IM Levy Rozman and FM Faustino Oro, two of the world’s hottest chess gamers, have met for the primary time in a match. It passed off on the 2024 Madrid Chess Competition, which ran June 10-15 and featured two closed tournaments and one open. A number of streamers got here looking for norms, and so they have been so hungry that the six grandmasters in motion did not make the rostrum.
Rozman, one of many organizers of the competition alongside IM David Martinez and GM Pepe Cuenca, was near reaching a grandmaster norm, whereas Oro was near incomes the worldwide grasp title. The ten-year-old Argentinian nonetheless has time to turn out to be the youngest IM in historical past.
Those that did obtain their objectives have been the Spanish gamers FM Dani Tabuenca (15 years previous) and IM Julio Suarez (25). In addition to incomes his second grandmaster norm, the latter additionally received the A Group. The Venezuelan FM Pedro Martinez (32), who received the B Group, earned his third norm and the IM title.
Ultimate Standings: A Group
Ultimate Standings: B Group
Ultimate Standings: Open (Prime 12)
A Group: Grandmasters Eclipsed
Within the first of the closed tournaments, the winner was Suarez, who additionally earned his second grandmaster norm. The turning level was his victory in opposition to Rozman within the penultimate spherical, the place he needed to come again from a worse place. Whereas the American is dividing his time between chess and content material creation, the Spanish participant is even much less of a chess skilled, since he is moved away from chess after beginning to research arithmetic.
“It was a really sophisticated feeling as a result of I might been watching all of Levy’s movies for 2 months, and my flatmates are huge followers of his,” mentioned Suarez after successful the match. “He is an individual I have not met a lot, however I like him rather a lot. If the sport had been extra one-sided, I would not have felt so unhealthy, however I knew that he was devastated.”
I might been watching all of Levy’s movies for 2 months, and my flatmates are huge followers of his.
—Julio Suarez
Rozman himself, who left the enjoying corridor like a zombie, “on autopilot,” appeared to have recovered after the final sport, which he performed in opposition to Tabuenca, one other of the winners. “After I received up from the desk, my knees have been shaking. Then I used to be devastated for half-hour, unhappy for 2 hours, however now I am effective,” he mentioned.
After I received up from the desk, my knees have been shaking. Then I used to be devastated for half-hour, unhappy for 2 hours, however now I am effective.
—Levy Rozman
That was removed from the one vital sport. With a view to lose the prospect at a grandmaster norm within the ending straight you first should play very nicely. GothamChess performed the perfect chess of his life in Madrid, as he mentioned himself, and had a superb begin that started with victory over GM Tomas Sosa. Levy completed off the Argentine with a really correct endgame, which he nonetheless nearly ruined with a single mistake which wasn’t punished.
My first classical chess sport in 2+ years.
My lowest elo in almost 10 years.
And I defeated a 2530 GM with the black items, the highest seed.
I’m so completely satisfied I might cry 😭
— GothamChess (@GothamChess) June 10, 2024
Additionally noteworthy is the sport the younger Tabuenca received in opposition to IM Aaron Alonso, who had the courtesy to maintain enjoying till mate, with two white queens on the board. The ultimate place just isn’t one thing you see every single day.
Tabuenca, who’s 15 years previous, misplaced solely in opposition to Sosa, whereas he received in opposition to Alonso and Cuenca. After his win in opposition to the latter, he nonetheless had the prospect of incomes a GM norm. To try this he wanted to win his final two video games. He did not handle, however he did take step one towards turning into an IM.
There have been three grandmasters within the match, and none of them performed nicely. Cuenca managed to finish on 50 %, however GM Lelys Martinez and Sosa occupied the final two locations. “Don Pepe” admitted earlier than the primary day that he was “in very unhealthy kind,” however he is a resourceful participant. Within the third spherical, he saved half a degree in opposition to Alonso regardless of having the saddest bishop in historical past.
Among the many younger Spaniards, IM Diego Macias additionally stood out. Within the following sport, Cuenca was unable to avoid wasting himself in opposition to the correct play of his opponent, who sacrificed the identical bishop twice. Based on “El Divis” on the Spanish broadcast, the child is “the current and future” of Spanish chess.
On Wednesday, June 12, Rey Enigma visited the enjoying corridor, located within the chess membership Ajedrez con Cabeza, after which joined a celebration held that night time, the place he confronted gamers from the competition, together with WFM Anna Cramling.
In spherical seven, Rozman continued to guide, however he was starting to indicate indicators of fatigue. Towards Alonso he dropped two pawns in a single transfer, however his opponent failed to complete him off. Tragedy struck that afternoon: Suarez beat Rozman and simplified his path to the end line.
