Elista Grand Prix starts, with wins by Jakovenko and Gashimov

by ChessBase
12/14/2008 – Originally scheduled for Doha in Qatar, the third FIDE Grand Prix had to be hurriedly moved to Elista, Kalmykia, causing a number of withdrawals. Still, it is a category 19 event, which started with a colorful opening ceremony and two decisive games, one of which ended an 82-game unbeaten streak by the Chinese GM Wang Yue. Playchess.com is broadcasting the games live. Illustrated report.

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FIDE Grand Prix in Elista 2008

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 one results

Round 1: Sunday December 14, 2008

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.

Picture Gallery


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


FIDE Grand Prix Elista 2008 – Schedule and results

Round 1: Sunday December 14, 2008

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

Round 2: Monday, December 15, 2008

Rustam Kasimzhanov
-
Pavel Eljanov
Evgeny Alexeev
-
Vugar Gashimov
Wang Yue
-
Ernesto Inarkiev
Vladimir Akopian
-
Dmitry Jakovenko
Alexander Grischuk
-
Peter Leko
Ivan Cheparinov
-
Shakh. Mamedyarov
Etienne Bacrot
-
Teimour Radjabov
GamesReport

Round 3: Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Teimour Radjabov
-
Rustam Kasimzhanov
Shakh. Mamedyarov
-
Etienne Bacrot
Peter Leko
-
Ivan Cheparinov
Dmitry Jakovenko
-
Alexander Grischuk
Ernesto Inarkiev
-
Vladimir Akopian
Vugar Gashimov
-
Wang Yue
Pavel Eljanov
-
Evgeny Alexeev
GamesReport

Round 4: Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Rustam Kasimzhanov
-
Evgeny Alexeev
Wang Yue
-
Pavel Eljanov
Vladimir Akopian
-
Vugar Gashimov
Alexander Grischuk
-
Ernesto Inarkiev
Ivan Cheparinov
-
Dmitry Jakovenko
Etienne Bacrot
-
Peter Leko
Teimour Radjabov
-
Shakh. Mamedyarov
GamesReport

Round 5: Thursday, December 18, 2008

Shakh. Mamedyarov
-
Rustam Kasimzhanov
Peter Leko
-
Teimour Radjabov
Dmitry Jakovenko
-
Etienne Bacrot
Ernesto Inarkiev
-
Ivan Cheparinov
Vugar Gashimov
-
Alexander Grischuk
Pavel Eljanov
-
Vladimir Akopian
Evgeny Alexeev
-
Wang Yue
GamesReport

Round 6: Saturday, December 20, 2008

Rustam Kasimzhanov
-
Wang Yue
Vladimir Akopian
-
Evgeny Alexeev
Alexander Grischuk
-
Pavel Eljanov
Ivan Cheparinov
-
Vugar Gashimov
Etienne Bacrot
-
Ernesto Inarkiev
Teimour Radjabov
-
Dmitry Jakovenko
Shakh. Mamedyarov
-
Peter Leko
GamesReport

Round 7: Sunday, December 21, 2008

Peter Leko
-
Rustam Kasimzhanov
Dmitry Jakovenko
-
Shakh. Mamedyarov
Ernesto Inarkiev
-
Teimour Radjabov
Vugar Gashimov
-
Etienne Bacrot
Pavel Eljanov
-
Ivan Cheparinov
Evgeny Alexeev
-
Alexander Grischuk
Wang Yue
-
Vladimir Akopian
GamesReport

Round 8: Monday, December 22, 2008

Rustam Kasimzhanov
-
Vladimir Akopian
Alexander Grischuk
-
Wang Yue
Ivan Cheparinov
-
Evgeny Alexeev
Etienne Bacrot
-
Pavel Eljanov
Teimour Radjabov
-
Vugar Gashimov
Shakh. Mamedyarov
-
Ernesto Inarkiev
Peter Leko
-
Dmitry Jakovenko
GamesReport

Round 9: Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Dmitry Jakovenko
-
Rustam Kasimzhanov
Ernesto Inarkiev
-
Peter Leko
Vugar Gashimov
-
Shakh. Mamedyarov
Pavel Eljanov
-
Teimour Radjabov
Evgeny Alexeev
-
Etienne Bacrot
Wang Yue
-
Ivan Cheparinov
Vladimir Akopian
-
Alexander Grischuk
GamesReport

Round 10: Thursday, December 25, 2008

Rustam Kasimzhanov
-
Alexander Grischuk
Ivan Cheparinov
-
Vladimir Akopian
Etienne Bacrot
-
Wang Yue
Teimour Radjabov
-
Evgeny Alexeev
Shakh. Mamedyarov
-
Pavel Eljanov
Peter Leko
-
Vugar Gashimov
Dmitry Jakovenko
-
Ernesto Inarkiev
GamesReport

Round 11: Friday, December 26, 2008

Ernesto Inarkiev
-
Rustam Kasimzhanov
Vugar Gashimov
-
Dmitry Jakovenko
Pavel Eljanov
-
Peter Leko
Evgeny Alexeev
-
Shakh. Mamedyarov
Wang Yue
-
Teimour Radjabov
Vladimir Akopian
-
Etienne Bacrot
Alexander Grischuk
-
Ivan Cheparinov
GamesReport

Round 12: Saturday, December 27, 2008

Rustam Kasimzhanov
-
Ivan Cheparinov
Etienne Bacrot
-
Alexander Grischuk
Teimour Radjabov
-
Vladimir Akopian
Shakh. Mamedyarov
-
Wang Yue
Peter Leko
-
Evgeny Alexeev
Dmitry Jakovenko
-
Pavel Eljanov
Ernesto Inarkiev
-
Vugar Gashimov
GamesReport

Round 13: Sunday, December 28, 2008

Vugar Gashimov
-
Rustam Kasimzhanov
Pavel Eljanov
-
Ernesto Inarkiev
Evgeny Alexeev
-
Dmitry Jakovenko
Wang Yue
-
Peter Leko
Vladimir Akopian
-
Shakh. Mamedyarov
Alexander Grischuk
-
Teimour Radjabov
Ivan Cheparinov
-
Etienne Bacrot
GamesReport
Monday, December 29, 2008
Departure

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