The Israeli capital has hosted over the years quite a few major International chess events. The fourth edition of the International tournament in memory of Gideon Japhet (1928- 2013) a lawyer, a Jerusalem man and an avid enthusiast of chess and sports, will be opened next Sunday. The tournament is organized by Jeruchess club under the direction of IA Alon Cohen and his team, in collaboration with the ACP (Association of Chess Professionals) with the generous support and sponsorship of the Japhet family. It will be held on July 1-6, in the Lerner Sport Centre of the Hebrew University.
The crown group of the event is Gideon Japhet Cup, a rapid super tournament featuring 6 world class players who will play a double round all play all contest.
The participants are GMs Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia 2770), Peter Svidler (Russia 2747), Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine 2682), Boris Gelfand (Israel 2674), Georg Mayer (Germany 2662) and Anna Muzichuk (Ukraine 2611).
In addition to the crown competition, some 200 players will compete in 4 classical chess open tournaments. In the major 7 round group 60 players will participate, including 16 GMs and 10 IMs. The top ten are: 1. Arkadi Najditsch (Azerbaijan) 2697, the winner of the 3rd Japhet tournament 2. Tamir Nabaty (Israel’s current champion) 2692 3. Daniil Yuffa (Russia) 2557 4. Avital Boruchovsky (Israel) 2558 5. Alexander Bagrationi (Ukraine) 2539 6. Semen Dvoirys (Russia) 2539 7. Tal Baron (Israel) 2530 8. Maria Muzychuk (Ukraine) 2521 9. Nitzan Steinberg (Israel) 2521 10. Uri Kobo (Israel) 2508. The senior players in the main category are the former Israeli champions GM Yehuda Gruenfeld and IM Nathan Birnboim. .
Female chess is notably represented. In addition to the former women world champions, the Ukrainian GMs Maria Muzychuk and Anna Ushenina Israel’s No.1, IM Yuliya Shvayger, Israel current champion WFM Michal Lahav, Georgian IM Salome Melia and WGM Inga Khurtsilava and the Swedish WIM Inna Agrest. The Israeli youth is led by IMs David Gorodetzky and Ariel Ehrenberg as well as local hero Shoham Cohen-Revivo.
A simultaneous exhibition will be held on July 3rd with GM Alex Khuzman.
The prize fund is 60,000 Nis and special prizes in natura. The games in the crown group as well as those on the leading boards in open A will be transmitted live on both Jeruchess and the Israeli federation websites with the commentary of GM Emil Sutovsky.
The official website:
http://www.jeruchess.com/GideonJaphet2018/
And on the ICF website:
The full participant lists may be seen here:
http://chess-results.com/tnr343852.aspx?lan=1&art=0
Text by: Yochanan Afek