February 8, 2010
Chess world celebrities took part in a Moscow Open closing ceremony

On the evening of Feb. 7 the Moscow Open closing ceremony was held in Russian State Social University. A lot of distinguished guests, who came to award the winners of the festival, attended the ceremony.
Memorable prizes were handled to the chess players participating in the main tournaments as well as in other numerous nominations. The age mates of the victory participants, who came from distant parts of the country to play in the tournament, were pointed by a special way.
At the end of the ceremony Moscow Open special guests had a floor and delivered their speech to all participants.
- In the last 9 days we all supported each participant of the festival said the President of the Moscow Chess Federation o, the rector of RSSU Vasily Zhukov. These ceremony moments are to be remembered for sure by participants for the rest of their life. There are not so many tournaments in Russia and the world, where the winners are awarded by distinguished people of the chess world, - added Zhukov.
Read more.

February 7, 2010
The winners of the Moscow Open 2010 have been defined!

The International Moscow Open 2010 ended on Saturday which was held at the Russian State Social University from January 30 till February 7.
The international grand master Konstantin Chernyshov from Voronezh won the main tournament of the festival. This is a great success for a player from Voronezh – he was only 46th in the start list of the championship. In the last tour he scored a tie with Vietnamese Le Liem and finished off the tournament with 7 points. Le Qang Liem, the multiple Olympic champion of the Russian team Evgeny Bareev and aspirant of RSSU the bronze medalist of Moscow Open 2009 Ernesto Inarkiyev showed the same results. According to additional indexes the silver medalist is the Vietnamese grand master and the bronze – Evgeny Bareev.
The victory in the women’s event shared the Georgian Salome Melia and Nazi Paikidze scoring 7,5 points each. In the last tour they beat their rivals: Melia beats Zhao Xue from China and Paikidze – the Russian Valentina Gunina. According to tie-breaks the winner is 16 year old Nazi Paikidze, the Europe and world champion among girls, representing the Georgian chess federation. Since 2006 Paikidze lives in Moscow.
Zhao Xue as well as Baira Kovanova (Saratov), Darya Pustovoitova and Marina Romanko (both from Moscow) who won the games in the last tour and scored 7 points each, shared the positions 3-6. According to tie-breaks Kovanova won the bronze. In the Amateur tournament which was open for all chess players with rankings under 2300 the winner is David Shahinyan from Armenia. In the last tour he scored a fast tie and finished off with 8,5 points out of 9 and got 64 000. Alexander Kotov was the second scoring 8 points and Nikolay Krivonos with 7,5 was the third (both Russians).
The two-time USSR champion Vitaly Tseshkovsky from Krasnodar is the first in the tournament of veterans. In the last tour he beat Alexander Zakharov (Rostov-na-Donu) and scored 7,5 points. Evgeny Vasyukov (Moscow) and Vladimir Onoprienko (Noyabrsk) shared the second-third places scoring the tournament with 7 points each.
Read more.

February 7, 2010
The game of the Day by Vladimir Barsky

In the eighth round, a young Vietnamese Le Quang Liem defeated technically a sole leader Sasikiran Krishnan, and led the tournament race together with his coach Bareev Evgeny and our another compatriot Chernyshov Konstantin.
Read more.

February 6, 2010
Zhao Xue leads the woman tournament of Moscow Open

Moscow Open 2010 chess festival occurring in Russian capital is about to end. The last but one round was played on February 6.
In the woman tournament all the four leaders’ games finished successfully and all the winners played white. Zhao Xue (China) won Paehtz Elisabeth (Germany) and scored 7 points, so she solely leads the tournament. Victorious Melia Salome, Paikidze Nazi (both from Georgia) and Gunina Valentina (Russia) chase the leader after the eighth round.
The leader of the major tournament changed again. Grandmaster Le Quang Liem (Vietnam) defeated Sasikiran Krishnan (India) at the first table. Also Chernyshov Konstantin won Motylev Alexander and Bareev Evgeny bet Bologan Viktor (all from Russia). The leading trio scored 6,5 points each before the final round: Le Quang Liem, Bareev Evgeny and Chernyshov Konstantin. 6 participants scored 6 points each.
Vasiukov Evgeni reached the two-time USSR champion Tseshkovsky Vitaly, who led during several round in the veteran tournament. They both scored 6,5 points before the final round. 11 players scored 6 points each.
Shahinyan David was once again victorious in the amateur tournament. Before the final round he still has hundred-per-cent result and one point ahead of his competitors. Read more.

