The 16th edition of the annual Amber Blindfold and Rapid Tournament is being held from March 17 to 29 at the Fairmont Monte Carlo Hotel in Monaco, with a total prize fund of € 216,000 (US $288,000). On each day of play there are two rounds, one a blindfold session and the second rapid chess. The participants are Vishy Anand, Vladimir Kramnik, Vasily Ivanchuk, Peter Leko, Levon Aronian, Alexander Morozevich, Boris Gelfand, Teimour Radjabov, Peter Svidler, Magnus Carlsen, Loek van Wely and Francisco Vallejo.
| Blindfold | Rapid Chess | |||
| Leko-Vallejo | 1-0 |
Vallejo-Leko | ½-½ |
|
| Gelfand-Aronian | 1-0 |
Aronian-Gelfand | 1-0 |
|
| Carlsen-Svidler | ½-½ |
Svidler-Carlsen | ½-½ |
|
| Van Wely-Radjabov | 0-1 |
Radjabov-Van Wely | 0-1 |
|
| Morozevich-Kramnik | 0-1 |
Kramnik-Morozevich | ½-½ |
|
| Ivanchuk-Anand | 1-0 |
Anand-Ivanchuk | 1-0 |
Blindfold games
Rapid chess games
Vladimir Kramnik has been dominating the blindfold section with a straight 3/3 points, with Levon Aronian doing the same in the rapid chess section. Both of these players are on the top of the combined chart, with Kramnik leading by half a point.
Combined standings
The setup, with three games played at a time (here the rapid section)
In great form and on top of the table: World Champion Vladimir Kramnik
Last year's winner Vishy Anand still feeling his way into the tournament
The famous Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco
Monaco's main source of income is tourism. The mini-state is a world leader in glamour and money, and is one of the most expensive places on Earth. The principality is often regarded as a tax haven, and most of its inhabitants are millionaires from other countries. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas.
The state has no income tax for individuals, which has led to a considerable number of wealthy "tax refugee" residents from European countries, who earn the majority of their income from activity outside Monaco. Monaco's major exports are chemicals, pharmaceuticals, beauty-care products, ceramics, metal works, textiles, plastics, and instruments.
The Melody Amber Blindfold and Rapid Chess event carries a prize fund of US $288,000. The sponsor is Joop van Oosterom (1937), a Dutch billionaire and chess enthusiast. [Source: Wikipedia]
