Iniyan beats Malek in tiebreaks to win Dole Trophy in Aix-en-Provence

Malek takes down long-time leader Eljanov in final round

The second edition of the Dole Trophy took place from 19 to 27 July 2025 in Aix-en-Provence, France. Hosted at the Pasino Grand venue, the event featured a 9-round Swiss tournament across three sections: the Masters (rating >2100), the B Open (1700–2200), and the “Petits Zélos” tournament (below 1700). With over 400 participants from more than 40 countries, including 100+ titled players in the Masters alone, the competition brought together a strong international field. The total prize fund exceeded €30,000, with €8,000 awarded to the winner.

The time control for all games was 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment from move one. Among the headliners in the Masters were GMs Jorden Van Foreest, Pavel Eljanov, Nils Grandelius, Jaime Santos Latasa and Maxime Lagarde.

After eight rounds, Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine) led the field with 7/8 points, having agreed to a short 18-move draw with Jakub Seemann (Poland), which secured Seemann his third and final GM norm with one round to spare. Trailing by half a point, along with Seemann, were Jan Malek (Poland) and Iniyan Panneerselvam (India), the latter having just defeated IM Marco Materia (France) to remain in contention.

In the decisive ninth round, both Malek and Iniyan had the white pieces. Malek achieved a notable 38-move victory over tournament leader Eljanov, handing the Ukrainian his first defeat of the event. Meanwhile, Iniyan continued his impressive streak by defeating Seemann – his fourth consecutive win – leading to a shared first place with 7½/9.

Four players finished in shared third place with 7/9 points: Eljanov, Leon Luke Mendonca, Leya Garifullina and Xiongjian Peng. While Eljanov lost his final-round game, the three other players in this group ended the event with a win.

Iniyan Panneerselvam playing white against Jakub Seemann in round nine

The course is designed to provide a deep yet practical repertoire for Black, balancing solid foundations with aggressive counterplay.
The Classical Sicilian has stood the test of time as one of the most principled and fighting defences against 1.e4. With its rich history spanning world championship matches and modern elite tournaments, this opening remains a favourite among players who seek a dynamic, counterattacking approach without venturing into extreme theoretical battles like the Najdorf or Sveshnikov.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: 6.h3

The crucial game between Jan Malek and Pavel Eljanov

The title was decided in a rapid playoff between Malek and Iniyan, consisting of two 15+3 games. The first game ended in a draw, but Iniyan won the second with accurate endgame play to clinch the championship 1½–½.

Malek’s crucial mistake came on move 37, when he impatiently looked for simplifications by playing 37.Na4, when passive defence was called for to take the playoff to Armageddon.

After the natural 37…Bd5, which had been prevented by White all along by keeping the knight on c3, Malek played 38.Rb6 – but this is not checkers, so Black is not forced to capture, and after 38…Re4 39.Rb5 Rxe5 Iniyan had the upper hand with his passers on the kingside.

(Stronger in the diagram above is 37…Rd2, keeping the status quo, and Black will have trouble looking for ways to make progress.)

Iniyan did not take long to convert his advantage into the win that granted him tournament victory. Malek resigned in the following position.

Thus, GM Iniyan Pa emerged as the winner of the 2025 Dole Trophy Masters, rounding off an impressive run in one of the strongest summer opens in France.

In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: Invisible moves

The playoff

Over 400 players made their way to Aix-en-Provence!

Final standings

…276 players

All available games

Links