Veselin Topalov
Bulgaria, ELO 2804

Viswanathan Anand
India, ELO 2803

Peter Svidler
Russia, ELO 2743

Ruslan Ponomariov
Ukraine, ELO 2738

Etienne Bacrot
France, ELO 2708

Gata Kamsky
USA, ELO 2671

Double round-robin (all play all with White and Black alternatively)
Time control – 2 hours for 40 moves + 1 hour for the 20 moves + 0.5 hour to the end of the game.


The players should not talk during the games; additionally they should not offer draws directly to their opponents. Draw-offers will be allowed only through the Chief-Arbiter in three cases: a triple-repetition of the position, a perpetual check and in theoretically drawn positions.

The Chief-Arbiter is the only authority who can acknowledge the final result of the game in these cases. He will be advised in his decisions throughout the tournament by GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili, FIDE Vice-President.

TOURNAMENT RULES

The final standing of the players will be determined according to points. In case of sharing of places – the following criteria will be decisive for the tie-break:

* A greater number of wins

* The result of the direct mini-matches between contenders

* Berger

* A greater numbers of moves played.

* A tie-break match will be played in case of a tie for the first place in the tournament between the first two players in the final standing (according to points, or the additional criteria). The match will consist of two games with a time-control of 15 minutes per player + 3 seconds added for every move played. In case of a tie, another match of two blitz-games will be played with a time-control of 5 minutes per player + 3 seconds for every move played. In case of another tied result – there will be played a last “sudden-death” decisive game with a time-control 6 minutes for the whole game for the White-player and 4 minutes for the whole game for Black-player. The White-player will only need a victory in this game to win the tournament, whole the Black-player will win the tournament by just not losing that final decisive game.

In case the first place might be shared by more than two players – the final standing will be determined according to the criteria that have been mentioned above.

This was last year’s results:

1. Topalov Veselin BUL 6½
2. Anand Viswanathan IND 5½
3-4 Ponomariov Ruslan UKR 5
3-4 Polgar Judit HUN 5
5-6 Adams Michael ENG 4
5-6 Kramnik Vladimir RUS 4

Who will win it this year? Will it be Topalov again? Will it be Anand? How will Kamsky do? Posted by Picasa

Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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