Kovalyov Qualifies at Continental

11th Continental Championship
May 27 - June 6, 2016
San Slavador, El Salvador

For the second year in a row, Canadian GM Anton Kovalyov has advanced through the Continental Championship to qualify for the next stage of the FIDE World Cup. Anton scored 8.5/11 to finished =2nd-3rd with GM Alex Lenderman (USA), 1/2 point behind winner GM Emilio Cordova (Peru). They are joined by GM Diego Flores (ARG), who won the five-player playoff for the fourth World Cup qualifying spot.

GM Kovalyov qualified for the previous World Cup at the 2015 Continental Championship in Montevideo... and went on to win two matches at the World Cup before being knocked out by GM Fabiano Caruana. 

Others

Top seed GM Lazaro Bruzon (Cuba, 2679) drew with Kovalyov in round 9, then lost his last two games, and 25 FIDE rating points.

IM Awonder Liang (USA) earned a GM norm for his 10th place finish, only 1/2 a point from the playoff group. He started with 5.5/7 -- including a second round win over top seed Bruzon -- but lost to Lenderman (photo) and last year's Champion GM Sandro Mareco in rounds 8 and 10.

photo:
Kovalyov watches the game Lenderman - Liang (1-0) 

Homepage
http://www.ajedrezenelsalvador.org/continental2016/

Final Standings
http://www.chess-results.com/tnr218432.aspx?lan=1&art=4&turdet=YES&flag=30&wi=984