Zurich Jubilee 2009: twelve GMs in the lead

by ChessBase
8/13/2009 – There's a veritable log jam at the top of the crosstable after six rounds of play – twelve players with 5.0/6 points, followed by nineteen in hot pursuit, with 4.5 points. On top of the table with the best tiebreak score is (who else?) Alexander Morozevich. Best female player so far is (who else?) Hou Yifan. The event is full of interesting players and faces.
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The activities of the 200-year anniversary celebrations of the Schachgesellschaft Zürich have begun with the Jubilee Open at the Kongresshaus Zürich. For seven days, some 600 chess enthusiasts – world class players among them – are competing for CHF 100,000 in prize money. The Jubilee-Open, which lasts from 9 –15 August 2009 and takes place in the Kongresshaus Zürich, has brought participants from 43 countries together. In the Alois Nagler Memorial (Master Tournament) 45 grandmasters und 48 International Masters are competing for CHF 75,000 in prize money offered by the Alois Nagler Foundation. The event is open to the public, and the top games are being broadcast live over the Internet and on Playchess.com.

Entering into round seven, twelve grandmasters have created a log jam at the top of the crosstable, each sitting at 5.0/6. This is more than double the number of players who were in the lead entering into the previous round: five! Players on the top sixteen boards had a shot at joining the lead, with a good number making a successful bid. Draws on five of these boards kept players like GM Daniel Fridman in the chasing pack, while an additional two draws on the top boards allowed the large leading group that resulted. Unfortunately, nine decisive games left crowd-pleasers like GMs Harikrishna and Giri off the pace entirely, though with a respectable 4.0/6 going forward. With the mess at the top to be sorted out tomorrow, the tournament is still anyone's to win.

Standings after six rounds

# Ti. Player Rtng FED Pts. BH
1 GM Morozevich Alexander 2751 RUS
5
 23
2 GM Areshchenko Alexander 2651 UKR
5
 22½
3 GM Dreev Alexey 2660 RUS
5
 22
4 GM Golod Vitali 2599 ISR
5
 20½
  GM Geetha Narayanan Gopal 2575 IND
5
 20½
6 GM Avrukh Boris 2641 ISR
5
 20
7 GM Kuzubov Yuriy 2635 UKR
5
 19½
  GM Mikhalevski Victor 2631 ISR
5
 19½
  GM Pelletier Yannick 2574 SUI
5
 19½
10 GM Sutovsky Emil 2675 ISR
5
 19
  GM Jovanic Ognjen 2541 CRO
5
 19
12 GM Gharmian Tigran 2615 FRA
5
 18½
13 GM Roiz Michael 2658 ISR 4½ 22½
14 GM Bosiocic Marin 2551 CRO 4½ 21½
15 GM Meier Georg 2658 GER 4½ 21
16 GM Sandipan Chanda 2585 IND 4½ 20½
  GM Hess Robert L. 2560 USA 4½ 20½
18 GM Fridman Daniel 2665 GER 4½ 20
19 GM Lopez Jose Manuel 2555 ESP 4½ 19½
  GM Shchekachev Andrei 2530 FRA 4½ 19½
  IM Gozzoli Yannick 2498 FRA 4½ 19½
  IM Heimann Andreas 2435 GER 4½ 19½
23 GM Bauer Christian 2602 FRA 4½ 19
  GM Malaniuk Vladimir P. 2563 UKR 4½ 19
25 IM Bromberger Stefan 2510 GER 4½ 18½
26 GM Miroshnichenko Evgeny 2696 UKR 4½ 18
  GM Safarli Eltaj 2597 AZE 4½ 18
  GM Saric Ivan 2561 CRO 4½ 18
29 GM Jussupov Artur 2570 GER 4½ 17½
30 IM Novichkov Valery 2377 RUS 4½ 16½
31 GM Hou Yifan 2584 CHN 4½ 16
272 participants; 45 GMs ø Elo 2573; 48 IMs ø Elo 2390;
35 FM ø Elo 2307; 144 ø Elo 2109; ø Elo over all 2253


An overview of the playing hall in Zürich, with the top boards on the stage


The leader: GM Alexander Morozevich, 2751, RUS, 5.0/6


3rd: GM Alexey Dreev, 2660, RUS, 5.0/6


4-5th: GM Geetha Narayanan Gopal, 2575, IND, 5.0/6


4-5th: GM Vitali Golod, 2599, ISR, 5.0/6


18th: GM Daniel Fridman, 2665, GER, 4.5/6


29th: GM Artur Jussupov, 2570, GER, 4.5/6


53rd: GM Lajos Portisch, 2513, HUN, 4.0/6


31st: Chinese GM Hou Yifan, 2584, 4.5/6


96th: IM Elena Sedina, 2333, ITA, 3.5/6


103rd: WIM Adriana Nikolova, 2316, BUL, 4.0/6


172nd: WFM Anastasia Gavrilova, 2082, SUI U-20, 2.5/6

Links

A selection of games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!

Previous ChessBase articles on the Jubilee 2009

 Zurich: A chance to meet the World Champions
 02.04.2009 – They will all be there, for the 200th jubilee of the oldest chess club in the world: the Schachgesellschaft Zürich. The festivities, which include a Jubilee Open, will see Anand, Karpov, Korchnoi, Kramnik, Spassky, Ponomariov and Topalov playing a Champions Rapid. They are joined by Garry Kasparov for a Champions Simul against 200 opponents. One could be you, if you solve a Jubilee Quiz.

The World’s Oldest Chess Club: Part I (1809–1914)
 24.06.2009 – In August there will be a spectacular event celebrating the 200th jubilee of the oldest chess club in the world: the Schachgesellschaft Zürich, which was founded in 1809. Attendees include Kasparov, Anand, Karpov, Korchnoi, Kramnik, Spassky, Ponomariov and Topalov. To prepare you for the jubilee Richard Forster and Christian Rohrer retrace the historical development of the club.

The World’s Oldest Chess Club: Part II (1914–1945)
 14.07.2009 – In August there will be a spectacular event celebrating the 200th jubilee of the oldest chess club in the world: the Schachgesellschaft Zürich, which was founded in 1809. Attendees include Kasparov, Anand, Karpov, Korchnoi, Kramnik, Spassky, Ponomariov and Topalov. To prepare you for the jubilee Richard Forster and Christian Rohrer retrace the historical development of the club.

The World’s Oldest Chess Club: Part III (1945–1961)
07.08.2009 – Sunday, 9 August 2009, heralds the start of the events around the 200-year anniversary of the Schachgesellschaft Zürich, the oldest chess club in the world. Attendees on the final weekend (August 22-23) include Kasparov, Anand, Karpov, Korchnoi, Kramnik, Spassky, Ponomariov and Topalov. Richard Forster and Christian Rohrer retrace the historical development of the Schachgesellschaft.

Zurich Jubilee 2009 Open under way – Pein on Giri
12.08.2009 – There are 45 GMs, 48 IMs in the Master Tournament, staged to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the world's oldest chess club. After three rounds 12 GMs had a perfect score, after four the number had dropped to two. One game in particular delighted IM Malcolm Pein of the London Chess Center, who sent us his thoughts on the moves of a 15-year-old grandmaster.
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