IM Simutowe beats GM Hamdouchi in 1st round of Spain's Salou tourney!

IM Amon Simutowe is in hot pursuit of the GM title, and if his first round performance is any indication of what's to come in the Salou tourney, he is certain to gain his first GM norm. Africa's top two players were paired against each other in this 12-player, category 9 tournament just outside of Barcelona. Morocco's GM Hicham Hamdouchi (2525), Africa's top player and the tourney's top seed, faced Africa's #2 player in Zambia's IM Simutowe (2470). The "Zambezi Shark" showed that African chess will have a bright future as Simutowe bested Hamdouchi to bounce back from a disappointing result in Angola's BGI Grand Prix where he lost his first three games. He did win his next eight games in a row, but it would only be good for second place. In the Salou tourney, Simutowe will need to score 8-3 for the GM norm. He is expected to be paired against Bulgaria's WGM (and IM) Antoaneta Stefanova (2479) in round two.

European Echecs (Coverage of Salou Costa Daurada Tournament - in  French)


Posted by The Chess Drum: 10 May 2001