Short and Dreev lead in Tai Yuan

Tai Yuan GM Tournament

The Tai Yuan GM is taking place in China from July 17th to 26th July 2004. The time control is 90 minutes for 40 moves, plus 15 minutes for the remaining moves, and a 30 seconds increment per move for the entire game. The prize fund is $20,000. Play starts 14:00h local time (GMT+8). The final round begins at 10:00 am local time.

Standing after six rounds

• All the games played so far in PGN
• Official web site (in Chinese)
• Live coverage Note that the URL for round six is http://www.sinago.com/chess/2004chess(6).htm. You may have to change the number for the remaining rounds.

Picture gallery

Press conference with the players before the start of the tournament

A children's dance number at the openings ceremony

And one we have never seen before: a local food masters show

The four-star SanJin International Hotel, where the games are being played

Smbat Lputian vs Nigel Short, in round two

Alexei Dreev kibitzes on the game Bu Xiangzhi vs Ye Jiangchuan

At one time Bu Xiangzhi was the youngest GM in history

Top player from France: GM Joel Lautier

The only female player in the tournament: GM Xie Jun

Chinese GM Xu Jun

China's top player GM Ye Jiangchuan

Spectators listening to analysis by experts

Sensation in round 6: GM Ni Hua beats GM Smbat Lputian with black in 70 moves

Nigel Short giving a ten-board simul for young Chinese players

Ni Hua playing with against younger kids

China's number one Ye Jiangchuan against the youngest

All pictures by courtesy of the official web site. The information and links were provided by Fang Zhang, a chess fan, freelance writer, dramatist, poet and historian, who lives in Belgium. Earlier spectacularly illustrated reports by Fang Zhang:

• The Beijing Chess Challenge (with profiles of the Chinese players)
• Chess in China
• Kings vs Queens Match in China
• Tandem Chess in China