February 6, 2010
Alexey Shirov: I support the players of my generation

One could see one of the best chess players of the world almost regularly at Moscow Open festival. However he is missing in the lists of grandmasters. About the incentives of visiting Moscow he told in his interview to Yana Melnikova:
– Alexey, tell us, please, what is the reason of coming to Moscow?
– First of all I came to support my friend Olga Dolgova who plays at women’s event. At the same time I decided to meet my relatives and school friends: such opportunity arises not so often. It turned out that Moscow is a good place to have a rest.
– When did you participate in Swiss tournaments for the last time?
– Sometimes I play open tournaments but usually it happens in cases when I am invited by the organizers. These are 2-3 special tournaments: for example, last year I played the championship of Canada; Michael Adams was also playing there, other players were of higher level over 2650.
Read more.

February 6, 2010
The winners of the Moscow Open youth championships are going to conquer international peaks

On Saturday, February 6 the youth tournament of the international chess festival Moscow Open 2010 “Heirs of Victory” held at the Russian State Social University came to an end. More than 500 young players from more than 100 Russian cities as well as from India, Ukraine and Kazakhstan participated in the tournaments.
The awarding ceremony of the winners and medalists was held at the school hall of RSSU. The president of the International school chess union, the director of the Moscow Open festival Alexander Kostyev mentioned that he sees most of the players present here at the festival not the first time. – Among today’s winners of the Moscow Open youth championships there are certainly future world and Europe champions among pupils. And some of them will enter RSSU for chess department and choose the profession of a chess coach, - added Kostyev.
The winner in team classification – “The tournament of school teams” – is the brigade from the Second Saint-Petersburg high school. As a reward the players got a pass to the Intercontinental championship among school teams which would be held in Chicago (USA) in March this year.
The team “Maestro” from Berdsk of Novosibirsk region is the first at the “Tournament of school clubs”. Winning the last round the Siberians beat the team of the Moscow school №1189 which was leading till the last day. “Maestro” players won passes to the Europe tournament among children’s chess clubs.
In individual classification - “Tournament of school champions” – the winners were awarded by a paid trip to the Europe championship among pupils which would be held in Greek Kaliteya at the beginning of April. Read more.

February 6, 2010
Game of the day by Vladimir Barsky

Today we decided to change the format and to analyze several fragment instead of one game. So, the review contains: a victory that made Krisnan Sasikiran a sole leader, Igor Kurnosov’s harakiri a miraculous escape of Farrukh Amonatov.
Read more.

February 5, 2010
Sasikiran forge ahead in major tournament of Moscow Open festival

In two rounds before final, a sole leader in the major tournament of the festival was set - Sasikiran Krishnan, who bet Andreikin Dmitry (Russia). Indian grandmaster scored 6 points, and he is 0,5 points ahead of one's competitors.
A group of 6 participants scored 6 points each. Among them Bareev Evgeny and Le Quang Liem (Vietnam) tied the score with each other; and also victorious Bologan Viktor (Moldova), bronze medalist of Moscow Open-2009 Inarkiev Ernesto, Moscow Open-2005 winner Amonatov Farrukh and Chernyshov Konstantin (all from Russia).
In the woman tournament of Moscow Open festival the leading trio of today’s victorious players was set. Playing black, Zhao Xue (team China) won Grabuzova Tatiana (Russia); Paehtz Elisabeth (Germany) bet Pourkashiyan Atousa (Iran); Romanko Marina (Russia) defeated Galojan Lilit (Armenia). The leaders scored 6 points each.
Shahinyan David solely leads the amateur tournament. Being once again victorious in the seventh round, he leads with hundred-per-cent result. He is chased by 13 players scored 6 points each. The key matches finished with the draw score in the veteran tournament. Tseshkovsky Vitaly tied the score with Vasiukov Evgeni, and kept his leading position. After seventh round Tseshkovsky scored 6 points; seven chess players scored 5,5 points each. Read more.

