
After a couple of years hiatus the Aeroflot Open is back!
The classic event has been more than just a massive super-strong series of opens, it has been the proving grounds for the players on the rise, a rich source of norms, and competition for all levels divided into three opens. It also has a richly doted blitz tournament at the end, free of entry for those registered in tournaments A and B.
Winning the A tournament is a notable point of prestige for a player, and has heralded many a new star on the come. What is so special about it that even the grandmasters come with the intention of just playing hard, fighting hard? To start with, there is the cutoff point: you need to be rated 2550 just to play. Granted the organizers do make a few exceptions, notably for young players expected to do better than their rating suggests, but no other Open in the world has such a stiff requirement. On top of that the winner of the Aeroflot Open A section will directly qualify for the Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Meeting later this year.
This year's top 30 participants:
The Aeroflot Open will not top the Gibraltar Open in terms of raw strength at the top, but it more than makes up for it in sheer number of grandmaster players. The tournament only has 72 players, and the organizers only granted a few exceptions for players under 2550 to be able to participate. The lowest rated player is the Kazakh sensation Zhansaya Abdumalik, who comes from a fantastic performance in Reykjavik.

Organizer Alexander Bach addressing the crowd

Ashot Vardapetyan and Elina Danielian

Top seed Shakhriyar Mamedyarov

At 2653 Alexander Motylev would easily be the top seed in most opens, but not in Aeroflot

Anton Korobov from Ukraine

A little champagne to kick off the festivities
Round One - Top Boards
Already from the first round results it is obvious that this is not a normal Swiss. True, the top rated players are still playing against underdogs, but instead of the usual 300 or 400 point gap, there is but a 150-170 difference at the most. Many draws were seen and a couple of surprises, the most notable probably being the victory of Lu Shanglei over Matlakov. The Chinese player had already made headlines when he beat Carlsen last year in the World Blitz Championship.
Mamedyarov was playing the strong player Savchenko, but to say he had no problems would be a euphemism:
1.e4 | 1,185,008 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 959,510 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 286,503 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 184,834 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,892 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,600 | 54% | 2428 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,954 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,911 | 50% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,791 | 48% | 2379 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,250 | 54% | 2406 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,081 | 49% | 2409 | --- |
1.d3 | 969 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 670 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
1.h4 | 466 | 54% | 2382 | --- |
1.c3 | 439 | 51% | 2425 | --- |
1.h3 | 289 | 56% | 2420 | --- |
1.a4 | 118 | 60% | 2461 | --- |
1.f3 | 100 | 47% | 2427 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 93 | 66% | 2506 | --- |
1.Na3 | 47 | 62% | 2476 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Qc2 c5 8.Rd1 cxd4 9.Rxd4 Bb4?! 9...Qa5 10.Bg3 Nb6!? 11.Nd2 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Bd3 h6 12.0-0 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nxf4 14.exf4± Qc7 15.Rd1 Nc5? 15...b6 16.Bh7+ Kh8 17.Ne5 g5 17...b6 18.Rd8! Rxd8 18...Bb7 19.R8d7! Nxd7 20.Rxd7 Qc8 21.Rxf7 19.Rxd8+ Qxd8 20.Nxf7# 18.Bg6! gxf4 18...fxg6 19.Nxg6+ Kg7 20.Nxf8 Kxf8 21.Qg6+- 19.Qe2! 1–0
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Mamedyarov,S | 2756 | Savchenko,B | 2581 | 1–0 | 2015 | D37 | 12th Aeroflot Open 2015 | 1 |
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Vladimir Potkin also dispatched his opponent in a brilliant manner:
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.e3 0-0 8.b3 Ba7 9.Qc2 Re8 10.Bb2 h6 11.Nh4 Bd7 12.a3 Qc8 13.f4 Nd4 14.Qd3 Nxb3 15.fxe5 Ng4 15...dxe5 16.Rxf6! Nxa1 17.Bd5! 16.Nd5! 16.Rae1 Nxe5 17.Qc2 Nc5 18.d4 Ncd3 19.dxe5 Nxe1 20.Rxe1 dxe5∞ 16...Nc5 16...Nxa1 17.Rxf7! 17.exd6 17...Kxf7 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.e6! 17.Qc2 dxe5 17...Be6 18.exd6 cxd6 19.Nf5+- 18.Rxf7! Kxf7 19.Qh7 Ke6 20.Nf5! Na4 21.Nxc7+ 21.Nxc7+ Qxc7 22.Qg6+ Nf6 23.Bd5# 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Potkin,V | 2605 | Tabatabaei,M | 2448 | 1–0 | 2015 | A29 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.31 |
Please, wait...
Round Two Pairings
Only 22 people remain unscathed from the first round, and the top matches already promise interesting chess. The top game will be between Khairullin-Mamedyarov, not an easy task for the top seed to continue on a perfect score.
Photos Boris Dolmatovski
Replay Round One Games