B Group: Faustino Steals The Highlight
The opposite closed match of the Madrid Chess Competition was received by Pedro Martinez, who lastly achieved the IM title, six years after his final norm. The Venezuelan participant dwelling in Spain dedicates most of his time to instructing. Amongst his pupils are blind chess gamers, work that he considers very rewarding and that he carries out for ONCE (Organizacion Nacional de Ciegos Espanoles—Spanish Nationwide Group for the Blind). “I might prefer to take this chance to ship them my regards as a result of they inspire me rather a lot,” he mentioned after ending his final sport.
Martinez ended undefeated and, as he admits, essentially the most troublesome second was his encounter with Oro, the prodigy who continues to amaze wherever he seems. “Fausti performed very nicely, and I needed to work additional onerous,” he provides. The draw by repetition simply earlier than transfer 30 confirmed mutual respect. “I used to be the one who was extra afraid,” the Venezuelan admitted.
Fausti performed very nicely, and I needed to work additional onerous. I used to be the one who was extra afraid.
—Pedro Martinez
Tied on factors with the winner was IM Eric Rosen, one other streamer current in Madrid. The American started with a loss, the one day when he went on the assault. “I performed aggressively and riskily, and it backfired,” he admitted. Then he returned to his typical model and commenced to achieve confidence and factors.
Rosen explains why his sport in opposition to Faustino was too quick: “I really feel unhealthy about making such a fast draw as a result of I actually wished to struggle for the win. I had excellent preparation, and he entered immediately into it, however then I combined up the transfer order. I felt very dissatisfied with myself once I realized the error. There was actually nothing to be finished anymore. A draw is a draw, however I used to be anticipating an extended struggle.”
In the meantime, the “Messi of Chess” did not lose a single sport and confirmed that he already has the energy of a world grasp on the very least. In Madrid he crossed the 2400 Elo barrier, however he is so aggressive that he wasn’t too happy with his achievement. Halfway by means of the match, when he nonetheless hadn’t received a sport, you could possibly discover him dissatisfied on the finish of video games. “I’ve to win two!” he mentioned. Ultimately, he managed to beat GM David Larino in spherical six, however then he was unable to complete the job and get the IM title. It will not take lengthy to come back.
Oro is now planning to play one other closed match, in Barcelona. Will probably be his final likelihood to attain a historic file, however his household has all the time tried to take the stress off him. “The essential factor is that he is completely satisfied and continues to enhance,” say his mother and father. He himself factors to his fast victory over Larino as his finest sport of the match.
The grandmasters additionally failed within the second closed match, though with a smaller factors hole than within the A Group. The one feminine participant, IM Sabrina Vega, had a very good occasion and improved her score, regardless of a painful defeat in her final sport in opposition to Rosen after an avoidable endgame mistake.
It is price noting that Larino, regardless of his struggles, received a spectacular attacking sport through which he spent just a few minutes. On transfer 53, when IM Alex Garrido resigned, “El Fo” (Larino) had used simply two and a half minutes, because of the increment. It was an Change Spanish the place the previous skilled chess participant born in Galicia relentlessly punished the doubtful path chosen by his opponent’s knight. The white queen went on a round-the-world journey earlier than leaving the board with all the pieces already determined.
Regardless of struggling right here, Garrido confirmed himself to be essentially the most combative participant within the match with three wins, three losses, and three attracts.
Open: Paolo Ladron De Guevara Wins On Tiebreaks
47 gamers took half within the Madrid Chess Competition Open, together with Spanish GM Ibragim S. Khamrakulov and 4 IMs. The largest draw, nevertheless, was the streamer Cramling, who has simply crossed a million subscribers on YouTube. One other well-known content material creator was FM Andres Guerrero, who ended half a degree behind the leaders.
Cramling started with three consecutive losses. After that she did not lose any extra video games, however she could not keep away from dropping 15 score factors in Madrid. Maybe her lowest level coincided with one in all her most good strikes, within the first spherical. After sacrificing a rook, the seize of which might have led to stalemate, she relaxed too quickly and was caught in a mating internet to the reduction of her opponent, CM Angel Jesus Marquez. The Venezuelan ended the match in second place.
The match winner was IM Paolo Ladron de Guevara, who had higher tiebreaks than the opposite three gamers who ended on 6.5 factors. The bronze medal went to IM Jesus Martin Duque, and among the many greatest upsets was the victory of native participant Pablo Tierraseca over IM Marcos Lianes, who withdrew from the occasion shortly afterward.
Total the competition made a wonderful impression, with some minor flaws, in a metropolis that hasn’t had the tournaments it deserves for too a few years. Many individuals have been enjoying within the Spanish capital for the primary time, and the overwhelming majority of these surveyed mentioned they might love to come back again.
You’ll be able to play by means of all of the video games from the Madrid Chess Competition right here: A Group | B Group | Open.
