Hans Niemann wins Uralsk Open 2023, Sethuraman second
GM Hans Niemann (USA) scored 7.5/9 to win Uralsk Open 2023. He finished a full point ahead of the field. Five players - GM Sethuraman S P, GM Manuel Petrosyan (ARM), GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan (ARM), GM Boris Savchenko and Valery Sviridov scored 6.5/9 each. They were placed second to sixth. GM Aditya Mittal is the only other Indian to make a top ten finish. He scored 6/9 to secure ninth place. The total prize fund of the event was 23000000 Tenge, 19500000 Tenge in Open A 3500000 Tenge in Open B. The top three prizes were 4000000, 3000000 and 2500000 Tenge along with a trophy each respectively. Sethuraman won approx. ₹553500. Photos: Kazakhstan Chess Federation
Hans makes a strong comeback
Despite losing the second round game against FM Mukhammadzokhid Suyarov (UZB), GM Hans Niemann (USA) made a strong comeback 6.5/7 in the next seven games, including five wins in-a-row in the last five games. Both Hans and Sethuraman were sharing the lead 6.5/8 each heading into the last round. Hans defeated Sethuraman to become a clear champion.
A total of 78 players including 16 GMs, 5 IMs and a WIM took part from nine countries across the world in this eight-day nine round Rating Open tournament. It was organized by RPA Kazakhstan chess federation jointly with State Institution Department of Physical culture and sports of West Kazakhstan Region and WKR Chess Federation at Palace of Culture Atameken in Uralsk, Kazakhstan from 21st to 28th July 2023. The time control of the event was 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move.
Replay all Open A games
Final standings
| Rk. | SNo | Name | sex | Gr | FED | RtgI | Club/City | Pts. | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | n | w | we | w-we | K | rtg+/- | ||
| 1 | 1 | GM | Niemann, Hans Moke | U20 | USA | 2674 | США | 7,5 | 44,5 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 7,5 | 7,08 | 0,42 | 10 | 4,2 | ||
| 2 | 5 | GM | Sethuraman, S.P. | U30 | IND | 2602 | Индия | 6,5 | 48 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 6,5 | 5,70 | 0,80 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 3 | 2 | GM | Petrosyan, Manuel | U25 | ARM | 2627 | Армения | 6,5 | 46 | 4 | 0,5 | 9 | 6,5 | 6,75 | -0,25 | 10 | -2,5 | ||
| 3 | GM | Ter-Sahakyan, Samvel | U30 | ARM | 2604 | Армения | 6,5 | 46 | 4 | 0,5 | 9 | 6,5 | 6,01 | 0,49 | 10 | 4,9 | |||
| 5 | 13 | GM | Savchenko, Boris | U37 | RUS | 2503 | Россия | 6,5 | 44,5 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 5,5 | 4,54 | 0,96 | 10 | 9,6 | ||
| 6 | 11 | Sviridov, Valery | U32 | RUS | 2537 | Россия | 6,5 | 40,5 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 6,5 | 6,71 | -0,21 | 10 | -2,1 | |||
| 7 | 7 | GM | Lazavik, Denis | U17 | BLR | 2553 | Белоруссия | 6 | 47 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 5,34 | 0,66 | 10 | 6,6 | ||
| 8 | 12 | GM | Goganov, Aleksey | U32 | RUS | 2531 | Россия | 6 | 45 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 5,63 | 0,37 | 10 | 3,7 | ||
| 9 | 6 | GM | Aditya, Mittal | U17 | IND | 2563 | Индия | 6 | 44,5 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 5,87 | 0,13 | 10 | 1,3 | ||
| 10 | 19 | GM | Fedorov, Alexei | U51 | BLR | 2428 | Белоруссия | 6 | 44 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 5,08 | 0,92 | 10 | 9,2 |
