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The event is staged in great luxury every year in the Monte Carlo Grand Hotel in Monaco, sponsored by the Dutch billionaire J.J. van Oosterom, with a total prize fund is €216,000. The event is named after the sponsor's eldest daughter.
A view of the harbour of Monte Carlo, Monaco
As in the past years Alexander Morozevich is doing very well in the blindfold section, with 5.5/7 a full point better than Peter Leko and 1.5 ahead of Vishy Anand. In the rapid section Anand leads with 5.0/7, ahead of Morozevich, Vallejo and van Wely, who have 4.0/7 each.
In the lead at Melody Amber: Alexander Morozevich
In the combined table we have Morozevich leading with 9.5/14, with Anand in hot pursuit with 9.0. Then there is a gap of a full point, before we find Francisco Vallejo, half a point ahead of Leko. Actually Peter Leko was doing fine and in the lead after five rounds. But then he ran aground on Vishy Anand, who gave him a 2-0 dubbing in round six.
Anand (here during a blindfold game) in second place
At the bottom of the table we have Peter Svidler and Vassily Ivanchuk, each with just 5.5/14. Half a point above them are Aronian, Gelfand and Nielsen. Lurking in the middle with a 50% score are Grischuk, Topalov and van Wely.
Round 4 Blindfold (March 21, 2006)
Leko, Peter 1/2 Ivanchuk, Vassily
Anand, Viswanathan 1-0 Gelfand, Boris
Vallejo Pons, Francisco 0-1 Morozevich, Alexander
Aronian, Levon 1/2 Nielsen, Peter Heine
Van Wely, Loek 0-1 Topalov, Veselin
Svidler, Peter 1-0 Grischuk, Alexander
Round 4 Rapid (March 21, 2006)
Morozevich, Alexander 0-1 Vallejo Pons, Francisco
Grischuk, Alexander 1-0 Svidler, Peter
Topalov, Veselin 0-1 Van Wely, Loek
Gelfand, Boris 1/2 Anand, Viswanathan
Ivanchuk, Vassily 0-1 Leko, Peter
Nielsen, Peter Heine 1-0 Aronian, Levon
Round 5 Blindfold (March 23, 2006)
Morozevich, Alexander 1-0 Svidler, Peter
Grischuk, Alexander 1-0 Anand, Viswanathan
Topalov, Veselin 0-1 Leko, Peter
Gelfand, Boris 1/2 Vallejo Pons, Francisco
Nielsen, Peter Heine 1-0 Van Wely, Loek
Ivanchuk, Vassily 1/2 Aronian, Levon
Round 5 Rapid (March 23, 2006)
Anand, Viswanathan 1/2 Grischuk, Alexander
Vallejo Pons, Francisco 1-0 Gelfand, Boris
Van Wely, Loek 1-0 Nielsen, Peter Heine
Svidler, Peter 1-0 Morozevich, Alexander
Aronian, Levon 0-1 Ivanchuk, Vassily
Leko, Peter 1/2 Topalov, Veselin
Round 6 Blindfold (March 24, 2006)
Morozevich, Alexander 1/2 Nielsen, Peter Heine
Anand, Viswanathan 1-0 Leko, Peter
Vallejo Pons, Francisco 1/2 Aronian, Levon
Grischuk, Alexander 1/2 Topalov, Veselin
Gelfand, Boris 1-0 Ivanchuk, Vassily
Svidler, Peter 1/2 Van Wely, Loek
Round 6 Rapid (March 24, 2006)
Van Wely, Loek 0-1 Svidler, Peter
Topalov, Veselin 1-0 Grischuk, Alexander
Aronian, Levon 1/2 Vallejo Pons, Francisco
Ivanchuk, Vassily 1/2 Gelfand, Boris
Leko, Peter 0-1 Anand, Viswanathan
Nielsen, Peter Heine 0-1 Morozevich, Alexander
Round 7 Blindfold (March 25, 2006)
Leko, Peter 1-0 Svidler, Peter
Topalov, Veselin 0-1 Vallejo Pons, Francisco
Aronian, Levon 0-1 Morozevich, Alexander
Nielsen, Peter Heine 1/2 Grischuk, Alexander
Van Wely, Loek 1-0 Gelfand, Boris
Ivanchuk, Vassily 0-1 Anand, Viswanathan
Round 7 Rapid (March 25, 2006)
Anand, Viswanathan 1/2 Ivanchuk, Vassily
Vallejo Pons, Francisco 1/2 Topalov, Veselin
Morozevich, Alexander 1-0 Aronian, Levon
Grischuk, Alexander 1-0 Nielsen, Peter Heine
Svidler, Peter 1/2 Leko, Peter
Gelfand, Boris 0-1 Van Wely, Loek
Blindfold
Rapid
Combined
| March 18, 19, 20 and 21 | Round 1, 2, 3 and 4 |
| Wednesday 22 March | Rest day |
| March 23, 24, 25 and 26 | Round 5, 6, 7 and 8 |
| Monday 27 March | Rest day |
| March 28 and 29 | Round 9 and 10 |
| Thursday 30 March | Round 11, closing, prize-giving |
