March 6 to March 13, 2012 in a spectacular new venue in Reykjavik
The Icelandic Chess Federation, in co-operation with the Reykjavik Chess Academy, welcomes you to the Reykjavik Chess Festival on March 6 to March 13 2012.
* Total prizes of €15000
* World-class playing conditions
* Extraordinary depth and width of chess talent
* Many side events: sightseeing, Fischer-Spassky exhibit, soccer and pub quiz
An Even Better Playing Venue for the 27th Edition
The Reykjavik Open 2012 will be held for the 27th time from March 6 to March 13, 2012 in a spectacular new venue in Reykjavik, which will be announced in September. The 2012 tournament is expected to be very strong. In 2011, 166 players from 30 countries participated, including 27 grandmasters, 11 of which with a ELO rating of 2600 and higher. Total prizes in 2012 will be €15000, including many special prizes for various age and rating categories, in addition to the traditional top women prize.
The 2011 Reykjavik Open saw six joint winners, Yuriy Kuzubov (2627), Vladimir Baklan (2602) and Illya Nyzhnyk (2563), all of Ukraine, Kamil Miton (2600) of Poland, Jon Ludwig Hammer (2606) of Norway and tournament regular Ivan Sokolov (2643) of Bosnia.
Join the Legends and Be Part of Chess History
The City of Reykjavík has sponsored the tournament since its inception in 1964, when Mikhail Tal won it with a record 12½ points out of 13. The tournament was initially held every two years, but has since 2008 taken place every year. It was closed in its early years, but has been an open event since the 1980s.
Throughout its history the Reykjavik Open has featured many of the strongest chess players in the world at the time, including Mikhail Tal, Nona Gaprindashvili, David Bronstein, Vassily Smyslov, Bent Larsen, Friðrik Ólafsson, Mark Taimanov, Lev Polugaevsky, Ulf Andersson, Jan Timman, Victor Korchnoi, Samuel Reshevsky, Anthony Miles, Nigel Short, Magnus Carlsen and Alexander Grischuk.
Much More than a Chess Tournament
As in earlier years, several chess-related events will take place at the same time as the tournament, including the now famous the Reykjavík Open Chess Pub Quiz and the Golden Circle sightseeing tour that includes stops at Geysir and Bobby Fischer’s final resting place in the southern part of Iceland. And given the favorable exchange rate of the Icelandic króna, Iceland is one of the most attractive places in the world to visit and play in chess tournaments.
Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Fischer-Spassky “Match of the Century”
During the Reykjavik Open in 2012, there will be an exhibition in the National Museum of Iceland commemorating the 40th anniversary of “The Match of the Century” between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky. The museum is within a 5-minute walking distance from the playing venue. The exhibition will feature, among others, the board and chess sets from the match, and of course much more.
Still Thinking About Your Next Move? This is What Last Year’s Participants Said
Ivan Sokolov (The Netherlands):
Reykjavik City Hall as an Open tournament venue, is probably one of the best venues of any Open tournament in the World. It has its advantages that go beyond regular good playing conditions.
During the game, players can relax watching over frozen small lake, swans and ducks swimming in the hot spots, adults and kids skating on the ice.
After the game, stepping out of the playing hall, either being happy with your win or annoyed/distressed with your blunder, you are in the middle of the renowned Reykjavik night life to be enjoyed.
This year organizer is moving from the City Hall, but is promising at least equaly good venue (and is still candid about it).
Reykjavik Open has also in recent years become more like a festival, with organizers taking care to invite young, old, boys, girls, different countries, strong GMs, keeping the mix tournament is already recognized for and creating a unique atmosphere.
Reykjavik Open is definitely an experience for itself, an event worth visiting and returning!
GM Luke McShane (England):
“Thanks again for a very enjoyable tournament in Reykjavik. Personally, I’m really glad I got another opportunity to visit Iceland after so many years, and it’s great to see the tournament getting tougher every year!”
IM Leon Piasetski (Canada):
“I just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed the tournament. Your group did a great job ! I liked the playing hall, the top board display and the site overlooking the pond.”
Alan Byron (England):
“I just wanted to thank you for an excellent event. I really enjoyed it and will definitely enter again next year.”
