Kongresshaus Zürich, 15 August 2009

"Ladies and Gentlemen, dear chess friends,

half smiling, half sad I say: The games are over! Smiling – because we had a magnificent tournament in a great atmosphere with a lot of exciting games. Sad – because after one week we already have to bid farewell again. Never in the long history of the Zürcher Schachgesellschaft have so many strong players from so many different countries been our guests. I thank you all for coming to our jubilee-tournament and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did and will always keep it in good memory. Until the end of our anniversary year we’d like to record the most important and most exciting moments as well as the best games in a small Festschrift. You are kindly invited to contribute and send us your best games or small anecdotes. Our jubilee-homepage will still be available for some time from now, and this is also where you will be informed about when and how the Festschrift can be bought.

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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.

Alexander Areshchenko wins the Alois Nagler Memorial with 7,5 points ahead of Boris Avrukh due to his superior tie-break. For a long time top contestant Alexander Morozevich seemed to be winning his match and thus the tournament; after mutual time-trouble however, Boris Avrukh went into the lead. Areshchenko, playing black, defeated Yuriy Kuzubov in convincing style. Yannick Pelletier drew against Ivanisevic and became best Swiss player with 6,5 points. The 15 year-old Hou Yifan reached the same score and became the best female player of the tournament. With half a point less, Anish Giri managed to get the prize money for the category "Under 16". Lajos Portisch became best Senior. Additional categorically based prizes went to Yuriy Kuzubov (Under 20), Michael Hochstrasser (best player with Elo 2200-2399), and Garcia Lopez (best player with Elo less than 2200). Nino Wilkins won the Accentus Open (Swiss Chess) with 8 points, as well as the category "Under 20". Einora Juciute, in the lead for a long time, became the best female player of the tournament. Additional prizes went to Kurt Meier (best Senior), Fabian Matt (Under 16), Salim Turki (best player with Elo 1600-1800), Ati Falossi (best player with Elo less than 1600) as well as Alexander Greve (best player without rating).

Pairings, Results, Standings, Games, Bulletin (Master)
Pairings, Results, Standings, Games, Bulletin (General)

Download Bulletin Round 9 (PDF): Bulletin_R9_eng