The Astana team of Kazakhstan beat Hanzhou of China 3:1
Top seeds Sport Club “KPRF” and Ugra Chess Academy share early lead with the Airport Authority of India team and the Astana team of Kazakhstan after the opening round of the Asian Chess Club Champions League in Khanti-Mansiysk, Russia.
Airports Authority of India team beat the Uzbekistan Chess Club 2.5-1.5
The traditional drawing of lots brought maximum intrigue to the Asian Club League. In the first match, two Russian teams faced off: CPRF Chess Club – the winners of the Russian Team Championship and team Ugra, led by Olympic champion Olga Girya.
Pavel Tarakanov, First Deputy Governor of Ugra, played the move d2-d4 GM Danil Dubov, top board of the CPRF Chess Club.
“It was the first time in my life I had the honor of opening a chess tournament with the symbolic first move», said Pavel Tarakanov. «I’d never had that experience before. I’ve been passionate about chess since childhood and often play with my younger son, so I chose the same opening move I usually begin my games with. Chess is a unique sport that brings people together across the world. Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra holds a special place on Russia’s chess map — here, the game is truly loved and actively promoted. More than 72 thousand people in the region play chess, including over 650 professional athletes. It’s important for us to create the conditions for Ugra’s players to reach the international stage, sharpen their skills and inspire the younger generation — both in our region and across the country.”
There also was the second symbolic move of the tournament. The Executive Director of the Russian Chess Federation, Alexander Tkachev, responded to Pavel Tarakanov. He made a move for the Ugra athlete Ilya Ilyushenko. The chess match itself turned out to be tense. The opponents did not give in to each other for almost three hours. The game ended in a draw. After CPRF chess club member Maxim Matlakov had beaten Ugra resident Alexey Pridorozhny, Vladimir Malakhov (CPRF chess club) also defeated his opponent from team Ugra, Nikolay Kabanov. The fate of the first points in the tournament was settled. But there was a serious fight on the chessboards of Olga Girya (captain of team Ugra) and Vladislav Artemyev (CPRF chess club).
“Olga had met the superior power, Vladislav Artemyev who is a top-class player”, Sergei Shipov commented on the round, “though Vladislav wasn’t really threatening coming out of debut, I even thought that Olga had more advantages. But she got a wide game on the whole board and Olga inevitably capitulated”.
The grandmaster from Moscow won the game in a tough fight. Thus, the favorites of the tournament according to commentator Sergey Shipov – CPRF Chess Club, won the first 2 points of the Asian Chess Club Champions League.
Another Russian team, the Ugra Chess Academy, played against a club from Mongolia. The young chess players achieved a convincing victory, winning three out of four games in favor of the team Ugra.
Additionally, two match points each in the first round were secured by clubs from India and Kazakhstan (the «Astana» club achieved a convincing victory over China).
The Asian Club Chess Champions League is being held in a round-robin format over seven rounds. From June 18 to June 24. Team matches will take place at the Ugra Chess Academy.
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Source: Ugra Chess Academy
Media contacts: 8 967 886 0287, Vladimir Gilev