Dutch Championship 1998
Sokolov wins seven games and finishes a point clear in Rotterdam
Ivan Sokolov turned a full-strength Dutch Championship into a clear personal victory. He escaped several difficult moments, never lost, won seven of eleven games and scored 9/11—a full point ahead of Jan Timman.
Seven victories, no defeats
Sokolov drew with the other four members of the top five—Timman, Predrag Nikolić, Loek van Wely and Jeroen Piket—and defeated everyone else. That undefeated +7 =4 record was enough for a clear one-point margin.
A strong podium
Timman took second on 8, Nikolić third on 7½ and Van Wely fourth on 7. Former Netherlands footballer Willem van Hanegem performed the ceremonial opening, but once play began the event belonged to Sokolov's sustained scoring pace.
Final standings
| # | Player | Score | Record | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sokolov, Ivan | 9/11 | +7 -0 =4 | games |
| 2 | Timman, Jan H | 8/11 | +6 -1 =4 | games |
| 3 | Nikolic, Predrag | 7½/11 | +5 -1 =5 | games |
| 4 | Van Wely, Loek | 7/11 | +5 -2 =4 | games |
| 5 | Piket, Jeroen | 6/11 | +3 -2 =6 | games |
| 6 | Van der Wiel, John | 5/11 | +2 -3 =6 | games |
| =7 | Nijboer, Friso | 4½/11 | +3 -5 =3 | games |
| =7 | Sosonko, Gennadi | 4½/11 | +2 -4 =5 | games |
| 9 | Ernst, Sipke | 4/11 | +2 -5 =4 | games |
| =10 | Van der Weide, Karel | 3½/11 | +3 -7 =1 | games |
| =10 | Reinderman, Dimitri | 3½/11 | +2 -6 =3 | games |
| =10 | Van der Sterren, Paul | 3½/11 | +1 -5 =5 | games |
Cross Table
| Rank | Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sokolov, Ivan | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2 | Timman, Jan H | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | |
| 3 | Nikolic, Predrag | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | |
| 4 | Van Wely, Loek | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | |
| 5 | Piket, Jeroen | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 6 | Van der Wiel, John | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | |
| 7 | Nijboer, Friso | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | |
| 8 | Sosonko, Gennadi | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | |
| 9 | Ernst, Sipke | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | |
| 10 | Van der Weide, Karel | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 11 | Reinderman, Dimitri | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 12 | Van der Sterren, Paul | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 |
Each cell shows the row player's recorded results against the column player. ● = same player.