Mtel Masters 2007, official press release
Mar 23, 11:05 AM
Early this morning Kaissa Chess Management revealed the participants and the dates for the third Mtel Masters. Here is the official press release.
Six of the strongest GMs in the world will participate in Mtel Masters 2007, which starts May 9 in Sofia. The fans of the ancient game will see the N1 in the world ranking Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria, ELO 2783), the European Champion for 2005 Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu (Romania, ELO 2689), the World Junior Champion Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan, ELO 2754), the two World Championship finalists Gata Kamsky (USA, ELO 2705) and Michael Adams (UK, ELO 2735), as well as the young Indian hope Krishnan Sasikiran (IND, ELO 2700).
“Together with the experienced chess fighters we invited the promising young talents Mamedyarov and Sasikiran. We hope this will make the competition exciting,” shared Silvio Danailov. “The average ELO of the participants is 2727 and the competition is category XX.”
The tournament will start May 9 and will continue until May 20. The President of Bulgaria, Georgi Parvanov, will be the patron of Mtel Masters 2007. The six players will compete in “Sofia Hall” of the five start Grand Hotel Sofia.
The tournament is a double round robin. In case of equal score after the last round a tie break will be played. As before, Sofia Rule will be strictly applied. The players will not be allowed to offer draws, the decision is taken by the Chief-Arbiter . (More about Sofia Rule)
In the rest day (May 19) Veselin Topalov will play chess in the park in front of Grand Hotel Sofia.As last year, fans will have the chance to take part in the game “Guess Topalov’s move”. Special guest will be the last year’s winner, the Italian Alex Bunetti. He guessed 209 moves of Topalov in Mtel Masters 2006!
Source: VeselinTopalov.net
Special guest will be the last year’s winner, the Italian Alex Bunetti. He guessed 209 moves of Topalov in Mtel Masters 2006!
LOL
Wow, this tournament’s hurting. Shak is the only guy close to Topalov’s league that’s in it.
Why all top players missing ? Suspect ing unfair advantage to Topalov ?
‘…close to Topalov’s league…’?
You must mean within the 40 rating points he complained about when he originally said that ‘Kramnik was not in his class.’
Imagine if Topalov didn’t win such events…oh, wait! he DIDN’T WIN.
I’ll bet Kamsky eats him alive.
this reminds me of Kramer fighting 12 year olds in his Karate class on Seinfeld.
I just hope the advert will be changed after April 1st to:
Topalov, ranked number two in the world (maybe even three depending on Kramnik’s rating).
Does look like though that the top players are giving Danialov a big miss.
Nice to see Gata Kamsky in a high profile event.
Yeah, the tournament’s hurting all right. The last two Sofia tournaments have been Category 22, this one’s only Category 21. Average rating is a full 20 points lower than the previous two years.
With all their outrageous behavior, they’re probably having a hard time getting top players to come to any tournament Danailov is organizing. Looks like this will be a two man race between Shak and Topalov. Shak did beat him out at Essent, so we’ll see.
“ggrayggray said…
I just hope the advert will be changed after April 1st to:
Topalov, ranked number two in the world (maybe even three depending on Kramnik’s rating).”
It won’t be. Kramnik and Topalov will have the same rating in April. The World Championship title is a pretty good tie-breaker, so call Topalov the #3 player then. But these announcements are based on the ratings at the time the invitations went out, so they won’t change their advertising.
Last year Kamsky was in clear first place. Then Topalov pulled his magic and won the last 4 games and took first by 1/2 point.
Remember Danailov runs this one. He might use a new system to help his client. Danailov gets 50% of all winnings of Topalov.
Last year Topalov sat in the same table all rounds. the one closest to the audience. It would not take much for Danailov to have another one or even 2 or 3 people helping send signals or even to have the table wired.
I just do not trust Danailov one millimeter.
Lets look at Topalov’s Tournament Performance Rating where he was not allowed to get help from Danailov
2006 Morelia 2620
2006 Essent 2640
2007 Morelia/Linares 2690.
2800 player? I doubt it.
And some people are still under the delusion that Topalov is a good chess player. I will not count Mtel if he does super. Not with Danailov running this one.
In my opinion this guy does not deserve an automatic shot at Kramnik if Kramnik wins Mexico. Everyone would rather see Anand and Kramnik in a WC Match.
It would be interesting to know how Bunetti guessed 209 moves.
facts facts facts. we need more data.
“The average ELO of the participants is 2727 and the competition is category XX.”
20 not 21
Did Kramnik get an invite and decline, anyone know?
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Sofia Rule is dumb. There will still be just as many draws as any other tournament.
I invented Jerry Rule.
1. The person that last moved before a repetition draw is declared gets zero points, while his opponent gets a full point.
2. The person that last moved before stalemate is declared gets zero points, while his opponent gets a full point.
3. The person that last moved before insufficent material is declared gets full point, while his opponent gets zero points.
4. The person that last captured after too many moves with out a capture is declared gets full point, while his opponent get’s zero points
Friday, March 23, 2007 2:17:00 PM
Jerry Rule is dumb. In fact, you seem to have misunderstood the whole thing. Who cares about the number of draws, as long as they’re all real games instead of “8 moves straight out of the book, and agree a draw”?
“I just do not trust Danailov one millimeter.”
Well, nobody does, and journalists, who always love a good story, will be watching this tournament like hawks (or vultures). If anything funny happens, we’ll hear about it. The days are past when Danailov’s antics are just allowed to slide.
Gata Kamsky is a lawyer now. Isn’t he?
This is the reason he was invited to play at M-tel Masters – to help defend Topalov and file a lawsuit against Kramnik? For all those who cheat at the championship or besmirch the character of Topalov!
I don’t understand why Mamedyarov will play in this tournament. He might protest those two guys, this is a low quality tournament and Mamedyarov is only real chess player in it! He will easily win (if topalov does not cheat of course!)
1. a3 a6
2. Ra2 Ra7
3. Ra1 Ra8
4. Ra2 Ra7
5. Ra1 Ra8
6. Ra2 Ra7
1/2 – 1/2
Most of you are full of brainwash.
Anony-mouse 4:10,
Kamsky is indeed a lawyer now. However I think his invitation has to do with leading most of the time and nearly winning last year.
I see no reason why having him there would be any help legally. Note for example that he is a US lawyer, and the lawsuits threatened would all be European. They would be using specially trained international lawyers with experience in sports contracts.
It would be foolish for Kamsky to take on that kind of specialty. As a top level chess player, he’d constantly have conflicts of interest. If Topalov or Danailov were going to be his clients, obviously he’d have had to turn down the invitation!
Susan would know and hopefully she can fill us in. But my impression some time ago was that Gata had never taken a job as a lawyer but went into chess as soon as he became a lawyer. I could be very wrong on this. so hopefully Susan can give us the real info.
The other top chess players are preparing for the WC in Mexico… thats why they are not here.
As for Kamsky and Adams.. they are both using MTEL as a warm up to prepare them for their respective matches.