Quick peek into top chess players' January 2011 schedule

Alexandra Kosteniuk's Chess News & Trivia (c) 2011

The Rock of Gibraltar

Hi Everybody,

Vassily Ivanchuk is going great guns at the 39th Chess Olympiad with a perfect score so far in seven rounds in the beautiful city of Khanty-Mansiysk. Then, the other day, Michael Adams beat World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. Both these strong players will be in Gibraltar in 2010. And, they will be joined by several other strong chess 'artists' at the Tradewise Gibraltar Festival from January 24 to February 3, 2010.

Ivanchuk is one of three 2700+ rated players who have confirmed their participation in the Tradewise Gibraltar Masters. The others are Mickey Adams of England and Alexander Onischuk of USA. Mickey Adams returns as the defending Gibraltar Masters champion.

American grandmaster Alexander Onischuk is rated 2701 and is coming to Gibraltar partly to act as coach to one of the most exciting young American players to emerge in recent years, Ray Robson. Robson will only be 16 when he sits down to play in Gibraltar but he secured the norms he needed for his GM title before turning 15.

The women's line-up already looks extremely strong. Heading the women's contingent is women's world no.2 Humpy Koneru of India as the top seed, with the strong Russian sisters Tatiana and Nadezhda Kosintseva next.

Also in the women's line-up will be the 2010 and 2009 Gibtelecom Women's winners, Natalia Zhukova and Nana Dzagnidze respectively, plus Viktorija Cmilyte, European Women's Champion Pia Cramling and Ukrainian Olympiad gold medallist Inna Gaponenko.

Here are the various sections:

The Gibraltar Masters - Open to all. £109,100 in prizes. 25 January to 3 February 2011, a ten-round Swiss.

Challengers A: Under 2250. (24 to 28 January 2011) Prize Fund £5,150

Challengers B: Under 2250. (29 January to 2 February 2011) Prize Fund £5,150

Amateur A: Under 1800. (24 to 28 January 2011) Prize fund £2,300.

Amateur B: Under 1800. (29 January to 2 February 2011) Prize fund £2,300.

Each of the above four events is a five-round Swiss.

Evening events: £1,000.

Junior Congress: 5-6 February 2011

The event is hosted by the Caleta Hotel, Gibraltar.

You can find all the details here.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com