Two 2600 guys highest rated;
GM Krasenkow Michal POL 2631,
GM Fier Alexandr BRA 2604.

Links to live games at the home page .

In round two Krasenkow looks like a genius, sacing his queen for two light officers, quickly mating white. Worth a look.
In round four Krasenkow looks like a patser, loosing the black side of av RL Berlin in 15 moves. He avoided a drawish line with little reward.

I am playing in group A, 3 points from 6 rounds, ratingperformance 2106, doing OK. Four rounds to go, black against WIM Paloma Gutierrez Castillo, 2132, ESP next round.

Barcelona is beautiful; the buildings, museums, even a decent beach.

Ouch. If he wanted to avoid a drawish line, maybe he shouldn't have played the Berlin in the first place.

Agree Russianbear, althoug Magnus Carlsen says black has potensial for playing for a win in the main line RL Berlin due to the bishop pair.

GM Alexandr Fier now has seven straight wins and a 3172 ELO performance. From Chessdom:
GM Alexandr Fier is on fire at Open Sants

I keep on learning the black side of the French the hard way, loss in round seven. I did not help that I showed up 30 minutes late, after transportation from a castle to the playing hall took longer than expected. New chances today, white against Christoph Humburg, 2089, Germany.

10 rounds of chess in 10 days are over for now. The ELO faves took the top spots, Alexandr Fier winning with 8,5 points and a 2726 performance. Krasenkow and IM Francois Fargere, 2480, France, next with 8 points.

I ended with 4 points and a performance of 2034, gaining a handful of precious rating points. No instructive game to show, but I would like to mention a game of fellow Norwegian IM Eirik Gullaksen, who crushed GM Yuri Solodovnicenko in 22 moves. You may play through the game here , choose round 9. Black plays logical moves in a 6 Lc4 Najdorf (if 10 - Qxd4?! 11 e5 ) and then the sac 16 Nf5!.

It is Sunday, and I have been to church. The famous Sagrada Família, Temple of the Holy Family . You want to become a believer after seeing such "grande" work of art.