Reykjavik Open March 10-18

[Chris Rice]

Coming up in a few days time is the 30th edition of this very popular and strong open. 284 players have entered so far and are headed up by three big fish:

1 Mamedyarov Shakhriyar AZE GM 2756
2 Navara David CZE GM 2736
3 Eljanov Pavel UKR GM 2727

These days there is usually good representation from the Brits and there are nine this year. England providing eight players with just one from Ireland (John Nicholson 1808) and no Scots or Welsh.

The England contingent:

1 Jones Gawain C B ENG GM 2642
2 Bisby Daniel ENG FM 2321
3 Byron Alan ENG - 2172
4 Bucher Grant ENG - 2087
5 Lunn Matthew ENG - 2034
6 Simpson Ben ENG - 1843
7 Deus Pedro ENG - 1740
8 Chadwick Susan ENG - 1370

http://www.reykjavikopen.com/

[Chris Rice]

This kicks off at 3pm today, just waiting for the pairings. Schedule:

Round 1 - 3pm Tuesday March 10
Round 2 - 10am Wednesday March 11
Round 3 - 5pm Wednesday March 11
Round 4 - 5pm Thursday March 12
Round 5 - 3pm Friday March 13
Round 6 - 3pm Saturday March 14
Round 7 - 3pm Sunday March 15
Round 8 - 3pm Monday March 16
Round 9 - 3pm Tuesday March 17
Round 10 - 11am Wednesday March 18

[Niall Doran]

It must be a really well-organised tournament. Look at those prices!

http://www.reykjavikopen.com/payments/

I can only assume Iceland is a cheaper destination than it used to be before the current economic crisis, otherwise that's going to be an expensive week in Rekjavik.

[Clive Blackburn]

I can only assume Iceland is a cheaper destination than it used to be before the current economic crisis, otherwise that's going to be an expensive week in Rekjavik.

I am sure that Iceland is a lot cheaper since they jailed the top bankers in 2012!

[Alan Walton]

It must be a really well-organised tournament. Look at those prices!

http://www.reykjavikopen.com/payments/

I can only assume Iceland is a cheaper destination than it used to be before the current economic crisis, otherwise that's going to be an expensive week in Rekjavik.

These prices are about normal for international tournaments abroad, it is only British tournaments you get fleeced in (have a look at the British champs for example)

Here is a link to the Politiken Cup in July in Denmark for their entry fees, very similar and still £70 cheaper than the British for somebody with my rating

http://www.ksu.dk/politiken_cup/turneri ... 5&aar=2015

[Ian Thompson]

It must be a really well-organised tournament. Look at those prices!

http://www.reykjavikopen.com/payments/

I can only assume Iceland is a cheaper destination than it used to be before the current economic crisis, otherwise that's going to be an expensive week in Rekjavik.

Prices in Iceland for a hotel and restaurants are not expensive if you choose carefully - less than in England for something comparable. The costly bit is getting there as there are few airlines who fly to Iceland.

[Chris Rice]

We're off and a few results already in, Gawain winning his first game. http://chess-results.com/tnr143563.aspx ... =30&wi=821

There is an almighty snow storm outside the venue. Tournament being covered by chess.com tv http://www.chess.com/tv

[Niall Doran]

It must be a really well-organised tournament. Look at those prices!

http://www.reykjavikopen.com/payments/

I can only assume Iceland is a cheaper destination than it used to be before the current economic crisis, otherwise that's going to be an expensive week in Rekjavik.

These prices are about normal for international tournaments abroad, it is only British tournaments you get fleeced in (have a look at the British champs for example)

Here is a link to the Politiken Cup in July in Denmark for their entry fees, very similar and still £70 cheaper than the British for somebody with my rating

http://www.ksu.dk/politiken_cup/turneri ... 5&aar=2015

France must be exceptionally cheap, here's a link to a 9-round tournament that costs €50, which would be fairly standard :

http://www.echecs.asso.fr/FicheTournoi.aspx?Ref=33650

[Chris Rice]

Round 1 in these tournaments is usually the ritual slaughter of the bottom half by the top half and this duly went off with out any problem apart from a Spanish player putting a spanner in the works on Board 6

Benet Morant Damia 2044 ½-½ GM Hammer Jon Ludvig 2651

The England contingents results can be found here http://chess-results.com/tnr143563.aspx ... =30&wi=821

The notable pairings in Round 2 are boards 1-3 where the three 2700s are, board 5 where Daniel Bisby (2321) is White against Movsesian (2665) and board 7 where Gawain is playing.

http://chess-results.com/tnr143563.aspx ... =30&wi=821

[Kevin Thurlow]

"These prices are about normal for international tournaments abroad, it is only British tournaments you get fleeced in (have a look at the British champs for example)"

Maybe overseas tournaments find it easier to get sponsors?

Come on Dan!

[Chris Rice]

Daniel has beaten Movsesian!!!!

[David Robertson]

Splat!

Bisby 1-0 Movsesian

A clean knock-out. Fabulous

[Nick Burrows]

[Event "Reykjavik Open 2015"] [Site "?"] [Date "2015.03.11"] [Round "2"] [White "Daniel Bisby, 2321."] [Black "Sergei Movsesian, 2665."] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"] [PlyCount "61"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d3 d5 4. Qe2 Ne7 5. g3 b6 6. Bg2 Bb7 7. O-O Nbc6 8. e5 h6 9. h4 g6 10. c3 Bg7 11. Na3 Ba6 12. Re1 Qd7 13. Rb1 Nf5 14. g4 Nfe7 15. b4 Nd8 16. bxc5 bxc5 17. c4 h5 18. gxh5 Rxh5 19. Nb5 Nf5 20. d4 cxd4 21. cxd5 Kf8 22. d6 Rb8 23. a4 Nxh4 24. Nxh4 Rxh4 25. Bg5 d3 26. Qxd3 Rxa4 27. Qh3 Kg8 28. Nc7 Rxb1 29. Rxb1 Bxe5 30. Nd5 Ra5 31. Bf6 1-0

Trounced!

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Brilliant win!!

(Can someone point out the win after 27...Bxb5 or 27...Rxb5? - Ah, I think I've seen it. The threat from White is Qh7 and Be7+, and it presumably can't be stopped if Black wastes time capturing the knight on b5, and moving the Black queen to provide an escape route doesn't seem possible either.)

[Mike Truran]

Is Qh7 with the idea of Bh6 also possible?