Tata Steel Chess - Group C - Bluvshtein

[Bob Armstrong]

Round 1 Results ( Saturday, Jan. 15 )

Canadian GM Mark Bluvshtein is the top FIDE rated player in Canada ( playing for the Canadian Federation ). He is rated 2590. He is playing in the third " C " group in the Tata Steel tournaments - it has 14 players and an average rating of 2507.

In Rd. 1, Mark played the Ukrainian GM Kateryna Lahno. She earned the FIDE title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) at the age of 12 years and 4 months, breaking Judit Polgár's record to become the youngest ever to earn this title. She soon earned her GM title. At the age of 15 she won the 2005 European Individual Women's Championship. In May 2008, Lahno won the European Individual Women Chess Championships again. In August 2010, Kateryna became World Woman Blitz Champion.

She played a good solid game against Mark, and the most advantage was a “ slight “ one for Kateryna from time to time ( Mark never did get the advantage ). The game ended in a draw.

Mark is in a 6-player tie for 5th, with .5/1 pts.

Bob