Sunday 8 April 2012

2012 O2C Doeberl Cup - Day 4

The 2012 O2C Doeberl Cup is set for an exciting finish, with 3 players sharing the lead going into the final round. IM P Karthikeyan, GM Adam Horvath and GM Gergely Szabo are all on 6.5 points just ahead of IM K Rathnakaran and GM Levente Vajda. As Horvath and Szabo are drawn to play each other, the winning score will be 7 at a minimum, meaning only these players are in contention for first place. The board 2 clash between Rathnakaran and Karthikeyan is important for another reason, as one of the players will earn a GM norm from the game. Karthikeyan only needs a draw to reach the required performance rating, while Rathnakaran must win the score his norm.
Further down Australian FM Bobby Cheng is the other player with norm chances, needing to beat IM Akshat Khamparia to earn an IM norm for himself. Untitled Australian player Tristan Stevens would have had an outside chance of an IM norm as well, but cruelled his chances by starting the event with 2 half point byes!
In the Major tournament Michael Yu is half a point ahead of Nicholas Deen-Cowell, Tony Weller and Alana Chibnall. Yu plays Deen-Cowell, while Weller and Chibnall battle it out on board 2.
The Minor is set for a similar finish with the fast moving David Cannon half a point ahead of Dimitry Lee, Nathan Davidson and Mark Patterson. Dimitry Li will try and stop Cannon's run, while Davidson and Patterson will hop a win in their game will earn a share of first place.
Final round action begins at 9:30 am and you can follw the top 4 boards of the Premier, as well as the top board from the Major and Minor at www.doeberlcup.com.au.

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