Evgeny Alekseev wins the 41st Biel International Chess Festival

This year's Biel winner: GM Evegeny Alekseev

Just when everybody thought that GM Leinier Dominguez would runaway with the title having a full point lead to protect with only one round left to play, here comes GM Evgeny Alekseev making a huge rally in the final rounds of the tournament by beating GM Yannick Pelletier in the the 10th round and ertswhile leader, GM Dominguez in the tiebreak match. Actually the Cuban GM, one of the best chess player Cuba has ever produced since Jose Raul Capablanca needed only a draw to secure the title. But in a sudden turn of event he lost his final match against Bacrot and that allows for both players to play a deciding match. In the tiebreak two 15-minute rapid games were drawn, so two blitz games at 5 minutes plus two seconds increment were played. The first was a draw. In the second, Alekseev was victorious, with 18 seconds left on his clock.

Complete stories can be read at 2008 International Chess Festival Biel official website.

Tie-break (July 31st):
1st game	Evgeny Alekseev	-	Leinier Dominguez	½ - ½	(37, rapid)
2nd game	Leinier Dominguez	-	Evgeny Alekseev	½ - ½	(65, rapid)
3rd game	Evgeny Alekseev	-	Leinier Dominguez	½ - ½	(47, blitz)
4th game	Leinier Dominguez	-	Evgeny Alekseev	0 - 1	(44, blitz)

10th round (July 31st):
Evgeny Alekseev	-	Yannick Pelletier	1 - 0	(43)
Magnus Carlsen	-	Alexander Onischuk	½ - ½	(35)
Etienne Bacrot	-	Leinier Dominguez	1 - 0	(36)

Standings after round 10

			Points
1.	GM Leinier Dominguez	(CUB, 2708)	6.5	(29.50)
2.	GM Evgeny Alekseev	(RUS, 2708)	6.5	(26.75)
	GM Magnus Carlsen	(NOR, 2775)	6.0
4.	GM Etienne Bacrot	(FRA, 2691)	5.5
5.	GM Alexander Onischuk	(USA, 2670)	4.0
6.	GM Yannick Pelletier	(SUI, 2569)	1.5