English Chess Forum

Thank you to the English Chess Federation International Director/DCMS & The Chess Trust for their financial support of the event.

Dates: Wednesday 5th March - Sunday 9th March 2025

Venue: Links Suite, Oddfellows Hall, 17, Greengate Street, Stafford, ST16 2HP

Format: Ten player round robin.

Rate of play: 90 minutes plus 30 second increment from move 1.

Norm requirements: GM norm 6.5/9, IM norm 4.5.

Round by round schedule:

Round 1: Wednesday 5th March 10:00
Round 2: Wednesday 5th March 15:00
Round 3: Thursday 6th March 10:00
Round 4: Thursday 6th March 15:00
Round 5: Friday 7th March 10:00
Round 6: Friday 7th March 15:00
Round 7: Saturday 8th March 10:00
Blitz: Saturday 8th March 15:00
Round 8: Sunday 9th March 10:00
Round 9: Sunday 9th March 15:00

Chess results link: https://chess-results.com/tnr1110300.as ... ES&flag=30
Chess.com https://www.chess.com/events/2025-5th-w ... vitational
Live game links: https://www.chess.com/events/2025-5th-w ... onal/games & https://lichess.org/broadcast/wood-gree ... mu4#boards

Round 1 on 2025/03/05 at 1000

1 2505 GM Ghasi, Ameet K 0 - 1 GM Gasanov, Eldar 2469
2 2450 IM Willow, Jonah B 0 - 1 GM Cornette, Matthieu 2527
3 2468 IM Olsen, Filip Boe ½ - ½ IM Raczek, Krzysztof 2428
4 2507 IM Alexakis, Dimitris 1 - 0 IM Harvey, Marcus R 2495
5 2250 CM Banerjee, Supratit ½ - ½ FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2334

A terrible start for the home contingent! Let's hope they can do much better in the ensuing rounds.

Round 2 on 2025/03/05 at 1500
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg PGN
1 2469 GM Gasanov, Eldar ½ - ½ FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2334 PGN
2 2495 IM Harvey, Marcus R 0 - 1 CM Banerjee, Supratit 2250 PGN
3 2428 IM Raczek, Krzysztof 0 - 1 IM Alexakis, Dimitris 2507 PGN
4 2527 GM Cornette, Matthieu 1 - 0 IM Olsen, Filip Boe 2468 PGN
5 2505 GM Ghasi, Ameet K ½ - ½ IM Willow, Jonah B 2450 PGN

I expect that Stanley has got a real chance of his 1st IM norm here with the 50% norm score requirement.

Round 3
1 2450 IM Willow, Jonah B ½ - ½ GM Gasanov, Eldar 2469 PGN
2 2468 IM Olsen, Filip Boe 1 - 0 GM Ghasi, Ameet K 2505 PGN
3 2507 IM Alexakis, Dimitris ½ - ½ GM Cornette, Matthieu 2527 PGN
4 2250 CM Banerjee, Supratit 0 - 1 IM Raczek, Krzysztof 2428 PGN
5 2334 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 1 - 0 IM Harvey, Marcus R 2495 PGN

Tough starts for Marcus Harvey and Ameet Ghasi. Combined score of 0.5/6.

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 06, 2025 2:56 pm

Tough starts for Marcus Harvey and Ameet Ghasi. Combined score of 0.5/6.

Certainly contrasting fortunes to 2023 where Ameet won the event and made his second GM norm: https://archive.chess-results.com/tnr78 ... g=30&snr=2 Marcus also has happier memories from 2021 when he made his final IM norm.

Round 4 on 2025/03/06 at 1500
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg PGN
1 2469 GM Gasanov, Eldar ½ - ½ IM Harvey, Marcus R 2495 PGN
2 2428 IM Raczek, Krzysztof 1 - 0 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2334 PGN
3 2527 GM Cornette, Matthieu 1 - 0 CM Banerjee, Supratit 2250 PGN
4 2505 GM Ghasi, Ameet K 1 - 0 IM Alexakis, Dimitris 2507 PGN
5 2450 IM Willow, Jonah B ½ - ½ IM Olsen, Filip Boe 2468 PGN

Good to see Marcus get off the mark

rank after round 4

Round 5 on 2025/03/07 at 1000
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg PGN
1 2468 IM Olsen, Filip Boe ½ - ½ GM Gasanov, Eldar 2469 PGN
2 2507 IM Alexakis, Dimitris 1 - 0 IM Willow, Jonah B 2450 PGN
3 2250 CM Banerjee, Supratit ½ - ½ GM Ghasi, Ameet K 2505 PGN
4 2334 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley ½ - ½ GM Cornette, Matthieu 2527 PGN
5 2495 IM Harvey, Marcus R ½ - ½ IM Raczek, Krzysztof 2428 PGN

Poor Marcus Harvey after today's game. Looked to have winning chances after the exchange sac but it all went wrong.

Round 6 on 2025/03/07 at 1500
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg PGN
1 2469 GM Gasanov, Eldar ½ - ½ IM Raczek, Krzysztof 2428
2 2527 GM Cornette, Matthieu 1 - 0 IM Harvey, Marcus R 2495
3 2505 GM Ghasi, Ameet K 1 - 0 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2334
4 2450 IM Willow, Jonah B 1 - 0 CM Banerjee, Supratit 2250
5 2468 IM Olsen, Filip Boe 0 - 1 IM Alexakis, Dimitris 2507

Looking good for Alexakis - 2/3 against Gasanov, Banerjee and Badacsonyi looks eminently doable.

ound 7 on 2025/03/08 at 1000
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg PGN
1 2507 IM Alexakis, Dimitris 1 - 0 GM Gasanov, Eldar 2469
2 2250 CM Banerjee, Supratit ½ - ½ IM Olsen, Filip Boe 2468
3 2334 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 0 - 1 IM Willow, Jonah B 2450
4 2495 IM Harvey, Marcus R ½ - ½ GM Ghasi, Ameet K 2505
5 2428 IM Raczek, Krzysztof ½ - ½ GM Cornette, Matthieu 2527