Results from Day One

Today was the first game of the two-game mini-matches for Round 1. A score of 1.5 (one win and one draw) will advance to Round 2. If the two players are tied at the end of the two games, then there will be a play-off sequence on the third day of the round. (For information on play-off rules, see the official FIDE site.

Nine Americans are competing in the event. Eight are playing in Round 1, and one has an automatic entry into Round 2. A total of 72 players are entered in Round 1.

American Results

GM Gata Kamsky (USA, 2720), the highest rated American player, receives a bye for Round 1 and is automatically seeded into Round 2. His first game will be Tuesday, August 3rd. Kamsky, a former World Championship Challenger, has been inactive for about two years while attending medical school.

GM Boris Gulko (USA, 2618), the #1 rated player on the US Chess Federation's Top 50 Lists of current active players, was one of only two Americans to score a win in Saturday's games. He defeated GM Reinderman (NED, 2525) of the Netherlands. Gulko will have black for their second game today.

The other American scoring a full point on day one was 1997 World Junior Champion Tal Shaked (USA, 2471). He defeated GM Babula (CZE, 2567). Gulko and Shaked now need only a draw from Sunday's games in order to eliminate their opponents and advance to Round 2.

Several American players scored draws in their first games. Current US Champion Nick de Firmian (USA, 2598) drew with GM Kobalija (RUS, 2573). GM Dmitri Gurevich (USA, 2537) drew with GM Tiviakov (RUS, 2611). GM Yermolinsky (USA, 2588) drew with GM Spraggett (CAN, 2521). GM Joel Benjamin (USA, 2579), the 1997 US Champion, drew with GM Nielsen (DEN, 2560). The Yermolinsky, Benjamin, and Kudrin games are available in auto-play format (one diagram per move) with commentary from GM Rohde in our Games Archives. No Java is required to view these games.

GM Alexander Ivanov (USA, 2515) lost to GM Milos (BRA, 2586). GM Kudrin (USA, 2525) lost his first game to GM Sokolov (BIH, 2656). Both still play on Sunday in the second game of their mini-matches, but must win Sunday's game to keep from being eliminated in this knock-out format.

See the FIDE Official site for complete results.

Americans Playing in the Event

• GM Gata Kamsky, 2720, seeded into Round 2
• GM Boris Gulko, 2618
• Current US Champion, GM Nick de Firmian, 2598
• GM Alex Yermolinsky, 2588
• GM Joel Benjamin, 2579
• GM Dmitri Gurevich, 2537
• GM Sergei Kudrin, 2525
• GM Alexander Ivanov, 2515
• 1997 FIDE World Junior Champion, GM Tal Shaked, 2471

Pairings, Schedule, and Other Information

• Official Press Release on the Event
• Day by Day Schedule of Events (All games start at 3 pm)
• Round by Round Pairings
• List of all Players with Ratings and Country
• Zipped Excel Spreadsheet of all Players with Ratings and Country (15K)
• Zipped Word File in Ladder Format (28K)

Round by Round Results Summaries

Quarter Finals (8 Players Remain)

Semi Finals (4 Players Remain)

Finals (Akopian vs Khalifman in a Best of 6 Game Match)

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