Daniel Dardha wins Sardinia World Chess Festival 2024

by Shahid Ahmed - 08/05/2024

Sardinia World Chess Festival 2024 Open A had an intriguing finish. It would have been difficult to predict it for anyone. Daniel Dardha (BEL), Jorden van Foreest (NED), Kirill Shevchenko (ROU) and Volodar Murzin scored wins in the final round. They all finished with the same score 7/9. Daniel and Jorden defeated the coleaders Alan Pichot (ESP) and Yair Parkhov (ISR) to dash their championship hopes. Kirill and Volodar got the better of Lorenzo Lodici (ITA) and Maksim Chigaev (ESP). The Belgium no.1 Daniel won the tournament due to better tie-break scores, Kirill second, Volodar third and Jorden fourth. IM Ramazan Zhalmakhanov (KAZ) scored his final GM-norm, crossed 2500 in the live ratings and became Kazakhstan's latest Grandmaster. Photo: Niklesh Jain

Ramazan Zhalmakhanov becomes the latest GM of Kazakhstan; Six-norms scored

The success of a GM tournament can be solely measured by how many norms are scored. The average rating of 2278 and a strong lineup gave an inkling that a lot of norms will be scored. Nobody could have predicted exactly how many until the end of the final round. Six norms - a GM-norm, three IM-norms and two WIM-norms were scored by six different players. One of them, IM Ramazan Zhalmakhanov (KAZ) became a Grandmaster too. It goes without saying the tournament was a resounding success. The total prize fund of the tournament was €50000. GM Daniel Dardha (BEL) earned €10000, GM Kirill Shevchenko (ROU) won €6000 and GM Volodar Murzin got richer by €4000 along with a trophy each. Open B and C reports will be published separately.

Champion - GM Daniel Dardha (BEL) 7/9 | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Runner-up - GM Kirill Shevchenko (ROU) 7/9 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

The top two: Champion - GM Daniel Dardha (BEL) 7/9 and Runner-up - GM Kirill Shevchenko (ROU) 7/9 | Photo: Niklesh Jain

L to R: Luigi Maggi, President of Federazione Scacchistica Italiana (FSI), GM Daniel Dardha, GM Kirill Shevchenko, Elisa Farris, Mayor of Sardinia, Danilo Mallò, President of the regional section of FSI, and GM FST IO Roberto Mogranzini, Tournament Director. They all distributed the prizes.

"I think I handled my emotions well" - GM Daniel Dardha (BEL) | Video: ChessBase India

GM Alan Pichot (ESP, 2644) and GM Yair Parkhov (ISR, 2513) were the coleaders 6.5/8, heading into the final round. Both of them lost their respective games against GM Daniel Dardha (BEL, 2630) and GM Jorden van Foreest (NED, 2668) respectively.

Pichot - Dardha

Position after 36...a4

Alan needed to find the precise defense 37.Ba6 Rb2 38.Bxb7 Bxb7 39.c6 Ba6 40.Ra7 Be2 41.Rxa4 Bxg4 and White still has good chances to fight for a draw. Instead, 37.Bc4? Re1 38.Kd2?? turned things completely in Black's favor 38...a3-+ and he won in another ten moves.

GM Daniel Dardha (BEL) scored a crucial win over GM Alan Pichot (ESP) to become the champion | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Kirill - Lorenzo

Position after 33...Qc6

Try to think like Kirill and find out the winning continuation. It is a typical Kirill move and idea.

I had to prove that I can actually comeback - GM Kirill Shevchenko | Video: ChessBase India

GM Kirill Shevchenko (ROU) en route his victory against GM Lorenzo Lodici (ITA) | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

GM Volodar Murzin defeated GM Maksim Chigaev (ESP) comfortably to finish third 7/9 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Jorden - Yair

Position after 27...Rd5

Computer suggests some inhuman lines 28.Bxa7 Ra5 29.Bb6 Rxa2 30.Rd1 and evaluates White to have a decisive advantage. However, Jorden opted for the human 28.b4 a5 29.a3 Nd7 30.Rxh7 Kg8 31.Rh3 Ne5 32.Rd1 Nf7 33.Rg3 Bh4 34.Rg2 Ng5 35.c3 Nxf3 36.Rf1 Bf2 37.Rgxf2 exf2 38.Qxf2 d3 39.c4 Rxc5 40.bxc5 d2 41.Qe2 and White went on to win the complex battle.

"I wasn't that serious about chess for a couple of years" - Jorden van Foreest | Video: ChessBase India

After suffering a loss in the first round, GM Jorden van Foreest (NED) made a fantastic comeback to score 7/9 and finish fourth on tie-breaks | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

IM Yahli Sokolovsky (ISR) became the highest non-GM finisher. He scored 6.5/9 to be placed tenth.

