After two rounds of play in the main schedule there are seven players tied at the top with perfect scores. GMs Slavko Cicak, Giorgi Kacheishvili, Melikset Khachiyan and Dashzeveg Sharavdorj are joined by IM Michael Mulyar and FMs Robby Adamson and David Lucky. Surely out of all those names you can see who the Vegas “luck” must be with?!
Canadian FM Eric Hansen managed to take half-point over the top seed, GM Yury Shulman, up on board 1. Hansen’s solid play was enough to neutralize Shulman’s attempts to create imbalances and make the position dynamic. In the final position Hansen is up an exchange but settled for a draw.
In the first battle between two GMs, Kacheishvili made things look easy as he took out Anatoly Lein.
Position after 26…Qe7
Here Kacheishvili went pawn hunting with his queen but had to see the following simple tactic a few moves down the line to be able to extract her majesty. Play continued 27.Qxc7 Rec8 28.Qxb6 Rcb8 29.Qc5 Rc8
Position after 29…Rc8
30.Rxe4! and the rook cannot be recaptured. The game finished 30…Rxc5 31.Rxe7 Rc3 32.Rxd7 Nb5 33.d6 and Lein resigned four pawns down in a hopeless position.
The 3-day schedule has started and this will add another 5 GMs to the tournament with Zviad Izoria, Jaan Ehlvest, Alex Shabalov, Rogelio Antonio and Nikola Mitkov looking to come through four rounds of G/75 before they merge with the main schedule for round 5 on Sunday evening. US Open winner, IM Enrico Sevillano, is also playing in the 3-day schedule.
Watch out for GM Antonio and IM Enrico. If the pairings be done by computer, these two Pacman guys will prevail….