February 5, 2010
Resolution of the International research and practice conference “Chess as an innovative school subject in the education system”

The second year in a row a research and practice conference dedicated to compulsory chess education is held within the framework of the Moscow Open international chess festival program. This time the conference was titled “Chess as an innovative school subject in the education system” and its master was the candidate of science Igor Georgievich Sukhin.
During 2 days the key issues of the chess education in our modern world were discussed at the conference and first of all the necessity of chess presence as a pre-school and school study discipline in the education system.
The conference appealed to the International Chess Federation, Russian Chess Federation and Ministry of education and science of Russian Federation.
Read more.

February 5, 2010
Nikolay Naumov: Everything is organized here as it should be

Chess players from different countries, cities and of various ages participate in the Moscow Open 2010 festival tournaments. The youngest players are only 6 years old, the oldest – 91. The veteran of the Great Patriotic War, cavalier of many orders and medals Nikolay Naumov from faraway Sakhalin plays at the tournament “Contemporary of the Victory”.
Prior to the very beginning of the game of the 7th round Nikolay answered some questions.
- Nikolay Stepanovich, tell us please about your impressions from the tournament.
- My impressions are quite positive. The organization of the festival is great: many people, many rooms. As a veteran I am happy that the tournament is held dedicated to the Great Patriotic War.
- Don’t you regret that you have made such a long way to participate in the tournament?
- No, of course. I participate in such a big chess event for the first time. I play the tournaments at home every year.
Read more.

February 5, 2010
Game of the day by Vladimir Barsky

This game of round 5 influenced on the places distribution at the top of the tournament. The owner of the Russia Cup-2009 Evgeny Bareev has convincingly denied inconcrete strategy of his opponent Alexander Motylev.
Read more.

February 4, 2010
The fight has become more stubborn

6 round games were played on Thursday at the Moscow Open 2010 festival 5 chess players are heading the competitions: Sasikiran Krishnan (India), Le Quang Liem (Vietnam), Andreikin Dmitry (Russia), Bareev Evgeny (Russsia), Kurnosov Igor (Russia) – they all scored by 5 points.
The game of the round between Dmitry Andreikin (Russia) and Moldavian Viktor Bologan (Moldovia) had 75 chess moves and ended up in a draw in the queen’s endgame, which allowed four other chess players catch up with the leading group.
In this round Bareev defeated with the black pieces his compatriot Motylev Alexander, Igor Kurnosov (Russia) was stronger than Matlakov Maxim (Russia). The leader of team India Sasikiran Krishnan defeated with the black pieces Khismatullin Denis (Russia); Le Quang Liem (Vietnam) took down Zhigalko Sergei (Belarus). 13 players are half points behind the leaders.
In Female tournament 8 participants, who scored 5 points, are leading after 6 round games. Two key games of this tournament ended up in a draw. Galojan Lilit (Armenia) tied the score with Paehtz Elisabeth (Germany); Melia Salome (Georgia) shared the points with Grabuzova Tatiana (Russia). Also Zhao Xue (China), Pourkashiyan Atousa (Iran), Romanko Marina (Russia) and Manakova Maria joined the leaders defeating their opponents.
11 participants scored 4,5 points.
Tseshkovsky Vitaly keep on hold the leadership in Contemporaries of the Victory tournament: after the draw game with Zaitsev Igor in 6 round, Vitaly scored 5,5. Zaitsev, Vasiukov Evgeni, Zilbert Oleg, Kremenietsky Anatoly are behind in the score 0,5 points. Read more.

February 4, 2010
At once 3 participants accepted sincere congratulations to their Birthday

Three female chess players of Moscow Open 2010 celebrated their Birthday on Feb. 4: Zaryvkina Anastasia and Gunina Valentina participating in Ladies tournament, and also Churusova Ekaterina (the Great Patriotic War veteran) who’s competing in Contemporaries of the Victory tournament.
The festival organizers have prepared presents for them.
Read more.

February 4, 2010
Igor Zaitsev: It is remarkable that we have a chance to celebrate the anniversary of Victory in this tournament

This year's festival Moscow Open program included a new tournament “Contemporary of Victory” on the 65th anniversary of Victory in Great Patriotic War. More than 100 players who were born in 1945 and earlier take part in the competition.
Igor Arkadievich Zaitsev, one of the participants of this tournament, a well known chess analyst, coach of Anatoly Karpov, and the multiple World champions told us why he decided to take part in the Moscow Open.
Igor Arkadievich, have you ever participated in the festival Moscow open previously?
- Previously I played in “Aeroflot open” tournament. I have taking part in Moscow Open for the first time. In Moscow, and even Russia it is a very big festival, which is becoming increasingly famous.
Read more.

