First impressions of Aeroflot
14 February 2007 19:30 PM | Last modified: 11:11
Today one of the biggest opens in the world, the Aeroflot Open 2007, has started. One of the participants, International Arbiter and FM Manuel Weeks (last Saturday arbiter at our blitz tournament) sent us his first impressions from a chilly Moscow…
“As I am sitting in the press room of the Aeroflot open during round one, I can take the first chance to reflect upon the tournament. From arriving in typical Moscow winter weather with -15 Celsius expected most days, it seems a familiar ritual to many chess players. To walk into the hotel and see so many 2600+ players walking around and you almost feel it should be an Olympiad!
The Opening ceremony had Geurt Gijssen as chief arbiter explaining the regulations and a short speech from former world champion Anatoly Karpov welcoming everyone. There are large groups from countries as diverse as India, China and the Netherlands. The Indians always travel in force from top seeds Sasikiran and Harikrishna to their female and junior players. One can’t help wondering how often they will leave the hotel after GM Kunte complained that a recent tournament in India had reached the unbearably cold temperatures of +10!
The first round starts with the top group consisting of 88 players, only a few exceptions are not GM’s since the rating cutoff is 2550! You take a few photos of the top boards with Akopian, Pons Vallejo, Almasi, Dreev, etc only to wander down to the lower ones and still see such people as Khalifman on board 27 and Yusupov on board 39!
Even more startling is the group A2 which consists of players between 2400 and 2550. On the top boards of this tournament there are still such names as GM’s Kudrin, Dvoirys although you can’t help but feel that some young emerging stars will be the among the winners!”
For now just enjoy some pictures 
More to follow!
Almasi-Berg
Belov-N. Kosintseva & Jussupow vs T.Kosintseva
Kotronias-Jobava
Sasikiran-Svetushkin
Smirin-Lysyj & Yakovich-Sargissian
Only you ignore the pictures published on Topalov’s site… Why?
Btw. Pons game was nice, I liked it a lot
To J. Malkov: quote: “One of the participants, International Arbiter and FM Manuel Weeks (last saturday still arbiter at our blitz tournament) sent us his first impressions from a chilly Moscow…”
If the site-builders should stroll of every single players website every day they would take infinite time to make an article. It’s not that they ignore Topalov’s site, it’s just that they have their own report and they are really making us (at least me) happy with that.
“Today one of the biggest opens in the world, ”
It isn’t one of the, it’s THE biggest open in the world.
what are all these books on the players’ tables, cheat-books?
That’s the latest edition of Nunn’s Chess Openings (NCO), provided to all players of the A-groups.
Is this a joke, Merijn? Because a second edition of NCO doesn’t exist.
Of course that is not a joke Peter, nor is it that all participants were handed free bluetooth ware…
To Malkov:
That disgraceful “Topalov” site has anonymous authors and should be ignored by everybody who loves chess.
Manuel is famous in Australia for prearranging the draw to get the FM title. Wonder how he managed to have such a good tournament.