1.e4 | 1,185,008 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 959,510 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 286,503 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 184,834 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,892 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,600 | 54% | 2428 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,954 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,911 | 50% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,791 | 48% | 2379 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,250 | 54% | 2406 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,081 | 49% | 2409 | --- |
1.d3 | 969 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 670 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
1.h4 | 466 | 54% | 2382 | --- |
1.c3 | 439 | 51% | 2425 | --- |
1.h3 | 289 | 56% | 2420 | --- |
1.a4 | 118 | 60% | 2461 | --- |
1.f3 | 100 | 47% | 2427 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 93 | 66% | 2506 | --- |
1.Na3 | 47 | 62% | 2476 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Qc2 c5 8.Rd1 cxd4 9.Rxd4 Bb4 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Bd3 h6 12.0-0 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nxf4 14.exf4 Qc7 15.Rd1 Nc5 16.Bh7+ Kh8 17.Ne5 g5 18.Bg6 gxf4 19.Qe2 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Mamedyarov,S | 2756 | Savchenko,B | 2581 | 1–0 | 2015 | D37 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.1 |
Bogdanovich,S | 2581 | Nepomniachtchi,I | 2714 | ½–½ | 2015 | E60 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.2 |
Rapport,R | 2709 | Bluebaum,M | 2576 | 1–0 | 2015 | C00 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.3 |
Grigoriants,S | 2573 | Vallejo Pons,F | 2708 | ½–½ | 2015 | B54 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.4 |
Inarkiev,E | 2706 | Jumabayev,R | 2572 | 1–0 | 2015 | C67 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.5 |
Esen,B | 2571 | Korobov,A | 2694 | 0–1 | 2015 | D37 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.6 |
Matlakov,M | 2693 | Lu,S | 2570 | 0–1 | 2015 | D36 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.7 |
Yilmaz,M | 2570 | Sasikiran,K | 2682 | 0–1 | 2015 | D11 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.8 |
Fedoseev,V | 2674 | Sandipan,C | 2569 | 1–0 | 2015 | D43 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.9 |
Stupak,K | 2567 | Grachev,B | 2673 | ½–½ | 2015 | D02 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.10 |
Petrosian,T | 2671 | Kotronias,V | 2565 | 1–0 | 2015 | A01 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.11 |
Oparin,G | 2562 | Sjugirov,S | 2669 | ½–½ | 2015 | B90 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.12 |
Kovalenko,I | 2661 | Can,E | 2555 | 1–0 | 2015 | E97 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.13 |
Mozharov,M | 2555 | Mamedov,R | 2658 | ½–½ | 2015 | E60 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.14 |
Zvjaginsev,V | 2658 | Gabuzyan,H | 2553 | 1–0 | 2015 | B22 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.15 |
Wagner,D | 2549 | Motylev,A | 2653 | ½–½ | 2015 | D11 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.16 |
Khismatullin,D | 2650 | Ernst,S | 2530 | ½–½ | 2015 | A07 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.17 |
Predke,A | 2530 | Adhiban,B | 2646 | 0–1 | 2015 | E97 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.18 |
Kobalia,M | 2632 | Antipov,M | 2529 | 1–0 | 2015 | B52 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.19 |
Al-Sayed,M | 2511 | Iturrizaga Bonelli,E | 2630 | ½–½ | 2015 | E15 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.20 |
Khairullin,I | 2630 | Svane,R | 2509 | 1–0 | 2015 | A07 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.21 |
Gundavaa,B | 2505 | Dubov,D | 2627 | 0–1 | 2015 | A40 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.22 |
Salgado Lopez,I | 2627 | Batchuluun,T | 2499 | 1–0 | 2015 | C11 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.23 |
Idani,P | 2496 | Vidit,S | 2625 | 0–1 | 2015 | B48 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.24 |
Sethuraman,S | 2623 | Van Foreest,J | 2493 | 0–1 | 2015 | B48 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.25 |
Sanal,V | 2487 | Bukavshin,I | 2618 | ½–½ | 2015 | C65 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.26 |
Tregubov,P | 2617 | Ankit,R | 2477 | ½–½ | 2015 | D10 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.27 |
Vishnu Prasanna,V | 2477 | Anton Guijarro,D | 2614 | ½–½ | 2015 | A80 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.28 |
Khalifman,A | 2613 | Kuderinov,K | 2465 | 1–0 | 2015 | E63 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.29 |
Tran,T | 2455 | Ponkratov,P | 2613 | 0–1 | 2015 | A15 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.30 |
Potkin,V | 2605 | Tabatabaei,M | 2448 | 1–0 | 2015 | A29 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.31 |
Swayams,M | 2440 | Salem,A | 2603 | ½–½ | 2015 | D93 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.32 |
Goganov,A | 2598 | Kovalevskaya,E | 2438 | ½–½ | 2015 | D36 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.33 |
Korobkov,P | 2423 | Shimanov,A | 2594 | ½–½ | 2015 | A40 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.34 |
Svetushkin,D | 2592 | Asgarizadeh,A | 2412 | 1–0 | 2015 | D20 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.35 |
Abdumalik,Z | 2379 | Bok,B | 2587 | 0–1 | 2015 | C96 | Aeroflot Open A 2015 | 1.36 |
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