February 4, 2010
Game of the Day by Vladimir Barsky

The fifth round has pleased spectators with a duel of Brazilian grandmaster Giovanni Veskovi and the young Moscow master, student RSSU Mikhail Krylov. Four pawns at once, on two at each of the opponents, have reached a promotion square!
Read more.

February 4, 2010
Announcement

Dear Moscow Open chess festival participants!
Current pairings and results you can find also on the chess-results.com website.

February 3, 2010
Andreikin and Tseshkovsky – sole leaders of Moscow Open 2010 chess festival

More than halfway past on the international festival Moscow Open 2010 occurring in RSSU.
In the major tournament “A” a sole leader is identified. It is Russian champion among juniors Andreikin Dmitry, who bet Zhigalko Sergei (Belorussia) with black. All the rest games in the leading group finished with draw scores. The points were shared between Russians Inarkiev Ernesto and Motylev Alexander; Khismatullin Denis and Kurnosov Igor; Russian Cup 2009 winner Bareev Evgeny and Grachev Boris; also Bologan Viktor (Moldavia) and Le Quang Liem (Vietnam).
After five rounds Andreikin scores 4,5 points. Each of 14 chess players scored 4 points.
Munguntuul Batkhuyag (Mongolia) led the woman festival tournament after four rounds, but in the fifth one she failed playing white with Galojan Lilit (Armenia). After that the four chess players at ones reached the leading position: Galojan Lilit, Paehtz Elisabeth (Germany), Melia Salome (Georgia) and Grabuzova Tatiana (Russia). They scored 4,5 points each.
Tseshkovsky Vitaly from Krasnodar continues to win in Contemporaries of the Victory tournament. In the fifth round he won in the game with an international master Onoprienko Vladimir, and having hundred-per-cent result he leads the tournament. He is chased by 3 Muscovitets: Zaitsev Igor, Kremenietsky Anatoly and Zilbert Oleg. Read more.

February 3, 2010
The seminar of arbiters started its work under Eduard Dubov supervision

The seminar of arbiters started its work in the hall of Electronic library at the Russian State Social University within the Moscow Open festival program. The supervisor of the seminar is the international arbiter Eduard Dubov, the secretary – Karen Izraelyanc. During 4 days several reporters will tell the audience about the theory and practice of the chess competitions’ system.
In the first working day of the seminar that was scheduled to be on Feb. 2, international arbiters Stanislav Yanushevsky (Samara) and Yuriy Lokhov (Moscow) were acted with their reports. The next day was full of international arbiters Evgeny Eletsky (Moscow) and Igor Vereshagin (Volgograd).
On the Feb. 5, visitors of the seminar are supposed to pass exam. According to its results the visitors are to be handled certificates on getting appropriate FIDE arbiters categories.
Pictorial report.

February 3, 2010
Game of the Day

According to our commentator, an international master Vladimir Barsky, the most spectacular of the 4th round game, has become a sharp encounter duel in one of the actual lines of the Slav Defence that came untied between the Russians Evgeny Najer and Vitaly Shinkevich.
Read more.

February 2, 2010
RSSU student forge ahead in Moscow Open festival

The fourth round of Moscow Open 2010 festival in RSSU classrooms was over on Tuesday late evening.
RSSU student Munguntuul Batkhuyag (Mongolia) solely leads the woman tournament. Playing black, she won international master Ghader Pour Shayesteh (Iran). After four rounds, Munguntuul has hundred-per-cent result.
Two other games in the leading group – Paehtz Elisabeth (Germany) vs. Bodnaruk Anastasia and Pustovoitova Daria vs. Romanko Marina (both from Russia) finished with draw scores. Before the fifth round, 12 participants are close to the leading positions.
The main tournament has no obvious leader: 11 players scored 3,5 points and lead the participant list. Game winners: Bologan Viktor (Moldavia), Le Quang Liem (Vietnam), Zhigalko Sergei (Belorussia), Kurnosov Igor, Grachev Boris, Inarkiev Ernesto, Bareev Evgeny, Andreikin Dmitry and Mozharov Mikhail joint Motylev Alexander and Khismatullin Denis, who quickly drew their games. Read more.

