrizaga ¬?-¬? |
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F. Holzke - A. Gupta ¬?-¬? |
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A. Bitalzadeh - A. Giri ¬?-¬? |
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W. So - O. Romanishin ¬?-¬? |
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M. Bosboom - F. Nijboer 1-0 |
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T. Hillarp Persson - D. Howell 1-0 |
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Round 3 - Monday 19.01.2009 |
D. Howell - R. Pruijssers 1-0 |
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F. Nijboer - T. Hillarp Persson ¬?-¬? |
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O. Romanishin - M. Bosboom ¬?-¬? |
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A. Giri - W. So ¬?-¬? |
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A. Gupta - A. Bitalzadeh 0-1 |
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E. Iturrizaga - F. Holzke 1-0 |
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M. Leon Hoyos - D. Harika 1-0 |
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Round 4 - Tuesday 20.01.2009 |
R. Pruijssers - D. Harika ¬?-¬? |
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F. Holzke - M. Leon Hoyos 1-0 |
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A. Bitalzadeh - E. Iturrizaga 1-0 |
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W. So - A. Gupta ¬?-¬? |
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M. Bosboom - A. Giri ¬?-¬? |
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T. Hillarp Persson - O. Romanishin 1-0 |
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D. Howell - F. Nijboer 1-0 |
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Round 5 - Thursday 22.01.2009 |
F. Nijboer - R. Pruijssers 1-0 |
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O. Romanishin - D. Howell 0-1 |
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A. Giri - T. Hillarp Persson 0-1 |
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A. Gupta - M. Bosboom 1-0 |
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E. Iturrizaga - W. So 0-1 |
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M. Leon Hoyos - A. Bitalzadeh 1-0 |
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D. Harika - F. Holzke ¬?-¬? |
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Round 6 - Friday 23.01.2009 |
R. Pruijssers - F. Holzke 0-1 |
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A. Bitalzadeh - D. Harika ¬?-¬? |
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W. So - M. Leon Hoyos 1-0 |
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M. Bosboom - E. Iturrizaga 1-0 |
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T. Hillarp Persson - A. Gupta 0-1 |
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D. Howell - A. Giri ¬?-¬? |
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F. Nijboer - O. Romanishin ¬?-¬? | |
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Round 7 - Saturday 24.01.2009 |
O. Romanishin - R. Pruijssers ¬?-¬? |
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A. Giri - F. Nijboer ¬?-¬? |
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A. Gupta - D. Howell 1-0 |
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E. Iturrizaga - T. Hillarp Persson 0-1 |
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M. Leon Hoyos - M. Bosboom 1-0 |
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D. Harika - W. So ¬?-¬? |
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F. Holzke - A. Bitalzadeh ¬?-¬? |
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Round 8 - Sunday 25.01.2009 |
R. Pruijssers - A. Bitalzadeh 1-0 |
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W. So - F. Holzke 0-1 |
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M. Bosboom - D. Harika ¬?-¬? |
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T. Hillarp Persson - M. Leon Hoyos 1-0 |
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D. Howell - E. Iturrizaga 1-0 |
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F. Nijboer - A. Gupta 1-0 |
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O. Romanishin - A. Giri 0-1 |
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Round 9 - Tuesday 27.01.2009 |
A. Giri - R. Pruijssers 1-0 |
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A. Gupta - O. Romanishin 1-0 |
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E. Iturrizaga - F. Nijboer 1-0 |
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M. Leon Hoyos - D. Howell 0-1 |
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D. Harika - T. Hillarp Persson ¬?-¬? |
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F. Holzke - M. Bosboom 1-0 |
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A. Bitalzadeh - W. So 0-1 |
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Round 10 - Wednesday 28.01.2009 |
R. Pruijssers - W. So 0-1 |
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M. Bosboom - A. Bitalzadeh 1-0 |
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T. Hillarp Persson - F. Holzke 1-0 |
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D. Howell - D. Harika 0-1 |
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F. Nijboer - M. Leon Hoyos 0-1 |
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O. Romanishin - E. Iturrizaga 0-1 |
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A. Giri - A. Gupta 1-0 |
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Round 11 - Friday 30.01.2009 |
A. Gupta - R. Pruijssers 0-1 |
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E. Iturrizaga - A. Giri 0-1 |
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M. Leon Hoyos - O. Romanishin 1-0 |
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D. Harika - F. Nijboer 0-1 |
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F. Holzke - D. Howell ¬?-¬? |
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A. Bitalzadeh - T. Hillarp Persson 1-0 |
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W. So - M. Bosboom 1-0 |
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Round 12 - Saturday 31.01.2009 |
R. Pruijssers - M. Bosboom 1-0 |
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T. Hillarp Persson - W. So 0-1 |
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D. Howell - A. Bitalzadeh 1-0 |
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F. Nijboer - F. Holzke 1-0 |
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O. Romanishin - D. Harika 1-0 |
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A. Giri - M. Leon Hoyos 1-0 |
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A. Gupta - E. Iturrizaga 1-0 |
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Round 13 - Sunday 1.02.2009 |
E. Iturrizaga - R. Pruijssers |
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M. Leon Hoyos - A. Gupta |
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D. Harika - A. Giri |
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F. Holzke - O. Romanishin |
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A. Bitalzadeh - F. Nijboer |
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W. So - D. Howell |
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M. Bosboom - T. Hillarp Persson |
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[TABLE=599]Links: