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Reykjavik Open (2012) The 27th Reykjavik Open was a 197-player 9-round Swiss tournament held in the brand new and spectacular Harpa conference center in Reykjavik, Iceland, 6-13 March 2012. It was organized by the Icelandic Chess Federation and the Reykjavik Chess Academy. Rounds 6 and 7 were played on 11 March. Time control: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 more minutes to the end of the game, with 30 seconds added per move from move one. First prize: 5000 euros, 2nd prize 2000 euros, 3rd prize 1250 euros. Chief organizer: Gunnar Bjornsson. Chief arbiter: Rikhardur Sveinsson. Number of games played: 861. Fabiano Caruana won with 7.5/9, ahead of seven players with 7/9. The best female player Yifan Hou was close to beating Caruana in the last round. Official site: https://web.archive.org/web/2012031... Regulations: https://web.archive.org/web/2011091... Chess-Results: http://chess-results.com/tnr54645.a... Chess.com: https://www.chess.com/news/view/fab... ChessBase: https://en.chessbase.com/post/carua... Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-x... TWIC: https://theweekinchess.com/chessnew... FIDE: https://ratings.fide.com/tournament... Dylan McClain in The New York Times, 17 March 2012: https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nyt... Previous: Reykjavik Open (2011). Next: Reykjavik Open (2013)  page 1 of 9; games 1-25 of 202  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. S Halkias vs V Thorell   ½-½ 34 2012 Reykjavik Open E11 Bogo-Indian Defense 2. M Ashley vs V Bharat ½-½ 52 2012 Reykjavik Open B74 Sicilian, Dragon, Classical 3. J W Knudsen vs S Lund   ½-½ 37 2012 Reykjavik Open B20 Sicilian 4. P Doggers vs T Michalczak   ½-½ 45 2012 Reykjavik Open C91 Ruy Lopez, Closed 5. L Ptacnikova vs J Arnljotsson   ½-½ 52 2012 Reykjavik Open A05 Reti Opening 6. M Eriksen vs F Perez   ½-½ 29 2012 Reykjavik Open B43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3 7. E H Jensson vs H Steingrimsson   ½-½ 27 2012 Reykjavik Open E12 Queen's Indian 8. H Einarsson vs F Libiszewski   ½-½ 57 2012 Reykjavik Open D70 Neo-Grunfeld Defense 9. A Bharat vs M Arnold   ½-½ 30 2012 Reykjavik Open A13 English 10. M Dougherty vs H Ziska   ½-½ 43 2012 Reykjavik Open E73 King's Indian 11. A Hunt vs B Bjornsson   ½-½ 62 2012 Reykjavik Open C70 Ruy Lopez 12. C Eriksson vs J Thomassen   ½-½ 36 2012 Reykjavik Open B22 Sicilian, Alapin 13. S Lund vs P Doggers   ½-½ 28 2012 Reykjavik Open D82 Grunfeld, 4.Bf4 14. E Hansen vs K Lee   ½-½ 58 2012 Reykjavik Open D02 Queen's Pawn Game 15. B Stam vs A Ghaderi   ½-½ 39 2012 Reykjavik Open B52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack 16. J Hardarson vs E Mass   ½-½ 23 2012 Reykjavik Open B08 Pirc, Classical 17. M Murray vs B Sigurdsson   ½-½ 14 2012 Reykjavik Open B23 Sicilian, Closed 18. E Bjornsson vs O Maggason   ½-½ 40 2012 Reykjavik Open A13 English 19. O Johannsson vs H Heimisson   ½-½ 85 2012 Reykjavik Open D02 Queen's Pawn Game 20. H R Thjomoe vs A Bjorgvinsson   ½-½ 34 2012 Reykjavik Open B13 Caro-Kann, Exchange 21. J Mehringer vs V Stefansson   ½-½ 45 2012 Reykjavik Open B20 Sicilian 22. N Davidsdottir vs A Ziska   ½-½ 74 2012 Reykjavik Open B98 Sicilian, Najdorf 23. Y Hou vs T Stomberg   ½-½ 56 2012 Reykjavik Open C10 French 24. J Bartholomew vs Kryvoruchko   ½-½ 40 2012 Reykjavik Open E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights 25. B Thorfinnsson vs Kuzubov ½-½ 42 2012 Reykjavik Open E39 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Pirc Variation  page 1 of 9; games 1-25 of 202    REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)   < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 8 OF 9 ·  Later Kibitzing> Mar-13-12    jtd200: Predicting a draw, now. Hou had winning chances, but without perfect play, I think Caruana draws. Mar-13-12    twinlark: She chose <36. Qb1>, this is exhausting watching this game. There follows 36... Qxb1 37.Nxb1 Bb5: click for larger view the only real winning move here is 38. Nba3 Mar-13-12    twinlark: This is not time to snatch a pawn with 38. Nxe5. Mar-13-12    twinlark: Awesome. She found 38. Nba3 Ba6, now 39. Nxe5 wins Mar-13-12    twinlark: 39. Nxe5 it is. Hou should win this as long as she doesn't blunder on the last move of the time control....39...Re8 40. d6! She made it! She should be able to wrap this up with GM technique now. Mar-13-12    jtd200: I'm still predicting draw. :) Mar-13-12    twinlark: This has been perfectly played by Hou so far, and she has completely outplayed Caruana. She just needs to steady her nerves, and settle down for a good solid think: Position after 40...Bb7: click for larger view 41. Nd7, 41. Nac4 and 41. Rf3 all win. Mar-13-12    twinlark: jtd200: Hope you're wrong as this can only happen if Hou blunders. The game has been absolutely exemplary by her, and if she can stay on top of her nerves, this should be a straightforward endgame win for her. Mar-13-12    twinlark: She's certainly not rushing into her next move. It seems 41. Nd7 should win a piece: click for larger view Mar-13-12    DIO: Amazing ... If Hou wins this, she is most likely to win the tournament if I am reading this correctly, as Sokolov-Avrukh has a draw eval at move 44! Mar-13-12    twinlark: That would be awesome to see. Yifan has only to avoid 41. d7 in this position. 41. Nd7 seems to win a piece in all variations. 41. Nac4 seems to also. Still a lot of tactics in this endgame. Mar-13-12    twinlark: A lot of games are finished. I bet many of the players are clustered around this board right now. Mar-13-12    jtd200: There goes the win... Draw on move... I'm going to say 56. Mar-13-12    twinlark: Aagh!!! She blew it with 41. Nxf7? This will be a draw. Mar-13-12    twinlark: What a sad and horrible way to spoil an absolute masterpiece. Mar-13-12    twinlark: Damn. I can't bear to watch this any further. Signing out. Mar-13-12    Penguincw: Yifan-Caruana 41.♘xf7 click for larger view If 41...Kxf7 42.Rf3+ Kg8 43.Rxf2 wins back the piece. click for larger view A draw would give him good chances of winning the tournament, if not already locked. Mar-13-12    tamar: <jtd200: I'm still predicting draw. :)> What are the odds? You defied them sir! Mar-13-12    Penguincw: < twinlark: What a sad and horrible way to spoil an absolute masterpiece. > Looks like that way too. The computer gave analysis of 1.63, then as soon as the knight took, it's down to 0.08. Mar-13-12    jtd200: tamar: That's how I roll! (That, and Fabiano is playing too well lately to bet against him when there's still significant doubt...) Mar-13-12    Penguincw: Hou Yifan is up a pawn, but I think it's still going to be drawn. ENDGAME STATS ♔♖♘♙♙♙ vs. ♔♖♗♙♙ Superior (White): 51.4% Draw: Happens 42.1% Inferior (Black): 6.8% Endgame Explorer: RNPPP vs RBPP Won most of the time, but I think it's a draw for Caruana. He loses 1.8 (win is adding 3.2) but it's better than losing 6.8 for the loss. Mar-13-12    Penguincw: Draw! Only Sokolov and Avruhk have chances to catch Caruana now. Mar-13-12    Penguincw: Speaking of which, they are in a level ending. Sokolov-Avrukh 0:21:46-0:14:36 49...Ne6+ (0.18) click for larger view Discovered attack on the bishop, with check. With could see 50.Ke4. Mar-13-12    waustad: Does anybody know what happened with the Simon Williams game? The arbiter seems to have messed up placing the kings and I don't know the result. Mar-13-12    waustad: They are on chessbomb, but the video seems to have been terminated. 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