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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.
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
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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
LinksThe 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 a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs. |