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Royal Rumble at Wijk aan Zee
Most of the world's top players are currently
facing off in what will probably be this year's second-strongest chess
competition, namely the Corus Tournament in Wijk aan Zee.
At the pre-tournament press conference,
undisputed heavyweight champion Garry Kasparov claimed that he
would not be thinking about his record performance from WAZ 1999.
"How can I top last year?" was the champ's rhetorical
question to the assembled press.
Is the big guy really running out of motivation, or is this simply a ploy to
take the pressure off?
Standings after round 4:
1-3. Kasparov, Kramnik, Piket 3.0
4-6. Anand, Leko, Morozevich 2.5
7-9. Korchnoi, Short, Timman 2.0
10-11. Adams, Nikolic 1.5
12-13. Polgar, Van Wely 1.0
14. Lputian 0.5
Further details and annotated games: Corus - Wijk aan Zee
Official site: http://chess.lostcity.nl/corus/
Additional coverage at The Week in Chess: http://www.chesscenter.com/twic/twic.html
and Kasparov's own Web site: http://www.kasparovchess.com
*****
Battle of Hastings
Israeli Grandmaster Emil Sutovsky
delivered his most impressive result to date in this year’s Hastings
Premier, which ran from January 4 to 12. The former Junior World Champion
remained undefeated throughout the event, and crossed the finish line with a massive 2700+ rating performance.
Crosstable:
| 1 |
Sutovsky |
2597 |
* |
˝ |
˝ |
1 |
1 |
˝ |
˝ |
1 |
1 |
˝ |
6.5 |
| 2 |
Dreev |
2680 |
˝ |
* |
˝ |
˝ |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
˝ |
6.0 |
| 3 |
Speelman |
2604 |
˝ |
˝ |
* |
˝ |
˝ |
1 |
1 |
˝ |
˝ |
1 |
6.0 |
| 4 |
Bischoff |
2544 |
0 |
˝ |
˝ |
* |
1 |
0 |
˝ |
1 |
˝ |
1 |
5.0 |
| 5 |
Emms |
2546 |
0 |
0 |
˝ |
0 |
* |
1 |
˝ |
˝ |
1 |
1 |
4.5 |
| 6 |
McShane |
2438 |
˝ |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
* |
˝ |
˝ |
˝ |
0 |
4.0 |
| 7 |
Lalic |
2548 |
˝ |
0 |
0 |
˝ |
˝ |
˝ |
* |
0 |
˝ |
1 |
3.5 |
| 8 |
Chandler |
2527 |
0 |
0 |
˝ |
0 |
˝ |
˝ |
1 |
* |
˝ |
˝ |
3.5 |
| 9 |
Sokolov |
2637 |
0 |
0 |
˝ |
˝ |
0 |
˝ |
˝ |
˝ |
* |
1 |
3.5 |
| 10 |
Krush |
2399 |
˝ |
˝ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
˝ |
0 |
* |
2.5 |
Report and annotated games: Hastings
Results and full game file at The Week In Chess:
http://www.chesscenter.com/twic/twic.html
*****
Linares Anibal Open
The seventh edition of the "Anibal Open"
in Linares saw former World Championship candidate Sergei Dolmatov of
Russia taking top honours, after scoring six wins and conceding only four draws.
Results and games (some with annotations) at:
http://www.ciudadfutura.com/superajedrez
*****
Gausdal Troll Masters
21-year-old Latvian Grandmaster Maris Krakops showed his best form in the
Norwegian mountains and won this famous event on tiebreak ahead of his
compatriot Igors Rausis. Veteran GM Normunds Miezis completed the Latvian hat-trick by finishing third.
Results and all games at: http://home.sol.no/~skak/Troll2000/
*****
Anand wins Super-Blitz
The Plus GSM World Blitz Cup saw a
star-studded field of top Grandmasters
slugging it out at 5-minute blitz chess in Warzawa last weekend. World number
two Vishy Anand won the event with 17.5 out of 22, thereby clinching the $10.000 1st prize.
Top standings: 1. Anand, India 17.5/22
2. Gelfand, Israel 17/22 3. Karpov,
Russia 17/22 4. Akopian, Armenia 17/22 5. Ivanchuk, Ukraine 17/22 6. Adams, England
17/22 7. Epishin, Russia 17/22 (367 players).
- Einar Gausel
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