GM Temur Kuybokarov of Australia (photo above) beat GM Xu Yinglun of China to grab solo lead with 6 points from 7 rounds in the homestretch of the Asian Continental Hybrid Chess Championship on Tornelo.
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Kuybokarov developed quickly against the Sicilian Najdorf of Xu and sacrificed Rook for Bishop on the 20th move to remove defenders of the uncastled King. In the position below after 22… Kc8, the Australian followed up with a brilliant Knight sacrifice 23.Nf5! and after a series of exchanges reached a won endgame. Xu resigned on the 33rd move.
Kuybokarov, born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, moved to Australia in 2018 and became Australian champion in 2019 and 2020. He recently won the Oceania Zone 3.6 Zonal and has already qualified for the World Cup.
Erstwhile co-leader GM Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzbekistan (photo above) used the Caro Kann Defense and was held to a draw by GM Amin Tabatabaei of Iran in 51 moves. Yakubboev is 3-time Uzbekistan champion and became a GM in 2020. He placed second in the Zone 3.4 Zonal this month and has already qualified to the World Cup.
Yakubboev is in close second with 5-1/2 points together with three others, namely compatriots GMs Javokhir Sindarov and Shamsiddin Vokhidov and IM Tin Jingyao of Singapore.
Tin Jingyao (photo above), 21, crushed the Bogo-Indian Defense of GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami of Iran in 28 moves.
Javokhir Sindarov, 16, (photo above) used the Reti Opening against IM Setyaki Jodi of Indonesia to win a Bishop and pawn endgame in 55 moves. Sindarov became a GM in October 2018 at the age of 12, 10 months and 5 days.
Vokhidov (photo above) used the Sicilian Defense, Anderssen variation, to beat IM Sugar Gan Erdene of Mongolia in 57 moves. The Uzbek was World Youth under-14 gold medalist in 2014 and became GM in 2020.
Five players follow with 5 points each in the race for seven slots to the World Cup this July in Sochi, Russia, namely GMs Amin Tabatabaei, Parham Maghsoodloo and IM Seyed Khalil Mousavi of Iran, GM Lu Shanglei of China, and IM Mohamad Ervan of Indonesia.
See previous articles about the Asian Continental Hybrid Chess Championship.
Rd 6: Yakubboev, Kuybokarov Share Lead after 6 Rounds of Asian Continental Hybrid Chess Championship
Rd 5: Parham and 7 Others Tied for Lead at Halfway Mark of Asian Continental Chess Championship
Rd 4: 5 GMs Share Lead in Asian Continental Hybrid Chess Championship
Rd 3: Yakubboev, Xu Share Lead in Asian Continental Hybrid Chess Championship
Rd 2: Nine Players Share Early Lead in Asian Continental Championship