Vladimir Petrov Chess Memorial begins today

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

The Vladimir Petrov Chess Memorial begins today - February 15 - as a tribute to one of the brightest representatives of Latvian Chess ever who tragically died in Soviet camps during the Second World War. The tournament will be supported by the family of Vladimir Petrov among others. The Vladimir Petrov Memorial replaces the previously announced but unfortunately cancelled Tal Memorial.

The tournament will be held in Jurmala, Latvia, from Feb. 15 (arrival) to Feb. 20 (departure), 2012. The exact venues of the separate tournaments have been changed and the festival will be held in two districts of the Jurmala city, namely Jaunkemeri and Majori.

 

The event will include the following tournaments:

Tournament A: Feb. 16-17 (qualifier) and Feb. 18-19 (final). The final will be held at the Amber Beach Resort in Jaunkemeri. It will feature 8 players: four Super GMs by invitation and the top four from the qualifier. As of now there are four confirmed Super GMs:

• Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine)
• Alexander Morozevich (Russia)
• Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbajan)
• Alexei Shirov (Latvia)

The time control is 15 minutes plus 6 seconds per move.

Prizes for the final are: 1st: €1250, 2nd: €825, 3rd: €600, 4th: €400, 5th: €300, 6th: €250 7th €225, 8th €200, for the total of €4050.

The preliminary tournament (9 rounds; Swiss system; time control 15 minutes plus 6 seconds per move) will be held in Jurmala City museum. It is open to all who pay the entry fee.

The prizes for the preliminary tournament are: 1st: €750, 2nd: €500, 3rd: €400, 4th: €350 5th: €300, 6th: €250, 7th: €200, 8th: €150, 9th: €120, 10th: €100, 11th: €80, 12-16th: €70.

Special prizes by nomination include: best result for women, juniors born no later than 1992, and players rated below 2250: €50 for each category. There are also two prizes for players rated 2251-2500: 1th: €60, 2nd: €40. Prizes are not divided, each player can only receive one prize. The total prize fund for the preliminary tournament is €3850.

Top participants in the preliminary tournament:
1 GM Grachev Boris RUS 2693
2 GM Azarov Sergei BLR 2667
3 GM Fridman Daniel GER 2660
4 GM Kurnosov Igor RUS 2648
5 GM Landa Konstantin RUS 2645
6 GM Khairullin Ildar RUS 2638
7 GM Fedorchuk Sergey A UKR 2634
8 GM Nyback Tomi FIN 2634
9 GM Khalifman Alexander RUS 2632
10 GM Khenkin Igor GER 2631
11 GM Krasenkow Michal POL 2607
12 GM Sulskis Sarunas LTU 2595
13 GM Kovalenko Igor UKR 2587
14 GM Kulaots Kaido EST 2581
15 GM Sokolov Andrei FRA 2581
16 GM Perez Candelario Manuel ESP 2572
17 GM Gleizerov Evgeny RUS 2566
18 GM Miezis Normunds LAT 2544
19 GM Fedoseev Vladimir RUS 2525
20 IM Neiksans Arturs LAT 2524
21 GM Sveshnikov Evgeny LAT 2514
22 IM Fridman Rafael GER 2506
23 GM Solozhenkin Evgeniy RUS 2483
24 GM Starostits Ilmars LAT 2469
25 IM Klyuner Vyacheslav UKR 2428
26 IM Sveshnikov Vladimir LAT 2426
27 IM Berzinsh Roland LAT 2422
28 IM Samolins Vitalijs LAT 2407
29 GM Glek Igor GER 2401
30 IM Antoms Guntars LAT 2395
31 FM Lavendelis Egons LAT 2347
32 IM Carlstedt Jonathan GER 2331
33 FM Kantans Toms LAT 2330
34 Dzjuba Vsevolod LAT 2313
35 WGM Rogule Laura LAT 2312
36 WGM Berzina Ilze LAT 2297
37 FM Meskovs Nikita LAT 2293
38 Putka Verner LAT 2293
39 MK Kalnins Kristaps LAT 2290
40 Mustaps Matiss LAT 2278
41 Klimakovs Sergejs LAT 2268
42 FM Krustkalns Kristaps LAT 2251
43 Kretainis Kristaps LAT 2243
44 WIM Zaksaite Salomeja LTU 2233
45 WIM Skinke Katrina LAT 2229
46 MK Agafonov Yuri LAT 2223
47 WIM Dolgova Olga RUS 2206
48 Bernotas Arturs LAT 2184
49 Sanz Losada Victoriano ESP 2133
50 MK Mierins Eriks LAT 2109
51 Stepins Edgars LAT 2067
52 Mihailovs Arturs LAT 1871
53 MK Krums Ilmars LAT 2106
54 Genkin Anatolij GER 0

Tournament B is reserved for players rated below 2251. Games will be played Feb. 16-17. Time control is 15 minutes plus 6 seconds per move; Swiss system; 9 rounds. The prize fund will be 80% of all entry fees. The entry fee is 10 Lats. Women and players over age 55 pay 7 Lats. Will be held in Jurmala City museum (29 Tirgnu street).

Top participants in the B tournament:
1 FM Ozolins Aris LAT 2236
2 Visockis Janis LAT 2161
3 WIM Krasenkova Ilena RUS 2131
4 Smilga Kristaps LAT 2093
5 Griezne Edvins LAT 2066
6 Vaitonis Vytautas LTU 2034
7 MK Melderis Uldis LAT 1996
8 Fedorovichs Vladimirs LAT 1970
9 Chernyak Viktoria RUS 1839
10 Barsciauskas Gintautas LTU 1837
The Team Blitz tournament (teams of 4) will be held on Feb. 18 celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the historic 5th place result of the Latvian Team at the 1992 Olympics in Manila. Anyone can play in the tournament except players advancing to the Tournament A finals. The entry fee is 5 Lats. Women and players under age 18 and over age 55 pay 3 Lats. GMs, IMs over age 55, players rated 2500 and up (2300 and up for women) play for free. The prize fund is 80% of all entry fees. Participants form their own teams and choose their own team names. The average rating for any team may not exceed 2451.

The Blitz Tournament will be held Feb. 19 at 16:30 in memory of GM Vladimir Petrov and celebrating the 75th anniversary of the historic “Kemeri 1937″ tournament. The tournament is supported by the family of Vladimir Petrov. The time control is 3 minutes plus 3 seconds for each move starting with the first move; 12 rounds. Prize fund: 100 Lats plus 100% of all entry fees. The entry fee is 4 lats. Women and players under age 18 and over age 55 pay 3 Lats. GMs, IMs over age 55, players rated above 2500 (2300 for women) play for free. The Blitz Tournament is expected to feature GM Alexei Shirov.

Also simuls of players with the rating over 2600 against players of the rating below 2150 are planned. Minimum 12 and maximum 16 boards in each simul. Participation fee is 7 lats (10 Euros), the participant who doesn’t lose his game gets back half of the paid fee.

The team blitz and the simuls will take place in Kauguri district of Jurmala, in Kauguri house of Culture and Kauguri chess Club, not far from „The Amber Beach resort” where the Tal memorial final will start later on the same day.

Registration requests should be directed to Alexei Shirov at alshirov@yahoo.es, telephone +37128345011 or Latvian Chess federation: executive director Egons Lavendelis at egons.lavendelis@rtu.lv, telephone +37129876891 or Board member, the chief arbiter of Vladimir Petrov memorial Alberts Cimins at alberts.cimins@inbox.lv, telephone +37128804664

All players registering after February 12 pay an additional late registration fee of 5 Lats.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com