Biel GMT: Fedoseev and Aravindh top the Rapid
GM Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) and GM Aravindh Chithambaram topped the 58th Biel Chess Festival GMT Masters Rapid 2025. They started the day by facing each other. Although the battle ended in a draw, it was an exciting one which could have gone either player's way. Both Fedoseev and Aravindh are at 7/10 each, closely followed by GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek (POL) and GM Volodar Murzin at 6/10 and 5/10 each. GM Nikolas Theodorou (GRE) topped the GMT Challengers with an unbeaten 8/10. Today is a rest day for both GMT events. GMT Masters and Challengers Round 1 starts tomorrow Tuesday 15th July at 2 p.m. local time, 5:30 p.m. IST. Master Tournament (MTO) Round 1 starts today at the same time. Photo: Biel Chess Festival
Fedoseev and Aravindh emerge early coleaders, Challengers: Theodorou soars to the front
After a forgettable start in the Chess960, GM Aravindh Chithambaram bounced back by scoring an unbeaten 7/10 to move to the top of the GMT Masters standings with GM Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO). They will square off with each other in the first round of Classical event with reversed color. Only this time, a win fetches 4 points and a draw 1.5 which can have a significant impact in the overall standings.
Round 1: Aravindh - Fedoseev: 1-1
In the first round, GM Aravindh Chithambaram (2576) was up against GM Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO, 2740). Both players had their chances. Aravindh was the first to gain the upper hand.
20...f6? allowed 21.exd5 Bxf5 22.Bxf5 Nxd5 23.e6 Qe7 24.Rd4 Rad8 25.Rfd1 Rd6 26.Qe4 Rfd8 27.Qg4 Qe8 28.e7 Qxe7 29.Re4 Qf7 now 30.Be6 would have netted White an exchange but he decided against it. The game continued 30.Rde1 and Black got a decisive advantage after some moves. However, he could not capitalize either and the game ended in a draw.
Aravindh - Frederik, Round 2
Aravindh made a nice knight sacrifice 26.Nxf7! Kxf7 27.Bd4 ensuring the b7-bishop's diagonal remains blocked. 27...Nf8 28.Qd2 g5 29.Rc1 gxh4 30.Qf4+ Kg8 31.Rc7 Re7 32.Qxh4 Nd7 33.Rxb7 Qf8 34.Rc7 Nxe5 35.Bxe5 and White won.
Aravindh drew his third round game against the reigning World Rapid champion, GM Volodar Murzin (2644).
The fourth game against GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek (POL, 2657) also ended in a draw.
Aravindh finished the Rapid event with a win over GM Salem Saleh (UAE, 2637).
Scoring
Classical: 4 points for a win; 1½ point for a draw; 0 point for a loss.
Rapid: 2 points for a win; 1 point for a draw; 0 point for a loss.
Blitz: 1 point for a win; ½ point for a draw; 0 point for a loss.
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Standings after GMT Masters Rapid
| Rank | Name | Games | Classical | Rapid | Blitz | Total |
| 1 | GM Vladimir Fedoseev | 5 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 2 | GM Aravindh Chithambaram | 5 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 3 | GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek | 5 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 4 | GM Volodar Murzin | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||
| 5 | GM Frederik Svane | 5 | 3 | 3 | ||
| 6 | GM Salem Saleh | 5 | 2 | 2 |
Standings after GMT Challengers Rapid
| Rank | Name | Games | Classical | Rapid | Blitz | Total |
| 1 | GM Nikolas Theodorou | 5 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 2 | GM Aram Hakobyan | 5 | 7 | 7 | ||
| 3 | GM Ma Qun | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||
| 4 | GM Rinat Jumabayev | 5 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 5 | GM Daniel Dardha | 5 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 6 | GM David Navara | 5 | 2 | 2 |
Links
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Mustafa Yilmaz perfect at Biel Swiss Rapid Fischer Random Championship 2025, Karthikeyan Murali third
@ 13/07/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en) |
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Aravindh Chithambaram will feature at 58th Biel Chess Festival GMT
@ 16/04/2025 by ChessBase India (en) |
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58th Biel Chess Festival 2025: Registrations are now open!
@ 25/02/2025 by ChessBase India (en) |