Canadian Championship 2023 some observations

[Hans Jung]

Rd 3 game to watch Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux - Razvan Preotu

[Hans Jung]

Rd 3 tight draw between Rodrigue-Lemieux and Preotu.

Bator Sambuev played some killer knight tactics on the kingside. First Nf5 invoked the defensive Ne6 and then Nd6 and nothing can be done to stop Nxf7. Knight destruction on the kingside.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 3 womens closed Alekhines Defence from Svitland Demchenko. This time an endgame squeeze. Black had to take care not to trade into bishops of opposite colours but she artfully generated play with her passed pawn.

The Chen - Zhao game produced a pretty picture on the dark squares after move 42 and then white found an exchange sacrifice on c6 to use her connected passed pawns in the endgame.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 4 The top three boards are alive with Italian and Spanish games. Classical positional play.

After move 15 Xu - Rusonik picturesque knights on all four center squares. Love it.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 4 Womens Closed Gavrileva - Xie - quite the extended pawn chain

Demchenko - D'Souza amazing endgame battle

[Hans Jung]

Rd 4 Bator Sambuev and Nikolay Noritsyn big wins. Both Sambuev and Noritsyn sacrificed the exchange.

Zhou - Clyde rook jousting

[Francis Rodriguez]

Rd 4 Bator Sambuev and Nikolay Noritsyn big wins. Both Sambuev and Noritsyn sacrificed the exchange.

Zhou - Clyde rook jousting

Thank you Hans!

[Hans Jung]

You are welcome Francis!

[Hans Jung]

Rd 5 there were alot of good endings - no upsets - at least on the top 4 boards.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 5 womens D'Souza's opponent made it surprisingly easy for her. Demchenko finished with crisp efficiency. It now looks like it will be a chase of the leader Carine D'souza by Svitlana Demchenko. D'souza is a perfect 5 for 5 so far and has also beaten Demchenko in round 4.

[Hans Jung]

After 5 rounds Nikolay Noritsyn and Bator Sambuev are tied for first with 4.5.

[Hans Jung]

Big game Rd 6 Noritsyn vs Sambuev.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 6 Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux first to finish with a win against Michael Barron.

Exciting attacks in Preotu - Rusonik and Noritsyn - Sambuev.
Bator Sambuev pawn storm kingside attack breaks through!

Cagily played defence and counterattack by Razvan!

[Hans Jung]

After six Bator Sambuev is the sole leader with 5.5 out of 6, a point ahead of the pack.

[Hans Jung]

The perfect scores in the womens are no more. Valerie Ruchinskaya upset Carina D'souza. Demchenko and D'souza are tied with 5, half a point ahead of Ruchinskaya.