3 days ago
Marcin dethrones Mikhail to return to the top
The World IPCA Chess Championship continues to thrill with high-octane encounters
Panaji:
IM Molenda Marcin
(Poland) outplayed overnight leader Dzenisenia Mikhail (Russia) in a Queen's Gambit Accepted opening to move to the top at the 24th World Chess Championship for Persons with Disabilities at Dona Paula on Saturday.
The match extended to 45 moves, culminating in a strategic victory that now places Marcin at the top of the leaderboard with 5.5 points from six rounds.
On the second board, the game ended quickly as
FM Sargissyan Sargis
(Armenia) defeated Anfinogenov Artem of Russia in just 22 moves, using the King's Indian Defence, showcasing sharp tactical prowess.
Meanwhile, the third board saw a hard-fought draw between FM Lipilin Illia (Russia) and AIM Sundui Sonom (Mongolia). Their game, employing the Bird's Opening, spanned 52 intense moves, ending with both players sharing the point.
With this shift in standings, IM Molenda Marcin leads the championship, and is being trailed by three -- Ayapov Alimzham (Kazakhstan), Dzenisenia Mikhail (Russia) and FM Sargissyan Sargis (Armenia) -- with five points each.
A strong group of players remain in close contention with 4.5 points each, keeping the competition wide open.
The players will enjoy a much-deserved rest on Sunday before returning to the classical format battles that will determine the champion.
