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Aeroflot Open (2008) The 7th Aeroflot Open was a 66-player 9-round Swiss held in the Izmailovo Hotel Gamma-Delta in Moscow from 14-22 February 2008. The A1 group, for players rated above 2549, saw 61 GMs and five IM's fighting for the $30,000 first prize and a place in the Dortmund tournament in June/July. Total prize fund (A1 only): $100,000. Time control: 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 more minutes for the next 20 moves, then 15 more minutes till the end of the game, with 30 seconds added per move from move 61. The organizers were Aeroflot, the Association of Chess Federations and the Russian Chess Federation, in cooperation with the Committee on Tourism of the Municipality of Moscow. Tournament director: Alexander Bakh. Chief arbiter: Geurt Gijssen. Ian Nepomniachtchi won with 7/9, and qualified for participation in Dortmund Sparkassen (2008). Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 Nepomniachtchi 2600 +50 +62 +03 =02 +06 =04 =08 +16 =05 7 2 Motylev 2644 =52 +44 +55 =01 =07 =06 +20 +04 =03 6½ 3 Dreev 2633 +38 +22 -01 +21 +24 +23 =04 =07 =02 6½ 4 Rodshtein 2614 =46 +17 +42 +39 +10 =01 =03 -02 =07 6 5 Volokitin 2674 -22 +37 =15 +42 +36 =11 =06 +13 =01 6 6 Grachev 2601 +31 =21 +32 +25 -01 =02 =05 =10 +23 6 7 Guseinov 2617 +30 =42 +20 =48 =02 =27 +25 =03 =04 6 8 Amonatov 2649 =41 =09 +60 =24 =15 +31 =01 =11 +16 6 9 Mamedov 2583 =26 =08 +16 =27 =13 =12 =21 +39 =25 5½ 10 Bologan 2663 =44 =47 +38 +40 -04 =24 =22 =06 +36 5½ 11 Asrian 2621 +63 =36 =45 =31 +39 =05 =23 =08 =12 5½ 12 Predojevic 2641 =45 -20 +29 =30 +49 =09 +41 =23 =11 5½ 13 Sutovsky 2642 =15 +52 =40 =45 =09 =37 +44 -05 +30 5½ 14 Azarov 2594 +33 -39 =49 =56 =32 =30 +31 =36 +37 5½ 15 Khismatullin 2564 =13 =34 =05 +43 =08 -25 =28 =40 +47 5 16 Le Quang Liem 2540 =48 =35 -09 +60 +54 +64 +27 -01 -08 5 17 Kotanjian 2545 =64 -04 -28 -44 +63 +60 +55 +59 =26 5 18 Vachier-Lagrave 2637 -42 -38 +63 =41 =46 =29 +49 +45 =20 5 19 Volkov 2623 -21 =30 =46 +51 -20 +42 -36 +53 +32 5 20 Nguyen 2551 =28 +12 -07 =58 +19 +48 -02 =27 =18 5 21 Zhou Jianchao 2551 +19 =06 =26 -03 =64 +35 =09 =34 =27 5 22 Minasian 2578 +05 -03 =62 =37 =34 +56 =10 =26 =24 5 23 Timofeev 2664 +60 =40 =39 +64 +48 -03 =11 =12 -06 5 24 Grigoriants 2583 +43 =25 +58 =08 -03 =10 =32 =30 =22 5 25 Najer 2634 +51 =24 +59 -06 =31 +15 -07 =32 =09 5 26 Akopian 2700 =09 =41 =21 =49 =59 =45 +37 =22 =17 5 27 Jobava 2643 -36 +63 +41 =09 +45 =07 -16 =20 =21 5 28 Riazantsev 2628 =20 -45 +17 =32 =56 =33 =15 =29 +41 5 29 Dyachkov 2559 =34 -64 -12 +61 =62 =18 +58 =27 =40 4½ 30 Frolyanov 2544 -07 =19 +61 =12 =58 =14 +48 =24 -13 4½ 31 Romanov 2543 -06 +43 +34 =11 =25 -08 -14 =48 +59 4½ 32 Yifan Hou 2527 =55 +53 -06 =28 =14 +40 =24 =25 -19 4½ Chess.com: https://www.chess.com/news/view/gm-... ChessBase 1: https://en.chessbase.com/post/nepom... ChessBase 2: https://en.chessbase.com/post/aerof... Aeroflot: https://web.archive.org/web/2008092... Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyl... Ruchess: https://ruchess.ru/championship/det... TWIC: https://theweekinchess.com/html/twi... FICS: https://www.freechess.org/Events/Re... FIDE: https://ratings.fide.com/tournament... Previous: Aeroflot Open (2007). Next: Aeroflot Open (2009)  page 2 of 6; games 26-50 of 149  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 26. S Volkov vs D Frolyanov   ½-½ 48 2008 Aeroflot Open D31 Queen's Gambit Declined 27. D Chuprov vs Z Andriasian   ½-½ 60 2008 Aeroflot Open B90 Sicilian, Najdorf 28. I Popov vs F Bindrich   ½-½ 61 2008 Aeroflot Open C53 Giuoco Piano 29. A Timofeev vs S Feller   ½-½ 59 2008 Aeroflot Open C67 Ruy Lopez 30. Sutovsky vs V Iordachescu   ½-½ 55 2008 Aeroflot Open B12 Caro-Kann Defense 31. K Asrian vs A Shomoev   ½-½ 97 2008 Aeroflot Open B84 Sicilian, Scheveningen 32. A Evdokimov vs A Aleksandrov   ½-½ 