Third win in a row for GM Shankland in Capablanca chess tournament

HAVANA, Cuba, May 17 (acn) American Samuel Shankland defeated Cuban Lazaro Bruzon and reaffirmed himself as solo leader of the Elite group of the 2018 Capablanca Memorial Chess Championship, based in Havana´s Habana Libre hotel.

This was Shankland´s third straight win, fourth in general, and this time he won in 40 plays of an English opening and now leads with amount of 5.5 points from possible seven, followed by Russian Aleksey Dreev (4.5), who drew with his countryman Aleksandr Rakhmanov in 19 moves of a Caro Kan defense.
In the other match of the Elite group, Cuban Yusnel Bacallao lost in 50 moves of an English opening to Spanish David Anton, who has been gaining confidence and climbed to third seat with 3.5 units.
Rakhmanov (3), Bacallao (2.5) and Bruzon (2) appear after the leading trio.
Today´s pairings, eighth round, will be between the locals, Shankland vs. Dreev and Rakmanov against Anton.
Meanwhile, the Open group is headed by Cuban Lelys Martinez with six units after defeating his countryman Kevel Oliva.
He is escorted by Peruvians Cristian Cruz and Jose Martinez, and Cubans Omar Almeida and Camilo Gomez, all with 5.5 points.