Leinier Domínguez wins Thessaloniki Chess Grand Prix

CUBAN chess Grandmaster Leinier Domínguez has won the Thessaloniki Chess Grand Prix in Greece after outplaying Bulgarian Veselin Topalov and overtaking U.S. Gata Kamsky, who lost to Italian Fabiano Caruana.

Domínguez, with 2,723 Elo points and the finest Latin American player in years, beat Topalov with white pieces after 71 moves in a Sicilian defense, Paulsen variety.

This was the Cuban’s first victory over Topalov in four games. Previously, the score stood at one defeat and two draws. In addition to this win over Topalov (2,793), the Cuban player also outplayed Caruana, Ukrainian Vassily Ivanchuk (2,755), Uzbek Rustam Kasimdzhanov (2,699) and Russians Peter Svidler (2,769) and Alexander Morozevich (2,760).

This undertaking gave Domínguez a 2,930 Elo average in the tournament and placed him close to the Top 10 in the world rankings.

Leinier is now at 11th place in the world rankings, with 2,757 points, the best position for a Latin American player since the implementation of the Elo marking system in 1970.

Domínguez won eight of 11 possible points and the Grand Prix, with six wins, four draws and just one defeat, precisely to Kamsky (2741) during the first round. Kamsky lost to Caruana (2774) with black pieces, after 37 moves in a Ruy López opening, leaving him with 7.5 points.

The Thessaloniki Grand Prix of 11 rounds within the all against all system, was in the International Federation’s Category 21, with an average Elo of 2,753 points (PL) •

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Leinier Domínguez won outright in Thessaloniki, reaffirming his place in the world chess elite.

Position in the chess rankings after the 11th and final round.

-1.Leinier Domínguez (CUB/2723) 8.0 points.

-2.Fabiano Caruana (ITA/2774) 7.5.

-3.Gata Kamsky (USA/2741) 7.5.

-4.Alexander Grischuk (RUS/2779) 6.0.

-5.Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR/2742) 6.0.

-6.Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB/2699) 5.5.

-7.Hikaru Nakamura (USA /2775) 5.0.

-8.Peter Svidler (RUS/2769) 4.5.

-9.Veselin Topalov (BUL/2793) 4.5.

-10.Etienne Bacrot (FRA/2725) 4.0.

-11.Alexander Morozevich (RUS/2760) 4.0..