The traditional Aeroflot Open is being staged in Moscow from February 7 (arrival) to 17 (departure), 2006 at the Hotel Gamma (part of the Tourist Complex "Ismailovo"). The Festival consists of four nine-round Swiss tournaments, with a total prize fund of US $175,000. The winner of A1 tournament will be invited to play in the Dortmund Sparkassen Meeting, which takes place from July 23 to August 5, 2006.
After three rounds there are 12 players with 2.5 points: Akopian, Korotylev, Malakhov, Popov, Dyachkov, Naiditsch, Eljanov, Petrosian, Alekeev, Kuzubov, Vachier-Lagrave and Fressinet. There were no major upsets so far. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov finally won a game yesterday after 22 games without a win in a row, and looked very happy. Kiril Georgiev, the winner of the Gibraltar open, recovered after the first round loss, winning his next two games. The highest-rated female player Alexandra Kosteniuk defeated Murtas Kazhgaleev yesterday and now has 2 points, as well as the only past winner of the Aeroflot participating this year, Viorel Bologan.
It looks to me like Ukrainian Pavel Eljanov is ready to make a big step forward. A very well schooled and consistent player, he is superbly prepared in all stages of the game, and has no problem with keeping cool during the game. the Ukrainian group is really impressive here – Areshchenko, Efimenko, Eljanov, and even young Kuzubov are all doing well.
In the tournament A1 two IMs, Krapivkin and Hoffmann, have a 100% score after three rounds, leaving more than 40 GMs behind. Like Corus B, Aeroflot B event is an exciting competition alone, it is sufficient to mention just a few names: Gagunashvili (who defeated Grischuk in one of the earlier Aeroflots in the Evans Gambit), world champion Stefanova, the brilliant analyst Sergey Ivanov, the immensely experienced Psakhis, living and playing legend Sveshnikov, etc.
The only fault of this year’s Aeroflot open is that it coincides with the Winter Olympics. Maybe this is why Magnus Carlsen did not show up; Norwegians love their ski jumping more than chess. Russians prefer figure skating, and figure skating competitions take place after the end of the Aeroflot festival, so…
Picture Gallery
Tournament C has the most colorful lineup
Vera Nikolayevnya Tikhomirova, grandmother of Russian chess, in tournament
C
Young and old, all together in Tournament C
Anvar Tourdyev, Moscow
conservatory champion, Moscow open winner (under 2200 section) and ChessBase
contributor
Tournament B participants Anna Burtasova (left) and Vera Nebolsina (right).
FM Carmen Voicu from Romania is in the middle
They did not understand each other’s language, but analysed together
for at least half an hour
German GM Arkadij Naiditsch in Moscow
French IM Almira Skripchenko
Evgeny Najer, who has recovered from the illness that prevented him from
playing in the Russian superfinal
Still very much alive and playing chess: Evgeny Sveshnikov
Top female player at Aeroflot 2006: Alexandra Kosteniuk
American GM Alexander Shabalov
Indian GM Sandipan Chunda
GM Zviad Izoria from Georgia, who pocketed $50,000 at the HB Global Chess
Challenge in the United States last year
Vlad Tkachiev, as we love him. He is not playing this time
A fitness center ad in the hotel
The hotel’s internet café
