Strongest line-up yet for Chess Classic
Queenstown Lakes
By James Beech on Fri, 9 Dec 2011
The strongest field of international chess players to be assembled in Queenstown will gather early in the new year to compete for honours and cash prizes totaling $30,000.
The 2011 Commonwealth champion Gawain Jones will return to compete in the 2012 Queenstown Chess Classic, alongside the No 2 players from both China and India.
Li Chao was already ranked 40th in the world by the age of 22, while Surya Ganguli was a six-time Indian national champion.
Chief organiser Paul Spiller, of Auckland, three Chinese grandmasters, two male and one female, were also lined up. Many top Australian players were also expected to participate, as well as international players from Europe.
Spiller said the tournament was the brainchild of promoter and grandmaster Murray Chandler, who always intended to host a series of events in the resort as a way of giving back to New Zealand chess.
The event was described as the “perfect tournament in the perfect location”, by the organisers after successful events in 2006 and 2009.
It was expected the 120 visiting players would take advantage of the schedule of one game a day, with all rounds starting at 3pm, to go sight-seeing. Most contestants will be accompanied by partners and families.
The classic will be held at the Millennium Hotel Queenstown from January 15 to 23.
Source: http://www.odt.co.nz
Will Nakamura play in this?