Grandmaster Denis Kadrić and FIDE master Oleg Jaksin are the only players with perfect scores after four rounds of the 78th Montenegrin Chess Championship. Kadrić defeated Nikola Đukić, while Jaksin beat defending champion Nikita Petrov. Their key matchup is set for the fifth round.
The 78th Montenegrin Chess Championship is underway at the National Library "Radosav Ljumović", organized by the Chess Federation with sponsorship from the Ministry of Sports and Youth. The tournament features 11 rounds in the Swiss system and a prize fund of 15,000 euros.
In the fourth round, grandmaster Denis Kadrić secured a victory over Nikola Đukić with the black pieces. Kadrić gained an advantage after the opening and converted his activity into a full point. Similarly, FIDE master Oleg Jaksin, playing black, defeated defending champion grandmaster Nikita Petrov in a Sicilian Defense. Petrov's lukewarm response in the center allowed Jaksin to win a pawn and then a piece, leading Petrov to resign.
Kadrić and Jaksin remain the sole leaders with maximum points. Half a point behind are FIDE master Miloš Pečurica, who beat Blaž Kalezić with black in a tough endgame after a queen exchange, and Mirsad Đoković, who overcame youngster Mihailo Pušara with black thanks to a more active position. The grandmaster clash between Božidar Ivanovic and Nebojša Nikčević ended in a draw, with Nikčević squandering a significant advantage.
Eleven players share third place with three points, including Petrov, Kalezić, Đukić, Nikčević, Božidar Kisić, Željko Rovčanin, Aleksandar Tomić, Jovan Milović, Veljko Šćekić, Dimitrije Vujović, and Predrag Nikač.
The fifth round begins tomorrow at 4 p.m., highlighting Kadrić-Jaksin (Kadrić with white), Pečurica-Đoković, Milović-Petrov, Šćekić-Đukić, Nikač-Kalezić, Rovčanin-Nikčević, Tomić-Kisić, and Podlesnik-Vujović.
