XIX Internet Chess Tournament "Ciudad de Dos Hermanas"

Who says lightening doesn't strike twice? Last year's Cinderella-story winner of the Internet Chess Club's annual Dos Hermanas blitz tournament, Jorge Sammour-Hasbun (ICC NECF-InSchools), proved that lightening does indeed strike twice as he retained his title. Sammour-Hasbun, 28, who lives in Massachusetts, was the only untitled player among the seven-strong grandmasters in the eight-player final, yet he defied the odds again to win the title and $3,000+ first prize. En route to the title, he beat IM Anton Kovalyov, GM Timur Gareev, GM Jobava Baadur and GM Dmitry Kononenko, before defeating his good friend, GM Ronen Har-Zvi, by a score of 4-1, to take the top prize and online blitz bragging rights for another year. Ronen Har-Zvi was the first to congratulate Sammour-Hasbun in yet another stylish performance, and was even magnanimous enough to interview the 2008 Dos Hermanas champion for Chess.FM. Recorded LIVE, just minutes after winning the match, you can listen (free to non-members) to the two finalists' thoughts on Dos Hermanas (including some amazing analysis of their games) in this exclusive, 36 minute video from Chess.FM.

Some useful links for the tournament can be found here.

Prize winners

Top finishers

1. NECF-InSchools // Jorge Sammour-Hasbun (2000 EUR)
2. Indiana-Jones // GM Ronen Har-Zvi (1300 EUR)
3. Dako // GM Dmitry Kononenko (700 EUR)
   ZavenGrozny // GM Andriasian Zaven (700 EUR)

Best ICC Amateur member from all over the world (< 1800 ICC blitz rating)

1. OxidisedLizard // William Taylor (GBR) (250 EUR)
2. Intelectual // Giovanni Gonzales (COL) (150 EUR)

Best ICC FIDE Rated members from all over the world (No FIDE title)

1. Baltimora // Mike Gough (GBR) (250 EUR)
2. fito // Juan Pablo Demaria (ARG) (150 EUR)

Special prize to the best ICC Spanish amateur member (< 1800 ICC Blitz rating)

• metaxas // Gustavo Gaviria (ESP)

Best “Peón de Rey” magazine Spanish amateur subscriber (< 1800 ICC Blitz rating)

Prize: two nights full accommodation to come to Dos Hermanas, Spain, from April 17th to 21st to see the Top 4-player event with tour of the best players in the world, plus 250 euros cash for travel.

• MrCamel

Raffle prize winners (one per qualifier)

• Legionnaire, decoy, Intelectual
• mugurelt, Segolino, TITANERO10
• Gokhtra, ALATAQUE89, sloeber84
• Tomika, wolwerine, FytinFrank

Twelve 6 months ICC subscriptions for best accumulated scores

• Federicov, RENATEX, Baltimora
• HorseTheWhite, HuevosDeLeon, fito
• playwaycool, Fi-Corrales, simhenda
• Lotto, Brocha, sacov

Three 6 months ICC subscriptions for Peon de Rey subscribers (by way of raffle)

• Majamutu, jordimab, Father71

Two 6 months ICC subscriptions the best players who reside in Dos Hermanas

• RRETI, fipema

Five 6-month subscription to the Peón de Rey magazine (Spanish players)

The best Spanish ICC amateur players (<1800 ICC Blitz rating)

• metaxas, danichess, allegreison, nodoyuna, Big-H

Five 6-month subscription to the Peón de Rey magazine (Latin American players)

The best Latin American ICC amateur players (<1800 ICC Blitz rating)

• Intelectual, Vegueta, RIKI96, Dany98, osmanlin

Twenty 6-month subscriptions to the Peón de Rey magazine

For players who come to see the Top 4-player event (from April 17th to 21st at Dos Hermanas)

• First come first served principle!

32-player Knockout Finals

The winners of the 12 qualifiers plus the 20 best other finishers are seeded by FIDE rating in the knockout finals played Friday April 4 and Saturday April 5, starting at 3:00 pm EDT each day. Minimatches are best of 4 games except for the final of the last 2, where it is best of 6 games. Sudden Death if necessary.

Download the games of the Knockout Finals in PGN format.

List of Finalists

GM Safarli Eltaj (KRASAVCHIK) qualified to play in the finals. Unfortunately, he was unable to take part and therefore had to retire from the tournament. This meant FM Renato Terry Lujan (RENATEX) was qualified based on his performance in Qualifier 11. See contenders list.

Qualifiers

Qualifier-12 | Manager: Shen21 | Wednesday, April 2 | 20:00 EDT | 388 players

• Standings and Results for Q-12
• Download PGN for Q-12
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: FytinFrank

Qualifier-11 | Manager: kicksacan | Wednesday, April 2 | 15:00 EDT | 459 players

• Standings and Results for Q-11
• Download PGN for Q-11
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: wolwerine

Qualifier-10 | Manager: Beats20Cents | Tuesday, April 1 | 20:00 EDT | 415 players

• Standings and Results for Q-10
• Download PGN for Q-10
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: tomika

Qualifier-9 | Manager: Kiebitz | Tuesday, April 1 | 15:00 EDT | 443 players

• Standings and Results for Q-9
• Download PGN for Q-9
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: sloeber84

Qualifier-8 | Manager: Kiebitz | Monday, March 31 | 20:00 EDT | 407 players

• Standings and Results for Q-8
• Download PGN for Q-8
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: ALATAQUE89

Qualifier-7 | Manager: Kiebitz | Monday, March 31 | 15:00 EDT | 512 players

• Standings and Results for Q-7
• Download PGN for Q-7
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: Gokhtra

Qualifier-6 | Manager: Beats20Cents | Sunday, March 30 | 20:00 EDT | 422 players

• Standings and Results for Q-6
• Download PGN for Q-6
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: TITANERO10

Qualifier-5 | Manager: Kiebitz | Sunday, March 30 | 15:00 EDT | 583 players

• Standings and Results for Q-5
• Download PGN for Q-5
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: Segolino

Qualifier-4 | Manager: Beats20Cents | Saturday, March 29 | 20:00 EDT | 451 players

• Standings and Results for Q-4
• Download PGN for Q-4
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: mugurelt

Qualifier-3 | Manager: kicksacan | Saturday, March 29 | 15:00 EDT | 510 players

• Standings and Results for Q-3
• Download PGN for Q-3
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: Intelectual

Qualifier-2 | Manager: Beats20Cents | Friday, March 28 | 20:00 EDT | 428 players

• Standings and Results for Q-2
• Download PGN for Q-2
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: decoy

Qualifier-1 | Manager: Kiebitz | Friday, March 28 | 15:00 EDT | 437 players

• Standings and Results for Q-1
• Download PGN for Q-1
• List of contenders for the KO final stage
• Raffle Prize Winner: Legionnaire

Useful links:

• Free Registration
• Rules
• Prizes
• Schedule
• ICC help file
• List of registered players
• Withdraw
• Dos Hermanas official website in English
• Website oficial de Dos Hermanas en Español