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Crucial fights were staged in the penultimate round of European Club Cup in Kemer, Antalya. After Round 6, Linex Merida is leading with 11 points in men. They have to fight successfully against Saratov in the final round while Bosna Sarejevo and Ural Sverdlovskaya are in close range for the struggle for the 2007 European Club Cup title.
New videos including a short interview with World Champion GM Vishwanathan Anand,GM Humpy Koneru, President of Monaco Chess Federation Jean-Michel Rapaire and the 2007 European Champion and runner-up in French Championship GM Vlad Tkachiev.
Sixth round was one of the most crucial rounds of the event in terms of determining the leader.
On the first board, Spanish side Linex Magic won a narrow victory against Tomsk-400. This defeat might cost Tomsk their third consecutive European Club Cup title. Karjakin won against Adams but it was not a match for the victories of Rublevsky and Cheparinov's victories against Kas?mdzhanov and Bologan while the other games ended as a draw. With this win, Linex Magic became the sole leader before the final round. If Linex Magic wins against Economist Saratov, then the Spanish team will become the new European Club Cub.
On the first board, Spanish side Linex Magic won a narrow victory against Tomsk-400. This defeat might cost Tomsk their third consecutive European Club Cup title. Karjakin won against Adams but it was not a match for the victories of Rublevsky and Cheparinov's victories against Kas?mdzhanov and Bologan while the other games ended as a draw. With this win, Linex Magic became the sole leader before the final round. If Linex Magic wins against Economist Saratov, then the Spanish team will become the new European Club Cub.
On the second board, Ural Sverdlovskaya was tackled by Clichy Echecs since Dreev's won against Apicella was balanced by David's (who has a performance of 2747 after round 6) win against Malakhov, since all the other games ended as a draw in the match.
Bosna Sarajevo also got closer to the upper end of the crosstable by winning 4-2 against Keystone. This pairing was crucial since it enabled the meeting of two top Ukrainians, Vassily Ivanchuk and Ruslan Ponamariov as they did in World Championship Match in 2002. Movsesian and Sokolov won against their opponents Areshchenko and Miroshnichenko respectively.
Economist Saratov won narrowly against Alkaloid with all the games ending as a draw except on the fourth board Alexander Galkin won against 2006 European Champion Zdenko Kozul.
Top seed of the event Baden Baden OSC achieved a 4 9-2 victory against Ashdod City Club. Eljanov, a participant of Corus Wijk aan Zee A Group.
After the sixth round, Linex Magic-Merida is leading with 11 points, giving only one draw away.
However, it is far from clear whether Linex Magic is very close to European Club Cup title since Ural Sverdlovskaya, Economist Saratov and Bosna Sarajevo are sharing the second place with 10 points. The hefty favorites Tomsk-400 and OSC Baden Baden together with Clichy Echecs and Grox Xake Talde practicall y lost their hopes to gain the title
In women's ECC, the name of the champion is almost clear. The Monaco team, with Humpy Koneru, Pia Cramling, Zhu Chen, Monika Socko and Almira Skripchenko. won 3-1 against Southern Ural Cheliabinsk thanks to their first board Humpy KoneruƏs win against Kateryna Lahno and Monika Socko's win against Tatiana Shumiakina. Now, Monte Carlo needs just one point over four games to claim the title.
AVS Krasnotourinsk led by world champion GM Yuhua won 2.5-1.5 against Finec St.Petersburg. The only win in four games came from Natalia Pogonina against Irina Sudakova. They are at the second place with 9 points but the first three places are not clear yet. Six teams are sharing the third place with 8 points including Saratov, Yerevan, Podgorica, Tbilisi, Cheliabinsk and St.Petersburg.
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