Mamedyarov and Kasparov win in Corsica

by ChessBase
11/3/2008 – While Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik were playing their ninth game for the World Championship title in Bonn, Germany, Kramnik's predecessor, thirteenth World Champion Garry Kasparov, was also playing competitive chess: a clock simul against the five strongest players on the island. Azeri GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov won the Ninth Corsican Circuit. Pictorial report by Sergey Tiviakov.

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

The big attraction of the Ninth Corsican Circuit was the visit of Garry Kasparov, who stopped over at the island of Corsica on his way back from Canada, where he had been doing lectures (on politics and business, not chess). Kasparov was honored guest, attending dinners and social gatherings, but also playing a clock simultaneous exhibition against the five strongest players on the island.

Corsica, which the French call Corse, is located west of Italy, southeast of France, and north of the island of Sardinia, and is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily, Sardinia, and Cyprus). It is politically part of Metropolitan France, although it is closer to Italy. The island is famed as the birthplace of Napoléon Bonaparte.


Garry Kasparov, picked up at the airport by Leo Battesti

The main organiser of the Corsican Circuit is Leo Battesti, a well-know figure in chess. He loves the game and has been organising tournaments in Corsica since 1997. He has also played a role in chess politics, and actually ran, briefly, for the FIDE presidency in 2005. Chess is extremely popular in Corsica, with 4,000 players amongst the 260,000 inhabitants of the island.


While Anand and Kramnik were playing game nine Garry Kasparov was giving a clock simul in Corsica

The five players did not have a snowflake's chance against the ruthless Kasparov. Two players hung on for 32 moves, the other three had to capitulate in 24 to 26 moves.


The simultaneous exhibition on the stage of the theatre in Bastia


Garry Kasparov with Vadim Milov, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Sergey Tiviakov


At dinner with Leo Battesti and wife Dasha


Kasparov and Mamedyarov follow a game nine of Anand vs Kramnik on Kasparov's cellphone


Moroccan GM Hichem Hamdouchi (doesn't he remind you a bit of an Indian world champion?) and his wife Adina-Maria, who is a WGM from Romania

The qualifier with 123 participants produced 14 players who could take part in the final knockout phase. They were joined by two seeded players, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Etienne Bacrot. The rate of play was 25 minutes for the entire game and 3 seconds per move for each player. Here are the top results of the qualifier:

# Title Name Elo Fed. Pts Tr. Perf.
1 GM Milov Vadim 2681 SUI 9 71.0 2741
2 GM Tiviakov Sergei 2686 NED 8,5 68.5 2640
3 GM Hamdouchi Hichem 2598 MAR 8 71.0 2601
4 GM Malakhatko Vadim 2633 BEL 8 70.0 2614
5 GM Tregubov Pavel V. 2658 RUS 8 69.5 2623
6 IM Dimitrov Radoslav 2378 BUL 8 68.5 2508
7 GM Agrest Evgenij 2574 SWE 8 68.0 2541
8 IM Dimitrov Pavel 2404 BUL 8 68.0 2476
9 GM Godena Michele 2517 ITA 8 67.0 2491
10 IM Sanchez Joseph 2471 PHI 7.5 69.5 2475
11 GM Djuric Stefan 2463 SRB 7.5 68.0 2433
12 IM Zozulia Anna 2380 BEL 7.5 68.0 2406
13   Brih Said 2243 FRA 7.5 65.5 2297
14 IM Bujisho Benjamin 2417 FRA 7.5 64.5 2341
15 Massoni Michael 2244 FRA 7.5 63.5 2279
16   Orndahl Markus 2195 SWE 7.5 63.0 2275
17 FM Moingt Jean-Claude 2285 FRA 7.5 62.0 2322
18   Cristofari Antoine 2136 FRA 7.5 59.5 2188
19 WGM Hamdouchi Adina-Maria 2306 AFG 7.5 59.0 2184
20   Orndahl Mats 2160 SWE 7.5 58.5 2154

The results of the knockout phase

1/8 Final (no accurate result available)

Mamedyarov vs Brih Mamedyarov won
Bacrot vs Dimitrov,R Bacrot won
Tiviakov vs Zozulia Tiviakov won 2:0
Tregubov vs Bujisho Tregubov won
Hamdouchi vs Sanchez Sanchez won
Agrest vs Godena Agrest won
Djuric vs Malakhatko Malakhatko won

1/4 Final

Mamedyarov - Agrest Mamedyarov won 2:0
Bacrot vs Sanchez Bacrot won 2:0
Tiviakov vs Malakhatko Tiviakov won 2:0
Tregubov vs Milov Tregubov won: 1:1, 2:0 blitz

1/2 Final:

Mamedyarov vs Tregubov Mamedyarov won 2:0
Bacrot vs Tiviakov Tiviakov won: 1:1, 2:0

Final

Mamedyarov - Tiviakov Mamedyarov won 1.5:0.5


The winner: Shakh Mamedyarov at the old port of Ajaccio, Corsica


In second place: GM Sergey Tiviakov, who sent us the pictures for this report


A chess cake in a bakery in Corsica

All photos by GM Sergey Tiviakov and the Organising Committee

Links

  • Official web site (rudimentary – and turn down your speaker volume before you click)

Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register