The Reykjavik Open 2013 will take place 19-27 February in Iceland. It will be one of the top open chess tournaments of the year, with over 100 titled players. Top seeded are GM Vachier Largave (France), GM David Navara (Czech Republic), and GM Ivan Cheparinov (Bulgaria), and GM Ding Liren (China).
Several players will be aiming to break the 2700 ELO barrier. GM Nigel Short, who recently lost the dramatic tiebreak in Gibraltar is among the group close to the target, together with GM Yu Yangyi, GM Wesley So, GM Pavel Eljanov, and GM Bu Xingzhi.
The event is unpredictable, as multiple 2600+ players will have a shot at the first positions. With solid practice from Tata Steel arrive GM Ivan Sokolov, GM Erwin L’Ami, GM Nils Grandelius, GM Alexander Ipatov, IM Hjorvar Steinn Gretarsson, GM Alexander Kovchan, while high scores are expected from GM Gawain Jones and GM Amin Bassem.
USA is sending GM Yuri Shulman, GM Gregory Kaidanov, IM Irina Krush, IM John Bartholomew, NM Yaacov Norowitz, IM Vladimir Prosviriakov, Mike Murray, Stephen Jablon, Gregory Hisnay,Mikhail Kruglyak, and Kent Evenson while Canada is putting high hopes on Chessdom commentator IM Aman Hambleton and WCM Yelizaveta Orlova.
The only Russian players to appear on the list are WGM Alina Kashlinskaya and the untitled Igor Ryabov.
Reykjavik Open participants (top seeds)
1 | GM | Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | FRA | 2715 |
2 | GM | Navara David | CZE | 2710 |
3 | GM | Cheparinov Ivan | BUL | 2709 |
4 | GM | Ding Liren | CHN | 2709 |
5 | GM | Short Nigel D | ENG | 2690 |
6 | GM | Yu Yangyi | CHN | 2688 |
7 | GM | So Wesley (Webster University) | PHI | 2684 |
8 | GM | Eljanov Pavel | UKR | 2678 |
9 | GM | Bu Xiangzhi | CHN | 2675 |
10 | GM | Gajewski Grzegorz | POL | 2644 |
11 | GM | Sokolov Ivan | NED | 2644 |
12 | GM | Socko Bartosz | POL | 2643 |
13 | GM | Jones Gawain C B | ENG | 2637 |
14 | GM | Amin Bassem | EGY | 2631 |
15 | GM | Miton Kamil | POL | 2626 |
16 | GM | Kuzubov Yuriy | UKR | 2622 |
17 | GM | L Ami Erwin | NED | 2622 |
18 | GM | Baklan Vladimir | UKR | 2609 |
19 | GM | Solak Dragan | TUR | 2603 |
20 | GM | Dziuba Marcin | POL | 2602 |
GO Wesley!
God bless GM Wes!