29 2008 Aeroflot Open D38 Queen's Gambit Declined, Ragozin Variation 33. V Akopian vs J Zhou   ½-½ 45 2008 Aeroflot Open B50 Sicilian 34. Khismatullin vs A Volokitin ½-½ 96 2008 Aeroflot Open E61 King's Indian 35. S Azarov vs A Brkic   ½-½ 19 2008 Aeroflot Open B84 Sicilian, Scheveningen 36. H Melkumyan vs I Lysyj   ½-½ 21 2008 Aeroflot Open E11 Bogo-Indian Defense 37. Minasian vs H Olafsson   ½-½ 59 2008 Aeroflot Open B30 Sicilian 38. I Khairullin vs S Volkov   ½-½ 23 2008 Aeroflot Open C02 French, Advance 39. Z Andriasian vs V Laznicka   ½-½ 51 2008 Aeroflot Open D15 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav 40. Motylev vs Nepomniachtchi   ½-½ 17 2008 Aeroflot Open B90 Sicilian, Najdorf 41. D Bocharov vs G Guseinov   ½-½ 48 2008 Aeroflot Open D79 Neo-Grunfeld, 6.O-O, Main line 42. S Grigoriants vs F Amonatov   ½-½ 34 2008 Aeroflot Open E60 King's Indian Defense 43. R Mamedov vs Jobava   ½-½ 16 2008 Aeroflot Open B52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack 44. A Shomoev vs Sutovsky   ½-½ 26 2008 Aeroflot Open B13 Caro-Kann, Exchange 45. E Romanov vs K Asrian   ½-½ 37 2008 Aeroflot Open E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights 46. I Lysyj vs A Evdokimov   ½-½ 26 2008 Aeroflot Open A56 Benoni Defense 47. A Brkic vs V Akopian   ½-½ 26 2008 Aeroflot Open C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed 48. D Frolyanov vs Predojevic   ½-½ 31 2008 Aeroflot Open E94 King's Indian, Orthodox 49. N Nguyen vs Naiditsch   ½-½ 61 2008 Aeroflot Open C67 Ruy Lopez 50. Y Hou vs A Riazantsev   ½-½ 50 2008 Aeroflot Open E54 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System  page 2 of 6; games 26-50 of 149    REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)   < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 10 OF 10 ·  Later Kibitzing> Feb-22-08    percyblakeney: <sitzkrieg> I can't really read Russian, no, but one can always use the Babelfish thing. Feb-22-08    adair10: I know the sound of endings in last names like the Nepo's, but why in this case ending is <iy> according to <acirce>, while more often <y> (like Dvoretsk<y>), <i>, or <ii> is used. What is the difference in Nepomniasch<iy> name. Feb-22-08    percyblakeney: By the way, I think Amonatov was only teasing Nepo a bit when he said that he was afraid of him, they both seemed to agree that black was winning if he played Ne3 instead of accepting the draw offer. Feb-22-08    sitzkrieg: bologan sacked the queen for bishops and pawns and won a nice game. recommended. Feb-22-08    aragorn69: Take a look at Bologan's game. I'm not sure his spectacular combination is correct, but it's quite amazing nonetheless! Feb-22-08    percyblakeney: According to Chesspro Sutovsky had lots of time left for his 40th move against Volokitin in the previous round. He seems to have thought that he had already made the time control, or maybe just forgot to look at the clock... Feb-22-08    percyblakeney: Nepomniachtchi ended up with a 2822 performance after having been in the lead from the first to the last round. It seems as if he will gain just over 25 points, if I got that right. Naiditsch was 59th of 66 players and will lose around 20 points. Feb-22-08    sitzkrieg: <percyblakeney: According to Chesspro Sutovsky had lots of time left for his 40th move against Volokitin in the previous round. He seems to have thought that he had already made the time control, or maybe just forgot to look at the clock...> i was following the game live and this is just what i said Ezzy before. Guess he just doesn't want to admit he is wrong. Feb-22-08    Ezzy: <percyblakeney: Naiditsch was 59th of 66 players and will lose around 20 points.