GM Nodirbek Yakubboev of Uzbekistan (above left) and Australian GM Temur Kuybokarov (above right) beat their respective 6th round opponents to share the lead with 5.5 points each in the second half of the Asian Continental Hybrid Chess Championship on Tornelo.
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Yakkuboev essayed the English Opening which transposed to a Neo-Catalan Declined against IM Ervan Mohamad of Indonesia. In a Rook and pawn endgame, the Uzbek weaved a mating net and forced resignation on the 58th move.
Kuybokarov (2549) outplayed higher rated GM Lu Shanglei (2615) of China with the black pieces. Kuybokarov used the Cozio Defense (Nge7) in a Ruy Lopez Game and prevented Lu Shanglei from castling. The Australian GM gained the advantage of the Bishop pair and doubled his Rooks to penetrate on the d-file, threaten to win a piece and force resignation on the 25th move (see final position below).
Ten players are in second slot with 4.5 points each, namely GMs Ehsan Ghaem Maghami, Parham Maghsoodloo, Amin Tabatabaei and IM Seyed Khalil Mosavi of Iran, GMs Xu Yinglun and Tin Jingyao of China, Gan Erdene Sugar of Mongolia, Javokhir Sindarov and Shamdissin Vokhidov of Uzbekistan and IM Setyako Azarya Jodi of Indonesia.
At stake in the tournament are seven qualification slots to the World Cup this July in Sochi, Russia and a total of $16,000 in cash prizes.
Xu (above left) essayed the English Opening closed system against top seed Parham Maghsoodloo (above right). After a flurry of exchanges Parham offered the draw on the 33rd move and Xu agreed.
Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (photo above) used the English Opening against Taher Yoseph Theolifus who replied with the symmetrical variation. Ehsan gained control of the two center files with his Rooks and offered a Knight sacrifice on the 23rd and 24th moves which Taher could not accept. Ehsan finished with a beautiful Rook sacrifice 30.Rh7+ (see diagram below) leading to forced mate.
GM Shamsiddin Vokhidov of Uzbekistan used the Nimzovich-Rossolimo Attack against the Sicilian Defense of GM Amin Tabatabaei of Iran and agreed to draw a Rook and pawn endgame in 40 moves.
See previous coverage of Asian Continental Hybrid Chess Championship:
Rd 4: 5 GMs Share Lead in Asian Continental Hybrid Chess Championship – Asian Chess
Rd 3: Yakubboev, Xu Share Lead in Asian Continental Hybrid Chess Championship
Rd 2: Nine Players Share Early Lead in Asian Continental Championship