
İş Bankası - Atatürk International Women Masters Chess Tournament
The tournament, announced
in December last year, will take place from March 10th (arrival) to March 21
(departure) 2008. The venue is the İş Bankası Towers Complex,
which has a total area of 225,000 square meters. It is the largest of its kind
on the European continent. Games start at 14:30h local time (= GMT +2h). March
19 is a free day. The games are being broadcast on Playchess.com.

Tournament venue: the 41st story of the İş Bankası towers
overlooking Istanbul
Round one report
One would expect that after a couple of hours of media buzz, with short time
of preparation after the drawing of lots, some players might be less competitive
on the first day. Actually, it was the other way around. There was an intense
fight on every board, with every game reaching a decision.
Ti. |
Name |
Rtg |
Res. |
Ti. |
Name |
Rtg |
IM |
KRUSH Irina |
2473 |
1-0 |
GM |
CHEN Zhu |
2548 |
IM |
ATALIK Ekaterina |
2408 |
1-0 |
IM |
DRONAVALLI Harika |
2455 |
IM |
JAVAKHISHVILI Lela |
2470 |
1-0 |
WGM |
XUE Zhao |
2517 |
IM |
USHENINA Anna |
2484 |
0-1 |
WGM |
YIFAN Hou |
2527 |
WIM |
YILDIZ Betul Cemre |
2207 |
0-1 |
GM |
CRAMLING Pia |
2524 |
Picture gallery

Before the start of the event: Turkish Chess Federation president Ali Nihat
Yazici discusses the technical regulations with the players and explains the
expectations of the sponsors and the upcoming media attention

An attentive particiant: GM Viktor Bologan. Bologan? Isn't it a women's
tournament? Yes, but Viktor is the second of Zhu Chen, and the two players worked
together in North Urals Cup 2007, Krasnotourinsk

Bologan's charge, former Women's World Champion Zhu Chen from Qatar, talks
to the media

... as does Suat Atalik, Turkey's top GM (and husband of IM Ekaterina Atalik)

TCF President Ali Nihat Yazici speaks to the players and spectators at the
opening ceremony
The Chinese are coming: Xue Zhao and Zhu Chen at the opening ceremony

But this is the one to watch: 13-year-old Hou Yifan comes with a 2527 rating

All the girls, and the president and the sponsor. For the record: Hou, Lela,
Betul, Irina, Pia and Zhao are in front, Ali Nihat, Anna, Ekaterina, Harika,
Zhu and sponsor Suat Sözen in the second row.

Before the start of round one: WGM Zhao Xue, rated 2517

Former women's world champion GM Zhu Chen, 2548, who lives in and plays
for Qatar
Ekaterina Atalik, formerly Polovnikova, a Russian IM who married
Turkey's top GM Suat Atalik

Top US player IM Irina Krush, originally from Ukraine, currently rated at
2473

The future: top Turkish player WIM Betul Yildiz, 18 years old, rated at 2207

Indian prodigy IM Harika
Dronavalli, 17 years old, rated 2455

Lela Javakhishvili, Georgian IM, rated 2470

Turkish TV at the start of the round

And the players settle down in the beautiful venue on top of the İş
Bankası tower
Pictures Özgür Akman
Links