10th IM Yahli Sokolovsky (ISR) 6.5/9 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

The top ten finishers | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

The highest finisher among Indians: 18th GM Bharath Subramaniyam H | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

97-year-old Giovanni Diena, the first person in Italy to develop a chess pairing program | Video: ChessBase India

A special prize for the 97-year-old player who inspired everyone - Giovanni Diena (ITA) | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Norm makers

GM-norm - IM Ramazan Zhalmakhanov (KAZ) 6/9

IM-norm - FM Ezra Paul Chambers (BDI) 6/9, FM Diego Anton Vergara (ESP) 5.5/9, Giulio Lo Presti (ITA) 5/9

WIM-norm - WIM Alexandra Shvedova (ITA) 4.5/9 and FM Liya Kurmangaliyeva (KAZ) 4.5/9

IM Ramazan Zhalmakhanov (KAZ) scored his final GM-norm and also crossed 2500 in the live ratings to become Kazakhstan's latest Grandmaster | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

IM Ramazan Zhalmakhanov becomes Kazakhstan's latest GM | Video: ChessBase India

IM-norm - Giulio Lo Presti (ITA) 5/9 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

IA Gerhard Bertagnolli announced the advantage of having FSI President, Luigi Maggi, being present at the prize distribution ceremony, as he signed on Giulio Lo Presti's IM-norm certificate | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

WIM-norm - WFM Alexandra Shvedova (ITA) 4.5/9 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

WIM-norm - FM Liya Kurmangaliyeva (KAZ) 4.5/9 | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Photo Gallery

The owner of the hotel, made the ceremonial first move of Round 9 on GM Alan Pichot (ESP) and GM Daniel Dardha's (BEL) board | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Trophies for various winners | Photo: Shahid Ahmed

Players, parents and accompanying persons at the closing ceremony | Photo: Shahid Ahmed and Niklesh Jain

For more Round 9 and Prize distribution ceremony photos, please click at the respective links. Lots of exciting, interesting game videos and interviews will be published soon, stay tuned!

Photos by Niklesh Jain: Round 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, 6, 7, Black and White dinner, and FIDE 100, 8, 9 and Prize distribution ceremony.

In case you missed taking part in the inaugural edition, don't fret, the second edition was announced to be held from 26th April to 3rd May 2025 at the same place Club Hotel Marina Beach in Orosei, Sardinia, Italy.

Video Gallery

"In the Future, We Will Host the Chess Olympiad" - GM Roberto Mogranzini | Video: ChessBase India

Guy speeds in a complex endgame, Chyzy gives him Checkmate ticket | Video: ChessBase India

The Stock Market trader who met and interviewed Vishy Anand back in the 90s - Luca Barillaro | Video: ChessBase India

"The chess story of two families, two young kids, and their coach" | Video: ChessBase India

The Bolivian WCM Alexandra Prado who has 250K+ following on Instagram and Youtube | Video: ChessBase India

Replay live stream

Replay Round 9 live commentary by GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko (UKR) and WCM Alexandra Prado (BOL) | Video: UniChess

Replay Round 9 games

Round 9 Open A results

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.	PGN
1	5	GM	Pichot Alan	2644	6½	0 - 1	6	GM	Dardha Daniel	2630	8	PGN
2	4	GM	Van Foreest Jorden	2668	6	1 - 0	6½	GM	Parkhov Yair	2513	20	PGN
3	1	GM	Fedoseev Vladimir	2690	6	½ - ½	6	GM	Moussard Jules	2610	10	PGN
4	13	GM	Gurel Ediz	2578	6	½ - ½	6	GM	Sjugirov Sanan	2689	2	PGN
5	3	GM	Shevchenko Kirill	2675	6	1 - 0	6	GM	Lodici Lorenzo	2565	14	PGN
6	7	GM	Murzin Volodar	2632	6	1 - 0	6	GM	Chigaev Maksim	2621	9	PGN
7	31	IM	Royal Shreyas	2455	5½	½ - ½	5½	GM	Lagarde Maxime	2640	6	PGN
8	46	IM	Aizenberg Benny	2409	5½	0 - 1	5½	GM	Moroni Luca Jr	2580	12	PGN
9	15	GM	Sonis Francesco	2562	5½	1 - 0	5½	FM	Vergara Anton Diego	2387	53	PGN
10	47	IM	Atanasov Anthony	2407	5½	0 - 1	5½	GM	Sivuk Vitaly	2551	16	PGN
11	23	IM	Sokolovsky Yahli	2490	5½	1 - 0	5½	IM	Bellia Fabrizio	2384	54	PGN
12	24	IM	Zhalmakhanov Ramazan	2490	5½	½ - ½	5½	FM	Ezra Paul Chambers	2343	64	PGN
13	29	IM	Agmanov Zhandos	2458	5½	0 - 1	5½	FM	Tudor Henry Edward	2279	81	PGN
14	57	FM	Carlo Emanuele	2363	5	0 - 1	5	GM	Bharath Subramaniyam H	2544	18	PGN
15	19	IM	Erdogmus Yagiz Kaan	2540	5	1 - 0	5	FM	Zemach Nadav	2396	52	PGN

Details

Final standings

Rk.	SNo		Name	Typ	FED	RtgI	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4
1	8	GM	Dardha Daniel		BEL	2630	7	52	48	39,75	2465
2	3	GM	Shevchenko Kirill		ROU	2675	7	49,5	45,5	38,00	2413
3	7	GM	Murzin Volodar	U18	FID	2632	7	48	44,5	37,00	2459
4	4	GM	Van Foreest Jorden		NED	2668	7	45,5	43,5	34,50	2390
5	5	GM	Pichot Alan		ESP	2644	6,5	54	49	37,25	2514
6	1	GM	Fedoseev Vladimir		SLO	2690	6,5	53	48	37,25	2480
7	20	GM	Parkhov Yair		ISR	2513	6,5	51,5	47,5	34,75	2537
8	13	GM	Gurel Ediz	U18	TUR	2578	6,5	51	46,5	35,75	2446
9	16	GM	Sivuk Vitaly		SWE	2551	6,5	49,5	45,5	34,00	2435
10	23	IM	Sokolovsky Yahli	U18	ISR	2490	6,5	49	45	34,00	2430