The championship takes place in the Yad Lebanim House, Reger Ave, Menahem
Begin Square, Beer Sheva City, Israel. The world's strongest teams are participating,
headed by Ukraine, Russia, Armenia and the USA. Israel, the host, is ranked
fifth worldwide. Last year Israel won second place in the European championship
games. There is also a women’s team from China competing, a first in
such an event. A total of eight players are rated over 2700: Vassily Ivanchuk,
Ruslan Ponomariov (both Ukraine), Peter Svidler, Alexander Grischuk, Alexander
Morozevich (all Russia), Levon Aronian, Boris Akopian (Armenia) and Boris Gelfand
(Israel). The youngest player is Sergey Karjakin, who is 16. The competition
lasts ten days, during which eight rounds will be played.
The Teams
| Armenia |
| Levon Aronian |
2724 |
| Vladimir Akopian |
2707 |
| Asrian Karen |
2645 |
| Rafael Vaganian |
2614 |
| Smbat Lputian |
2614 |
| Ashot Anastasian |
2596 |
| Captain: – Tigran Nalbandyan |
|
|
| China Men |
| Xiangzhi Bu |
2637 |
| Pengxiang Zhang |
2613 |
| Hua Ni |
2603 |
| Zhang Zhong |
2608 |
| Jianchao Zhou |
2516 |
| Chong Liang |
2515 |
| Captain: Ye Jiang Chuan |
|
|
| China Women |
| Xue Zhao |
2478 |
| Huang Qian |
2398 |
| Wang Yu |
2396 |
| Qianyun Gong |
2374 |
| Shen Yang |
2326 |
| Yifan Hou |
2220 |
| Captain: Zhang Wei Da |
|
| Cuba |
| Lazaro Bruzon |
2677 |
| Lenier Dominguez |
2635 |
| Neuris Delgado |
2551 |
| Jesus Nogueiras |
2547 |
| Walter Arencibia |
2510 |
| Yuniesky Quezada |
2505 |
| Captain: Jose Luis Altuna |
|
|
| Georgia |
|
| Zurab Azmaiparashvili |
2658 |
| Baadur Jobava |
2601 |
| Giorgi Giorgadze |
2601 |
| Levan Pantsulaia |
2578 |
| Mchedlishvili Mikheil |
2564 |
| Merab Gagunashvili |
2542 |
| |
|
|
| Israel |
| Boris Gelfand |
2717 |
| Ilia Smirin |
2673 |
| Emil Sutovsky |
2654 |
| Boris Avrukh |
2653 |
| Michael Roiz |
2600 |
| Sergey Erenburg |
2582 |
| Captain Alex Kaspi |
|
| Russia |
| Peter Svidler |
2740 |
| Alexey Dreev |
2694 |
| Alexander Grischuk |
2720 |
| Alexander Morozevich |
2707 |
| Evgeny Bareev |
2675 |
| Sergei Rublevsky |
2652 |
| Captain: Sergey Dolmatov |
|
|
| Ukraine |
| Vassily Ivanchuk |
2748 |
| Ruslan Ponomariov |
2704 |
| Andrei Volotkin |
2666 |
| Pavel Eljanov |
2663 |
| Moiseenko Alexander |
2663 |
| Sergey Karjakin |
2658 |
| Captain: Leonid Tymoshenko |
|
|
| USA |
| Alexander Onischuk |
2628 |
| Boris Gulko |
2589 |
| Gregory Kaidanov |
2614 |
| Alexander Goldin |
2615 |
| Ildar Ibragimov |
2605 |
| Igor Novikov |
2589 |
| Captain: Postovsky Boris |
|
In the first round Russia beat Cuba 3-1, with Svidler and Morozevich winning
their games on boards one and four against Bruzon and Quezada. Dreev and Grischuk
drew. The US defeated Georgia 2.5-1.5, the winner coming from Ibragimov against
Pantsulaia. Armenia and Israel drew 2-2, while the Chinese Men ungallantly
trounced the Chinese Women 4-0.
In the round two Cuba defeated the Chinese Women 3-1, Georgia lost to Armenia
1-3, and Ukraine defeated the US 2.5-1.5, with Ivanchuk and Volokitin scoring
against Onischuk and Goldin, and Eljanov losing to Ibrgaimov. In the top encounter
Russia defeated hosts Israel 2.5-1.5, with Svidler and Morozevich once again
winning their games against Gelfand and Sutovsky, and Smirin defeating Alexander
Grischuk.
Standings after two rounds
| |
Team |
wins |
losses |
draws |
points |
| 1 |
Russia |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5.5 |
| 2 |
Armenia |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
| 3 |
USA |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
| 4 |
Cuba |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
| 5 |
China Men |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| 6 |
Israel |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3.5 |
| 7 |
Ukraine |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2.5 |
| 8 |
Georgia |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2.5 |
| 9 |
China Women |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
All games so far in zipped
PGN
The official
web site is nicely designed, obviously by an ambitious design
team. The navigation is unusual with drop-downs for almost everything. There
is live transmission of the games and plenty of (uncaptioned) pictures. In
the Reports
section you will find comments and annotated game fragments by Alon Greenfeld.
Picture gallery
The venue is the the beautiful Yad Lebanim House in Beer Sheva, Israel
Visitors and spectators at the openings ceremony
The press conference before the start of the event
The playing hall, with USA vs Georgia (left) and Armenia vs Israel in progress
Russia's Alexander Grischuk in his first-round game against Jesus Nogueiras
Yuniesky Quezada (Cuba) vs. Alexander Morozevich (Russia)
Playing for the US: Boris Gulko
One of the Chinese Women's squad
Even the very young know and enjoy chess in Israel
Two analysts trying to solve a complicated endgame position
Commentary in the theatre of the Yad Lebanim House
