Beijing Grand Prix begins tomorrow

FIDE and Chinese Chess Association are pleased to announce the fifth stage of the FIDE Grand Prix Series, which will be held in Beijing between the 3rd and 17th of July 2013. The playing venue will be at the premises of the Chinese Chess Association. The time controls are 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move from move 61 onwards. The games start at 3 p.m. local time, except the last round.

The prize fund to be shared by the players 170,000 EUR, while a further 70,000 EUR is being provided to the accumulated prize fund for the overall Grand Prix series standings. The Grand Prix Series consists of six tournaments to be held over two years (2012-2013). 18 top players participate in four of these six tournaments. The winner and second placed player overall of the Grand Prix Series will qualify for the Candidates Tournament to be held in March 2014.

Beijing

Beijing, sometimes romanized as Peking, is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world. The population as of 2012 was 20,693,000. It is the second largest Chinese city after Shanghai and is the nation's political, cultural, and educational center. It is home to the headquarters of most of China's largest state-owned companies, and is a major hub for the national highway, expressway, railway, and high-speed rail networks. The Beijing Capital International Airport is the second busiest in the world by passenger traffic.

Grand Prix participants

The players list includes former FIDE World Champion Veselin Topalov, who will be trying to repeat his performance from Zug, Switzerland, earlier this year and clinching one of the two places for the Candidates tournament in 2014. He will be challeneged by several world class players. Boris Gelfand, coming hot from his recent epic victory in Moscow Tal memorial will be one, as will be Shakriyar Mamedyarov, who has had a very good month of June starting with winning the world Rapid Championship in Khanty Mansiysk. Also not to forget world top ten players such as Sergey Karjakin, Alexander Grischuk as well as former Candidates players Vasily Ivanchuk, Peter Leko. Note that GM Teimur Radjabov has withdrawn from the Beijing Grand Prix for personal reasons and has been replaced by GM Wang Yue from China. The top Chinese player Wang Hao, who placed fourth in overall Grand Prix at the moment, will also play in Beijing.

Ratings and ranks: FIDE July 2013 list. Average rating: 2751 = Cat. XXI

The opening ceremony

The opening ceremony took place at the New Century Grand Hotel, which will host the players, at 8 p.m. on the 3rd of July.

Karjakin, Grischuk, Gelfand and Leko listening to the important details of the technical meeting.

For the drawing of lots players were asked to select a Beijing Opera figurine, which held their starting number inside.

Not all figurines were made in the same style.

The Zheng is a traditional Chinese instrument, a plucked zither, and was the most popular instrument in China during the Qing Dynasty - around 200 B.C.

This instrument has over 18 strings and the bridges are movable.

A mandatory guest FIDE President Kirsan Ilyuzhimov.

The Deputy Arbiter Anatasia Sorakina

Karjakin choosing his figurine, and his number. He will have six blacks and only five whites this event.

Peter Leko and wife Sofia.

A contemplative Wang Hao about to show Chinese skill in home turf.

The Chinese media is following the event closely, and the organization has provided plenty of translators.

Information and pictures by FIDE press chief WGM Anastasiya Karlovich

Schedule and pairings

The games start at 9:00h European time, 11:00h Moscow, 3 a.m. New York. You can find your regional starting time here. The commentary on Playchess begins one hour after the start of the games and is free for premium members.