> I think winning the Dortmund supertournament ruined his career. Perhaps living in fairytale land is too bigger price to pay :-) Feb-22-08    Rottamo: It seems that Yifan Hou got a GM norm because her TPR was 2605. Is this her first? http://www.aeroflotchess.com/result... Feb-22-08    Wild Bill: Congratulations to Ian <nay-pohm-NYACH-chee> (did I say that right?) on his ticket to Dortmund. Feb-22-08    Simonkaser: <Rottamo> Yes, this is the first GM norm for Hou Yifan!!! Feb-22-08    jon01: Akopian did another fascinating tournament: 8 draws and a win over IM. Feb-22-08    sitzkrieg: God bless Armenia;) Feb-22-08    Riverbeast: Caruana got slapped around in this tournament Feb-22-08    BIDMONFA: Aeroflot Open (2008) Champion - IAN NEPOMNIACHTCHI Sub-Champion - ALEXANDER MOTYLEV http://www.bidmonfa.com/informacio_... _ Feb-22-08    sitzkrieg: oh boy ezzy must feel stupid now..: http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?... Feb-23-08    suenteus po 147: Congratulations to Ian Nepomniachtchi ! I look forward to his debut in Dortmund! Feb-23-08    Phoenix: <suenteus po 147: Congratulations to Ian Nepomniachtchi ! I look forward to his debut in Dortmund> Me too. Something tells me he'll hold his own there. Feb-24-08    Eyal: A lot of interviews (by eurpoe-echecs) with participants of the tournament posted now at http://www.aeroflotchess.com. Feb-25-08    notyetagm: F Amonatov vs I Nepomniachtchi, 2008 Final position after 25 ♕g7xf7 1/2-1/2 ??? click for larger view In the final position above, after 25 ♕g7xf7, the players agreed to a draw. But http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail... says that 25 ... ♘d5-e3!! wins outright for Black! <Draw agreed. But ChessBase running the Junior engine brings clarity: 25...Ne3 wins for Black! Nepomniachtchi missed an opportunity to clinch the tournament and win a full point ahead of the field.> Position after 25 ... ♘d5-e3!! click for larger view When I looked at this move with <Fritz 5.32> it saw only a small advantage for Black, like 0.50 . Another kibitzer said that <Deep Junior 10> gave an eval of -1.16 . Neither of these evals is anywhere near as large as to provoke chessbase.com to write "25 ... Ne3 wins for Black!". Could someone with the most recent <Junior/Deep Junior/Rybka> engine please post the analysis of this winning move 25 ... ♘d5-e3!! that both of the 2600s playing this game missed? Thanks Feb-25-08    THE pawn: <notyetagm> I really can't tell why Nepo didn't play on, because white has no threats at all. The only thing I can see as to why he accepted a draw is that he thought his pieces were stuck on the queenside but even then, there are plenty of ways to solve the problem. Anyways, to answer your question: 26. Bxe3 (-2.14) 26. Rab1 (-2.74 and growing) 26. Rae1 (-2.56 and growing) 26. Rf2 (-1.56) So the only reasonable option is to try to save the rook. I forced 26.Rf2 and played against my computer to see where this leads: <27...Ng4 28.Qf4<no choice, Re2 followed by Nc6xe5 Nxe5 Nxe5 and black has to monster center pawns> Nxf2 29.Kxf2 Rxh5 30.Bf6 Rf8 31.Rae1 Rh5h8 32.g4!? Rg8(Qxa3!?) 33.g5> and this is seriously hard to find anything concrete for black and white has some very nasty counterplay...Which is why Nepo called it a day, after all, 25...Ne3 seemed liked the only good option so it's impossible he missed it. click for larger view Don't worry, chessbase has this tendancy to overexagerate... Mar-01-08    Starfire: Congratulations to NEPO.. it is nice to see a winner whose Name i can't find on the list !!! Who IS he??? Mar-01-08    DCP23: <Starfire> <Who IS he???> Perhaps somebody you'll be hearing much more of in the years to come. Mar-02-08    pawnofdoom: <Starfire> Nepo has been active lately, participating in Corus and stuff. He is still very young, and I first heard of him when I saw that there was a non-gm (IM Nepo) with a rating of 2608! And it wasn't because of rating fraud or anything like Vladimir Afromeev. 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