Salou Open 2026

Best Combinations

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J. Groenendijk – S. Azibekyan
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J. Groenendijk – S. Azibekyan
Blitz
Best combination prize

Prepared and executed by the World Champion in seconds during the Salou Open Blitz.

1. 39-34 8-12? 2. 25-20 14×25 3. 34-30 25×34 4. 24-20 15×24 5. 37-32 28×46 6. 42-37 46×43 7. 48×19
J. Groenendijk – B. Panchenkov
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J. Groenendijk – B. Panchenkov
Regular
Best combination prize

Jan won the best combination prize for this spectacular double — one in Blitz, one in the regular tournament.

1… 9-14? 2. 44-40! 35×44 3. 28-22 17×28 4. 33×22 44×33 5. 38×9 30×48 6. 42-38 13×4 7. 22×2 48×9 8. 32-27 9×31 9. 36×27 1-0
A. Boxum – M. Nederlof
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A. Boxum – M. Nederlof
Regular

A precise endgame combination that decides the game in the regular tournament.

35-30 24×35 33-29 35-40 29×7 40×49 27-21 16×27 32×25 49×1 48-43 1×40 45×34 6-11 26-21 19-24 43-39 24-30 25-20 15×24 34×25 1-0
D. Staal – A. Gantvarg
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D. Staal – A. Gantvarg
Regular

This combination could become the best combination of the tournament if would be executed in the game.

33...18-22 34. 27x16 6-11 35. 16x7 17-22 36. 28x17 23-29 37. 34x23 19x48 38. 30x10 48x1 39. 25x12 1x5 40. 36-31 5-32 41. 35-30 13-18 42. 30-24 18-22
S. Faucher – F. Sniedzewski
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S. Faucher – F. Sniedzewski
Regular

White mad a mistake that should be fatal (finally they escaped). Young Polish player reacted with a nice combination.

23. 38-33? 14-19! 24. 25x23 13-19 25. 24x4 3-9 26. 4x13 8x50 27. 42-38 22-28 28. 32x23 17-21 29. 38-32 50-6 30. 48-42 18-22 31. 29-24 7-11 32. 31-27 22x31 33. 36x27 11-17 34. 23-19 6-1 35. 27-22 17x28 36. 32x23 12-18 37. 23x12 1x20 38. 19-13 20-3 39. 45-40 2-7 40. 42-38 7-12 41. 35-30 12-18 42. 13x22 3-9 43. 37-32 9x31 44. 32-28 31-18 45. 30-24 18x45 46. 24-19 21-27 ( 46... 45-34 $1 47. 19-13 34-43 48. 38-33 43-27 49. 13-8 27-22 50. 28x17 21x3 ) 47. 19-13
K. van Amerongen – R. Geurtsen
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K. van Amerongen – R. Geurtsen
Regular

This original and hidden opening combination was long seen as a frontrunner for the best combination prize.

17… 22-27 18. 31×22 12-18 (White resigned, because of 19. 23×12 17×8 20. 26×17 24-29 21. 33×24 13-18 22. 22×13 11×35)
J. Pronk – L. Turiy
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J. Pronk – L. Turiy
Regular

After a mistake of Black, White realized a not complex but spectacular combination.

40… 14-19? 41. 26-21 17×26 42. 37-31 26×30 43. 35×2 23×34 44. 27-21 16×38 45. 2×27
I. Kirzner – F. Tol
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I. Kirzner – F. Tol
Regular

White realized a positional forcing ending with a nice combination.

37. 29-24! 17-22 38. 33-29 22×31 39. 26×37 2-8 40. 24-20 14×25 41. 30-24 19×30 42. 39-33 30×28 43. 49-44 23×34 44. 32×5 13-18 45. 5-32 25-30 46. 32-49
A. Schotanus – A. Mogilyansky
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A. Schotanus – A. Mogilyansky
Regular

White prepared and executed very interesting 2 variants combination. Hidden enough to surprise a Grandmaster.

34… 18-23? 35. 27-21!! 16×27 ( 35… 26×17 36. 28-22 17×28 37. 35-30 24×33 38. 38×18 13×22 39. 32×5 ) 36. 32×21 23×34 37. 40×20 26×17 38. 20-14 9×20 39. 25×5 19-24