After the second round, only one player out of the top 10 remains with 2 points out of the 2 games, according to my friend, an expert on free money games. This is Matthias Bluebaum (2674) from Germany who is among 20 players that have won both of their games so far at the European Individual Championship.
Top seeded Gawain Jones got his favourite King’s Indian defence but apparently wasn’t able to recall his own Chessable recommendation 13…h5!?
An interesting draw following my @chessable LTR: King's Indian course. https://t.co/F2YydbpleB. Wasn't expecting the Samisch and couldn't remember my exact recommendation. 13…h5! was the way to go. Do one better than me by buying https://t.co/b8MucX0JtG. Currently 50% off!
— Gawain Jones (@GMGawain) August 27, 2021
In the end, Gawain pulled the breaks and more or less forced a draw with 25…Bh6!? An interesting game nonetheless
Bluebaum (2674) was able to transfer a slight structural edge into a pawn up endgame and managed to convert it vs Lucas van Forrest (2544).
Frenchman Maxime Lagarde (2631) had the quickest finish in the main hall. He had 1:26 on his clock and it was a bad day at the office for veteran GM Lubomir Ftacnik (2513)
Maxime Lagarde finishes in style vs veteran Ljubomir Ftacnik with plenty of time om the clock. 22.Qxf6 was crushing in an already overwhelming position. #reykjavikopen #europeanchess #chess pic.twitter.com/I7oP0tkZZx
— ReykjavikOpenChess (@ReykjavikOpen) August 27, 2021
Donchenko (2657) and Plat (2531) played an interesting Grunfeld game where probably chances were missed before a perpetual was reached.
Veteran Icelandic GM Johann Hjartarson (2519) perhaps got a bit too creative in the opening and Alexey Sarana (2643) punished his opponent’s opening play.
Other results can be seen on Chess-results.
The tournament broadcast can be replayed here:
Pairings for the 3rd round. Local #1 Hjörvar Steinn Grétarsson (2603) has the white pieces against the German #1 Matthias Bluebaum (2674). Vincent Keymer (2602 meets Alexey Sarana (2643) in another interesting matchup and then plenty of GM matchups follow on the following boards.
Further photos from the 2nd round
Games in PGN from the 2nd round