February 2, 2010
Salome Melia: We should engage in single

One of the favorites for victory at the women’s tournament of the Moscow Open chess festival, the champion of Georgia Salome Melia answered the questions of Yana Melnikova.
- Salome, how many times did you participate in Moscow Open?
– I’m here for the 3rd time. For the first time I played at the festival in 2005. It was the first year of Moscow Open work, so there was no gender group division. Besides, I was the first among women and reached the norm of male International Master. My second one was in 2008, but I didn’t succeed that time. There was a woman tournament, but I didn’t even get a prize-winning place. At that time I also took part in another Moscow tournament – Aeroflot Open. It’s an interesting competition, but it gets more and more expensive to take part in it without a sponsor.
Read more.

February 2, 2010
The game of the day

A sportscaster and an international master Vladimir Barsky commented on the game of the grandmaster Alexander Evdokimov vs. international master David Gochelashvili in the 3rd round of the Moscow Open chess festival.
As a rule top-rated players win more often at such tournaments but there are exceptions. Thus Gochelashvili managed to beat his higher rated rival playing black in King’s Indian defense.
Read more.

February 2, 2010
Mikhail Nikolaev visited the Festival

On Monday February1, First President of Sakha Republic (Yakutia), deputy chairman of the Federation Council Mikhail Nikolaev visited Moscow Open chess festival. An honored guest met Moscow Chess Federation President and RSSU rector Vasily Ivanovich Zhukov, and together they went through classrooms and observed the chess fights. During the meeting Mikhail Efimovich was wondering about RSSU experience in introducing chess as a school subject into school program, to use it in Sakha Republic. Nikolaev also noticed large scale and high quality of Moscow Open organization.
Pictorial report.

February 2, 2010
Scientific Conference: School subject - Chess!

The second day of research and practice conference “Chess as an innovating school subject in educational system” work was even more informative and insensitive.
The audience warmly welcomed Republic of Kalmykia counselor of state Elena Pokaninova. She read out the President of International Chess Federation, Head of Republic of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s greeting speech.
Most of the speeches were dedicated to a thought that general chess education can not stand without a scientific basis. Irina Mikhailova Candidate of Educational Science made a speech about “Formation of scientific basis for Pedagogy Department and chess work organization in RSSU”. Igor Suhin Candidate of Educational Science’ report “Chess as an innovating school subject in the context of super national education” evoked a wide response. Read more.

February 1, 2010
Vitaly Tseshkovsky led the race in Contemporaries of the Victory tournament

Nine chess players keep on participating without the loss after 3 rounds in Contemporaries of the Victory tournament, dedicated to the 65th annual of the victory in the great patriotic war. There were participating: double USSR champion Vitaly Tseshkovsky (Krasnodar). In the far 1978 year the grand master shared the victory with the legendary world champion Mikhail Tal.
Anatoly Shvedchikov, Oleg Zilbert, Vladimir Onoprienko, Viktor Bojarinov, Vladimir Dommes, Boris Kleiman, Yuri Chernov and Valentin Artyushikhin scored by 3 points. 12 participants have scored 2.5 points.
Draw results were dominataing in the third round games of top chess players at the Moscow Open festival. Only 2 games at the first 10 desks ended in a score defining 2 leaders of the tournament. They were Alexander Motylev who beat Sergei Azarov and Denis Khismatullin who beat Kamil Miton from Poland. Motylev and Khismatullin have 3 points each and they will play each other in the 4th round. Read more.

February 1, 2010
Scientific conference: Chess should be taught at elementary classes

On the last day of January research and practice conference Chess as an innovating school subject in educational system started within the framework of international Moscow Open chess festival.
Greeting speeches from Russian State Social University rector Vasily Zhukov, the Federation Council and others government structure was read out to participants. The head of the pedagogic and chess work organization department RSSU Aleksandr Kostiev told about the successful undertaking publishing the information from chess education conference, which took place in RSSU, and a publication of premiere collection Project Chess in RSSU. Volume 1. International research and practice conference materials Chess in Russian and World educational system (2009).
The leitmotif of the conference was the article Russian Chess Education of the First President of Sakha Republic (Yakutia), deputy chairman of the Federation Council Mikhail Nikolaev. This article was quoted in many speeches. Read more.

Febгuary 1, 2010
Game of the day

In the second round on the first table a top-seed Alexander Motylev from Ekaterinburg has won the good game against his fellow-townsman Michael Ulybin - the big expert on French Defence.
Read more.

