Grand Sweden

     Hello my dear readers!
     I've been relaxing the last few days, not even opening my computer. It's been soooo good to go to the beach and not worry about anything but my tan :D
     My session at the University was so exhausting- I needed some refuel and I definitely got it.
     I spent some quality time with my family and my friends in Golden Sands and I enjoyed the unusual role of being just a spectator of the "Golden Sands Grand Europe Open".

With my dear sister- Elena

With my good friend- Diana Baciu

Elena and me

Olga Hincu, Diana Baciu, Irene Sukandar, Elena Bulmaga, Ioana Gelip and me (from left to right)  trying the chilly water

     Nils Grandelius of Sweden won the tournament with a 7,5p/9, 2706 performance and a very nice +17,5 Elo points! If he couldn't take the Bulgarian hot weather with him in Sweden- he definitely compensated it with some nice amount of cash- 6000 euros! How much sun can he buy with it, what do you think?

     Here's my photo report from there:

Nils Grandelius- the winner of the tournament

Dragan Solak-6th place with 6,5p

Vladislav Nevednichy- 3rd place with 7p

Mircea Parligras

Alin Berescu

Dmitrii Svetushkin

Natalia Pogonina-2nd woman prize with 5,5p

Axel Rombaldoni

Tiberiu Georgescu

Nisha Mohota

Bogdan Posedaru

Irina Ionescu

Irene Sukandar

Angela Dragomirescu

Maria Velcheva

Zura Javakhadze

Levente Vajda

Zbynek Hracek- 2nd place with 7p

     The playing hall was really impressive- it was provided by one of the best 5 stars hotel and casino in Golden Sands. The organizers did a very good job and I think that it was one of the strongest and with the highest prizes Open that one could find in June in Europe!

     

     As about me, I really enjoyed my short holliday and I'm going to prepare for my next tournaments in the following week- Turkish League, Universiade, EIWCC... I hope to have a great summer and to show some serious results!

Wish you all an amazing summer! 

Will keep you posted ;)

Grand Europe Open Albena

     This week has been a very busy one- with a lot of exams and pretty much worrying. I didn't have much time neither for chess nor for posting. I am really happy that I've survived until the weekend! :)))
     So, let's go directly to news ;)
     I've got my ticket for the Turkish League, which will start on the 1st of July. It's going to be my next tournament. Despite all the unstable situation in Istanbul, it seems that chess isn't affected. I haven't played for like 2 weeks and it already feels like an eternity! Can't wait for the 1st July to come quicker!
     The "Grand Europe Open- Albena" is coming to an end. The 8th round will be disputed today. There are 3 players with 6p/7 leading: Vladislav Nevednichy, Hrant Melkumyan and Tigran Petrosian and another 6 players with 5,5p/7 :  Boris Chatalbashev, Krikor Mekhitarian, Levente Vajda, Mircea Parligras, Evgeny Sveshnikov and Vitaliy Bernadskiy.
     You can see the pairings for today's 8th round here:

1	8	GM	Nevednichy Vladislav	2580	6		6	GM	Melkumyan Hrant	2635	3
2	2	GM	Petrosian Tigran L.	2649	6		5½	GM	Chatalbashev Boris	2560	13
3	15	GM	Mekhitarian Krikor Sevag	2544	5½		5½	GM	Vajda Levente	2617	4
4	10	GM	Parligras Mircea-Emilian	2565	5½		5½	GM	Sveshnikov Evgeny	2512	17
5	5	GM	Grigoryan Avetik	2605	5		5½	IM	Bernadskiy Vitaliy	2475	23
6	25	IM	Ashwin Jayaram	2472	5		5	GM	Solak Dragan	2598	7
7	33	IM	Javakhadze Zurab	2450	5		5	GM	Nabaty Tamir	2579	9
8	45	FM	Anurag Mhamal	2401	5		5	GM	Spasov Vasil	2565	12
9	57	WGM	Sukandar Irine Kharisma	2364	5		5	GM	Mareco Sandro	2557	14
10	24	IM	Enchev Ivajlo	2473	5		5	IM	Erturan Yakup	2374	55
11	39	IM	Molina Roberto Junio Brito	2423	4½		4½	GM	Lupulescu Constantin	2655	1

     My friend (and room-mate in Thailand)- Irene Sukandar is having a very good tournament, with a 2486 performance and a +23 Elo points.

     Another "long not seen" friend- Diana Baciu, who hasn't played for almost a year has a 2457 Performance and a +26 Elo points!

     It is an interesting phenomenon- it's not the first time when I notice a player who hasn't played for a very long time and he makes incredible performances when he starts to play again. I wonder what is it about? Maybe I should take a year break from chess in order to become a 2500+ GM?! :D

     Another player who surprises with his very good recent results is Vladislav Nevednichy, who's leading the tournament with a 2757 Performance and a +14 Elo points.

     "The Wolf" is having not such a good tournament, with only 4,5 points, being the 1st rating favourite. I guess that the European's Individual has been a too tough event that needed a longer recovery.

     Here are some photos I've found on the facebook page of the Bulgarian Federation:

The Trophy waiting for it's winner

     I wish everyone the best of luck and may the strongest win!

We are golden!

     I had an amazing afternoon in Chisinau with my friends today! The holliday spirit is definetely coming closer and closer!

with Diana Baciu

Diana and Ana-Maria

Diana Baciu and Ana-Maria Ursu

Diana and Ana-Maria 

     We're young,golden,shining and the best!!! No modesty,just the truth!  Love u,girls!

Friends since 4ever

     It's so good to have real friends! Coming to Chisinau is much better when you're here too!

Me and Diana Baciu,Crete 2002

Saint-Petersburg,2009

Moscow,2012

Prague,2011

     We know each other for like 11 years :))) God-that's much,more than half a life :DD Of course we had our bad moments too, but all that matters is that we know that we can count on each other whenever we'd need :)

The magic of Chisinau

My sister-Elena- I missed her so much!

   I chose to spend the "End of the World" at the "Gala Laureatilor" in Chisinau, Moldova, where the best Moldavian chess players of the year have received prizes. It has made me feel a little bit nostalgic... I remembered the times I used to wait this event being so proud  of becoming the best women player of the year :) I watched all of those kids receiving prizes and looking so proud and I saw the elder generation, my ex coaches... No matter how big the prizes were it was a special atmosphere there- a "homy" one :)

My very good friend- WIM Diana Baciu

Igor Dodon- the president of the Moldavian Federation and  Deputy in the Moldavian Parliament

Chess goes well with playing the violin- Vanesa Cheptene

The best player of the year- Viorel Bologan, his father-Anton-receiving the prize

The best result of the team at the Istanbul Olympiad- Dmitrii Svetushkin

Serghei Vedemediuc- prize for the best Coach

Nichita Morozov- the best U14

Paula Gitu-the best G14

Marius Abramciuc- the best U16

Mihai Bizovi- the best U18

Olga Hancu- the best girls U18

Gabriela Cazacu- the best girl U16

Boris Nevednichy- the best among veterans

Svetlana Haritonova- the best arbiter

Boris Itkis- prize as a coach whose pupil has obtained the only international medal this year

Ion Solonar- a very respected coach in Moldova (the first coach of Viorel Bologan)

Valerii Iovcov- the best U20

Oleg Gorbanovsky

Diana Baciu- the best among women

Anton Bologan,the proud father of the best chess player of the year-Viorel Bologan

Anastasia Corotcova being crowned as Miss :)

   It was cool to remember how it used to be once, when I lived in Moldova...

   I want to congratulate all the winners and to wish them to obtain even more in the upcoming year!

xoxo from Chisinau :)