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 Grandmaster Abhijit Kunte settled for a quick draw with GM Vasilios Kotronias of Cyprus in the ninth and final round to finish fourth in the premier event of Hastings International Chess Congress here.
Slow-starter Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson finished his campaign in style with an emphatic victory over top seed GM Vladimir Epishin of Russia yesterday and tied for the top place with
Kotronias.
The joint winners tallied six points each out of a possible nine and Epishin, who was leading the tournament till the last round, had to content with the third place.
Kunte accumulated five points to finish behind
Epishin.
The fifth spot went to last year's winner GM Peter Heine Nielsen of Denmark (4.5) who signed peace with GM Mark Hebden of England in the last round. Ukrainian teenager
WGM Kateryna Lahno and GM Mark Hebden tied for sixth on four points apiece.
The eighth position was shared by GM Stuart Conquest of England and IM Alexander Cherniaev of Russia on 3.5 and English IM Danie Gormally finished last in this 10-player contest on three points.
Many thought that the last round would be devoid of much excitement but Rowson proved the expectations wrong after Kotronias drew with Kunte after just 13 moves with white against the Berlin
defence.
Results
Round 9
Rowson, Jonathan beat Epishin, Vladimir
Kotronias, Vasilios drew with Kunte, Abhijit
Hebden, Mark drew with Nielsen, Peter Heine
Cherniaev, Alexander beat Conquest, Stuart
Gormally, Daniel drew with Lahno, Kateryna
Final Standings
1. Rowson, Jonathan g SCO 2541 6.0; 2. Kotronias, Vasilios g CYP 2626 6.0; 3. Epishin, Vladimir g RUS 2658 5.5; 4. Kunte, Abhijit g IND 2535 5.0; 5. Nielsen, Peter Heine g DEN 2626 4.5; 6. Hebden, Mark g ENG 2560 4.0; 7. Lahno, Kateryna m UKR 2486 4.0; 8. Conquest, Stuart g ENG 2545 3.5; 9. Cherniaev, Alexander1 m RUS 2476 3.5; 10. Gormally, Daniel m ENG 2471
3.0
Official
Site : http://www.hastingschess.org.uk
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