February 1, 2010
Second round – fighting began

The second round games have been finished at the International chess festival Moscow Open 2010. The main favorites of the tournament keep on winning the games. There was a meeting between two grand masters, originally from Yekaterinburg, at the first table of tournament “A”. Alexander Motylev (number one of the start list) defeated Mikhail Ulybin. Also Bu Xiangzhi (China) won the game against Eldar Gasanov
Meanwhile, there were lots of chess standoffs at the group “A”. For instance, Sergey Rublevsky ended the game in a draw with Pridorozhni Aleksei; Victor Bologan (Moldova) shared the score with the Ukrainian Yaroslav Zinchenko. The leader of Brazilian team Jovany Veskovi did not manage to overcome Alexander Shimanov, Ian Nepomnyashij ended the game in a draw with Ruslan Sherbakov.
After two round games 20 chess players have 100 percent result at this tournament.
A favorite of the women tournament Ju Wenjun (China) defeated Elena Semenova. In terms of muffin-choking news, Valentina Gunina (National team Russia) has been beaten by Shayesteh Ghader (Iran); Maria Manakova, the Moscow champion, failed and yielded the championship to Alena Suslova. Read more.

January 31, 2010
More than 500 young sportsmen fight for the chance to take part in World and European Championships

The first two rounds of the great international tournament “Successors of the Victory” among pupils, traditionally occurred within the framework of Moscow Open, were played on Saturday and Sunday. Comprehensive school champions and children from more than 100 Russian cities and also from India, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, take part in it.
569 participants are divided into 10 categories – boys and girls play separately in age groups “under 9”, “under 11”, ”under ”13”, under 15”, “under 17” years. Participants fight for prices, set in several categories. They will be awarded by a free pass to the International School Championships. Read more.

January 31, 2010
Game of the day

The most interesting games of Moscow Open festival are commented by the International Master Vkadimir Barsky. In the first round he chose a duel Victor Balagana (Moldova) versus Dmitriy Lavrik (Russia) to comment.
Read more.

January 30, 2010
First day: no sensations

First round games in the four main tournaments of the Moscow Open Festival were held on January 31, Saturday.
There are 187 participants in the main tournament “A”, 73 of which are grand masters and 49 - international masters. The majority of the first round games ended as expected: top favorites beat their less known rivals. The exceptions are the games ended in a draw between Igor Kurnosov from Chelyabinsk vs Pavel Potapov from Salekhard, Muscovites Evgeniy Najer vs Gora Airapetian from Armenia and Farrukh Amonatov vs Eduard Gorovykh.
Women also participate in the main tournament. The finalist of the Women’s World Championship Chinese Hou Yifan beat Russian FIDE master Alexey Potapov in the first round. Read more.

January 30, 2010
Tradition remains!

The opening ceremony of the 6th international chess festival Moscow Open was held in RSSU main building ballroom. In the beginning, vocal and dancing groups performed a chess-players audience. After the introduction passed, the festival providers greeted participants.
First Deputy Head of the Sport Department Yury Nagornykh wished good luck on behalf of Moscow mayer Yuri Luzhkov. He also underlined that the tournament became one of the biggest in the world, in a short period of time. And Russian State Social University is the most dedicated to chess university in the world.
“More than 1000 people and more than 100 grand chess masters take part in the festival. Despite financial difficulties, the tradition of Moscow Open will remain” – said Nagornyh. For more on. Read more.

January 29, 2010
Alexander Motylev: I miss the game

The coach of the men national team, one of the top grandmasters Alexander Motylev explained in his interview to Yana Melnikova the reasons why he decided to participate in Moscow Open.
- Alexander, how many times did you participate in Moscow Open? How successful were you?
- I played at Moscow Open only once 2 years ago. I was quite successful: I got +4 but as there were many participants, I managed to get only in the 2nd tens of the rankings.
- When did you make up your mind to participate in this tournament?
- 2 months prior to the tournament. I used to coach rather than play for the last time so I miss the game. That’s why at the beginning of the year I decided to play at 3 tournaments at once: Moscow Open, Aeroflot Open and Europe Championship. Read more.

