Greek Individual Chess Championship (R3 and R4 updated)

The 60th edition of the Greek Individual Chess Championship is taking place November 25 - December 4 in Hotel Alkyon, between Patras and Athens. Ten players participate in the round robin competition. Top seeded is GM Vasilios Kotronias (2591), who won the Greek Championship a total of eight times - in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2006 - and is now looking for his 9th title. His main competition is GM Hristos Banikas (2590) - winner of five consecutive titles from 2000 to 2005 and also 2008 and 2009, GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis (2580), GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis (2556), and GM Ioannis Nikolaidis (2552). The field is completed by IM Spyridon Kapnisis, FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis, Georgios Kanakaris, Alexandros Koukoufikis, and the 17 years old Athanasios Spiliadis.

Organizers Pnevmatiki Stegi of Peristeri and Greek Chess Federation

Venue: Hotel Alkyon, official website http://indiv2010.peristerichess.gr/

Round 4

Round 4 of the Greek Individual Chess Championship lacked major surprises. The leader GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis defeated IM Kapnisis and kept the top position of the table. GM Banikas and GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis won against FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis and Athanasios Spiliadis, both games going from opening advantage into a clear victory.

Georgios Kanakaris and Alexandros Koukoufikis finished draw the match of the bottom half of the table. In the most crucial match of the day GM Kotronias defeated GM Nikolaidis.

Download PGN round 3

R3 Game analysis by FM Simonidis: Dimitrios Mastrovasilis - Georgios Kanakaris

Round 3

The most exciting day of the championship so far, both as results and quality. IM Spyridon Kapnisis knocked out the temporary leader GM Kotronias after a fascinating complex game. Kotronias had a winning position in hand, but blundered in time trouble and gave away the full point.

The new leader is GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis, who won his game with Kanakaris and collected 2,5/3 so far. GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis is closely following his brother, after a victory over Alexandros Koukoufikis.

The young talent Athanasios Spiliadis drew with the experienced FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis, proving that he is not in the final by chance.

The shortest game of the day was between GM Nikolaidis and GM Banikas, who played a well analyzed variation into a short draw.

Download PGN round 3

R2 Game analysis by FM Simonidis: Kapnisis - Nikolaidis

Round 2

The second round of the Greek Individual Chess Championship was in full contrast to the first one. No surprises were registered and the top players won their games.

The heroe of the previous round Georgios Kanakaris and the top rated GM Vasilios Kotronias played the most exciting game of the day. Kotronias was constantly leading the position, while Kanakaris was defending well. The lower rated player had several chances to equalize, but he missed them and finally the many times champion Kotronias scored second consecutive victory.

In a similar fashion went the game IM Spyridon Kapnisis - GM Ioannis Nikolaidis. The Grandmaster had a small advantage right from the opening, which he managed to convert to a very comfortable position. However, in the following moves GM Nikolaidis did not manage to find the precise moves, and Kapnisis used the situation to clinch a draw.

Alexandros Koukoufikis lost on time against FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis, but the position was lost long before Koukoufikis flagged.

The brothers Mastrovasilis protagonized the show of round 2 as they completed a 34 moves draw in just 10 minutes! The regulations of the event state that no draw can be agreed before move 30, a condition that was kept in the game, and the final position was a clear draw rook endgame.

Download PGN round 2

Round 1

The championship got an exciting start with surprising results in round 1. Georgios Kanakaris, one of the participants of the coming Bansko Grand Chess Open, defeated GM Ioannis Nikolaidis with black. Kanakaris used a blunder by Nikolaidis on move 27, and managed to convert it into a full point.

IM Spyridon Kapnisis was also able to hold one of the favorites GM Hristos Banikas to a draw after a close to 5 hours games. The game is analysed by FM Simonidis here

In the derby match of the day GM Vasilios Kotronias managed to defeat his direct opponent for the first places GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis. With precise play of a pair of bishops GM Kotronias scored his first victory and joined the leaders with a full point. Replay the game with analysis here.

The favorites won in the other two matches with relative ease, GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis defeated FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis, while Alexandros Koukoufikis won against Athanasios Spiliadis.

Download PGN round 1

Participants

GM Vasilios Kotronias
GM Hristos Banikas
GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis
GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis
GM Ioannis Nikolaidis
IM Spyridon Kapnisis
FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis
Georgios Kanakaris
Alexandros Koukoufikis
Athanasios Spiliadis

Results and pairings

1 IM Spyridon Kapnisis ½ - ½ GM Hristos Banikas
2 GM Ioannis Nikolaidis 0 - 1 Georgios Kanakaris
3 GM Vasilios Kotronias 1 - 0 GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis
4 GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis 1 - 0 FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis
5 Alexandros Koukoufikis 1 - 0 Athanasios Spiliadis

1 GM Hristos Banikas 1 - 0 Athanasios Spiliadis
2 FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis 1 - 0 Alexandros Koukoufikis
3 GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis ½ - ½ GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis
4 Georgios Kanakaris 0 - 1 GM Vasilios Kotronias
5 IM Spyridon Kapnisis ½ - ½ GM Ioannis Nikolaidis

1 GM Ioannis Nikolaidis ½ - ½ GM Hristos Banikas
2 GM Vasilios Kotronias 0 - 1 IM Spyridon Kapnisis
3 GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis 1 - 0 Georgios Kanakaris
4 Alexandros Koukoufikis 0 - 1 GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis
5 Athanasios Spiliadis ½ - ½ FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis

1 GM Hristos Banikas 1 - 0 FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis
2 GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis 1 - 0 Athanasios Spiliadis
3 Georgios Kanakaris ½ - ½ Alexandros Koukoufikis
4 IM Spyridon Kapnisis 0 - 1 GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis
5 GM Ioannis Nikolaidis 0 - 1 GM Vasilios Kotronias

1 GM Vasilios Kotronias - GM Hristos Banikas
2 GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis - GM Ioannis Nikolaidis
3 Alexandros Koukoufikis - IM Spyridon Kapnisis
4 Athanasios Spiliadis - Georgios Kanakaris
5 FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis - GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis

1 GM Hristos Banikas - GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis
2 Georgios Kanakaris - FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis
3 IM Spyridon Kapnisis - Athanasios Spiliadis
4 GM Ioannis Nikolaidis - Alexandros Koukoufikis
5 GM Vasilios Kotronias - GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis

1 GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis - GM Hristos Banikas
2 Alexandros Koukoufikis - GM Vasilios Kotronias
3 Athanasios Spiliadis - GM Ioannis Nikolaidis
4 FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis - IM Spyridon Kapnisis
5 GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis - Georgios Kanakaris

1 GM Hristos Banikas - Georgios Kanakaris
2 IM Spyridon Kapnisis - GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis
3 GM Ioannis Nikolaidis - FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis
4 GM Vasilios Kotronias - Athanasios Spiliadis
5 GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis - Alexandros Koukoufikis

1 Alexandros Koukoufikis - GM Hristos Banikas
2 Athanasios Spiliadis - GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis 
3 FM Konstantinos Nikolaidis - GM Vasilios Kotronias
4 GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis - GM Ioannis Nikolaidis
5 Georgios Kanakaris - IM Spyridon Kapnisis