Gibraltar starts with a simul

Play in the Tradewise Gibraltar Masters starts at 15.00 local time (GMT+1) on Tuesday 26 January 2016, with live commentary from GM Simon Williams and IM Elisabeth Paehtz throughout. There is play every subsequent day at this time until Thursday 4 February 2016, when the tenth final round starts earlier at 11.00 (GMT+1). Live coverage may be found via the official website.

This year the field is stronger than ever before. Apart from former World Champion Viswanathan Anand and Hikaru Nakamura, currently number six in the world on the FIDE, top players such as Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Pentala Harikrishna, Li Chao, Yu Yangyi, and others start in Gibraltar. Ten players have an Elo-ranking of 2700 or more.

Starting list:

No.		Name	FideID	FED	Rtg
1	GM	Nakamura Hikaru	2016192	USA	2787
2	GM	Vachier-Lagrave Maxime	623539	FRA	2785
3	GM	Anand Viswanathan	5000017	IND	2784
4	GM	Harikrishna P.	5007003	IND	2755
5	GM	Li Chao B	8604436	CHN	2751
6	GM	Yu Yangyi	8603820	CHN	2747
7	GM	Jakovenko Dmitry	4122356	RUS	2732
8	GM	Wojtaszek Radoslaw	1118358	POL	2727
9	GM	Rapport Richard	738590	HUN	2721
10	GM	Fressinet Laurent	608742	FRA	2700
11	GM	Bacrot Etienne	605506	FRA	2697
12	GM	Ni Hua	8601160	CHN	2697
13	GM	Naiditsch Arkadij	4650891	AZE	2696
14	GM	Ragger Markus	1610856	AUT	2689
15	GM	Howell David W L	410608	ENG	2685
16	GM	Almasi Zoltan	702293	HUN	2684
17	GM	Short Nigel D	400025	ENG	2684
18	GM	Bruzon Batista Lazaro	3503739	CUB	2666
19	GM	Kamsky Gata	2000024	USA	2665
20	GM	Duda Jan-Krzysztof	1170546	POL	2660
21	GM	Ganguly Surya Shekhar	5002150	IND	2660
22	GM	Sutovsky Emil	2802007	ISR	2647
23	GM	Vidit Santosh Gujrathi	5029465	IND	2642
24	GM	Anton Guijarro David	2285525	ESP	2639
25	GM	Sethuraman S.P.	5021596	IND	2639

... 250 players

To start the Festival Radoslaw Wojtaszek and Alina Kashlinskaya gave a simultaneous exhibition in the Hotel Caleta.

Tournament director Stuart Conquest greets the two grandmasters

Alina Kashlinskaya and Radoslaw Wojtaszek

Radoslaw Wojtaszek

Alina Kashlinskaya

Occasionally you just have to take your time. Here Alina Kashlinskaya tries
to find the right move against the daughter of Swedish grandmaster Pia Cramling.

Advice is welcome

Former World Champion Vishy Anand came for a visit and had a chat with Stuart Conquest.

Photos: John Saunders (Tournament page)

The overall prize-fund amounts to 185.000 pounds, of which the winner will receive 20.000 pounds.

The Masters Turnament is played from 26 January to 4 February 2016. On 28 January a four-board-team-blitz-tournament will be played, on 31 January follows a two-board-team-blitz-tournament. The "Battle of the Sexes", a consultation game women against men will be fought on 30 January.

Tournament page...

Chess-results...