
The traditional International Chess Festival is taking place from 17th-29th
July 2005 in Biel/Bienne, in the Canton of Bern in Switzerland. The main event
features six strong GMs in a double round robin with a category of 16 (average
Elo 2637).
After seven rounds the US champion Hikaru Nakamura still leads, with plus
two (five draws and two wins), followed by Volokitin and Gelfand, who have
six draws and one win each. The draw average in this event is very high, with
71% of the games ending without a result, with 19% white and 10% black wins.
The shortest game was a fifteen move win by Pelletier against Magnus Carlsen
in round seven, the shortest draws were 20, 24, 25, 25 and 26 moves long.
The cross table for the Grandmaster Tournament after seven
rounds is as follows:

At the same time and location the Accentus Ladies Tournament
is being held, with a number of strong international female participants. In
round seven Almira Skripchenko won a tough, 69-move battle against Ekaterina
Korbut to join Inna Gaponenko in the lead. In the ladies section only 47% of
the games were drawn so far, with 29% white and 24% black wins. Here are the
current standings:

Picture gallery

The idyllic lake-and-river scenery of Biel

The GM section of the International Chess Festival in Biel, with chess prodigy
Magnus Carlsen in the foreground. Live coverage is provided by Playchess
(in German "schach.de")

On the stage in Biel – the ladies' section under way

Carlsen vs Nakamura in round one: draw in 25 moves

One of the hot favourites: Hikaru ("Star Wars") Nakamura

Sunil Weeramantry, FM from Sri Lanka, is Hikaru's trainer and step father

Up close: top seed Boris Gelfand, Israel

GM Andrej Volokitin, Ukrainian Champion and one of the strongest young talents
in the world. Andrej is studying German language and literature.

Leading after six rounds of the Women's section: Inna Gaponenko

Almira Skripchenko, in second place, aiming for first

Russian talent Ekatrina Korbut

Elena Sedina of Italy, not in good form in Biel

25-year-old Indian WGM Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi

Former junior world champion Elisabeth Pähtz, Germany

Mr ChessBase in Switzerland: Lucio Barvas

The Swiss countryside with lake and vineyards around Biel

A typical street in the town of Ligerz

An ancient tractor on display
Photos by André Schulz