Thessaloniki is said to be named after a half-sister of Alexander the Great. Fidé staged a recent Grand Prix there, with the surprising outcome that it was won by the Cuban grandmaster Lenier Dominguez Perez with 8/11, ahead of such luminaries as Gata Kamsky and Fabiano Caruana on 7½ as well as Hikaru Nakamura, Veselin Topalov, Peter Svidler, Alexander Morozevich and Vasyl Ivanchuk.
Dominguez was given a boost when Ivanchuk failed to convert a winning position in an early round. The blow to Ivanchuk’s morale sent him into a tailspin into last place with just 3½/11.
Ivanchuk-Dominguez Perez; Thessaloniki Grand Prix 2013
With his next move Ivanchuk overlooks 26 Be5! winning at once. The threat is 27 Qxh6+ and 26 … Bxe5 is met by 27 Qxh6+ Kg8 28 Ne7 mate. Ivanchuk is still winning and misses numerous chances in the following play. 26 Qxf7 Rf8 27 Qe6 Kh7 28 Bd6 Rd8 29 Nf6+ Kh8 30 Ne8 Qxc3 31 Bc7 Here 31 Nxg7 is terminal. 31 … Rc8 32 Qxc8 Qxe1+ 33 Kh2 Be5+ 34 Bxe5+ Qxe5+ 35 g3 Kh7 36 Qb7+ Kg8 37 f4 Qe2+ 38 Kg1 Qe1+ 39 Kg2 Qe2+ White resigns
Dominguez Perez-Morozevich; Thessaloniki Grand Prix 2013
White’s queen and knight dominate the centre. When White now introduces his rook into the attack, Black’s defensive resources are stretched beyond breaking point. 32 Re3 g6 33 Ne6 If Black ever captures this knight the white queen and rook will quickly finish off the black king. 33 … Rb1+ 34 Kh2 Qb2 35 Rc3 Qxc3 36 Qxc3 Bxe6 37 Qe5 Kf7 38 Qxc7+ Kf6 39 Qf4+ Ke7 40 Qc7+ Kf6 41 Qd6 g5 42 f4 gxf4 43 c7 Black resigns
Topalov-Ivanchuk; Thessaloniki Grand Prix 2013
White’s next traps the black king in the centre after which his position quickly falls apart. 18 e7 h5 19 Rc1 Rh6 20 Kh1 Rg6 21 Ne2 Black resigns The black knight on d4 is lost.
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