GM Gasanov wins Czech Open chess tournament

many chess titles and norms at the competition

The winner GM Gasanov

GM Eldar Gasanov won the 2008 edition of the strong Czech Open chess festival. He finished with 7,5/9, half a point ahead of GM Stocek, GM Chuprov, GM Korobov, GM Vorobiov, GM Chernyshov, GM Gajewski, IM Dobrowolski, GM Brkic, and GM Teske. A total of 44 GMs and 199 titled players from 35 nations competed in the event. Top seeded was GM Hracek and GM Babula.

The Czech Open was a part of a big chess festival which took 17 days, 101 tournaments (chess and many other games), 5830 players starts from 52 countries, 768 chessboards, 100 organizers, arbitres, volunteers etc. Russia won 24 medals (10 gold, 7 silver, and 7 bronze), Netherlands 20 (10, 4, 6), the Czech Republic 30 (8, 8, 14).

The festival also game many norms to players. Piotr Dobrowolski and Jakov Geller got GM norms, Eugenia Chasovnikova a WGM norm, 24 players got IM norms, and 5 players got WIM norms.

Report and photos by Viktor Novotny

Official website: http://www.czechopen.net/index_cz.php

GM Jiri Stocek

GM Vlastimil Babula