Slight logistical problem for Vallejo

In the first round of Dos Hermans, Paco Vallejo surprisingly defeated Alexei Shirov, and now he has a slight logistical problem. He qualified for the final on Sunday, but the next day he's expected to play the first round of the European Ch in Bulgaria.

Yesterday Paco Vallejo, the number 38 in the world, beat the number 12, Alexei Shirov, with 3-1, in the first semi-final of the Dos Hermanas rapid tournament.

"I could probably blame the tiresome Russian Team Championship, which was a very tough event, but the truth is that Paco has played very well", Shirov admitted at the press conference afterwards. After a quiet draw in the first game, it was Paco himself who had put fire onto the chess board with a piece sacrifice in a sharp Caro-Kann Advance. Shirov couldn't save himself in the complications that followed.

Possibly influenced by this result, Shirov might have played for a win a bit too long in the third game, which he eventually lost as well in an ending. In the last game it was Vallejo who first deviated from the wild second one, and eventually this interesting game also ended in a draw.

His triumph resulted in a logistical problem for Vallejo, who has to play his first-round game of the European Championship next Monday in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. "I will have to start travelling as soon as I've finished the final. To be sure, I've informed the Bulgarian organizers that I might arrive late, if something goes wrong."



Today Veselin Topalov plays against Judit Polgar in the second semi-final. Live games start 16:30 CET.

Links:

• "This weekend: Dos Hermanas"
• Tournament website
• Live games
• Games in PGN