In the 2017 Kortchnoi Zurich Chess Challenge Master Open, five players shared 1st place after seven rounds: GM Eltaj Safarli, GM Alexander Motylev, GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov, GM Ferenc Berkes and GM Gadir Guseinov.

Winner on tiebreak is the Azeri Eltaj Safarli, who drew his last round game against Gadir Guseinov and thus came ahead of the Russian Alexander Motylev, who beat Evgeny Romanov.

Best Swiss player was FM Jonas Wyss who finished 18th. Top favorite Alexei Shirov won his last game and finished with 5 points out of seven on rank 12.

In the Open Section, the win was shared between the three Swiss players Markus Hirt, Vital Studer and Heinz Vifian, who scored 6 points each. Hirt became winner on tiebreaks.

The Kortchnoi Open, organized by the Schachgesellschaft Zurich, took place from 13-17th April, parallel to the Kortchnoi Zurich Chess Challenge 2017.

Written by Marc Lang

Final standings (Master):

1. GM Safarli Eltaj AZE – 5.5
2. GM Motylev Alexander RUS – 5.5
3. GM Rakhmanov Aleksandr RUS – 5.5
4. GM Berkes Ferenc HUN – 5.5
5. GM Guseinov Gadir AZE – 5.5
6. GM Van Wely Loek NED – 5
7. GM Bauer Christian FRA – 5
8. GM Zhigalko Andrey BLR – 5
9. GM Hera Imre (junior) HUN – 5
10. GM Ivanisevic Ivan SRB – 5
11. IM Martirosyan Haik M. ARM – 5
12. GM Shirov Alexei LAT – 5
13. GM Tregubov Pavel V. RUS – 4.5
14. GM Pavlovic Milos SRB – 4.5
15. GM Romanov Evgeny RUS – 4.5
16. GM Perunovic Milos SRB – 4.5
17. FM Esipenko Andrey RUS – 4.5
18. FM Wyss Jonas SUI – 4.5
19. GM Jenni Florian SUI – 4.5
20. IM Klundt Klaus GER – 4.5
21. WFM Golubeva Oksana RUS – 4.5
22. IM Barle Janez SLO – 4.5
23. GM Lazarev Vladimir FRA – 4
24. FM Rüetschi Urs SUI – 4
25. GM Miezis Normunds LAT – 4
26. IM Moor Roger SUI – 4
27. IM Ballmann Martin SUI – 4
28. IM Weinzettl Ernst AUT – 4
29. FM Zenker Ulrich GER – 4
30. Schmid Christoph SUI – 4
31. Salzgeber Frank SUI – 4
32. IM Huss Andreas SUI – 4
33. Toenz Arthur FRA – 4
34. Levrand Roland SUI – 4
35. Jovanovic Sladjan SUI – 3.5
36. Reinwald Patrick AUT – 3.5
37. FM Georges Sacha SUI – 3.5
38. IM Kolbus Dietmar GER – 3.5
39. IM Ganaus Hannes AUT – 3.5
40. Stehli Martin SUI – 3.5
41. FM Aeschbach Philipp SUI – 3.5
42. Gass Ulrich GER – 3.5
43. Drechsler Christoph SUI – 3.5
44. FM Friedrich Norbert GER – 3.5
45. Tueckmantel Rene GER – 3.5
46. Giesinger Elias SUI – 3
47. FM Borner Daniel SUI – 3
48. Fischer Daniel SUI – 3
49. Leutwyler Mathias SUI – 3
50. Portmann Daniel SUI – 3
51. Ismayilov Muhammad AZE – 3
52. Koehler Gerhard Dr. GER – 3
53. Pilhoefer Alexander GER – 3
54. Aura Kristian FIN – 3
55. Haas Carmi SUI – 3
56. Bischoff Peter SUI – 3
57. Zweifel Richard SUI – 3
58. Patzelt Nikolaus GER – 3
59. Berset Alan SUI – 3
60. Moggi Christoph SUI – 3
61. Paladini Jean-Michel SUI – 2.5
62. Pinchetti Andrea SUI – 2.5
63. Potterat Marc SUI – 2.5
64. Javet Blaise SUI – 2.5
65. Nyffenegger Michael SUI – 2.5
66. Rusconi Benito SUI – 2.5
67. Agushi Agim SUI – 2.5
68. Kersten Julian AUT – 2
69. Lou Vincent SUI – 2
70. Jung Niklaus SUI – 2
71. Marentini Marcel SUI – 2
72. WFM Grigoryan Meri ENG – 2
73. Meier Lukas SUI – 2
74. Mansoor Sharif SUI – 2
75. Toth Anatol SUI – 2
76. Gerber Benjamin SUI – 1.5
77. Prado Lobo Jonas ESP – 1.5
78. Bühler Michael SUI – 1.5
79. Kurapova Olga SUI – 1.5
80. Vonach Bernhard GER – 0.5

