5 rounds knock-out. Time control – 1.5 hour per 40 moves, 15 minutes guillotine plus 30 sec per move increment. Two classic games were followed by the tie-break games with time control 15 minutes per game, 10 sec per move increment. If the score was drawn after both rapid games, then the two blitz games were played (5+5); optionally an "Armageddon" game was added to decide the outcome of the match (White 6 minutes, Black 5 minutes, White had to win).
32 players took part. Eighteen grandmasters (including Efimenko Zahar (2643), Areshchenko Alexander (2625), Borovikov Vladislav (2595), Baklan Vladimir (2584), Europe woman champion Lagno Ekaterina (2498)), eight international and national masters fought for the total prize fund of $14,000.
After the semi-finals it was clear that both gold and silver prizes would be
obtained by the players from Kramatorsk. In round 4 both Zahar Efimenko and
Alexander Areshchenko beat Valeriy Neverov (Kharkov) and Vladimir Borovikov (Dnepropetrovsk)
correspondingly. The latter ones played match for the bronze prize.
Zahar Efimenko and Alexander Areshchenko have been junior champions of Europe and world,
as well as winners of major international tournaments.
The first classic game was won by Areschenko. In the second game Efimenko gained convincing revenge. The opponents exchanged victories also in the additional blitz games. And only the second blitz game revealed the winner! The victory was gained by a 19-year old Alexander Areschenko. The third place was taken by Vladislav Borovikov who won the match of two games against Valery Neverov with the minimum advantage.
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