Press Release / Zurich, 16 August 2009
Areshchenko wins the Schachgesellschaft Zürich’s Jubilee-Open
Alexander Areshchenko took the Grand Prize at the Jubilee-Open, which ran 9-15 August at the Kongresshaus in Zurich. Nino Wilkins won the General Tournament. Festivities around the 200-year anniversary of the Schachgesellschaft Zürich will climax on the weekend of 22-23 August 2009; Champions such as Garry Kasparov and the reigning World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand will play at Zurich Main Station.
At the Alois Nagler Memorial, the Jubilee-Open’s Master Tournament, after beating Yuryi Kuzubov with the black pieces in style, Alexander Areshchenko received the winner’s check offered by the Alois Nagler Foundation. In a riveting last round, a true tribute to the game of
chess, top-favoured Alexander Morozevich lost his round by a hair, thereby forfeiting his chances to win the tournament.
Yannick Pelletier was the best Swiss player, and took one of the prizes offered by the clock manufacturer, Beyer. Pelletier was also among those 16 players who won one of the main prizes.
The Chinese Hou Yifan took the “Best Female Player” distinction, and the prize for the “Best Under 16” was pulled in by Anish Giri. Both young grandmasters convincingly showed in Zurich that brilliant chess careers lie ahead.
Additional special prizes were awarded to Old Master Lajos Portisch (Best Seniors), Yuryi Kuzubov (Best Under 20) and to Michael Hochstrasser and Miguel Angel Garcia Lopez (Rating prizes).
The entire Jubilee-Open not only showed chess a good spirited and highly competitive sport, but also was marked by superb and friendly rapport among the 536 participants. Tens of thousands of chess enthusiasts watched the top players’ games live on the internet.
At the Accentus (Swiss Chess) Open, the Jubilee-Open’s General Tournament, Nino Wilkins was the proud winner of the first prize. 17 additional players took the remaining main prizes sponsored by Accentus (Swiss Chess). Wilkins was able to stop Einora Juciute, who retained her
points over the long term and was ultimately named the Tournament’s best female player.
Further prizes went to Kurt Meier (Best Seniors), Fabian Matt (Best Under 16), Salim Turki (Best Elo 1600-1799), Ati Falossi (Best Elo 800-1599), Alexander Greve (Best Unrated) and to Nino Wilkins, who also was the best player “Under 20”.
The high point of the jubilee festivities is to follow next weekend, 22/23 August 2009: The world’s best chess players of the last 50 years will assemble at Zurich Main Station for a simultaneous exhibition and a rapid tournament.
For further information on the jubilee of the Schachgesellschaft Zürich, please visit www.sgzurich2009.ch and www.sgzurich2009-live.ch.
Dr. Christian Rohrer
Schachgesellschaft Zürich
Jubilee 2009
Communications
www.sgzurich2009.ch
I’m still shocked that Morozevich lost.