Czech Open International Chess Festival

Pardubice 2001

CZECH OPEN 2001 
12th International Chess Festival - 12th - 29th July 2001, Pardubice 
 
On Thursday 12th July International Chess Festival CZECH OPEN 2001 will start in Pardubice. As in the last year this year's festival will be the biggest chess festival in the world. 
 
Total tournament prize fond is 450.000 CZK altogether (about 25.000 DEM). First prize in the grand master tournament Komercni banka open numbers 75.000 CZK (4.400 DEM). There are more than 1300 players from 40 countries registered in the main tournaments. For the first time we are expecting record-breaking limit 2000 of participants. The festival will be strong not only with its quantity, but also with player's strength. There are more than 100 GM and IM among registered players - it means the biggest number in 12 year's history of the festival. 
 
There are 326 players registered to the grand master tournament Komercni banka open (20.-28.7.) TOP 20: 
 
1. Luther (GER) 2604, 2. Burmakin (RUS) 2593, 3. Sasikiran (IND) 2589, 4. Stefansson (ISL) 2586, 5. Korotylev (RUS) 2573, 6. Babula (CZE) 2566, 7. Neverov (UKR) 2564, 8. Fridmans (LAT) 2562, 9. Chernyshov (RUS) 2561, 10. Socko (POL) 2559, 11. Pushkov (RUS) 2553, 12. Jakovenko (RUS) 2551, 13. Kovalev (BLR) 2533, 14. Stocek (CZE) 2530, 15. Yevseev (RUS) 2530, 16. Potkin (RUS) 2530, 17. Lalic (ENG) 2528, 18. Beim (ISR) 2521, 19. Jaracz (POL) 2521, 20.Gutman (UKR) 2519 
 
In the rating tournament CESKY TELECOM OPEN there will be the biggest number of the registered players - 390 players. 
 
In the tournament of rapid chess HOTEL LABE OPEN there will be very strong competition: 
1. van Wely (NED) 2695, 2. Movsesian (CZE) 2627, 3. Sasikiran (IND) 2589, 4. Babula (CZE) 2566, 5. Fridmans (LAT) 2562 
 
There will be attraction for audience – a match between two Grandmasters Movsesian and van Wely. They will play eight blitz games of chess on Sunday 22.7. at 13.00. 
The festival will start 12.7. with the tournament OCE OPEN. It is open 4-member team with rating for FIDE. We are expecting participation of about 50 teams. 
 
Regular information you will find on pages: http://www.proclient.cz/czechopen 
 
Yours sincerely 
Dr. Jan Mazuch 
 
Dr. Jan Mazuch, Festival Director of CZECH OPEN 2001 - j.mazuch@avekont.cz 
CZECH OPEN - International Chess Festival - http://www.proclient.cz/czechopen 
CZECH TOUR - International Chess Tournaments Series - http://www.proclient.cz/czechtour 
International Chess Calender - http://www.avekont.cz/calender.htm