LEVON ARONIAN WINS CHESS GRAND PRIX EVENT

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Friday May 15, 2009

Armenia’s Levon Aronian defeated Hungary’s Peter Leko on May 10 to take
the first prize in the fourth Grand Prix tournament, held in Nalchik,
Russia. Mr. Aronian did not make a strong start in that final game,
but managed to gain ground and win in 54 moves.

The fifth Grand Prix is scheduled for August in Armenia.

Mr. Aronian finished 8½-4½, a point ahead of Mr. Leko and Armenia’s
Vladimir Akopian. With 14 elite grandmasters competing, only two
other players, Alexander Grischuk of Russia and Etienne Bacrot of
France achieved plus scores, 7-6.

Nalchik was Mr. Aronian’s second Grand Prix tournament, and he has
won both to join the leaders in the overall standings.

Meanwhile, Mr. Akopian beat Pavel Eljanov with black, finishing with
an attack.

Both Mr. Aronian and Mr. Akopian won with powerful exchange
sacrifices. The blogger Dennis Monokroussos noted "that the top three
finishers were Armenian (at least sort of): Aronian and Akopian in
the most obvious sense, but Leko in an ‘honorary’ way: his wife and
his long-term trainer (who doubles as his father-in-law) are both
Armenian."