Denis Lazavik Wins KazChess Masters; Mark Smirnov Earns First GM Norm

GM Denis Lazavik won the KazChess Masters in Almaty with an unbeaten 6½/9, finishing half a point ahead of Daniil Dubov. The 19-year-old scored four wins and five draws. Fourteen-year-old Kazakh IM Mark Smirnov shared third on 5½/9, recorded a 2666 tournament performance, and earned his first grandmaster norm. Source: ChessBase’s November 3 report.