Website: www.chess.is
On behalf of Reykjavik Open 2012 tournament committee
Gunnar Bjornsson,
President of the Icelandic Chess Federation
9th to 16th March in the City Hall in downtown Reykjavík, Iceland
The MP Reykjavík Open will be held from March 9 to March 16, 2011 in the City Hall in downtown Reykjavík. The 2011 edition is expected to field one of the strongest and largest group of chess players in years. Nearly thirty GMs have so far registered, including some of the world’s highest ranked players, the youngest GM in the world, some of the strongest women and legends of the game.
Already, the number of registered players exceeds the number of participants at last year’s event, but the MP Reykjavík Open is very popular with chess players due to the excellent playing venue and atmosphere, and many chess players return year after year. This year, the MP Reykjavík Open will also be the Nordic Chess Championship and the highest placed player from a Nordic country (Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) will be crowned the Nordic Chess Champion of 2011.
The highest ranked player is Evgenij Miroshnichenko (2670) of Ukraine, followed by Luke McShane (2664), Ivan Sokolov (2657), one of last year’s winners who also regularly features in international chess tournaments in Iceland, and German GM Jan Gustafsson (2652).
From Scandinavia, we have Magnus Carlsen’s contemporary, Jon Ludvig Hammer (2647) and Denmark’s Sune Berg Hansen (2603). Moreover, all active Icelandic GMs will take part, including Hannes Hlífar Stefánsson (2580), who has been among the winners in the last three tournaments, Héðinn Steingrímsson (2554), one of the 2009 winners, Henrik Danielsen (2519) and Þröstur Þórhallsson (2387).
Africa’s highest ranked player, Ahmed Adly (2640), Latvian chess legend Evgeny Sveshnikov (2521), who is also joined at the tournament by his son Vladimir, are also registered.
As in previous years, many of the youngest and most promising chess players in the world are attending the MP Reykjavík Open, including the world’s youngest GM, the year 14-year old, Illya Nyzhnik (2530), 14-year old Bulgarian IM Kiprian Berbatov (2437), a nephew of Manchester United player Dimitar Berbatov, and 13-year old IM Suri Vaibhav (2421) of India.
Additionally, Harika Dronavalli (2520), one of the highest ranked women in the world, is attending, together with Tania Sachdev (2391), Sophie Millet (2375) of France and Anna Sharevich (2332), Belarus’ strongest female player and Lenka Ptácníková (2317).
The City of Reykjavík and MP Bank are the main sponsors of the tournament. MP Bank, which was founded by and bears the initials of Icelandic GM Margeir Pétursson, is the only bank that survived the Icelandic financial crisis that begun in 2008. The City of Reykjavík has sponsored the tournament since its inception in 1964, when Mikhail Tal won it with a record 12½ points out of 13. Now in its 26th edition, the tournament was held every other year until 2008, but has since been every year. It was closed in its early years, but has been an open event since the 1980s.
The MP Reykjavík Open has enjoyed such an enviable reputation that more than 120 GMs registered interest in participating this year. Unfortunately not everybody could be accommodated and all conditions have been allocated. Given its open format, however, places are still available for anyone interested in taking part in a strong and lively tournament.
As in earlier years, several chess-related events will take place at the same time as the tournament, including the now famous the Reykjavík Open Chess Pub Quiz and the Golden Circle sightseeing tour that includes stops at Geysir and Robert J. Fischer’s final resting place in the southern part of Iceland. And given the favorable exchange rate of the Icelandic króna, Iceland is one of the most attractive places in the world to visit and play in chess tournaments.
For more information, please check out the website of the tournament at www.chess.is, where all relevant information can be found, including list of players and a registration form.
We look forward to welcoming you to the MP Reykjavík Open.
