FIDE Grand Prix in Jermuk has started

Fifth FIDE Grand Prix in Jermuk, Armenia

This is a Category 19 event, with eleven GM rated over 2700. They include Armenia's top GM Levon Aronian who after convincing first place finishes in Sochi and Nalchik stands to earn the right to play in the 2010 qualification for the right to challenge the World Champion.

The Fifth FIDE Grand Prix is being played on the occasion of World Champion Tigran Petrosian’s 80th anniversary. Petrosian is still an Armenian hero who symbolized the overcoming of the difficulties faced by the Armenian nation.

For Armenians everywhere Petrosian embodied achievement of excellence in chess, the most intellectual and competitive of games. His chess style was enigmatic, misunderstood, underappreciated. He lived his life with passion and exuberance, until cancer took him much too prematurely. Like any world champion, his legacy is immortal, his games are unique creations which will be loved forever, and we are the lucky ones to benefit from his genius.

It is appropriate that the Grand Prix tournament in Jermuk, Armenia is held in Petrosian’s honor, on the occasion of his 80th anniversary. He would most definitely be present at this event, encouraging all participants to achieve the greatest heights in the game he loved.

The location of the Grand Prix is Jermuk in Armenia. The word Jermuk, the official web site tells us, comes from the Armenian word for warmth, a reference to its plentiful hot natural springs and mineral waters. This picturesque and pristine resort is located 170 km south-east from Armenia's capital Yerevan, nestled in mountains rising over 2000 meters in hight. In addition to its natural beauty, Jermuk also boasts significant historical and spiritual importance. In the environs surrounding the town are the 10th-13th century churches and monasteries of Gndevank, St. Astvatsatsin, Noravank, and Tanahat, among others. Not surprisingly, Jermuk was also the vacation residence of various Armenian royalty dating back two millennia.

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Today Jermuk is experiencing a revitalized growth of tourism as health spas, medical treatment and tourism, and more traditional touristic destinations offer their services to both local and international guests. An inviting climate and forested, hilly terrain complete the picture of an ideal vacation hot spot.

A scene from the opening ceremony in Jermuk...

...which becomed dark and romantic later that night

Levon Aronian and Armenian chess fans enjoying the celebrations

Round one

The first round round was started in the presence of FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

The two presidents made the ceremonial first moves of the game Ivanchuk-Aronian...

... and then sat down to a friendly blitz game which ended in a sporting draw

The first round brought two wins and five draws. Bulgarian GM Ivan Cheparinov took a pawn off his Russian opponent Dmitri Jakovenko in a Four Knights Opening, and went on to convert it into a full point in the rook endgame.

Peter Leko, who had the black pieces against Ernesto Inarkiev, sacrificed a pawn and launched a deadly attack against the white king.

Inarkiev,E (2675) - Leko,P (2756) [C88]
5th FIDE GP Jermuk ARM (1), 09.08.2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.a3 Qd7 11.Nc3 Rfe8 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Nd5 Be7 15.c3 Nd8 16.d4 exd4 17.Nxd4 Bf8 18.Re3 Bxd5 19.Bxd5 c6 20.Ba2 g6 21.f4 c5 22.Nc2 c4 23.Kh1

23...d5! An interesting attacking idea by the Hungarian GM. 24.exd5 Nb7 25.Qf3 Bc5 26.Re5 Bd6 27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Nd4 Nc5 29.Rf1 Ne4 30.Rd1 Qe7 31.g3 Bc5 32.Kg2 Nd6 33.Rf1 Bxd4 34.cxd4 Nf5 35.Kh2 Qe2+ 36.Qf2 Qxf2+ 37.Rxf2 Re1 38.Rd2 Kf8 39.g4 Ne3 40.Kg3 Ra1 41.Kf3 Nxd5 42.Ke4 Nf6+ 43.Ke5 Re1+

Now White has only the choice between losing the rook after 44.Kd6 Ne4+ or taking the knight, which has a major disadvantage: 44.Kxf6 Re6 mate! A well-played game by Peter Leko. 0-1.

Inarkiev and Leko in the press conference with IM Lilit Mkrtchian after their game

All photos courtesy of FIDE

FIDE Grand Prix Jermuk 2009 – Schedule and results

The games start at 15:00h Armenian time (12:00 noon CEST, 11:00h London, 6 a.m. New York and 3 a.m. California). Full live coverage, including discussion and analysis with thousands of other visitors, is available on Playchess.

Links Full information on the FIDE site All ChessBase reports on the Jermuk GP All games in PGN The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!