January 27, 2010
Participants’ registration will be held on January 29

To the attention of Moscow Open participants!
All the festival’s participants should register for the tournament on January 29 from 10:00am to 7:00 pm. In order to be included in the drawing of lots, the participants need to get a registration badge in person at the (building 4, Vilgelma Pika street).
Foreign participants should pay the tournament fee in Rubles (according to the date of registration form’s postage), and register on January 29 from 10:00am to 7:00pm or on January 30 from 10:00am to 12:00pm Russian State Social University.

27 January 2010
Festival will see “Contemporaries the Victory” tournament

On January 26 ITAR-TASS organised a press conference dedicated to Moscow Open 2010 chess festival starting in the capital of Russia on January 30.
Vasiliy Zhukov, the president of Moscow Chess Federation, rector of the Russian State Social University, member of the Russian Academy of Science, opened the press conference thanking all the partners of Moscow Open that had been supporting the tournament for six years now. The MCF president said: “Moscow Open is the major tournament for the Moscow Chess Federation. And despite a difficult economic situation in the country, we managed to keep the prize fund and budget of the festival at the same level”. According to Zhukov, the festival will see approximately 1226 chess players from 30 countries including around 100 Grandmasters, Zhukov said. This year will see a new veteran tournament “Victory contemporaries” run within the framework of the festival. And the women’s tournament will be a qualifying one for the women’s world blitz chess championship that will be held this September at the Russian State Social University. This event was initiated by Alexandra Kosteniuk, originally from Moscow, and supported by the Moscow Chess Federation. Read more.
Pictorial report.

January 21, 2010
Elisabeth Paehtz: Pleased that Russia is developing womens chess

Elisabeth Paehtz, one of the top seeds of the womens tournament of Moscow Open 2010, the strongest WGM in Germany, answered the questions about the forthcoming tournament:
- How many times did you participate in Moscow Open? And how successful was it?
- I played last year. It was neither good nor bad. And two years ago I came to visit Anna Burtasova, and was helping her. Read more.

January 7, 2010
Sergei Rublevsky and Ju Wenjun are Festival top seeds

Sergei Rublevsky, Russian champion 2005, and Ju Wenjun, member of the China National team, are at the top of the competitors’ list of «А» and «С» Moscow Open chess festival tournaments. A very strong competition is expected here. Many famous grandmasters are going to strive for victory: Alexander Motylev, Evgeniy Najer, Ernesto Inarkiev, Alexey Dreev, Jan Nepomniachtchi, Alexander Lastin, Evgeny Bareev (all from Russia), Viktor Bologan (Moldova), Bu Xiangzhi (China), Kiril Georgiev (Bulgaria), Krishnan Sashikiran (India), Jovani Vescovi (Brazil) etc.
Zhao Xue (China), Elisabeth Paehtz, Salome Melia (Georgia), Batkhuyag Munguntuul (Mongolia), Baira Kovanova, Olga Girya, Anna Burtasova (all from Russia) will compete in Ladies “C” tournament.
Total prize fund of the festival is 5 000 000 Rub (about 165 000 USD).
See also the Regulations of the Festival.

February 9, 2009
Anatoly Karpov: RSSU created remarkable conditions for festival

In the main building of the Russian state social university took place a closing ceremony of international chess festival Moscow Open 2009. The rector of the Russian state social university Vasily Zhukov, 12th world champion Anatoly Karpov, senator Alexander Pochinok, CEO of Global Chess company Geoffrey Borg took part in the ceremony.
Ex-world champion Anatoly Karpov told about history and prospects of the festival. - When the festival only began, nobody thought that it would increase till such big size – today Moscow open beats all records, - he noted. The university created remarkable conditions for festival. Today RSSU is serious base for development of chess. And not only sports, higher skill, but also curriculums. In the near future the international seminars will be organized, there is already begun the program on development of chess at schools, and I think that all will develop in a positive direction in the future.

February 8, 2009
Onischuk and Pogonina are Moscow Open 2009 winners

International Chess Moscow Open 2009 festival taking place in Russian State Social University (January 31st – February 8th) has finished today on Sunday evening. International Grandmaster Alexander Onischuk (USA) has won the main tournament of the festival. In final round his game with Sergey Tiviakov (NED) ended in a draw and he got 7.5 points from 9. Other competitors have lagged behind on 0.5 points. Natalya Pogonona leaded in the female tournament “C”. She defeated Marina Romanko and got 8 points among 9 and went one point ahead the opponent.