Najer leads in the President's Cup in Baku

5/16/2008 – 180 players, GMs as far as the eye can see. Korchnoi, Timman, Short and Beliavsky. In the lead is Evgeniy Najer, GM from Russia, who has won all of his first five games. The Third President's Cup is under way in the capital of Azerbaijan, with the stars playing in the Open and separate groups for children and seniors. We bring you standings, games and pictures by Farid Khayrulin.

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The Third President's Cup is taking place from May 11th to 21st 2008 in Baku, Azerbaijan. There are 180 participants in the Open Tournament, and the prize fund is US $85,000. There is also a Children's U-14 and a Seniors Tournament.

Top standings in the Open after five rounds

Rnk Seed Title Player Elo Nat. Pts BH1 BH2 BH3 wins
1 9 GM Najer Evgeniy 2627 RUS 5.0 14.5 12.5 10.0
5
2 1 GM Milov Vadim 2690 SUI 4.5 16.5 14.5 12.5
4
3 13 GM Lastin Alexander 2622 RUS 4.5 14.5 12.5 10.5
4
4 19 GM Aleksandrov Aleksej 2582 BLR 4.5 14.0 11.5 9.0
4
5 23 GM Dzhumaev Marat 2557 UZB 4.0 17.5 16.0 12.5
4
6 12 GM Gelashvili Tamaz 2622 GEO 4.0 17.5 14.5 11.5
3
7 7 GM Fridman Daniel 2640 GER 4.0 17.0 14.0 11.0
3
8 5 GM Jobava Baadur 2658 GEO 4.0 16.5 14.5 11.5
3
9 28 GM Abbasov Farid 2528 AZE 4.0 16.5 14.0 11.0
3
10 29 GM Safarli Eltaj 2524 AZE 4.0 16.0 14.0 11.0
3
  30 GM Shanava Konstantine 2519 GEO 4.0 16.0 14.0 11.0
3
12 10 GM Guseinov Gadir 2625 AZE 4.0 16.0 13.5 10.5
4
13 2 GM Sokolov Ivan 2690 NED 4.0 16.0 13.0 10.0
3
14 20 GM Mamedov Nidjat 2577 AZE 4.0 15.5 13.5 10.5
4
15 8 GM Mchedlishvili Mikheil 2635 GEO 4.0 15.0 13.0 10.0
3
16 18 GM Korchnoi Viktor 2598 SUI 4.0 15.0 12.5 9.5
4
17 16 GM Mamedov Rauf 2617 AZE 4.0 14.5 12.0 9.5
3
18 24 GM Stefanova Antoaneta 2538 BUL 4.0 14.0 13.0 10.5
4
19 32 GM Guliev Sarhan 2487 AZE 4.0 14.0 12.5 10.0
3
20 25 GM Ibrahimov Rasul 2535 AZE 4.0 14.0 11.5 9.0
3
21 15 GM Kazhgaleyev Murtas 2617 KAZ 4.0 13.5 12.5 10.0
3
22 31 IM Sulashvili Malkhaz 2491 GEO 4.0 13.5 12.0 9.5
3
23 14 GM Malakhatko Vadim 2621 BEL 4.0 13.5 12.0 9.0
3
24 21 GM Timman Jan H 2565 NED 4.0 13.5 11.5 9.0
3
25 11 GM Naiditsch Arkadij 2624 GER 4.0 13.0 11.0 8.5
4
26 6 GM Beliavsky Alexander 2641 SLO 3.5 16.5 14.0 11.0
3
27 27 GM Gasanov Eldar 2531 UKR 3.5 16.5 14.0 11.0
2
28 47 IM Durarbeyli Vasif 2384 AZE 3.5 15.5 14.5 12.5
3
29 4 GM Short Nigel D 2660 ENG 3.5 15.5 13.5 10.5
2
30 35 IM Sanikidze Tornike 2458 GEO 3.5 15.5 13.0 10.5
3
31 37 IM Esen Baris 2451 TUR 3.5 14.0 13.0 10.5
3
  54 IM Zozulia Anna 2332 BEL 3.5 14.0 13.0 10.5
3
33 43 IM Morchiashvili Bachana 2421 GEO 3.5 14.0 12.0 10.0
3
34 22 GM Savchenko Stanislav 2560 UKR 3.5 14.0 12.0 9.5
2
35 87   Askerov Mushfig 2154 AZE 3.5 13.5 13.5 10.5
3
36 72   Rzayev Bahruz 2225 AZE 3.5 13.0 12.5 10.0
3
37 17 GM Fedorov Alexei 2603 BLR 3.5 13.0 10.5 8.0
3
38 111   Kazimova Narmin 2072 AZE 3.5 12.5 11.0 8.5
3
39 3 GM Van Wely Loek 2677 NED 3.5 12.5 10.5 8.0
3
40 86 FM Atanejhad Sahebali 2154 IRI 3.5 11.0 10.5 8.5
3

Photo gallery by Farid Khayrulin of "FGF Digital STUDIO"


The venue in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan


The playing hall with the different sections


Behravan Shahriyar (Iran) vs FM Agaragimov Djakhangir in round 2 (Agaragimov won)


GM Nigel Short vs Djakhangir in the start of their round 3, (Nigel won)


WGM Bela Khotenashvili (GEO) vs Nigel Short in round two (the game was drawn)


Viktor Korchnoi waiting for his opponent Hossein Aryanejad, Iran, in round two (Korchnoi won)


Viktor and his wife Petra Korchnoi in front of a portrait of you-know-who
(former president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev).


That's him, hiding behind his hand in the only available picture
from Baku : Evgeniy Najer, 2627, leading with 5.0/5 points


GM Loek van Wely vs WGM Turkan Mamedyarova in round four (draw

)
GM Antoaneta Stefanova vs Vaghar Mohsen in round four (Stefanova won)


Vitaliy Sapunov, responsibly for the IT support of the tournament


GM Alexei Fedorov vs IM Guliev Logman in the start of round 3 (Guliev won)


GM Mamedov Rauf arrives earlier and is raring to go


WGM Turkan Mamedyarova, sister of the famous Shakh, waiting for her opponent Turan Asgarova in round three (Turkan won)


The "Mir" TV company interviews the chief organizer Emin Gashimov, the head of the
Republican Chess Center in Baku

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