52nd Reggio Emilia Tournament
Report by Chessdom.com

Zoltan Almasi top-seeded, Gata Kamsky replacing Vladimir Malakhov

The 52nd Reggio Emilia tournament is scheduled to take place from 28th December 2009 until 6th January 2010. What started as small local tournament back in 1958, sprouted into prominent happening by the early 90’s, when both Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov sat on the stage. List of the Reggio Emilia winners is outstanding, Viswanathan Anand, Anatoly Karpov, Nona Gaprindashvili, Lajos Portish, Ulf Andersson, Rafael Vaganian, to mention a few.

The winner of the jubilee 50th tournament, GM Zoltan Almasi from Hungary, will be the top-seeded player of this year’s event, after the World Chess Cup semifinalist Vladimir Malakhov withdrew participation. Malakhov will be replaced by the 2007 World Cup winner Gata Kamsky.

Other foreign participants are Baadur Jobava from Georgia, Viktor Bologan from Moldova, Konstantin Landa from Russia and 17-years old Eltaj Safarli from Azerbaijan.

Italy will be represented by the country’s best players – Fabiano Caruana, five-time national champion Michele Godena and future stars Sabino Brunello and Daniele Vocaturo.

Participants (10-player round robin):

Almasi Zoltan HUN 2704
Jobava Baadur GEO 2696
Kamsky Gata USA 2695
Bologan Viktor MDA 2692
Landa Konstantin RUS 2664
Caruana Fabiano ITA 2652
Safarli Eltaj AZE 2592
Godena Michele ITA 2537
Brunello Sabino ITA 2507
Vocaturo Daniele ITA 2500

Official website

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