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The Third FIDE Grand Prix tournament is taking place in Elista from December 13 to 29, 2008. Despite the recent withdrawals and the absence of players like Anand, Kramnik and Topalov, the tournament is very strong (category 19). The venue, originally Doha, is now "City Chess" in Elista, Kalmykia. There are 14 players from nine countries:
Sd | Surname | Name | Nation | Rating |
1 | Radjabov |
Teimour |
AZE |
2751 |
2 | Leko |
Peter |
HUN |
2747 |
3 | Jakovenko |
Dmitry |
RUS |
2737 |
4 | Wang |
Yue |
CHN |
2736 |
5 | Mamedyarov |
Shakhriyar |
AZE |
2731 |
6 | Eljanov |
Pavel |
UKR |
2720 |
7 | Grischuk |
Alexander |
RUS |
2719 |
8 | Alekseev |
Evgeny |
RUS |
2715 |
9 | Bacrot |
Etienne |
FRA |
2705 |
10 | Gashimov |
Vugar |
AZE |
2703 |
11 | Cheparinov |
Ivan |
BUL |
2696 |
12 | Akopian |
Vladimir |
ARM |
2679 |
13 | Kasimzhanov |
Rustam |
UZB |
2672 |
14 | Inarkiev |
Ernesto |
RUS |
2669 |
Round 1: Sunday December 14, 2008 |
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Etienne Bacrot |
½-½ |
Rustam Kasimzhanov |
Teimour Radjabov |
½-½ |
Ivan Cheparinov |
Shakh. Mamedyarov |
½-½ |
Alexander Grischuk |
Peter Leko |
½-½ |
Vladimir Akopian |
Dmitry Jakovenko |
1-0 |
Wang Yue |
Ernesto Inarkiev |
½-½ |
Evgeny Alexeev |
Vugar Gashimov |
1-0 |
Pavel Eljanov |
The most notable result of round one was Jakovenko vs Wang Yue. The Russian GM ended his Chinese colleague's incredible streak of 82 successive games without defeat – a record surpassed only by Mikhail Tal's 93 games in 1973/74 and, more recently, Sergey Tiviakov's 110 games without loss, played from 28.10.2004 until 28.09.2005.
There were a number of short, non-belligerent draws: Bacrot-Kasimdzhanov lasted 13½ moves, while Leko-Akopian and Mamedyarov-Grischuk were both 28 moves long. On the other hand Radjabov-Cheparinov was a hard-fought draw in 45 moves; likewise Inarkiev-Alekseev in 49 moves. The marathon was a 93-mover in which Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan outplayed Ukrainian GM Pavel Eljanov to take a full point.
On arrival at Elista Airport one is greeted by colorfully attired young Kalmyk
ladies
Chinese GM Wang Yue with his silk shawl, which the ladies present to the guests
The colorful (and youthful) opening ceremony for the Elista Grand Prix
Musicians with the local Kalmyk string instruments
A short-skirted lady for each country represented in the Grand Prix
The participants on the stage, grouped according to their countries
The drawing of colors – every player gets to choose a lady with a scroll
Once picked, the lady unscrolls your start number (Teimour Radjabov received the two)
Energetic and athletic male Kalmyk dancers
The audience in the central theatre, the venue of the Grand Prix
Before the start of round one of the Elista Grand Prix
The President of Kalmykia (and FIDE) Kirsan Ilyumzhinov makes the ceremonial
first move in the game Radjabov vs Cheparinov, while the arbiter starts the
clock
Round one of the Grand Prix under way
Photos courtesy FIDE
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