On behalf of the Icelandic Chess Federation,
Gunnar Björnsson,
President of ICF
Participants:
1 GM McShane Luke J ENG 2683
2 GM Miroshnichenko Evgenij UKR 2670
3 GM Gustafsson Jan GER 2647
4 GM Sokolov Ivan NED 2643
5 GM Adly Ahmed EGY 2640
6 GM Kuzubov Yuriy UKR 2627
7 GM Hammer Jon Ludvig NOR 2606
8 GM Hansen Sune Berg DEN 2603
9 GM Baklan Vladimir UKR 2602
10 GM Chatalbashev Boris BUL 2602
11 GM Miton Kamil POL 2600
12 GM Pelletier Yannick SUI 2593
13 GM Fier Alexandr BRA 2586
14 GM Gupta Abhijeet IND 2580
15 GM Halkias Stelios GRE 2579
16 GM Jones Gawain C B ENG 2578
17 GM Hess Robert L USA 2565
18 IM Nyzhnyk Illya UKR 2563
19 GM Stefansson Hannes ISL 2557
20 GM Steingrimsson Hedinn ISL 2554
21 GM Danielsen Henrik ISL 2533
22 GM Friedel Josh USA 2529
23 GM Mekhitarian Krikor Sevag BRA 2529
24 GM Sveshnikov Evgeny LAT 2527
25 IM Harika Dronavalli IND 2524
26 GM Hillarp Persson Tiger SWE 2524
27 GM Williams Simon K ENG 2507
28 GM Kveinys Aloyzas LTU 2506
29 IM D Amore Carlo ITA 2505
30 IM Grover Sahaj IND 2495
31 IM Kristjansson Stefan ISL 2483
32 IM Henrichs Thomas GER 2480
33 IM Sammalvuo Tapani FIN 2471
34 IM Berbatov Kiprian BUL 2454
35 Grétarsson Hjörvar Steinn ISL 2444
36 IM Ziska Helgi Dam FAI 2432
37 IM Gunnarsson Jon Viktor ISL 2428
38 IM Thorfinnsson Bjorn ISL 2419
39 IM Thorfinnsson Bragi ISL 2417
40 IM Dearing Edward SCO 2412
41 FM Zelbel Patrick GER 2410
42 IM Tania Sachdev IND 2407
43 IM Debashis Das IND 2398
44 IM Thomassen Joachim NOR 2396
45 IM Tiller Bjorn NOR 2393
46 FM Ariel Donny USA 2389
47 GM Thorhallsson Throstur ISL 2387
48 IM Devereaux Maxim L ENG 2385
49 FM Sveshnikov Vladimir LAT 2379
50 IM Milliet Sophie FRA 2369
51 FM Degtiarev Evgeny GER 2368
52 IM Arngrímsson Dagur ISL 2367
53 IM Sareen Vishal IND 2358
54 Sipila Vilka FIN 2347
55 FM Forså Espen NOR 2340
56 FM Johannesson Ingvar Thor ISL 2338
57 FM Sigfusson Sigurdur ISL 2336
58 FM Getz Nicolai NOR 2333
59 FM Carstensen Jacob DEN 2332
60 FM Michalczak Thomas GER 2332
61 IM Karavade Eesha IND 2330
62 FM Geske Julian GER 2329
63 FM Stigar Petter NOR 2328
64 IM Kjartansson Gudmundur ISL 2327
65 FM Bergsson Snorri ISL 2323
66 WGM Sharevich Anna BLR 2323
67 FM Lagerman Robert ISL 2320
68 FM Kovachev Daniel Jakobsen NOR 2307
69 WGM Ptacnikova Lenka ISL 2307
70 FM Bisby Daniel ENG 2306
71 IM Piasetski Leon CAN 2299
72 Gudmundur Gislason ISL 2291
73 Mack Wolfgang GER 2282
74 FM DAS SAYANTAN IND 2268
75 Kárason Áskell Örn ISL 2258
76 FM Reipsch Jens GER 2247
77 Holm Kristian Stuvik NOR 2240
78 Thorgeirsson Sverrir ISL 2233
79 Spaan Nathanael NED 2228
80 FM Einarsson Halldor Gretar ISL 2220
81 FM Thorsteinsson Thorsteinn ISL 2220
82 Omarsson Dadi ISL 2214
83 Primbetov Kazbek KAZ 2211
84 WIM Vovk Oksana DEN 2204
85 Gylfi Thorhallsson ISL 2200
86 Halldorsson Jon Arni ISL 2195
