Ukrainian FIDE master Vladyslav Sydoryka won the Benidorm Halloween Super Blitz with 7.5 points in a competition that brought 117 chess players to the function rooms of Hotel Meliá Benidorm.
The event took place on 30 and 31 October and was organised by Benidorm’s Caballo Blanco chess club, with games played at night.
Grandmaster Félix-Antonio Ilinca finished in second place, while FIDE master José Vicente Jiménez Martínez completed the podium in the overall standings.
Nine rounds with a fast time control
The tournament used a nine-round Swiss system, with each player receiving three minutes and an increment of two seconds for every move played.
That blitz chess format shaped the sporting side of an event that combined competition at the board with the festive atmosphere of Halloween.
Many participants wore costumes, one of the characteristic features of this night-time tournament, bringing a playful element to the games taking place at the venue.
Behind the three podium finishers, grandmaster H. James Plaskett claimed fourth place in the overall classification.
Woman Candidate Master A. Sasvatha took fifth place, while FIDE master Michal Redzisz completed the leading group of six players in the standings.
Prizes for different ELO rating bands
As well as the places in the overall classification, the competition recognised players in three separate categories organised according to their ELO rating bands.
In the under-2000 section, first place went to Jaime López Martínez, followed by Mario González López in second position.
M.K. Poorna Sri won the under-1800 category, with Mark Hladiy taking second place in that section of the competition.
The under-1600 category was won by Andrey Malinovsky; Izan Deivy Coca Mejía finished as the runner-up in that rating band.
The results therefore cover both the overall standings and awards by playing level, in an edition that brought international participation and Halloween costumes together in the same competitive setting.
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