2nd SP Masters Series

2nd SP Masters Series
Top bi-weekly blitz tournaments in Sao Paulo, Brazil

The 2nd blitz tournament in the SP Masters Series will take place Tuesday, 10th May, at the Associação Brasileira "A Hebraica" in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Twelve players take part in the event with the time control 3min+2sec.

From today the SP Masters Series becomes a bi-weekly tournament, always to be held on Tuesdays and at the same time (20:00 Sao Paulo time, GMT -03:00). Open qualifiers will provide opportunity for amateur players to enter the prestigious Masters' lineup.

The 1st tournament in the Series was played on 12th April when GM Alexandr Fier won in impressive fashion.

List of players for the 2nd SP Masters Series:

GM Giovanni Vescovi (2634)
GM Gilberto Milos (2597)
GM Alexandr Fier (2586)
GM Krikor Sevag Mekhitarian (2529)
GM Felipe El Debs (2496)
GM Everaldo Matsuura (2488)
FM Luiz Abdalla (2322)
IM Jose Cubas (2505)
CM Armen Proudian (2115)
Jefferson Oliveira (2256)
Diogo Nakazawa de Lima (2053)
Max Cohn (2131)

In keeping track with the modern technology, a live video relay for all four boards will be provided on the livestream website. Livestream also has a chat feature, allowing the spectators to talk about the games freely. Results will be posted on the official website.

Live broadcast of the SP Masters Series 2nd Masters - Board 1 (May 10th,23:00, GMT)

Live broadcast of the SP Masters Series 2nd Masters - Board 2

Live broadcast of the SP Masters Series 2nd Masters - Board 3

Live broadcast of the SP Masters Series 2nd Masters - Board 4

GM Krikor Sevag Mekhitarian is also providing updates on his blog (Portuguese language).

Leitao wins Bienal Professor Joao Braga

GM Rafael Leitao winner at Bienal Professor Joao Braga
20th to 24th April in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Aberto do Brazil Bienal Professor Joao Braga was played from 20th to 24th April in Sao Paulo, Brazil. 164 players took participation in the 9-round Swiss with the prize fund of 10.000 EUR.

Top seeded GM Rafael Leitao won the tournament by collecting 7.5 points, half a point clear of IM Samy Shoker of Egypt, FM Ernesto Rodi Luis (Argentina), GM Alexandr Fier and IM Fernando Cubas Jose of Paraguay.

There was not a sufficient number of international players in the field, thus making it impossible to earn title norms, but nevertheless there were several important achievements. IM Cubas reached the 2500-elo level and will be awarded the Grandmaster title. He scored the final GM norm back in 2008. FM Rodi jumped over 2400-elo and is expecting the confirmation of his International Master status. Brazilian player Jomar Egoroff became a new FIDE Master.

The Brazilian chess scene appears to be very active, with SP Masters Series becoming a regular fixture in the calendar. Brazil will also host the 2011 World Youth Chess Championships.

Thanks to GM Krikor Sevag Mekhitarian who contributed to the report.

Final standings (top 15):

1 GM Leitao Rafael BRA 2620 - 7.5
2 IM Shoker Samy EGY 2441 - 7
3 FM Rodi Luis Ernesto ARG 2359 - 7
4 GM Fier Alexandr BRA 2586 - 7
5 IM Cubas Jose Fernando PAR 2463 - 7
6 IM Rocha Wellington Carlos BRA 2417 - 6.5
7 GM El Debs Felipe De Cresce BRA 2496 - 6.5
8 FM Shumyatsky Victor BRA 2382 - 6.5
9 FM Terao Rodrigo Akira BRA 2332 - 6.5
10 GM Matsuura Everaldo BRA 2488 - 6.5
11 Bassan Remo VEN 2291 - 6.5
12 IM Di Berardino Diego Rafael BRA 2480 - 6.5
13 FM Choma Ernani Francisco BRA 2348 - 6.5
14 IM Perdomo Leandro ARG 2382 - 6.5
15 Egoroff Jomar BRA 2273 - 6.5
16 FM Bueno Alfeu Junior Varela BRA 2345 - 6.5
17 Guimaraes Artemis Pamela BRA 1944 - 6.5

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Leitao leads Brazilian Championship

The 2010 Brazilian Championship is taking place from November 29 - December 8, 2010 in Americana. Here are the standings after 2 rounds:

1.	Leitao, Rafael	g	BRA	2626	2
2-5.	Vescovi, Giovanni	g	BRA	2622	1½
2-5.	Fier, Alexandr	g	BRA	2572	1½
2-5.	Mekhitarian, Krikor Sevag	g	BRA	2525	1½
2-5.	Di Berardino, Diego Rafael	m	BRA	2491	1½
6-8.	Matsuura, Everaldo	m	BRA	2490	1
6-8.	El Debs, Felipe de Cresce	g	BRA	2502	1
6-8.	Shumyatsky, Victor	f	BRA	2352	1
9-10.	Milos, Gilberto	g	BRA	2596	½
9-10.	Gonzalez, Bolivar Ribeiro	f	BRA	2277	½
11-12.	Jatoba de Oliveira Reis, Paulo	f	BRA	2378	0
11-12.	Barreto Filho, Carlos Alberto	f	BRA	2350	0

Official results: http://chess-results.com/tnr40809.aspx
Official website: http://www.fpx.com.br/2010/brasileiro

Women Pan American Chess Championship 2010

Women Pan American Chess Championship 2010
28th November to 4th December at the Casa de Portugal in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

The Women Pan American Chess Championship 2010 is taking place from 28th November to 4th December at the Casa de Portugal in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. 54 players compete over the 9 rounds of Swiss pairing system. IM Carolina Lujan of Argentina and WGM Yaniet Marrero Lopez of Cuba are top-seeded in the starting list.

Here are the top 10 seeds:

1 IM Lujan Carolina ARG 2349
2 WGM Marrero Lopez Yaniet CUB 2349
3 WIM Vigoa Apecheche Yanira CUB 2282
4 WIM Morales Mendoza Luciana PER 2187
5 WFM Chumpitaz Carbajal Ann PER 2174
6 WFM Terao Juliana Sayumi BRA 2154
7 Fernandez Maria Florencia ARG 2149
8 WFM Feliciano Vanessa BRA 2145
9 WIM Guerrero Rodriguez Alejandra MEX 2117
10 WFM Cancio-Bello Ayes Flavia CUB 2114

More here: http://reports.chessdom.com/news-2010/women-pan-american-chess-championship