87 Byron Alan M ENG 2183
88 Locci Damiano ITA 2177
89 WIM Sahl Sheila Barth NOR 2173
90 Rothe Guido GER 2171
91 WIM Agrest Inna SWE 2170
92 Burrows Martin ENG 2168
93 Duchrow Oliver GER 2165
94 van der Plas Rob NED 2165
95 WIM Andersson Christin SWE 2163
96 Bergsson Stefán ISL 2158
97 FM Bjornsson Tomas ISL 2158
98 Maack Kjartan ISL 2157
99 HASAN HASIBUL NON BAN 2154
100 WFM Guindy Esmat DEN 2153
101 Sellitti Federico ITA 2142
102 IM Bjarnason Sævar ISL 2141
103 Ingvason Jóhann ISL 2135
104 Schaefer Reyk GER 2133
105 WIM Steil-Antoni Fiona LUX 2117
106 Thorsteinsson Erlingur ISL 2110
107 Braig Frank GER 2105
108 Kristinsson Ögmundur ISL 2099
109 Herms Agullo Jordi ESP 2098
110 Schwenke Markus GER 2098
111 Rehfeldt Frank GER 2091
112 Willis Bradley (Brad) n/a CAN 2090
113 Ragnarsson Jóhann H ISL 2089
114 Mihajlov S Etoslav NOR 2087
115 Klyszcz Michael GER 2064
116 Bjornsson Eirikur K ISL 2059
117 Salewski Bernd GER 2056
118 Will Matthias GER 2047
119 Jónsson Björn ISL 2039
120 Kristinsson Bjarni Jens ISL 2039
121 WFM Horn Emilia SWE 2031
122 Hajenius Willem BEL 2028
123 Magnússon Magnús ISL 2026
124 WFM Puuska Heini FIN 2014
125 Thorsteinsdottir Hallgerdur Helga ISL 2011
126 Brynjarsson Helgi ISL 2008
127 Keetbaas Herman NED 1991
128 Schelwokat Peter GER 1989
129 Andersen Daniel DEN 1983
130 Plug Arjan NED 1965
131 Reppen Ellisiv NOR 1963
132 Albano Reynaldo PHI 1961
133 Calder Dennis GER 1949
134 Knudsen Jes DEN 1945
135 Klein Gernot Dr. GER 1924
136 Sæmundsson Bjarni ISL 1923
137 Ingason Sigurður ISL 1918
138 Benediktsson Frimann ISL 1917
139 Masson Kjartan ISL 1916
140 Lee Kai Jie Edward SIN 1913
141 Rutten David NED 1880
142 Frijling Jeroen NED 1874
143 Mihajlov S Bastian NOR 1871
144 Jóhannsson Örn Leó ISL 1859
145 Fivelstad Jon Olav NOR 1854
146 Jonsson Olafur Gisli ISL 1842
147 Karlsson Mikael Jóhann ISL 1835
148 Antonsson Atli ISL 1830
149 Erikstad Olav NOR 1829
150 Van Dongen Leo NED 1828
151 Sverrisson Nokkvi ISL 1824
152 Friðþjófsdóttir Sigurlaug Regína ISL 1808
153 Johannsdottir Johanna Bjorg ISL 1795
154 Finnbogadóttir Tinna Kristín ISL 1791
155 Helgadottir Sigridur Bjorg ISL 1712
156 Gates David A ENG 1698
157 Leósson Atli Jóhann ISL 1695
158 Sigurðarson Emil ISL 1694
159 Andrason Páll Snædal … ISL 1683
160 Muller Marcin POL 1661
161 Harðarson Jón ISL 1639
162 Brynjarsson Eiríkur Örn ISL 1626
163 Ragnarsson Dagur ISL 1616
164 Johannesson Oliver ISL 1554
165 Kjartansson Dagur ISL 1517
166 Hauksdóttir Hrund ISL 1515
167 Sigurðsson Birkir Karl ISL 1481
168 Johannesson Kristofer Joel ISL 1437
169 Andri Kristinn ISL 1285
170 Stefánsson Vignir Vatnar ISL 1220
171 Ragnarsson Heimir Páll ISL 1200
172 FM Huguet Sergio engineerin HON 0
173 kristínardóttir Elsa María ISL 0
174 Levon Terteryan KAZ 0
175 Nansý Davíðsdóttir ISL 0
