The final round of the Asian Chess Club Champions League brought some surprises. The leading teams faced fierce resistance.
The leaders of the competition, the KPRF team, met in the seventh round with the Mongolian team Zandanshatar Chess Club. Pavel Ponkratov assumed the day before that the match would be difficult, because everyone’s nerves are on edge and even the strongest players can make mistakes, and those who are lagging, on the contrary, can pull themselves together and surprise everyone. Despite the fact that Ponkratov’s game ended very quickly in his favor (it lasted less than two hours), the Mongolian club really managed to surprise. Maxim Matlakov, for example, lost his game, and Vladislav Artemyev played a draw.
“The game started well, but in the end, I made a few mistakes that led to a worsening of my position. Despite the difficulties, I offered a draw, which the opponent accepted. The game was tense and risky. Moreover, as it turned out, Maxim Matlakov didn’t win. If I had lost too, the whole team could have lost the victory. This draw was not easy – the game was difficult and far from the most successful”, Vladislav Artemyev commented on the match.
During Olga Girya’s victorious game, Ugra’s team position became critical: Alexei Pridorozhni had fallen to his opponent, while Dinis Sattarov settled for a draw. The fate of both team points hinged entirely on Nikolai Kabanov’s match outcome. For the second consecutive day, Nikolai endured a grueling battle – yesterday’s five-hour marathon against China’s Mingren Hong ended in a draw. Today, however, he clinched victory against his opponent Enkhrii Enkh-Amgalan.
Vladimir Malakhov’s clutch performance ultimately secured KPRF’s overall victory.
Meanwhile, the junior team of Ugra Chess Academy faced a stern test against Kazakhstan’s Astana club. The match proved nerve-wracking and protracted for the Russians: one draw, one loss, and two wins. Yet the finale brought jubilation – a team win for Ugra Chess Academy.
“Today’s game proved challenging yet somewhat simplified by my successful opening choice. I opted for a variation I knew thoroughly, while my opponent lacked sufficient experience in this line. What followed was complex maneuvering, but his lengthy deliberations increased my thinking time, allowing me to confidently develop my strategy. Every move contributed to steadily improving my position”, explained 16-year-old Grandmaster Savva Vetokhin, the game’s victor.
The finale proved equally challenging for Ugra team who faced the Indian club firmly entrenched in third place of the standings. The Ugra team failed to secure a single victory, recording two draws and conceding two wins to Airports Authority of India.
“It was extremely important for us to win this match to secure the bronze medals. We approached the game with a great mindset, but it wasn’t enough. As for my game, the outcome is truly disappointing. I had a significant advantage in the opening-it seemed like defeat was impossible, yet I still managed to lose”, shared Olga Girya, captain of the Ugra team, reflecting on her game.
In the fourth match, the club from Uzbekistan faced the Chinese team Hangzhou. After a hard-fought battle, luck favored the chess players from China. With two draws and one win by the Chinese club, the fate of the match came down to the board between Akbarali Abdullakhimov and Yining Chen. This was the most grueling game of the round-lasting nearly four hours. The players agreed to a draw, and the points went in favor of Hangzhou.
Chief Arbiter Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh (left) welcomes Maya Yelena, Vice Governor of Khanty Mansiysk, responsible for sports culture and education.
On June 25, the closing ceremony of the first-ever Asian Club Chess Champions League held in Russia will take place, along with the awards presentation for the winners. The tournament leader was KPRF team, second place went to Ugra Chess Academy team, and the bronze medal was claimed by Airports Authority of India.
Source: Ugra Chess Academy
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