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The Crown Group consists of four players, who take part in a double round robin tournament. Here are the participants with their ratings and world rankings:
| Player | Country | rating |
rank |
| Shakhryar Mamedyarov | Azerbaijan | 2752 |
7 |
| Ruslan Ponomariov | Ukraine | 2705 |
21 |
| Loek van Wely | Netherlands | 2679 |
31 |
| Zaven Andriasyan | Armenia | 2546 |
-- |
A special feature of this tournament is that the players in the Crown Group have to play with glass pieces.
"This is what you will be playing with, Ruslan!" Zaven Andriasyan
explains the Essent rule
Close encounter of a different kind: Ruslan Ponomariov examines the glass
pieces
"Can they shatter during a fast capture move?" We don't think so,
Ruslan
At least we don't have to play with these pieces!
Top seed Shakhryar Mamedyarov – rated 2752, number seven in the world
After two rounds, Shakriyar Mamedyarov was leading the field with two white game victories against van Wely and Andriasian. In round three he drew with black against Ruslan Ponomariov, who had collected one and a half points in the first two rounds (a white win against Andriasian and a black pieces draw against van Wely). For World Junior Champion Zaven Andriasyan it is hard sailing: he has lost all three games so far.
Standings after three rounds:
Alongside the Crown Group is a strong Open section, containing twelve Grandmasters amongst the 84 players. After four rounds, the lead is held by young Dutch GM Jan Werle, who is the only player on 100%.
Former world championship candidate Vlastimil Hort
Amongst the Open players, special mention should be made of Vlastimil Hort, a Hoogeveen regular. He will reach the chessplayer's magic age of 64 next January. "All my life, I have been advancing at one square per year! I started on a1, and now I am approaching h8! h8, h-Hort!"
| Date | Round Robin | Open Group | Amateurs |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 12 | opening | 1st round | 1st round |
| October 13 | 2nd round | 2nd round | |
| October 14 | 1st round | 3th round | 3th round |
| October 15 | 2nd round | 4th round | 4th round |
| October 16 | 3th round | 5th round | 5th round |
| October 17 | Rest day | 6th round | 6th round |
| October 18 | 4th round | 7th round | 7th round |
| October 19 | 5th round | 8th round | 8th round |
| October 20 | 6th round | 9th round | 9th round |
