Fedoseev pips Aravindh for Biel GMT Triathlon 2025 title
Grandmaster Vladimir Fedoseev (28.5) pipped co-runner GM Aravindh Chithambaram on the post winning the GMT Triathlon in 58th Biel Chess Festival Masters 2025 at Biel, Switzerland. With Murzin holding Aravindh to a draw, a win was what Fedoseev needed to lay his hands on the trophy. In a thrilling finish, Fedoseev caught the Indian in the tape, defeating Saleh in a must win final round. The grueling schedule which Fedoseev came better off, fetches the top prize of CHF 10,000 (approx Euros 10,700).
Facing the Grünfeld Defense Fedoseev showed his intentions early, going for the black monarch. Pushing his king rook pawn all the way down with 10. h6 just out of the opening, the Biel winner showed he wouldn’t settle for anything less. For the second successive day Saleh erred in the complex middle game, giving big chances for the Champion. Not the one miss the opportunity, Fedoseev carved out a smooth win thanks to the effective combo of queen, rooks and bishop.
Fedoseev who turned up as a last minute replacement for three time Biel winner GM Le Quang Liem ended up winning the tournament. Biel also gives the Slovenian Grandmaster his second big title of the season adding to the GCT Superbet Poland which he won playing as a wildcard.
For GM Aravindh Chithambaram it was a slip between the cup and the lip. Going into the final round as the tournament leader Aravindh, low on tie-breaks, needed a must win against World Rapid Champion Volodar Murzin. The Russian teenager played a solid game giving no real chances to the Indian and the equal bishop ending game was drawn quickly. On the other hand, the Biel result should come as a big relief for Aravindh who had a rough patch arriving from Uzchess Cup, Tashkent.
The multi event Biel that offers every chess player something also saw veteran Grandmater Yehuda Gruenfeld in action. Being 69 years young Yehuda matched himself well with players less than half or one third of his age logging 6.5 points from 10 rounds. Yehuda who had tied for first in the Biel MTO 1979 and won the Biel GM tournament in 1980, is a great advertisement for age in 2025. Reminds one of the legendary Viktor Korchnoi who used to play well into his 80’s.
The tournaments were held under the following categories viz., GM1-Qual, GM1-Fin, GM1-Rap, GM1-Blz, GM1-960, GM2-Qual, GM2-Fin, GM2-Rap, GM2-Blz, GM2-960, MTO, ATO, RAP, BTZ, 960, SZB, FSC, WT1, WT2, JTO-U11, JTO-U18, JTO-rated, JTO-ACC and Simul. The massive chess bonanza that enriched the chess world from Biel for 58 years came to an end, with the assurance of resuming the same in the coming year.
Similar to Norway Chess, Biel has it’s own unique points system for the Grandmaster triathlon GMT viz., (a) Classical: 4 points for a win; 1.5 point for a draw; 0 point for a loss, (b) Rapid: 2 points for a win; 1 point for a draw; 0 point for a loss (c) Blitz: 1 point for a win; 0.5 point for a draw; 0 point for a loss.
Time Control: Classical: 120 minutes for the first 40 moves + 30 minutes for the rest of the game + 30 seconds increment as of move 41. Rapid: 15 minutes + 5 seconds increment per move & Blitz: 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move.
The announcement on the official site confirming the 59th Biel Chess Festival next year from 11th to 24th July, 2026 would gladden the hearts of chess lovers !
Combined Final Standings: (Biel GMT Masters Triathlon): 1-2 .Vladimir Fedoseev, Aravindh Chithambaram (28.5), 3 Salem A R Saleh, (24.5), 4. Volodar Murzin (23.5), 5. Radoslaw Wojtaszek (16.0), 6. Frederik Svane (10.0)
Combined Final Standings: (Biel GMT Challengers Triathlon): 1. Nikolas Theodorou (33.5), 2. Aram Hakobyan (28.5), 3. Rinat Jumabayev (20.0) 4. David Navara (18.5), 5. Ma Qun (15.0), 6. Daniel Dardha (13.5)
Fedoseev Vladimir (2739) – Salem A R Saleh (2627) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. cxd5 Nxg5 6. h4 Ne4 7. Nxe4 Qxd5 8. Nc3 Qa5 9. h5 Bg7 10. h6 Bf6 11. Qd2 O-O 12. Nf3 Rd8 13. e3 c5 14. d5 Nd7 15. Be2 Nb6 16. e4 Bg4 17. Rc1 Bxf3 18. gxf3 e6 19. Qf4 Bd4 20. O-O exd5 21. Nb5 dxe4 22. Nxd4 cxd4 23. fxe4 Qb4 24. Rc7 Rd7 25. Rfc1 d3? (25…Qd6 is better)
26. Bxd3 Qxb2 27. a4 Rf8 28. R7c3 Rfd8 29. Qf6 Kf8 30. Bb5 Rd1+ 31. Kg2 Qb4 32. Rf3 1-0
Murzin Volodar (2671) – Aravindh Chithambaram (2724) 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 Bf5 4. e3 e6 5. Nbd2 Bd6 6. Bxd6 cxd6 7. c4 dxc4 8. Bxc4 O-O 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Qb3 Qb6 11. Rfc1 Rfc8 12. Bf1 Ne4 13. Nxe4 Bxe4 14. Nd2 Bd5 15. Qb5 Bc6 16. Qb3 Qxb3 17. Nxb3 a5 18. Nd2 Nb6 19. Nc4 Nxc4 20. Bxc4 Kf8 21. f3 Ke7 22. Bd3 Bd7 23. Kf2 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Rc8 25. Rxc8 Bxc8 26. a3 h6 27. f4 d5 28. Ke1 Bd7 29. Kd2 b6 30. b3 f5 31. Ke1 Kf6 32. Kf2 Be8 33. Be2 Bd7 34. Bd3 Be8 35. Be2 Bd7 36. Bd3 Be8 37. Be2 1/2-1/2
Complete Results
Pictures Courtesy: Biel Chess Festival 2025
Official Site: https://www.bielchessfestival.ch/Homepage.html
