
The venue is the International informational exhibition centre “InfoProstranstvo”
(above) in Moscow, and the total prize fund of all tournaments in the festival
amounts to US $150,000. This year's event is especial because it is the 90th
anniversary of the leading Russian airline that lends it its name.
Schedule
-
February 12-13: qualifying rapid tournament, a nine round
Swiss played at 15 minutes per game plus 10 seconds per move increment.
-
February 14: massive blitz tournament with eight guest
stars (e.g. Alexander Grischuk, Peter Svidler, Dmitry Andreikin, Sergey
Karjakin, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Wang Hao and Shahriyar Mammadyarov). Nine
round Swiss, three minutes per game plus two seconds increment per move.
Prize fund US $50,000.
-
February 15: Knockout tournament with 32 winners of the
qualifying rounds. In each round two games are played, at 15 minutes per
game plus 10 seconds increment per move. In case of a draw there will be
an Armageddon blitz – 5 minutes (White) vs 4 minutes (Black) + 3 seconds
increment, which White must win. Eight winners go into the main final. Participants
who took places 9-16 get $1,500, places 17-32 get $ 1,000.
-
February 16-17: Grand Final with eight guest stars (Alexander
Grischuk, Peter Svidler, Dmitry Andreikin, Sergey Karjakin, Ian Nepomniachtchi,
Wang Hao and Shahriyar Mammadyarov) and the eight winners of the qualifying
competition. Knock-out system, with two games at 15 minutes per game plus
10 seconds per move and Armageddon tie break. Prize fund $72,000 (1st 16,000,
2nd 10,000, 3-4 $6,000, 5-8 $3,500, 9-16 $2,500).
-
February 17: closing ceremonies (February 18 departure).

February 11th was the day of arrival of the participants and, at 8 p.m.
the opening ceremony was
held. It started with images from previous tournaments projected on a giant
video screen.

Arkady Dvorkovich, who is the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Russian
Chess Federation and also Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, spoke
to the visitors. On the right in the above pictures is Vitaly Savelyev, the
Director General of Aeroflot Airlines.

Guest of honour at this year's tournament: 12th World Champion Anatoly Karpov
In the audience: US GM Gata Kamsky, top seed in this event with a rating
of 2760

The playing venue of the 2013 Aeroflot Open in Moscow

In the lead after four rounds: Ukrainian GM Anton Korobov, rated 2733

In third place: GM Surya Ganguly winning his fourth game against Pavel Tregubov

4th: GM Inarkiev Ernesto, RUS, rated 2628, with 4.0/4 points

6th: GM Sanan Sjugirov from Kalmykia, 2633, with 4.0/4 points

7th: Le Quang Liem, Vietnam, 2011 winner of the Aeroflot Tournament

11th: French GM Laurent Fressinet, second seed in the event, rated 2750,
3.5/4

12th Gata Kamsky (background) and 29th Rustam Kasimdzhanov

30th: Ukrainian GM Natalia Zhukova, rated 2428, with 3.0/4 points
Top rankings after Round Four

Russian GM Tatiana Kosintseva, rated 2509, with 2.5/4 points

Indian GM Harika Dronavalli, rated 2507, with 2.0/4 points

A young unidentified player (please send us the name!)

Spectators around a particularly interesting game
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