I made the last IM Norm!!!!!!!

First 2 norms

I became fm in 2022 but take me 3 ayer to made the first norm.
That happen this may in Cuba in the Capablanca in Memorial open after a solid tournament where i only lose one game with many draws against masters and beating all the worse rated players.
And the second norms came 20 days after in bahamas in another great open where i faced 6 Grand Masters finishing the tournament unbeatable with 7 draws and 2 wins and a meritorious fourth position, this was my best tournament for the date cause i made half more point that i need.
After that i moved to barcelona to try to made my last norm

3 Failed Attempts

I haven’t so much time to prepare this tournaments but at the start of july i was ready to finally became International Master in the catalan circuit.
The first stop was the Barbera del Valles open where i played decent chess increasing 10 points of rating but a loss vs a cuban GM end with my norm option but i need the rating too to reach the title so was not a bad tournament.

My next try start the following day in barcelona too but i start so bad the tournament loosing many points vs unrated indians but at least i won the last 3 round taking good prize and 3 rating points.
So last tournament of july i only need the norm to made the title because i was i my peak rating with 2382 but the things start so bad, i lost in the first round versus a 11 years old talented girl , in the second récord my opponent doesn’t came to the round so the norm options disappear.
But the nexts rounds goes so bad winning 1 game drawing 3 and losing 1 all versus low rated players , after the 7 round i leave the tournament because i fell myself so tired after 3 tournaments in a row, in this tournament i lost 50 rating points.

Sants Open

Sants was the last tournament of the catalan circuit so this was my last opportunity to take the last norm this summer so let’s see how the things went in this strong event.

First 3 wins

In the first 2 rounds i didn’t play so well but i manage to win versus 2000 rated players specially thanks to a good endgame technique.

The third round i faced the Scoth and i enter into an endgame who i played 3 times in the past with 100% of winning in rapid games so i was si confident to take the victory again.
I take the initiative so fast in the endgame but after a couple of inaccuracies the game turn so complicated but thanks to my active king i take the full point

Gm outplayed me with 100%

In the fourth round i face the Brazilian Grand Master Luis Paulo Supi.
The game was a najdorf where i chose the h3 line and i was playing so well making many good moves but my opponent y putting pressure over me all the time and finally i made a normal active move who put me in a bad position and Supi continues playing perfectly and he take the victory.

Surely plays against me the fact that i played with the open king all the with by my own decision.

Only 1 inaccuracy to strike back

I surprise my opponent with first 1...c5 and after 2.c3 2...e5!?
I faced many alapin but i never chose that move
My opponent avoid the sharpest lines with Ng5 and prefers a positional play who i understand so well only failing trading knights but the rest of the game i played so well returning to a good tournament position and performance.

Living the catalan experience

And now after played during 2 month in barcelona versus many indian players and people from many countries in the 6,7and 8 rounds i faced 3 catalan masters.
In the sixth round the GM Hipólito Asis came with another najdorf but i avoided with the moscow , reaching a maroczy structure that he plays better than me and manages to equal to finally made the draw.

My next opponent was the FM Abel Lazaro, i had the white pieces again and this time was a rossolimo sicilian. We reach a different colour bishop with queens and rooks who was more less equal but i played better and after a great exchange sacrifice i made some bad moves reaching a draw position but basically with a great fighting spirit i take the point to home.

My performance after 7 round was great i was so close to the norm but i the eight round i faced the IM Sergi Díaz and i reach
a very passive isolated pawn position and i have no so much experience in that position so my opponent simply plays better than game and with a easy play he beat me.

2449 performance

To make a norm you need 2450 of performance and with the rating of my ninth opponent with a victory i only can reach 2449.4 , so close tru ??jejeje
Some peoble can believe that this is bad luck but i’m a fully believer in God’s Plan so i take that with a smile and i went to the game to play my best chess.
Maybe i don’t play my best chess but not the worst because i won this game in a endgame with a pawn up but difficult to convert.

Solid like a rook

Thanks to my good actitud a good play in the ninth round God give me the opportunity to made the norm in the last round against a Latvian Grand Master. I went with the black pieces but i only need a draw.
First he susprise me with 1.e4 and after i chose berlín he susprise again with a sideline with a4 but i react so well playing so so accurate and without giving my opponent any changes to put me in troubles , and not only reach the equal , in one moments after many good moves i reach a winning position but i failed to convert and when i saw that i lost the momentum i ofer draw and my opponent take it so that’s my last IM norm .

Now i only need 30 points of rating to became International Master so let’s go for it.

If you want to see my analysis of the full games here i give us my youtube channel to follow my carrer and learn chess Youtube Channel