Final standings (Main):

1. Hirt Markus SUI 1972 – 6
2. Studer Vital SUI 1883 – 6
3. Vifian Heinz SUI 1882 – 6
4. Labelle Ambroise FRA 1783 – 5.5
5. Brandis Benjamin SUI 1982 – 5
6. Juciute Einora LTU 1852 – 5
7. Barth Can-Elian SUI 1758 – 5
8. Brand Thomas SUI 1928 – 5
9. Thode Gilda SUI 1969 – 5
10. Stief Volker SUI 1850 – 5
11. Sandhya Goli IND 1845 – 4.5
12. Honold Felix SUI 1883 – 4.5
13. Zaldivar Gustavo SUI 1643 – 4.5
14. Angst Oliver SUI 1953 – 4.5
15. Tregoubov Maxime FRA 1787 – 4.5
16. Ly Nguyen SUI 1800 – 4.5
17. Ramadani Sarah SLO 1790 – 4.5
18. Meier Franz SUI 1853 – 4.5
19. Frank Tena GER 2011 – 4.5
20. Tellenbach Erwin SUI 1811 – 4.5
21. Milovanovic Milos SUI 1787 – 4.5
22. Glanzmann Boris SUI 1862 – 4.5
23. Schneider Marcel SUI 1945 – 4
24. Bounlom Jannik SUI 1822 – 4
25. Schindehütte Samuel SUI 1606 – 4
26. Schweizer Robert SUI 1849 – 4
27. Haas Adrian SUI 1850 – 4
28. Unterluggauer Adrian SUI 1736 – 4
29. Lips Adrian SUI 1829 – 4
30. Amado-Blanco Carlos SUI 1852 – 4
31. Trachsel Peter SUI 1793 – 4
32. Germann Leo SUI 1827 – 4
33. Rüegg René SUI 1786 – 4
34. Urwyler Nikash SUI 1793 – 4
35. Flükiger Kurt SUI 1644 – 4
36. Büchel Samuel SUI 1744 – 4
37. Flores Morales Yafte Aaro MEX 1764 – 3.5
38. Zweifel Gavin SUI 1431 – 3.5
39. Juchli Kurt SUI 1684 – 3.5
40. Suter Christian SUI 1863 – 3.5
41. Gartmann Luzius SUI 1704 – 3.5
42. Schreiber Edwin USA 1927 – 3.5
43. Gadgil Vinayak SUI 0 – 3.5
44. Deveci Sinan SUI 1456 – 3.5
45. Zoller Patrik SUI 1819 – 3.5
46. Kindle Dimitri SUI 0 – 3.5
47. Brandis Sarah SUI 1417 – 3.5
48. Ismayilova Aysu AZE 1459 – 3.5
49. Mesot Nicolas SUI 0 – 3.5
50. Berger George SUI 0 – 3.5
51. Fitzgerald Niall IRL 1503 – 3.5
52. Schmutz David SUI 0 – 3.5
53. Perrin Raphael SUI 0 – 3.5
54. Guarisco Renzo SUI 1623 – 3.5
55. Ramadani Edvin SLO 1941 – 3.5
56. Bonauer Stephan SUI 1666 – 3
57. Frei Gustav SUI 1632 – 3
58. Krümmel Thomas SUI 1740 – 3
59. Mollard Pascal SUI 1714 – 3
60. Chatton Jean-Bernard SUI 1594 – 3
61. Sendra Joan FID 0 – 3
62. Anand Aryan SUI 1302 – 3
63. Hirzel Moritz SUI 1558 – 3
64. Albicker Laurenz SUI 1474 – 3
65. Meister Jürg SUI 1743 – 3
66. Mukhles Aschraf SUI 1728 – 3
67. Niederberger Raphael SUI 1548 – 2.5
68. Champoud Gilles SUI 1587 – 2.5
69. Rudnev Alexander SUI 0 – 2.5
70. Jordan Felix IRL 1469 – 2.5
71. Anand Nagasayanam SUI 0 – 2.5
72. Pilhoefer Bernd GER 0 – 2.5
73. Lassoued Noe SUI 0 – 2.5
74. Kannan Ritish SUI 1540 – 2.5
75. Yashayaev Igor RUS 0 – 2.5
76. Knecht Daniel SUI 1582 – 2
77. Potterat Aaron SUI 1393 – 2
78. Honold Marco SUI 0 – 2
79. Duc Jeremy SUI 0 – 2
80. Fitzgerald Martin IRL 1522 – 2
81. Thurnheer Peter SUI 1624 – 2
82. Arcaro Alexandre SUI 1675 – 2
83. Cakic Igor SUI 1397 – 1.5
84. Dück Maximilian SUI 0 – 1.5
85. Koller Simon SUI 0 – 1
86. Kurapov Denis SUI 1334 – 1
87. Rocco Michele SUI 1703 – 0.5
88. Blöchlinger Thomas SUI 0 – 0